The Politics Society welcomed Rachel Woods, a Green Party Councillor for Ards & North Down, on 23/11/2018. One of the prevalent topics of discussion was the pressing issue of Brexit. Rachel outlined the stance of the Green Party on the issue, which was to remain in the EU and back a second referendum; but also believed a better deal could be reached by the government with the EU than what has been proposed, as well as the need for it to reflect the people of NI and avoid a hard border with the Republic of Ireland. We also discussed the issue of voting, with Rachel stating her belief for the vote for those aged 16 and a reform of the voting system, as she believes the “first past the post” system entrenches the two party system both in NI and the rest of the UK, as well as the need for greater involvement in politics from women and students through the introduction of the Green Party’s Young Peoples’ Manifesto. Local issues concerning Ards & North Down were also discussed, with Rachel describing her role in the council, being the chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee as well as the chair of the Policing and Community Safety Partnership and vice-chair of the Regeneration & Development Committee. She also spoke about the work of and need for community resuscitation groups and the funding required for councils to allow these groups to work effectively; the Food Poverty Action Group in North Down which has some of the highest food poverty rates in NI, and the need to give a voice to those in the community on local issues. Another topic discussed was Rachel’s membership of and the policies of the Green Party and her views on the party policies. She told us that the Ards & North Down Council was the first local council in the UK to ban the use of single use plastics on its premises due to her influence, along with her decision to join the Green Party over the Alliance Party after hearing John Barry giving a lecture on peak oil whilst at QUB. She described the workings of the Green Party both in the UK and the wider European network and the constant communication and common policy between the parties. Finally we discussed the issue of the assembly at Stormont, with Rachel agreeing that MLAs should have their pay reduced until the assembly begin to function and she criticised the polarisation politics in NI between Sinn Fein and the DUP. Rachel also told us of her support for a Citizen’s Assembly with an international moderator from outside the UK and ROI, and spoke of the regression of NI politics with regards to the Good Friday Agreement with the lack of assembly and community engagement, coupled with the active paramilitaries, particularly in Ards & North Down. However, she believed that the next generation of politics in NI would help to resolve the existing divisions in NI and that reform of the political system in NI was needed including the removal of the Petition of concern from the St Andrews Agreement to allow this to happen effectively. Nat Bailie (Year 13)

Fencing: Sullivan at Round 2 of the N Ireland Junior Foil Series Sullivan Upper Fencing Club played host to Round 2 of the 2018/19 NI Junior Foil Series last Sunday 9th December. Originally to be held at RBAI in Belfast, it was relocated to the SU Sports Hall due to unforeseen circumstances. Nineteen SUFC fencers took part in Round 2, with SU fencers winning a total of 8 medals across 6 age group categories. U12s The U12 Girls category perhaps provided the SU result of the day, with year 8 pupil Sophia Cahill taking gold in her first ever competition. Meanwhile, in the U12 Boys, year 8 Oliver Playfair, also in his first competition, finished 3rd to take a bronze medal. U14s Charlie Beimers finished just outside the medals in 5th place in the U14 Girls, while Alex Atkinson made the semi-finals to take bronze, denied a place in the final by a narrow 14-15 defeat by the eventual age group winner. In the U14 Boys, Alexander Penny, Arnav Arava and Finn Neely all made the quarter-finals, while Keir Murray, Adam Caldwell, Lewis Currie and Cameron Kitchen finished in positions 9 to 12. U16s The U16 Girls category was, as in Round 1, dominated by Sullivan fencers, with Victoria Morris again winning gold, Izzy Evans taking silver this time and joint third place bronze medals going to Ruzi Statham and Anna Vaughan. Positions 5 to 7 were taken by Cece MacMahon, Rachel McKillen and Angharad King. As in Round 1, Cormac Kitchen was the only SU entrant in the U16 Boys, again finishing third to take bronze. Round 3 takes place on Sat 12th January 2019 in the Sullivan Upper Sports Hall.

Four Sullivan fencers travelled north last Saturday 17th Nov to the Ulster University Magee Campus in Londonderry to compete in the 2018 Derry Open Fencing Tournament, the first N Ireland senior event of the new 2018/19 fencing season. This was a first experience of competition at senior level for the 4 fencers: Izzy Evans, Victoria Morris, Alexander Penny and Ruzi Statham. All 4 are regulars in junior fencing competition, but participating in an open event was going to be a significant step-up for them. Alexander finished 12th in a tough men’s foil event, which was won by the current Irish National Champion (and Sullivan Assistant Coach), Stephen Brown. Izzy made7th in the women’s foil, while Victoria and Ruzi both won their quarter-final fights to go through to the semis. Both lost these fights, but put up strong performances against more experienced fencers to take their bronze medals in joint 3rd place. Well done all 4 SU fencers in their first senior event. Next up: Round 2 of the NI Junior Foil Series on 9th Dec at RBAI in Belfast. Victoria and Ruzi with joint 3rd place trophies

SU fencers competing at NIJFS Round 1 (minus Charlie Beimers) Round 1 of the 2018/19 NI Junior Foil Series was held last Sunday 4th November at Hunterhouse College in South Belfast. This was the first competition of the new fencing season and the first round of a series of 6 to be held across the school year, each round held in a different school or club. Nine Sullivan fencers entered the event across 4 of the 7 age group categories: U14 Girls, U14 Boys, U16 Girls and U16 Boys. Year 8 beginner, Charlie Beimers, was our only entrant in the U14 Girls, finishing a creditable 5th in her first ever competition. In the U14 Boys, 3 SU fencers made the quarter finals, with Cameron Kitchen 6th, Finn Neely 7th and Arnav Arava 8th. The U16 Girls category was dominated by Sullivan fencers, with Victoria Morris winning gold, Ruzi Statham silver and joint third place bronze medals going to Rachel McKillen and Izzy Evans. Cormac Kitchen was the only SU representative in the U16 Boys, finishing third to take bronze. Round 2 takes place on Sun 9th December in RBAI in Belfast. Victoria, Ruzi, Rachel & Izzy take U16F gold, silver & bronze Cormac takes U16M bronze Ruzi goes ‘En Garde’

Sullivan Upper 1st XI faced three games to qualify for the semi final of the All Ireland competition. Match 1 Sullivan faced Regent House in the opening match and took the lead early on. They dominated the first half and Regent had to defend for most of it. This was then followed by two other goals to make the halftime score 3-0. Whether it was complacency or Regent fighting back but the second half was completely different Regent took the game to Sullivan and scored 2 goals. Fulltime Sullivan 3 (D Erskine, I Hart & M Willis) – Regent House 2 Match 2 A different Sullivan team turned up for the second game. This was against Dublin school, Newpark. In a very competitive first half it was end to end play with both teams playing well. Newpark took the lead half way through the first half, but Sullivan stuck back immediately with another goal from Djay Erskine. The game moved into the second half an Sullivan had slightly more control and scored a second goal. Newpark pushed and pushed for an equaliser, but this didn’t come. Fulltime Sullivan 2 (D Erskine & M Willis – Newpark 1 Match 3 This match, as well as a qualifier was the group final, as both Sullivan and High School, Dublin could qualify for the semi final. Again it was a game of two halves. Sullivan the stronger in the first when they scored two goals. When the teams came out for the second half everyone new High School, would go all out, as they only needed a draw to qualify on goal difference. They scored the two goals needed. The Sullivan boys were very disappointed as they were so close to a first semi-final place for the school. They finished the group undefeated and on the same points as High School, Dublin, with only one goal difference. Fulltime Sullivan 2 (P Rose & S Anderson) – High School, Dublin 2 The squad were: M Morris, H Morris, P Crookshanks, M Willis, J McNeill, N Keown, I Hart, H Dunlop, S Anderson, T McClintock, M Trimble, D Girvin, P Rose, D Erskine, C Matthews & C Smith

Congratulations to George Saunderson and Conor McKee on their selection for the Ireland U18 Schools training camp taking place over the Half term break.

In Match 3 of the McCullough Cup Sullivan 1st XI faced rivals Wallace High School. The match started off and Wallace scored in the first few minutes, only to be disallowed. Both teams cautious of each other but as the half went on Sullivan scored through a series of passes down the right and finished by Patrick Rose. This was soon followed by a penalty corner goal from Paddy Crookshanks. Halftime Sullivan 2 v Wallace High 0 Wallace started the second with a greater determination and this paid off with them winning two penalty corners and scoring both. Wallace then took the lead with a third penalty corner. The game looked to be over but in the last minute, Matthew Willis managed to score from a scramble on the Wallace goal line. Many thanks to the parents that attend to make a could crowd at midweek match. Final Score Sullivan 3 (P Rose, P Crookshanks & M Willis) v Wallace 3.

The draw has been made for the All-Ireland Hockey Competiton to be play between Queens, Shawsbridge and Deramore sports facilities. The Sullivan matches are: Wednesday 24 October 2018 1.45 pm v Regent House at Queens, Upper Malone Thursday 25 October 2018 9.45 am v Newpark, Dublin at Queens, Upper Malone 2.00 pm v The High School, Dublin at Shawsbridge The semi-finals and final are to be played on Friday 26 October 2018 at 9.30 am and 2.30 pm.

Congratulations to Conor McKee (Year 14) and George Saunderson (Year 13) who have been selected to represent the IRFU U18s School’s rugby team in the upcoming camp. The camp will be taking place in Co Kildare, from 31 October to 2 November 2018

The second match of the McCullough Cup was traveling a short distance to Campbell College. With a good crowd of spectators the players responded and started strongly. Campbell were full of energy but Sullivan controlled the game. Sullivan should have had the opening goal, when for some unknown reason, after a great deflection , the umpire ruled no goal. Sullivan didn’t get frustrated and scored the opener soon after. with a further goals in the first half . Halftime Sullivan 5 v Campbell 0 The second half saw a series of green cards when Campbell lost a bit of their discipline. Sullivan kept their cool and continued to play good hockey restricting Campbell to only a few half chances. Final Score Sullivan 8 v Campbell College 0 (P Crookshanks 2, I Hart 2, M Morris, D Girvin, M Willis & P Rose)

Sullivan 1st XI started their defence of the McCullough Cup on Saturday with a trip to Cookstown. With the team not playing a match together due to UK School Games and Interpros it was going to be a test, they were confident they would win, but with a tight margin. The game started with both teams losing the ball to the opposition, then Sullivan took control of game with two quick goals, another soon followed. Cookstown managed to get a goal back. From then on it was all Sullivan with two more goals. The first half finished 5 – 1 Again controlling the second half and various goal scores. Final Score Sullivan 10 (P Crookshanks 3, D Girvan 2, M Morris, P Rose, DJ Erskine, M Willis and I Hart) v Cookstown 1

Following the recent Interprovincial series, Patrick Rose, Tom McClintock, Conor Matthew and Sam Anderson have all received trials for Ireland U16s