Features

An education in fiction

Dearbháil Clarke speaks to author Dave Rudden about his new novel, Knights of the Borrowed Dark, and his experiences of college.

FEATURES

The most memorable authors are the ones who have a personality that shines through their prose. The titles of my favourite childhood books have all blurred together with age – but I’ll never forget the mischievous tones of Roald Dahl,

Comment

Don’t put Descartes before the horse: why philosophy won’t save the Junior Cert

Despite the excitement around the introduction of Junior Cert Philosophy, Dearbháil Clarke is skeptical of the level of change it will bring.

COMMENTIt’s common knowledge at this stage that something vague and formless is shifting in the Junior Cycle.  The Junior Certificate is rebranding itself as the Junior Cycle Student Award (JCSA). The Department of Education and Skills are throwing out buzzwords

Comment

Diary of a Dropout

Coming to Trinity didn’t cause any of my problems. It just made me realise that they weren’t going away by themselves.

COMMENT

2015 was a year of public self-exposition for me. It started in June with a cheerful series of Leaving Cert diaries for the Independent, which segued into the nervous diary of a fresher over my first week here. Now it’s …

Features

“There’s a lot of work to do”

Dearbháil Clarke speaks to Belinda McKeon about her writing and support for the Waking the Feminists movement

FEATURESBelinda McKeon is a writer, feminist, playwright, journalist and TCD alumnus. Her second novel, Tender, was recently awarded a Kirkus Star and has been shortlisted for novel of the year in the upcoming Bord Gáis Energy Irish book awards. I

Comment

Diary of a Fresher day four: chaos theory comes to life in the Science Gallery

Dearbháil can see the structure of her day crumbling apart, but no worries: nothing stays together in freshers’ week.

COMMENT

I’m sitting in the Science Gallery, typing away on my obnoxious laptop. I’m perched alone at the edge of a crowd of students and Gallery representatives who are drinking punch and networking and dancing to some fabulous music which sounds

Comment

Diary of a Fresher day three: floor-naps and Players

Dearbhail can’t keep up with the night after night partying but finds some satisfaction on stage in Players Theatre

COMMENTWhat’s been baffling me the most about Freshers’ Week is how on earth anyone has the energy to spend every night drinking and clubbing. I staggered into my apartment at five o’clock today and decided that my bedroom floor would

News

Diary of a Fresher day two: making Halls a home

For her second day of Fresher’s Week, Dearbhail tries to make Halls a home and shakes off some of her initial nervousness

COMMENT
I’m sitting in the Arts Café, typing busily on an obnoxiously large laptop – in other words, I’m feeling rather metropolitan today.
When you’re in public, a laptop and an open Word document can entirely change your demeanour. Instead of …