Chimera is the mysterious successor to Axis 116 and Platform and completes a trinity of journal titles for the Student Geographical Society. Yet it too conjures up a whole series of images geographical. Chimera challenges the myth that students today are only concerned with self-advancement and the rigours of lecture and examination hall. Chimera is a postgraduate geography journal that incorporates interdisciplinary perspectives in exploring the world spatially
Postgraduate Research in Progress at U.C.C. 1990/91
Copyright (c) 2024 Chimera: U.C.C. Geographical Journal
Geography Department U.C.C. 1990 Dissertations
Dr. John Feehan, whose work has featured on R.T.E. television, was the society's first guest speaker in October 1990. His presentation was preceded by a first year cheese and wine reception. Dr. Feehan's talk on "Irish Heritage", illustrated with some very effective slides, was well received.
In September of 1982 I visited Crete, intending to stay there for just two weeks. Six months later I was still on the island. During this time I was able to see, at first hand, the type of lifestyle led by some of the Cretans, especially in the village of Myrtos, on the south coast. Although I have been back to Crete since then, most of this article is based on my own observations made during my first stay.
The image of woman as a stereotype is a simple minded, unexamined notion based on social prejudice. Such stereotyping is common and blatant in much of the literature of the nineteenth century (Payetter, G.C. in Deckhand 1975). Unfortunately all too often similar sentiments continue to prevail in modern society. These find expres¬sion in the attitudes which suggest that woman is inferior to, or at the disposal of man. Since the end of the 1960s interest in the history and nature of feminism has come to the fore. Feminism as an ideal is the belief that woman should have the same rights, opportunities and status as man. Though considerable evidence shows that individual women reacted strongly against several prejudice throughout history, only in the nineteenth century came the beginnings of organised opposition to male domination. The immediate aim of feminist organisations was to remove legal barriers which deprive women of their social rights, such as the ownership of property or the right to professional status.
Some years ago while tutoring in the Geography Department of U.C.C., an irate second year student came up to me and said, 'Ronan, look what some bastard tutors' put as a comment on my cartography practical'. He pointed to a comment I had written beside his work implying that, despite his best efforts, his traffic flow map of European imports and exports still looked like a great amorphous blob! Needless to say I immediately blamed my brother, a fellow tutor at the time. Cartographic techniques have changed a lot since then and doubtless in a few years time students everywhere will be capable of creating amorphous blobs on computer screens as well. This paper will seek to outline some of the differences between traditional and computer-based cartography. It will also attempt to discuss some of the underlying assumptions about cartography itself, about the scientific and philosophical basis of cartographic data and about the future of the subject in the years when GIS (Geographic Information Systems) will rule the world
Any man-induced modification of natural processes can be considered as 'pollu­tion'. It often alters the quality of the environment of interferes with some beneficial resources. There are two forms of modification: one is that pollution may be the result of the addition of manmade materials, particularly chemicals alien to the natural world; the other modification may be an induced increase above the normal level of concentration of naturally occurring substances.
The French mathematician, Jean Fournier first compared the earth's atmosphere to a greenhouse in 1822 but it was the Swedish chemist, Svante Arrhenius who first coined the term 'greenhouse effect' at the beginning of this century. What is the 'greenhouse effect'? Superficially it resembles the way in which glass helps to heat a greenhouse - the sunlight warms the surface of the earth, the air and the plants and in turn earth radiates the energy back into space in the form of heat. Much of the outgoing radiation is trapped and absorbed by water vapour, carbon dioxide and other gases and so the Earth is kept warm.
In pre-conquest times, Cork had markets at Fair Hill and Greenmount, and later outside the North Gate and South Gate. After the siege of Cork in 1690, the medieval Key (Quay) on which the Queens Old Castle complex now stands, was filled in to become a meat market or shambles. During the late 17th century, Dunscombe's Marsh was· developed and various canals filled in. The English Market was constructed on the western end of this reclaimed land and was opened on 1st August 1788' by· Cork Corporation. Almost a century later the market's interior was enlarged and its entrances onto Princes Street and Grand Parade improved.
For close on two years now one of Cork's oldest and smallest communities has been fighting a battle with Cork-corporation to save their community from a multistorey car park. The campaign has been controversial and colourful. It has attracted the national media. Some of the more vocal campaigners are almost household names. Conviction is the password of the Marsh campaign. From City Hall to the Taoiseach's office, from hand bills to the news at nine, from selling tickets on the street to the High Court, from meeting MEP's and Presidential candidates to chaining themselves to chairs in Grattan Street - campaigners believed passionately that they were right, that they were defending their children, old people and themselves from a monster that would ultimately destroy their community.
The emergence in 1990 of the controversy over the proposed Grattan Street Car Park in the Middle Parish area (see O Tuama, this volume) has once, again highlighted the tension between the Resident and the Planner. The Planner attempts to mould a city into the most efficient or beneficial shape for city users or city inhabitants as a whole, the Resident declares: 'I live here, my neighbours and my children live here. How dare you ruin our home!' The arguments are as old as the marsh area itself; the insider versus the outsider; the layperson affected by the expert's proposal; the individual against rationalizing bureaucracy. The poles have been expressed on one side by Henrik Ibsen’s character Dr. Stockman in A Public Enemy.
Amhránaíocht ar an Sean Nós i gcomhthéacs geografaíochta
Is breá leis an gnath Éireannaí canadh. Aon áit ar domhain ina bhfaighfaí scata Gaeil le cúpla phionta iontu, tosnaíann siad ag 'canadh'. Is iontach saibhir an éagsúlacht amhráin a chlúintí sna seisiúin seo. Meascán mearaí idir an pop-cheol is déanaí, ceol na seachtaidí, amhráin tradisiúnta agus amhráin phobail nua chumatha a sheintí nach mór. Ach is annamh a castaí amhráin ar an sean nós.
The position of geography in schools at the beginning of the 19th Century was hardly an enviable one. In most schools it was not taught and in those where it was taught, it amounted to little more than a list of facts and figures to be committed to memory. Its growth in the 20th century was spectacular and today it is well established in the schools curriculum. Recent years have seen substantial changes in the content of our schools curriculum. There has been a tendency towards incorporating foreign languages, (particularly German) and business studies, using computers and keyboard skills, into the school curriculum.
Universities have developed as places of higher of third level education. They figure Widely in modern society by offering a large intellectual input and stimulus to that society. Most societies, today select persons for employment on the basis of academic achievement and on the basis of a package of educational qualifications. University sometimes seem as the best way to enhancing qualifications. This view conflicts with the original concept of a University and gives rise to the current debate of 'education versus qualification'. What is the purpose of university? In order to answer this question it is necessary to examine the original reasons for the establishment of universities and how they have changed.
A Place for Jokes in the Politics of Place
Heinrich Baell has remarked that it seems natural in Ireland that we joke about serious things since not to do otherwise would drive us to despair. One wonders has much changed in the thirty years since the publication of his Irish Journal? Certainly, I am too young to speak about the days when the sight of a Morris Minor trundling down the boreen was something to run home and tell your mother about. Still, today, I do not regard it unusual when someone beside me folds over into spontaneous reels of laughter the moment they encounter disaster. The tears come afterwards of course, but as a society it is perhaps safe to say that our sense of humour is one of our worst and greatest assets. The Americans love it and the Germans literally fall out of the ferries to get more. Sometimes however our sense of. humour darkens and takes on a political flavour. This will form the focus of this paper.
Social Characteristics of Recent Emigration from West Cork
Critics of Irish emigration have called it 'a blight on Irish society' but this is neither socially or geographically accurate. Emigration affects some sections of Irish society far more than others. It is still probably more deeply-embedded in underdeveloped rural areas than in urban areas, although these also are experiencing high levels of emigration (Fox 1979). Emigration has long been a fact of family life in small farming and working class communities throughout the west of Ireland (Brody, 1973; Cousens, 1965; Donnelly, 1975; Fitzpatrick, 1984; O'Grada, 1977). It has certainly been a fact of life in west Cork.
Some Conflicts in the Pursuit of Material and Social Equality
Many and varied views of poverty exist, ranging from the uncaring 'its got nothing to do with me' stance, through to concern at the plight of the poor, to calls for a radical transformation of society so as to eradicate poverty entirely. Studies of poverty in western societies have a long tradition. Among some early discussions of living conditions is Engel’s The Condition of The Working Class in England (1845). One of the first detailed surveys in Britain: was Rowntree's study in York in 1899. Since then, the prominence given to the living conditions of people in western countries has waxed and waned, both in popular discourse and in academic debate.
In any discussion on development or underdevelopment, the first sticking point usually, is a definition of the term. Can development be judged on the basis of a per capita Gross National Product over a certain amount? Is the percentage of the working population employed in industry a valid measurement of a nations development? I think a more humanistic approach is to measure the quantity of doctors perthousand, average life expectancy or even more crudely, the existence of malnutrition. If you use any of the above criteria, you may still arrive at the same answer, that the majority of the world's nations are less well off than the 'First World', and that many are lagging. further behind rather than catching up. I intend to show that underdevelopment is principally due to the effects of colonialism and imperialism.
Deliberate in his ideals, an advocator of new ways of thinking, Mikail Gorbachev came to power in 1985. His perseverance in attempting to get rid of Brezhnev and post­ Brezhnev ideology enabled him to make his mark not only as an idealist, but as a realist. An indication of rapid change came in February 1986 when seventeen out of twenty-four of one of the most senior policy makers, the Politburo, were replaced by younger, more progressive thinkers'. In rejuvenating leaderships, the energetic Gorbachev, in his prudent yet pragmatic style, had rapidly reshuffled his personnel. Loyalty thus consolidated his power base.
This, I am proud to say, is the sixth appearance of the journal Chimera which, through dedication and sheer hard work, has established itself as 'the geography journal by UCC students for all students'. This journal will undoubtably continue to attract the interest of everyone with an interest in geography. Let's look forward to its future success and endurance!
The smell and feeling of Spring is in the air and on the land. And right on schedule is this new blossoming Chimera. It gives me enormous pleasure to welcome and introduce this innovative and impressive volume. The 1991 edition is innovative on a whole series of fronts. Firstly, although still anchored in the work, endeavours and enthusiasms of a vibrant postgraduate group, this edition has seen the fullest representation of undergraduate student contributions, from first year students in Geography and European Studies through to second and final year geographers as well as H. Dip. students.
RECENTLY COMPLETED POST-GRADUATE RESEARCH IN IRELAND
POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH IN PROGRESS 1989/'90
"It Is life Jim... but not as we know it...” and thus heralded the arrival of the Geographical Society Committee for 1989/90. The new all female committee; Eileen Boyce (Auditor), Mary Quinlan (Vice-Auditor), Martina Dineen (Secretary) and Ann Dunlea (Treasurer) attributed their positions to natural good taste on the part of the electorate. Pat Leahy blamed it on the Suffragette movement! Nonetheless, the committee was here to stay... and leave its mark – with a vengeance.
The Effects of Uniform Thinning and Patch Cutting on Soil Moisture Storage in the Black Spur Catchments, Victoria
It is generally recognised that soil moisture storage plays an important role in the generation of surface water run-off (Mein et.al. 1988, Burch et al. 1987, Wheater and Weaver 1980). Following clearing on a forest watershed in West Virginia, Patrick and Reinhart (1971) attributed. yield increases to an increase in soil moisture storage. On the Coranderrk catchment's Victoria, Duncan and Heeps (1980) found that soil moisture also increased following clearfelling. Similarly thinning of a Eucalyptus marginata forest in Western Australia resulted in an increase in soil moisture storage and Stoneman (1986) attributed the lack of a substantial streamflow increase to this factor. In separate studies of forest to pasture conversion in California and Western Australia, both Hibbert (1969) and Sharman et al. (1987) respectively observed an increase in soil moisture storage. Hibbert (1969) suggested that the greater availability of- moisture in the upper soil layers following clearing, where it could be exploited by the shallow rooted pasture grasses, might result in a continued high evapotranspiration rather than the decrease which might be expected to result.
At a time when Europe seems to be bursting out of her seams, it may -appear a little inconsequential to present an article on the role graffiti can play in complementing our knowledge of the social worlds of the city. My argument I'm sure is clear, but allow me to begin with a story of topical interest. One day last month I was partaking of some of the aforementioned beverage in a quiet public house on Dunbar Street when the barman proudly presented me with a section of the Berlin Wall. Actually, it was quite small, no bigger than my thumb-nail in fact, reminiscent of those saintly relics that my aunts used to haul back from Knock or Lourdes to ward off Communism. Yet distinctively, I could make out the psychedelic colours of the graffiti that humanised that infamous barrier with protest and dissent. It struck me then that graffiti is almost universal.
The End of History or the Beginning of a New Era
A senior figure in the American State Department wrote in an article in Foreign Affairs in September 1989, that we were witnessing the end of history. Such a view was being put forward as the governments of the various communist countries were being challenged not only in Eastern Europe but also in East Asia. His belief was that the view of the individual as enshrined within the ideal of the liberal democratic capitalist system had been victorious over the communal beliefs which were thought to inspire the communist system. The article argued for the end of history on the basis that after some centuries of dispute both armed and intellectual, that the world is uniformly evolving towards a system of liberal capitalist democracy. That such a belief may exist within some of the ruling circles of the United States is clear evidence that the actions of 1989 in Eastern Europe and East Asia have forced a reformulation of the beliefs which have sustained some generations of Eastern and Western policy makers and strategists. This article aims to examine changes that have occurred throughout Eastern Europe up to 1989.
The Geography of Public Houses in Cork City Centre
A pub, by definition is a public house licenced for the sale of alcoholic liquors. However, this rather bare description conveys little of the real nature of the pub or of its importance in Irish life and culture. For most Irish people, the pub is where you go to convene meetings, exchange information, deliberate on problems, make decisions. It is here that rages are soothed, broken hearts mended and humours restored. In its purest form, the Irish pub has grown out of the 'sheebeen', the drinking den of the people in earlier times, its prime function being to supply intoxicating liquors and a place in which to consume them.
Post-Graduate Study in Geography in the United States and Canada
Be a geographer and see the world! The purpose of this article is to help, present undergraduates explore the option of a higher degree in North America, through giving my own knowledge of a system which can appear disconcertingly alien and to which there are no comprehensive guides. If you are considering a North American University, you should write to the Departments of Geography for details rather than the graduate admissions offices.
Environmental awareness has increased in recent years within Ireland. One of the most contentious issues involved in this growing concern is that of urban air quality. This topic will be considered in relation to Dublin and Cork city, particularly the latter which has received very little publicity in relation to this problem. An assessment of the situation in Cork will be attempted within a discussion and the factors contributing to its urban air quality. The similarities and differences between the two cities will be examined to discover if Cork can avoid the air pollution levels which presently exist in Dublin.