Given the increasingly heated debate on the Ents campaign trail, both candidates agreed that it would be good to set out their arguments in text form. After a week of campaigning, they put pen to paper. Now it’s up to you to decide which of these deeply divisive candidates deserves your vote.
Elaine McDaid
Why should you Vote Elaine for Ents?
I truly believe that I’m the best person for the job. Not only do I have experience in bucket-loads, but my ideas are great and all achievable too. Here’s what I will do if you Vote Elaine for Ents.
I will listen to students and give you what you want. BYOB? Done. Sophister events? Done. Cheap entry to clubs and unparalleled drinks deals? Done.
I will work to secure the best deals for you – from discounted taxi fares to lock-ins in the big stores across town.
I will give gigs and slots to Trinity bands and DJs. We have some serious talent inside these walls – I want them to be heard.
I will put a suggestion box on the website. Let me know what you want and I will provide it.
I will support student-run events and fund- raisers instead of competing with them.
I will make sure the Ents Crew do more than hand out flyers. We’ll have workshops on sound engineering, photography, promotion, and everyone is welcome to attend.
I will get outdoor heaters at the Pav.
I will secure discounted tickets to the big- gest and best gigs across Dublin – we’ll work with Aiken, MCD and Pod to make sure students aren’t ripped off.
I will help class reps run better class parties. Paintballing, bowling, class meals – stuff you can actually talk to your classmates at.
I will run weekly events atthePav– Karaoke, guitar hero challenge, wiigame, comedy gigs, cabaret nights.
I will run a RAG Week Mystery Trip.
I will run events for Sophisters as well as Freshers.
I will run a Re-Freshers Week for second, third and fourth years during Fresh- ers’ Week – we’ll show those newcomers how it’s really done.
I will use different venues across town each week. The Palace, Alchemy, D:Two, Diceys – there are so many great venues. Let’s make use of them.
I will make sure you have a bit of cash in your pocket after a night out.
I will work with societies, making sure their events are successful, allowing them to con- tinue the great work they do on a day-to-day basis.
I will help sports clubs run bigger and better fundraisers, getting them bonding off the pitch as well as on it.
Experience is vital in this job. I have it. I’ve been on the Ents Crew for four years and I run the 300-strong Ents Crew this year. I’m Ents Officer for DUSSC and have run various Sports Club fundraisers this year as well as all the Snowsports nights out. I’ve worked with Cancer Society, Law Society, VdP, Sing- ers, Players and many more college societies. I’ve also worked with venues across Dublin, including Crawdaddy, Tripod, D:Two, the Village, Citibar, Spy, the Button Factory, Andrews Lane Theatre, the Mezz and many more. I have the connections necessary to guarantee cheap entry wherever you decide to go.
Some of the ideas in the opposition’s mani- festo are good. I have and will continue to look into doing plenty of innovative event myself if elected. I’ve looked into the idea of running a European Mystery Tour – I’ve got price quotes for various destinations from travelholics. co.uk, the leading student travel company in the UK, and have been offered the deal if I get elected. I’ve also looked into 40ft cinema screens for the Pav. Unfortunately, being realistic, the idea won’t happen. Anything larger than 3 metre screens gets pretty expensive, costing anything from €3,500 right up to €10,000 for one event. It’s beyond the Ents budget. It’s a shame, but I have the contacts and connections to look into viable alternatives. I’ve been offered a deal for two 3 metre screens and 500 headsets for a very good price. I’ve been able to address these issues because of the experience I’ve gained and contacts I’ve made over the past 4 years. They’re vital elements for a successful Ents Officer. Without them, an already tough job becomes an impossible one. Throwing a couple of wild ideas into a manifesto is easy, but it doesn’t make a good Ents Officer. It’s happened be- fore, where previous Ents Officers have lacked in experience, and it doesn’t make for a great year as far as the students are concerned. To me, Ents is music in your ears, a drink in your hand, a smile on your face and a bit of change in your pocket. If it’s the same for you, get out there, get to the polls, bring your friends, and Vote Elaine #1 for Ents.
Chris O’Connor
My campaign has been designed to give the students of Trinity a taste for what they can expect next year with Chris O’Connor as their Entertainments Officer. With our unique and eyecatching brand, our remarkable and hilarious stunts, and overall positive and outgoing mindset I believe I am far and away the best candidate for Ents Officer.
My manifesto been questioned all week by the opposition yet I have already achieved what they deemed unachievable. I am currently providing a service for each and every Trinity student and have shown that I am more than capable of maintaining and expanding the current Deal of the Week with the €4 Naggin continuing to be availed of by Trinity students.
The screens I plan on using for the outdoor cinema at The Pav were used in Fitzwilliam square last year. They are waterproof and are powered by a portable generator, and most importantly can and will be hired for a very good price. To combat the issue of noise we will use silent disco headphones of which I have already sourced 300 from a former Trinity student and good friend, also at a very good price. Furthermore evidence of the proposed European Mystery Tour with Ryanair has already been provided to and verified by this paper.
In our recent debate Elaine dismissed my suggestion of free entry to Ents nights. To her the ‘costs’ were too great, something I found incredulous and so to preemptively prove my point I have arranged for all Trinity students to have free admission into DTwo this Tuesday 15th February. Just present your student card on entry and please note this is for every student of our college whether or not you will support me in the upcoming ballot.
The events during my campaign were designed to show creativity and originality. These are two things which I want to bring to the Trinity Ents fold. This year Trinity Ents has been good however I believe under my guidance it will greatly improve. My fresh and daring approach has earned my team and I much praise in the past week, and it is in the same fun loving mindset with which I will run Trinity’s Ents next year.
I have strong team behind and in the core of campaign team I have representa- tives from many of the big clubs and so- cieties in college. With this support and taking on board the many suggestions put forward I will ensure Trinity Ents works hard for our societies, clubs, and the students who put so much of their time to ensure they continue to be a vital part of Trinity student life.
Every Thursday I want to have ‘Thursday Night Live’. I have tendered to a number of venues and have received only positive responses. I will bring one big act to each month and ensure these are supported by our own talent. This will greatly improve the exposure our own students get in both the national and student press, and will enhance the reputation of our college events immensely. Should I be elected I will give each student the chance to have their view in how Trinity Ents is being run. To ensure everyone is being entertained we will do frequent optional surveys on what nights you want to see happen, and an ever available ‘Rate Your Ents Officer’ to confidentially share your views on Trinity Ents 2011/12. It is time for fresh ideas in Trinity Ents. Each of my policies has in turn been challenged by Elaine, proven to be possible and in many cases already delivered upon by me, and subsequently copied by Elaine. Just look at the difference in our campaigns, both in attitude and approach, as an indicator of how Trinity’s Entertainments will be run next year. My positive, forward thinking, and energetic approach will prove to be a huge asset should the opportunity to entertain Trinity fall to me.
To conclude I would like to leave you with a quote from George Bernard Shaw which I feel best sums up the difference between this years Ents candidates; “You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”
Look what I have achieved in a week. Now imagine what I will achieve in a year. Believe.
