Blanchardstown Gazette

Blanch Gazet te FREE

May 2, 2013

Find us on

Month XX, 2012 Blanchardstown • Blakestown • Hartstown • Coolmine • Tyrrelstown • Dunboyne • Corduff • Mulhuddart • Ongar

INSIDE: Amazing night at Feileacan Ban Charity Ball in memory of Claire P6

care centre: Corduff’s 30-year wait draws to an end as plans lodged Page 2

Fashion forward: Getting U ready for summer Soccer:

Phoenix gear up for Senior Cup tie with Dundalk Page 32

Camogie:

Erin Go Bragh claim Dublin Feile title Page 31

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES....................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................27

BLANCHARDSTOWN Centre and U Magazine have collaborated to celebrate all things stylish by hosting the U style event last weekend. Many fashionistas like Tonia Harkinson and Lauren Long (right) gathered at the shopping centre to watch the latest trends on the catwalk in the fashion shows. There were also hair and beauty masterclasses by Peter Marks and Inglot, and style advice on how to choose the best jeans for your body shape. Picture: Ronan O’Sullivan

Labour should leave Government – Nulty

Dublin West TD would run as an Independent if an election was called tomorrow

 laura webb

Dublin West TD Patrick Nulty would run as an Independent TD if an election was called tomorrow, he told the Gazette this week.

The Labour elected TD,

who is no longer a member of the party, says he is “very much opposed to the policies of the government” and is “campaigning against” these policies. He added that Labour should get out of government.

“I am operating effectively as an Independent TD at the moment. It seems if there was a general election called tomorrow, I would be running as an Independent TD because I am outside the parliamen-

tary party,” he said.

He also told The Gazette that Labour should “absolutely” leave the coalition, unless there is a “massive reorientation of government policy in the next budget”.

Full Story on Page 4

2 BLANCH Gazette 2 May 2013

dublin GAZETTe newspapers i n f o r m at i o n

progress Beginning of end of 30-year wait

Block 3A, Mill Bank Business Park, Lucan Tel: 01 - 6010240 Dublin Gazette Newspapers publish eight weekly quality free titles, covering the greater Dublin area from Swords to Dun Laoghaire

c o n ta c t s Managing Director: Michael McGovern mmcgovern@gazettegroup.com News Editor: Mimi Murray mmurray@gazettegroup.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile jmaile@gazettegroup.com Picture Editor: Paul Hosford picturedesk@gazettegroup.com Sports Editor: Rob Heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com Financial Controller: Carly Lynch clynch@gazettegroup.com Advertising Production: Suzanne Sheehy ssheehy@gazettegroup.com Advertising Sales: 01 - 6010240 sales@gazettegroup.com

Find us on

www.gazettegroup.com Gazette Group Newspapers Ltd. Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements Reserve the right to omit or suspend or alter any advertisement(s) in any of its publications. We also decline any responsibility in the event of one or more of a series of advertisements being omitted for any reason whatever, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement. If your advertisement appears incorrectly, contact the Advertising Department immediately, as responsibility cannot be accepted for more than one week’s incorrect insertion. Responsibility cannot be accepted if the complaint is made more than two weeks after insertion. If one places an advertisement for more than one week and then cancels it after the first week, no refund or credit will be given for weeks cancelled. The advertiser undertakes to indemnify the Proprietors against any liability for any civil action arising out of the publication of the advertisement or any other matter printed or published in the Blanchardstown Gazette, Castleknock Gazette, Clondalkin Gazette, Dundrum Gazette, Dun Laoghaire Gazette, Lucan Gazette, Malahide Gazette and Swords Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.

Members of the Corduff Health Action Group on one of their protests

Application lodged for Corduff care centre THERE has been a breakthrough in the construction of the longawaited primary care centre for Corduff as a planning application is lodged with Fingal.

Residents in the area have been waiting for over 30 years for the centre, and this is the first time a planning application has been lodged, marking a significant breakthrough in getting it constructed.

Fingal received the planning application from the HSE on April 18. The proposed development consists of the construction of a new primar y care centre, part two and part three storey to house a primary care team, child and adolescent mental health team, early intervention team, dental and GP surgery accommodation.

 laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com

Ann Smith of the Corduff Health Action Group said this issue has been a priority for the group since it was set up over six years ago. “The plans look very good, we have to keep our fingers crossed that it all goes well – that there are no upsets in the meantime.

“We have never been to this stage, this is the first time. The planning notices are up so they [the HSE] hope [if planning is granted] to start [construction] in the last quarter of this year,” she said.

Ann went on to say that it has been a long

wait for residents in the area and there have been a few “hiccups” regarding the centre.

“We went to public private partnership and that fell through, then we lobbied to get it back in capital funding which it is now under – which is better for it.

“We are looking forward to it being built and it is going to be up and running as far as we are aware. I think everyone in the community is delighted that it is going ahead,” she added.

Local councillor David McGuinness (FF) said he “fully supports” the application and hopes it “passes through the planning process without hindrance”.

“The Corduff community have lobbied for a primary care centre for over 30 years and this application is a most

welcome development.

“Today is a good day for the people of Corduff and Mulhuddart,” he added.

Dublin West TD Patrick Nulty (Lab) said it is “very good news for the community”. “I would estimate that the planning application will take between eight to 12 weeks and subject to it being approved… then I would hope the HSE would start construction by the end of the year.

“There have been a lot of false starts with the project, so neither myself or residents will be complacent until we see construction starting, but certainly the fact that a planning application is in is a huge landmark for Corduff, Mulhuddart and Blanchardstown, and it’s a testament to the work of the Corduff

Health Action Group and other community activists over many, many years to bring this to fruition,” he said.

According to Deputy Nulty this primary care centre will take the pressure off local Accident and emergency services.

“To have specialists all focused and working from the one base will be incredibly important in improving public health and access to health.

“All of the academic evidence internationally says that if you want to get the best outcomes for the best costs in health then you need to move from a focus on acute hospital care such as accident and emergency towards community care and primary care centres are a key element of that,” he added.

2 May 2013 BLANCH GAZETTE 3

APOLOGY FG distances itself from councillor’s action

Bailey sorry for using Gazette in political leaflet  BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN

DUBLIN Gazette newspapers were at the centre of a political storm this week when a Fine Gael politician, Cllr John Bailey, produced a mock up version of the Dun Laoghaire Gazette which promoted himself among his constituents.

Cllr Bailey personally delivered a leaflet with a mock-up of the newspaper to the homes of around 300 people.

The mocked up version of the paper contained several changes to

a story about Amgen and the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Dun Laoghaire including putting a banner across the story reading Bailey – The Local Man Putting People First.

All of the changes put Cllr Bailey in the best possible relief and made it appear that The Gazette brand politically endorsed Cllr Bailey.

The Gazette are happy to clarify that this is not – and never has been – the case.

When initially contacted by The Gazette

and made aware that this practice represents breach of copyright, Cllr Bailey stopped distribution of the leaflets. However many of them had already been posted to his constituents.

Cllr Bailey said: “I printed it [the mock up] on the back of my leaflet.

I always try to promote the paper and I don’t see what the big deal is.”

When questioned about whether Fine Gael headquarters was aware of his activities in this regard, Cllr Bailey said: “No, they did not know.

Inset: The leaflet created by Cllr John Bailey (FG) featuring The Dun Laoghaire Gazette’s branding and content, without Dublin Gazette Newspapers’ authorisation – a move which saw Fine Gael headquarters (main) respond by saying: “The distribution of this type of literature is not something [the party] would condone or support”

It’s up to me what I do on the ground. I wasn’t aware of it [breach of copyright] when I made the leaflets but when I was aware I withdrew it immediately. I absolutely apologise unreservedly for any trouble caused.

I have no problem with apologising.”

A resident, who received the material from Cllr Bailey said:

“I find this, to say the least, distasteful as it is disrespectful… and a misrepresentation of the event.”

In a statement to The Gazette, Fine Gael party headquarters said: “The images and content featured on leaflets distributed by Cllr John Bailey were not sourced, conceived or conceptualised

by Fine Gael.

“Cllr Bailey acted on his own volition with regard to this matter.

“Our understanding is that Cllr Bailey has ceased distribution of this literature and has apologised unreservedly to Dublin Gazette Newspaper. The distribution of this type of literature is not something Fine Gael would condone or support.”

BAND NIGHT Blanch Original next week LOCAL talent is set to shine during an event that showcases original music featuring some of Dublin 15’s best live acts.

Blanchardstown Original is a free event taking place on Thursday, May 16 in The Bell, featuring acts such as Deco Greene, White Roads, Jaker, Kevin Casey and The City Apples.

Commenting on the event, musician Kevin Casey said the night supports original music in Dublin.

“I disagree with bands having to pay to hire a venue and then have the worry of selling tickets.

So the idea of getting a local venue to give their space to support local original talent was so much easier,” he said.

4 BLANCH Gazette 2 May 2013

FastNews

Lots to see and enjoy at Draiocht this weekend IF YOU’RE planning to pay Draiocht a visit this weekend, you won’t be short of events.

The black comedy The Deal, by Thomas Clare, and directed by Liz Lloyd, will be staged on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4.

A monoprint workshop with artist Dave West takes place on Saturday, May 4 from 2pm to 5.30pm.

A touch of Bollywood will arrive on Saturday, May 4, as the 2012 Indian blockbuster, Ek Tha Tiger (There was a Tiger), which was shot in Dublin, will be screened at 6pm.

For further information, ticket prices and bookings, see www.draiocht.ie.

R1

politics ‘Labour should exit government’ Say ‘Aloha’ to an Elvis night THE Red Cow Moran Hotel will host an Elvis Hawaiian-style night this weekend, on Sunday, May 5 at 7.30pm, Tickets cost €25.

For bookings, contact the hotel at 01 459 3650

Charity ball to help sick kids THE Cycle4Life Gala Ball will take place at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown this Saturday, May 4.

Tickets for the charity ball, which is in aid of Temple Street Children’s Hospital, are priced €100. For further information, see www.cycle4life.ie.

Dublin West TD Patrick Nulty is now “very much opposed to the policies of the government”

Nulty ‘operating as an Independent TD’  laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com

If an election was called tomorrow, Dublin West TD Patrick Nulty would run as an Independent, he told the Gazette this week, adding that Labour should get out of government.

T he TD, who was elected as a Labour representative in the 2011 Dublin West byeelection, says he is now “very much opposed to the policies of the government.”

On his website the TD is no longer associated with the party with no mention of Labour.

Furthermore, under Our People on Labour’s official website, it only has one TD in Dublin West – Joan Burton.

When asked about his political affiliation he said he is out of the parliamentary whip so effectively “an independent member of the Dail”. “ I a m ve r y m u c h opposed to the policies of the government. I am

campaigning against the policies of the government, I think there is a better and fairer way to do things and I am outside the Labour parliamentary party.

“I am operating effectively as an Independent TD at the moment. It seems that if there was a general election called tomorrow, I would be

Labour par ty public representative but my decisions are based on the policies that are put before me and the decisions, so when I vote against budgets or I vote either for, or against certain legislation, my first question is, is it in the interest of the people I represent and unfortunately I think the

-------------------------------------------------------

‘As far as I am concerned my job is to first and foremost represent people and that is the key priority’

--------------------------------------------------------

running as an Independent TD because I am outside the Parliamentary Party.

Asked if he has left the Labour Party he said “not formally” but once outside the parliamentary party he is effectively an Independent. “Unless there is fundamental change in policy I’ll be remaining outside it.”

“I have always been on the left and I mean I entered politics as a

policies of the present government are broadly speaking a continuation of the disastrous policies which FF initiated in 2008 and I am fundamentally opposed to those policies “As far as I am concerned my job is to first and foremost represent people and that is the key priority. I actually think TDs, in my view, have a moral and legislative obligation to

vote in accordance to what they believe is in the best interest of our countr y and hiding behind the party whip is not good enough in my view in the present day and age.

He went on to say Labour should “absolutely” get out of government, unless there is a “massive reorientation of government policy in the next budget”.

“I don’t think you should participate in government if you are not making an impact in terms of the people who elected you and represented you and I don’t believe people voted Labour to see child benefits cut, to see huge cuts in our health services, and to see cuts to grants for people trying to go to third level from disadvantaged backgrounds. I think it is totally unacceptable and it is in contradiction, certainly, to my politics on something that under no circumstances would I stand over.”

2 May 2013 BLANCH Gazette 5

hope Special message to celebrate 40th milestone

President to help Coolmine mark Big Day  laura webb

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins is coming to town to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Coolmine Community School (CCS).

Students and staff at CCS are busy organising for President Higgins’s visit on Friday, May 17, which will mark the school’s milestone anniversary.

He will be greeted by the school principal, Patricia McPhillips, before meeting four student

groups – the meitheal students, sporting stars, the community care group and the executive student council.

He will then proceed to the gym, where the entire school community will wait in anticipation for his arrival.

The aim of the event is to officially mark the 40th anniversary of the school.

The theme of the event is Hope for the Future and the school hopes to reflect this in the speeches and also in the presentation of a special painting to the

president.

The painting is the work of Aideen Farrell, a talented student, who has interpreted the event and the theme to produce a beautiful piece of work for the president to take back to Aras an Uachtarain.

President Higgins was invited to the school by teacher, Pauline Connolly. Once word got around that he accepted, it was all systems go at the school, she said.

“Everyone is preparing all over the school in different ways, such as with

President Michael D Higgins will join the school’s celebrations on May 17

music, guards of honour.

There is great excitement.

“A huge amount of work is going into it. The staff formed a committee, and we each took on different roles; lots of prep is going on for the visit.

“The ceremony is being held in the gym and the whole school community will be there, and we have

invited local TDs to come, former principals and the board of management.”

Students will provide entertainment, singing the national anthem, and performing two Irish songs, which have been composed by the students themselves.

Connolly added: “The reaction from the stu-

dents was really interesting. When we told them President Higgins was coming, there was a great outpouring of admiration for the man. They absolutely love him!

“He is such an academic, and he has great charisma, so we are really delighted he can come to visit,” she said.

children Park your kids in an eco camp IF YOU’RE looking for something to entertain and educate your child, look no further than the Phoenix Park, which along with the Office of Public Works, and in association with Eco-Unesco, is set to host Children’s Summer Eco Camp in July.

T h e c a m p s t a ke place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3.30pm. The Tuesday camp caters for children aged five to eight, while Thursdays cater for children aged nine to 12.

The camp themes cover a wide range of parkrelated matters, and cost €10 per day per child. For further information and for bookings, contact The Phoenix Park Visitor Centre at 01 677 0095, or see www.phoenixpark.ie.

6 BLANCH Gazette 2 May 2013

eating well

event: in memory of claire maloney

Funds for Safefood Initiative

A DUBLIN 15 group is to receive funding to help influence positive eating habits as part of the Safefood community food initiatives programme.

Blanchardstown Good Food Cooperative is one of nine recipients of the funding initiative.

The cooperative aims to raise awareness of and reduce food poverty by building a good food network in Blanchardstown, incorporating existing community projects and organisations and working to secure a sustainable future for the network.

Each community food initiative will receive funding annually over a period of three years to set up, manage and sustain their project, with Safefood investing up to €45,000 per project.

‘Amazing night’ at charity ball raises over €11k  laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com

Getting fit: ITB’s outdoor gym aims to help put a spring in your step pictured aRE IT Blanchardstown students Karla McAuley and

Lisa Murphy showing John Quirke from Castleknock and Anne B. Flanagan of Blanchardstown Millennium Park having fun whilst learning how to use the outdoor gymnasium as part of the Stay Strong Strategy from ITB and Fingal County Council. The initiative aims to help local residents aged over 55 to become active in their parks this spring.

Friends and family of lovable Claire Maloney are overwhelmed by the support they received at a recent charity ball in her memory, which raised over €11,000 for two worthy causes.

Claire Maloney died in January 2012 from a brain tumour. To honour the memory of their good friend, Maeve Furlong, Eimear Igoe and Liz Lehane, organised a charity ball, Feileacan Ban Charity Ball, with proceeds going to St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown and Nano Nagle Nursery School in Chennai, India.

Speaking to the Gazette this week, Maeve said it was an “amazing night” and thanked everyone who supported it.

“We had over 200 people at it… Last year we did a charity walk which would have been Claire’s

30th birthday. We raised money for the Guide Dogs for the Blind and also the Irish Cancer Society.

This year we decided to do something different… and decided to make it a bit more local and she was in a hospice herself so we wanted to give some money to the hospice.

“I would like to think we would do it again next year,” she said.

“It went really well.

There was a 30-piece gospel choir on the stage and as people walked in to find their seats they started up.

They were amazing; people were standing around watching them for ages and eventually found their way to their seats.”

On the night there was also a silent auction, with a signed Dublin jersey going for over €400.

“I can’t sing the praises of the Crowne Plaza team enough, they were just amazing. They were so good to us, so supportive, the service, the food, eve-

rything was just spot on, we couldn’t fault them.

“We also had two opera singers – who played immediately after dinner and The Firm played also – they were great,” she added.

Their friend was remembered during an emotional speech from Eimear and a special picture slide-show of Claire.

“Claire was such a great personality and she always had a smile on her face. She was so funny, such a funny person so we have plenty of good memories and jokes, things she would have said that were funny. It was very emotional and there was a great feeling of love and support in the room.

“The night just couldn’t have gone better, we were all there for one reason and I think she would have been very proud,” Maeve added.

See Gallery on Pages 8-9

Charity ball organisers Eimear Igoe, Maeve Furlong and Liz Lehane

2 May 2013 BLANCH Gazette 7

Tell a tale ITB students presents Story Sack

Interaction boosts imagination  laura webb

YOUNG pupils’ imaginations went wild recently when students from IT Blanchardstown shared some very exciting stories.

Junior and senior infant pupils at St Philip’s National School in Mountview, Dublin 15, welcomed the students from the Early Childhood care and education degree course who delivered the Story Sack presentations.

T h e p resentati o n, which involved a lot of interaction with the kids, had the children’s imaginations running wild and made them excited about reading and storytelling.

The Story Sack project is part of the Creative

Group Facilitation module in conjunction with Fingal County Library, which students cover in their third year of the degree course. Part of the student’s assessment on the module is to create their own Story Sack.

Working in pairs, the ITB students are given a well-known story such as We Are Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, and then create a sack filled with props and games to bring the story to life for their young audiences.

Commenting on the project, ITB lecturer Margaret O’Donoghue said: “Using Story Sacks can motivate and excite children about reading.

They are visually attractive and tactile and can encourage active partic-

ipation in reading. The project provides mutual benefit; the children have a fun, interactive experience through storytelling, and the students are given the opportunity to link their practical learning to their course knowledge.

“The Early Childhood Care and Education teaching team became involved with Fingal County Library in the literacy initiative as it recognised that the development of literacy is essential in the first years of a child’s life. Being part of this initiative strengthens ITB’s commitment to literacy and develops our links to other stakeholders in the local community who are interested in promoting literacy in the early years.”

The pupils of St Philip’s National School enjoyed the ITB students’ presentation of Story Sack. Picture: Andres Poveda

Siobhan Walshe of Fingal Libraries said: “Fingal County Libraries are delighted to work with the IT Blanchardstown to facilitate the delivery of the Story Sack presentations as part of the BA in Early Childhood Care and Education to local Dublin 15 community

creches and a primary school as part of Fingal Libraries’ literacy strategy to give children the best start in life through the use of books as fuel for the imagination and lifelong learning.”

ITB offers both full time and work-based education at degree and

honours degree level in Early Childhood Care and Education. According to the college, these degrees provide students with the knowledge and skills to work with young children in a variety of early childhood settings.

For more information, log on to see www.itb.ie.

Business Clinic nets top award for service A LOCAL business has scooped a top award for its customer service.

Opticalrooms.com at the Meridian Clinic, Roselawn was awarded a top industry customer service award by WhatClinic.com users.

Customers rated clinics based on how well the clinics have treated them, how quickly they were contacted and seen and how happy they were with the treatment.

Opticalrooms.com owner Don Stack said he is “delighted” with the positive feedback. “We put a lot of effort into ensuring that our patients receive the best possible care, from the moment they pick up the phone or log onto our website, not just when they come to see us.”

8 BLANCH Gazette 2 May 2013

gazetteGALLERIES

Muireann Mulrooney

Clodagh Connelly and Laura Williams

All smiles: Jacqueline Higgins, Tina Deery, Ruth Malloy and Caroline Neylon. Pictures: Ronan O’Sullivan

Karen Williams, Glenn De Mange, Aisling Burke and Robert Watson

Fionnuala Rynne with Ray and Fiona Hynes

Gillian Durnin and Susan Moran

2 May 2013 BLANCH Gazette 9

Have you seen yourself in the Gazette? Buy photos online from only â‚Ź6.99 at www.gazettephotos.com

Susan and Claire Murphy

Joanne Galim With her aunt Hagir Khalil and mother Mandi Khalil

Style for you: trends on the catwalk attract attention

B

Liz Lehane and Leah Burke

LANCHARDSTOWN Centre and U Magazine has collaborated to celebrate all things stylish by hosting the U style event last weekend.

Many fashionistas gathered at the shopping centre to watch the latest trends on the catwalk in the fashion shows, and to avail of the hair and beauty masterclasses by Peter Marks and Inglot, and style advice on how to choose the best jeans for your body shape.

Paula Murphy and Carmen Aguilella

A fitting tribute to memory of Claire

Ciara Conway and Chloe Long

Marketing executive of Blanchardstown Centre Ciara Daly

Anna-Maria Bors

Tonia Harkinson and Lauren Long. Pictures: Ronan O’Sullivan Sarah Keane, Neasa Carroll, Sandra Martin and Yvonne Quinn

10 BLANCH Gazette 2 May 2013

gazetteGALLERY

Have you seen yourself in the Gazette? Buy photos online from only €6.99 at www.gazettephotos.com

Rachel and Sarah Farrell

Laura Henderson, Fionnuala O’Donovan, Kayleigh Ward and Agnes Stencel

Michelle and Louise Daly

Sarah Quinn and Jean O’Donovan

Good old-fashioned fun at vintage show

T

he Burlington Hotel played host to the biggest ever Spring 2013 Vintage Fashion and Decor Fair recently.

The event was a great day of vintage glamour and fun that celebrated the styles of the 20th century, from the roaring 20s to the eclectic 80s. There were over 60

stands selling an abundance of vintage fashion, retro decor and memorabilia. Guests also had the opportunity to experience vintage makeovers.

Best dressed competitions, spot prizes and all day music and entertainment ensured that the event was a memorable one for all who attended.

Sadhbh Lawless and Caroline Lang. Pictures: Pearl Phelan

2 May 2013 Gazette 11

schools P13

dublinlife

Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week, as well as the latest from our schools

asdfsdaf festivalP27 P15



Gazette

diary P12

black and white: spread joy of the written word

Groups across the nation to benefit from library plan Fuel your community’s imagination with books by nominating a local charity or voluntar y group for a new library.

The Bord Gais Energy Book Club has launched its Donate A Library initiative with the support of The Wheel, Ireland’s leading support and representative body for community, voluntary and charitable organisations.

According to the book club, six in 10 Irish people

have a passion for books and reading, so because of this, the club wants to share this love by donating libraries to local groups across the nation.

Launched on April 23, the new programme will give Bord Gais Energy customers, book club members and the Irish public the chance to nominate a local charity or voluntary organisation who they believe would benefit from a library to

the value of €1,500. This ongoing project will see a new library donation every four months.

Emma Walsh, Bord Gais Energy Books and reading sponsorship programme manager, said: “One of the things we have become really aware of through our work with libraries, authors and the book industry is the immense joy and benefit people of all ages get from the presence of books in

their lives. Books can be a really supportive and helpful resource for many people and bring a lot of pleasure to their lives.”

Nominate an organisation at w w w.bordgaisenergybookclub.ie.

Each nomination will be judged by a panel. Forms are available from bordgaisenergybookclub. ie and applications are welcome from individuals and organisations throughout Ireland.

Avid reader Miriam O’Callaghan encourages communities to fuel their imagination with books

Gazette

12 Gazette 2 May 2013

dublinlife

diary

Support a cool way to raise funds for charity This summer will see scoops of excitement as Down Syndrome Ireland and HB Hazelbrook Farm get ready for their annual Ice Cream Funday Party fundraiser initiative taking place throughout the country during May and June.

People from across Dublin are being asked to host ice cream parties in their homes, workplaces, creches or schools as part of the ongoing effort to raise money for Down Syndrome Ireland.

The Ice Cream Fundays campaign celebrates its 11th anniversary this year and to date has raised over €2m for a wide range of supports and services

to help and ensure people with Down Syndrome, young and old, have the opportunity to reach their full potential. This year the campaign hopes to raise over €300,000.

To get involved and receive your party pack, which includes posters, invitations, balloons and vouchers for free HB Hazelbrook Farm Ice Cream, register online at www.downsyndrome.ie or locall 1890 373737.

free asthma clinics at boots Boots Ireland and the Asthma Society of Ireland have collaborated to mark World Asthma Day on May 7.

Selected Boots stores across Dublin will run free Let’s Breathe Easy asthma clinics from May 2 to May 9.

The clinics will offer north Dublin people with asthma an extended consultation with a Boots pharmacist to review inhaler technique, complete an asthma control test and advice on medication usage.

Ireland has the fourth highest incidence of asthma in the world with 470,000 people living with asthma, of which 282,000 people do not have their symptoms under control.

Sharon Cosgrove, chief executive, Asthma Society of Ireland, commented: “Wheezing, coughing and breathlessness do not need to be tolerated by people who have asthma.

“Asthma symptoms can be controlled and with the correct use of

Sinead Tomney Heeney and DJ Ray Foley pictured at the launch of HB Ice Cream’s Funday Party in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland

your medication, you can ensure that you stay fit and healthy.”

The clinics will be available in Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Balbriggan and across the city centre.

tee off for Independent Living Tee off in aid of the Blanchardstown Centre for Independent Living during a golf fundraiser this month.

This event takes place on Friday, May 3, at Corrs-

town Golf Club, Kilsallaghan Co Dublin.

The format is a four person’s team event, best two scores to count and individual stableford event.

Tickets cost €40 per person and include golf, dinner and prizes.

Residents can also help by sponsoring an even or a hole, donating golf or raffle prizes or just by making a donation to BCIL. BCIL is a charitable organisation run by people with disabilities for people with disabilities.

It provides a range of services which support people with disabilities achieving independent living, choice and control over their lives.

For further details on BCIL and its services see www.bcil.ie.

they were represented at the Meitheal 2013 event which attracted 300 tour operators from 18 countries around the world.

One member of B&B Ireland, Sharon Harrington, owner of Rathview House in Swords, said the B&B Ireland team aimed to give tour operators “a taste of the real Irish B&B experience, and to showcase

the food, welcome and hospitality given to customers when they stay in a town, country or farmhouse home in Ireland,” she said.

Meitheal is one of the biggest trade events in the Irish tourism calendar and is organised by Failte Ireland along with Tourism Ireland.

See www.bandbireland.com.

a taste of the real Irish B&B experience B&B owners from across Dublin got a major plug at the RDS this week when

Sharon Harrington, Rathview House, Swords, at the annual Meitheal event in the RDS

2 May 2013 Gazette 13

Go green on the school run  Natalie Burke

Schools across Dublin will be taking steps towards a healthier school run this month, af ter National Walk to School Week was launched last week.

An Taisce’s Green Schools campaign was launched by Public Transport Minister Alan Kelly (Lab) and is a nationwide initiative aiming to encourage pupils, their parents and their teachers to walk, cycle, use public transport or carpool on the school run.

Organised as part of the Green Schools Travel Programme, the campaign will take place from May 13 until May 17 in schools across Ireland.

Speaking at the launch last week, Minister Kelly said: “National Walk to School Week encourages parents, pupils and teachers to go green on the school run. We often take the car without really thinking of the other options – walking, cycling or public transport.

“Walk to School Week harnesses our children’s enthusiasm for the environment and encourages parents and teachers to leave the car at home, for this week at least, and try more sustainable ways to get to school.”

Minister Kelly said that reducing the numbers travelling by car to school makes for a better environment for everyone, resulting in reduced emis-

Gazette

SCHOOLS

schoolLife Get involved with our Gazette schools pages

National Walk to School Week was launched to encourage parents, teachers and pupils to go green on the school run

sions and congestion, particularly around schools.

“There are direct benefits for the students too - students who walk or cycle to school are fitter, healthier and arrive ready to learn,” he added.

“Of course not everyone lives near enough to

walk or cycle the whole way to school, but with Park ‘n’ Stride, parents can park a reasonable distance from the school and then walk the rest of the way.

“This ensures that everyone can take part in Walk to School Week,

whether they live 20m or 20km from their school.”

National Walk to School Week is organised as part of the Green Schools Travel Flag programme. For more information or to get involved, visit www.greenschoolsireland.org.

CALLING all students! Dublin Gazette Newspapers continue to reach out to schools in our catchment areas so that we become a closer part of our community than ever before.

Schools are the beating hearts of communities; one of the last places around which a community can gather.

We want all budding writers and photographers from all of our schools to help fill the pages and, in order to encourage the next generation of journalists and snappers to get involved, we are partnering with Harvey Norman to present the Dublin Gazette Newspapers’ Cub Reporter and Cub Photographer of the Year awards. For more details, contact rheigh@gazettegroup.com or telephone Rob Heigh at 01 601 0240.

Gazette

14 Gazette 2 May 2013

dublinlife

Get your popcorn for Cinemagic Festival  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

THE Coca-Cola Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival for Young People has launched and applications are now open to those aged 12 to 25 to take part in a series of master classes given by some of the most famous names Ireland has produced from the world of film and TV. The British-based festival will hold a questions and answers session with well-known direc-

tor Lenny Abrahamson, who directed such films as Adam and Paul and What Richard Did. The event will take place at the Burlington Hotel on May 15 and costs €10.

There are also casting seminars, film production talks, masterclasses on writing and directing for film and TV with Aisling Walsh, who is a graduate of Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, whose work includes Song for a Raggy Boy and Wallander. This masterclass

costs €30 and will be on in the Burlington Hotel on May 16.

Perhaps the most popular event of the festival will be a questions and answers session with Love/Hate cast and crew. This free event will see director David Caffrey (Line of Duty, Raw) and actor Tom VaughanLawlor (Foxes, Becoming Jane) talk about the making of the hugely successful series and share their experiences of working in the film and television industry. It is on in F2 in

Rialto on May 16.

For those who prefer the stage and are aged 12 to 18, there is an opportunity to tread the boards with Cinemagic Stars; a theatrical event to put you through your paces on May 18 at Film Base in Temple Bar. Cinemagic Stars is a musical theatre workshop. Over the course of a day, participants will learn the songs and routines from an acclaimed film musical before showcasing their new skills with a special per-

formance to their family and friends at the end of the day.

The workshop will be led by musical theatre facilitator Maire Campbell.

To book a place, call Cinemagic on +44 28 903 11900 or email laura@cinemagic.ie To apply for these masterclasses and more, contact festival organisers at shauna@cinemagic.ie, or +44 28 90 311 900 or download a registration form from w w w.cinemagic.ie.

KidKast members, from left, Sophie Barry, Sarah Faulkner and Alahan Moran

2 May 2013 Gazette 15

Gazette

FEATURES

Festival to celebrate creativity as we age The annual Bealtaine Festival by Age and Opportunity will take place nationwide throughout the month of May. The festival celebrates creativity as we age, and sees over 120,000 people take part. Bealtaine is a platform for people to showcase their talents and creativity, and it is also a chance for people to discover hidden talents and to express them.

In County Dublin and in the city centre, the festival promises a big line-up of various events such as dance, cinema, painting and theatre.

In Dun Laoghaire, the Pavilion Theatre will host The Man in the Woman’s Shoes on Wednesday, May 8, the screening of The Sapphires on Friday, May 24 at 8pm as part of the Bealtaine Film Tour 2013, and Ashford House Nursing Home will host a Back in the 60s event, in which they will be looking back at life in the 1960s.

In Dundrum, The Mill Theatre will host a group exhibition in the Mill Gallery throughout the month. Nearby, the Ballinteer Male Voice Choir will stage their Festival 2013 Gala Concert at St John the Evangelist

Church in Ballinteer on Saturday, May 25 at 8pm.

In Lucan, the Irish Wheelchair Association will display pieces of glass art, canvas art and mosaic on various dates throughout the month, while Marymount Care Centre will host an intergenerational event on music, art, horticulture with transition year students throughout the month.

In Rathcoole, the active retirement group are organising a history walk and storytelling with Brendan Nolan.

In Blanchardstown, Draiocht will host the play The Man in the Woman’s

Shoes on Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18 at 8.15pm.

The Fingal County Libraries will host Golden Moments at Skerries Library throughout the month, in which participants can share their special moment from memories to photos, events to daily routines by filling in an entry card. They will also host The Road from Portmarnock to Howth on Wednesday, May 8 at 11.30am at Malahide Library, the one-man show March Away My Brothers on Wednesday, May 8 at 6.45pm at Blanchardstown Library, and

The annual Bealtaine Festival by Age and Opportunity will take place nationwide throughout the month of May

Hurl, a play by Carnation Theatre, on Wednesday, May 9 at Hartstown Alzheimer Group and on Monday, May 13 at Howth Hill Alzheimer Group.

The Portmarnock Guild of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association will host dance and chair

exercises on Wednesday, May 8 at 8pm at the Arch Club in Portmarnock, and the Group Guild Historical Walk in the Portmarnock area on Saturday, May 11 at 10am.

The Swords Senior Citizens Club will host a crafts exhibition at Swords Library, and an afternoon

tea dance. Dates and venues have not yet been confirmed.

The Craft Circle will host a craft and art exhibition by the artists of the afternoon club on Wednesday, May 1 at St Anne’s Parish Centre in Portmarnock. See www. bealtaine.com.

Gazette

16 Gazette 2 May 2013

dublinlife

business

So, what have you done?

The most common weakness I encounter when reviewing CVs is the tendency for people to just list their job responsibilities. You do need to state what you did, but most importantly, you need to show how well you did it.

Now, not all of us have bounded through the corporate ranks and had stellar career. Nevertheless, your CV has to sell what you have done, irrespective of whether you are a school-leaver or have 30 years’ experience. The best way to do this is to quantify your experience. Employers are trying to gather evidence as to why you might be worth meeting and so you have to give them something tangible to work with.

For example, which is more impressive?

Managed company switchboard OR managed company switchboard with 12 incoming lines, answering and re-routing up to 200+ calls a day Numbers are the best way to quantify what you have done and they can be applied to almost any job. How much did you make/save for your company? How many meals did you serve a day? Did you arrange the office Christmas party? For how many people? What percentage of your students passed their exams?

Using adjectives such as dynamic, hard-working etc is fine, but we could all use words like that to describe ourselves. By using numbers and percentages, you are concretely backing up your claims and painting a picture for the reader.

When stating numbers in your CV, use figures, not words; use % not per cent. It may go against general writing conventions, but you only have two pages to state your case, and figures make your CV snappier and easier to read.

Hyperlinks to the websites of companies you have worked for can be a useful way of contextualising and quantifying your jobs – once the companies have impressive websites. This is particularly important if you are applying for work abroad – what may be a household name in Ireland could be unknown in the UK. It’s also a good idea if you are applying for a job in a different industry, but the company has a similar scale and culture to one of your previous employers.

So, run through your CV one more time, ditch the adjectives and add some honest numbers and relevant hyperlinks instead. When you’re called for interview, they’ll also help you focus your preparation and pre-empt possible questions.  Rachael Kilgallon is a qualified career coach and founder of

The Career Hub. Contact Rachael at hello@thecareerhub.ie or visit www.thecareerhub.ie.

inspired: tackling health problems leads to new business

Making a cup of coffee a much healthier option We have 142,000* readers in dublin *based on TGI-ROI 2012

advertise your business to our readers

call 60 10 240

A Cabinteely businesswoman is hoping to change people’s morning cup of coffee for a healthier option.

Tracy Merry, who has won 42 business awards, was brought to Javita coffee after her own health problems. The coffee promises to promote weight loss, with US TV personality Dr Oz saying that it contains “the holy grail of weight loss”.

“I was due to have an operation, but because of a previous condition, I was told to lose weight,” says Tracy.

“Someone then told me about the weight loss coffee so I started drinking it and it’s brilliant.”

So inspired was Tracy, that she has taken to sell-

ing the coffee in Ireland and is looking to expand the network of sellers across the country.

Javita coffee comes in two flavours, Burn and Control and Energy and Mind.

Burn and Control, Tracy claims, can affect weight loss rapidly “It’s just coffee that is fortified with yerba mate and garcinia cambigia, which have been called the holy grail of weight loss by doctors.”

Energy and Mind, it is claimed, can improve focus and is particularly useful for those facing exams, Tracy says.

“It helps with mental alertness. My partner is doing exams at the moment and he says the

TV personality Dr Oz says the coffee contains “the holy grail of weight loss”

coffee helps immensely in terms of retaining information, which is obviously very helpful.”

The company says that they chose coffee to integrate their blend of ingredients into because of its popularity.

“Millions of people start their day with a nice warm cup of coffee. Most people keep drinking it

all day long— at home, in the office, in business meetings or just out with friends. It’s so widely consumed, that more than half the world’s population drinks it, and they do so at more than three cups a day.”

For information on the business, or the product, contact info@itshealthyforu.com

2 May 2013 Gazette 17

MOTORS P24

asdfsdaf P27 TRAVEl P22

OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week



Gazette

movies P19

Pets can you give lulu a new home?

Julian, Bubbles and Ricky, stars of hit TV show the Trailer Park Boys, play two dates at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre

Olympia: nova scotia’s finest head to dublin on community service

The boys are back in town

 paul hosford

They are the funniest thing to come out of Canada’s Nova Scotia since, well, ever.

They also happen to be on a courtordered community service tour for reasons they’re not keen to get into.

As part of that tour Ricky, Julian and Bubbles, collectively the Trailer Park Boys, stars of the hit TV show, are heading to Dublin’s Olympia Theatre on May 8.

Though the three are played by actors, there’s a real sense that all three stopped inhabiting their real skins some time ago. So much so that the entire transatlantic interview takes place with the residents

of Sunnyvale Trailer Park whilst in character.

Ricky, the de facto leader, says that the choice of doing the tour or jail was put to the crew.

“I would have preferred jail, cause I can’t stand community service, but we’re kinda doing this for Bubbles because he doesn’t do so well in jail.”

Bubbles, the simple, cat-loving butt of many of the jokes, agrees.

“Jail is a horrible environment.

Ricky and Julian got us sentenced, but the judge told us if we went out and told people how bad drugs and liquor are, it would count as part of our community service.”

Bubbles, predictably isn’t happy

with the prospect of the boys’ nemesis, Randy making the trip to the Emerald Isle.

“I don’t wanna be there with Randy, with him sweating it up and stinking the place out.”

Luckily, the group agrees about Ireland being included on the tour.

“Dublin is one of my favourite places I’ve ever been too. Just the amount of drinking that goes on is what I love to do,” says Bubbles.

“I love it over in Ireland, the people are really friendly,” adds Ricky “There’s lots of drinking being done and that’s right up our alley.

“Bubbles has someone to look after his cats, Lucy looks after my stuff and my car just sits there. Julian doesn’t

have much stuff to look after.

“Julian only has to look after his muscles,” says Bubbles, whose love of his “kitties” has become worldrenowned.

“The kitties are great, they’re not happy when I go away, but I try to get to the internet cafe and get them on Skype or Facetime.”

With the show on May 8, what can the Dublin crowd expect from Bubbles?

“It’s going to be fantastic. I blast myself out of a cannon to start the show. I do some fire breathing and do some tricks with lions and tigers.

“I don’t think any of that is going to happen, but it will be a lot of fun,” says Ricky.

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is Lulu, a one-year-old female terrier cross. This gorgeous girl is finding kennel life very stressful at the moment, so she is hoping to find her forever home soon. Lulu would suit a relaxed, quiet home with a family who will be patient with her and help her settle in. She could do with a little help building up her confidence, as she can sometimes be quite shy and unsure. She would suit an active couple or a family with older children.

She is a very sweet and intelligent girl who loves lots of physical and mental exercise. Lulu loves learning new tricks and is a Dogs Trust clicker training superstar. If you think you are that special person then please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustireland or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

18 Gazette 2 May 2013

GAZETTE

2 May 2013 GAZETTE 19

OUT&ABOUT

STYLE

I don’t like wearing dresses but I have my friend’s wedding coming up. What should I wear that’s still dressy but not a dress/ skirt etc? – Monica Duffy, Gorey, Co Wexford Caroline’s Advice: Feeling comfortable is the key to looking great, no matter what you’re wearing. So if dresses and skirts aren’t your thing, don’t feel under pressure to wear something you won’t feel confident in. Statement trousers are incredibly popular this season and there are so many options out there to suit ladies of different body shapes– from wide legs trousers to sharp, tailored cigarette pants. I personally love these fabulous retro South Wide Leg Trousers, €39 – their super wide leg is flattering for ladies of all shapes, including petite, and they look best worn with a plain, fitted top to balance out your shape. You can be sure to stand out from the sea of dresses for all the right reasons!

Another alternative is a sleek and stylish jumpsuit, like this Jameela Jamil Bustier Jumpsuit, €62. With its contrasting belted waist, this jumpsuit has a great slimming effect and will help elongate your legs – truly a girl’s best friend!

 Star Question!

My problem is all about what to wear on my feet. Maybe I’m showing my age here (I’m only 32!) but gone are the days of tottering around the office in my high heels. Stylish they may be but practical and comfortable - they are not! I’d love some advice as to what I should wear that would look trendy and get give my poor aching feet some relief? – Emer Breen, Goatstown.

Caroline’s Advice: Forget crippling stilettos – embrace the wonderful wedge! Giving you the necessary height without the aching side effects, wedges are a godsend for the office or anywhere you will be on your feet for long periods of time. The Love Label Blanchett Ankle Strap Neon Wedge Shoes, €45, are sophisticated and stylish and their cute ankle strap also adds an extra feminine touch. For a statement shoe, I love these South Garland Imi Platform Wedges, €32, which look great worn

with cigarette trousers!

Don’t forget that you can still look professional and stylish in the office wearing flats! Choose styles that are slightly more structured and sophisticated, even with embellished detailing for some added glam. These South Evans Point Toe Bow Ballet Flats, €32, look great worn with tights and a pencil skirt or for a touch of French Riviera-chic, why not try the South Fairchild Snake Effect Ballet Flats, €17.

Style Q&A

Gazette Style and Littlewoods Ireland have teamed up to help readers with some style dilemmas

On the last Thursday of each month, Littlewoods Ireland Ambassador Caroline Morahan (left) or their resident stylist Tanya Grimson will answer your fashion queries through great tips and looks from their many collections. So if you are stuck in a fashion rut and need answers, then email style@gazettegroup.com with your question, name and location. The top questions will be chosen to feature on the page. The reader with the one question deemed the star question of the month will receive a €50 voucher for Littlewoods Ireland.

STAR QUESTION - I want to get some summer staples for my wardrobe.

What pieces should I invest in now that will see me through the summer, even while the weather is still chilly? – Amy McGrath, Kilcock

Caroline’s Advice: Each year, key styles crop up again and again so it’s always worth investing in a few versatile pieces – especially ones that can even be incorporated into an autumn/winter wardrobe.

White is a must-have for the summer months and what better way to rock the colour than with a stylish (and practical) white blazer like the South Jacquard Blazer, €47. This will instantly add a chic edge to any outfit, whether worn with denims by day or over a dress for a night out.

Neon, neon, neon – there’s just no getting away from it this year! Neon detail is a great way to add some summer fun and energy to your look and is really popular when it comes to knitwear – which, let’s face it, is still a big part of our daily wardrobe! I love this cute and funky Love Label Geometric Knit Jumper, €30 – great for wearing over leggings or skinny jeans.

As much as we would like to whip out the shorts and summer dresses, we are unfortunately forced to stick to trousers for the time being! As always, florals are a must for the season so invest in a pair of trendy floral print pants that can be dressed up or down, like these fabulous Love Label Floral Printed Trousers, €37.

Gazette

20 Gazette 2 May 2013

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

Theatre

THE pavilioN THEATRE 01 231 2929 The Man With The Woman’s Shoes

IT’S October 1978. Pope John Paul the First is not long dead, autumn is closing in and Pat Farnon has “some business’’ to do in town. The Man in The Woman’s Shoes follows Pat Farnon as he walks the five miles from his wee white cottage to town and back again.

May 8, tickets €5.

Draiocht 01 885 2622 The Great Gatsby

THIS is a classic fable – of America, of the breathtaking glamour and decadent excess of the Jazz Age, of enchantment and illusions, of a world where love and dreams are pursued and betrayed. Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan. May 10 and 11, tickets €16/€14.

Mill THEATRE Dundrum 01 296 9340 New York Stories

NEW York stories is a selection of quirky, comic plays reflecting life in the Big Apple and features a cast of characters that could only live in that metropolis. Zany, funny and even a little bit sad, come and visit New York and hear our stories. April 30-May 4, tickets €12.

Tony and Pepper prepare for the onslaught, but can Iron Man survive?

review: After the success of the avengers, can tony go solo again?

The Stark realities BACK in 2005, both Shane Black and Robert Downey Junior were in a similar position.

Both were once the touted talents of their generations, but had, either through selfdestr uction or poor choices, seen their careers stall somewhat.

Then came Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Written and directed by Black and starring Downey Jr and Val Kilmer, the action comedy so captured the imagination of Hollywood that Downey Jr embarked on a careerbest run, punctuated with being given the role of Tony Stark, the billionaire, genius, playboy philanthropist behind Iron Man. After the success of the first film, the seeming regression of its sequel and then the runaway success of The Avengers, Downey Jr has made the role of Stark a

Film of the Week: Iron Man 3 h h h h (12) 130 mins Director: Shane Black Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Sir Ben Kingsley, Jon Favreau

 Paul hosford phosford@gazettegroup.com

career-defining and roleinforming one.

Such is the power of the Stark lens, it has come to be the yardstick by which Downey Jr is measured; his Sherlock Holmes is essentially a Victorian Stark.

With Iron Man 3, he is reunited with the man who kickstarted his career revival, Black, and it is obvious from the film’s opening innermonologue that everyone involved is having a blast.

Following on from the events of The Avengers, Stark is a changed man and not for the better.

Unable to sleep, constantly tinkering with

OUR VERDICT:

IT may not feel like it, but summer is here folks.

The first big blockbuster of the season sets a standard that will probably not be topped. Downey Junior’s command of Tony Stark as a character is flawless and the singular best potrayal of a comic-book hero of all time. Here, he takes great material and makes it soar, with Shane Black showing why his talent is so highly-rated.

new suit designs and battling with flashbacks of fighting Loki’s crew in New York, the film is clear from the get-go; this is the closing chapter of a standalone trilogy.

Black takes a fanfavourite story-arc and gives Stark a nemesis worthy of the name, Aldrich Killian, played with a smarmy fervour

by Guy Pearce.

Killian is a scientist who has developed a virus, Extremis, that could bring Stark, and the USA, down.

Added to that, a nefarious villain known only as The Mandarin is bomb-

ing US interests across the world.

Fans of The Invincible Iron Man will recognise some fan-boy gratifying nods (assembling the suit at will! Coldblood! Hulkbuster!), but Black’s brief is to make a blockbuster that is as widely palatable as possible.

To that end, the script is extremely funny, with certain beats feeling like a Marvel version of Lethal Weapon and Tony’s fledging alliance with a 10-year-old boy providing some serious laughs.

However, Black finds his theme and sticks to

it rigidly; this is about whether Iron Man makes Tony Stark or Tony Stark makes Iron Man. To hammer this point home, Black keeps the Stark out of the tin can for much of the first and second acts, showing Stark having to rely on his wits, charm and smarts to topple The Mandarin and Killian.

It is a bold ploy, one that Christopher Nolan used to great effect in his Bat-trilogy, and it works here; mostly.

Some of the final act buddy-cop scenes between Stark and Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes are humorous, but nothing compared to seeing Iron Man and War Machine (or the Iron Patriot) going to war.

But then again, Iron Man and Shane Black are both like pizza, or shawarma, even when it’s not great, it’s still pretty great.

2 May 2013 GAZETTE 21

FINANCE: READY TO GO QUACKERS OVER A DIGITAL CURRENCY?

Virtually bags of appeal – Bitcoins AS ANY Dutch readers familiar with the year 1637 would tell you, bubbles tend to burst, spectacularly. (Stick with me – my jumping back several centuries is very relevant to this piece about tomorrow’s technology, today, I swear!)

After all, that was the year that the infamous tulip bubble burst, with February, 1637 seeing the ridiculously inflated value of tulips fall swiftly and spectacularly, reducing many speculators and investors to absolute ruin.

Why am I rambling about a questionable craze for a particular flower (which, at the height of their popularity, sold for more than 10 times a decent annual income – each) from several centuries ago?

Well, a number of business pundits have raised the spectre of “tulip

GAZETTE

GAMING BYTES&PIECES

GET ORTH OF HERE ...

Resignation follows console comments on Twitter DUBBED by some wags as Sony Employee of the Month, Microsoft creative director Adam Orth resigned recently, following his well-publicised comments on Twitter regarding always-online consoles.

Orth chose to fall on his sword once the internet lit up with his Twitter comments, when an exchange about the possibility of always-online consoles he had with a senior BioWare designer was made public.

Following such comments about always being online as: “That’s the world we live in”, along with adding the hashtag, #dealwithit, gamers went on the warpath, with Microsoft quick to say that Orth was expressing his own individual comments rather than expressing any company viewpoint.

However, Orth subsequently resigned – presumably putting an end to a seeming sea of dealwithit-related insults and images swilling around online.

Unnerved Given the choice, one wonders what currency wily Scrooge McDuck might back –  SHANE DILLON

sdillon@gazettegroup.com

mania” creeping in to the sudden explosion of interest in Bitcoins – the virtual currency that’s been around for just a few years, but which has driven, if not bulldozed, into the media and public interest this year.

Economic drivers are definitely raising the currency’s profile, and although I don’t want to jump on the me-too media bandwagon, I know that some readers would like to know more about this topic.

So. What are Bitcoins?

The short answer is that they’re a virtual currency – or virtual token, to be pedantic – that is calu-

instead of swimming around in gold coins in his giant vault, would he rather see his bank accounts awash with a virtual currency, instead? Illustration: Shane DIllon

clated by increasingly complex computer algorithms, which generate a unique identity – or Bitcoins, to you and me.

Because of the everincreasing complexity involved in creating the currency, there is a limit to the amount that can be generated, as, in short, the ever-morecomplex algorithms to create them will, basically, be unsolveable.

Although there are approximately 11 million Bitcoins already in existence, their production

SPENDABITCOIN

REAL-WORLD USES FOR A VIRTUAL CURRENCY

What do to with the (digital) coins you’ll never find down the back of a sofa ...

WHILE economists continue to debate over whether Bitcoins are an actual currency, or are just a passing niche fad, their users are creating and availing of many ways to use them, with alternative economies springing up online around the world.

While there are some pretty obvious uses for Bitcoins – ordering pizza is certainly possible, for example – their independent origins, and generally anonymous traceability, have seen them proving popular for grey market goods and services – not to mention the shoddier side of internet shopping. Although it’s clear that Bitcoins can be a useful, popular currency for tech-savvy people, many questions remain over both their long- and shortterm viability – a difficult and significant obstacle for the young currency to overcome ...

is already facing some “drag” on more coins appearing.

Once created, Bitcoins are then stored in special wallets, effectively running as bank acocunts to trade from – assuming you find a trader that’ll accept them, there’s an increasing amount of outlets to use them at, and products to buy.

So far, so straightforward, right? However, now that you know what Bitcoins are, things turn a little ... messier.

Here’s why we’re not all rushing to use Bitcoins: although they’re used all over the world, they’re not really issued by anyone in particular – there’s no central bank or government behind them and, as such, no financial regulation or security.

Bitcoins only have real-world value because (and – crucially – as long as) their users still believe they have value, with a

number of Bitcoin markets that trade them acting as rudimenary (virtual) stock markets.

If, however, for whatever reason, people lose interest in Bitcoins, then the global market could crash – and crash spectacularly, rapidly and uncontrollably, without the standard mechanisms that conventional currencies operate under.

For example, in March, the average Bitcoin was worth $47 (already a significant jump from being worth about $20, not too long beforehand).

However, by mid-April, Bitcoins had leapt to a value of $266 each at one stage – before their value collapsed again.

It’s clear that while a number of investors and speculators may have been making – and losing – significant amounts of real and virtual wealth in the past month alone, Bitcoins appear unlikely to be appearing in most of our (virtual) pockets any time soon – not even to buy tulips with ...

Why the high drama, and what’s all the fuss about, you may ask? Many gamers – including yours truly – are somewhat nervous and unnerved about the prospect of being required to be always online to play games, with Microsoft, and Sony, not clear (at the time of writing) on this functionality in the upcoming consoles.

While it’s an interesting idea, in concept, the reality is that an awful lot of countries, cities and markets don’t exactly have stellar internet connections, while the much heralded shift to (and rise of) digital distribution channels over traditional retail markets also isn’t hugely popular with many hardcore, long-term gamers.

As the inflamed reactions to Orth’s comments proved, gamers like simply being able to turn on a console – offline, and unconnected – and just playing their games, rather than having to deal with being connected and online.

This is especially the case with digitally distributed/run games requiring such a connection, as it effectively reduces them to a long-term rental (until someone else, somewhere decides to cut off the server). For example, I can go home and fire up the still excellent Shenmue (2000) on my Dreamcast (1999) this evening, whereas SimCity Social, launched online last July, is soon to be shut down – forever.

Orth’s significant talents and experience will undoubtedly see him move on to another great project, having been, to a large extent, simply unlucky with his words striking a (bad) chord with people. His words serve to show what a contentious issue online connectivity is for gamers ...

FRANCHISE FATIGUE TO THE FORE?

Even top titles aren’t setting the market on fire ECHOING some of the recent trends I’ve nodded to on this page, it seems that the general gaming malaise continues to drift through the retail market.

For example, despite being expertly made and highly entertaining console-exclusive titles, it seems that Gears of War: Judgment (XBox 360) and God of War: Ascension (PS4) haven’t made a stellar impact in North America.

By comparison, sales returns indicate that GoW:J sold 425,000 units in March (versus 2.2 million for Gears of War 3 in September, 2010), while GoW:A sold 360,000 (versus 1.1m sales for its first-month sales). Despite the terrific quality of these titles, their uninspiring sales mirror the same fatigue that’s dogged other recent Triple-A titles ...

22 Gazette 2 May 2013

Gazette

TRAVEL

Shoot off to Canada’s Wild West  natalie burke

WHY not make your summer holiday this year an adventure in Canada’s Wild West?

With fascinating landscapes and cultures to discover, and an off-the-beaten track to travel down, it can be much easier to achieve than you might think.

GoHop.ie are offering a special package with a tour of Canada’s Wild West, starting from €1,644 per person, with travel available between now and September 27.

Rocky Mountains You will experience first-hand the brilliant turquoise lakes and the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

Returning to the Pacific Coast via Whistler, your adventure either comes to an end with a return to Vancouver, or you continue on to visit Victoria with its maritime heritage and colonial demeanour.

The price includes return flights from Dublin, accommodation, provincial taxes and federal goods and services tax, less tour package rebate and ferry transfers.

For further details and a full itinerary, see visit www.gohop.ie.

TRAVEL

Gazette

&ABOUT OUT fast

ireland: with summer almost here, why not holiday at home this year?

From hidden treasures to a delightful Dublin break  natalie burke

GIVEN the fact that we’ve just endured yet another wild winter, there’s nothing better than the anticipation of summertime and the hope of good weather it brings with it.

So, at the risk of speaking too soon, what better time to jump right in and treat ourselves to a little break away?

Whether it’s a bank holiday treat for your other half, or the temptation of a mid-month getaway that takes your fancy, Ireland has some great destinations and hotel offers to enjoy.

Hidden Treasures If you’re looking for a home away from home, swapping the hotel room for an historic country house could be just the answer.

And, thanks to some real property treasures being hosted by Hidden Ireland, spending this bank holiday weekend in a privately owned mansion could be just the adventure you’re looking for.

Hidden Ireland is a selection of historic pri-

vate houses around the country, and an invitation to stay and dine in unique and individual homes, each as diverse and interesting as their owners.

Stay at Mornington House, outside Multyfarnham, near Mullingar, Co Westmeath, this May bank holiday for two nights’ bed and breakfast, for €220PPS, and two children go free when staying in their parent’s room.

As part of this package, enjoy complimentary afternoon tea in the drawing room upon your arrival, and a four-course dinner in the dining room on both nights, with a bottle of house wine on a night of your choice.

While there, make the most of your surroundings with a quick trip to the nearby Festival of Fires – a two-day celebration of music and culture.

For further information about this and other great Hidden Ireland properties, see www.hiddenireland.com.

Weekend away in Waterford city Think “Waterford”, and the sunny south east tends to spring to mind.

The Tower Hotel and Leisure Centre is located in the heart of Waterford city, and makes the ideal destination for a weekend away.

With 132 en-suite bedrooms, it includes a number of wheelchair-accessible rooms and luxurious river-view suites and, with complimentary car and coach parking, you can easily abandon your car once you arrive.

The hotel has three dining options, including the Lara Restaurant, offering evening meals nightly; the Bistro Restaurant, with an a-la-carte and set menu option; and the Adelphi Riverside Bar, serving food throughout the afternoon and evening.

The hotel also features weekend entertainment, with bigger music events throughout the year, and a swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and treatment rooms in its spa.

With its location at the centre of the city, there is plenty to do without too much of a trek. The hotel is located just minutes from three national museums, the Waterford Crystal Visitors’ Centre, and The Theatre Royal.

Stroll into a leisurely break at Mornington House, one of a number of Hidden Ireland gems where distinctive and unique homes welcome guests

Relax on the back terrace at the five-star Dylan Hotel in Dublin

The city also offers great shopping and dining opportunities, lively bars and nightlife, and is just a 90-minute drive from Dublin.

For further information, call 051 862 300, or see www.towerhotelwaterford.com.

Summer in Dublin If you fancy staying a little closer to home this

summer, the five-star Dylan Hotel is offering a special Summer Temptations package, including overnight accommodation in one of the hotel’s uniquely designed rooms, and complimentar y breakfast for just €209.

Take in the sights of the city or shop til you drop before returning to the hotel and enjoying a refreshing cocktail on the

terrace.

The summer package is available from June or, for those planning on attending the Dublin Horse Show in August, the hotel is offering a Horse Show package from €219.

The package includes bed and breakfast, complimentary parking and cocktails upon arrival.

For further information, see www.dylan.ie.

2 May 2013 BLANCH gazette 23

interview: brat-pack star coming to town

Andrew’s travels in focus at Pavilions  rob heigh

TheY say that there are no second acts in American lives, but actor Andrew McCarthy has written his own second act. The Brat Pack star, who appeared in classic films including Pretty In Pink, St Elmo’s Fire and Less Than Zero in the 80s, has experienced something of a reinvention in recent years.

Andrew’s travelogues, have made him a soughtafter journalist, with his work appearing in the New York Times and National Geographic, among other prestigious publications.

Although he remains a popular actor and director on television and film, Andrew’s travel writing has won him several awards in recent years, with plaudits such as The Society of American Travel Writers Travel Journalist of the Year

in 2010, and the 2011 Grand Award from the North American Travel Journalists Association.

Andrew will be at The Pavilions Theatre in Dun Laoghaire this weekend in conversation with Nadine O’Regan, talking about his book, The Longest Way Home, a revealing and insightful memoir about how travel allowed him to overcome his lifelong fear of commitment.

When the Gazette caught up with Andrew on a whistlestop jaunt across the USA, he was on his way to talk to a Dallas librarians’ group ahead of a trip to Denver, having come from New York the previous evening. We started by talking about his writing career, that has taken him around the world, including a recent trip to Calcutta and Darjeeling.

“I never had any interest in reading or writing

Win A$AP Rocky tickets THIS is your chance to see A$AP Rocky’s hotly-anticipated debut Irish show at The Academy, part of the Heineken Live Project.

Tickets sold out earlier this week, but we have two pairs to give away. To enter, answer this simple question: What is the name of A$AP’s debut album?

Like our Facebook page, www.facebook. com/DublinGazetteNewspapers, and enter your answer in the comments on our A$AP competition post. Also, like and share the post.

Winners will be contacted via Facebook.

Actor, director and writer Andrew McCarthy

when I was in school,” said Andrew. “I didn’t come to writing until later in life. It started as a reaction to all the travelling I was doing.

I was travelling alone, and wandering around places. And then one day I just started writing down what happened.

“I went on to write when I travelled for over 10 years. I would write it on notepads and throw them in a drawer when I got home.

“Eventually, I thought I could try and do something with them. All the travel writing I was reading was not capturing the experiences I was having on the road.

They were selling places as opposed to telling stories. I met an editor and I started to do that. The first story I wrote was about Ireland, about the west of Clare.”

Andrew went on to say that his writing is more of an expression

of himself than his acting career ever was.

“I’m not hiding behind a character and dredging up pieces of me in service of a character, Writing is less removed because it’s more direct.

Joan Didion said, I write to figure things out, and I find that very accurate.”

Although travelling has become a significant part of his life, Andrew is still very much hard at work as an actor and director, having recently finished work on Orange Is The New Black, a series for Netflix created

by Jenji Kohan.

“It’s set in a woman’s prison. It’s very original and weird. I’ve been directing a bunch of episodes. There’s a lot of really good TV just now, and there are so many outlets. It’s a real opportunity.”

For more information, log on to www.pavi liontheatre.ie

Gazette

SHOWBIZ FASTtunesCOMPETITION

Gazette

24 BLANCH gazette 2 May 2013

OUT&ABOUT

MOTORS

peugeot: the all-new 208 impresses

Plenty of bang for your buck n Cormac Curtis

The good people at Peugeot have brought about a new generation of their beloved small car, and it’s certain to bring about a whole new generation of Peugeot lovers.

Enter the all-new 208.

Peugeot has reinvented the principles that created the hugely successful 205, 206 and 207.

When designing the new 208, they approached the project as a complete

regeneration in terms of structure, style, technology and the environment.

It has been redesigned, ready for a new era of drivers.

In its compact form, with reduced bodyweight, its high-performance engines emit minimal CO2 emissions.

There’s generous room, thanks in no small part to the well-designed rear seats, giving plenty of legroom for passengers.

But let’s start with the

driver. One of the really impressive features for me is the touch-screen console.

Generally speaking, I’m not a huge fan of these screens in cars, but Peugeot have included a system in the 208 that wouldn’t be out of place in most German executive saloons.

The interface is clean, modern and incredibly easy to operate. Bluetooth connection is a doddle, and music streaming is

This Peugeot offers style, technology, comfort and handling

seamless.

The driving position is a true pleasure. It has been entirely redesigned to become completely intuitive and user-friendly. The driver instantly feels more connected with the car.

I admit that the size of the steering wheel came as a bit of a surprise to a larger-than-average chap like myself, but according

to Peugeot it allows for a more natural grip and a greater feeling of agility and who am I to argue?

The 208 sees a new take on Peugeot’s contemporary style.

No detail has been left to chance: the floating grille, new signature lights and the attractive boomerang rear lights are all beautifully thought out.

The interior lighting creates a sophisticated atmosphere.

The instrument displays, backlit controls and blue-tinged lighting that highlights the panoramic glass roof, available depending on the version chosen, all add to the contemporary feel of the 208 interior.

In the 208, there is a

luxurious combination of comfort, safety, style and surprisingly good road holding.

In short, this is a Peugeot for a new generation of driver, offering style, technology, comfort and handling, and with a price of €17,835 for the 1.2-litre petrol model that I drove, it offers real value for money.

DUBLIN GAZETTECLASSIFIEDS advertise your business IN YOUR LOCAL GAZETTE NEWSPAPER For Classified Ads Call Fidelma on 651 6239

Blanch GAZET TE FREE

Brigid’s pick up crucial Cuala league win Page 31

Football:

St Peregrine’s star wins fourth Leinster title Page 32

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 BUSINESS .....................18 MOTORS ....................... 20 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26



FOR SALE BRAND NEW BED

• 4ft 6 INCHES MEMORY FOAM DIVAN BED •BASE, MATTRESS AND LEATHER HEADBOARD •BRAND NEW •NEVER USED STILL IN WRAPPING

FREE DELIVERY CONTACT 087 3946 739

Find us on

FREE

INSIDE: St Brigid’s GAA sets up camp and has summer fun P2

Second level school breaks mould � LAURA WEBB

EDUCATE Together opened a new chapter this week when its long-awaited second-level school model became a reality for Blanchardstown West parents.

Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn announced 14 new post-primary schools for 2013 and 2014, with Educate Together having patronage of a new school in Blanchardstown West and a joint patronage with Co Louth VEC in

Drogheda.

Over the past decade, ET has been progressing to open its first second-level education school.

Michael McLoughlin, chair of the Dublin 15 ET Secondlevel Campaign Group, said: “We are delighted. After all the hard work parents in the area have put in, the dream that our children will be able to attend an ET second-level school is to become a reality.”

Full Story Next Week

Hurling:

Brigid’s pick up crucial Cuala league win Page 31

Football:

St Peregrine’s star wins fourth Leinster title Page 32

Too Cul: Action-packed week ALSOINSIDE: at GAA Camps for children GALLERIES ......................8

RYAN AND SAM ENRIGHT of Naomh Peregrine enjoy a day out at Kellogg’s Cul Camp, which included a visit from Dublin stars Eamon Fennell and Bernard Brogan. Kellogg’s GAA Cul Camps provide boys and girls – between the ages of six and 13 – with

FREE

FREE

Find us on

JULY 26, 2012

an action-packed and fun-filledBUSINESS week .....................18 of activity during the summer holiMOTORS ....................... 20 days. This revolves around maximisTRAVEL......................... 22 ing enjoyment and sustaining participant involvement in Gaelic games.

ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24

Picture: Ian Fleming

Full Gallery on Pages 8-9

CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

LOCAL government funding to Fingal County Council is to be cut by €2 million to make up for the shortfall in income from the household charge.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government notified local authority managers of changed allocations in respect of the local government fund.

Fingal’s allocation is proposed to be reduced by

planning Notice dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council We, Sean and Arlene Stenson, intend to apply for permission for development at 24 St. Endas Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14. The development will consist of the removal of the existing single storey garage to side and shed to rear, construction of a new 2 storey extension to side with single storey extension to rear and front, new attic room with dormer & rooflights, internal alterations, all site, drainage and ancillary works. This application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of South Dublin County Council during its public opening hours of 9am – 4pm, Mon-Fri, and a submission or observation may be made to South Dublin County Council in writing and on payment of the prescribed fee (€20.00) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt

by South Dublin County Council of the application.

18209

INSIDE: Enjoying a sizzling summer barbecue at a local nursing home P2

get set to conquer Camino See Page 7

Council braced for €2m cut in funding � LAURA WEBB

JULY 26, 2012

Find us on

€2,181,140, a 10.66% cut.

Fingal county manager David O’Connor said the department have stated that “the adjustment to the allocation is based on the level of compliance [of 57%] achieved to date, in relation to household charge payments”.

Adding it “is extremely bad news” for the local authority at a time when “many of our income sources [are] continuing to be under pressure.”

Full Story on Page 5

Cycling:

Adamstown and Lucan riders win national medals Page 30

Hurling:

Lucan junior side picks up vital league result Page 31

Sugar and Spice: Little Niamh gets to meet a fashionALSOINSIDE: icon GALLERIES ......................8

TWO-YEAR-OLD Niamh Carbery from

Castleknock had a once-in-a-lifetime meeting recently with a certain posh spice girl. Style icon and fashion designer Victoria Beckham was at Brown Thomas Dublin to promote

her two womenswear collections, BUSINESS .....................18 Victoria Beckham and .......................

Victoria, Vic-20 MOTORS toria Beckham, carried exclusively at Brown Thomas.TRAVEL......................... 22

ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

Full Story on Page 17

LOCAL BOOST: Retailers’ arrival at

Liffey Valley to create 120 jobs Page 3

Council hit with €1.9m funding cutback � PAUL HOSFORD

SOUTH Dublin County Council (SDCC) face cuts of almost €2 million to their budget for the remaining months of this year, due to shortfalls in collection of the household charge.

Council management received notice last Wednesday that local authority budgets will have to be cut.

A letter from County Manager Philomena Poole outlined that €1.9 million would be cut

from SDCC’s allocation, and said: “It has been reduced by €1,900,842, reflecting an adjustment based on the level of [household charge] compliance achieved, to date, which, in our case, is 57% of the total [number of eligible households].”

The move led to criticism from Dublin Mid West Sinn Fein representative, Eoin O’Broin, who described the decision as “bully-boy tactics”.

Full story on Page 4

INSIDE: Arlene’s hopes to pluck Rose success Page 8

JULY 26, 2012

Constitutional convention See Page 2

Ballon granted Super League status Page 30

Hurling:

Round Tower’s keep promotion hopes alive Page 31

INSIDE: Novelist has last word on The Other Woman P8-9

FURRY GOOD WALK: Families walk their dogs for charity See Page 2

FREE

JULY 26, 2012

Find us on

INSIDE: Happy young campers have a fun-filled day at Hamleys P2

FRIDAY’S GOT TALENT: Lucky

contestants set to do battle See Page 7

FREE

Find us on

INSIDE: €8m for DLR social housing units is announced by the Tanaiste Page 4

INVESTMENT: Tanaiste announces €8m for local social housing Page 4

Football:

St Sylvester’s reach three cup finals Page 31

ELAINE McNally and Paul Webster had every reason to celebrate recently when they discovered that they had won a €10,000 wedding prize giveaway. The lucky couple had entered the competition on Facebook and were drawn with 50 other couples who gathered at The Stillorgan Park Hotel for the big draw. When the pair’s names were drawn they were over the moon and can now look forward to a great wedding. Pictured handing over the prize is Daragh O’Neill, general manager of the hotel.

Fingal 10k:

O’Doherty wins as thousands run Swords race Page 30

THE WRIGHT Venue was the perfect place for friends and family of Miss Wright Venue, Rebecca Maguire, to give her a big send-off as she got ready to take on the world and hopefully bring home the Miss World crown. Rebecca arrived in China on July 18 for a month of filming, training and rehearsals, with the final taking place on August 18.

Sailing:

Page 30

Page 30

Picture: Una Williams

Ballyboden notch 17 goals in two AHL games

Page 32

Page 32

� PAUL HOSFORD

al and international retailers, which will create 120 new jobs within the centre.

There was good news for existing jobs also, as workers in two local stores were granted reprieves in the face of possible redundancies.

The Atlantic Homecare store in Liffey Valley will

ALSOINSIDE:

remain open, after it had been marked for closure when the GALLERIES ......................8 company went into administration last month,.....................18 and 40 jobs BUSINESS in Ballymount were rescued MOTORS ....................... 20 last week after a management ......................... buy-outTRAVEL of building provid- 22 ENTERTAINMENT ers TJ O’Mahony, part of......... the 24 Moritz CLASSIFIEDS Group. ............... 26 Full Stories on Pages 2-3

Household tax shortfall cited for reduction

� NATALIE BURKE

FINGAL County Council will be forced to make over €2m in cuts to local services this year, as a result of a shortfall in household charge payments.

Local authority managers were notified of the decision

earlier this week, when Environment Minster Phil Hogan issued a circular on suggested cuts to all county councils.

The cuts to FCC will reduce the original allowance allocation of €20.4 million by €2,181,140.

While the county manager described this as “extremely

Page 31

ALSOINSIDE:

bad news”, local Cllr Gerry McGuire (Lab) feared the

GALLERIES remainder......................8 of the summer BUSINESS .....................18 budget could be hit: “We’re just at the close of the20 sumMOTORS ....................... mer period, so I imagine that TRAVEL ......................... 22 the beaches could be affectENTERTAINMENT 24 ed. It’s very hard......... to pinpoint CLASSIFIEDS ............... where the cuts will be.”26 Full Story on Page 3

personal

UNCLAIMED TREASURES.IE

Funds to benefit elderly, homeless and disabled

� NATALIE BURKE

THERE was good news for Fingal this week with the announcement that over €2.5m will be invested in Fingal’s social housing scheme over the next two-and-a-half years.

The news was confirmed

earlier this week by the Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, who said the funding of €2,534,302 will provide new social housing units, as well as providing homes for people with special housing needs, such as the elderly, the homeless and the disabled.

The funding was welcomed

ALSOINSIDE:

by Deputy Brendan Ryan (Lab), who said the provision ofGALLERIES units for people with spe......................8 cial housing.....................18 requirements has BUSINESS been an important issue over MOTORS ....................... 20 recent months. “This funding TRAVEL.........................

22 announcement will provide local families and ......... individuals ENTERTAINMENT 24 with certainty.”............... 26 CLASSIFIEDS Full Story on Page 5

� SUZANNE BYRNE

A €1.37 MILLION cut in local government funding has been announced for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC), based on the county’s 79% compliance rate of household charge payments, to date.

The cut represents 5% of the usual allotment of Government funding, to counterbalance the deficit created by the 20% of non-compliant

households.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown has the highest compliance rate for the charge in the country and, therefore, this 5% cut is the lowest in the country.

The council’s management team will now meet to prioritise where the cuts can best be borne.

Councillor Cormac Devlin (FF) said: “It will either be services, or projects that are in the pipeline.”



Picture: Geraldine Woods

Cuala hit top of league but face nervous wait Page 31

Newpark loses out in stimulus package

A sweet idea: Dentists’ALSOINSIDE: event Councillor writes is something to smile about GALLERIES ......................8

SAFFRON Barrett and her mother, Dr Sarah Jane Dunne, and Molly Barrett, were having lots of fun at Dundrum Dental Surgery as part of a great fundraiser recently. Dr Dunne and her husband, Dr Ray Barrett, held a free

BUSINESS .....................18 children’s dental check and hygiene MOTORS .......................

20 visit at the Healthy Smile Club, in aid of the Children’s Sunshine Home and TRAVEL .........................

22 LauraLynn House – something to ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24 smile about, indeed.

CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26 Full Gallery on Pages 8-9

Full story on Page 6

property

GIFG<IKP LE@K KF C<K

SINGLE /UNATTACHED

N\jk\ie GXibnXp 9lj`e\jj :\eki\# 9Xccpdflek# ;lYc`e ()%

50 TO ACTIVE RETIRED

(.( jh d\ki\j

•CONFIDENTIAL INTERVIEWS

Conor Ryan, An Cathaoirleach, Councillor Tom Joyce (FG) and commodore Liam Owens for a special presentation at the West Pier recently. Geldof’s late father, Bob Senior, a founder member of Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (Dublin Bay Sailing Club), was commemorated with a new Outstanding Junior Sailor award, which Bob presented to Conor for his outstanding performance.

See Gallery on Page 2

Hurling:

Hurling:

across Clondalkin cut budget by €2m for social housing THERE was good news on the jobs front for Clondalkin this week as nearly 200 jobs were secured in three separate moves.

Firstly, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has announced the arrival of eight new nation-

Lynch claims world champs silver medal

Full Gallery on Page 2

Murphy ready for London Olympic Games

Burrows and Flanigan bound for Olympics

averted and new positions created

Find us on

the fun at 174th local regatta See P8-9

BOB Geldof was joined by

Cycling:

Nicolas Roche finishes 12th in Tour de France

Swimming:

Sailing:

Tralee festival. Arlene and the lads, MOTORS ....................... 20 and David Meslelle were on hand to and all of the locals, had a great night .........................

22with everyone give local Rose Arlene O’Neill a lift at TRAVEL at The Lord Lucan, The Lord Lucan pub recently, where ENTERTAINMENT wishing the beautiful ......... 24 Rose the very she was enjoying a send-off ahead of best of luck at the contest. ............... 26 taking part in the prestigious Rose of CLASSIFIEDS See Gallery on Page 8

JULY 26, 2012

GOING SWIMMINGLY: Soaking up

Making a splash: Bob honours a talented sailor

Wright place, right time: Beauty chases World crown

Big day, big win: Local couple take top prize

LEADING IT security services provider, Ward Solutions, has announced that it is to increase its workforce by 50%. The company plans to invest €3m and create 20 jobs for highly qualified and experienced information security professionals and sales staff. Pictured at the announcement were Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD, Pat Larkin, chief executive, Ward Solutions, and Paul Hogan, chief technology officer, Ward Solutions.

She’s blooming lovely: Dublin Rose ALSOINSIDE: Redundancies ......................8 gets a lift at TheGALLERIES Lord Lucan pub BUSINESS .....................18

STRAPPING local lads Mark Twoomey

JULY 26, 2012

Find us on

Council hit with €1.37m funding 200 jobs secured Council forced to €2.5m investment cutback Moving forward: IT company to create 20 posts

Basketball:

FREE

Month XX, •2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE • BLACKROCK • CORNELSCOURT • DEANSGRANGE • DALKEY • GLASTHULE • MONKSTOWN • GLENAGEARY • STILLORGAN DUNDRUM CHURCHTOWN • NUTGROVE • RATHFARNHAM • BALLINTEER • SANDYFORD • LEOPARDSTOWN • TERENURE • BALBRIGGAN • APPLEWOOD • BOROIMHE • AIRSIDE • RIVERVALLEY • P O R T M A R N O C K • K I N S E A LY • C L A R E H ASWORDS LL

INSIDE: Novelist has last word on The Other Woman P8-9

‘HONOURED’: Robert Dowds to join

SEE PAGE 15

SEE PAGE 15

FREE

Find us on

C LVALLEY O N DA L K•I NBALLYOWEN • R OW L AG H • B AW N O G U E • N E I L STOW N • D E A N S R AT H • K I N G SWO O D • TA L L AG H M T ALAHIDE LUCAN • PALMERSTOWN • CELBRIDGE • LEIXLIP • ADAMSTOWN • DODSBORO • LIFFEY

TOUGH TREK: Local ‘Compadres’

Irish Olympian discusses basketball way back when

Irish Olympian discusses basketball way back when

SEE PAGE 15

JULY 26, 2012

CASTLEKNOCK • CARPENTERSTOWN • LAUREL LODGE • ROSELAWN

INSIDE: St Brigid’s GAA sets up camp and HIGH NOTE: Frank McNamara plays has summer fun P2 to raise funds for Temple Street Page 3

Hurling:

FACTS 56% READERS ARE ABC1 58% READERS ARE WOMEN 71% READERS HAVE CHILDREN 75% READERS ARE MAIN HOUSEHOLD SHOPPERS CALL FIDELMA TO PLACE YOUR AD ON 651 6239

JULY 26, 2012

Malahide Dundrum Swords Laoghaire Clondalkin Lucan GAZET TE GAZET TE GAZET TE GAZET TE GAZET TE GAZET TE Irish Olympian discusses basketball way back when

SEE PAGE 15

BLANCHARDSTOWN • BLAKESTOWN • HARTSTOWN • COOLMINE • TYRRELSTOWN • DUNBOYNE • CORDUFF • MULHUDDART • ONGAR

*based on TGI-ROI 2012

dUBLIN gAZETTE NEWSPAPER DID YOU KNOW?

Castleknock GAZET TE

Irish Olympian discusses basketball way back when

@[\Xccp cfZXk\[ e\Xi I\[ :fn

to Gilmore about his concerns

A LOCAL councillor has written to Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore (Lab) to complain that Newpark Comprehensive School in Blackrock is being overlooked in the upcoming stimulus package spending announced last week.

Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind) has expressed his disappointment

that Newpark will not feature among the six secondary schools to avail of the funding.

He said: “Clearly, Newpark is not a top priority, despite continued promises from local politicians and the Department of Education.”

It was announced in March that work on the school would

be postponed for another four years, and a lobbying group had contacted the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn (Lab) to reverse the postponement.

The Tanaiste said: “I am very aware of how important an early date for the new school build is.”

Full Story on Page 6

SUPPORT

Local BUSINESS

SHOP LOCALLY



We have 142,000* readers in dublin

ceZcl[\j f]]`Z\ jgXZ\

•PERSONAL INTRODUCTIONS ARRANGED Please call: 01 49 45 993 UNCLAIMED TREASURES.IE

I\ek ö0,' g\i dfek_ :fekXZk1 '/. )/, ))-/

Call the Gazette on

60 10 240

2 May 2013 blanch gazette 25

blanchCLASSIFIEDS builders BRICK,BLOCK AND STONEWORK 20 years experience, living locally.

Garden walls, sheds, brick piers, patio & paving. Decorative internal brick work, Plastering, Concrete Drives and paths.

New Builds.

Insurance quotes.

Call Dave anytime 0872917647

dvd services

DVD TRANSFERS Cinefilms,Photos and Slides transferred to DVD with Music and Titles added. Camcorder and Videotapes edited and transferred to DVD. Phone 01-2807838 Mobile 087-9132265 Email: alleventsvideo@eircom.net

painting

property

TOP CLASS PROFESSIONAL PAINTING

GIFG<IKP

Interior & Exterior, Damaged Ceilings, Walls Repaired

LE@K KF C<K

FREE ESTIMATES ESTIM Fully Insured Call Colm 01 457 0829 087 970 0259

plumbers JT PLUMBING

BEST PRICES IN DUBLIN!!

All areas covered. 15 years experience. Free estimates.

OUTSIDE TAP SUPPLIED & FITTED €70 Water Tanks, Drippings Taps, Radiators, Burst pipes, Cylinders, Pumps, Outside Taps, Showers, Immersions, Bathroom Suites.

For your free estimate call now on 085 7555412 or email: mjrules44@gmail.com

golf

New 2013 Membership from €200 Rathcore Golf and Country Club, Rathcore, Enfield, Co Meath 046 - 9541855 Mick 086 2583933 Austin 086 2932311 www.rathcoregolfandcountryclub.com

personal

UNCLAIMED TREASURES.IE SINGLE /UNATTACHED 50 TO ACTIVE RETIRED

insurance

windows

SEE OUR DISPLAY AD ON PAGE 10

N\jk\ie GXibnXp 9lj`e\jj :\eki\# 9Xccpdflek# ;lYc`e ()%

OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK Weir Retail Centre, 40 Hills Mill Industrial Estate , Lucan Village, Co. Dublin LUCAN SHOWROOM 01 6217639

@[\Xccp cfZXk\[ e\Xi I\[ :fn

We have 142,000* readers in dublin

ceZcl[\j f]]`Z\ jgXZ\

I\ek ö0,' g\i dfek_

*based on TGI-ROI 2012

dUBLIN gAZETTE NEWSPAPER DID YOU KNOW?

:fekXZk1 '/. )/, ))-/ services CARPENTRY & DECOR SERVICES Doors, floors,stairs, fitted units, kitchens, decking.

Painting, papering, tiling, Insulation, Soundproofing Works To Walls, Floors, Ceilings. Roof repairs, property maintenance & renovations. Est: 1990.

Member of N.G.O.M.C

WE HAVE 142,000 READERS IN DUBLIN ALONE

Blanch GAZET TE FREE

Please call: 01 49 45 993 UNCLAIMED TREASURES.IE

SEE PAGE 15 JULY 26, 2012

Find us on

INSIDE: St Brigid’s GAA sets up camp and HIGH NOTE: Frank McNamara plays has summer fun P2 to raise funds for Temple Street Page 3

*based on TGI-ROI 2012

to p l a c e a n a d i n t h e B l a n c h a r dstow n g a zette c a l l F ide l mA o n 6 5 1 6 2 3 9 o r em a i l f c l a r ke @ GA Z E T T E GR O U P. C O M

Irish Olympian discusses basketball way back when

BLANCHARDSTOWN • BLAKESTOWN • HARTSTOWN • COOLMINE • TYRRELSTOWN • DUNBOYNE • CORDUFF • MULHUDDART • ONGAR

Hurling:

Brigid’s pick up crucial Cuala league win Page 31

Football:

St Peregrine’s star wins fourth Leinster title Page 32

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 BUSINESS .....................18 MOTORS ....................... 20 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

Second level school breaks mould � LAURA WEBB

EDUCATE Together opened a new chapter this week when its long-awaited second-level school model became a reality for Blanchardstown West parents.

Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn announced 14 new post-primary schools for 2013 and 2014, with Educate Together having patronage of a new school in Blanchardstown West and a joint patronage with Co Louth VEC in

Drogheda.

Over the past decade, ET has been progressing to open its first second-level education school.

Michael McLoughlin, chair of the Dublin 15 ET Secondlevel Campaign Group, said: “We are delighted. After all the hard work parents in the area have put in, the dream that our children will be able to attend an ET second-level school is to become a reality.”

Full Story Next Week

Too Cul: Action-packed week at GAA Camps for children RYAN AND SAM ENRIGHT of Naomh Peregrine enjoy a day out at Kellogg’s Cul Camp, which included a visit from Dublin stars Eamon Fennell and Bernard Brogan. Kellogg’s GAA Cul Camps provide boys and girls – between the ages of six and 13 – with

an action-packed and fun-filled week of activity during the summer holidays. This revolves around maximising enjoyment and sustaining participant involvement in Gaelic games.

Picture: Ian Fleming

Full Gallery on Pages 8-9

FACTS 56% READERS ARE ABC1 58% READERS ARE WOMEN 71% READERS HAVE CHILDREN 75% READERS ARE MAIN HOUSEHOLD SHOPPERS CALL FIDELMA TO PLACE YOUR AD ON 651 6239



follow us Ronnie Bailey

www.comiskeydecorating carpentry.com Andrew Comiskey 086 2742869/ 01 8251315

Apple Garden Services %BMLFZ $P %VCMJO

DUBLIN Gazette newspaper HAVE 169,000 READERS EACH WEEK

Garden tidy up Light Tree Surgery Pebble Gardens Clear outs etc.

TEL. : 01 2840027 MOBILE: 087 699 4617 planning Notice

*based on TGI-ROI 2012

FREE

DELIVERY

•CONFIDENTIAL INTERVIEWS •PERSONAL INTRODUCTIONS ARRANGED

LORRAINE 086 8385014

(.( jh d\ki\j

advertise your business to our readers call FIDELMA ON 65 16 239

1

100% Guaranteed Irish Meals. To Your Door.

2

Cooked Wholesome and nutritious frozen meals delivered weekly, ready to heat straight from the freezer.

3

pl anning and legal T o p l a c e a p l a n n i n g o r l e g a l n oti c e c a l l F ide l m a o n 6 5 1 6 2 3 9 o r em a i l f c l a r ke @ g a zette g r o u p. c om

Our meals are only €5.50 INCLUDING delivery to your door.

Just Ring 01 491 62 62 or visit our website www.chefdirect.ie Enquiries/Sales for Dublin area only.

Fingal County Council

We, Mykola Zahorskyy & Larysa Zahorska intend to apply for permission for development at this site address 8 Castlefield Park, Clonsilla, D15. The development will consist of: 1. Widening of existing vehicular access exiting onto Castlefield Park, Clonsilla D15. 2. A new porch with apex roof to front of dwelling. 3. Part internal remodelling of walls at ground floor of existing dwelling with 1no. proposed window to the (South) side elevation. 4.New ground floor single storey extension to the rear of dwelling with a lean- to roof incorporating 2no. velux windows. 5. A new first floor extension to the rear of dwelling to consist of two bedrooms with extended hipped roof over. – ridge level to match existing main roof. 6.

A new window to existing en-suite at first floor (south) side elevation.

All drainage, structural and associated site works to be implemented.

The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (20Euros) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of this application.

18190

26 BLANCH GAZETTE 2 May 2013

DUBLIN GAZETTERECRUITMENT We are seeking to recruit an Analyst Programmer for a 12 month contract. The role involves support and development of existing and new system processes.

Duties & Responsibilities: • Design of system changes • Development of systems to specification using structured techniques • System and integration testing • Support and maintenance of live systems • Providing support to users Essential Skills Required: • Oracle 10g Developer Suite - Forms & Reports • SQL • PL/SQL • Oracle Application Express • VB and .NET • Pro*C • Crystal Reports • Pre-formatted File extraction and loading using PL/SQL • Experience on some Source control system. (VSS etc) Skills & Attributes: • Minimum 5 Years+ Oracle Developer Suite Experience • Capability of experience of producing clear and concise documentation • Knowledge and working experience of relational database design • Analysis and problem solving skills • Customer focused with excellent interpersonal skills • Communicate effectively with management, users and other IT team members • Work to tight deadlines whilst meeting customer expectations • A relevant third level qualification is desirable.

Salary for this position is up to € 70,000 per annum

DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPER HAVE 169,000 READERS EACH WEEK *based on TGI-ROI 2012

TO PLACE AN AD ON THE RECRUITMENT PAGE CALL FIDELMA ON 60 10 240

For all Recruitment please contact Fidelma on 01 651 6239 or at fclarke@gazettegroup.com

2 May 2013 BLANCH Gazette 27

sport awards P29

asdfsdaf gaelic games P27 P31

dublinsport Let the Gazette keep you up to date with all the best local sporting action from around the city as we cover all the stories that matter to you and your community



Gazette

ross o’carroll P28

FastSport Locals shine in hellfire event:

Children from Scoil Mhuire School, Sandymount, at the launch of Sail Spree at the Irish National Sailing School, Dun Laoghaire. Picture:Jason Clarke

sail spree: event calling on people all over dublin to get out on the water

Holiday weekend perfect for learning about watersports Watersports clubs and training centres along Dublin’s coastline have joined forces to offer a unique host of free activities for children, teenagers and adults alike as part of Sail Spree, which will run from May 4 to 6.

Sail Spree is a national initiative developed by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) to encourage people of all ages out on to the water.

Events are taking place all across Dublin. In the north of the county, Malahide Yacht Club are inviting locals and visitors alike to try sailing and pow-

erboating for free on Saturday, May 4, from 12 noon to 4pm. For more information check out www.myc.ie or call 086 8594689.

Sutton Dinghy Club are also hosting an event on May 4, from 10am to 5pm, with the club offering taster sessions in sailing for €5 per person. To secure a place, call 01 8393135 or email info@ sdc.ie.

On Sunday, May 5, Howth Yacht Club will also be welcoming the public to try their hand at sailing for €5. From noon to 5pm, members of the club will

be available to take you afloat in a variety of crafts. Pre-booking is essential, so call 01 8322141 or email office@hyc.ie.

On the Southside of Dublin, Dun Laoghaire Harbour will be abuzz with Sail Spree events being run by a number of clubs based there.

The Royal St George Yacht Club (www.rsgyc.ie) will open their doors to allow people enjoy a taster session in either sailing or powerboating for €5 on May 5 and 6 from 10am to 4pm each day.

Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club

which will be running sailing taster sessions for free each day from 12 noon to 6pm. They will have the supervised use of the ISA fleet of Topper Uno dinghies, in addition to the opportunity to sail on small to medium sized yachts. To book a place, call 01 280 1371.

The National Yacht Club (www.nyc. ie) will be hosting their event on Sunday, May 5, and the Sailing in Dublin club are inviting the public to try sailing on May 5 and 6 from 12 noon to 5pm, and they can be contacted on 085 8155948 or email info@sailingindublin.ie.

Ruairi Long from Rockbrook Park, Rathfarnham, was in fine form in the Leinster Post Primary Schools Orienteering Championships, which were held in Hellfire Wood, Killakee.

On the back of his win last week at the Irish Post Primary Schools Championships in Tipperary, Long’s technical skills paid off on a tricky 2nd/3rd year boys course, taking the title and beating main rival, Luke Kearney of Castleknock CC, for the first time this year.

Eadaoin McCavana from Loreto College Foxrock shone in the 1st year girls category, using her speed and technical ability, for a convincing win, way ahead of the other competitors.

c o n ta c t s Sports Editor: Rob Heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com

For more information or to send in news and photos: sport@gazettegroup.com Phone: 01 651 6205

Gazette

28 BLANCH Gazette 2 May 2013

SPORT

Irish cricket goes live online for 2013  sport@gazettegroup.com

Every ball of the 2013 Irish international cricket season will be covered by a new online offering via the Cricket Ireland website.

All-Ireland men’s and women’s matches, as well as Ireland’s Under19, Under-17 and Under15 international home matches will be livescored on www.cricketireland.ie, as well as via a smartphone app.

2013 looks set to be an

exciting home season for Irish cricket fans, with the stand-out international home fixtures versus Pakistan and England being complemented by the launch of the 2013 RSA Inter-Provincial Series at domestic level.

Three sides, Leinster Lightning, Northern Knights and North West Warriors are set to play all three formats of cricket throughout a full summer of the game.

The official live scoring and management of

the RSA Inter-Provincial Series will all take place via CricHQ software, which will be used to keep track of all the fixtures, results, points tables and player performances throughout the series to give a comprehensive level of coverage.

Fans and players are able to follow the game closer than ever before and enjoy a level of statistical information, live matches, online profiles and media content previously unavailable.

Coming together to combat depression

Dublin and Kilmacud Crokes’ Ross O’Carroll has become an ambassador for depression awareness charity, Believe With Belle

 stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com

GETTING young men talking is the message for young stars from Ross O’Carroll following the recent Mental Health Awareness week as they cope with the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the sporting life.

He was speaking to GazetteSport in his role as an ambassador for Believe With Belle, a campaign run by Michelle Ryan offering information and support to young people who suffer or have suffered from depression and which has a particular emphasis on sport.

O’Carroll is one of a number of top class sports stars backing the campaign. He is joined by the likes of Grand Slam winning rugby captain Fiona Coghlan, cricket star Boyd Rankin, rampaging back-rower Sean O’Brien and Irish hockey’s most capped player Nikki Symmons among others in support.

And the Kilmacud Crokes and Dublin star says it is important to get people talking about the subject.

“Believe with Belle is a great thing to get involved with. I would know people who have suffered from depression. A close enough friend of mine – we only became aware

of it recently enough – suffered from it. It’s not something that young lads talk about.

“If it wasn’t someone close to me, maybe I’d have felt [in the past] it wasn’t my place to get involved but definitely with someone close to me, I’d now be in a position to say ‘listen, I know a few people who can really help you out’.”

Speaking about O’Carroll’s involvement in the campaign, Ryan says that the dual-star is in the perfect position to pass on his influence.

“I wanted young people who are successful and in the public eye to show they supported young people who have depression. Their support – it might just be a retweet but they can have up to 25,000 followers – helps create awareness and getting mental health more talked about and in the open.

“From the recent suicide rates, eight in 10 are males. It’s probably because they are more reluctant to speak about it or talk to their friends while girls would tend to talk.”

The mental aspect In the sporting realm, the issue of mental health is becoming increasingly important. A recent ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, Broke, based on a Sports Illustrated article that said 60% of NBA stars and 78% of NFL players were broke within five years of retiring, described the

comedown for many top players with many turning to drink, drugs, gambling etc which can lead to depression.

And while the pressures associated with the comedown from professional sport are perhaps more pronounced than the amateur ethos that guides the GAA, O’Carroll said that managing the rollercoaster can be tough.

After the highs of leading Kilmacud to a first Dublin senior hurling title in over 25 years, the team endured a double setback within a week, falling to Ballymun Kickhams in the Dublin senior football final and then to Oulart-the-Ballagh in the Leinster SHC. He said that the highs and lows have an effect and, while usually a pretty centred person, he felt the Junior Certificate students he teaches did notice a change in his behaviour in the aftermath.

“I suppose you’re down for a few days. It was devastating to lose against

Ballymun and Oulart last year. They were only a week apart and I remember even the kids in school realised something was up, wondering what’s wrong with your man.

“But the fact that it is a team sport is probably a coping mechanism in itself. With people there that you should be able to confide in.”

It can be a difficult thing, though, for young boys to get their head around, something O’Carroll witnessed in a microcosm recently.

“In school during Mental Health Awareness Week, the lads, they were looking to try and express their emotions like maybe the way girls were.

“The teachers were at liberty to do what they could to get the students thinking which is the main thing. Even physical health, in terms of getting outside and freeing yourself from any problems on the sports pitch which can help.”

Ross O’Carroll at the 2012 Dublin senior hurling final

2 May 2013 BLANCH Gazette 29

Gazette

Fitzwilliam DublinGazetteNewspapers LTC’s squash 2013 dublin sports awards APRIL winners Open success  sport@gazettegroup.com

H STARof the MONTH

conor mcgregor LUCAN man McGregor brought his A-game to the hexagon in Stockholm in April when he lined up against American MMA star, Marcus Brimmage. Only 67 seconds into the bout, Brimmage was counted out, and the local fighter had made a big name for himself in the UFC

TEAMof the MONTH H

Fitzwilliam LTC last week hosted the Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open squash championship, which drew fans of the sport to the Appian Way venue.

Ireland’s world number 11 player Madeline Perry played her best squash of the week in the ladies final to beat Guyana’s Nicolette Fernandes by three games to one.

Madeline was content with her performance, especially playing well in front of a home crowd. “This is not my home court, but this is as home as it gets to me, and winning in Ireland obviously means a lot

to me.”

T he former world number three also felt that this was good preparation for the European Team Championships next week: “There are some strong teams out there, but if Aisling Blake and I are playing well, we are within a chance.”

In the men’s event, Malaysia’s Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan was the victor in the men’s final over Omar Abdel Meguid from Egypt in a fiercely contested match.

For Mohd, victor y here meant a lot, and he is eager to return next year. “I will relax now after a long week. Ireland has been good to me, it’s a great tournament for me.”

fingal hurlers Fingal’s hurling heroes secured promotion to NHL Division 2B with an assured performance against Donegal in Breffni Park that saw Fingallians Peter Daly fire home the decisive goal, and JohnMatthew Sheridan’s scoring throughout the campaign continue into the final

The finalists at the Canon Kirk Homes Irish Open at the Fitzwilliam LTC

fittest of the fittest Killiney school wins All Ireland challenge title the winners of Aviva Health’s Schools Fitness Challenge 2013, where it was announced that Ireland’s Fittest Girls’ School is St Joseph of Cluny, Killiney.

The national challenge, developed by Professor Niall Moyna in Dublin City University and the Wellness Economic Initiative Alliance, invited secondary schools throughout the country to join in making physical fitness a national priority. Pictured are Grace Lehane, sales director at Aviva Health Eoin O’Neill, PE teacher at St Joseph’s Maura Seymour, Roisin Quil, Abbey Keogh and Siobhan Murphy.

Picture: Shane O’Neill

FastSport

SARI offer huge prize as part of 2013 fundraising effort Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) are set to play host to another year of multi-cultural inclusive sporting events, and are offering the chance to support this year’s Africa Week Athletics, World Refugee Day Fair Play Cup and Soccerfest by holding a prize draw.

The prize for the lucky overall winner will be round-trip flights for two to Zanzibar with seven nights accomodation at the Kichanga Lodge. Further prizes will be announced shortly.

Tickets cost €20 each, and the winning ticket will be drawn during the SARI fundraiser lunch at Eden Bar and Grill on Sunday, May 26. The draw will be made by guest of honour for this year’s Africa Week Athletics, Wilfred Bungei, the Kenyan 800m gold medallist from the Beijing Olympics.

Tickets can be purchased in person from the SARI office at 8A Little Britain Street, Dublin 7 or by cheque to SARI, 135 Capel Street, Dublin 1.

For more information, log on to www.sari. ie.

Minors to face Meath in Leinster final Dublin’s ladies minor team will be lining out this weekend in the Leinster A Minor final at the Clane GAA club in Co Kildare against old rivals, Meath.

This is a repeat of the 2012 decider that Dublin won by the narrowest of margins in extra time. Both sides have enjoyed impressive runs in their respective campaigns, so the 2013 decider is

sure to be a hugely competitive final, which will throw in at 3.15pm.

Dublin’s Under16 and Under-14 ladies will also be taking part in their respective provincial finals in the coming weeks.

The Dublin Under16s will face Kildare in the A provincial decider on Sunday, May 12, while the Dublin Under-14s will take on Westmeath in the B provincial final on Sunday, May 26.

The venues and times for both of these finals are yet to be confirmed by Leinster Council.

Gazette

30 BLANCH Gazette 2 May 2013

SPORT

FastSport

football: local schools contest Dublin 15 honours

Hyland achieves top national honours NAC Performance Centre swimmer Brendan Hyland enjoyed a superb weekend at the Carlton long course Irish national swimming championships at his home venue with a string of fine performances.

He finished second in the 200m individual medley in a new Irish junior record time of 2:05.77, and then went on to set a new junior and senior record in the 100m butterfly final to win gold. Hyland’s time of 54.50 knocked 0.17 off Steven McQuillan’s 2009 senior record time.

His success added to the 18-year-old’s junior and senior records in the 400m individual medley final. His time of 4:27.45 overtook Niall Wynn’s 2011 record of 4:27.96.

After setting those records, Hyland set another junior record in the 100m butterfly in a time of 55.14, knocking 0.51 off his own record.

Meanwhile, at the British Swimming Disability championships in Sheffield, there were four world qualification times with Aer Lingus swimmer Ellen Keane (100 fly), Darragh McDonald (400 free), NAC’s James Scully (100 free) and Jonathan McGrath (400 free) all dipping under the required times to earn them a place at the Paralympic Word Championships in August.

Mochta’s to host academy tournament St Mochta’s FC are holding their academy tournament on May 11 at their Porterstown Road venue.

The two-league competition will commence at 2.30pm on the day, and will see the winners from each league take part in a one-off final match.

There are 12 seven-a-side teams enrolled to take part in the Clonsilla competition so far, including local sides Dunboyne, Verona, Hartstown/Huntstown, as well as two sides from the host club, and WFTA, Parkvilla and Leixlip United among the other participants.

For more information, contact Brendan Kennedy on 087 679 9923 or Carl Duffy on 087 284 3881.

The St Luke’s NS girls celebrate after their success in the Dublin 15 GAA final

Luke’s claim local title dublin 15 gaa final St Luke’s St Mochta’s  sport@gazettegroup.com

4-4 2-3

DUBLIN 15 schools St Luke’s NS from Tyrrelstown and St Mochta’s contested a thrilling final of the Dublin 15 GAA girls’ final in front of great support from both schools.

The final was a hugely anticipated encounter after both teams achieved 100% records in their league matches in the competition.

The first half belonged to St Mochta’s as they raced into a 2-2 to 0-1

lead at half-time.

However, in the second half, St Luke’s, inspired by their midfield pairing of Virginia and Joy, got themselves back into the game.

Two goals from full forward Karolina gave St Luke’s the belief that the trophy was still within their grasp.

In a nail-biting finale, St Luke’s levelled it with a superb point from Joy in the final seconds, sending the game into extra time.

St Luke’s carried their momentum into this period, and two more goals from star forward

blues in motion

Coolmine stars line out for Leinster coolmine RFC were well represented in the Leinster Juniors panel last week when Donal Crotty (pictured), Niall O’Donoghue and John Lee lined out for the Blues at St Mary’s RFC against Munster in their opening interprovincial tie. In spite of Crotty’s kicking prowess, the Leinster side were narrowly defeated, 31-27, in a pulsating and well-contested encounter.

Picture: Voicu Duma

Karolina ensured St Luke’s won the game with a score of 4-4 to 2-3.

The final whistle brought scenes of jubilation and joy from the winning side.

Their success in this trophy secured a historic double for St Luke’s, following on from the boys’ team’s success earlier in the year in securing their equivalent trophy.

The school wish to thank their coaches, Kristopher O’Connor and Conor Lynch.

A spokesperson for the school said:

“Between the two of them, their suppor t, commitment and unwavering belief in the girls’ ability, they helped to

bring the girls all the way to the recent final.

“We are very lucky to have them on the team at the school.”

2 May 2013 BLANCH gazette 31

Gazette

Dublin claim tenth NFL title over Tyrone  sport@gazettegroup.com

DUBLIN has secured the National Football League title for the first time since 1993 last weekend in a tense encounter with Tyrone at Croke Park that saw the sides separated by only one point at the final whistle.

Dublin saw off their

Ulster opponents 0-18 to 0-17, with substitute Dean Rock from Ballymun Kickhams coming off the bench to score twice in the closing three minutes, before Clontarf’s Jack McCaffrey nailed the winning point and ensure that the Metropolitans claimed their tenth NFL title.

Tyrone fought for their

lives throughout and the scoreline was tied on several occasions, with Dublin unable to capitalise on the small leads they gave themselves over the 70 minutes, and the O’Neill countymen coming back into the match throughout to ensure a thrilling and nailbiting finish.

Scores came fast

from the throw in, with Bernard Brogan and Diarmuid Connolly both pointing twice in the opening minutes.

Paddy Andrews, Paul Mannion, Stephen Cluxton and Philly McMahon added to the tally, but it was Rock and McCaffrey’s interventions that saw the trophy return to Dublin.

Club Noticeboard st brigid’s THERE were great wins last week for

those still in primary school) and

the U-15A and B, U-16, minors, ladies

open to members and non-mem-

footballers and camogie teams.

bers alike.

There were brilliant league wins

Club lotto is in the Roselawn

also for our AFL 1 against Ballybod-

this Thursday. Jackpot remains at

en, AFL 3 against Castleknock and

€15,000.

AFL 4 against Crokes.

ing the Mum and Me programme on

ogie girls on reaching the feile

Tuesdays at 7.15pm. The programme

semi-finals.

will introduce mothers and their

There is a full round of adult hurl-

feile: littlepace side claim camogie crown

The camogie section are continu-

Well done also to the feile cam-

ing championship this week, see website for details.

2013 Membership now overdue.

Any member with issues regarding

daughters to the basic skills of camogie.

For more information, contact Siobhan at naomhbridpro@hotmail. com or 085 149 0583.

membership can contact our club

The annual golf classic takes

registrar, Trish O’Reilly on 086 602

place on Ma y 24 in Royal Tara .

6229 or 8reillyp@ie.ibm.com.

Morning and afternoon slots avail-

The club nursery for four- to seven-year-olds continues this Saturday morning (and every Saturday morning) from 9.30 to 11am. New members and families welcome.

Contact Paul on 087 915 4748 or email info@stbrigidsgaa.com.

able. €100 per player or €400 per team, meal included.

Contact Phil Kelly on 0867733693 to book your place.

A Pink and Black charity night in aid of the Jayne Cahill Trust Fund will take place on May 17.

The annual mini-leagues dates

See website or contact Martin

are June 10 to 15. It is open to boys

Cahill on 087 249 6267 for tickets /

and girls aged five to 12 years (or

details.

st peregrine’s Well done to senior and junior A

Saturday, they were unlucky in the

and B footballers who had good

end, the future is bright.

league wins last weekend.

Erin Go Bragh’s camogie stars with the Division 5 shield after their success against Setanta

Erin Go Bragh take Division 5 Feile title

feile division 5 final Erin Go Bragh Setanta  sport@gazettegroup.com

2-0 1-0

ERIN Go Bragh claimed the first of the five camogie Feile finals last Sunday at O’Toole Park, edging out Setanta by two goals to one.

It took both sides time to warm to the task, with temperatures at an unseasonally low level, but when they did, it was Erin Go Bragh who struck first with a goal from Jessica Carroll 11 minutes into the game, and they managed to hold this lead until the

interval.

On the resumption, Setanta, aided by the breeze, fought back and in the seventh minute Lauren Goonan fired home the leveller.

Niamh Padden was on form for Erin go Bragh and her skills kept pushing her side forward.

Eventually, a chance fell to Alexandra Comey who goaled with nine minutes of normal time left.

Setanta fought desperately for the equaliser with Katie Skelly, Lynn Keenan and Saoirse O’Donnell going close, but Holly Howar th, Omalade Adelani and

Niamh Maher stood firm to deny them.

EGB’s success started the day in style, and the Feile finals day culminated with the Division 1 decider between firsttime finalists Castleknock and Lucan Sarsfields.

The Dublin 15 side almost pulled off an incredible comeback, but their efforts came up just short as past masters Lucan landed the crown.

It continued the 12th Lock club’s fine run of results at Feile level, as they won the right to represent Dublin in the AllIreland finals in Limerick

in July.

Lucan started with a magnificent effort from 60m and they held a 0-6 to no score lead at halftime.

A free by Aisling Andrews in the 13th minute was Castleknock’s first score and, with four minutes left on the clock, Castleknock trailed by seven points.

However, a great goal

by Ciara Murray followed by two points by Niamh Mulroney in the 20th and 21st minutes had Lucan in all sorts of bother but they ended up falling by two points, 0-8 to 1-3.

Attention turns to hurling this week as our adult hurlers are in championship action.

Congratulations to Karla Whelan on winning the Dublin skills camogie competiton last weekend.

Best of luck to the boys’ feile team this weekend.

Great effort by our feile girls last

Best of luck to Daneille Pugh and the Dublin minors this Sunday in the Leinster final against Meath.

Condolences to the Dolan family on their recent bereavement.

The Penguin Waddle is on this Friday at 9pm in club, with a super disco on after.

Club lotto was not won. Nex t week’s jackpot is €4,600.

westmanstown gaels/garda There were mixed fortunes for adult

tion for the intermediates and juniors,

teams last week with a win, a draw and

while the ladies start their champion-

a loss all in league competitions.

ship campaign.

The intermediates gave their best

The club members would like to wish

performance to date coming out on

Ian Kenny the best of luck on his recent

top at home to Crumlin on a score of

transfer west of the Shannon. Ian was

5-16 to 1-3 to keep them on top of Divi-

a dedicated member of the Garda GAA

sion 4. Well done on a great perform-

Club and served as a player, mentor

ance.

and referee for nearly a decade and

The juniors missed out on chance to

we wish him well in his new post

top Div 7 going down to Bank of Ireland

The U-8 hurlers took on Kilmacud

away at Ringsend on Sunday morning

and gave a good account of them-

on a score of 2-15 to 0-9.

selves. The U- 9 hurlers lost to Thomas

The ladies had their second consecutive draw in their league when they

Davis in a close encounter by a single point.

recovered from a 10-point deficit to

The U-10 hurlers beat St Monica’s.

finish even with Clan na Gael Fontenoy

The U-13 boys beat Clontarf. The U-15

at home last Wednesday evening on a

boys lost to Cu Chulainn.

final score of 2-10 to 3-7.

Next week, it’s back to cup competi-

The Gaels’ nursery runs every Saturday from 10 to 11.30am.

GazetteSPORT all of your blanch sports coverage from page 27-31

go bragh glory: Dublin Feile success for Littlepace girls as they claim Division 5 title at O’Toole Park P31

may 2, 2013

minding your self: Crokes star gives support to mental health campaign P28

Phoenix FC are exploring the options for hosting their second round tie against League of Ireland side Dundalk in the next round of the senior cup

Phoenix delight in draw Scribblestown side looking forward to FAI Senior Cup encounter against Dundalk after second round pairings were announced last week  stephen findlater

sport@gazettegroup.com

DESPITE having to move away from Scribblestown for their FAI Senior Cup second round date against Dundalk, Marc Kenny says Phoenix are delighted with being drawn against the high-flying Airtricity Premier division side.

The Dublin 15 club were handed home advantage for the tie but their home ground has been deemed not suitable for the second round date, and so the club are currently exploring the best possible options to maximise the benefits of meeting a side currently

fourth in the country.

Speaking to GazetteSport about Monday night’s draw, manager Kenny said that while it will a huge test of LSL Sunday Senior side, it will be a big day out for the club.

“It’s a tough one but we are delighted; the players, the staff and the club as a whole. It puts us on the map. I think it’s three years out of the last four that we’ve had League of Ireland sides [in the cup] and it’s a nice little coup for the club.

“Dundalk are flying at the moment and I’d know Stephen Kenny quite well and the players they have. They’ve done really well, so we’re just thrilled with it.

“Unfortunately, we’re not able to host them in Scribblestown as it wouldn’t be up to an FAI standard – it’s up to intermediate standard – so we have to see what we are going to do, whether we are going to move grounds. We’d be looking at somewhere like Dalymount or Richmond Park which may cost us on the day so we may have to surrender home advantage and hopefully get a share of the gate.”

On a personal level, the former Shamrock Rovers man has fond memories of meeting Dundalk in this competition.

“I played against Dundalk 20-odd times over the year but in one of my last years with Rovers, I scored in Oriel Park in a second round

replay. I’ve good memories of that!”

As for his players, the tie will come at the end of a long campaign and so Kenny is hoping to give his players as much of a chance to go into the tie as fresh as possible against a side in midseason.

“It’s another four weeks away and we have four games still to play in the next fortnight. It leaves us a two-week lead-in but I think we’re likely to rest the players for a week. Most of the lads have played 30 to 35 games to date so the rest will do them no harm and then off we go for the game.”

The second round date will be played on the first weekend in June.