Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Matt-the-Jap (or Matteo Matubara if you dont like the nickname)

  • 16-09-2004 11:17pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 11,194 ✭✭✭✭Crash


    So what is the story? i've heard about the guy from friends of mine in trinity for ages - the guy intrigues me beyong belief. So what are the rumours/facts about his continued presence in trinity, and what do you think of it all? :)


«134

Comments

  • Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 21,502 Mod ✭✭✭✭Agent Smith


    i heard he's batman...


  • Registered Users Posts: 344 ✭✭gom


    I'll dig up some the photos from the photo shoot that I did with Matteo last year for TN. I have them hand on a CD but won't be able to get to them till next week probably... He knows how to pose let me tell ya ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 344 ✭✭gom


    Matt-the-jap is the last of the Samurai

    After WW2 he could not return to Japan as he must live the life of a hermit forever more as his dishonour to his country forbids anything more


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭dermot_sheehan


    He's a friendly old guy who hangs around the arts building. He's one of the college's "characters". He's mute, but apparently lots of people communicate with him in sign language.


  • Registered Users Posts: 344 ✭✭gom


    gabhain7 wrote:
    He's a friendly old guy who hangs around the arts building. He's one of the college's "characters". He's mute, but apparently lots of people communicate with him in sign language.

    He is also deaf but can lip read alittle


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 11,194 ✭✭✭✭Crash


    From what i've heard over the years the latest barring was due to use of the big stick towards people in the arts block correct? and before that there was something bout nicking books from the berkeley via throwing them out the window? :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭ApeXaviour


    I dunno about that crash. He's well known and respected by staff and students alike. A while back he collapsed out on grafton st I think and the president wrote him a get well letter. Always has newspapers on him, seems very well read.

    The rumour I heard was that he was a student here years ago, but he burned some original scripts or documents or something and was expelled. He's wandered campus ever since.. Anyone know if this holds any truth or is it a pure lie?
    After WW2 he could not return to Japan as he must live the life of a hermit forever more as his dishonour to his country forbids anything more
    Did you make that up? Since WW2 the americanisation of japan has long since dissolved any sense of radical nationalism they held.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,135 ✭✭✭✭John


    I've known him to be a bit aggressive (been on the receiving end for being in the queue in front of him in the JCR) but the guy is grand, I've never seen him being violent, just a lot of angry gestures. An awful lot of rumours about him flying about. Certainly deserves the position of college character, I'm glad he's allowed on campus again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,491 ✭✭✭blobert


    There are a great many stories about this guy, most of which are absolute rubbish.

    From my own experience he is simply a deeply unpleasant old man.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,194 ✭✭✭✭Crash


    Well the first barring i mentioned there i picked up from a trinity news copy i got free at the open day (was quite an interesting read, if i can find it i might type it up here) so i assume he actually was barred.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭Kappar


    I seen him last year in Freshers' week at some place that was giving out FREE Crisps as you can imagine there were hords of scaldy students around trying to get the crisps and he was at the back trying to push in.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Chick


    is this really a real person? honestly


  • Posts: 16,720 ✭✭✭✭ Magnolia Deafening Schoolwork


    He's our very own yoda!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,114 ✭✭✭Kappar


    is this really a real person? honestly
    He is indeed, wanders around the campus you'll see him and you're heart'll melt.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,166 ✭✭✭enda1


    He reminds me of mo moleman from the Simpsons. I heard the burning story too, supposedly he was doing a thesis when he came across something he didn't like and burnt the stuff.
    Probably bull though!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Chick


    lol ok ill believe you, cat wait to see this lil guy im intriuged now


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,135 ✭✭✭✭John


    you won't have long to wait before you see him once you get on campus


  • Registered Users Posts: 644 ✭✭✭strawberry


    He does really look like Yoda.....

    And he's not just a nasty old man. You wouldn't like students either if you were deaf and dumb and didn't have much of an income. Surely you must commiserate with his urge to strike the annoying preppy people who consistently get in his way in Trinity.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Chick


    Of course yeah i can comersirate if the poor man is both deaf and dumb, but is hitting students with a cane really the way to go entertaining as it may be lol


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,194 ✭✭✭✭Crash


    *shrug* it was the arts block. they're not people. :P


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7 pCiaran


    >The rumour I heard was that he was a student here years ago, but he >burned some original scripts or documents or something and was expelled. >He's wandered campus ever since.. Anyone know if this holds any truth or is >it a pure lie?


    Matt was a student (mature I would assume). He was removed from the college books following an incident with some old books in Early Printed Books. Allegedly there was pen marks on a book after he had finished with it. As College can be quite picky about old books he was kicked out. Matt has always denied that he did it. Communication generally involves a lot of gesturing but if one is bothered you can write him a note. He can read and write although he won't necessarily reply if you're just doing it to say that you wrote Matt the Jap a note.
    Occasionally he dissappears for a while and people start to worry but he has always turned up again.
    Later
    pCiaran


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,523 ✭✭✭ApeXaviour


    Cheers for clearin that up for me man :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Chick


    what are they then lol?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,487 ✭✭✭Kevin_rc_ie


    I was in UGc cinema, going to see walking tall ( with the rock) and i was late in so i had to sit in the front row and guess who was sitting beside me but Matt the chap from trinity. This is absolutely true. ( was not sitting directly beside me, about 4 seats to my left.) I know he is deaf but he was watching the film intently and was very well behaved.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Chick


    well behaved? ok that makes him sound like a child!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,399 ✭✭✭WetDaddy


    Although his story may be touching (I heard the same one years ago: Mature student, doing a Masters, on some kind of grand from Japan), any interractiong I've had with him has proved him to be a bit of a bastard...

    All I've ever seen him do is come up to people (myself included, many times) on Grafton St. and repeatedly tap them, his own ear, and a piece of paper he has with him (which explains his prediciment, asks for money, etc.)

    That normally wouldn't bother me, but he can be so bloody aggressive sometimes. I don't mind giving stuff away to people less fortunate, but Jesus, he won't take the hint of: Sorry pal, but I can't do you a favour at the moment.

    Also, he's stolen my brother's newspaper a few times ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Chick


    Reminds me of when youre abroad, and when you sitting in a restaraunt with tables outside and those ppl come up to you with little pieces of paper. it ususally says theyre deaf, or disabled in some way. I kinda feel sorry for this guy tho. Does he not recieve some kind of living expenses grant if he is/was studying here?


  • Registered Users Posts: 427 ✭✭illumin


    I used to work as an attendant in the arts block and have had to deal with Matt Dubarra on many occasions. First of all he isnt japenese, he's French (born there afaik). The first time he was barred from the Arts Block was because he used his stick to lift up a students skirt. I was told (by the girls that work in the cloakroom) that he was pointing out the shortness of her skirt and she got the wrong end of the stick (ho hum). Anyways after some protesting by the soppy Students Union he got back in. After years of stealling free coffee/tea/soup from the canteen in the arts block and after numerous warnings about hitting students/tourists/staff with his stick he was barred again. The main reason he was barred this time was because a cleaning lady asked him to move so she could get by him with her hoover. He rufused so she moved the table he was sitting at a bit. He then started beating her with his stick. He was sent another warning saying if he does it again he's out. So a month or two passed with mr dubarra accosting the cleaning lady whenever he could. Then he hit this same cleaning lady again with his stick which caused him to be barred for good from the arts block.
    Before i was an attendant i worked in the ground staff and he used to take the newspapers out of the bins. When i started i did my rounds early so all all the bins were empty before he got to them and he used to try and hit me with his stick. I would stay away from this guy as he is a nasty peice of work. I know he may look harmless but its a hard enough job for staff without being harassed by twisted old men.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,242 ✭✭✭aodh_rua


    Ace_Rimmer wrote:
    He's our very own yoda!

    Anyone remember the Vote 'No' to USI cartoon a few years back. It close with a Photoshopped Matt with the slogan Yoda Says No.

    Anyway back to Matt's history. He came to Ireland in the late seventies to research links between Arab and Celtic cultures. He had previously been studying in Paris. As part of this he was working with some old manuscripts and he was accused of writing on the margins of the Tain Bo Cualaigne (Brown Bull of Cooley). The accusation were apparently led by Brendan Kennelly. Matt was kicked out of College, libraries and the rest. He did have some supporters in the academic community who got permission for him re-enter the premises bar the libraries.

    He's quite an active letter-writer and I remember him showing me replies from the Russian ambassador after the Kursk disaster (in Russian and complimenting Matt on his Russian and cyrillic) and another from Prince Michael of Kent. Apparently he also gets a Christmas Card every year from Jacques Chirac.

    He's certainly a College character, albeit quite a dirty one (a friend of mine and former Phil pres saw Matt urinate into a punch bowl in the Hist one afternoon. The punch was for a meeting that evening, however my mate being a Phil man didn't bother informing the Histies).


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭Chick


    Wow I didnt realise all that. If i had've known that he hit cleaning ladies, just because of a simple request I definitely wouldn't have felt sorry for him. He sounds like quite a difficult man. Thats just not acceptable, how has he gotten away with this for so long? I cant understand it but if he comes near me with that stick....


Advertisement