Volume XXXI Issue Two - Black History Month Special Edition
It’s October, which means the University Observer is back with a bang to celebrate Black History Month. This issue is a celebration of Black excellence; of pioneers, entrepreneurs, and musicians; of innovators, leaders, and athletes. This issue is also a careful consideration of Black history; of struggle, oppression, and colonialism, and an analysis of the enduring impact on our society at home in Ireland, and ‘across the pond’ in the United States. As two very white editors, we have tried our best to ensure that Black voices and perspectives shine through in this issue.
In this issue, Features Editor Michael Keating Dake breaks down the Haitian Revolution and assesses the lack of attention it has received from modern discourse. Gráinne Glynn then documents the rise of the far-right in Ireland, which Comment Editor Andrea Beyer-Fraile builds on beautifully. By interviewing Black women who were present in Dublin at the time of the November 2023 riots, attention is paid to a narrative that has been largely overlooked.
Throughout the paper, our team of wonderfully talented writers have compiled an issue that they should be proud of. It has been such a joy to compile this issue, we have been blown away by the talent of those who have contributed, and are profoundly grateful to those who have chosen to share their stories with us.
October also marks a year of genocide against the Palestinian people, after 76 years of ethnic cleansing. For one year, we have watched through screens as Israel destroyed lives and livelihoods and bombed schools, refugee camps, and hospitals. As editors of a student newspaper, as journalists, we will continue to keep our small portion of media focused on the important issues; to inform, and to be a trustworthy and truthful source of information for the UCD community.
All the best,
Oisín and Lucy