Opinion Archives – The College View

What the Prince Andrew interview reveals about the royal family

December 11, 2019

They knew the facts years before the public did yet Prince Andrew only resigned four days after the BBC news night interview aired

UK election: One side offers a vision for the future, the other just offers Brexit

December 11, 2019

The UK election campaign has been very interesting to observe for a combination of reasons. Brexit is front and centre of all debates, the party leaders are divisive and the future of the UK just seems so uncertain.

The farmer protests: were their methods flawed?

December 11, 2019

Roisin Maguire asks if the ends justified the means for the Irish farmers protests

Mass consumerism is negatively impacting mental health and the environment

December 11, 2019

Christmas is finally here. Which, apart from colder nights, the visit of Santa Claus and the unrealistic list of New Year’s Resolutions mean that you can finally relax from the mass consumerism that you have participated in for the past four months. With the Christmas sales merging into Black Friday, Cyber Monday and well into August apparently, what is the impact of this on ourselves and the people around us?

The complex case of Lisa Smith

December 11, 2019

Death threats via voice message to a UCC lecturer on Contemporary Islam. Viral hate videos orchestrated by what are now well known social media presences. Anti-Islamic flyers distributed outside a refugee centre in Roscommon. Islamophobia is a growing issue in Ireland.

“White water rafting, anyone?”

December 11, 2019

We must take care of larger economic issues before starting to invest in recreational facilities says Clara Kelly

The difficult question of balance in journalism

December 11, 2019

The idea of balance has always been a key part of journalism, with the right of reply being a key tenet for any reporter working in a newsroom. False balance, however, is where stories start to get messy and the reporter’s impartiality comes into question.

A war on nicotine is beneficial for the health of young people

December 11, 2019

Moves to make college a smoke free place will change our idea of societal norms, making the smoker think twice about having that next fag

The poppy now feels like a symbol of military glorification

November 27, 2019

Tranmere’s Prenton Park was the venue for an event that almost broke the internet. Before the FA Cup first round game could kick off, a giant poppy mascot waddled out of the tunnel to stand in the centre circle. The mascot stood solemnly and respectfully as a minute of silence was held for fallen soldiers.

The UK porn block completely misses the point – but we do need to talk about pornography

November 27, 2019

“When you contrast a country with an obvious lack of sexual education in schools, with a rise in the consumption of this type of content, the outcome can be bleak”

Have the American people just simply gotten used to Trump?

November 27, 2019

Trump’s statement that “I had a perfect phone call with the President of Ukraine” is just one of over 13,000 false claims the President has made since taking office, according to the Washington Post.

What Noel Grealish’s comments reveal about racism in politics

November 27, 2019

In September 2019, Noel Grealish was recorded making racist remarks about people who live in direct provision centres.

Does the Catholic Church still influence Irish society?

November 27, 2019

The institution of the Catholic church has caused anger and distress for many Irish people in recent times.

The UK election: Is a labour vote the best hope for stopping Brexit

November 27, 2019

One thing has been made clear from the repeated deadline push-backs and the failed negotiations: you can have one of these things but you cannot have both.

What the floods in Venice reveal about climate change

November 27, 2019

For over 50 years, Venice did not flood. And now, suddenly, it has flooded three times in the space of two weeks.

The attitude towards transport in Ireland makes travelling by car an easy choice

November 13, 2019

The “car is king” attitude leaves commuters going for their keys instead of their leap cards, and why wouldn’t they?

What Twitter’s ban on political advertising means for us

November 13, 2019

Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey announced that it will ban political advertisements by November 15th. The purpose of this move is to stop politicians from advertising false statements on the social media platform. Dorsey tweeted that

Why is Merkel’s popularity in Germany dwindling?

November 13, 2019

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be remembered as the leader that brought Germany through one the worst recessions the world has seen in recent years. However it seems now that she is losing her grip of the people.

A lack of trust in major institutions is behind protests across the world

November 13, 2019

We have seen mass protests in Chile, Hong Kong, Catalonia, Beirut and Baghdad in just the last few weeks. The causes of each are very different, but it seems a lack of trust in major institutions is at the heart of each situation.

The Democratic Party can’t make the same mistake again

November 13, 2019

There’s a reason that Bernie Sanders has never joined the Democratic Party. The fact of the matter is that it’s an institution that is beholden to capital and wealth and not any of the liberal values it espouses.

Votegate in the Dail – and why it matters

November 13, 2019

The solution to a lot of these problems is only available through political intervention

Meghan Markle: how private can the lives of public figures hope to be?

November 13, 2019

We are living in a 24/7 media age, the couple are setting a precedent and sending a warning that they will fight for their privacy

Gay Byrne was the man to question and shape Irish society

November 13, 2019

Whether it was introducing Boyzone to the world, debating the use of contraceptives in Ireland, discussing trauma during the troubles in Northern Ireland or simply giving a prize to everyone in the audience, Gay Byrne was the man to question and shape Irish society.

The end of the Brexit circus will reveal the government’s domestic failings

October 30, 2019

The end finally appears to be in sight to the Brexit negotiations which have dominated the agenda for the entirety of Leo Varadkar’s time as Taoiseach.

How safe is our data and privacy?

October 30, 2019

With the number of social media sites and tech based firms on the rise annually, how safe is our data and privacy when we’re online.