Ireland's high achievers look overseas

As the euphoria of Leaving Certificate results day settles down, students all over Ireland are anxiously waiting for offers of college places to come through their letterbox. 

For thousands of the almost 57,000 students who sat the Leaving Cert exams this year, many of these offers will come from the UK.

While results were poor in Math and Science subjects there were still a high number of students achieving those sought after A's.

With competition high for college places it can become a case that there are too many students for too few course places. The alternative for Irish students is to move and study abroad, an option, which is becoming increasingly popular and possible.

While the idea of uprooting and moving to a different country to study for your degree may sounding daunting to some it is also looked at in a positive light by many employers.

One of the obvious places to move to study for Irish students is the UK. Our nearest neighbour and with good transport links between both countries many Irish students make the UK their home for the three or four years of their degree.

Two problems that hinder the possible move to the UK are the fees for courses in the UK. However Irish students can apply for assistance in the form of loans, which they only start paying back once they are in employment. Also the poor Euro-Sterling rate means it can be a costly decision for many to move and study for several years in the UK.

Ireland has the CAO system for applying for college places while if Irish students wish to study in the UK they must apply through UCAS (University and College Admissions Service).

The latest figures published by UCAS at the end of July 2008 show that the number of applicants overall to UK Universities and Colleges are up 9.1% on the same time last year.

By the end of June of this year 5,205 Irish students applied through UCAS for courses in the UK. Of these 5,205 students, 3,580 applied to study in a English institution, 1,023 applied to a college in Wales while 2,659 applied to Scottish institutes.

A UCAS spokesperson said: "It is hugely encouraging to see that application figures are maintaining the strong growth that we saw at the start of the year."

Over the past five years 2005 saw 7,403 Irish students apply to UCAS while the largest amount successful and accepted stood at 3,384 in 2004. Last years statistics saw 5,841 wanting to study for their degree in the UK with 2,572 of those being successful in receiving a place on the course of their choice.

The Department of Education are aware of the trend to study abroad and point to the fact thousands of Irish students choose this option every year. The vast majority choosing to study in EU member states, which in turn can make them eligible to apply for support under the Department’s students’ maintenance grants scheme.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education did admit that: “Competition is tight for under-graduate students in Ireland. Irish students may also go to overseas institution to pursue graduate courses to broaden their horizons. It is up to the individual autonomous educational institutions to compete in this market, including with colleges abroad.

“It is also worth noting that many students choose to study abroad as the course of study the wish to pursue might not be available here in Ireland. This might be due to economies of scale (driven by student numbers) or the increasingly strategic focus of Irish higher education institutions.”

The Department also notes that the provision of education is a two-way street and highlights that:
“In 2005/2006 there was an estimated 25,000 international students in higher education institutions here. The government has also stated targets for the internationalisation of higher education. Internationalisation is not a one-way street though; Ireland must expect a two-way flow of students in and out, which enriches the education experience for all and make a contribution to a vibrant society.”

In Ireland it is the National Qualifications Authority who facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications in Ireland and advise applicants of the comparability of their award in the Irish education system.

Yeats lives on in National Library

Visitors who have time to spare and are looking for something to do or if they want to get in from the rain can shelter in the William Butler Yeats exhibition that is currently running in the National Library of Ireland.

Located on Kildare Street in Dublin the exhibition is open from 9.30am to 7.45pm Monday to Wednesday, 9.30am to 4.45pm Thursday and Friday and at 9.30am to 12.45pm on Satursday. It is closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

The exhibition, which runs to the end of the year, houses over 2000 items and has the largest collection of Yeats manuscripts in the world. It also has other material which were donated by the poet’s wife, Mrs. George Yeats and his son, Michael.

Inside, the exhibition area is impressive. New and old embrace, as with the aid of modern technology Yeats’ work comes to life. Visual displays and touch screen computers are available for the visitor to use. One computer installation allows readers to digest the notes Yeats made about his love affair with Maud Gonne and the thoughts and feelings that inhibited Yeats at this time of his life.

William Butler Yeats was present at some of Irelands most decisive and historical moments such as the Easter Rising of 1916. Occasions like these affected Yeats and his work. Drafts from his poem ‘Easter, 1916’ as well as others written that year are also on show.

Throughout the exhibit visitors are able to get a real feel for the life and loves that made up this Irish literary genius. His work is clearly presented and is illuminated with soft and spot lightting.

Actors voices reading some of Yeats’ work are an added affect and give the visitor a momentary break from reading the enormous amount of information available. Paintings and photographs are also displayed in what is truly a multi-media presentation of a poet who lived in the 19th and 20th centuary.

Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1923. He was a strong influence in the Irish Literary Revival and also founded the Abbey Theatre along with Lady Georgery, Edward Martyn and George Moore. Visitors can also watch short films as they make their way through the exhibition. At the section on Yeats’ involvement with the Abbey theatre you can view a film called, “Players and painted stage: Yeats and theatre.”

Public tours of the Yeats exhibition are available without prior booking. They last for 40 minutes and are free of charge. Times for these tours are 3.30pm Monday to Friday, Wednesday at 5.30pm and Saturday at 11am. There is also a children’s tour at 12 noon on Saturdays.

Groups of more than ten who would school tours need to book beforehand. To do so call the National Library on 01-6030277 or email yeats@nli.ie

Those trying to make up your mind about going to the exhibition should log onto the National Library’s website at www.nli.ie Read all about the exhibition and also what other people thought about it on the feedback page.

The exhibition has received many admirers and has gone on to win an award from the Association for Heritage Interpretation. The judging panel highlighted the variety of ways Yeats’ life and work is displayed and said: “The whole exhibition is totally outstanding and an unmissable experience for any visitor to Dublin interested in Irish history and culture.”

WHEN TRADE IS FAIR - as published in The West Cork People newspaper 04/04/2008

With awareness of the Fairtrade movement and the products available on the increase, it is no wonder we saw the establishment of fairtrade fortnight.

The fortnight was launched earlier this year by Minister of State for Overseas Development Michael Kitt TD. The focus of this year’s campaign was on the simple things Irish people can do to make a real difference to the lives of people in developing countries. 

“Fairtrade isn’t just about the products we buy,” said Peter Gaynor, Executive Director, Fairtrade Mark Ireland. 

“It’s about the people behind the products we buy, and enabling people in developing countries to have greater opportunities through trade to support themselves, their families and communities,” he said.

According to the figures Irish people are helping these people as sales of fairtrade products increase year on year. Figures for 2007 were over €20 million up from €11.5 million in 2006.

The increase in fairtrade sales and awareness is most evident in Ireland’s first fairtrade town which is Clonakilty in Cork.

Over four years ago Clonakilty added the accolade of becoming Ireland’s first fairtrade town to an already impressive list of awards which includes winner of the tidy towns competition, entente floral and it was also awarded best emerging rural tourism destination 2007.

After Clonakility, Kinsale, Bandon, Skibbereen and Bantry as well as Cork city all jumped on the bandwagon and became fairtrade areas. Another five areas, Glanmire, Mallow, Midleton, Schull and Youghal, are in the process of getting fairtrade town status.

According to the Chairperson of the Clonakilty Fairtrade committee Trevor Kingston:

“In general people were receptive. Part of the criteria was that you had to have one restaurant or hotel competely over to fairtrade teas and coffees, that is the Quality Hotel in Clonakilty.” 

He added: “I wouldn’t say if you go into every shop and restaurant in Clonakilty that every place will serve you tea and coffee that is fairtrade, they wont. Some will have it on the menu, some wont and some will only have fair trade.” 

All the main supermarket chains in Clonakilty, including Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Centra, Eurospar and Londis, stock fairtrade products along with the a large number of hotels, restaurant and cafes. 

He explained that: “Fairtrade is about helping the producers of these products to help themselves. People are helping those worse off. It’s a positive, feel good thing.” 

Mr. Kingston admits that the majority of the work the committee do is promoting and educating the people of Clonakilty about the fairtrade movement and the advantages of buying fairtrade products. A big part is talking to students in schools.

He believes that: “kids are part of the buying process and good at reminding parents to buy fairtrade products.”

SuperValu in Clonakilty have been stocking fairtrade products for the past three years. According to Manager Gabriel Leahy tea, coffee and bananas are the top three fairtrade bestsellers. Although he admits demand for such products was slow at the beginning, it has picked up.

Mr. Leahy believes being Ireland’s first fairtrade town gives a big boost to the town. It gives people a good feeling too that they are supporting people that are poor.

Owner of The Courtyard bar and restaurant Neil Doherty also stocks fairtrade products on his premises. He believes the: “Quality of the fair trade coffee wouldn’t be the quality of some of the other coffee beans out there.”

He notes he has only been asked once in the past two months if the coffee was fairtrade but he does believe being known as a fairtrade town is a positive in general.

Hidden away on Ashe Street is an Aladdin’s cave of fairtrade goods. Etain Hickey collections does not stock your usual fairtrade tea and coffee but a range of arts, crafts and jewellery, as well as stocking West Cork crafts. 

Cushions and rugs from a fairtrade company run by an Irish woman in Kashmir are on display in her shop. Bags, wallets and purses are also available to buy. These are called ‘Trash Fash’ and are made by a womens co-op in India out of recycled plastic bags. Fairtrade lanterns that are made from recycled metal parts can also be bought.

Ms. Hickey believes: “Awareness is growing but its unfortunate that it’s mostly at the moment the food, bananas, coffee and chocolate and all that. Im always looking for new products and its actually very difficult to source them. When I go on websites its so much focused on food its difficult to find other things.” She revealed she hopes to stock fairtrade t-shirts for the summer.

But what do the people of Clonakilty think about the fairtrade movement and what fairtrade products, if any, do they buy?

Richard from Clonakilty said he buys fairtrade tea and coffee. 

“Having read up on the matter and having discovered the theory and thinking behind it, it’s quite obvious that people are being exploited.”

He points to the fact all public bodies serve fairtrade tea and coffee at their meetings in the town and this is now making its way into “the housewives basket”.

When asked what it means to Clonakilty to be Ireland’s first fairtrade town Richard said: 

“From the point of view of social justice it means an awful lot. We in our own small town in a huge worldwide scale are contributing our little bit.”

Cait from Rosscarbery commented how she buys fair trade chcolcate because it tastes nicer than ordinary chocolate and it’s good for the country that it came from.

Maria from Clonakilty has a different opinion on fairtrade products.

“I would not take much notice of the fairtrade products, I would be inclined to support more local products.”

Mary from Clonakilty, who buys fairtrade washing up liquid, tea, coffee and bananas, said she did so because: “People are getting a better deal out of it, it’s not exploiting people. If it was all fairtrade coffee that people had, that one thing alone would make a big difference. It’s just getting people to care enough to swap brands."

Paul also from Clonakilty believes people in Clonakilty are pretty aware of fairtrade but in other areas there not.

Paul who wears a fairtrade badge sometimes believes that: 

“If they were distributed a bit more and the kids would wear them, then they would be more aware of the brand name.”

Brain problems to increase among Irish

With 700,000 people in Ireland suffering from Neurological conditions, this week marks the launch of Brain Awareness week which is organised by The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives.

The Dana Alliance is a non-profit organization of more than 265 neuroscientists, committed to advancing public awareness about the progress and promise of brain research.

“Brain Awareness Week is an excellent indicator of how the progress of brain research has resonated internationally,” notes Edward F. Rover, president of the Dana Foundation. “People want to know what is happening in the science and how it will affect them and their families.”

In Ireland the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) organised events this week from conferences to coffee mornings. The NAI is an umbrella organisation for groups representing the views and concerns of those affected by neurological conditions.

According to the Strategic Review of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Services there are up to 700,000 people living with neurological conditions in Ireland. These conditions affect the brain and spinal cord such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and Parkinson’s disease.

This figure is set to rise to 800,000 by 2016 according to a report produced by the Population Health Directorate of the HSE and currently under review by the National Hospitals Office.

Currently there are only 17 neurologists and 9 neurosurgeons in Ireland. These figures are the lowest in Europe. A report commissioned by the Government in 2003 recommended that 39 neurologists and 16 neurosurgeons were needed to serve the Irish population.

The way issues of mental health are being reported in the media have also come under scrutiny.

Headline is Ireland’s national media monitoring programme for mental health and suicide. It works to promote responsible and accurate coverage of mental health and suicide related issues within the Irish media.

Headline is funded by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention as part of the Reach Out strategy, and is managed by Schizophrenia Ireland.

It believes the media have a significant role to play in promoting positive mental health and actively reducing stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health difficulties.

To find out more about the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, Brain Awareness week and events planned log onto www.nai.ie and visit the Headline website at www.headline.ie

Safe sex now cheaper for students in Ireland

After years of lobbying, from the Union of Students (USI) and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, the Government have decided the price of condoms is to be reduced.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen made the announcement under the Finance Bill, which will see the VAT on condoms being reduced from 21% to 13.5%. This will mean the price of a twelve pack of condoms will be reduced from €13.20 to €12.40, while a three pack of condoms will go from €4.20 to €3.94

The announcement came before Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance Week (SHAG) which took place in colleges all over the country from the 11th - 15th February 2008. This week was organised by the USI and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency with the main focus on educating students about safer sex. Students received SHAG packs which contained free condoms during the week.

President of the USI, Hamidreza Khodabakhshi, said, "condoms have always been overpriced in Ireland. This has meant a practical restriction on their availability for young people, the age category statistically most at risk frm STIs." Hamidreza believes "reducing VAT on condoms to 13.5% will cut the STI rate."

Ideally the USI would like to see the VAT on condoms and all other forms of contraceptive reduced to 5%.

A recent study of sexual health and relationships in Ireland found that one in five people between the ages of 18 - 24 thought the cost of condoms would discourage their use of them.

In a statement from the Crisis Pregnancy Agency its Director, Caroline Spillane, said she welcomed the decision to reduce the VAT on condoms. 

"Condoms are the most popular method of contraceptive and they are one of the best forms of protection against STIs. While the reduction in cost to the consumer is not large, it will have an impact on the purse of the low-waged and younger person who report that cost is an issue for them."

With condoms in Ireland among the most expensive in Europe and not available under the medical card scheme, the reduction in VAT and subsequent drop in price has been welcomed by most people.

However, not surprisingly there is one group who oppose the change. 

Martin Long, who is Director of the Catholic Communication Office, stated that the church was very much against the action taken by the Minister for Finance. In a statement he outlined the church's views.

"The church's teaching is clear: within the sacrament of marriage, the use of condoms as contraceptives is wrong, though there may be mitigating circumstances.

"Outside of marriage, the use of condoms encourages sexual activity, which is always gravely sinful. This decision sends the wrong signal to our young people as the promotion of condoms promotes promiscuity."  

Where is the Love?

It was a busy day outside Leinster House on February 14th as Bertie Ahern received probably the biggest Valentines Card he has ever been given in his life.

The six foot Valentines card which bore the slogan ‘BErtie MY VALENTINE’ was delivered to the Government building by L.G.B.T Noise. The group, established last November, were campaigning for gay civil marriage ahead of the governments decision to introduce the heads of a Bill for civil unions next month. It is hoped that the Bill on gay marriage will be passed within a year of this.

The card was full of 1000 messages including “Roses are red, violets are blue, give us the chance, to say ‘I do’,” as well as other more serious notes. Gay couples and supporters were urging the Taoiseach and his government to make same sex marriage legal in this country and let them have the same opportunities as heterosexual couples in Ireland.

One member of the group, Mark McCarron, said we are here to show Bertie a little love and want him “to reciprocate the love and grant civil marriage.” He also highlighted the fact that in recent polls around 70% of Irish people were in favour of same sex marriage.

Neither Bertie himself or any other TD or minister were able to come and take the card on behalf of the government. Edward Matthews of L.G.B.T Noise commented on this saying, “ the people we elect to represent us could not come to meet us. This speaks volumes.”

Another campaigner Paul Kenny believes “Bertie had better take heed of the messages on this card, because otherwise the requests of gay people for the right to marry are going to keep getting louder.”

Semple talks on Afghanistan

Relatively unknown in this his own country, Michael
Semple made worldwide headlines on Christmas Day last
year when he and Mervyn Patterson were expelled from
Afghanistan by the country’s government.

Semple and Patterson were expelled after they were
said to be a threat to national security by engaging
with Taliban members in Helmand. Although called a
misunderstanding at the time, negogiations were unable
to find a resolution and Semple and Patterson were
ordered out of the country.

Semple had spent the best part of the past 20 years in
Afghanistan. Working for Oxfam and as Deputy EU
representative to Afghanistan Semple had immersed
himself in the Afghan way of living. Mervyn Patterson,
from Northern Ireland, was in the country as a member
of the UN team in Afghanistan.

In a talk given in the Unitarian Church in Dublin
yesterday Semple neglected to mention the events
surrounding his expulsion from Afghanistan. He did
comment on how it has “been a rollercoaster from
Christmas onwards.” Semple’s speech focused on
Afghanistan and reconciliation and when he talks about
reconciliation he means “talking, listening, trying to
understand and finding common ground.”

Semple gave an informative view of life in Afghanistan
from the army coup of the late 1970s through to Soviet
control, the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s and the
current situation today.

However, in his speech Semple did acknowledge that in
order to support the Afghan’s reconciliation process,
which is part of his EU mandate, you need to talk with
all sides. He confirmed he had meet Talibs and that
there were “good Talibs and bad Talibs.” He also
stated that “being a Talib is not a sin or a crime.”

Semple spoke of how he meet a mid level Talib who went
underground at the time of the collapse of the Taliban
and who has since gone on to become a human rights
defender. He also explained “I do not think I have
encountered members who are directly involved in
atrocities.”

Highlighting the reconciliation process currently
taking place in Afghanistan Semple said it “is not
about negotiation….what it is about is trying to find
what grievances have driven people into a stance of
armed struggle.”

Michael Semple will be holding a talk in All Souls
Church Belfast on Friday 15th February at 7.30pm