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September 15-21, 2016

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BACK TO SCHOOL

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Mother shares meningitis ordeal to raise awareness  IAN BEGLEY

Baby Kayleigh-Ann

A LOCAL mother is raising awareness of meningitis by sharing her firsthand experience with the serious disease as part of national Meningitis

Awareness Week.

Aisling Fagan’s ninemonth-old baby, KayleighAnn, had been fine all day, but suddenly started to projectile vomit and develop a high temperature, along with a very irritable cry.

Aisling said: “My sister,

upon hearing the cry, said I should bring her to hospital to be checked out.

“By the time the ambulance arrived her temperature had decreased, as I had given her Calpol, so they asked if I still wanted to bring her in as it seemed

like a vomiting bug. “ H owe ve r, m y g u t instinct told me something was wrong so on we went to hospital. It was there I noticed a rash developing and she was whisked out of my arms.”

Full Story on Page 7

2 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

RETAIL | SHOPPING CENTRE IS EXPECTED TO BE EXTENDED

Mall sale was biggest property deal ever  IAN BEGLEY

Blanchardstown Shopping Centre is the biggest retail complex in the country

THE sale of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to US investment giant Blackstone for €945m was Ireland’s most expensive single property deal ever, according to new research released by BNP Paribas Real Estate.

In June, Blackstone completed the deal to take over the centre from Green Property as a further investment by the US company, which they say underlines their commitment to Ireland and belief in the strength of our economy.

The company is expected to eventually extend the shopping centre, with capacity to build around 148,500 sq m of additional space.

It is already the biggest retail complex in the country since opening in 1993.

Analysing the Irish commercial property market between April and June this year, the BNP report – At A Glance Irish Investment Market Q2 – found that the Irish commercial property sector saw a stronger than expected performance, with €2.1bn transacted.

Joan Henry, head of research at BNP, said: “The second quarter of

this year, between April and the end of June, was a landmark period for the sector.

“Our research revealed that the sale of Blanchardstown Shopping Centre represented the largest single asset ever traded in the [Irish] market, and with over €2.1bn of assets transacted in the period, we are seeing the largest quarterly turnover ever.

“If turnover reaches the forecasted €3.5bn for 2016, the 10-year average will have increased significantly to €1.7bn, compared to €1bn in 2013,” he said.

The centre, which is the biggest retail complex in the country, takes in approximately €50m per year and its lands span 85 acres, with up to 6,000 surface car parking spaces.

Office investments remain the backbone of activity in the commercial property sector, with €717m of assets transacted in the quarter.

Strong demand for prime office space has continued into this quarter, with the sale of One Spencer Dock for €240m and Dublin 2 office portfolio Project Kells for €93m being just two of the high-profile deals completed.

A merry time at panto launch

TIGHT-wearing hero Robin Hood (David Crowley) came face-to-face with fellow cast members Nanny Knickerbocker Gloria (Jone Conlan) and the Sheriff of Snottingham (Nicholas Grennell) at the launch of this year’s panto at the Gaiety Theatre. Robin Hood and His Merry Men opens in the Gaiety Theatre on November 27 until next January.

Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

FASTNews Local Educate Together set to host community day

TYRRELSTOWN Educate Together has been chosen to host the 2016 Aramark Building Community Day, which will see over 100 volunteers roll up their sleeves to provide the school with some muchneeded refurbishment.

This is Aramark’s (food, facilities and property services provider) sixth annual global volunteering day and aims to give back to the local community and encourage health and wellbeing.

Taking place on September 20, the Aramark team will help out with restoration works on the school’s building, as well as building community gardens and creating wellness zones.

Mark Murphy, principal of Tyrrelstown Educate Together said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by Aramark as a partner for their community day this year. We rely a great deal on the support of companies like Aramark so that we can continue to provide all of our students with a high standard of education in a quality environment.

“We look forward to welcoming the 100-strong team this September and are so grateful for their support and time.”

Fingallions to host live TV preview of All-Ireland final FINGALLIONS clubhouse in Swords is the venue for a live TV preview of the All-Ireland final to be screened tonight, September 15.

The show, called Mad For Sam, will feature a host of GAA personalities and former legends of the game, and airs from 8 to 10pm.

The two-hour programme will be presented by GAA commentator Brendan Hennessey and presenter Rebecca Horan.

With a lively panel discussion and an audience of local die-hard fans, it hopes to build on the excitement ahead of Sunday’s Croker clash between Dublin and Mayo. Fingallions sent out a special good-luck message to forward Paul Flynn and the rest of the Dublin squad as they bid to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Kerry in 2007.

The panel will include legends Sean Cavanagh, Sean Boylan, John O’Mahony, Tommy Lyons, Charlie Redmond and Kieran Duff.

Mad For Sam will be broadcast on Irish TV, Sky TV channel 191, Freesat 400 and across the globe on www.irishtv.ie and www.irishtv.com.

Show producer Mairtin O’Reilly said: “Irish TV has a very loyal following in Dublin and we have pulled out all the stops for this two-hour special.

“It will be a wonderful showcase of all that is good about club and county football in the capital. The final thoughts of manager Jim Gavin and a host of present players will also feature.”

Irish TV will also be giving away two priceless All-Ireland football final tickets on the night, with a special competition running on all Irish TV platforms and social media.

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15 September 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 3

Vivienne Foley

hed Abdul and Al-Riged Rus

Caoimhe and Saoir se Sutton

Chloe Knowles

It’s your LAST chance to

WIN!

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Kasim Tahir

WE’VE had a terrific response to our back to school giveaway contest – but all good things must come to an end, and time is almost up for one of our most popular competitions, ever!

It’s your last chance to share a shot of your darling child’s first day at school, or their first day back at school – but if you’ve more than one child braving ‘big school’, the more the merrier in your photo!

We have some terrific prizes to give away, including a €150 gift card for Life Style Sports, €50 vouchers for M&S, Penneys and Dealz, a hamper from Flying Tiger, every kid’s favourite variety store, AND a €100 voucher for the Base – Ireland’s Number 1 entertainment centre.

So, scroll through the pics on your phone, click through your social media posts, and show us

your little darling(s) on their allimportant first day at school.

Just Email competitions@ dublingazette.com, or post your shot to our Facebook or Twitter page with the hashtag #firstday, to be in with a chance to win.

All entries must be in by the end of this Sunday, September 18, with the winners to be announced on September 22.

Best of luck!

4 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

TRAGEDY | STEPHEN AND HIS WIFE KAREN LOST THEIR BABY, JUDE, WHO WAS STILLBORN

Bereaved dad raises over €15k after year worth of fundraising  IAN BEGLEY

A charity gig in The Cobblestone pub will mark an end to Stephen’s long list of fundraising events for 2016

A BEREAVED father from Castleknock has raised more than €15,500 for charity after a long year of fundraising in honour of his stillborn son.

Stephen Doran (34) is on a mission to raise as much money as possible forTommy’s (www.tommys.org), a charity that specialises in medical research into the causes of miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth.

On September 17, The Cobblestone pub in Smithfield will host a charity gig for Tommy’s, which will mark end of Stephen’s long list of fundraising events.

He recently took part in the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon and completed a

year’s worth of treks, marathons and a hike from London to his home town in Llantrisant, Wales – the equivalent of six marathons in five days.

Altogether, Stephen – who is a senior student advisor at the University of South Wales’ Cardiff campus – has raised more than €15,500 for the charity after he and his wife Karen’s son, Jude, was stillborn in November 2014.

Describing his journey thus far, Stephen said: “Karen was first aware of a problem three days after her due date on October 31 and decided to go to the University Hospital of Wales with a friend for a check-up.

“I received a phone call from our friend, who asked me to come to the hospital. At this

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moment, we were unaware of any bad news. As I entered the room, Karen had just been told the terrible news that there was no heartbeat. I will never forget the feeling of total loss and heartbreak at that moment, as Karen and I held each other.

“We only had a scan two weeks previously, with nothing suggesting anything abnormal. Karen now had the knowledge that she still had to give birth to our baby, knowing that he would not be coming home with us.”

Jude Joseph Doran was born after a nine-hour labour.

“As I held my baby son for the first time, at that moment, I felt like the proudest father in the world. Despite us knowing that Jude would never open

his eyes, never hold my finger with his chunky hands, and never kick a football with his daddy, nothing can ever take that moment away from me.”

Stephen added that the tragedy has inspired him to set himself a fundraising challenge.

“So many people donate generously for charities throughout the year, but if any good can come of this tragedy, and in memory of our beautiful baby boy, Jude, I will be so grateful for any help to raise much-needed funds to assist Tommy’s with their research.”

For more information or to donate, see www.justgiving.com/Race4Jude, or email stephen.doran81@hotmail. co.uk.

15 September 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 5

6 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

GazetteGALLERY

| HARTSTOWN HUNTSTOWN FC COMMUNITY FUN DAY 2016

Sophie Doyle and Lee Slator waiting for a splash

Hartfelt fun T

HE weather held up as the crowds arrived at the Hartstown Huntstown FC Community Day which took place in the grounds of the club. Fun and games were enjoyed by all, face painting and sponging proved to be the favourites of the day!

Izzy Slator - the cutest little tigress in town!

Referee Ryan Byrne has his work cut out for him

Declan Sherry gets sponged!

Chefs John Byrne and Declan Sherry feeding the crowds

15 September 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 7

Local mother on a mission to boost awareness of meningitis  IAN BEGLEY AISLING Fagan, from Dublin 15, is sharing her first-hand experience of meningitis and septicaemia during national Meningitis Awareness Week (which runs from September 19 to 25) to ensure people are aware of the symptoms, know to be vigilant and act fast.

A i s l i n g s a i d : “ My nine-month old baby Kayleigh-Ann had been fine all day but started projectile vomiting at bed-time and had a high temperature and a very irritable cry.

“My sister, upon hearing the cry, said I should bring her to hospital to be checked out. “ By t h e t i m e t h e ambulance arrived

her temperature had decreased, as I had given her Calpol, so they asked if I still wanted to bring her in as it seemed like a vomiting bug.

“However, my gut instinct told me something was wrong so on we went to hospital. It was there I noticed a rash developing and she was whisked out of my arms.”

Kayleigh-Ann was diagnosed with Group B Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia (MenB), for which there is currently no vaccine in the childhood immunisation schedule in Ireland.

“This is why it’s so important that parents know the sy mptoms of meningitis, tr ust

baby Kayleigh-Ann was diagnosed with Group B Meningococcal Meningitis and Septicaemia

their instincts and seek medical advice without delay,” added Aisling.

Meningitis Awareness Week is run by Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF). The charity estimates that there are around 200 cases of meningitis and sep-

ticaemia every year in Ireland.

They are deadly diseases that can strike without warning, killing one in ten people, and leaving a third of survivors with life-altering after-effects, ranging from deafness and brain

damage to loss of limbs.

Babies, toddlers and young adults are most at risk, but the disease can strike at any age.

From this December, babies born on or after October 1 will be routinely offered a vaccine to protect against MenB; however, there is no catch-up campaign planned for older children.

Mo n i k a M a r c h l e wicz, Ireland Manager of MRF, said: “We are extremely grateful to Aisling for helping to raise awareness. MRF funds vital scientific research into the prevention, detection and treatment of meningitis and septicaemia, but there are still some forms of the disease

which are not covered by vaccines so it is vital that people are aware of the symptoms.

“We encourage parents to get medical help if they are concerned about their child, to be vigilant, and to return to a health professional if they have been sent home but symptoms progress.”

Check that you know the symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia at www.meningitis.org/ symptoms, and share theMeningitis Awareness Week campaign (www.meningitis.org/ maw2016) with everyone you know using #MRFAwarenessWeek.

Call MRF’s helpline on 1800 41 3344, or see www.meningitis.org.

Concerns over plans for airport

PILOTS have expressed concerns over safety issues linked to the expansion of Dublin Airport.

The Irish Airline Pilots Association (IALPA) is worried that the proposed passenger transfer area at the pier at Terminal 2 could put lives at risk. The project secured planning permission from Fingal County Council, but now the IALPA is appealing it to An Bord Pleanala.

The Dublin Airport Authority has dismissed claims of any health and safety risk and says the safety of passengers is its number-one priority at all times. The pilots’ group is also concerned about the increase in the number of transatlantic routes by Aer Lingus.

The planning appeals board is due to rule on the terminal issue by November 28, and the second issue by next January 3.

8 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

COMPETITION | €50,000 INVESTMENT FUND TO SUPPORT YOUTH

The hunt is on for Fingal’s Best Young Entrepreneur  IAN BEGLEY THE search for Fingal’s Best Young Entrepreneur is under way, with a total €50,000 investment fund to support young business heads, aged between 18 and 35.

This national enterprise initiative attracted 1,400 applications across the country last year, and supported more than 450 young entrepreneurs through training, mentoring and direct financial assistance.

Announcing the start of this year’s programme, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’ Connor, said: “The quest to find Ireland’s Best Young

Entrepreneur is one of the most exciting initiatives to create new businesses and new jobs in recent years.

“There is help out there for any young person that wants to take a risk and start their own business.

“The first-stop shop to get advice and support on starting a business is your Local Enterprise Office (LEO).”

The initiative is co-ordinated by all 31 LEOs, and begins with a nationwide competition across three categories at a county level: Best Idea, Best Start-Up Business, and Best Established Business.

Around 450 applicants, across every local authority area, will be invited to

Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur – Fingal winners 2015

regional Entrepreneur Bootcamps in November, to help them develop their business and new venture ideas.

Fingal LEO will award six investment prizes to three category winners and three runners-up before the regional finals early next year.

The local winners in the Best Start-Up and Best Established Business

categories will receive €15,000 each, and the two runners-up will each receive €5,000.

The Best Business Idea winner locally will receive an investment prize of €7,000 and the runner-up will receive €3,000.

The competition is now in its third year and last year’s local winners were Cara Sturgess, with Loinnir, from Castleknock, in

the Best Business Idea category; Dean Peters, with Comparison Windows and Doors, from Skerries, in the Best StartUp Business category; and Gemma O’Brien, from Adam and Friends, from Blanchardstown, in the Best Established Business category.

Fingal’s Best Young Entrepreneur for 2015 was Gemma O’Brien, from Adam and Friends.

To enter, young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 in Fingal are being asked to visit the competition website at www.ibye.ie, to submit their entry online.

The closing date to enter is Friday, October 14 and there is no entry fee.

Tune in to Culture Night festivities LOCAL venues are gearing up for this year’s Culture Night - the annual all-island public event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts.

Held on September 16, the event will feature an array of events taking place across Fingal including a traditional music night at Ardgillan Castle and evening tours of Newbridge House and Gardens.

For one night only, arts and cultural organisations and venues will extend their opening hours to allow access to the public for unique events, workshops and talks specifically programmed at participating locations with all events available free of charge.

See www.culturenight.ie.

15 September 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 9

EXCUSES REVEALED | DISABLED SPACES

‘What’s it to you where I park?’  IAN BEGLEY HANGOVERS and collecting take-aways are among the most common reasons people give for parking in disabled spaces, a survey has revealed – and according to a local councillor, Dublin 15 is no exception to this issue.

In an online poll carried out by the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI), they found the top excuses that non-disabled drivers give include: “What’s it to you where I park?”, “I’ll park where I like”, or “I’m getting my Chinese [takeaway] and that’s more important”.

Some other excuses featured include: “I’ll only be a minute”, “I’ll move if somebody comes along and wants the space”, and “I’ve got a hangover”.

Cllr Lorna Nolan (Ind), who is a founding member of the Fingal Disability Network, said she feels more businesses should have stricter enforcement measures to tackle this problem.

She said: “Unfortunately, this is still a big issue in the Blanchardstown area. I wrote a letter a few months ago

to a local supermarket who had a problem with many people parking in disabled spaces, asking them to put up a sign and start clamping offenders.

“My argument is that it shouldn’t be the security staffs’ responsibility to make them move. The management of these businesses need to be more pro-active and start calling clamping companies on offenders.”

Commercial premises, under current building regulations, have a legal obligation to provide accessible parking spaces.

However, gardai and traffic wardens cannot issue tickets for cars illegally parked in disabled parking spaces in private car parks belonging to commercial premises, shopping centres and other private organisations. The responsibility in this case falls to the property owner.

Richard Ryder, marketing manager with the DDAI, says fines should be increased for disabled parking offenders.

He said: “We would welcome the extension of enforcement policies to disabled spaces in pub-

licly available private carparks, an increase in the current parking fine from €80 to €160, and in the future, possible penalty points imposed for illegal parking of this nature in all publicly available car parks.”

DDAI member John McFarlane said: “Recently, I was parked legally in a blue badge space on the main street of a local town. I have to access my vehicle though the back doors, but a car pulled in so close, on double yellow lines, I couldn’t open the doors to get in, and I was stuck in the rain for 20 minutes until the driver returned.

“I was soaked, frustrated and angry, and their response was: ‘Use the driver’s door like everyone else does’, and they drove off.”

The Disabled Drivers Motor Show and Conference runs from 10am to 5pm at the RDS on Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17.

Entry is free of charge, and there is also free parking for drivers with a valid European Parking Card. For further information, see www.ddmotorshow.ie.

GazetteGALLERY | CAMINO TRIP 2016

A walk on the bright side LOCAL woman and cancer survivor Bernie Walsh (above) was part of a group who walked the Camino to Santiago de Compostela in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation. All the funds raised from the trip will go to the Foundation Comfort Fund, so that it can continue to give grants to people experiencing financial difficulty as a result of their cancer diagnosis.

10 GAZETTE 15 September 2016

GazetteGALLERY | STARS ARE OUT ON THE STARTING LINE FOR LAUNCH OF THE

2FM Breakfast Republic presenters Bernard O’Shea, Jennifer Zamparelli and Keith Walsh

Stephen Kelly, models Julia Mielcarek and Aoife McGrane, and David Patton. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

RTE host Miriam O’Callaghan with broadcaster, journalist and rugby Don O’Neill and Tracey Moroney

pundit George Hook

Supercar spectacle roars into city centre A

Orla Glackin and James Byrne

Singer and model Michelle McGrath

WHOLE host of stars came out for the start of Cannonball 2016, which had its starting point at Point Village. This is the largest ever Cannonball event and it takes place all over Ireland. The gleaming convoy is driving through 900km of Irish open roads, with stops in Dublin, Cavan, Westport, Bunratty, Galway, Tullamore and Wexford. Now in its eighth year, the Supercar spectacle has raised more than €850,000 for charities and this year, proceeds will go to Pieta House. Spectators could view the supercars and meet the drivers whilst soaking up the atmosphere.

Pat McCloskey and fashion presenter Glenda Gilson

Model Emma Quinlan

Some of the superb muscle cars on show

15 September 2016 GAZETTE 11

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12 GAZETTE 15 September 2016

DUBLINBUSINESS

Pupils right on the money as Ulster Bank launches online finance lessons ULSTER Bank has unveiled a range of new MoneySense content for five- to eight-year-olds as the summer holidays draw to a close.

MoneySense is an impartial, free financial education programme covering a wide range of topics such as money safety and money management.

The programme, which is Ireland’s largest and longest running free financial education programme, has helped millions of young people learn about money in nearly 60% of schools in the UK and Ireland,

and has been running in Ireland for more than eight years, having been introduced to secondary schools here in 2008.

T he award-wining free programme offers a full range of curriculum-

linked practical and interactive resources for students aged up to 18 years.

It aims to help students understand money and make sound financial decisions in the future.

Eamonn O’Reilly, chief executive, Dublin Port Company with Andrew Hetherington, chief executive, Business to Fergal Fitzgerald, Ulster Bank MoneySense volunteer

Arts launch Port Perspectives. Picture: Shane O’Neill Photography

and primary school pupils unveil a range of exciting

INITIATIVE: LOGISTICS HUB BRUSHES UP ON ARTS

new MoneySense content for 5 to 8 year-olds

Artists could make some waves thanks to their site-specific port works

 IAN BEGLEY

D U BL I N P o r t h a s announced the launch of an open call to artists and arts projects to create site-specific works in Dublin Port as part of Port Perspectives.

The commissioned artworks will respond specifically to the built environment and local areas in and around the port, enhancing the public realm to draw audiences and port visitors, while creating a living exhibition and cultural trail.

The inspiration for this project comes from Dublin Port’s increasing interaction with the arts.

In recent years, a series of commissioned arts projects have provided an effective and powerful means to tell the story of

the port and are helping to renew the historical link between it and the city.

A central objective of Dublin Port’s soft values strategy is rebuilding these links, which have been traditionally forged through long-standing education, cultural, sporting and community initiatives, and now the arts.

Challenges E a m o n n O ’ R e i l l y, chief executive of Dublin Port, said: “One of the challenges for Dublin Port is to create stronger links between the port and the city, and through the arts we are working to achieve that.

“With Port Perspectives, we want to bring the port and surrounding

areas to life, using new and original artworks that inspire, engage and tell the story of Dublin Port to audiences far and wide.

“This is a project that celebrates both the visual arts and built environment where we live and work, and one that will greatly enhance the quality of the public realm at the port.

“I look forward to seeing how artists respond to the brief and working with them on this exciting new initiative.”

The commission is open to practitioners in the areas of visual arts and film, including projections. There is an open category for artists and arts projects that are keen to respond to the commissioning brief.

Proposals may be made for temporary and permanent artworks and a number of locations within Dublin Port have been selected as locations.

These include Poolbeg Lighthouse, the Half Moon Battery, Dublin Port Company’s headquarters and the North Quay Extension, close to the East Link Bridge.

The shortlisted artists will be notified in November, and the commissioned artists will be announced next January.

The deadline for applications is October 10.

Artists can find more information and learn about the application process on the Business to Art website, at www. businesstoart.ie/portperspectives

15 September 2016 GAZETTE 13

P27 THE ASDFSDAF IPHONE 7 P25

BUS STRIKES P16-17

DUBLINLIFE Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week

ROBERT ARKINS: SPEAKS TO GAZETTE ON HOW HE WAS LANDED ICONIC ROLE

BON JOUR, CLAUDE – A LOVELY DOG INDEED ...

Twenty five years on and still focused on the music  IAN BEGLEY

25 YEARS ago, on the big screen, wannabe band manager Jimmy Rabbitte put an advert in the local newspaper and before long a loveable ragtag group of Dubliners got together to form the soulful sounds of The Commitments.

Renowned director Alan Parker’s funny, uplifting, gritty film, based on Roddy Doyle’s debut novel, took the world by storm on its 1991 release, garnering critical acclaim and awards galore, including a BAFTA for Best Film.

It has since spawned a slew of touring bands and a hugely successful stage musical which commences its UK tour later this year.

Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) knows he’s the world’s greatest band manager… now he just needs a band.

Auditioning anyone and everyone

he can find from the rough streets of Dublin, he eventually gathers the ten most talented, but least experienced musicians with the aim of launching the greatest Irish Soul band of all time.

Speaking to The Gazette this week, Robert told the story of how he was landed the role of Jimmy.

“The keyboard player of my band had a girlfriend who was an actress.

She told her agent about the band and somehow we were tracked down and asked to come in for an audition.

“I didn’t know anything about what they were doing even though I read the book about a month before. It was when I was on holiday in Copenhagen that I got a call from the agent to say I needed to come back to Dublin because I got the part of Jimmy Rabbitte.”

Robert added that he wasn’t nervous about playing the role because



GAZETTE

FEATURE P14

Robert Arkins starred as Jimmy Rabbitte in The Commitments

the director of the film said he believed he could do the character justice.

“Acting and filming never crossed my mind at any point before The Commitments.

“I definitely was a bit of a film freak before then, but I never really thought about what the film would entail, but what it really entailed for me was more to do with contracts and negotiations.

“They all wanted me to be at their beck and call… I didn’t have time to absorb how big the film was at the time. My time was taken up with lawyers and potential managers and agents, which just went on and on

and on. I didn’t really get to enjoy the whole thing of being in films and being famous. I was in a band and only focused on my music. I wasn’t interested in being famous, selling records or making money – it was all about music.”

Robert said that music is still a big part of his life and plans on releasing something in the near future.

“I reckon down the line I’m going to release something as soon as I can, which has nothing got to do with the 25th anniversary of The Commitments or anything like that.”

The Commitments 25th anniversary special edition DVD and BlueRay will be released on September 19.

OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Claude – a four-year-old pit bull cross that you might recognise from Dog Tales with Andrea Hayes on TV3 (Fridays at 8:30pm; shown again at noon on Saturday).

He is a handsome (and now famous) boy who adores people and loves affection and cuddles.

Claude is super strong, and will need a family who are able to manage his size and strength, so he would be best suited to a home with older children.

Although he really loves people, he struggles with other dogs, so would prefer to be the only dog in the home. We really believe this dog will make the most amazing pet!

If you can be Claude’s #SpecialSomeone*, then please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off Exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website, www.dogstrust. ie. You can also find them on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline, or on Twitter @ DogsTrust_IE.

GAZETTE

14 GAZETTE 15 September 2016

DUBLINLIFE

FEATURE

INTERVIEW: ONE OF IRELAND’S BEST-LOVED COMEDIANS ISN’T SHORTT OF A FEW INSIGHTS

Pat’s amount of projects are nothing short of D’Unbelievable  EMMA NOLAN

H AV I N G r e c e n t l y starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe in The Cripple of Inismaan on Broadway, The Gazette caught up with comedian and actor Pat Shortt to find out about his latest projects and why he thinks writing is “f***ing miserable!”

The popular Limerick funnyman, who is best known for his hilarious show, D’Unbelievables, was in town for the launch of TV3’s newlook autumn schedule, which includes his new drama, Smalltown.

Shortt has a long list of projects he’s been working on – his latest movie is due out in October, and he’s gearing up to take his new live show on the road from next month.

He told The Gazette: “I’m writing a new live show at the moment,

which has me in the office writing, scripting, editing, proofing posters – basically, doing everything to get ready for the tour to start at the end of October in theatres all over Ireland.”

Touring The show will also be going on the road to New Zealand, Australia and to New York, where he plans to visit his favourite pub there, the Red Lion in Greenwich Village.

He added: “I’m in Dublin doing a lot of publicity for that – the usual running around.”

As well as that, the busy Killinaskully actor’s latest film is coming out on October 14.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to that; it’s by the same team who did Man About Dog.” Dow ntime doesn’t

come often for Pat, but when it does he likes to go fishing on Lough Derg, leading him to muse: “The young fella and meself, we go camping and fishing and all that carry on.”

When asked if he prefers writing or acting, he said: “Acting, hands down! Writing is f***ing miserable!” he laughed.

“It’s miserable – it has its great moments where you get excited.

What happens is, the craft of writing kicks in and you have to make it work either for stage or television.

“The mechanical aspect of it kicks in and you have to sacrifice good material to make it work. It’s like losing weight – it’s f***ing awful!”

It’s all go for Pat right now, and with a new RTE show also in the pipeline, we’ll soon be seeing him everywhere.

Pat Shortt takes time out at the TV3 autumn schedule launch to talk to The Gazette’s Emma Nolan

Dublin’s delights impress Richard  EMMA NOLAN

A FAMOUS face was spotted out and about on a bike on the streets of Dublin last week as actor Richard E Grant paid us a visit.

The Withnail And I star was in town with Tourism Ireland to help promote Dublin to British visitors.

Richard hung out with locals and immersed

himself in local culture in an effort to showcase some of the experiences on offer here.

Whether on foot on by bicycle, the film star and luxury travel presenter took in a range of the city’s top attractions, with the world-famous library at Trinity College (right) proving a highlight.

When complete, the campaign will reach more than 5.5 million

people across Britain.

Julie Wakley, Tourism Ireland’s deputy head of Great Britain, said: “We are really excited to be

working with Richard E Grant and Smooth Radio, as they are a great fit with this important demographic.”

15 September 2016 GAZETTE 15

GAZETTE

DIARY

Barber festival is combing to town DUBLIN’S first ever barber festival is set to launch this October.

Taking place in the Opium Rooms on Wexford Street, Barber Cut Dublin will be the biggest gathering of celebrity and master barbers for a festival-style, day-long event.

The festival will showcase all aspects of traditional and modern barbering, including shaving techniques by some of the world’s most talented professionals.

Founded by master barber Sam Donnelly and event organiser Kieorin Black, together they have brought some of the world’s most skilful barbers to share their years of knowledge and expertise of barbering in the hope

of motivating and inspiring those of all ages and levels of experience within the industry.

Tickets for the event are €50 and are available at Eventbrite.ie.

BIRR-ING YOUR FILM SKILLS TO OFFALY TAKE your first step on the road to the Oscars and get involved in the 57 Hour Filmmaking Challenge at the 2016 OFFline Film Festival, which runs from October 12 to 16 in Birr, County Offaly.

Teams of filmmakers are asked to register on October 13, then shoot and edit a short film in and around Birr. They’ll have access to equipment, locations and a database of local actors and extras.

On the evening of October 15, their films will be submitted to a panel of judges and screened to the public the next day, with the winning short film guaranteed a coveted slot at the Galway Film Fleadh 2017.

The first prize is €3,500 post-production studio rental and equipment rental as well as a slot in the 2017 Galway Film Fleadh. The second prize is a €1,000 equipment rental voucher.

To sign up, see www. offlinefilmfestival.com and click on the Challenge tab.

SCREENING TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS OSCAR-nominated director Lenny Abraham-

son is on his way to Dublin for a special screening of his film, Adam and Paul, in support of the Peter McVerry Trust.

Lenny will be joined

by Francis Doherty, of the trust, in Herber Park to highlight the increasing homelessness issue in Ireland.

Taking place on September 16, gates will open at 6.30pm with a panel discussion at 7pm, and the film is scheduled to start around 8pm. Tickets are listed at €5 per person and are available at www. happenings.ie, or can be purchased at the gate.

Also in discussion will be the recent international success of the Irish film industry, which has been spearheaded by Lenny

and Ed Guiney, and their four-time Oscar-nominated film, Room.

As part of this event, €500 plus 15% of the total gate take will be presented to the Peter McVerry Trust.

A DREAM TICKET FOR THEATRE LOVERS SHAKESPEARE’S A Mid Summer Night’s Dream is coming to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre for six performances only as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival.

Taking place from September 28 to October 1, this “gleefully mischievous” take on one of Shakespeare’s most loved comedies is set to be a festival highlight.

The festival, which is

Hirsutes you, sir... hipsters and all beard lovers will welcome the arrival of Dublin’s first barber festival

now in its 59th year, will run across 18 days and nights, making Dublin the go-to destination for a myriad of exciting theatrical experiences from Ireland and across the globe.

The 2016 programme showcases the diversity

of contemporary theatre and includes drama, opera, both classical and experimental, dance, performance art, documentary theatre and film.

For full programme details, see dublintheatrefestival.com.

15 September 2016 GAZETTE 17

DUBLINLIFE

VOX POPS

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16 GAZETTE 15 September 2016

Dubliners and visitors to the city alike have found themselves dragged into a public transport row yet again.

With the city bracing for the next two days of bus strikes, Emma Nolan and Ian Begley took to the streets to hear what you think about the strikes, their impact and how they affect you ...

COMMUTING A SENTENCE ON THE CITY

 SUSAN

FORSYTHE I CAN understand why they’re doing it, but I think to hit the public this way is not fair.

Personally, I had an appointment and I couldn’t make it because I couldn’t make it in on time. Fair enough, [the drivers] haven’t got a pay rise in eight years, but at the end of the day they have a job and they have a pension, which many people today don’t have. I’m for it and against it ...

If we [Ireland] were in a better financial state, they should maybe get it, but it’s always the average Joe on the street that has to get the bus who’ll be affected by [such strikes]. I won’t be affected personally, though.  NORA

DUNNE I DON’T think I’ll really be affected, because I usually get the Dart, and I support the strike because I always support worker’s rights.  FIONA

 CAROL

FOGARTY I DON’T support them – I think the workers a r e a s king for too much, and they’re asking [for a raise] because they’ll know they’ll get it.

O’DONOVAN I WON’T be affected by the strikes on Thursdays, but I will on Fridays, and will have to get the Dart to work instead.

It won’t take me longer, but it’s just a little inconvenient for me,

and the train will be very packed as well, which isn’t nice.

The pay rise they’re asking for seems reasonable to me, but I’m sure a lot of people also haven’t had a pay rise in eight years.

I would say I’m undecided on it – it’s probably reasonable for them to want a pay rise, especially with the Luas drivers getting one.  ERIC WAN

I AGREE that the strike is a big nuis a n c e for many c o m m u ters, but at the same time I think it’s good that more people are using this as an opportunity to walk or cycle into work.

Some Dublin towns will be more affected by this strike than others, so I hope the strike will be resolved very quickly.

Dublin Bus is such an important amenity, and we can’t afford to have them off our roads for much longer.

 SABRINA

BEEHAN I’M A bit m i x e d about the w h o l e thing, to be honest.

I u n d e rstand why they’re striking, but it’s still a big inconvenience for commuters.

A lot of people depend on the buses. and the hassle of it all will create a ripple effect on the amount of traffic in Dublin.

People are worried that it will turn into another Luas dispute, but hopefully it won’t.  TRACY

SALTER I WON’T be affected by the strikes, because I can either get the bus or drive to work, so I’m lucky.

I might get stuck in traffic, so I’ll have to leave extra early.

I don’t support the strike –

Because of the bus strike, Clondalkin man Gordon Sweeney faces a two-hour round trip walking from Clondalkin to Ballyfermot to get to and from work

You spoke, we listened – it’s clear that the strikers enjoy a decent level of public support – for now – despite the difficulties the strikes pose for commuters and businesses

they’re looking for extra money when they’re already getting enough.  SARAH

BURKE I WILL be affected by the strike because I have to go to the airport very early in the morning – I’d usually get the bus, but I’ll just have to get a taxi this time. I always support workers and strikes – I supported the Luas drivers too.

I think [the bus drivers] get a lot of bad press for going on strike, but we can’t have workers’ rights eroded. Ultimately, I’m for it – obviously, it’s inconvenient, but that’s life.  CONOR

GANLEY I THINK it’s an absolute joke. We keep giving in to

all these ridiculous demands for more money.

At the end of the day they’re sitting around, not doing an awful lot. If you want to earn more money go back to college and learn something – don’t just sit around and ask for a hand-out.

The Luas drivers were bad enough! Students are looking for jobs all the time, and it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to operate [a bus].

Obviously, a bus takes some level of skill, but at the end of the day it’s not rocket science.  ANDREW NUDING I DON’T get the bus that m u c h because I drive and get the Luas the odd time too, so the strikes won’t really affect me.

I s u p p o r t t h e s t r i ke s because I think everyone is entitled to strike.

The Dublin Bus workers

are well within their rights, especially since they haven’t got a pay rise in eight years, and since the Luas drivers got their rise.

I think the bus drivers work really hard and they deserve the raise.  RYAN COULTER I DEFIN I T E LY 100% support the strikes.

[Bus driving is] a

really important job to sustain Dublin’s mobility.

The Dublin Bus workers have to have a basic standard of income to support themselves and their families, and the people who said it’s easy to drive a Luas – well, a bus is a different story ...

It’s definitely an important service for the city, and the staff need to be looked after and well paid.

Hopefully, the public will understand the importance of the service that Dublin Bus provide through the deficit of that service.

 JOY HOWLIN I WILL be affected because I’m going to have to get a taxi to college.

I do support the strike, but I don’t support [the strikers] taking away a whole public transport service.

If you look at people like the Gardai – they haven’t gone on strike in a long, long time, and their pay conditions aren’t great either.

THE BUS DRIVER’S VIEW  ANONYMOUS STRIKER I KNOW that this strike affects many passengers around Dublin, but we’re being forced into industrial action by Dublin Bus and the Government for reducing Ireland’s subvention to this service.

Driving a bus takes a lot more skill compared to operating a Luas, and unlike [Luas operator] Transdev, Dublin Bus is making a big loss. Driving through the city centre dur-

ing rush hour, and weaving past road works, is extremely challenging and you have to be fully wired in throughout the journey to avoid potential hazards.

We also have to interact with the public every day, which also be very demanding, especially if the passenger is problematic.

We haven’t been given a pay rise in eight years, and I don’t think we’re asking for a lot.

It’s a Clon-g way for man to walk during the strike CLONDALKIN man G o r d o n Swe e n e y was one of thousands of commuters lef t stranded without public transport as a result of last week’s industrial action by Dublin Bus. He was forced to walk almost two hours to and from work on Friday – and uploaded a video of his travails and travels to highlight the inconvenience caused by the bus strike.

Gordon, who lives in Thornfield Square apartments off Watery Lane, does not own a car, so is dependent on Dublin Bus to get him to and from work in Ballyfermot.

Normally, he gets the No 13 bus, which stops just outside the apartment complex, but he was left with no choice but to make the onehour journey on foot last week.

Australia The strike also prevented him from visiting his sister – who arrived home to Knocklyon after a trip to Australia on Friday.

Gordon said drivers at Dublin Bus have been offered a good deal, and should take it.

He added: “It’s a major inconvenience.

They should take the deal and not be affect-

ing the city as they are.

“I understand they want their money, but they have had a decent offer of 2.75% [per year] for the next three years.

“I would be delighted to get 1% over the next three years. I’m lucky to have a job. What they are being offered is very good. When the Luas drivers got their way, this [strike] was always going to happen.”

Gordon said the strike had left countless commuters in the same boat as himself.

He said: “People have had to do shift changes, get taxis and rely on other people to get to work. It is unfair.”

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18 GAZETTE 15 September 2016

DUBLINLIFE

STYLE

BEAUTYbits Get good brows A GOOD brow palette is an essential part of any make-up these days - throw in a shape angle brush and you’re good to go.

The Brow Artise palette from Young Blood

Fur Faux 140 S O AS oat € c Over

(€37.50) is a handy kit that contains everything you need for perfectly groomed arches; two shades of pressed brow powder, a lightly tinted wax, a dual-

Artiste’s demagogically approved formula is also paraben-free, meaning the brow kit is suitable for even the most sensitive skin, and which may be prone to acne, rosacea or psoriasis.

Suitable for all skin tones, the brow artiste kit is available in four shades: blonde, brunette, auburn and dark.

Application Tips: • Tweeze stray eyebrow hairs, then brush hairs up with spoolie end of brush.

• Lightly shade powder into brows with slanted end of brush.

• To set the brows, apply wax through the brows with the spoolie end of the brush.

It is available in selected pharmacies nationwide.

Alex and Ani

Bundle

celebrate autumn Because I love You True Direction €36 ALEX AND ANI are back with their striking 1970s-inspired collection for autumn.

The latest pieces from the eco-conscious brand “in charge of their own destiny”.

The colour palette of navy, warm golds, and deep neutrals reflects the 1970s vibe along with their new symbols for honour, liberation, love and freethinking.

The pieces are available in Dublin in Arnotts,

UP! d French Connec tion Trench Coat €21 2

celebrate confident, independent women who are

Fields Jewellers and Weir and Sons.

d

River Island colour block mac €87

Penneys €32

With skin-calming ingredients including jojoba seed oil and honeysuckle, Youngblood Brow

Littlewoods Ireland Patchwork Animal faux fur coat €104

ended brow brush and a premium tweezer.

River Island bomber parka with faux fur collar €80  EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

THE BEST and worst thing about summer ending is that we now have to wear more clothes.

It’s bad because we have to say goodbye to sandals, bare legs, bare arms and a rather care-free approach to dressing, thanks to the increasing fear of colds and flus.

It’s good, however, because one of life’s greatest pleasures (for me, anyway) is shopping for a

new winter coat! It’s something I like to always splash out on – after all, it’s what you will be wearing most days for the next few months.

The latest trends are in no way uniform, with the autumn/winter 2016 runways unveiling everything from giant puffa jackets to patchwork faux fur, military-style trenches and lots of colour.

Some more reasonably priced transitional coats are also a great option for autumn while it’s still relatively warm.

15 September 2016 GAZETTE 19

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20 GAZETTE 15 September 2016

DUBLINLIFE

TITANIC Belfast has been named Europe’s top visitor attraction, beating some of the world’s biggest hotspot attractions, including the Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace and the Acropolis.  IAN BEGLEY

NAMED as Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards in Italy, the museum has attracted three million visitors from more than 145 countries since opening in 2012.

It becomes the first Northern Irish site to win the award in its 23-year history.

The museum celebrates Belfast’s shipbuilding history and the crea-

tion of the Titanic – the world’s most famous ocean liner.

However, it is the second year in a row a tourism initiative from Ireland has won the accolade after the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin bagged the top prize in 2015.

Reacting to the award, Titanic Belfast chief executive Tim Husbands said it was a huge achievement, considering the attraction was still relatively young in world tourism circles.

“After only four years in opera-

tion, to be recognised and beating stiff competition from Europe’s most iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Roman Colosseum is a true honour.

“We know what we offer at Titanic Belfast is special and something our city and country can be proud of, and we are so pleased this has been recognised at an international level,” he said.

Husbands added that since opening in 2012, Titanic Belfast had established itself as a world-class attraction on the local, national and international stage.

“Last month, we welcomed our three-millionth visitor, having once again exceeded visitor number

expectations.

“This milestone came during a record-breaking August, as the visitor attraction experienced its busiest day, to date.

“The visitor experience has also experienced significant growth, to date, from France, Germany, USA and China, year to year,” he said.

Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister Mar tin McGuinness described the award as a “phenomenal achievement”.

He said: “The story of the Titanic ship is known around the globe and it is only right and proper we have a world-class visitor attraction to match.”

Titanic Belfast was also honoured

recently in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel list of 500 of the world’s most striking locations.

The museum is housed in East Belfast in a six-floor building featuring nine interpretive and interactive galleries that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of the Titanic, as well as the city and people who made her.

Chief executive of Tourism Ireland, John McGrillen, said the organisation was “extremely proud” of the win.

“I congratulate Tim and his team and I have every confidence that Titanic Belfast will remain at the heart of our tourism industry for decades to come,” he said.

A titanic attraction FROM January 14 to March 26 2017, Disneyland Paris awakens with the Season of the Force.

Summon your inner Jedi and lead your young Padawans to Walt Disney Studios Park for an intergalactic extravaganza, where a spectacular night time show blasts you to the heart of the Star Wars saga.

During the day, the light or dark side, you must choose.

But be sure to pick wisely, as the fearful First Order

march perilously close and Stormtroopers patrol the streets. And if it’s more of the Force you’re after, fulfil your destiny at the Jedi Training Academy in Disneyland Park.

Book with Abbey Travel and you can get up to two extra days and nights free for arrivals from November 1 right up to March 28, 2016.

Also, for each adult booked children under seven receive free hotel and park tickets for the entire stay. This means a

family of two adults and two kids under seven can stay in Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe for four nights starting from €498, including five days’ park tickets. Flights and transfers are not included.

Price based on Sunday to Thursday arrivals between January 8 to February 2, 2017.

You can avail of this Galactic Winter Offer if you book before October 3. To book call Abbey Travel on 01 804 7160 or visit www.abbeytravel.ie

Let the force light up your holiday

15 September 2016 GAZETTE 21

The Titanic was the world’s largest ship when it was constructed in 1912.

It could carry 2,453 passengers, and its first-class section boasted a swimming pool, a squash court, a Turkish bath and a grand staircase that descended through seven decks.

The ship travelled from Belfast to Cobh, on the south coast of Ireland, before sinking after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

The museum is located at the spot where the ship was launched, and is designed to mimic the bows of a ship. Visitors to Titanic Belfast have included James Cameron, Queen Elizabeth II and Adele.

Sales Since opening, Titanic Belfast has sold 338,000 postcards and more than 20,000 Titanic snow globes.

Along with the TV series Game

GAZETTE

TRAVEL of Thrones, which is filmed in the region, the museum has been credited with raising Northern Ireland’s profile among visitors.

A record-breaking 2.3 million people visited the region in 2015, with the Giant’s Causeway the most popular attraction.

Titanic Belfast will now go on to compete for the title of world’s leading attraction at a ceremony in the Maldives later this year.

There’s now a retreat where you can do yoga with goats

You’ve got to be kidding!

Goat Yoga becomes a hit Titanic Belfast has been named as Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards in Italy

Enjoy a spooktacular family-friendly Halloween ALTON Towers Resort is set to unveil a number of new attractions at its forthcoming Scarefest this Halloween and, to celebrate, Irish Ferries has announced a “spooktacular” family-friendly package deal that will be sure to appeal to parents seeking fun-filled adventure over the mid-term break.

Valid for stays between October: 8, 9, 15, 16 and 21 to 31, a threenight stay with breakfast in the

nearby Best Western Tillington Hall Hotel costs €615 for a family of two adults and two children under 11 years, sharing a family room. The price includes return car ferry crossing on Irish Ferries’ sailings between Dublin – Holyhead, and Rosslare – Pembroke, and two full days at Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire.

For bookings, call 0818 300 400, or see www.irishferries.com/alton.

Enjoy the Scarefest at Alton Towers

Travel Department has the perfect break for sun seekers to culture vultures TRAVEL Department, which is celebrating 20 years in business this year, has announced the launch of its exciting range of holidays for 2017.

Everyone from sun seekers to culture vultures will be well catered for in 2017, with holidays at amazing prices such as seven nights in the Algarve starting from €399pp, or a city break to stunning Prague from just €289pp for three nights.

There are plenty of new and

carefully planned itineraries on offer, such as the Highlights of the Veneto, including Venice, Padua and Bologna from €799pp between April and October; the magic of Munich and the Black Forest in May from €749pp; or April in the stunning Greek Island of Crete, from €999pp.

For more information on Travel Department’s 2017 departures, or to book, visit www.traveldepartment.ie or call 01 637 1600.

a little head-scratching of goats.

“They can be a little distracting,” admits Morse-Dyer, who says that it’s not just her lovable goats that get in on the fun—sometimes her barn cat and chickens join the action too.

The farm, which is situated in the middle of Oregon’s idyllic wine country, currently houses six goats, including two Nigerian Dwarf mini goats—Ansel and Adams—as well as a rescued Boer goat named Dodger, and two Pygmy mini-goats.

Morse-Dyer plans to launch a line of goat milk food and beauty products to sell at the farm as well as the local shops and farmers’ markets that sell locally-produced food and the area’s revered wines.

The fact that animal-loving yogis are flocking to MorseDyer’s farm is particularly surprising, because she is not one of them.

“I actually don’t practice yoga!” she says. “Isn’t that funny? Maybe I better start.”

So far. Goat Yoga has been a runaway success and MorseDyer continues adding classes to the schedule to meet the growing demand for the unusual activity.

The class schedule is posted to the farm’s Facebook page (Your Daily Goat), making it easy for daytrippers to add Goat Yoga to their agenda. For more information, visit www.lonelyplanet.com.

GAZETTE

YOU’VE got to be kidding!

A farm in Oregon has just launched a bizarre and unique new programme to entice visitors to the Willamette Valley, otherwise known as “Goat Valley”.

When you thought that yoga trends couldn’t get more ludicrous, the class takes place among a number of free-range goats joining in the fun.

“I have a yoga teacher come in and I supply the atmosphere and the goats,” Lainey MorseDyer, who hosts the class at her No Regrets Farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, told Lonely Planet.

The class lets participants find their inner peace by kicking back in Warrior Two pose with goats in a rolling green field with views of Oregon’s coastal mountain range in the distance.

“The whole atmosphere is extremely relaxing,” said MorseDyer.

The idea of adding goat yoga to the farm — located a little over an hour from Portland, Oregon — came about when a local yoga instructor asked if she could hold a class in one of the farm’s fields.

“I thought it was a great idea and thus Goat Yoga was born.”

For just $10 a class, yogis get to practice their tree poses while goats join in the fun, sitting on the yoga mats, and try to entice attendees away from their downward-facing dog poses into

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22 GAZETTE 15 September 2016

DUBLINLIFE

FEATURE

PEOPLE: REVEALING THE ORDINARY DUBLINERS DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS TO HELP OTHERS

Honouring Hidden Heroes  EMMA NOLAN

DUBLIN’S ever yday heroes were honoured at a special ceremony last week.

Broadcasters and celebrities were out in force to crown Ireland’s Hidden Heroes at a national awards ceremony hosted by Hidden Hearing in the Double Tree Hilton Hotel.

The Dublin Heroes came from all across the city and were praised for feats of heroism.

Broadcaster Mar y Kennedy joined Hidden Hearing’s managing director Stephen Leddy to present 21 people with awards in recognition of their achievements and contributions to communities throughout the country.

A “Charity Hero” was also voted on by the public on the day, and presented with a cheque for €2,000 from Hidden Hearing.

Commenting on this year’s Hidden Heroes, Kennedy said: “This is my second year hosting the Hidden Hearing Heroes awards.

“I was incredibly moved last year by the stories from ordinary people who are doing

extraordinary things the length and breadth of the country, and I was delighted to be invited to be a part of it again this year.

“These ordinary people, from all walks of life, are making our communities and our country a happier and healthier place through their kindness and generosity of spirit.

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

‘These ordinary people are making our communities and our country a happier and healthier place through their kindness and generosity of spirit’ --------------------------

Broadcaster Mary Kennedy

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

“They are helping others without expecting anything in return. This is our opportunity to acknowledge them and say a huge ‘Thank you’.”

13-year-old Tadgh O Midheach from Shankill was named the Deaf/ Hard of Hearing hero.

Ta d h g c o n t r a c t e d meningitis when he was two, and lost his hearing as a result, but uses international sign language and speech to communicate. Tadhg also has autism.

He is known for his sense of humour and has overcome his challenges to make a huge contribution to his school and community. He also managed to raise more than €500 for children with autism.

Lucan man Damien Douglas was awarded the Family Hero Recognition award. Damien retired from work to take care of his twin daughters, who require full-time care due to their condition, Wolf Hirschorn Syndrome.

Margaret Reilly, from Cabra, won the Family Hero award for taking in her three-year-old niece after her sister died.

Along with eight children of her own, she brought everyone up in a small two-bedroom house.

Margaret also moved her grandmother in to care for her until she passed away on Christmas Eve in 1981.

Even though on Christmas Day her heart was broken, Margaret

Barbara Clarke, sister, and Ava, daughter of Clare Clarke, with Conor Campbell Perrie with Lorraine Keane

Stephen Leddy, Hidden Hearing

Joanne O’Riordan and Young Hero Sean McCullagh

made sure that Santa came and there were presents and turkey for everyone.

She also advocated and cared for her son, Michael, when he became ill with cancer and stayed strong for everyone, despite her grief when he passed away in 1995. She has since become a grandmother 17 times and has one great-grandchild.

The Young Hero Recognition award went to Conor Campbell Perrie from Glenageary.

Conor saved his uncle’s life when he slipped into unconsciousness due to low blood sugar. His uncle is a diabetic and Conor realised that he was unresponsive when playing with him. An ambulance was called and his uncle’s life was saved as a result.

Sean McCullagh from Blanchardstown received the Young Hero award. Sean was paralysed at the age of four in a car accident.

He has overcome the

challenge to excel in sport and sailing, in particular.

He was part of the Leinster sailing team which was awarded the Causeway Award, and also represented Ireland at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation 2016 games, in Prague, and won two bronze medals.

Sean helps children with disabilities and recently trained to be a wheelchair skills trainer.

A special Lifetime Achievement award was presented this year to the family of Clare Clarke, from Artane. During her life, Clare, who was the mother of two young girls, found she struggled to explain her own cancer diagnosis to them.

She sought help and was stunned to find that there were no services available for children until they were bereaved.

Clare decided that this was unacceptable so investigated and found the Climb programme,

Donal Gill with Stephen Leddy, Hidden Hearing

Dolores Madden, Hidden Hearing, with Susan Dowling, daughter of Family Hero award winner Margaret Reilly

which was only available in Northern Ireland.

Clare campaigned to bring the services nation-

wide and now, thanks to her efforts, the Climb service has 22 centres throughout the country.

15 September 2016 GAZETTE 23

GAZETTE

FOOD&DRINK

A tea-riffic new way to see the city AF TERNOON tea is always a treat but a Howth woman has come up with a twist on the norm with her Vintage Tea Tours – Afternoon Tea with a Difference.

“It has been said that ‘If tea can’t fix it, then there’s no hope’. Or maybe that’s just another Irishism!”

So says Karen Nixon, who was inspired to start her new venture after a trip to London.

Vintage Tea Tours is a Dublin City tour with a difference.

Passengers get the chance to enjoy some of the city’s well-known sights, whilst comfortably seated in a vintage double decker Route-

master bus named Pauline, and while indulging in some afternoon tea treats.

The tour runs three times a day, at 11am, 1.15pm and 3.30pm, with tickets starting from €40.

Juicy facts Passengers are in the safe hands of driver Bob and the on-board Vintage Tea Tours team, who share some interesting and juicy facts about Dublin, its sights and, of course, the bus Pauline, named after Karen’s grandmother.

All of this can be enjoyed while nibbling on an array of delicacies and some surprising treats, such as a vanilla

panna cotta with forest berry compote, or a Guinness brownie, all freshly prepared daily by fine dining Italian chef Donato Romano.

Entrepreneur a nd founder Karen Nixon, with the suppor t of her family, felt that the romance and fun behind the concept of being chauffeured in a double decker bus, while enjoying pastries and the likes, needed to be shared – so much so that she bought a bus (inset, right).

Speaking about the new venture, and about Pauline the bus, Karen said: “We are so excited to be introducing Pauline to the world of tours and afternoon tea.

Entrepreneur and Vintage Tea Tours founder Karen Nixon

“As a family, we’ve all had a part in making this venture happen and it is fantastic to be able to include my beloved gran on this journey with us.

“There is so much history and romance involved in Vintage Tea Tours and we want our customers to be able to

experience it all. “ We w a n t t h e m to share a nostalgic moment with family and friends, as they remember the simple pleasure of tea and cake while sitting at their gran’s table in the snug warmth of her kitchen – it’s just on wheels this time!”

Recipe: Bayin Oils Chickpea Curry BAYIN Oils, a pioneering Irish start-up, is the first company in Europe exporting any food product from Myanmar to Europe.

Naturally produced oils are cold-pressed and unrefined, retaining the numerous health benefits of sesame seeds and peanuts.

Bayin are sharing this recipe for Chickpea Curry – the perfect healthy curry to warm you up on cold evenings.

Ingredients l 6 tbsp Bayin Peanut Oil

2 onions sliced 1 tsp fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped l 1 tsp ground cumin l 1 tsp ground coriander l 1 tsp garlic crushed l 1 tsp chilli powder l 1 tsp turmeric l 1 tsp smoked paprika l 2 fresh green chillies finely chopped l Bunch of fresh coriander chopped l 300ml vegetable stock l 1 large potato l 400g tin chickpeas l 400g tin tomatoes l 1 tbsp lemon juice l l

Method

Heat Bayin Peanut Oil in large pan. Add onions and cook until golden. l Reduce heat, add ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic, turmeric, smoked paprika, chilli powder, green chillies and coriander leaves (reserving some coriander for garnish). l Stir-fry for two mins.

Add stock and mix well. l Dice potato and add to pan with chickpeas and tomatoes. Simmer for 15-20 mins. l Sprinkle with lemon juice and remaining coriander. Serve hot. l

GAZETTE

24 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA

ReelReviews

CAFE SOCIETY SET in the 1930s, Woody Allen’s bittersweet romance Cafe Society follows Bronxborn Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) who moves to Hollywood, where he falls in love with the secretary of his powerful uncle, an agent to the stars. After returning to New York he is swept up in the vibrant world of High Society nightclub life.

(Cert 12A, 96 mins)

ANTHROPOID ANTHROPOID is based on the extraordinary true story of “Operation Anthropoid” – the code name for a Czechoslovakian operatives’ mission to assassinate a SS officer. The film follows two soldiers from the Czechoslovakian army-inexile, Josef (Cillian Murphy) and Jan (Jamie Dornan), who are tasked with assassinating Heydrich.

(Cert 15A, 120 mins)

SAUSAGE PARTY SAUSAGE Party (Cert 16, 89 mins) provides a side-order of utterly foulmouthed silliness, sprinkled with crudity. What would happen if your food could talk, only to realise that – gulp – it’s doomed to be skinned, burned, boiled and eaten alive? Sausage Party starts off well, but runs out of juice before the juice – and the sausages, and the eggs, and the milk – try to run off to freedom.

Juvenile delinquent Ricky (Julian Dennison) and sour Hector (Sam Neill) are forced to get along as circumstances drive the mis-matched pair together in the wilderness

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE: DEADPAN WIT & CHARMING ABSURDITY

A wild & wonderful comedy

T H I R T E E N -Y E A R OLD Julian Dennison carries the weight of this wild and wonderful comedy from New Zealand director Taika Waititi.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Cert PG, 1h 41m) is consistently hilarious, loudly absurd and quietly emotional; an odd-couple comedy that isn’t afraid to get heavy.

Split into 10 chapters, the film is structured along the lines of an archetypal children’s narrative and, accordingly, follows a kind of haphazard fairy-tale logic, despite dealing with some fairly adult themes.

Dennison plays Ricky Baker, a troublesome orphan sent from the city to live in the coun-

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

tryside with new foster parents: loud but loving Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and cantankerous bushman Hector (Sam Neill).

After some short-lived growing pains, Ricky embraces his new home.

However, tragedy strikes and Ricky finds himself running away again, out into the bush.

“Uncle Hec” pursues, but when child services find the house abandoned, they surmise he’s kidnapped Ricky. A national manhunt thus ensues ...

You’d be forgiven for expecting heaps of syrupy sentimentality after one read of Hunt for the Wilderpeople’s plot – Waititi’s script, however, is heavy with the kind of deadpan wit and charming absurdity we’ve come to expect from the filmmaker.

Despite a few handkerchief moments, then, Hunt for the Wilderpeople never indulges in the maudlin or melodramatic.

Whenever the story teeters on the edge of mushiness, an off-thecuff remark from Ricky, drenched in innocent ignorance, quickly grounds everything.

While Neill may have top billing here, and does his job amicably as the

film’s straight man, it is Dennison’s performance that drives everything.

The young actor wonderfully communicates a kind of innocent, simple wisdom and curious selfconfidence that is both comically endearing and outright inspiring.

Ricky has been put through the grinder of the foster care system and envisions himself as a gangster, an outlaw; followed everywhere by his canine companion, Tupac.

His unwillingness to return to that system gives the narrative a sense of danger: a kind of desperado charm that drives the adventure forward.

This is very much a “journey” film and its

p i c t u r e s q u e s we e p s through the vast and distinct geographies of the New Zealand wilderness evoke The Lord of the Rings – a fact not lost on Ricky, who compares their adventure to Peter Jackson’s film.

A couple of bizarrely placed but riveting action sequences, and a retro -sy nth score straight out of a 70s Italian police- thriller, keep the pace fast and flowing throughout; there is never a dull moment in a run time that just about borders on overly-long.

Also of note is the director’s uproarious cameo as a rambling, incompetent priest, and Rachel House’s turn as the monomaniacal child services worker – she

compares herself to The Terminator, and Ricky to Sarah Connor, “in Terminator 1, before she could do chin-ups!”

While the plot hinges on a curmudgeonly old man/bothersome child odd-couple stereotype, an abundance of unique absurdity, visual quirkiness and endearing characterisation mean that every archetypal plot turn appears natural.

Waititi’s best film yet, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople manages to feel both refreshingly original and comfortably familiar.

The director’s leap into the mainstream with next year’s Thor: Ragnarok is an interesting prospect – I for one am giddily optimistic.

Verdict: 9/10

15 September 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 25

COMMUNICATIONS: ANOTHER YEAR, AND ANOTHER VERSION OF THE FAMOUS PHONE

WeeBytes

Care to take a bite at Apple’s latest iPhone?

THOSE of you with close to a thousand quid burning a hole in their pocket (I know, I know – that could be anybody) may already have made up their mind to plump for the highest-spec version of Apple’s newly announced latest mobile phone, the iPhone 7 , which starts – starts! – at a wallet-whalloping €749 for the basic 32GB model, before strolling up to €919 for a snazzier, larger iPhone 7 Plus (256GB).

Whether interested in the Plus or not, the price alone will be a significant negative for a lot of people, should a quick scratch around behind the sofa not provide the sufficient readies.

However, eye-watering prices aside, what makes the iPhone 7 the latest must-have (or can’tafford) to take note of?

It’s been hard to nose through tech sites without noting the mutters and dissent about the

 SHANE DILLON

sdillon@dublingazette.com

greatest change in the latest iPhone – Apple’s ditching of the good ol’ earphone jack, found in just about every audiovisual device over the past 30-plus years, at least.

Well, gone, but not gone-gone, as some might say – no need to throw away your twisty earphones just yet, as audio adaptors are available, with one supplied with the phone.

However, in essence, Apple wants you to ditch your ye-olde headphones (providing sound that’s about as crisp and clear as granny’s ear trumpet) and switch to its EarPods instead – snazzy wireless earphones using proprietory tech.

It’s a somewhat divisive

move – after all, enforced wireless audio connectivity is anything but the norm – yet it plays into Apple’s gradual iteration game, rolling out key tech, hardware or software changes every so often.

Moving on, and while there are many changes across the board, one of the more obvious ones comes to light courtesy of the camera.

Whether the iPhone 7 or its bigger brother, the Plus, the cameras have been beefed up a little, with the Plus’s two cameras delivering a little more oomph in the picture quality.

But away from the loss of the audio jack, and the tweaking of the camera, however, there’s nothing that’s particularly revolutionary about the latest iPhone.

Yes, it’s a faster, stronger beast – but the pace of evolution that Apple once set as it strode confidently out in front of com-

GAZETTE

TECH

Responsibly recycle old batteries, says Bosco

Bin those batteries and help sick kids PEOPLE (and tech

writers) of a certain age will remember RTE legend Bosco only too well – and everyone’s favourite high-pitched, red-haired presenter is currently boxing clever, helping WEEE Ireland to ask people to recycle their batteries and help

As always, the iPhone is a beautifully designed and finished piece of tech, with further design changes adding to the iPhone 7’s tactile appeal. However, the changes mark a refined vision, rather than a truly revolutionary overhaul.

Goodbye cords, hello wireless ... Apple’s removal of the trusty audio jack in favour of wireless EarPods marks the single greatest change to the iPhone.

petitors has slowed right down, with Samsung, in particular, nipping at its heels lately.

Apple fans will know exactly what they’re getting – a powerful, beautifully made phone with

a wealth of features, and apps and usability that are unmatched. In this regard, the iPhone 7 (and Plus) lives up to the hype.

Ultimately, tech watchers have 2017 marked in their diaries, as the tenth

anniversary of the iPhone then may see Apple unveil something that’s even more revolutionary than ‘just’ ditching the jack.

Until then, the iPhone 7 (or iPhone 7 Plus) will just have to do ...

LauraLynn, Ireland’s children’s hospice.

Bosco is asking the country’s boys and girls, and adults too, to recycle their old batteries at the blue WEEE Ireland box that can be found at many retailers all across the country.

With WEEE Ireland acting as the country’s biggest recycling scheme for used batteries, the call has gone out to help Ireland in the EU-wide role to reach a target of recycling 45% of all batteries sold by the end of 2016. With a WEEE Pledge programme in place at many schools (for info, see www.weeepledge.ie), the recycling efforts also help to raise some much needed funds for LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice.

26 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

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BLANCHCLASSIFIEDS RECRUITMENT

Lucan Educate Together National School

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seeks to recruit a

PART-TIMER CARETAKER to join the staff at this friendly primary school

We are looking for a candidate who is dynamic and forward-thinking and who will display a high degree of commitment to the school community and can work well as part of a team. Duties involve routine maintenance, repair work and grounds work and we are looking for candidates with a good broad knowledge of D.I.Y. – full duties of the post can be found on the school website www.letns.org The hours of this post are part-time (currently 20 hours per week) and operate on a splitshift basis (1 hour each morning and 3 hours each afternoon Monday - Friday). Applicants should note that the successful candidate will be subject to Garda Vetting prior to commencing duty. Applications should be made by standard application form available to download from the school website www.letns.org.

Completed applications should be sent to the following address to arrive no later than 12 midday Thursday 22nd September 2016.

Caretaker Post, Lucan Educate Together National School, Mount Bellew Way, Willsbrook, Lucan, Co. Dublin, Attn: Chairperson, BOM

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28 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

SPORT

FastSport MARKEY ON THE MARK AS BLUES WIN INTERPROS: SANTA Sabina schoolgirl Erica Markey proved one of the stars of the show as she scored four times in three games for the Leinster Under21 women’s hockey team who claimed the interprovincial title in the first action of the new season.

It was the teenagers first involvement with any representative side but she took full advantage of the call up with a goal in the opening 7-0 win over Connacht before scoring twice against Munster last Saturday at Donabate.

She then put Leinster in front in their final game on Sunday against Ulster.. They held that lead for a long time before Erin Getty equalised for the northern province with eight minutes to go.

The blues bounced back immediately, however, with Ellen Curran firing home on her backhand to give the blues a 2-1 win and ultimate victory in the tournament.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL: PHIBBLESTOWN CLUB’S EUROPEAN CHALLENGES

Handball hopeful for funds  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN International Handball Club are looking to return Ireland to the European stage of the sport with a fundraising campaign to take the team to the EHF Cup – a right won by the team as

national champions – in place to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

The club, based in Phibblestown Community Centre near Blanchardstown, play the Olympic (as opposed to the GAA) version of handball, and have represented Ireland at Europe-

an level before, with the most recent of their four European Cup appearances taking place in the 2011/12 season.

The side currently consists of a host of Irish internationals as well as a number of former youth internationals from other countries, and are look-

Dublin International celebrate their success last season.

ing to raise €20,000 to get their first team to the tournament.

Goran Seselj, one of the club’s key players, is behind the fundraising campaign, which has arisen out of a difficulty getting hold of sponsorship for the club, and a belief in what the club – Ireland’s most successful in recent years – are doing.

“I got together with my teammate Piotr to put together the fundraising campaign,” Seselj tells GazetteSport. “We think we can make a name for the sport in Ireland and being there will help us do this and get sponsorship. It will also help other clubs that are struggling like us.”

“Every year, the level in

Ireland is getting better, and that’s a good thing,” Seselj continued. “Lots of teams depend on players who come here to study, and that can be a problem for teams like UCD and UCC as they never know what kind of team they will have year on year.

“For now, there are six league teams but there are four more that only play cup games. We hope things will go from there.

More teams and a bigger league will make the sport easier to promote.”

The Dublin-based club started out as part of DIT but went on to become an independent entity.

They are always looking for new players, both in seniors and in their developing youth set up,

and have seen a surge of interest after the sport was regularly televised as part of the Rio Olympics.

“Handball was the second most watched sport after football at the Olympics,” Seselj said.

“Television is a powerful promotional weapon. It has lots of similarities to GAA, football and basketball. It’s a very attractive sport with lots of contact. I think it would intrigue Irish people.”

As well as attending the EHF, the club have plans to bring in men’s and women’s teams from across Europe to play a tournament in Dublin.

The club can be contacted via Dublinhandball.com, where a link to their fundraising campaign is available.

Belvo’s Rock Dublin rivals as title defence starts  sport@dublingazette.com

Old Belvedere began their title defence in style.

OLD BELVEDERE got the defence of their women’s AllIreland league title off to a flying start as they recorded a comprehensive 24-0 victory over Blackrock.

Winger Alison Miller scored the first try of the game after 15 minutes, in her first start for Belvedere.

Out-half Jackie Shiels kicked the ball into the Blackrock half allowing Miller to cross the line, and followed up her try with a conversion.

Their second try came on the 30 minute mark through Roisin O’Donnell, giving Belvo a 12-0 lead going into the break.

Franziska Klappoth got her first try of the season to bring the score to 17-0 after good work from Shiels sent her down the wing. Miller crossed the line for the second time before the final whistle to ensure Belvedere left Anglesea Road with a bonus point victory.

Railway Union returned from Belfast disappointed after they lost out to newly-promoted side Cooke by 14-7.

Cooke raced into an early lead in difficult conditions at Shaw’s Bridge, with Beth Cregan fighting her way past Railway’s determined defence to cross the line.

When the referee ruled that Eliza Downey had been taking down illegally through a high tackle, Grace Jackson converted a penalty try for Cooke, who is managed by former Ireland star Grace Davitt.

With 56 minutes on the clock, it was Railway’s turn to be awarded a penalty try when Nikki Caughey was also deemed to have been taking down with a

high tackle. The conversion was no more than a consolation but it did ensure that Railway left with a losing bonus point.

There was also away disappointment for St Mary’s, being managed for the first time by Gareth Logan and Philip Lynch, as they were heavily defeated 41-5 by Galwegians.

Full- back Mairead Coyne ran in four of the home side’s tries as the Dubliners were forced to finish the game with 14 after scrum-half Sarah Duignan and flanker Aoife Moore had to be stretchered from the pitch.

15 September 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

LADIES FOOTBALL: NEW IRELAND ASSURANCE PLAYER OF THE MONTH

O’Dwyer’s Shannon shoots out lights  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

AFTER helping overpower Na Fianna in the Dublin Ladies’ Junior C Final a fortnight ago with her fluid and punishing attacking play, O’Dwyer’s full forward Shannon Richardson has been named the New Ireland Assurance Player of the Month.

Richardson scored a stunning 3-11, with only a single point not scored from open play as the i nve n t i ve f o r w a r d ’s play overwhelmed the Glasnevin side and confirmed their promotion to the junior B Championship next season.

The Balbriggan club saw their lead cut as they took their foot off the gas in the dying minutes, conceding three goals, but still came out with an emphatic 4-17 to 3-6 margin in the most

important game of their season. Siobhan Roy and Shauna O’Hara starred alongside Richardson in O’Dwyer’s cutting forward line.

Trinity College Earth Sciences student Richardson, who scored just over half of her side’s points, told the Gazette: “our team is stronger than ever” following the award.

“We are unbeaten in the league with one match left and we are into the semi-final of the cup.

“This has probably been one of my best seasons so far in terms of my scoring and my performances. I’ve had a few off games but I’m really enjoying it this year with the team because we are all like family.”

Richardson has also been making her mark with the Dublin Under-

FINALFever

Supreme talent lights up championship finale A HIGH octane series of championship finals saw no end of hugely impressive performances across all levels of competition, aiding the various clubs’ paths to glory.

The senior final at Parnell Park was a thriller with Amy Connolly and Amy Ring catching the eye of Dublin boss Greg McGonigle who sited the duo as the key players for Foxrock Cabinteely in landing the big title once again, holding at a Caroline Brogan-inspired St Brigid’s.

For Gazette writer James Hendicott, Olivia Leonard’s nerve to kick the winning point for St Maur’s in their Junior A success ahead of Castleknock was another pivotal moment, capping a sublime overall performance.

Clontarf’s Sarah Fagan, St Brigid’s Caoimhe O’Connor and O’Dwyer’s Erin Healy were all cited on the shortlist for the third New Ireland Assurance Player of the Month award of the summer for performances in the Dublin ladies football championships.

But Shannon Richardson’s epic haul of 3-11 for Balbriggan club O’Dwyer’s - with a massive 3-10 from play - was the singularly most dominant and defining moment of all as the 19-year-old underpinned a huge moment in the club’s history.

She joins Ballyboden St Enda’s Emiy Flanagan and Naomh Barrog’s Laura McGinley as winners of the awards in 2016.

Xxxx XXx O’Dwyer’s Shannon Richardson in action against Na Fianna. Picture: GAAPics.com

21 side, and recalls the final as very much a team effort, despite her scoring antics.

“We didn’t start off our best but by the second half ever y thing started to go our way, we didn’t give up, our defence put in some great tackles and fought extremely hard which stood to us, and our shooting was very on target which resulted in a good win.

“Junior B will be tough. We are a young team, but it’s nothing that we can’t handle if we play our best and

stay focused on our goal.

“Things came together very well for the final we have been doing a lot of work in training and putting a hundred percent into all of our matches which has stood to us as a team and gave us the extra edge in the final.”

Manager Michael Blount was quick to praise R ichardson’s maturity and development at O’Dwyer’s, and sees her as a potential county star.

“Shannon has continued to improve year on year,” he said. “She

is very focused on what she wants and has the potential and drive to go as far as she wants in the game.”

“She was rewarded with a deserved call up to the Dublin Under-21s this year and they went on to win the All-Ireland tournament held in Naomh Mearnog.

“Amazingly at 19, she is one of the senior members of our squad and has a very bright future ahead of her.”

Congratulations to Shannon and to O’Dwyer’s on their season.

GAZETTE

30 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016

SPORT

FASTSport

Hectic Coolmine season already up and running NO LESS than six Coolmine sides got their season started nice and early with the Leinster rugby cup competitions getting them up and running.

Despite easily being on top in the early period, the firsts lost out to Ashbourne in the Spencer Cup 29-16 while the thirds overcame CYM Terenure 31-21 in the John Madden Cup. The fourths, also known as the Wildebeests, ground out a win against BFG Ravens 10-7 in the Walsh Cup and are now in the semi-final this weekend.

The senior firsts and seconds host Mullingar at home in Ashbrook on September 25 in their first league matches and are ambitious to improve on their performances last year with many new recruits joining the cause and some of the club’s Under-20s taking up the challenge and coming through strongly during pre-season.

They are boosted by a new gear deal with rugby brand leader Canterbury for the new season with an online shop via the club website due to go live in the next couple of weeks.

Another new beginning is the launch of a Special Needs tag rugby team starting at the end of September. The Coolmine Pumas will be coached by Jorge Zulkouski and those interested can contact him on 087 2842584 or email jorgezulkouski@yahoo.co.uk.

The Pumas will be a welcome addition to the ever growing Coolmine RFC family and will be a superb addition to the communityinspired activities that the club holds at its heart.

Elsewhere, Coolmine are running a “Limited Draw” for a fully paid trip for two to Chicago to attend Ireland v New Zealand on November 5.

There will only be 333 draw tickets sold at a price of €50. Other prizes will be announced in due course and the date for this draw will be Sunday, September 25 in the clubhouse after the first senior league match of the season.

Tickets are now available by contacting coolmineinfo@gmail.com for this super prize.

Finally, membership registration is now done through myclubfinances.com with all club members encouraged to use the portal to sign up for the season.

TENNIS: YOUNGER BROTHER CLAIMS TITLE IN HONOUR OF STEFAN

Uzonov trophy stays in family  KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

CLONSILLA tennis star Alex Uzonov ensured there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as he won the Stefan Uzonov perpetual cup, named after his late brother, for the second year running.

At one stage, it looked like Uzonov, whose father is from Bulgaria, was going to fall at the final hurdle as he lost the first set 6-3 to his opponent Matthew Rendina, and was forced to face three match points down in the second set.

T h e 16 - y e a r- o l d fought back bravely to eventually win the set and proved too strong for Rendina in the decider as he won it by six games to two.

As it happened, Uzon ov a l m o s t m i s s e d the tournament when the hosts Castleknock L aw n Te n n i s C l u b scheduled it to take place earlier than last year, with the family still on holiday in Bulgaria.

His mother Caroline spoke to GazetteSport about how proud they are of Alex and his determination to compete in the tournament.

War dance “It meant an awful lot to him to win that tournament because we were on holiday in Bulgaria when we found out that the tournament was on a little bit earlier this year than last and he did a war dance to come home to be in it.

“He stayed with my dad, who is 93, so it was

SUPER CELTS Castleknock Under-12s five-star performance CASTLEKNOCK Celtic’s Under-12A1 side

claimed a dramatic 5-3 win over Palmerstown FC last weekend.

Esse Okirikpo and James Brown made it 2-0 early on before Palmerstown got one back only for Okirikpo to restore the two-goal wedge. Palmerstown got another back before half-time but an Andre Ungureanu special and another from Abdullah had them well clear and over the line in the second half. Elsewhere, the U-13 Division 3 side drew 2-2 with St Kevin’s Boys.

Alex Uzonov with the Stefan Uzonov Perpetual Trophy

like being home alone and he was home on his own for four days to play in the tournament,” said Caroline.

The family lost son Stefan when he was just 16-years-old and his love of tennis prompted Castleknock to name t h e Un d e r-16 s a n d Under-18s tournament after him.

“He’s very proud to have won that trophy and we are all ver y proud of him for doing it. It is an unbelievable feeling. I presented the

trophy to him last year but I couldn’t this year so my cousin stood in for me.

“It is just fantastic to bring that trophy home to the house and you feel like you have a little bit of Stefan in the house when it is on the sideboard,” Caroline said proudly.

When asked if Uzonov had aspirations to forge a career in tennis Caroline wasn’t sure but she had no reservations about her son’s love for the game.

“He played in an international tournament while we were in Bulgaria called ITF and he was put out in the first round, but that would have been his very first international tournament.

“These tournaments are ver y hard to get into. I don’t know if he’ll ever turn professional but I’m sure he thinks he might himself.

“He absolutely loves the game and puts his heart and soul into it, that’s for sure.

15 September 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

SQUAD GOALS

Castleknock quintet the All-Ireland skill stars

CLUB NOTICEBOARD ST BRIGID’S

IN FRONT of 20,000 spectators – on the big-

gest camogie stage – five Castleknock players, all 17 years of age, served up an exciting display of skill to capture the Liberty Insurance Squad Goals prize of €5,000 for their club in Croke Park last Sunday.

Aoife Whelan, Claire Nulty, Molly O’Neill, Niamh Mulroney and Aishling Andrews shone to win this prestigious prize ahead of Kilkenny’s St Lachtain’s.

BEST of luck to Paddy Andrews and

a busy night with the ticket draw in

the Dublin senior footballers in the

conjunction with the lotto draw. Many

All-Ireland football final v Mayo this

thanks to everyone who supports our

weekend.

club lotto and to our great lotto com-

The All-Ireland football final ticket

HANDBALL: KENNEDY DENIED BY NEMESIS MCCARTHY

mittee.

draw takes place this Thursday, Sep-

The St Brigid’s nursery runs every

tember 15; usual rules apply. See the

Saturday in Russell Park from 9.30am

website for further details.

to 11am. We welcome all four- to sev-

On Saturday, September 17, there

en-year-olds in the Castleknock and

will be live music in the bar with an

Blanchardstown area and new mem-

extra raffle to win tickets to the All-

bers and families are always welcome.

Ireland football final. Raffle tickets

For further information and queries,

are €5 each and available on the night.

contact David on 085 8340169.

Our lotto jackpot remains at €15,000

We had fantastic numbers at the

with the reserve now, also at €15,000.

nursery on Saturday morning. It was

There was no jackpot winner in last

great to see so many new faces and

week’s draw. Our next draw is on Sep-

families in Russell Park. We will be tak-

tember 15 in Russell Park and will be

ing membership for new members.

CASTLEKNOCK PRIDE of place this week goes to Aoife,

Somerton Park. As its the All-Ireland

Claire, Niamh, Molly and Aisling along

final weekend, it promises to be great

with mentors Eilish and Josie who won

fun with activities for all the family.

the Liberty Insurance Squad Goals

This is an event for the whole commu-

camogie skills competition in front of

nity so drop down and enjoy the craic.

20,000 spectators in Croke Park on Sunday.

St Brigid’s Eoin Kennedy in action against Robbie McCarthy. Picture: Tommy Dickson/Inpho

No seventh heaven for Eoin in Croker

60X30 HANDBALL FINAL  KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

IRISH handball legend Eoin Kennedy missed out on a 10th senior 60x30 softball title after a two set loss to Robbie McCarthy at a packed Croke Park.

The 37-year-old St Brigid’s star lost 21-13, 21-17 to his opponent who is eight years his junior, despite starting quickest to take a 9-4 lead.

McCarthy then took control of the round and after winning it; he car-

ried his form into the next by going 10-1 up. Kennedy produced a spirited comeback but McCarthy managed to stay enough points ahead.

“Obviously disappointed. I thought I played quite well but there were periods were I probably didn’t execute the shots I needed to get over the line,” Kennedy said speaking to GazetteSport.

“The second game I gave him a big lead but I played really well to get back into it and it was nip and tuck then but in the end there was one

or two shots that if I had taken them it could have worked out differently.”

Although Kennedy, who has recently become a new father, and McCarthy have played each other in seven successive finals, Kennedy insists he never tires of playing his on-court nemesis.

“I wouldn’t say I get bored playing him. Obviously, he’s matured as a player since those times and I’m a little bit older than I was as well so it’s increasingly more challenging, with him probably in his prime.”

This year was also the

first time the final has taking place in Croke Park since 2009 and Kennedy was delighted to be back playing at the GAA headquarters.

“There is nothing like playing a final in Croke Park because it’s a fantastic court and great venue.

“When I was growing up that was the place I was dreaming of playing All-Ireland finals.”

Kennedy will be back in action on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the doubles with his partner Carl Browne as they attempt to defend their 60x30 senior title.

Our nursery for four to sevenyear-olds is back in full swing and

The girls demonstrated their skills

new members are very welcome. Just

in a highly pressurised environment to

come down to Somerton Park, beside

beat the Kilkenny girls from St Lach-

Castleknock Hotel, this Saturday Sep-

tain’s to win first price in this national

tember 17 at 10am, say hello to one of

competition. It was a big day also for

our friendly coaches and enjoy the

Caitlin, Sinead, Cara, Emma and Cao-

sport and fun.

imhe who were part of the Dublin U-14

The Joe Coyle memorial walk, spon-

squad who played in a camogie blitz in

sored by Complete Office Equipment,

Croker.

takes place from Bray to Greystones

Best wishes to Ciaran and the Dubs

this Saturday, September 17. This is a

on Sunday in the All-Ireland senior

fundraising initiative for the club so

football final; don’t forget to “deco-

please support the walk and the walk-

rate for the Dubs” so get your flags

ers. Great news that Copper Face

and bunting out to show support for

Jacks have joined Rialto Ford as main

our Ciaran and the Dubs.

sponsors of our night at the OsKars.

Our family day was postponed due

Cash for Clobber campaign is in full

to the bad weather and will now take

swing. So get your old clothes down to

place this Saturday, September 17 in

Somerton.

NAOMH PEREGRINE WELL done to the AHL3 hurlers who

water and subs. Details on Facebook

had a big win against Erin’s Isle. Well

on Naomh Peregrines GAA Acad-

done to the minor footballers who

emy or parents can register for the

won their championship match at

Whatsapp group.

home to Thomas Ashe.

The U-15s girls were beaten by Fingallians in the football championship.

Hard luck to the U-13 girls who were narrowly beaten by Raheny in their football championship on Saturday.

Our nursery (born 2011 and 2012) and academy (born 2009 and 2010)

For further details, contact Niall on 086 607 3190 or Barry on 087 618 3868.

There will be live music in the club after the All-Ireland semi final.

Bingo takes place every Wednesday night at 8.30pm; a single book is €10; double book €15; jackpot €200.

kids train every Thursday (5-6pm for

Live music on Saturday night.

all) and Saturday (9.30am nursery

There will be music by Eamon Mitch-

and 10.30am academy). Newcomers

ell after the All-Ireland final from

always welcome.

6.30 to 8.30pm. DJ every Sunday

Bring gum shields, helmets, hurls,

night. Sunday lunch available.

32 BLANCH GAZETTE 15 September 2016