Articles - Melissandre St Hilaire

A Quiet Protest for Gaelige: An Cumann Gaelach’s Sticker Protest

By Melissandre St Hilaire 

Here at Queen’s University Belfast, the long-standing debate over the place of the Irish language has resurfaced once again – this time through stickers spread across campus, displaying Irish translations alongside their English counterparts, an initiative led by Irish language society An Cumann Gaelach (ACG).  

Since its establishment in 1906, ACG has organised demonstrations attracting hundreds of students and staff in opposition to what they describe as a “mo...

Halloween or a Free Pass for Cultural Appropriation?

by Melissandre St Hilaire

[Belfast One 2025]

As a child the concept of Halloween meant witch hats, scary makeup and an inevitable sugar crash. The idea that you could turn into someone or something else for one singular night was every child’s dream come true. As I grew older, that innocent excitement inevitably faded. What once felt like playful escapism has, over the last few years, begun to reveal a darker side.

As a teenager or a university student, sugar-induced toothache quickl...

‘Three-Nil to Kneecap’: Terrorism Charge dropped by UK Division Court

By Melissandre St Hilaire

“Three-nil to Kneecap” [1], the band’s rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, more commonly known by the stage name Mo Chara, announced to hundreds of supporters outside the London Divisional Court, after terrorism charges against him were dropped. The group is far from new to controversy, known for their anti-establishment rhetoric and revival of the Irish language; it seems this is just the latest addition to their brand.

The legal uproar kicked off back in May 2025, when M...

The Gown • 30th January 2026

Trump, Maduro and Media Wars Operation Maduro: The Media’s Role in Framing Trump’s Venezuelan Intervention

by Melissandre St Hilaire

Trump’s recent military intervention in Venezuela has polarized the media in the most unexpected ways. News outlets traditionally regarded as liberal or left leaning have, in some cases, adopted language more commonly associated with conservative or interventionist narratives, leaving many readers taken aback. The media holds immense power and responsibility, in shaping public understanding of political events. While journalists are not tasked with interpreting the...

Rising Rents and Rogue Landlords: Navigating the Student Housing Crisis

by Melissandre St Hilaire

From choosing which stranger to live with to dodging tricky landlords, students once again brace themselves for the next house-hunting season. However, this year’s cohort may just have to up their game, warns recent Zoopla reports noting an 11% rent price increase in just 2024-2025 alone – championing the 1.6% rise in London, 2.4% in Wales and 1.7% in Scotland [1]. Belfast has always seemed to avoid the crippling rental boom that has pushed many out of major cities a...