From approximately 5pm, the Holylands became rowdier, with the alcohol intake inevitably taking effect. Crowds of revellers gathered outside houses on Rugby Avenue, Agincourt Avenue, Carmel Street, Jerusalem Street and Palestine Street, with Rugby Avenue arguably the worst. Young people took to the middle of Rugby Avenue for a rendition of ‘Rock the Boat, which then turned into the Irish national anthem. One young man mooned in the middle of the street before being unsuccessfully chased by a police officer.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE

The Gown spoke to a few Belfast natives who had turned up to “see what they could see”. One man said, “It only takes one person. I think something is definitely going to kick off.”

Those gathered in front gardens were visibly drinking, whilst some took to sitting on first floor window sills, or even on roofs. When asked what they thought of how the atmosphere had progressed, one student said, “This is ridiculous.”

VP Campaigns and Communications, Gareth McGreevy, said, “It has been contained with very little violence and rioting. There was an incident earlier in which seven people wearing pyjamas had come up from the Ormeau Road with a Rangers jersey. They were walking down Carmel Street, shouting “Burn it! Burn it!” The students didn’t want them there, and the situation was sorted quickly.”

Many students expressed how good the police had been. One said, “It may have went too far at this stage, but the police have been really nice. I suppose nobody is doing any harm.”

Another student said, “If I was a resident I’d hate it. It’s a bit scary.”

To which her friend replied, “They should confine all the residents to one street just for today!”

The University’s hope for a calm and peaceful St. Patrick’s Day looks set to succeed, as by early afternoon the Holylands remains relatively calm. From a walk around the area, stopping to speak to various revellers, The Gown learned that quite a few of those celebrating were not students at all. As is the case every year, groups of students are gathered in front gardens drinking. Police officers are patrolling the Holylands in groups, and student officers are encouraging revellers to spend their day in the Union.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE AND BRENDAN HUGHES

The majority of students felt that there would be no repeat of last year’s events, commenting on the fact that there was such tight security in the area. One student said, “It should be alright. There are plenty of police and last year was a good warning. Using students is a better control method. Police have the opposite effect. The police know that they were too assertive last year.”

However, another student wasn’t so sure about the calm atmosphere continuing, commenting, “If the police are heavy handed with one person then it will all kick off.”

One elderly resident said, “As long as it stays like this then it will be ok.”

An immigrant family commented that the daytime poses no problems at all. “At night I’d worry that we won’t be able to get any sleep because of the noise,” the man said.

After a slow start, more students appeared in the Students’ Union Speakeasy Bar as the afternoon progressed. The Union, which has helped organise the St. Patrick’s Day festival with University of Ulster, will be hoping to make big bucks tonight at its own party in the Union bars.

One student who chose to spend the day in Speakeasy, rather than the Holylands, defended the Union’s arguably hypocritical marketing campaign. Whilst the Union urges students to drink sensibly, it also offers drinks promotions and encourages students to ‘get twisted’. This student remarked, “The Union is making drinks cheaper for me today and that’s good. I’m not necessarily going to go out and riot though. It’s all about the type of person. Most of the people who live in the Holylands are from the countryside. If they’re caught doing anything worng then they should be thrown out of university.”

For more photos from the day, go to The Gown’s Facebook page.

The Gown has once again been suspended indefinitely from its office in the Students’ Union. The decision was taken unilaterally by Andrew Dodge, the unelected Director of the Students’ Union. The Union has again stopped The Gown from being distributed to students in the Union building.

UPDATE: Statement from The Gown Trust.

Dodge apparently based his decision on concerns over an article in today’s edition of the paper, which explains the paper’s recent spat with the Union. 

A memorandum was presented to Gown management earlier in the year in which the editor was asked to agree to a number of requests. These included the Union seeing all publications before they go to print, that the Union manager or President could sit in on The Gown Trust meetings, and that cold calling on Union staff and sabbaticals was forbidden. The Gown team was presented with the final draft of the memorandum last week. 

The decision to preserve the newspaper’s decades-long independence was included in Editor Catherine Wylie’s front page report in today’s print edition. Wylie said: “At no time in the history of The Gown, has the editorial team allowed Union staff to see issues before they go to print, and this won’t change.” Dodge has reacted to these assertions by renewing the office suspension. 

The Gown has received no information to suggest this substantial assault on free speech in the student body was discussed among, let alone sanctioned by, elected Union officials. President Shane Brogan has been unavailable for comment. 

At no point was The Gown’s previous suspension linked to any conditions regarding acceptance of the Union’s draconian curbs on a free campus press.

UPDATE: Statement from Gown Trust.

Gown have been locked out of their office today after publishing details of the protocol the students’ union was trying to make them sign. 

This shameful action contradicts the University’s Charter and Students’ Union Constitution which states that one of the aims of the Students’ Union is to promote and support “the opportunity of freedom of expression”. 

Gown has been operating as an independent student newspaper for half a century at Queen’s University. 

The Union has been pressurising the editorial staff by threatening to take away their office space if they do not sign a protocol under which they would have to accede to unreasonable demands, such as giving up the right to exclusive use of an office – which has for decades been available to them, a recognition of the key part the paper plays in the life of the university – and providing the Students’ Union sight of all editions before they are made publicly available. 

This would completely erode the independence of the newspaper. 

This action is a blow against freedom of expression for the students at Queens University and strikes at the heart of the universal concept of press freedom. It is totally unacceptable. The editor has the full support of the trust.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE

UPDATE: RESPONSE FROM QUB

Speaking to The Gown, Séamus Óg MacGiollaCheara from Queen’s GAA said, “That crest is the one used by the club and it was put onto the poster by the promotion company by mistake. Once it was noticed it was cut off all posters.”

“They were up inside the Bot for about a month. I don’t have a clue who said anything about them. The manager in the Bot got a phonecall from someone about the posters, he phoned me and I got it sorted out. That was all there was to it,” he said.

However, it seems that not all posters with the crest included on them had been taken out of circulation completely. Also, the poster advertising the event on the Queen’s GAA facebook page still sports the crest in the top left hand corner.

Response from QUB:

“The use of the Queen’s University crest is reserved for honorary purposes only including graduations. Approval must be sought from Queen’s before inclusion of the University’s crest in any publication. Approval was neither sought or given on this occasion and the posters were subsequently withdrawn.”

Queen’s Students’ Union has been awarded the bronze standard within the Sound Environmental Impact accreditation scheme, and according to Deputy General Manager Dominic Doherty, the SU are aiming to attain silver status by March 2011.

BY KERRI-ANNE CAMPBELL

The Sound Environmental Impact Awards were launched in 2004 in order to encourage, nurture, reward and celebrate environmental best-practice in Students’ Unions. It is an environmental accreditation scheme which aims to help Student Unions reduce their impact on the environment. According to Sound Impact, it also enables Unions to gain great publicity and help create mutually beneficial relationships between individuals in the Union and environmental staff in their institution.

All entrants are awarded one of four qualifications: Working Towards Accreditation; Bronze Standard; Silver Standard and the Gold Award. There are also three special awards that Unions can enter irrespective of their overall score which include: The Ecologist Communications Challenge Award, The Co-operative Most Improved Union Award and the Office Depot Green Innovation Award.

In order to gain the Bronze Standard, Unions need to meet all 23 criteria marked as bronze essentials. Queen’s SU will be presented with a certificate/award and will receive a digital Sound Environmental Award logo for their achievement.

BY DEREK CROSBY

www.queensfilmtheatre.com

Throughout the film we are left wondering whether Guetta (or ‘Mr. Brainwash’ as is his Streetname) is a budding genius, or simply mentally deficient. With a bit of tongue in cheek humour and satire (as one would expect ), and some touching moments of a more human nature, we are led through what the movie describes as “the greatest counter-culture movement since punk”, from the inception of Thierry to the movement to the opening of his first major exhibit. We soon realise that it is the journey itself that is more interesting than the end result. Towards the end of the film, when Guetta begins to become big in his own right, we realise just how much effort goes into this subversive art form, and that one cannot simply ‘go into’.

If you don’t know who Banksy is, then google him, but this film will probably be of little interest to you. Overall, it’s very informative, a little funny, and extremely thought provoking. It smacks a little of artistic snobbery towards the end, both in the portrayal of Guetta, and in the portrayal of reactions to him (both personal and public).

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ is the first of the Millennium trilogy, a big-budget adaptation of a series of books by Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. The story centres on both disgraced journalist Mikael and the violent and troubled young Lisbeth who, through alternate paths, become embroiled in a 40 year old mystery- the disappearance of a young woman. They investigate with an entire extended family of suspects over their shoulders. Needless to say, things get more mysterious as they get more dangerous.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

www.queensfilmtheatre.co.uk

Going in, having never read the books, I had no idea what to expect. Being a Swedish adaptation rather than a Hollywood translation, I was prepared to like it on principle. The fact that it was made in Sweden was a good sign as my only previous experience of the recent Swedish crime fiction boom had been a turgid series of Kenneth Branagh-starring adaptations of Henkel Manning’s ‘Wallander’ series. I found an entertaining film, though one that could easily have been a Hollywood film if it wasn’t for the fact that everyone was speaking Swedish.

It’s disposable-fun while it lasts but gone from your mind once it reaches its end. The spy thriller-like score, the picaresque Scandinavian landscape and the obvious high budget all help to create a good, speedy murder mystery. There’s something likably old-fashioned about it and it does have a sense of humour. Indeed, the violence that lifts the film to an 18 rating feels slightly out of place, as the audience that may appreciate this film the most may be 15 years old. This is, however, a small qualm in this entertaining yarn, which uses its big budget not in the spirit of excess but to heighten the film’s visuals. Best are its chilling sequences in which photographs are analysed and murderers and victims found, which brings to mind Antonioni’s ‘Blow-Up’.

Regrettably, however, there are some problems. The film continues much too long after its denouement, losing its way and struggling to find a punchy note to end on. Here, things get a little schmaltzy and, at times, unintentionally comedic. The corny ending undercuts the sense of the seedy and violent underworld that the film manages to convey so well earlier. Hollywood romanticism creeps into this dark realist tale, allowing for total closure. The fact that the world that this film creates does not allow loose ends is hard to believe. A peek into Lisbeth’s childhood via flashback may raise more mirth than empathy. Her younger self and her dad have the exact same grimace: an excellent bit of casting or a funny accident.

If these sound like quibbles, it’s probably because they are. All in all, ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ is a highly enjoyable thriller and well worth seeking out. I look forward to the next two instalments of the trilogy (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest) both coming out later this year.

The Union’s attempt to attract more students to the Thursday ‘Twisted’ club night by inviting DJ Sonya Mac to take over the decks has seemingly failed. This comes in the wake of the Union slashing working hours of bar staff. Declan Gallen (aka DJ Deci) lost his Thursday night slot to the Cool FM DJ from last night, and will now play in the Bunatee bar whilst Sonya Mac plays Mandela Hall. However, reports from last night aren’t good.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE

One student told The Gown, “Last night was the single worst Union night out I’ve ever had. And I’ve had plenty. The drink was cheap but the craic was non-existent. Even with Bar Sub closed to artificially boost the crowd in the Bunatee and Mandela, the crowd was thin and the atmosphere completely dead. Sonya Mac’s music, basically just the lowest common denominator pop possible, obviously holds little appeal for Queen’s students. If I wanted The Box, I’d have gone to The Box.”

Others said they saw people go into Mandela but leave immediately and return to Bunatee where DJ Deci was playing. One source said, “It was worse than normal, it was completely dead. Bunatee was busy when DJ Deci was playing though. She did play requests towards the end and that went down well, but the rest was just bad remixes that weren’t suited to the crowd. I think it says a lot when Bunatee was busier than Mandela at the end of the night.”

Another source voiced his concern that not only was DJ Deci being ousted from his usual slot, but the regular DJs in Bunatee had also lost their slots. He said, “I wasn’t very impressed. She played music that would suit the Beach Club or Clubland in Cookstown. The crowd didn’t seem into it. DJ Deci should be reinstated in Mandela. I think the whole thing is ludicrous.”

Graduation is a very daunting prospect for many students, as every year thousands of graduates leave higher education in the UK to join the competitive job market. However, Queen’s University have issued a press release promising to give graduates a boost in today’s challenging job market. This year, 194 QUB students will be awarded a City and Guilds Licentiateship Diploma for skills gained during work placements with a range of employers in both the public and private sectors.

BY KERRI-ANNE CAMPBELL

The scheme demands rigorous standards of assessment. In order to gain the Licentiateship Diploma students must have successfully completed two years of a first degree programme, have completed a year-out on work experience, and demonstrated competence in specified personal skills areas. Students who apply for the diploma must also register as a candidate before their placement begins, and provide a portfolio of evidence detailing their competence in academic, vocational and personal skills, along with a formal presentation.

Leading Academic and Head of Queen’s School of Education, Professor Tony Gallagher says, “City & Guilds enables students to acquire skills such as team working, good communication skills, creativity and leadership which, alongside their academic ability, will help them greatly.”

Queen’s formed the partnership with City and Guilds in October 1994 when it became one of the first universities in the UK to receive delegated authority to administer the Senior Awards scheme in Northern Ireland. The university maintains that City & Guilds Senior Awards offer a progressive employment-based route to higher level qualifications.

The majority of students are aware of how important it is to gain a head start in today’s tough and challenging job market, but exactly how valuable is the licentiateship diploma to Queen’s graduates? According to Gallagher, “The diploma is an investment that has always yielded rich returns for our students and is even more important these days as the economic downturn has made the jobs market more competitive.”

Marc Forte, Senior Awards Officer at QUB, stresses that, “Some research by City & Guilds has indicated that students tend to get a better grade in their degree as a result of their placement year and that a large percentage of these students get a job offer from the same employer after graduation.”

194 students doesn’t seem like a significant number, considering the extensive number of Queen’s students who are set to graduate this year, so is this scheme really combating the difficulties that a large number of graduates face?

Maybe not, but it is a step in the right direction for the successful applicants.

A pilot scheme of 12 CCTV cameras in Holylands was introduced yesterday at a press conference led by Belfast City Council. They will be installed over a 4 day period at a cost of £100,000,  and will operate through a wireless network which will be monitored 24/7 from Musgrave Police Station and the emergency centre at the City Hall on St. Patricks Day.

BY RUTH MAGENNIS AND SARAH WRIGHT

For coverage of St Patrick’s Day keep clicking on to www.thegown.org.uk

The cameras are just one initiative attempting to reduce crime and are not intended to be a permanent feature, but will be evaluated after a year. Cormac Hopkins from Wired Up Solutions, the designers of this high –tech equipment, revealed plans for them to be eventually scattered throughout the city and redeployed to particular hotspots in a matter of hours to deter criminal and anti-social behaviour and provide evidence for any prosecutions.

This comes as no surprise to the community following Sp. Patrick’s Day last year which exacerbated the need for increased security in order to protect all residents and students. Suzanne Wylie, head of Environmental Health for Belfast City Council asserted that the scheme was in the pipeline for years and was not as a direct result of the events last year. Of the 12 cameras that will be installed, only 7 will be in place for March 17th but there will be PSNI and wardens present with mobile cameras.

One local resident, Maura Doherty, who has suffered from anti-social behaviour in the area, feels that “there is one law for students and one for us” with unfair allowances being made for students due to their potential careers. In her opinion, the University campaign against student misconduct is far too lenient and that they should emphasise that anti-social behaviour will definitely affect your degree, rather than might, as the slogan suggests. She added that landlords should take responsibility as well as students and universities. There is a general consensus that it is a minority causing trouble in this student area, and that those that don’t cause trouble will have nothing to hide and will benefit from an increased sense of security.

Queen’s has already invested £75,000 to provide wardens for the area to ensure the safety of those living in Holylands, and the CCTV will provide additional protection for students. VP Community Laura Hawthorne has emphasised how hard those in the Students’ Union have been working with residents through the Community Affairs Unit and that the purpose of the cameras is not to catch students out as they are in plain view. The Council reassured residents that the cameras will not violate their privacy and that new technology will detect and block out windows. However, any students with fears over privacy can contact Laura at her office in the Union.

Tim Burton’s over anticipated re-making of the children’s classic tale finally reaches our screens in full 3D format.  The expected Burton twist takes a somewhat dreary look at the magical world of wonderland. This time we follow Alice years after the first forgotten visit, in her return to the nightmarish Underland.

BY LAURA SHEARER

Unlike the extreme uses of colour of the advertising posters, Burton’s vision of wonderland is obscurely bleak and almost unbecoming of previous borderline acid-trip imaginings.  This is definitely not a child-friendly film because of Burton’s defiantly dark interpretation, so fans of his recent adaptations will find themselves in a very comfortable seat.

Burton seemingly enjoys pushing the boundaries of familiarity and delights in deploying discomfort.  Some scenes are not for the squeamish, and perhaps Burton explores the possibilities of the grotesque too much in his environments and props.  The unexpected high level of animal cruelty by the queen of hearts is hurtfully absurd, even with CGI creatures it makes for difficult viewing.  This is a controversial topic that Burton could have taken much further.  Instead what Burton sets up are plenty of narrative opportunities that could have made this film exceptional, but he opts for the uncomplicated heroine who withholds the quirk of his best loved earlier filmic characters.

This remake is a perfect choice for Burton; his protagonist Alice is bored with reality and so it’s only natural that she’s the type of intuitive young mind that is fascinated by the fantastical and highly imaginative.  Supplementing her almost torturous reality Alice follows that famous white rabbit into the mystical unknown, not caring what she leaves behind, merely focusing on what enticing alternatives lie ahead of her bold choices.  The spirit of the Burton film, as well as his mainstream audience, can be found in the ever attractive and self-assured Alice.

Sadly not much of the same can be said for the other characters.  Helena Bonham Carter aptly takes on the wicked role of the queen of hearts, or as Burton has renamed her, the Red Queen in an attempt to contrast with Anne Hathaway’s role as the White Queen.  The rest of the star studded cast, including Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Alan Rickman as the caterpillar and Matt Lucas as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, give an impressive “pull out all the stops” effect.  Perhaps a little too suited to their roles, and all too nonchalant about their performance believability, the cast aren’t really stretched and retain a by-passable slump in what could have been career highlights.

The narrative changes are so numerous that it’s easy to get lost in Burton’s confusing fantasy ideology.  A depressing change to the cheeky grinning Cheshire cat, finds him blue rather than pink, empathetic and less persevering than his perky persona.  The scared-cat image is delivered alongside the removal of a source of humour; Chess here makes good use of his big blue eyes to swindle his way through the plot.  The addition of an almost irrelevant threat leads the narrative into an odd medieval tale of old fashioned knight-hood, whilst in the middle of a bizarre war of sibling rivalry.  Probably just a little too much, displaying clearly that Burton felt the original tale was just too plain.

The hostile world of Underland is gloomy and another perfect opportunity for that well-known trip through the misty moonlit woods of Burton’s recent production endeavours.  As the Mad Hatter says to Alice, “you’ve lost your much-ness”, this adaptation obviously lacks a penultimate new perspective.  If the film had taken a simpler understanding it would have been much more grounded and less of a disjointed viewing experience.

Disappointingly not worth the hype, especially in 3D.

Collate is an exciting new personal finance management tool developed by 6 students studying Business and IT at Queen’s.  Essentially it will allow those who own a credit or debit card to:

• Manage their finances across many cards
• Monitor their spending patterns in the form of graphs and tables
• Secure real-time management of accounts
• Budget calculating & user alerts

The enterprising students came up with the idea in late September 2009 after realising there was no comprehensive tool which could be relied upon to “collate” all of consumer’s expenses onto one platform.

Our studies have shown that monitoring money through the Collate tool could provide much needed assistance for students living on a budget. A problem which we have all experienced is mystery spending: where is the money we spend which cannot be accounted for? Research commissioned by Visa UK states: On average a UK adult spends £33 in cash every week with no recollection of what that money bought. Collate is anticipated to solve this common problem with its detailed organisation of all a card holder’s accounts in one place.

To subscribe to the Collate online tool, consumers will pay a mere £1 per month. In retrospect, this will be small amount compared to how much of a saving consumers are expected to make from this tool in the long term.

We aim to roll out this service in the next few months to the public. In the meantime we will be vigorously testing and making sure the site is of the highest quality and security to help consumers manage their finances effectively.

If you would like to know more about our service or have any questions you can email us at: collateltd@googlemail.com or call our Sales and Marketing director, Emma Bleakley on 07922884575.

The Speaker of the Students’ Union council, Alex Redpath, has lost the faith of councillors, failing a confidence vote in dramatic circumstances at the close of the body’s most recent meeting.

READ FULL STORY IN MONDAY’S PAPER.

The suspension of The Gown team from the 3rd floor office was lifted yesterday evening at a Management Board meeting, after a full week of being denied access.

READ FULL STORY IN MONDAY’S PAPER.

BY LAURA SHEARER

Under the tagline ‘when the last angel falls, the fight for mankind begins’, this messy narrative captures the topical post-apocalypse format, but with the added rouse of religion at its core.  God has forsaken mankind and it’s up to the fallen Archangel Michael (Paul Bettany) to rebel, save the unborn messiah and validate his remaining faith in the human race.  In a rundown dinner in the middle of a desert, no-man’s-land lies the only hope that mankind has, featuring a cast of  relatively C-list actors, it’s clear from the start that this action-fantasy-thriller won’t quite make any comparison to the films it references.

The terribly confusing narrative is rooted in ideas of anarchy and agnosticism.  It greatly misses the opportunity to explain itself. God has already sent us an unborn messiah, but for some unknown reason, this time he’s decided to abort mission save humanity.  At what point have we reached a stage that history couldn’t possibly repeat itself in spiritual terms?  Surely the selfless Michael who cuts off his own wings in a very detailed scene, is a reminder to the apparent creator that humanity isn’t too far removed from his own image?  The plot doesn’t even explore these ideas, leaving viewers stumped as to why it’s the main grounding for the narrative.  Lots of cheesy one-liners conclude that the dialogue has the main purpose of attempting to show what exactly is going on, but it’s very basic structure is constantly interrupted by huge explosions and ample gore.

In a lot of the scenes it’s obvious that it wants to expand into the familiar zombie horror B-flick, of such straight to DVD fame, but this is just another one of its allusions that it doesn’t follow up.  The complex pastiche of other films, e.g. Omen reference with the small child scene, just shows the makers up as there is so little in the narrative that it really needs to continuously reference.  The spot-the-reference game does pass a lot of the time in the cinema, but that’s more of a play along at home style of entertainment.  The sometimes diabolical editing features some really unnecessary jump cuts that clearly are due to the issue of keeping a restraint on the film length rather than adding style.   Never mind the astonishing finale scene on the cliff with its unbelievable rushed attempt to add in some interesting cinematography, that’s just something today’s cinema viewers begin to dread.  Honestly, it ends on a swear word and that would suffice as a quick description of this film, but you’ll have to go see it to find out what that is.

BY CLAIRE WILLIAMSON

The staging was simple but effective, with nothing but a simple black backdrop, and basic props, with the main focus being the action on the stage. The characters were divided into two camps: The church goers and the evil devils. Not only did they have contrasting dialogue and dialect, there were subtle hints with regards to costumes. The ‘evil’ characters were dressed with rich red and black, colours which denotes the devil and hell, and the metaphorical aspect of the fiery flames. The ‘church goers’ were dressed with traditional English war time dress, which convincingly contrasted with the ‘evil’ characters. The use of expression through colour was very effective, and viewed against the black backdrop highlighted all of the above aspects.

The lack of scenery changes kept the production running smoothly, with no delay, apart from perhaps the moving of a table or sofa. This was effective, as I feel that if the play been interrupted by scene changes it would have lost the flow and the energy that it carried throughout. However, with such a simplistic set, the correct use of lighting was crucial. This was handled well, with different parts of the stage being lit at different times to draw the audience’s attention, and the use of red lighting at the end when Screwtape delivers her final monologue. Lastly, the eerie music that permeated the play was the old hymn, ‘Immortal, Invisible,’ which was filled with dissonance, creating a real feeling of unease and as it was recurring it remained in our heads as we left.

‘The Screwtape Letters’ is a wickedly fun ride which captured enthralled and haunted all at the same time.

BY MATTHEW ROBB

For instance, let’s say you want to be a rapper but you are born and raised in Portrush. It’s hardly the poverty stricken ghettos of Los Angeles. Yet ‘Pure Fresh’ followed that dream, rapping to a crowd of YouTube users who love Buckfast, hate the sight of rollercoasters all year round, and need someone to champion that cause. On YouTube they have almost 200,000 views total, playing venues such as QUB’s own Mandela Hall.

What if you dream of writing a great novel? Stuart Neville from Northern Ireland posted a short story to his blog, where James Ellroy’s agent happened to stumble upon it. Within a few weeks Neville had been offered a two-book contract by a US publisher. He has now published his first novel ‘The Twelve’ to great critical acclaim worldwide.

Yet success need not by measured by the amount of contracts you are offered. The webseries ‘I Am Fighter’ about a character named Barry ‘the Blender’ Henderson has been sweeping across Facebook and YouTube, gathering over half a million views. Featuring the sort of comedy that would make even Ricky Gervais cringe, you have to see it, just so you don’t look bewildered when it inevitably comes up in a conversation with the local internet junkie.

When you get your big idea, there is no point in this web-laden age of even talking to the big studios and producers. You don’t even need to leave the house. Order all the equipment off eBay, print off the script, and make your masterpiece from the comforting glow of your computer screen. Even if it is complete rubbish it will find an audience on the internet, somehow and somewhere. Fame will be yours, even if your fans are a handful of people scattered throughout the world.

The mystery guest to DJ in Mandela Hall this Thursday night is Cool FM star Sonya Mac, it has been revealed.

For days the Union has been encouraging students to guess who will be taking over the reigns from Declan Gallen on Thursday’s ‘Twisted’ club night.

Sonya Mac is scheduled to play ‘Twisted’ Thurdays for a period of four weeks.

Who would you prefer to listen to: Sonya Mac or DJ Deci?

BY SARAH WRIGHT

It is not unusual for this 1st year student to get up early, spend ninety minutes trying to find a space (when there are loads free in the staff car park), miss a lecture and then have to pay a £30 ticket from “over-zealous” traffic wardens, or give up and drive home. Is this what my £3,000+ a year is getting me from Queen’s?

The University of Ulster generously provides its students with access to a secure car park to encourage car sharing, and offers options to pay hourly with a 24 hour ticket for £3, or for 6 or 9 month permits which are £40 and £75 respectively, with various payment methods available. As an added bonus, if you are parking for less than 30 minutes, it’s free. Perfect for those times when you simply need to leave a library book back, pick up a module guide or hand in an assignment. Obviously, the University of Ulster recognises and, above all, respects its students need and desire to travel by car. Queen’s, however, does not. The only parking available to students is when the barrier at the library is lifted after 5pm and these spaces are limited.

The introduction of paid parking will undoubtedly exploit students who are already in vulnerable financial situations rather than working with student bodies to address the issue and seek an appropriate solution. Promoting and rewarding students for car sharing would be one viable option. If you are fed up with tutorial latecomers complaining about parking, have suffered problems with parking yourself and have an opinion on the introduction of paid parking around QUB, then please join the Facebook group – Students against paid parking.

To enable our voice to be heard by Queen’s University, I have started a petition and I urge all students to sign!

http://petition.co.uk/paid_parking_qub

RAG and GAA go head to head tonight in a battle for student cash, causing another split in SU Exec opinion.

BY BRENDAN HUGHES

As part of RAG Week, students are encouraged to take part in their pub crawl tonight in aide of RAG-supported charities. The pub crawl is expected to reach its final destination in the Students’ Union. Meanwhile, Queen’s GAA have been heavily publicising their “Pre-St. Paddy’s Maddness” fundraising party, which will be held in SU’s rival venue, the Bot.

With falling revenue from SU bars in recent months, the event clash has caused some tension over where student Executive allegiances  should lie.

VP Lilly’s Facebook status yesterday urged students to take advantage of having no classes on RAG day (Wednesday) by spending the night in the Bot. This update has since been removed in favour of the GAA’s generic message:

“Tomorrow Night – QUEEN’S GAA PRE-PADDY’S MADNESS – the perfect way to warm-up to the real thing!!”

VP Barry Duffy was spotted yesterday afternoon away from SU and behind the GAA stall in the PFC promoting the event.

It is expected that the other Sabbatical officers will be attending the RAG event.

Last week the Students’ Union slashed the working hours of part-time bars staff as the result of a significant downturn in profits. At a previous EMC meeting last semester, VPs were encouraged to refrain from socialising in rival student clubs and pubs.

Duffy maintains that the GAA’s event was planned “ages ago”, but refused to be drawn on which event students should support. Paul Lilly refused to comment.

Illustration by Niall Mooney (click to view)

I love New York City. I love walking in a group of hundreds of people, like we’re one great pack of sheep. I love the lights, the ambulances, yes, even the ‘New York Minute’ mentality. So why did I come here to Belfast? I wanted a change of scene. I’m someone who definitely likes being in their comfort zone, but I also think it’s really important to get out sometimes and live a little.

BY CLARISSA LONG

The first thing I noticed upon arriving here at Queen’s about a month ago was the size. In New York, I go to Sarah Lawrence College, which is a small liberal arts college that only has about 1,200 undergraduate students. I believe that here at Queen’s there is something like 22,000 students? While for many of the other American students here that doesn’t seem so big, it’s a whole new world for me.
When I walked into the Students’ Union one of the first days of this semester, heard the DJ playing and saw students wandering around and looking at tables with goodies from all over the world presented by the International Student Society, I thought I might have mistaken the Students’ Union for a shopping mall. At Sarah Lawrence, we’re so small that we don’t even have a student centre. Our equivalent would probably be ‘The Pub’. Unfortunately, since the US hasn’t caught on to the fact that having a drinking age of 21 actually INCREASES dumb drunk behavior (such as car accidents), it is really just a café/sandwich place. Everyone congregates there and it’s in the centre of our tiny campus, which you can cross in about 10 minutes.
I was told before I came here that a lot of Irish students don’t like to appear like they are studying when they actually are and that they don’t like participating in class. Hearing this, not only was I not sure whether or not that was true (can’t believe everything you hear!), it was also really hard for me to imagine. In the US we are taught from a very early age to participate freely in discussion in general (we tend to be pretty vocal people). At my school anyway, we actually like talking in class. I’m not so sure if it’s true or just that the set up is different here. For example, I hear that Irish students, before university, aren’t as encouraged to participate in class like we are in the states. Therefore, it would make sense to me that their speaking in tutorial or lecture wouldn’t be as comfortable. I do have to say, though, I still am not used to so much quiet. Sure, we don’t always participate right away, but after a certain point, the impatience takes over.
Besides academics, I have found that the people of Belfast are generally very friendly, yet stick closely to their friends. While this might make it more difficult for international students to break into social circles, I think it also really helps them because it is as if the community is telling them they need to reach out in order to become part of this city.
For the rest of the semester, I intend to do just that and to relax, sit back and enjoy some Belfast hours, instead of New York minutes. I’m finding it’s not as easy as it looks, to take on a different place and a different way of life. There are some universal similarities and differences, but it’s beyond that. What one really finds when they are living abroad is that you are the one who is the same or different. Belfast may be different from New York, but they’re both cities. I’m the one who will change the most, not the place.

His optimism, however, is questionable considering Northern Ireland’s recent run of bad form.

BY JULIE MCCULLAGH

They have failed to score in their last three matches, their latest result being a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Group C opponents Serbia in November 2009. At club level, Northern Ireland players have been in fine form this season. Jonny Evans has become a regular fixture in the Manchester United back four. While Niall McGinn is on the verge at Celtic, Aaron Hughes and Chris Baird are Fulham regulars. Steven Davis is having the best season of his career with Rangers, and was recently named player of the SPL Player of the Month for January. David Healy’s recent loan move to Ipswich means that he too could soon be back playing first team football. Hopefully Healy can regain the form he displayed in his record-breaking 2008 European Qualifying campaign in time for September

The Republic of Ireland were given a kinder draw than that of Worthington’s men. Their group consists of Russia, Slovakia, FYR Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra; Slovakia being the only team that have qualified for this year’s World Cup. Trapattoni’s men will be looking for a more successful campaign than the World Cup qualifiers following the cruel way in which they were knocked out in the play-offs by France. Slovakia showed their strength in that campaign by finishing ahead of group favourites Poland and the Czech Republic, and will no doubt again prove to be difficult to overcome. Top seeded Russia’s Coach Guus Hiddink, who led them to the semi-finals of the Euros in 2008, announced that he will step down when his contract expires in June. This will give the other teams in Group B a psychological lift going into the qualifiers in September. Captain Robbie Keane’s recent loan to Celtic should see him secure first-team football once again following an indifferent start to the season with Tottenham. If the Republic replicates the form they showed during the World Cup qualifiers they surely stand a great chance of progressing from the group stages.

The football associations in each group have until 9^th March to decide the order of the fixtures.

One user says: “Cocaine might be dangerous in the way that your average ‘Daily Mail’ reader thinks, but it’s really not that bad.”

What do you think?

Have you ever been offered cocaine, or any other drug, on the student social scene in Belfast?

Some fine examples of this constructive behaviour can be seen at:-
(*streets in Holylands)

I would like to suggest that BCC save some money by having permanent litter wardens and environmental health enforcement officers and on-street alcohol abuse enforcement teams in the area until 17.30pm Monday to Thursdays (then the official Wardens can hopefully take up the reins). Any fixed penalties should help to fund the additional cleansing required to clean the area even more than it already is.

Approx 02.00 – (*descriptions of anti-social behaviour)

From approx 02.00 – (*anti-social behaviour, particularly shouting)

This mornings all night parties (all went on until well after 05.00am), were at:-

(*addresses in Holylands)
Shouting from the first floor windows at most passers-by, especially females, drinking, shouting and urinating outside the house. PSNI gave advice at least once.
Shouting inside and outside the property, blaring music and open windows on first floor. Reported to Noise Control.

It would be interesting to see the universities begin to educate some of these young adults.

I appreciate any action that can be taken to cease this behaviour before the autumn…

Thank you,

Dfarrell

*We have edited this letter so that specific details such as addresses and physical descriptions have been withheld.

Little Moscow (Mala Moskwa) is the opening film of the QFT’s current Polish film festival – Kinoteka On Tour 4. Directed by Waldemar Krzystek, it’s the story of marital infidelity and troubled occupation in Legnica, the Soviet headquarters in Poland between 1945 and 1990, known as ‘Little Moscow’. Wiera (Svetlana Khodchenkova), the beautiful wife of Russian commander Jura (Dmitri Ulyanov), isn’t in Legnica long before she is wooed by Polish officer Michal (Leslaw Zurek). The affair has unfortunate consequences, flying in the face of the awkward Russian-Polish relations, which emphasize acceptance but not fraternization.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

www.queensfilmtheatre.org.uk

The film has a lot of potential. Alongside Andrzej Wajda’s ‘Katyn’, ‘Little Moscow’ was one of Poland’s biggest productions in recent years. Visually, it looks great with period costumes, settings and technology. The script exhibits some clever writing and the score is fantastic, albeit better suited for a thriller. The performances are all very good. Even the opening credits promise something exciting and entertaining, looking like a throwback to the big and loud credits of 1970s thrillers. The problem is that none of these elements come together.

The pace is kept to a minimum and things go on for too long. A speedy 90-minuter might have been a great film, but Krzystek seems to think slow and long-winded is the best way to tug at our heartstrings. Having taken a leaf out of The Reader’s book, he has delivered something emotionally confusing, rather than powerful. We are certain that we should be worried about the mess that the characters get themselves into, but we don’t. There is also a very typical modern-day storyline in which the ‘survivors’ exchange troubled looks and talk about ‘what happened that day.’ This common feature of period dramas has always confused me. We can’t emphasise as we haven’t been told what happened that day yet. It feels like an attempt at extra resonance but really it’s a means to lengthen the film, and advertise how powerful the ending will be. And, in the case of ‘Little Moscow’, it isn’t.

The film also brings back some memories that makes the film appear comical. The older Jura looks like a scrubbed up Groucho Marx, and the film as a whole brings to mind barmy and fun ‘Glorious 39′, a recent period drama that was rich and entertaining in the vein of Hitchcock’s spy thrillers. ‘Glorious 39′ was hampered by a similarly unnecessary modern-day storyline and the ridiculous endings, both of which ‘Little Moscow’ recalls.

Sadly, the film hints at the end of art house European cinema. It looks, sounds and plays like a Hollywood drama, when what you came to see was something more challenging and thought-provoking.

The Polish film festival at the QFT continues until Thursday 11 March and promises several interesting films, including the fantastic Rosemary’s Baby on Monday 8 March.

BY CLAIRE WILLIAMSON

‘Brother’ is a nostalgic, bittersweet sound which generates genuine emotion and rawness that has not been heard before in their music. This is emphasised with the fact that Stephen Gately’s voice appears on the record, where in the hit single, ‘Gave it all away’ he hauntingly sings the line, “I will learn to live before I die”. Although there are quite a few songs in which the lyrics relate to Stephen, there are some more uplifting typically Boyzone sounding songs, for example ‘Love Is A hurricane’ and ‘Too Late for Hallelujah’. Noticeably, there is a definite shift in style, as the song ‘Ruby’ has a certain ‘Take That’ feel to it, keeping them in line with the other bands who have reformed in the last couple of years.

This album is a tribute to Stephen and it is a touching collection with many songs depicting how much he meant to his band mates. It demonstrates growth in their music and an inescapable maturity all emphasising, that whilst Stephen may be gone, he is definitely not forgotten.

BY MATTHEW MCKERNAN

The funny beginning promises something entertaining and fresh, however this bleak tale of a town’s vicious containment by gas-masked soldiers after the spread of a virus that makes people go murderously crazy leaves no cliché behind. The film offers no surprises and the violence isn’t entertaining or effective as its all left unseen in the vein of your typical 15-rated horror film. It isn’t a terrible film. In fact it’s the best Romero remake. The problem is that there is absolutely nothing that you haven’t seen before.

Jun Ichikawa’s stunning film launched the QFT Girls on Film festival last night.  The festival is a touring programme by the Japan Foundation that promotes contemporary Japanese cinema and sometimes by women in the foreground.  The unique collection is only showing in five cinemas during February and March, so it’s a real cinematic treat that the QFT are offering.  With more than a modest Filmography in both directing and writing, Jun Ichikawa seems the perfect choice to open with, and the film is one of the most interesting studies of society I’ve seen in a long time.

BY LAURA SHEARER

www.queensfilmtheatre.com

It’s a skilfully crafted film that completely immerses you in the narrative, although not a on the edge of my seat gripping plot, the intense mode of realism and the relatable here makes Ichikawa’s work a very enjoyable watch.  Taking the little looked at topic of school, we follow the story of two girls as they find their places, both in social positioning and within family expectations.  This is a captivating tale that is presented clearly and effectively, making it very easy for anyone watching to recall those awkward teenage feelings about finding your true self and your place in society.

The feelings of the protagonist, Juri, are masterfully portrayed with the aid of a voice-over narration, but on a deeper level, the characters almost melancholy state is shown through the impressive cinematography.  Slow motion shots of leaves and branches swaying in the in the wind offers a refreshing alternative to the dear diary answer of the mainstream cinema, whilst sweeping tracking shots of the suburban surroundings position the narrative in the ordinary and entrapping everyday environment that Juri begins to struggle with.  A wonderfully inventive use of split screens during dialogue shows the distance between the characters.  An intuitive use of smaller screens within the big screen we view from show events happening from several points of view at the same time, whilst placed within a changing full screen backdrop of suburban scenery, or in some cases a simple black screen to emphasise the characters emotions.

Ichikawa’s use of the jump cut (a single rapid edit from one image to the other) is almost revolutionary.  Usually used to speed up the pace of a sequence, constant jump cuts to close-ups of the characters and mid-shots of leisurely actions provide a completely new use for the editing style.  There’s something melodic about how Ichikawa uses editing to her advantage, giving an overall sense of calm when viewing the final product, which is so well put together its style is definitely effortless.  Perfect delivery is key to the workings of Ichikawa’s film, so it’s only fair to say that this remarkable tale plays out like a haiku poem: Pleasant and satisfying.

(Click to view all the events)

GAA-law election canvassers sent text messages to students asking for Queen’s Online password details in order to fraudulently register SU election votes, The Gown has learned.

BY BEN FINCH

Single ‘Cross My Heart and Hope to Fly’ stagnates half way through, but is followed straight away by the second release ‘You Overdid It Doll’ which is the epic song that they are clearly looking for.  ‘Falcon’ could have been a rollicking trip through the city of Manchester but ends up a pleasant and boring night in The Rover’s Return.

BY HANNAH GOODALL

The album in its entirety jolts the system into a newly founded enthusiasm for music, as no two tracks sound the same. Key moments of music indulgence and eloquence exist in ‘Girls’, ‘Oh No’ and title track ‘Family Jewels’, which is the most perfect way to close an album.

This album is a must buy and the epitome to an impressive back catalogue of single releases. One thing is for sure, with such a roaring start to her musical career, Marina and her Diamonds are destined to go far.

BY LAURA SHEARER

The first half of the film pays attention to its source, but the screenplay is bland and the intimate sophistication of Sebold’s narrative is lost. On a more positive note, this film exhibits what Jackson is as a director, a visionary and a genius, exuding his talent to take that which seems almost impossible to imagine onto film. It’s a must see for Sebold fans and anyone who’s the least bit curious. The ideas that remain fixed in your mind after viewing are the possibilities that both the novel and film explore.

Cormac Neeson grins as he recalls playing in Madison Square Gardens, the legendary stage that has been graced by Led Zeppelin in the past. The Answer’s frontman has reason to smile as for the past couple of years they have been living out every rocker’s dream, supporting AC/DC during the Black Ice World Tour in Europe and USA. After initially expecting to get only a few support slots, they stepped out of the huge 14 month tour to concentrate on their 15-date UK tour.

BY RUTH MAGENNIS

The meteoric success of the foursome from County Down is legendary in the local music scene. The band broke out with the aptly named album ‘Rise’ in 2005, which sold 100,000 copies, with rave reviews from Kerrang! and Classic Rock. Rock veteran Jimmy Page is among their fans, which is unsurprising as the band’s blistering riffs and Neeson’s vocal acrobatics owe more than a nod in the direction of Led Zeppelin.

Their next album ‘Everyday Demons’ was released around the start of AC/DC tour and was heard by around a million and a half Americans. They plan to return before the year is out to do a tour of their own. As Neeson says, “I definitely think the kind of music we play is well suited to the American audience…the big challenge of conquering a country that size is playing as much as you should.”

However, we aren’t going to lose the band to foreign audiences any time soon. “It’s a very unique atmosphere, our homecoming gigs…the Northern Irish audience are a lively bunch and obviously this is where it all began for us, so the people that we are playing in front of are our oldest fans…the great success we’ve had along the way has had as much to do with those guys as with us.”

Not ones to sit idle, the band is writing new material to road-test during gigs in Spain and Australia next month. Cormac is looking forward to returning to Spain in particular. “They are really diehard, loyal supporters of the band….We first played there about three years ago…[we] had no idea that anyone knew who we were and they were completely mental.”

A past Queen’s student, Neeson enrolled in a course in ethnomusicology soon after their guitarist, Paul Mahon contacted him about forming a band. “I had kind of forgotten they had been in contact…it wasn’t until I walked into the first morning of ethnomusicology and sat down beside this dude…turned out it was Paul! If I hadn’t met him I would probably be some crazy, ethnomusicology website director or something.”

So would Cormac give any advice to aspiring musicians at Queen’s? “Just believe in what you’re doing and work hard at it…Whenever we first came onto the scene we were criticised and ridiculed for playing rock n’ roll music…but we knew what we were doing was important and we loved it, we would never play any other style of music. You’ve got to do it for yourself and no one else.”

BY JASON CONLON

As expected, the A-Level students we spoke to were reading a variety of subjects, including a lot of ‘non-traditional’ subjects. When asked if they felt there were too many ‘Mickey Mouse’ degrees today – an argument put forth by the government and wider media – leading to a surplus of students, some of the people interviewed were surprisingly candid. Sinead Gorman from Dungannon said: “It annoys me a lot when you get the likes of people dropping out after fifth year, bumming around in tech for a bit then announcing ‘I’m heading to University!’ ”  When we put forth to Sinead that everyone is surely entitled to the right of third level education, her friend Aine McSorely diplomatically replied: “Oh yes, we’re not against that. It’s just the way the system allows them to get there in the first place that seems kind of wrong, you know. I mean, if they were to be encouraged to stay on at school and do the hard graft, A-Levels and then be granted a place, it would be like they earned it.”

Gavin Teague from Armagh seemed overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the prospect of Queen’s in September. He was honest enough though, in the reasons for his unbridled joy. “Yeah, I mean I’ve studied hard for the last 7 years of my life and my family will hopefully be proud of me, going to Queen’s and all. But you hear about the craic up in Belfast and the wreckin’ through the Holylands and you just want to go and experience it for yourself.”

Most people were indifferent to any prospect of departmental funding cuts and how it may affect them, even at Queen’s. But Julie-Ann Edwards, a sixth form Methodist College student, expressed concern for the long term. “I’d say that not a lot of people would notice it or think of it to be ‘real’, because it’s just in the papers and not directly affecting anyone. But my brother just graduated recently and only just managed to get himself on a post-graduate course. I’d worry that in a few years only the students with the very, very top grades will get in, leaving lots of us disappointed. Then what do we do?”

Whilst a higher all round academic standard may sound great for society, and potentially weed out Sinead and Aine’s ‘Mickey Mouse slackers’, what the rest of the people left on the scrap heap would do is hard to imagine. But that is all purely hypothetical at this stage of course. Northern Ireland’s general student body seem to have the confidence to handle anything that life will throw at them. The likes of Gerard Rafferty form Downpatrick certainly won’t be phased anyway, because “We’ll plough on ahead up and keep her lit”.

BY CATHAL MCGUIGAN

At Queen’s, new clubs do not receive funding in their first year and they have many expenses, from equipment to advertising, to travel and event costs. This first year can really make or break a club. Recruiting and keeping members on a low budget, as well as creating fresh, appealing ideas for fundraising requires innovation and dedication. As a result, some clubs have found new ways to fund their sports. The Lacrosse Club have arranged an informal sponsorship with Rockie’s bar in the Odyssey. The Boxing club creators have invested their own money into designing T-shirts in a bid to raise cash. Clearly, it can be difficult for a new club to raise funds for themselves as fundraising events cost money too, with the purchase of prizes and so on. The leaders of these new clubs felt that there was little help available to them concerning the financial side of organising a club. For example, the Softball Club discovered that the Queen’s Annual Fund might have helped them. However, the club discovered this initiative only after the deadline had passed. Perhaps a more comprehensive source of information and guidance for new clubs, on financial matters and so forth, would be helpful. If clubs cannot find sufficient information on the Student’s Unions’ website, they are advised to email VP Clubs and Societies.

In the Students’ Union elections result, the GAA-law team of candidates dramatically failed to gain student support, winning only one seat.

BY BRENDAN HUGHES

Of the seven positions on offer, the Critchlow ticket swept the board by capturing six of the seven places on the SU executive team. However, Presidential candidate Daniel Critchlow lost out to the law-GAA bloc’s Gareth McGreevy.

The results were announced last night in the Speakeasy Bar to a packed crowd of campaigners, supporters and onlookers. In a record turnout, 4525 students voted in the elections; an 18.9% increase on last year.

Fiona Kidd defeated Stephen Connolly on the first count to win the VP Campaigns and Communications Sabbatical position. The clearly shocked and emotional Kidd thanked her team in her speech.

The VP Education post was won by Nathan Anderson, beating Fionnuala McKenna by around 100 votes.

Adam McGibbon finally won the VP Welfare post, after losing to the resigning Susan Kearney in last year’s election. Greg McLarnon came third, with Aine Ní Cheara placing second.

“I didn’t expect to get this. Thanks so much to all my running mates. Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a pessimistic person. Congratulations to everybody!” McGibbon said.

It was also second-time-success for Jay Downs, who beat Alex Redpath to win VP Community. Earlier in the year, Redpath won the role of Speaker over Downs in a student council vote. An ecstatic Downs repeatedly punched the air, thanking his team.

A strong Sinn Féin campaign for VP Equality and Diversity candidate Grace Lynch failed to slay competitor Samantha Tan, who became the second ever international student to win an Executive post.

Many were surprised by Niall Bole’s victory in the VP Clubs and Societies category, narrowly winning the post over Niamh McKernan through second and third preference votes. Candidates looked stunned at the final result, with McKernan visibly showing frustration from the stage. Niall ‘Riggs’ McDermot came third.

“Oh dear God! I wasn’t expecting this. Thanks to Sam my girlfriend, I’ve been invisible for the last week. Thanks to everyone and all who voted!” Bole said in his speech.

After the storming success of Critchlow’s team, the Speakeasy crowd gasped as Critchlow himself failed to win the President post and complete the set. Winning candidate and current VP Campaigns Gareth McGreevy was absent from the election result due to commitments at the Waterfront Hall. A visibly intoxicated VP Barry Duffy took to the stage to offer words of thanks on McGreevy’s behalf.

The total number of students who voted was 4525

As of 2.30pm today the record turn out of 3806 votes was beaten -

Will team McGreevy triumph over the Critchlow crew? Is pantsless Redpath set for victory, or will Downs make him see red? Maybe it’s finally R.O.N.’s turn to shine? Share your views with us by leaving a comment.

7.30pm – The Speakeasy bar is filling up with candidates, supporters, Gown reporters and onlookers.

The results will be announced in the following order -

VP Campaigns and Communications

VP Education

VP Welfare

VP Community

VP Equality and Diversity

VP Clubs and Societies

President

7.39  Returning officer Dominic Doherty takes to the stage.

Doherty thanks Brian Heading, Lorraine Meneilly, Andrew Gordon, Casper Love, the candidates,.

He says, “This was an election that was run in a very good spirit. At the end of tonight we will have a very good sabbatical team.”

“There was a record turnout of 4525 votes. That puts us in the top percentage of Students’ Unions.”

Result of VP Campaigns and Communications -

Stephen and Fiona arrive hand on hand to the stage. 4525 voted.  18.9% rise on last year.

Winner on first count – FIONA KIDD with 1973 votes. (Stephen Connolly on 1452 votes, 96 votes for re-open nominations)

Fiona – “Thanks very much to Stephen. I never thought I’d be standing up here. Thanks to the team I ran with. I want to thank everybody!”

Result of VP Education -

Winner by approximately 100 votes – NATHAN ANDERSON (Fionnuala McKenna on 1638 votes, 101 votes for re-open nominations)

Nathan – “I would like to thank Fiona for being so full of integrity. I want to give her a round of applause. I want to thank Dominic and Brian…and lots more!”

Result of VP Welfare -

3454 votes cast.

3rd place – Greg McLarnon with 294 votes

2nd place – Aine Ní Cheara with 1308 votes

Winner – ADAM MCGIBBON with 1765 votes

Adam – “I didn’t expect to get this. Thanks so much to all my running mates. Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a pessimistic person. Congratulations to everybody!”

Result of VP Community -

3509 votes cast.

Winner – JAY DOWNS with 1788 votes

Alex Redpath on 1569 votes.

Jay – “I want to thank the raggies, those from Guthrie house. Thanks everyone so much. I can’t believe it!”

Result of VP Equality and Diversity -

3516 votes cast

Winner – SAMANTHA TAN with 2032 votes

Grace Lynch on 1383 votes.

Samantha – “I can’t wait to work for everyone. Thank you!”

Result of  VP Clubs and Societies -

3561 votes cast.

3rd place – Niall McDermott

2nd place – Niamh McKernan with 1571 votes

Winner – NIALL BOLE with 1781 votes

Niall – “Oh dear God! I wasn’t expecting this. Thanks to Sam my girlfriend, I’ve been invisible for the last week. Thanks to everyone and all who voted!”

Result of President -

3961 votes cast.

winner – GARETH MCGREEVY with 2037 votes (absent due to committments at the Waterfront Hall)

Daniel Critchlow with 1786 votes.

McGreevy has asked Barry Duffy to said a few words of thanks.

Posters belonging to candidates Niall McDermott (VPCS), Niamh McKernan (VPCS), and Fionnuala McKenna (VP Education), caused concern for residents in the Holylands today as cars were targeted in their canvassing campaign resulting in unsightly littering.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE AND BRIAN QUINN

Three separate posters, outlining the candidates’ main manifesto points, were placed on windscreens of parked vehicles. This resulted in what Community Affairs Officer, Gordon Douglas, refferred to as “a complete mess”. Staff members were dispatched to pick up the litter as soon as this was brought to their attention. Speaking to The Gown, Niall McDermott said, “Once we were made aware of this, we collected them all.” Both Gordon Douglas and Dominic Doherty rubbished rumours that the BBC became involved.

As of 5.00pm today -

The total number of students who voted was 2199

Allegations of cheating have been made by McGreevy’s camp after a number of students received ‘All student’ emails from their school encouraging them to vote for Anderson, Critchlow, Downs, Kidd, McGibbon, and Tan.  It is believed that schools forwarded this email without realising the intricacies of SU Election protocol. Student, Chris Andrews, who sent the email to the schools, told The Gown that he wouldn’t be able to comment until after the election.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE AND BRIAN QUINN

We can confirm that the email was sent by the School of English and the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy, while a number of other schools didn’t forward it to students.

“This may or may not be a breach of rules. It’s not a ruling that I can make at the moment. I have arranged for another ‘all-student’ email to be sent which gives the name of all candidates involved in the election,” Doherty said.

If candidates or students aren’t happy with tomorrow’s result, the SU Constitution outlines mechanisms with which this can be addressed.  See below.

Any Student who has reason to believe that there was any irregularity of any kind regarding the conduct of an Election or Referendum or Plebiscite shall have the right to lodge an Election Petition with the Returning Officer within 72 hours of the alleged irregularity or within 72 hours of the alleged irregularity becoming known. (Section 11, rule 1)

An Election (or Referendum or Plebiscite) Petition shall contain all details regarding the alleged irregularity and shall be signed by at least one person who is willing to substantiate the statements therein. (Section 11, rule 2)