Dear Gown,
It is with a heavy heart that I feel the need to put pen to paper and respond to the character bashing that went on in last week’s ‘The Gown’ in relation to myself and a few others. The true mark of journalistic excellence and integrity is to approach all sides in order to get a rounded view, or a true reflection. Unfortunately this is key tenet of journalism was forgotten, maybe even avoided.
SEE THE LETTER IN FULL IN NEXT MONDAY’S EDITION OF THE GOWN
Duffman and Lilly are some craic. Even seen them up at halls one time giving out free Union stuff and chatting to us first years. The only two I have met so far.
Interesting discussion chaps! The difference between a Brogan union and a Lilly union (or anyone else at all really) is the difference between a totalitarian dictatorship and a democracy.
Yes I think the people at the Gown and sabs including Laura and Shane are jealous of Duffy and Lilly. They are too great popular men who actively represent student views. I think Laura and Shane are jealous of the fact that they will never be as popular as Duffy or Lilly.
Shane Brogan should learn some social skills!
Awk now. They do alot of work for the Union. As someone said, it’s nice to see VP’s visible around Queens…there’s never a day when a smile doesn’t come across my face when I see LilDuff (like our own form of Brangelina ) walking around campus and sorting out problems.
I think Laura Hawthorne should read her job description. She is meant to represent and defend students not encourage that they be disciplined.
It is hardly surprising however as she is so out of touch with student views and opinions. Maybe if she had some form of a social life she may understand student concerns and views. Then she may carry out her job correctly nstead of sucking up to resident groups constantly. Us students demand a better VP Community next year! She is a complete waste of space!!!
Enough.
Enough.
Who cares?
Why are we giving this snippet of a letter so much attention?
JESUS!
In all fairness, them boys are wile craic.
Typical comments spouting rubbish…
The truth is very few people know how much work the sabbs are doing. If Shane did the same amount of work he does now but went out socialising the way LilDuff do people would say he did no work at all. Having a social life outside work shouldn’t be mistaken for not being able to perform in work. Most of these opinions are based on seeing people in the office after 7 in the evening or because they talk enthusiastically about part of their job. Have a bit of sense and realise that actions like that are as self serving as anything else – very much a “LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT HOW MUCH WORK I DO, AND LOOK HOW FAIR I AM TRYING TO BRING IN THIS CHANGE TO WAGES WHICH COULD EVEN IMPACT ON MYSELF ” exercise. Spending silly hours in the office and talking about how much work you do doesnt necessarily translate into a lot of (useful!) work. Half the stuff that sabbs do for students is ignored by the majority of the student body anyway… see self defence lessons, lectures, fair trade events etc. Attendances are almost always piss poor and you’re left trying to drag your mates along as a favour. Maybe if sabbs were a bit more of a face about campus, like duffy and lilly etc, people would take a bit more interest in what was actually goin on in the place.
Fergus, I understand that a lot of people spout rubbish about the sabbs because they dont really know what goes on. I also agree that it is the responsibility of the sabbs to make sure students can express what they want freely to those who are elected to respresent them.
But i think that the mess that some areas of the union are in started when sabbs thought they could get away with coming in at 11am and being away by 3pm, or when they think that speaking to people is the real work. Its important, but not what they are there for. They are there to effect change and to maintain a level of representation for students.
I think Lilly and Duffy have across looking so bad, because their jobs do not produce high profile results such as the publication of the SU mag or interaction with clubs and socs. But I feel they have not been professional in the way they have handled themselves this year. Blocking the gown, which they really should just put up with and prove wrong through their work, and I have to say every time I walk past the sabb office, Lilly and Duffy have always had friends there talking to them. And I know they are friends, not students they are helping.
That is definitely a reason why. A lot of the work Barry and Paul do involves one on one interaction with students, although not all of it. However, what student sees or is aware of a paper (or papers) put to University Committees that are put on the back burner by the Uni, the debates with the powers that be that take place in meetings, the changes effected by someone like a VP Equality or Education that help students in certain situations?
The nature of their roles (generally) is such that very often a student will be unaware of the work they have done/will do for them until they are in need of their assistance. I remember criticism levelled at myself last year that would have had you believe that I was the worst in the world, and yet there would have been others who would have told you the complete opposite. Very often the criticism comes from people who either have an agenda, are speculating or who are simply stirring the pot. I understand your point but again it doesn’t really give you all that much to go on does it? What about the times you weren’t anywhere near the office? What about the students who have been helped by them and would sing their praises – and have done on this site? Ultimately it’s subjective. I see officers who would generally be considered to do a lot of work, and wouldn’t disagree with that, but I would question the value of a lot of their work. If you want to get something done, you don’t necessarily have to sit until 11pm writing a paper about it down to the colour of the tacks you are using to put up posters. Over the last years the line between the Union and its workings vs the University and its workings has become increasingly thin. Personally, i’d rather have officers doing things they individually and as a group see fit (within reason) rather than spending an extra 10 hours in their office to tick boxes for someone from across the road. The relationship between the 2 obviously necessitates co-operation and adherence to certain rules but too many officers, in my opinion, are far too keen to impress senior management of the University and come across as “big boy in a big boy’s job”.
As for the Gown, I have to say I wouldn’t have been behind any moves to oust them. Some things published are childish and silly and often offensive, but ultimately a bit of craic. I think it’s naive to think it’s Barry and Paul driving that one forward though. You’d have to look down a nearby corridor for your culprit…
Have them all taken out of office and thrown into the cold dark Lagan.
Paul Lilly is not paid to be an entertainer any more than he is paid to fix floodlights. Paul has some good qualities as a representative but he gives the general impression that he can’t be arsed to use these qualities for the benifit of minority students.