Dun laoghaire 14 1 16

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Gazette DUN LAOGHAIRE

INSIDE: Has Christmas shopping given you a wobbly

balance? Money Doctor has just the right cure Page 8

Pilgrim’s progress: For a holiday of a different kind, why not try Spain’s Camino? Page 20

Cinema: A powerful start to new generation of boxing franchise Page 25

sport

Basketball:

Meteors put it up to reigning cup champions Page 30

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

January 14-20, 2016

Find us on

Are you joking? Festival of funny at the Comedy Showhouse

see page 17

The best things in life are FREE!

energy aplenty for young scientists

Elvis Cooney and Jack Georgieff from Clonkeen College in Blackrock sure look like they were enjoying showing off their project as they took part in the recent BT Young Scientist Exhibition at the RDS Dublin. Their project was entitled Exploring The Human Energy Field and drew plenty of attention. 2016 saw the exhibition celebrate its 52nd year, making it one of the longest standing exhibitions of its kind in the world. The overall winners were announced as Maria Louise Fufezan and Diana Bura of Loreto Secondary School in Balbriggan. Picture: Pearl Phelan

Spate of shop raids leaves locals shaken

No arrests to date as hammer-wielding thief makes off with quantities of cash

 emma nolan

REPORTS of a hammer wielding thief who has been terrorising shop workers in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown over the last couple of weeks have shaken locals.

The unknown attacker is said to be entering shops and threatening staff with a hammer before leaving in a waiting car with a sum of money from the till. One raid took place in Centra at Barnhill Road

in Dalkey at 2.30pm on Sunday, December 27, following that on December 29, the masked raider struck Xtra-Vision store at Glenagear y making off with around €200 on both occasions. Gardai in Dun

Laoghaire are investigating two robberies where a man was wielding a hammer. A spokesperson told The Gazette that no arrests had been made yet. Full Story on Page 3


2 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 January 2016

schools | boyd barrett urges end to religious bias don’s dublin

Education equality the next step – PBP  emma nolan enolan@dublingazette.com

Richard Boyd Barrett TD will host a meeting to support parents whose children have not got school places because they have no baptismal certs

A PUBLIC meeting to end religious discrimination in schools is taking place at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire on Monday, January 18 at 8pm. Equality in Education will be hosted by Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP) and feature speakers such as Nikki Murphy from the Education Equality Campaign, Michael Barron from children’s rights organisation Equate and Diarmaid MacAonghusa, chair of Educate Together. Murphy started campaigning for education equality when her son Reuben was refused admission to nine schools for not having a baptismal cert. Her story on the Education Equality website says how she “felt each one of those rejections as a punch in the stomach, that our son isn’t wanted in his own community”. The meeting aims to support parents who have faced difficulty under the current national school system in which it is difficult for non-Catholic children to attend the majority of schools in the country. The notice for the event outlines that “children can be discriminated against, if they are not Catholic and do not have a baptismal cert. This has created a situation whereby children cannot attend their local schools and often have to travel long distances to find a school place.” The notice released by Deputy Boyd Barrett’s

The black drop never came – so the black stuff had to do . . . MY FRIEND had told me, jokingly, not to hold my breath – and I didn’t. Looking at the

party People Before Profit states: “We also need to see changes to school admissions policies, curriculum, patronage and the management of schools. We must ensure that no child is denied a place in their local school or is isolated from their friends when they are in class due to their family background, faith or identity.” Speaking to The Gazette the TD said: “Following the historic vote for equality in the marriage referendum there now needs to be urgent action to ensure greater equality in our schools so no child is excluded on the basis of faith, belief or identity. We need to continue the fight for equality by campaigning and mobilising to ensure this change happens.” The deputy and his party are calling for changes to be made to the the Equal Status Act that would ensure schools cannot discriminate against children based on their beliefs. Chair of the Education Equality Campaign April Duff told The Gazette: “It’s really important to raise awareness of the problems that people of a minority religion and without a religion face in the education system.” Duff stressed the campaign was not anti-religious but aimed to ensure respect for all beliefs in the education system. Parents and guardians interested in “campaigning for further equality in Ireland” are invited to the meeting to discuss the issue.

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

Pitch-Drop experiment in Trinity College recently all I could do was laugh, for if I was to see the drop drip I would have to wait about 10 years. Holding my breath was out of the question, but the experiment, quirky as it is, did certainly hold my attention. The Pitch-Drop experiment was set up in October 1944 by a colleague of Nobel laureate Sir Ernest Walton, and remained unmonitored for decades on a shelf in a lecture hall where it gathered dust. The experiment was to measure the viscosity or thickness of pitch, and when in 2013 scientists noticed that a drop had formed, the glass jar in which the experiment was housed was moved and a webcam set up to record the “drop”. And it came to pass that on July 11, 2013 at 5pm the first ever drop was recorded. Based on analysis of the experiment the scientists in Trinity College estimated the viscosity of the pitch to be about two million times that of honey, and about 20 billion times the viscosity of water. A similar experiment was set up in 1927 by Prof Thomas Parnell in the University of Queensland (Brisbane) and this is acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest, continuously running laboratory experiment. In 2006 Parnell and current professor, John Mainstone, were awarded the Ig Noble Prize in Physics for the experiment! After waiting for a black drop that never came, my friend and I went to a well-known, local hostelry where the black drops, thankfully, dropped much more quickly! Slainte.

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

The Pitch-Drop experiment in Trinity College was set up in October 1944 by a colleague of Nobel laureate Sir Ernest Walton


14 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 3

raids | hammer-wielding thief

the arts

Unknown attacker threatening shops  emma nolan Reports of a hammer wielding thief terrorising shop workers in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown over the last couple of weeks have shaken locals. The unknown attacker is said to be entering shops and threatening staff with a hammer before leaving in a waiting car with a sum of money from the till. One raid took place in Centra at Barnhill Road in Dalkey at 2.30pm on Sunday, December 27, following that on December 29, the masked raider struck XtraVision store at Glenageary making off with around €200 both times. The Centra at Blackglen Road in Sandyford on New Year’s Eve and a Daybreak shop in the Barton Road, Churchtown

last Sunday, January 3, were also targeted by the same thief. While none of the staff involved was injured, a worker from Xtra-Vision Glenageary, who did not wish to be named, told The Gazette about the incident that “lasted less than a minute”. They said: “There was a car parked outside for a while, then a masked person came in. He came behind the counter with the hammer and demanded the money.” The staff member said the thief took “whatever he was able to” before fleeing the scene in the waiting unmarked car. Speaking to The Gazette about the robberies, Cllr Michael Merrigan (Ind) said: “Attacks like these highlight the absolute necessity for the

introduction of a highly visible presence of uniformed gardai on the beat in the town centre to act as a real deterrent and to reassure the public and traders.” Gardai in Dun Laoghaire are currently investigating two robberies where a man was wielding a hammer. A spokesperson told The Gazette that no arrests have been made yet. There was some speculation among locals that the thief was committing the robberies while out of prison on temporary release. But gardai have been unable to confirm this: “As this investigation is ongoing I am unable to comment on whether the suspect was/is on temporary release or if a suspect has even been nominated.”

Council looks for assistance

cleaning up at awards

The latest Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) National Survey has declared Dun Laoghaire one of the cleanest areas in the country. Dun Laoghaire secured second place. Dun Laoghaire Cllr Cormac Devlin (FF) congratulated the borough on becoming the only town in Dublin to win an award in the annual survey. Pictured are Conor Horgan of IBAL with Seamus Ahern of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

DUN Laoghaire-Rathdown County seeks the public’s help in planning for local arts development over the next five years. Whether you enjoy the arts as an audience member, take part in an arts activity or work in the arts, the council wants to know what DLR residents value most about the arts in the county and what should be further developed. The local authority has launched an online customer survey which runs until February 19. Two public meetings are planned, one in the LexIcon on January 19 at 6.30pm and another in the Mill Theatre, Dundrum on January 20 at 6.30pm. No booking is required for the public meetings and the online survey can be accessed on dlrcoco. citizenspace.com


4 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 January 2016

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

education | Facility’s open day gives advice and an overview of life in the college

Sallynoggin College calls on potential students SALLYNOGGIN College will hold its annual open day on Thursday, January 21 from 10am to 2pm. The open day is the perfect opportunity to view the facility’s extensive range of courses, exhibitions, demonstrations and facilities. College staff and students

will be there to answer queries and give information to potential students and their families on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, the back to education allowance and the higher education authority fund, among other items.

Sallynoggin College, within walking distance of Dun Laoghaire, has earned a reputation for excellence in further education and many of its students have achieved national and international recognition in the areas of fashion, sports and photography and more.

The college continues to expand and develop courses. It has introduced a course in the childcare department, childhood education and training for the coming academic year 2016-17, and focuses on hotel and leisure operations as well as the popular airline training

course. All courses are quality assured and certified by national and international exam bodies and are designed to maximise potential for employment or progression to degree programmes. The college welcomes applications from all age groups

and backgrounds such as school leavers, mature students, graduates, international students, and those who are recently unemployed. Application is free at www. scfe.ie. Visit the Facebook page to see what life is like at at Sallynoggin College.

Chanteuse Caroline Moreau returns to the Purty Kitchen in Monkstown Irish-based French chanteuse Caroline Moreau will begin the New Year with a return performance at the SupperClub, Purty Kitchen Monkstown, on Friday, January 15. Moreau has been wowing Irish audiences with her distinctive brand of comic banter and heart-stopping vocal talent since arriving in Ireland in 2002. With her superb showmanship, her debut show Crime Passionel was delivered with passionate conviction and became a sell-out. Moreau’s charismatic, gutsy renditions of traditional French folk songs and seashanties combine well with her individu-

al, often humorous delivery. Moreau has performed as a solo artist, in a double-act with acclaimed gypsy violin virtuoso Oleg Ponomarev and with a range of internationally respected musicians in venues all across Ireland and in the UK, France and Spain.Accompanied by Ponomarev on violin and bass guitar and Fintan Gilligan on guitar, Moreau will perform two songs penned in French especially for her by singer songwriter Adrian Crowley. Doors open at 7.30pm for dinner and the show starts at 9:30pm. Tickets are €15 for the show or €39.90 with dinner included. Visit purtykitchen.com.

The International Sailing Laser Radial World Championships 2016 will come to Dun Laoghaire

sailing | race to bring in 400 competitors

Yacht club gearing up for Laser champs  emma nolan

enolan@dublingazette.com

The Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC) is gearing up to host the International Sailing Laser Radial World Championships 2016 in Dun Laoghaire Harbour this summer with the announcement that Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council will sponsor the club up to €20,000 under its grants programme for the event. The Laser is a singlehanded, Olympic-class racing dinghy for both men and women and is sailed at national and

international levels. Jeff Martin, executive secretary of the International Laser Class Association (ILCA), said the decision to select RSGYC was made based on “the professional approach shown by both organisers and town, combined with the superb venue that has a reputation for consistently delivering top class sailing events”. The Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company is a key partner with the yacht club in hosting this major international sailing event. A spokesperson from the Harbour Company told The Gazette: “This event is being hosted as part of

the initiative entitled Dun Laoghaire International Sailing Events, which was established by the Harbour Company and the major yacht clubs two years ago precisely to achieve the target of winning the rights to host a major international sailing event every two years.” We l c o m i n g t h e €20,000 sponsorship Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind) told The Gazette: “The council are committed to working closely with all the yacht clubs and marine leisure groups to fully exploit the sailing and leisure opportunities and to develop a sustain-

able masterplan for the harbour.” Justin McKenna, the club’s commodore, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming over 400 competitors from over 30 nations, their families and support teams, to Dun Laoghaire next summer. We will be working closely with [the council], Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company, the local business community and sponsors to prepare for this event which we expect will bring significant economic benefits to our community, as well as providing excitement and fun to competitors and spectators alike.”


14 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 5

commemorations | Nic Cormaic criticises imbalance in events schedule

1916 calendar riles politician  emma nolan enolan@dublingazette.com

THE Dun Laoghaire Rathdown 1916 Centenary Programme schedule has ruffled a few feathers by seemingly overlooking the Dundrum side of the county in its organisation of events which take place mainly in Dun Laoghaire. Sinn Fein’s Cllr Sorcha Nic Cormaic has robustly criticised the decision made by the local authority’s parks department to locate both proposed 1916 gardens of remembrance in the east of the county “neglecting the Dundrum area”. The council’s cente-

nary programme consists of 45 events which will take place over the coming months – most of which are in Dun Laoghaire and Deansgrange. Just six of the scheduled events take place in Dundrum, while a small number have yet to be decided. Cllr Nic Cormaic said: “Last year at a council meeting where the 2016 celebrations were being discussed I raised the issue that some permanent structure was needed on the Dundrum side of the county, which would act as a focal point for commemorating 1916.  “Dun Laoghaire had

Deansgrange, Roger Casement and other focal points that they would be able to use when the time came.  “T here was broad agreement from councillors from both sides of the county that it would be considered by the 1916 Commemorations Committee.” Cllr Nic Cormaic said that although two gardens of rememberance were decided upon (one for each side of the county) it was announced that “both would be on the eastern side of the N11; one in Blackrock Park and one in Cabinteely Park” which Nic Cormaic says are “only a stone’s

throw from Deansgrange Cemetery”. Contesting this, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said: “To clarify, Cabinteely Park is located in the Stillorgan electoral area and falls within the remit of the Dundrum area committee.” However, Cllr Nic Cormaic refuted this: “While technically Cabinteely Park is in the Stillorgan ward, no rational person would consider that gardens in Blackrock Park and Cabinteely Park service both sides of the county.  Look at the map, the N11 divides the county down the middle.” Nic Cormaic saidthat

Sinn Fein’s Cllr Sorcha Nic Cormaic has criticised the council’s decision to locate both proposed 1916 gardens of remembrance in the east of the county

her requests to place a garden of remembrance in Marlay Park to service the west of the county were ignored. A council spokesperson told The Gazette: “The DLR 2016 Committee, comprising rep-

resentatives of all political parties and council staff, considered Cllr Nic Cormaic’s motion for a permanent memorial to the 1916 Rising in Dundrum. “The committee decided instead to create two

1916 Commemorative Gardens - one in the East and one in the West side of the County. “The West District park’s staff proposed Cabinteely Park and the East District proposed Blackrock Park.”


6 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 January 2016

young scientist | winning newpark student competes a third time

Malaria project makes the finals  emma nolan enolan@dublingazette.com

A FIFTH year student from Newpark Comprehensive School in Dun Laoghaire made it to the final stage of the BT Young Scientist Exhibition for the third time. Budding chemist 16 - y e a r- o l d J e m i m a Turner entered the competition this year with her project, A Structural Analysis of Anti-Malarial Molecules from Natural Sources, having previously entering and being successful twice before. Speaking to The Gazette, Jemima said: “The aim of my project

is to analyse the chemistry of different chemicals from plants that are active against malaria and compare them to similar chemicals that are not active against malaria and see what kind of differences there are that seem to make a chemical anti-malarial.” She said that ultimately her project findings could be used in finding ways to develop antimalarial medications. “The information could be used to inform drug development.” The student entered the Young Scientist on an individual application and, to get started she gathered a list of

around 200 chemicals from natural sources from different scientific literature that are active against malaria. She finished up with a list of 100 similar chemicals also from scientific literature that are not active against malaria. She then used a computer programme to study and compare the different properties of those chemicals. Jemima, who hopes to study pharmacy in college, said there were “quite a few interesting findings” in her project’s conclusion that could be beneficial in the manufacturing of anti-malarial drugs.

She said: “First of all I found that the molecular structure of all the chemicals have different types of rings – one particular kind of ring is called an aromatic ring, that seemed to occur a lot more often in chemicals that were active against malaria. “Therefore that type of ring seems to be linked with a high level of malarial activity. “Also, I discovered that most dr ug-like molecules share three common chemical structures that suggests they would act in a similar way, so these similar structures could be used as a basis for the

Monkstown rector is appointed THE Church of Ireland Archdiocese of Dublin has appointed of the Rev Canon Roy Byrne as new rector for Monkstown Village parish church. Canon Byrne, currently rector of Drumcondra, succeeds Canon Patrick Lawrence who retired in October 2015. Canon Byrne is expected to take up his new appointment as rector of Monkstown next month. We l c o m i n g t h e announcement Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind), an active member of the Church of Ireland, community said: “The parishioners of Monkstown is excited about his arrival, a new rector brings his or her own dynamic and skill set to parish life. “I wish Roy every happiness in this new chapter of his own ministry and a new chapter in the life of Monkstown Parish Church.”

Jemima Turner from Newpark Comprehensive School Blackrock with her project

design of new drugs.” J e m i m a i s n ow a Young Scientist veteran having made it to the RDS for the competition twice before when she was in second year and transition year and it’s no surprise

that her favourite subject is chemistry as her previous projects were on the anti-bacterial effects of different spices and her project before that was on the effects of different calcium supplements on

the stomach. As for her Young Scientist experience this year, she said: “It was really brilliant, it was so interesting getting to talk to people from different scientific backgrounds – I loved it.”


14 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 7

grant scheme | Big local welcome for financial assistance

Council funds projects to tune of €500k  emma nolan

ALMOST half a million euro has been distributed under the DLR grant scheme. At the council meeting on January 11, elected members of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council approved of €492,659 for a wide range of groups and organisations. Of the 340 applications received and assessed, 246 have been recommended for awards. T he total funding included in the recommendations is €492,659,

an increase of €47,000 on last year. The funding across the various grant categories is over €40,000 in arts, €70,000 in business support, €120,000 in community grants, €11,000 in environment grants, €130,000 in event and festival support, €13,000 in heritage grants and over €100,000 for sports. An Cathaoirleach, Barry Saul (FG), said of the decision: “I am very happy that almost half a million euro in funding has been approved under the 2016 grants scheme.

“This is a significant amount of money and I am proud the council has been able to provide this funding for such a diverse range of local groups, organisations and events.” Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Councillors has agreed, under its grants programme to sponsor Royal St George Yacht Club for €20,000 for the International Sailing Laser Radial World Championships 2016, a move welcomed by Cllr Victor Boyhan (Ind). He said: “Dun

Elected members of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council approved €492,659 for a wide range of groups and organisations

Laoghaire Harbour has the capacity to stage international sailing events, the council are committed to working closely with all yacht clubs and marine leisure groups to fully exploit the sailing and leisure opportunities and to develop a sustainable masterplan for the harbour.” Cllr Neale Richmond

(FG) welcomed the awards for community projects. He said: “The purpose of the DLR grant scheme is to provide financial assistance to individuals, groups and organisations engaged in projects, events or developments at local or county level. “This is a good news story for groups and indi-

viduals across the county and I am delighted that 43 projects in my own Glencullen ward – Sandyford were awarded grants. “The purpose of the DLR grant scheme is to provide financial assistance to individuals, groups and organisations engaged in projects, events or developments at local or county level.”

business Big leap in new start-ups

A big leap in the number of start-ups is expected in 2016, according to the Local Enterprise Office Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown (LEO DLR), which is planning to run 10 Start Your Own Business training programmes during the Leap Year. Designed to help a new entrepreneur become start-up ready, the training programmes typically run over eight weeks and focus on topics such as how to prepare business plans, what market research and marketing tools are available, how to manage cash flow and making the most out of technology. The next programme is due to start on Tuesday, January 19, in Rathfarnham and will be run over eight weeks. The cost of this course including training materials is €150.


8 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 January 2016

put your house in order | the money doctor’s top tips to help

A sound plan to transform

According to the latest survey conducted by travel and leisure website, lastminute.com, getting out of debt is a top priority for many in 2016 with nearly one in four (24 %) choosing this as a top goal. When asked about the main reasons for January blues, worries about future financial instability (17 %) and postChristmas debt (14%) came second and third after post-festive weight gain (20%). But the turkey is well eaten now and the bills are starting to mount on the hall table. Do you despair over your finances? Are you one of the many affected by

apathy, ignorance or lack of time when it comes to addressing your financial issues This is a brilliant time of year to put your house in order, physically emotionally and financially. We should literally take a leaf out of Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield, written over 165 years ago. A certain Mr Wilkins Micawber quipped: “Annual income – £20, expenditure £19.19s.6d – result happiness. Annual income £20, expenditure £20.0s.6d – result misery.” Apparently we still have not learned the lesson. Whether you are a government, business, a

family or an individual, the philosophy is the same. If expenditure exceeds income, you have two choices – earn more or cut costs. For some, earning more is currently a bridge too far so cutting costs is sometimes the sole choice but the Money Doctor mantra remains – Stop Spending And If You Must, Ensure Best Value. In other words, if you MUST buy a product or service, ask yourself, do you REALLY need it and secondly if you do, is there a cheaper or better alternative? 2016 is the year for ensuring best value. So if you want to trans-

form your finances, the first thing you need is a sound financial plan. Set short, medium and longterm goals. These might be such things as ‘pay off all my debts’ or ‘sort out my retirement’. You can’t go forward until you know what you want to achieve. There are several categories you need to address and to help, here are just three sturdy tips to help you out. 1. Do an annual budget

It is so important to create your own income and expenditure statement. Only then can you truly plan – if you have surplus income, the surplus could be invested in a regular saver account (saving €100-€1,000 per month for up to 15 months, attracting up to 4% a year) or a pension fund (or additional voluntary contributions – AVCs). If you are in deficit, you either have to cut existing expenditure or earn more. Why annually? Because circumstances change and each year is different where you may have different needs or wants. Track your spending if you are unsure where all those ATM withdrawals are going to – use an ordinary diary or download the Money Doctor app (it’s free and available through both iphone and android app stores) to identify your spending pattern. Part of that budget should be a regular saver commitment – save €100 to €1,000 each month and earn up to 4% interest, a great way of funding your costs for next Christmas, never mind the summer holiday! The current best deals are: • N a t i o nw i d e U K

John Lowe, aka the Money Doctor, has some great advice on cutting costs

(online and based here in Ireland ) 4%, save for 15 months. • EBS 3%, save for up to 12 months. • KBC Bank, 2% (but if you open a current account 3%) save for up to 12 months. You can withdraw at any time without penalty and you cannot put lump sums into these accounts. 2. Paying off expensive personal loans and credit card debt

Moneylenders (author-

ised by the Central Bank) can charge up to 200%+ interest legitimately. The ordinary term loan or car loan also have punitive rates of up to 14% and more, while even the cheapest personal loan interest rate is around 7% (certain credit unions). Equally as punitive is the short-term nature of these loans. The repayments on short-term debt is greater than on longer term debt. Unlike a mortgage or home loan which is long-term, personal loans

eat into your disposable income – your number one asset. There is a simple but effective formula for dealing with debt. If you can, consolidate all your debt into a single, less expensive loan and then pay it off as quickly as possible. If you can’t, hustle all your lenders until they give you a better rate or longer term and always pay the most expensive debt off first – the sniper approach. The rate of interest you


14 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 9

you make your money work for you

your finances pay makes a huge difference. Don’t be complacent. The standard variable rate on high street lenders mortgages can vary between 3.5% and 5.9% plus - on a mortgage of €100,000 over 25 years for instance, that is a monthly difference of over €200. Credit card interest rates vary from 9.11% up to 20% plus. There are also so many charges and fees – late payments, exceeding credit limits (51,000 cards exceeded their limits last October resulting in charges of €7 to €8.50 for that oversight) using outside the eurozone, withdrawing cash – you should use it like a charge card and pay off the balance every month. Paying the minimum each month means it could take you up to 20 years to pay off your card

debt. For many it is not possible to pay off the balance each month and for some who have “maxed out” their credit card, one solution is to transfer to one of the three credit card companies - Permanent TSB, KBC Bank and Tesco Clubcard that allow you to transfer at 0% interest rate for six months which basically gives you six months to pay off your debt at no further cost. Seize this opportunity if you can. 3. Cut down your banking and insurance bills

Overdrafts and especially those exceeding the limits should be a no -no. Arrangement fees, high interest rates, referral fees, surcharges (additional interest for exceeding overdraft limits – can be another 12% pa on top of the overdraft

rate) and unpaid fees all take their toll on your disposable income. Direct debits and standing orders are also costly – An Post offer a free bill paying service throughout their network (BillPay) or even go online (www.mybills.ie). You should also shop around for the best mortgage and loan deals, not to mention those insurance premiums – life, health, buildings and contents, travel, even your car – how much time do we spend on car selection and the detail at this time of year but little or no time on the funding or insurance comparisons. You could be paying twice the price just on the loan interest! Finally, make sure the financial advice you are being given is independent, authorised and expe-

rienced. Remember, if there is no fee, the only way an adviser can earn income is by selling you a financial product. Caveat emptor.


10 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 14 January 2016

DUN LAOGHAIREGazettegallery | Kilmacud Crokes host Black

Mark Hanratty and Grainne Kelly

Back Row: Cian Dunleavy, Zoe Kinsella, Conor Lyndon, Kate O’Rouke, Kiara Whelan, Shane O’Brien and Kira Mc’Neaney. Front Row: Amber King, Ciara Regan, Jodie Carroll and Matthew McGrath. Pictures: Diarmuid O Gallchobhair

Aisling Tallon

Megan Ryan, Alanah Quinn and Caolan Conway


14 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11

Tie night for victims of US balcony disaster

Rachel Murphy and Darragh Casey

Helen Carey, Emma Bourke, Aoife Beary, who survived the Berkeley tragedy, and Fiona McGuirk

Berkeley fundraiser brings in €12,000 I

n what was one of the social highlights of the year, Kilmacud Crokes hosted a black tie fundraising night recently to show solidarity with the victims and survivors of the Berkeley Tragedy. The event evolved from an idea by Molly Lamb of Kilmacud Crokes and was a great success. Almost 400 young adults gathered in solidarity with friends affected by the tragedy and enjoyed a night of great company and entertainment. Attendees included Aoife Beary, Clodagh Cogley, Niall Murray and others who were in Berkeley. While “being there” as a show of support mattered mostly, thanks to so many attending, the participation of volunteers and the generosity of sponsors, about €12,000 was raised and will be directed into an initiative for those affected by the tragedy.

The ladies of Highly Strung in performance. Pictures: Peter Cavanagh

A lovely way to string together an evening

T

Vinnie Patterson and Kevin Foley, chairman, Kilmacud

Alanah Jones, Paul Mannion, Molly Lamb, Catherine Hayes, Aoife Kane, Lauren

Crokes

Magee and Eabha Rutledge

HE ladies of Highly Strung – comprising mezzo-soprano Angela O’Toole, Jeanette Behan on the flute, Lisa Lazenby on violin and Mary Keenan on harp – played a delightful range of classical, contemporary and traditional Christmas tunes at the DLR LexIcon library recently. The quartet were playing as part of the library’s Live series, with their acoustic intrepretations of a range of tracks and artists, ranging from Caccini to Coldplay, delighting everyone with their quirky arrangements. Highly Strung’s unusual arrangements proved an imaginative way to welcome in even more festive spirit to the popular library and cultural centre in the heart of Dun Laoghaire.


12 Gazette 14 January 2016

Gazette

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

asdfsdaf diary P27 P16

Gazette gallery P14

what’son have an art and help homeless:

Jason O’Callaghan is Ireland’s only Trinity College Masters trained psychologist

a day in the life: tackling weight loss and smoking addiction issues

Jason’s mesmerising agenda  Emma Nolan Jason O’Callaghan is a hypnosis psychologist by day and a stage hypnotist by night. The TCD educated professional says his daily life is a balance between work and family as he looks after his two young toddlers while running the D4 clinic in Blackrock. “I can do the same stuff as Keith Barry but I’m also a trained psychologist so I can do the clinical stuff as well,” he says. O’Callaghan says there is such a demand for his hypnotic weight loss service that the clinic is open six days a week from half nine every morning till half nine every evening. “We have clients every half hour.”

O Callaghan said that overcoming weight loss and smoking addiction are the two primary reasons people visit the D4 clinic. After dropping his children, aged two and three, to the creche first thing in the morning, O’Callaghan starts his day with one-on-one client sessions, which involve hypnotic clinical therapy . This aims to tap into the “unconscious mind” to combat food cravings and cigarette addiction which he describes as “unconscious problems”. “Ninety per cent of your mind is unconscious – the way we describe it is like an iceberg, 90% is under the water. If the problem, like trying to lose weight or give up smoking is unconscious, it has to be fixed in an unconscious way.

“If you ask any smoker or person who wants to lose weight, most of them want to quit smoking and lose weight so you might think, ‘why don’t they just stop?’ “Well, it’s unconscious behaviour so there’s no point in dealing with it in a conscious way such as therapy where you’re wide awake so it can’t help your unconscious mind.” He then takes a break in the afternoon to pick up his kids and look after them until his partner, who is a dietician and weight loss expert comes home from work. For the hypnotist, it’s then back to the clinic for his remaining client sessions which are all face to face. As for his nighttime endeavours, O’Callaghan performs at everything

from corporate speaking events to society weddings and black tie balls, charity events. Although he describes this part of his career as “more of a hobby”, O’Callaghan is keen to stress the difference between stage hypnosis and clinical hypnotherapy which is “completely different to what Keith Barry does”. As a successful businessman and highly trained psychologist, O’Callaghan gives talks to companies and sales teams to “show them how their unconscious mind can help them increase profits”. He also gives demonstrative hypnosis performances. For more information on the D4 clinic, visit jasonocallaghan.com

THE Irish Housing Network are calling on the public to submit their art for a charity auction to raise funds for homeless services at the end of the month. Where The Heart Is is taking place on January 29 in No 12, Henrietta Street from 7 to 10pm. Organiser Evan Musgrave said: “We’re calling on anyone interested to create an original piece of art, or to contribute something they may have lying around at home, in order to hold a popup event where the artworks are sold and the money goes towards a homeless charity.” The Irish Housing Network was established last May to tackle the housing crisis. Its current members include North Dublin Bay Housing Crisis Committee, Housing Action Now, An Spreach Housing Action Collective, Social Workers Action Network, The Hub, Lay Litigation Ireland, Help 4 the Homeless, Help the Hidden Homeless, A Lending Hand and Radical Roots Ireland. For further information or to contribute, email wheretheheartisireland@gmail.com.


14 January 2016 Gazette 13


14 Gazette 14 January 2016

Gazettegallery

| young scientists gather to display projects at

Ewan Jarvis, Dean Gleeson and Dorian Dederko, Marian College Ballsbridge

Daniel Ahmed and Hector McCarroll, Wesley College Balinteer

Colaiste Pobail Setanta’s Otilia Elena Boutiuc with

Harry Kearns, Blackrock

her mother, Maria

College

Niamh Ni Mhaonaigh and Aimee de Ris, Gaelcholaiste Joshua Murray, Malahide Community School

an Phiarsaigh


14 January 2016 Gazette 15

the rds at annual exhibition

Khadija Gull and Emily Tierney, Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan.

Students on a quest for knowledge

Pictures: Pearl Phelan

T

HE exhibition hall at the RDS was transformed into a hub of learning recently when young hopefuls in the annual BT Young Scientist of the Year awards set up their stalls. Schools from across the city, and country, were eager to give visitors, their peers and judges a first-hand look at their projects, which as always covered an extremely diverse range of topics, backed up by meticulous research. The Gazette was impressed by the quality of projects on show, with some very serious topics covered alongside those that were more light-hearted. The projects demonstrated once again how young Irish minds continue to quest for scientific knowledge.

Ryan Noronha, Joe O’Driscoll and Ryan Alec O’Brien, Castleknock College

O’Connor, Clonkeen College Blackrock


Gazette

16 Gazette 14 January 2016

dublinlife

diary

Looking for some young Les Mis stars to light up the stage Ireland’s largest theatre school is on the look-out for the next Broadway and West End stars. The Belfast School of Performing Arts has announced an all-Ireland search for young actors wishing to play the highly sought after roles of Cosette, Valjean or Javert from Les Miserables in what is set to be the company’s most exciting production to date. The audition process begins in Dublin on January 16 and is open to children and young people aged nine to 19. The show will take place in Belfast’s Grand Opera House in August 2016. The three-week rehearsal and show process will be a residential for those travelling from across Ireland

to take part. To register for an audition, visit www.thebspa.co.uk

Thousands sign up to quit smoking this new year The H SE has announced that over 1,000 smokers have signed up to QUIT.ie since New Year’s Day. While there are still 700,000 smokers in Ireland, the HSE’s findings reveal that those numbers are dropping as they expect that on every day of 2016 14 families will be bereaved as a result of cigarettes. T h e H SE ’s Q U I T Team is a personal support ser vice to help quitters – providing a team of trained advisers, interactive digital tools, empathy and support. The QUIT team can help over the phone, on

Facebook or Twitter, via email or text, or through Live Chat via the QUIT. ie support website. They also have a network of face-to-face HSE QUIT services in many locations around the country, providing one-to-one and group support for smokers. Dave Molloy, National Tobacco Lead for the HSE, said: “70% of smokers want to QUIT, and we’ve seen how support from fellow quitters can make a big difference.”

Donate unwanted gifts to gorta self help africa Gorta-Self Help Africa is asking Dublin people to donate unwanted Christmas gifts to its charity shops on Capel and Liffey Street. “Households the length and breath of the country are busy this week clearing up after the long holiday break. Inevitably, there will be gifts received that people either don’t like or don’t have any use for,” said retail manager for Gorta Maggie Dwyer. “Donating festive gifts to charity is a great way to find a good home for that particular unwanted present, and at the same time contribute vital funds to support the charitable projects that Gorta-Self Help Africa is implementing to end hunger and poverty in rural Africa. “Books, clothing, jewellery, DVDs/CDs, brica-brac and household goods are all gratefully

received, and if they help householders to clear up after the Christmas festivities and do a bit of spring cleaning into the bargain, then it is a win-win for everyone,” she said. For more information visit www.selfhelpafrica. org.

fifth annual haiti week filled with plenty of events The fifth annual Haiti Week, an initiative run by Irish NGO Haven which aims to raise awareness and funds for Haiti, is taking place in Dublin from January 18 to 24. This initiative was conceived as a joint venture between Haven and partner organisations to promote Ireland’s relationship with Haiti and was launched by President Bill Clinton and attended by Haiti’s President Michael Martelly in its inaugural year in 2012. Events are taking place throughout the week highlighting Haiti’s vibrant culture. O n We d n e s d ay, January 10 Haven and UCDVO hold a special advance private screening of Fr Joseph in the UCD campus cinema. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with movie producer Jeff Kaufman and Fr Joseph. This is a free event and tickets are available by emailing haitifilm@ ucdvo.org. The Haiti Ball is taking place on Saturday, January 23 in the Intercontinental Hotel. The William Jefferson Clinton

Searching both north and south for a new Cosette is James Huish, musical director and founder of Belfast School of Performing Arts, with Caitlin Stitt, aged 11, who played the role in a previous BSPA production of Les Miserables

Award will be presented at the Ball and will recognise extraordinary people who have shown outstanding leadership in personal philanthropy to bring about sustainable social change in Haiti.

findings released on workplace accidents Three people died in workplace accidents in Dublin in 2015. The health and safety authority released findings that reveal 55 lost their lives in the work place in Ireland last year. Two-thirds of workrelated deaths (37 of 55) occurred in businesses with fewer than 10 employees, mainly in agriculture, construction and fishing. Fatalities in agriculture were down by 40%, with 18 deaths reported compared to 30 in 2014. However, construction

fatalities increased from eight in 2014 to 11 in 2015 and the fishing sector also saw an increase from one in 2014 to five in 2015. Incidents involving vehicles were the main cause of fatal accidents in the workplace, accounting for 21 of the total. Fifteen people were killed as a result of falls from height, the second most common cause of death.

Reclaim the Vision of 1916 put poetry in the spotlight An international poetry programme inspired by the strong connections between poetry and the Easter Rising – often known as the Poets’ Revolution, has recently been launched by the Reclaim the Vision of 1916 group. Many of the Rising’s leaders were accomplished poets, including Padraic Pearse, Joseph Mary Plunkett, James Connolly and the eminent

Thomas MacDonagh. Also acclaimed for his talents as a teacher, playwright, Irish language scholar, and literary theorist, it is in MacDonagh’s honour that the chosen prize for the competition is a medal etched with MacDonagh’s licence designed by noted Irish artist Robert Ballagh. Along with this, the winner will receive a cash award of €1,000. The judges are poet Catherine Ann Cullen, Ciaran Carty and Louis de Paor. In its aftermath, the Rising motivated a generation of poets not least Nobel prize winner William Butler Yeats. In this spirit, Reclaim 1916 is now inviting the present generations of poets to reflect on the competition’s theme and submit up to three entries for consideration. See www.reclaim1916. ie/international-poetrycompetition/


14 January 2016 Gazette 17

food P22

asdfsdaf P27 health P24

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

Gazette

travelP20

Pets

can you give blake a new, loving home?

Irish comedy heavyweight Andrew Maxwell will feature in the inuagural radio comedy festival on RTE later this month

in good humour: inaugural comedy festival to take place on RTE

The funny thing about radio…

 keith bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

Ireland’s inaugural radio comedy festival takes place on RTE later this month, featuring performances from Irish comedy heavyweights such as Sean Hughes, Andrew Maxwell, Deirdre O’Kane, Karl Spain, Aindrias De Staic, Foil Arms and Hog, Fiona Looney and Colm O’Regan and others. The Comedy Showhouse festival will be presented by RTE Radio One and Sideline Productions, and produced in association with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and grintageireland.com. Between January 31 and February 7, the festival will celebrate and promote Irish comedic performance and writing talent and features a host of live shows at Space

Upstairs at The Project Arts Centre in Dublin’s Temple Bar. Twenty shows over eight days (two performances each night) with performances recorded in front of a live audience and edited into 18 half-hour shows for a new comedy slot on RTE Radio 1. The aim of the festival is to build on the success of comedy sketch show Callan’s Kicks, the brainchild of comedian Oliver Callan and music and entertainment editor at RTE Radio 1, Ann-Marie Power, who said she was delighted that they now had the opportunity to build on that. “Our listeners have huge appreciation and desire for Irish comedy and on their request, we have decided to give them more in 2016. More than 40 acts are due to perform over the eight days and, according to RTE will ‘bring together the

finest current and upcoming comedic minds in the country’,” she said. The festival begins on Sunday, January 31 with chat show She’s Having a Laugh presented by Deirdre O’Kane plus special guests, the following day will see Don’t Quote Me – a special live recording of the hit RTE radio comedy panel show. One of the big draws will be Cullivan’s Travels – A Journey Through Irish Satire. Ireland’s premiere satire expert Paddy Cullivan is a writer and performer on RTE’s Callan’s Kicks and leader of The Camembert Quartet, The Late Late Show‘s house band. In this show, Paddy and special guests look back at Irish satire through the years – from Hall’s Pictorial Weekly to Scrap Saturday, Callan’s Kicks to Bull Island, Pictorial Weekly to The Savage Eye, incorporating both chat

and performance. Another show which promises to be a big draw is one performed by Comedian, BBC radio presenter, star of Kilkenomics and best-selling author of the Irish Mammies series, Colm O’Regan. Who brings his unique storytelling to the Project stage and with special guest actors and interviewees unpicks the linguistic foibles that characterise this nation of ours. The Cube, which is downstairs in the Project Arts Centre, will also have a programme that coincides with the main event with Q and A sessions and masterclasses in comedy writing, radio production and film and television production. The programme for these events will be available from January 11. For more information see www.rte. ie

The Dublin Gazette has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. Blake is a one-year-old male terrier cross. He arrived into Dogs Trust from a hoarding situation with 11 other dogs. Blake would be best suited to a home with children aged 16-plus and would benefit from living with a friendly, confident dog. He will need a family who will do some training with him and put in the time to help his confidence around people grow. If you think there is a place in your family for this clever, eager and very sweet boy, 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 www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.


OUT&ABOUT 1

4

ONLY Amelia pullover €39.95

Warehouse High rib neck top €46

Gazette

18 Gazette 14 January 2016

2

COS Shaped garter stitch jumper €79

3

Oasis striped embellished jumper €44

Jumpers for joy TOP FIVE

Penneys Crop cable jumper €14

5


14 January 2016 Gazette 19

Vichy IDEALIA Day €26

Guinot Creme Hydra Finish Face Cream €39.50

s p Drop y Sho m €35 d o B The Crea h Day of Yout

Nuxe Creme Fraiche normal skin tube €21.75

Clarins Multi-Active Jour, All Skin Types €38

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It’s that time of the year again when it’s almost a daily battle to keep your skin moisturised. Winter winds and low humidity can leave skin dry, thirsty and irritable. Here are a selection of creams that can help rehydrate and smooth many types of winter skin and give your complexion a rosy, nourished glow.

Ziaja jasmine day cream anti-wrinkle SPF 6 €7.99

Gazette

STYLE


20 Gazette 14 January 2016

Gazette

OUT&ABOUT fast TRAVEL NEWS For a ‘clean break’, look no further than Spain’s Camino

Camino De Santiago De Compostela: Over 776km of track await

The beautiful Mexican city of Cancun

Get planning your dream honeymoon

If you are thinking of tying the knot this year or if you are already in the process of planning your dream honeymoon then you will be happy to know that there is a wide range of honeymoon destinations on offer for 2016. For €1,049pp you can spend an all-inclusive seven nights in the beautiful Mexican city of Cancun in the Occidental Grand Xcaret or in the Riu Cancun for €1,129pp When holidaying or honeymooning in Cancun you will be able to enjoy direct access to the beach from your hotel, spend time swimming in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea and choose from a host of water-sports that are directly on your doorstep. If you and your better half long to be treated like royalty on your honeymoon, then the Caribbean island of Barbados will not disappoint. For €1,059pp, you will stay at the Coconut Court Beach Hotel for seven nights. This Caribbean Island is famous for its tropical

year-long weather, white sandy beaches and its turquoise waters which are ideal for enjoying an exotic honeymoon. Experience unbelievable sunsets in the Caribbean island of St Lucia during your honeymoon and for €1,199pp you can stay at the Windjammer Landing Beach Resort for seven nights. Bask on the white sandy beaches, enjoy a dip in the crystal clear lagoons, explore the length and breadth of these St Lucia or enjoy a peaceful getaway and relax and savour pure bliss. A holiday to the Dominican Republic is highly recommended if you’re into stunning mountain scenery, breath-taking rainforests anwd pristine beaches. Newlyweds can stay at the all-inclusive Dreams Punta Cana Resort and Spa for seven nights for €1,239pp. These offers must be booked by January 31 with flights leaving in May. Visit www.escape2.ie for more information.

 therese caherty

Pilgrimage – the word conjures up austerity of a Lough Derg kind: three days on Station Island where St Patrick underwent his purgatory, with black tea, dry toast, no sleep and an abundance of prayer resulting, it’s hoped, in a closer walk with god. Or the loss of a few pounds, maybe. Looking further afield, what about northern Spain’s Camino De Santiago De Compostela? The Way of St James can engage body, mind and spirit singly or in triplicate if that’s your wish. Peregrinos from all corners of the globe are attracted to it, those of all religions and none, who are fighting fit or more used to the armchair. Everyone has their way! Home is the starting point and Santiago de Compostela the end. This is where the remains of the apostle, St James, were reputedly shipped from Jerusalem for burial in the Middle Ages. St James’s Gate in Dublin 8 was Ireland’s tradi-

tional departure spot – it could be yours if you rise to the challenge. St James’s Day is July 25 and when it falls on a Sunday, Santiago’s cathedral declares a holy or jubilee year. The next is in 2021 – so you’ve plenty of time to plan, do the odd reccie. Seriously! Over 776km of track await you, winding over hills, through vineyards, almond groves, down into valleys, alongside noisy motorways, through cities, towns and villages dripping in history. A vast current of “peregrinos” flows through the area every year, recharging their spirits and helping to fuel a depressed local economy in the process. People drive, walk, cycle, run or, in my case, hobble towards the west. The ever-helpful Irish Society of the Friends of St James (www.camino. ie) is there too for practical advice. I booked a return to Santander which unfortunately determined my route – I couldn’t start in the Pyrenees without the journey devouring

days of walking. So the society advised starting in Pamplona, finishing in Burgos, home of El Cid and, during the Spanish civil war, base for General Franco’s government. Its 13th century Gothic catholic cathedral is a vast and undeniably impressive mass of spires, gargoyles and golden stone. Preparation is key for a stint on the Camino and the trick is to travel light. I decided to take a suitcase, however, for stuff that wouldn’t fit in my 35kg backpack and have it forwarded to the following night’s B&B. Here my language deficiencies glowed. More than once, my case went AWOL and I finished up buried in a beer. Why didn’t I listen and learn Spanish? Even a smattering would have helped. Once you arrive, your days, however many or few, will be totally governed by a pattern of rising before the sun, walking, eating, sleeping. Buy John Brierley’s guide to the Camino. It divides the route into 33

Engage your body, mind and spirit on northern Spain’s

stages with an average 23.5km per stage, from St Jean Pied du Port to Santiago de Compostela. In fairness, it will become your own pocket resource centre – worth the investment. Brierley subdivides each stage further with elevation and terrain ahead clearly explained. You always know where you are, how high you’re going to go, and so can judge your energy en route and stop if you know you can’t finish the full stage. An accompanying commentary recommends and rates albergues, restaurants, historical sites … and this is only a fraction. On advice, I brought no books. But in my two weeks, I couldn’t find an English newspaper or magazine so I read the

guide from cover to cover and back. It was worth it. But be advised – bring a (light) book. My first trek, out of P a m p l o n a t ow a r d s Puente la Reina, was unforgettable. At 6am half the world was walking and smiling with me. I found the scallop shell markers no problem. The fact that I hadn’t had breakfast - not even coffee - meant nothing. And although in the days ahead I got lost once or twice or found, particularly in the cities, that I was doubling back, the shell and arrows and John Brierley helped me hold course. In all, I completed eight only stages. Alas, a mosquito bit my eyelid as I made my way out of Logrono one morning for


14 January 2016 Gazette 21

Gazette

TRAVEL you, winding over hills, through vineyards, valleys, through cities and towns

The Scallop Shell: The symbol of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage The scallop shell is like an old pal,

legends involving the apostle, St

turning up at just the right time

James. In one story, as the saint’s

to reassure you when the way is

remains were in transit to Galicia

unclear.

from Jerusalem a knight’s horse

It’s everywhere: swinging from

was said to have fallen into the

backpacks; embedded in the path

water and emerged covered in

or on buildings; snuggling behind

scallop shells. Others give it a

shrubbery and scrub or sculpted

pre-Christian slant, claiming

into rock.

that the Camino was a fertility

Medieval pilgrims used the

pilgrimage for childless couples

shell too, sometimes for practical and the scallop a pagan fertility reasons: weighing little, it could

symbol at its outset. Finally, the

be used as cutlery or food dish.

shell’s contours and drills are

But it was also proof that they had indeed walked the walk. Native to the

sun – an important daily event and heav-

the scallop

ily symbolic for

evolved into a

pre-Christian

souvenir – and

societies. An appropriate

income

enough

for local

take given

shops

that the

along

way is a

the

journey

way.

to the

Some

west,

things

to the

never

“end of

change! Inevitably it’s associated with Camino De Santiago De Compostela

I brought a pair that were great for Ireland’s springy bogs. But on the hard gravel of the Santiago trail? They were a killer. If you’re travelling in the heat, make sure your boots are light but with a really substantial sole so your feet don’t bruise and blister from pounding the rocky earth. Bring plenty of plasters, creams, powder and socks too. Look after those feet, they’re doing a tough job. Finally, the food is plain, simple and when it comes to dietary requirements, you’re on your own. The lack of choice makes life so simple it would be great if we could bottle it and bring it home. Finally, this you’ll hear everywhere you go from everyone you meet: buon camino peregrinos!

as imitating the setting

Galicia coast,

source of

Navarrete. It knocked me off track for a day and left me looking as if I’d gone the full 18 with Rambo. Get the EU health insurance card from the HSE. I didn’t and it cost. What do I remember most? The friendliness of the Spanish and their patience as I mangled their language; the massive cathedrals in almost every tiny town that seemed to heave with gold. An Irishwoman I met on the way went for the regular pilgrim blessing and was invited along with others into a room where many gold icons were on display. How can all that be in there, she said, when the people here are so poor? I also remember feet - all shapes, sizes and various states of distress.

interpreted in some quarters

Preparation is key. John Brierley’s guide to the Camino is essential as are the right boots

the world” (Finisterre) and the setting sun.


Gazette

22 Gazette 14 January 2016

OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

BITESIZEDNEWS

The Jar rolls onto the city’s trendy bar list THE latest trendy bar on the scene is The Jar, on Wexford Street, in the old Solas premises. The Jar’s promise is to reflect the charms of an old Irish pub while embracing the energetic atmosphere of its location. With a drink menu consisting of “old favourites, new loves and a couple of adventurous unknowns”, the bar aims to add its own welcoming charm to the sometimes chaotic street. With its food offering consisting of base woodfired pizza, it may have some competition with the numerous pizza joint offerings in the city, such as the nearby P Mac’s and The Bernard Shaw. However, the sharing plates on the menu consist of choices such as salt and chili squid, duck spring rolls and wild mushroom and tarragon tartlets, which make it more of a foodie destination than its pizza counterparts.

Fish Shop

Seafood, fish and chips

Queen Street, D7 Since opening early last

www.

dublin

its refreshingly simple

.com

g a ze t t e

All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

WHEN it arrived early last year, Picky Eater thought Fish Shop was a humble chipper – should’ve known better The logo – elegant and discreet – and the waiter in a bow tie wearing a look of polite mystification when I asked for a one-and-one were enough to send me packing, with plans emerging for a more dignified return. The mistake was understandable – Queen Street, with its three lanes of honking motors and the Luas running through it – has long lost any of its Victorian charms. Notwithstanding a few sound watering holes (Ryan’s, The Dice Man), it’s possibly the least likely spot in the capital for posh fish and chips – this is Picky’s defence. The second visit was far more satisfying. We dropped in and found the protocol was first-come, first-served; no bookings taken. A wait of 40 to 45 min-

year in Smithfield, Fish Shop has made a name for itself, thanks to its crowded but friendly interior and range of dishes. Great for classic – and very tasty – fish and chips, oysters, mussels. Be impressed.

The Picky Eater utes? No problem. Repair to Ryan’s for an aperitif; a phone call later, and we cantered hungrily towards our tea. The Fish Shop interior is really lovely: space is at a premium, and Picky’s guest was tickled to find he was sitting on a stash of beer! The dozen or so diners squish themselves happily around a single row of rough wooden tables; others sit on high stools at the window. There’s much smiling, nodding, snippets of cross conversations, and then there’s the delicious aroma – a far cry from the pong of old fat or oil that regrettably some of us now associate with the national dish. The menu, as you might expect, is refreshingly simple: you can start with fried oysters or mussels or cockles, moving on to a fillet o’fish (burger), or battered haddock served with tartare sauce or whatever the batter-free catch of the day is.

Sides include bread and butter (no nods in the direction of glutenfree, but what the hell), twice-fried chips, green herb salad and tartare sauce or garlic mayo. You can wash it all down with wine or beer by the bottle. Our jaded Christmas palates were happy to have our decisions made easy. Very quickly, we plumped for the oldfashioned item (a oneand-one), and the fish burger (hake fillet on a toasted brioche bun with fennel, apple, garlic mayo and mint). The latter was judged a taste sensation! Being greedy, we also ordered chips, salad and extra tartare sauce. My hake was deliciously tender and moist – frankly, the best fried fish I’ve ever tasted, and that’s no lie. The batter was light, crisp and something not intended to be left on a plate. Otherwise, the chips were crisp, the salad was

fresh and lightly dressed. Service friendly, efficient and unobtrusive, despite the squash. Yes, there are no desserts – in this instance, an occasion of sin happily avoided. With a glass of white and a bottle of ale, the bill came to around €55. Smithfield has a dearth

of good eating venues, so Picky and pal vacated the premises with the following slogan: The Fish Shop on Queen Street – long may she reign! It’s closed Monday and Sunday; open for lunch (from noon) Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, otherwise open from 2.30 to 10pm.

Conclusion PICKY was feeling decidedly chipper after a visit to Fish Shop (at No 6, Queen Street, Dublin 7; tel 01 430 8594). The fish couldn’t have been better – in fact, was the best Picky has ever had – while its no-nonsense setting was unexpectedly convivial, making it definitely the plaice to eat ...


14 January 2016 Gazette 23


Gazette

24 Gazette 14 January 2016

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTH

Make quitting smoking your No 1 New Year’s resolution

Free app to quit smoking

Carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels the most, so the amount of carbohydrate eaten daily is important

nutrition: keeping insulin levels on target

Curbing carbs With the festive season now over, it’s time to get back on track.The first step is to take stock of your nutrition regime. Go through your kitchen presses and bin all the tempting t r e a t s y o u ’ ve e a t e n over the last few weeks. Then restock with fresh wholesome foods. The most important component for weight loss is insulin management. Insulin aka the fat h o r m o n e , p l ay s a n important role. It’s key for recovering from exercise, building muscle and maintaining optimal blood sugar levels. Insulin and carbohydrates are tightly linked. The more carbohydrates eaten, the more insulin released. Carbohydrate foods affect blood glucose levels the most. Examples of these foods are the fruit group, the starch and starchy vegetable group and the milk and yogurt group. Carbohydrate-only foods raise

blood glucose quicker than those containing fats and protein. Carbohydrates eaten with fats and protein will have a slower impact on blood glucose. Food composition

Blood glucose levels vary depending on whether you eat carbohydrates, proteins, fats, or a combination of these three. Carbohydrates will cause the highest and quickest blood glucose rise. Carbohydrate containing liquids (milk and juice) will cause blood glucose to rise faster than solid carbohydrates (bread). This impact makes carbohydrates the most important macronutrient for people with diabetes to monitor. Portion size

The amount of food eaten also affectson blood glucose levels. Eating bigger portions causes blood glucose levels to rise more. Keep-

ing track of the amount of carbohydrates eaten daily is important in controlling blood glucose levels To measure the quantity of carbohydrates eaten daily, you need to know about food groups, serving sizes and Nutrition Facts labels. One serving from each of the three carbohydrate groups contains about 15g of carbohydrates. Therefore, eating one serving from any of these groups will affect blood glucose levels in the same way. For comparison, one slice of bread has about 15g of carbohydrate. For weight loss aim to keep your total carbohydrates for the day to around 50g. Timing

glucose levels. Ask your doctor or dietician how many meals/snacks to eat daily. Blood glucose levels are affected by the timing of meals and snacks. It’s important to eat the same amount of carbohydrate at each meal or snack to keep blood glucose levels within target. To optimise insulin for fat loss, aim to get most of your carbohydrates from vegetables and some fruit and good carbs like steel-cut gluten-free oatmeal, sweet potato, winter squash and any type of rice, quinoa or legumes (beans and lentils) directly after exercise. In reality carbs are neither “good” nor “bad”. Some carbs are simply better choices than others.

Blood glucose levels are affected by the timing of meals. Eating three meals and one or two snacks at the same time daily will maintain consistent blood

 Greg Marsh Fat loss expert, personal trainer and owner of Synergise Personal Training in Stepaside. For further information, see www.synergise.ie.

A NEW free digital health coach app – iCoach – hopes to help people quit smoking in 2016, and maximise their health. According to the app makers: • Some 41% of registered Irish iCoach users stopped smoking after three months. • 80% of Irish smokers want to quit. • The highest percentage of smokers in Ireland are aged 25 to 34 years (some 28.7%). • The average Irish smoker smokes 12 cigarettes a day – that means the average such smoker spends €2,299.50 per year on cigarettes. • Finally, the new iCoach app update shows you exactly how much money users will have saved since the

day they quit. With 2016 looming, now is the perfect time to think about quitting smoking for good. Thousands of smokers make a promise to themselves every December to give up smoking in the new year – without adequate support and assistance this is a promise often broken. For those who feel like they have tried everything to quit, now may be the perfect time to download the iCoach app to help stick to that difficult New Year’s resolution. The app makers say that iCoach can be a personal safety net, at hand 24/7. The app’s latest update now comes with a “panic button” to help smokers at their weakest

moments – hitting it triggers instant advice on how to conquer the craving to smoke. Backed by the EU Commission, the iCoach app is free to download from iTunes and Google Play stores, and is also designed to provide former smokers with the help they need during their weakest moments. The app acts as a free online health coach that will support users on the journey to a smoking-free life, while also providing daily tips, seeing what the iCoach community is up to, and providing a way to share progress to support others trying to quit smoking. For further help to quit smoking, see http://stopsmokingcoach.eu/

Try a new way to lose weight Weight Watchers is famous for ferent perspective on fitness. Whether “points” and its new SmartPoints plan you want to get active and don’t know takes healthy weight loss to a new where to start, or are ready to take level. Today, rather than dieting to lose your fitness to the next level, Weight Sinclair, chief at fun and easy weight, Weight Watchers is looking Martina Watchers is looking Weight for a more holistic approach to eat- executive, ways for you to move more with ideas ing and living healthier and happier Watchers that fit your life. To find your nearest lives overall. Counting calories alone class, visit www.weightwatchers.ie. doesn’t lead to healthier eating. The new SmartPoints plan makes healthy eating simple by putting complex nutritional information into one simple number, giving you credit for eating more lean protein, less sugar and saturated fat, and nudging you towards making healthier choices while everything is still on the menu. Success goes beyond just the Martina Sinclair, number on the scales – it’s a combinachief executive, Weight Watchers tion of how you feel, your confidence, health and happiness, and much more. The SmartPoints plan gives us a dif-


14 January 2016 Gazette 25

Gazette

CINEMA

Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) steps into the role of the grizzled mentor for Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan)

creed: The Rocky film franchise is in better shape than it has been in years

A film with a familiar ring to it Few films epitomise the American dream more than the Oscar-winning Rocky franchise. The archetypal story of the hard-working underdog is so deeply cemented in our cultural and cinematic heritage that just hearing the opening bars of the famous theme can cause even the most unathletic among us to begin bounding enthusiastically up nearby steps. Rocky became an icon, and the Rocky films became a celebration of the Protestant work ethic upon which America was founded: have faith, toil relentlessly, and you will justly rewarded.

 Dave phillips

Forty years on from the original film and a new stratum of the Rocky mythos emerges in Creed. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station), the story follows the rise of Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan) whose father, Apollo Creed, was world champion before being beaten by Rocky Balboa. Adonis has plenty of physical potential,

but no formal training, and knowing that his father became steadfast friends with Rocky, Adonis seeks out the long-retired Balboa to help him. Littered with visual and structural allusions to the 1976 Rocky, the film has no qualms about staying tight to its source material. Adonis runs through the streets in a familiar grey tracksuit, drills relentlessly in the gym, and chases chickens to improve his footwork just like Rocky did all those years ago. While Balboa steps into the role of the grizzled mentor, barking gravelly encouragement just like Mickey did all

those years ago. Oh, and there goes Adonis, getting romantically entangled while he should be training, just like Rocky did, all those years ago. It plays out like a topsy-turvy trip down memory lane, complete with suitably epic montage sequences. Creed manages to be familiar, but not staid thanks to some persuasive performances. Michael B Jordan is fresh and enigmatic in the lead role, managing to capture both the physical prowess and psychological naivete of an up-and-coming contender. Stallone suits the world-weary support-

ing role, and the two gel together nicely. When Rocky has Adonis come stay in his apartment as training intensifies, the pair enter in a kind of familial bond – with Rocky becoming the long sought after father-figure for Adonis, and Adonis fulfilling the role of an ideal son for Rocky. Adonis’s love intere s t , B i a n c a ( Te s s a Thompson) serves to add another level of depth – allowing us to see another side to Jordan’s range, while also providing a plot-line that puts some tension between Rocky and Adonis. Creed manages to mirror so much of what

made Rocky successful, as Coogler essentially retells the Rocky story for a new generation, a n d o p e n i n g we e kends in the US (where it was released some weeks earlier) suggest that there is still a large appetite for an underdog story. But in retelling the story, Coogler a l s o p r e s e r ve d t h e original American myth – work hard, and you can get what you want, which is where things fall short. Because there is also a distinct feeling that the cultural milieu has shifted since the 1970s, and something about the simplicity of the story-arc and central philosophy that Creed

adopted rings out of kilter with the kind of stories we encounter in cinemas today. Next to Southpaw, or The Wrestler, Creed’s story seems a little facile. Not that there is anything wrong with an old-fashioned good versus evil tale, but Creed doesn’t even manage to do that. In trying to craft a more modern and realistic retelling of Rocky, Coogler loses the dynamic between Rocky and Apollo, as the lines between good and bad become necessarily blurred. Enjoyable, albeit hollow, Creed is a powerful start to the new generation of the boxing franchise. Verdict: 6/10


26 dun laoghaire gazette 14 January 2016

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Dun LaoghaireCLASSIFIEDS planning Notice

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Gazette

28 gazette 14 January 2016

SPORT

FastSport Shelbourne march on in league cup: SHELBOURNE Ladies got their Continental Tyres women’s national league cup off to a great start in heavy rain at the AUL Complex last night. Shels and Galway cancelled each other out in the horrendous conditions with the deadlock finally being broken in the 73rd minute by Rebecca Creagh. Siobhan Killeen’s right wing cross found Creagh at the back post to head home her third goal in two matches against the Galwegians. Killeen doubled Shels’ advantage with 10 minutes remaining with a strike from the edge of the box then Noelle Murray sealed the victory in stoppage time. Last season’s beaten finalists Peamount United got off to a winning start with a Lauryn O’Callaghan double sealing the points in Castlebar. Lauren Kelly got the other goal for the visitors in an impressive 3-0 win for the Greenogue club.

cricket: late invite extended to ireland for bangladesh trip

Nine Dubs bound for World Cup  sport@dublingazette.com

IRELAND have made three changes to their s q u a d f o r t h e IC C Under-19 World Cup tournament which starts in Bangladesh later this month with nine Dublin-based players called up. Spinning all-rounders Fiachra Tucker (Pembroke) and Harry Tector (YMCA) rejoin the 15-man squad having missed out on the Malaysian qualifiers, while Rush opening batsman Stephen Doheny - captain of Ireland’s Under17s - earns a first callup at this level after an impressive summer. Tucker and Tector join their elder brothers in the squad, with Lorcan

Tucker named as vicecaptain, and Jack Tector once again skippering the side. Pembroke’s Josh Little, Merrion’s Tom Stanton and Phoenix’s Ben White and Rory Anders retain their places in the side. The inclusion of twin brothers Gary and William McClintock mean there’s a real family affair look to the lineup. Ireland initially missed out on qualifying for this World Cup but were offered the chance to compete after Australia withdraw from the competition for security reasons. Cricket Ireland were satisfied that they could take up the offer to step

in from the International Cricket Council and head coach Ryan Eagleson is looking forward to the challenge ahead. “ We p l ay e d s o m e excellent cricket at both the European qualifiers in Jersey and the global qualifying event in Malaysia,” he said. “Unfortunately we lost out at the final hurdle on both occasions, but we’ve been handed this lifeline which we intend to make the most of. “We’ve strengthened the spin bowling, drafting in Fiachra [Tucker] and Harry Tector, while Stephen Doheny is an accomplished batsman who has scored heavily this season at all levels. “Our group looks tough with India and

Irish underage internationals Fiachra Tucker, Ben White, Lorcan Tucker and Jack Tector along with Colin Curry (centre)

New Zealand, while we will have a chance of revenge over Nepal who pipped us in Malaysia. “We’re all extremely grateful to the ICC for the opportunity to play in the World Cup and although we know it will be tough, we’re determined to make everyone proud.” The chance to captain Ireland at a World Cup is a dream come true for Irish skipper Jack Tector and he can’t wait to lead his country in Bangladesh. “It is a massive opportunity for the squad to represent Ireland on the world stage. I can’t

thank the ICC enough for their invitation and Cricket Ireland for acting so fast as a result. “Fortunately we have been training regularly, and with four days preparation in Dubai before we head on to Bangladesh, I know we will be ready for the India game on the 28th. “We have experience in sub-continental conditions having been to Sri Lanka and Malaysia over the last 12 months, so hopefully this will stand us in good stead once we get to Bangladesh. “To captain my country in a World Cup is

something I have dreamt about over the last few years and now that it’s actually happening is a truly unbelievable feeling.” Ireland are in Group D and will play matches against India (in Mirpur on January 28), Nepal (in Fatullah on January 30) and New Zealand (in Fatullah on February 1). If Ireland finishes inside the top two in Group D, then it will progress to the Super League, while it will feature in the Plate Championship if it ends up third or fourth in its group.

Captain Deasy plays pivotal role in Lansdowne win  sport@dublingazette.com

Lansdowne got the better of Clontarf in the UBL Division 1A clash last weekend. Picture: Deryck Vincent

SCOTT Deasy played the captain’s role as his late penalty guided Lansdowne to a gritty 19-18 victory over play-off rivals Clontarf on the 4G pitch at Castle Avenue in the Ulster Bank Division 1A. The steely out-half kicked 14 points in all, including four penalty goals, to deny Clontarf who had been within touching distance of the win thanks to replacement Eoghan Browne’s try. History was repeating itself as

back in late November, Clontarf missed out on an away triumph over Lansdowne when a late Deasy-converted try saw Mike Ruddock’s men sneak a 23-all draw. The north Dubliners, beaten by Garryowen last week, got off to a poor start today as Deasy slotted two penalties and converted returning scrum half Adam Griggs’ try - the New Zealander seized his chance to dive over from a close-in ruck. Deasy’s opposite number, Joey Carbery, showed lovely hands to create an unconverted try for

winger Rob McGrath which settled Tarf down. Carbery tagged on a penalty early in the second half to make it 13-8. The tide seemed to be turning as Carbery soon made it a twopoint game. A costly yellow card for Clontarf replacement scrum half Sam Cronin saw Deasy respond off the kicking tee and although Carbery successfully converted Browne’s try, it was Deasy who had the decisive say for the reigning champions. It was business as usual at the Belfield Bowl where Division 1A pacesetters UCD swept Garryo-

wen aside in a 45-19 bonus point triumph. With Leinster young guns Ross Byrne and Nick McCarthy directing operations from halfback, the students extended their winning streak to six games and pushed seven points clear at the summit. They led 21-7 at the halftime whistle. Barry Daly broke through midfield to set up a fifth minute opener for fellow winger Adam Byrne, and the long-striding Daly soon got over in the right corner for his eighth try of the league run.


14 January 2016 gazette 29

Gazette

Cabo’s social reach knows no boundary The south Dublin club made plenty of waves online in their first year in the League of Ireland thanks to media strategy  james hendicott

sport@dublingazette.com

WHEN Cabinteely FC were accepted into the League of Ireland first division at 38 days’ notice early in 2015, they were little-known outside of the immediate area. A common reaction, in fact, was the lament of another Dublin-based

club being added to a top two divisions that is currently contains no less than six capital-based clubs. Since the Dun Laoghaire suburban club were admitted, however, their reputation has soared, in part off the back of social media. Dillon Foley took over the club’s social media

accounts as one of the first clients to join up with his fresh-from-university start-up The Link Marketing. Foley has been a member of Cabo for most of his life, as have much of his family. The relative unknowns soon picked up a lot of traction, and the season has seen a fan added to the Football Manager

Cabinteely ran a series of unique initiatives in their maiden season in the League of Ireland. Picture: cabinteelyfc.ie

franchise as a player (and a season ticket), thanks to a collaborative contest. It has seen free tickets handed out to losing gamblers after the club equalised in the dying seconds against the league leaders, and spending money on the social antics just once: in buying a birthday cake “for Yaya Toure” to post on social media. The multi-millionaire Manchester City midfielder had had a minor meltdown about his own club’s failure to do so. “We reached 3.5 million people last year,” Foley told GazetteSport. “The club has been the biggest referral to my business, and it’s the only thing clients want to talk about when I meet with them. I think it’s successful in part because people are surprised by it. It’s about building our image, but we started with a blank slate - essentially with nothing to lose. “We wanted to get our name out there,” Foley explained. “Publicity

leads to a fan base, and builds the club’s image. Later, we’d like the majority of League of Ireland players to have come from within the club, and obviously anything that gives us a bigger name will help with that.” The social media campaign has been so successful that in their first League of Ireland year, Cabinteely did take home a trophy: an FAI Award for Best Social Media. On the field, Cabinteely finished bottom of the League of Ireland first division in their first season, but with 38 days to prepare, that was to be expected. Their high attendances, fast-rising reputation and seemingly genuine commitment to the community. If you need any further proof of their positive intentions, season tickets for kids at less than €2 a game and a free Leaving Cert grinds deal for young players show a club that’s building on sturdy, localised roots.

FastSport

Rovers claim Leinster indoor title for fifth time HAT tricks from Jody Hosking and Ross Canning inspired Three Rock Rovers to win back the Leinster indoor hockey title from arch rivals Railway Union 10-7 in the final at St Columba’s. It was level five times before the Rathfarnham side pulled clear in the last 10 minutes. Hosking – later named man of the match – had made the early inroads with his three goals all coming in the first half. He had them in front at 1-0 and 2-1 before completing the first half scoring to make it 5-4 at the interval in a helter-skelter battle. Luke Madeley put two between the sides for the first time two minutes into the second half. Railway, though, looked the side in the ascendancy for much of the next 10 minutes with Nick Tate the key impetus from the back. They created two brilliant openings for Nowakowski which he took to make it 6-6 with nine minutes left. But, once level, they could not carry on with the same threat and Rovers pounced. Canning scored from a narrow angle off White’s assist to retake the lead. He then scored a stroke after Rovers’ second corner hit a body on the line. Railway pulled their keeper in favour of an extra outfielder but the strategy backfired as Fred Morris finished into an open net as did White for a 10-6 lead. David Richardson got one back on the final whistle but Rovers were celebrating their fifth Tony Byrne Cup success. Both Railway and Three Rock now advance to the national finals which take place in Ulster next weekend.


Gazette

30 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 14 January 2016

SPORT

FastSport

basketball: stillorgan club denied place in national final

Wayside return for Ray WAYSIDE Celtic gave their LSL Sunday Senior promotion chances a real boost with the re-signing of Ray Whelehan earlier this week. The talented midfielder has returned to Kilternan for his second spell with the club. Whelehan spent a number of successful years at Wayside winning a handful of trophies while representing the Ireland amateur side at the same time. He left Celtic at the beginning of the 201314 season to play closer to home and opted to sign for Malahide United.

Blackrock pipped by Harlequins BLACKROCK College RFC saw their chance to move into the top half of Ulster Bank League Division 1B denied as they were pipped by Belfast Harlequins 12-10 at Deramore Park, the hosts winning their first game of the season at the 11th attempt. Bottom side Belfast Harlequins narrowed the gap between themselves and UL Bohemians, in ninth, to seven points, with Ireland Under-20 international Jacob Stockdale scoring the match-winning try. Despite having winger David Rowan sin-binned, Blackrock College managed to take the lead on the half hour mark when flanker Sam Cooke dived over in the corner after a lineout maul had initially been thwarted.

The try went unconverted, however, and ‘Quins nipped in front for half-time thanks to a Mark Glover sevenpointer. The full-back slid over near the posts following a chip through from outhalf Mark Best who converted for a 7-5 scoreline. The Dubliners replied in the 50th minute, their number eight Gary Fenn reaching over following a successful forwards drive. However Peter Quirke missed the difficult conversion and he also struck the post with a penalty while Quins hooker Paul Jackson was in the bin. The Ulster outfit survived a tricky period, with their defence under severe pressure, before a fleet-footed attack led to Stockdale’s crucial 70thminute score. Best missed the conversion but it was not needed as Adam Larkin’s men prevailed by just two points.

Meteors BC coach Mark Byrne speaks to his players during a timeout. Picture: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

Meteors brought to earth sport@dublingazette.com

METEORS were denied a shot at the women’s Hula Hoops national cup title as reigning champions Team Montenotte Hotel proved just too strong last Friday at the Mardyke, winning out 77-61. It wasn’t all plain sailing for the Cork side though, as Meteors dominated proceedings in the second quarter, enjoying a 10-0 run and taking a slender two-point lead into halftime. However, the champions showed their character and grit as the game ticked on and this year’s final will now be a repeat of last year’s as

Team Montenotte Hotel will once more face off to Pyrobel Killester. Grainne Dwyer got the scoring under way with a three-pointer and a fastpaced and high-scoring first quarter followed, with good shooting from Jade Daly of Meteors and Claire Rockall for Montenotte. Rockall added two more off the fast break, while Marie Breen created a touch of magic with the ball, somehow picking out Chantell Alford to send the Cork team further ahead. Then Katie O’Flaherty skipped inside for two for Meteors to close the quarter 20-17. It was the second quar-

Swim a mile Wallace and Woods launch big annual challenge swim Ireland announced details of the 2016 Swim for a Mile Challenge with David Wallace, former Irish international rugby player and Laura Woods, TV3 presenter, on hand to launch the initiative. It is open to swimmers of all abilities and involves 12 weeks of training to reach the goal of swimming a mile. It will take place in 12 pools nationwide in April with the National Aquatic Centre among them.To sign up, visit www.swimforamile.com. Picture: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

ter when Meteors really came into their own, with McGuinness getting their period of dominance underway with two baskets in quick succession. Despite an impressive performance from Aine McKenna at the other end, it was all Meteors as Kate O’Flaherty rose high for three, with more points added shortly after by Jade Daly and McGuinness. Fiona Meany extended their lead before McKenna finally broke their scoring run with a full court drive. A somewhat rattled Montenotte regrouped in the time out and soon began working their way back from the 10-point deficit, with Dwyer, Alford

and McKenna all adding scores to leave them trailing by just two at halftime, 37-35. Glanmire kept the pressure on as the second half got going, and a dazzling run from Dwyer saw her tee up McKenna close to the base line for two points to edge the Cork side in front. Seconds later, Dwyer again pulled a rebound out of the clouds, and powered the ball up court to Rockall who found Alford, and she made no hesitation in slotting home yet another threepointer. Montenotte were beginning to take control of proceedings, with Dwyer and Rockall

intuitively knowing how to find each other, while Alford was dominating the scoreboard. Despite good shooting from O’Flaherty at the other end, Haley Lenihan came off the bench for Glanmire and immediately made an impression, hitting two in a row straight away, and added her third basket when Alford picked her out from the opposite end of the court. Despite hard work from Fiona Meany, Leer and Daly for Meteors, it just wasn’t enough, as Aine McKenna Dwyer, Alford and Rockall added scores to run out 77-61 point winners.


14 January 2016 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 31

Gazette

Cunningham content with early wins  sport@dublingazette.com

THREE Cuala players were in the Dublin senior hurling squad as they continued their good start to the 2016 season with Oisin Gough starting while Mark Schutte and Darragh O’Connell were introduced from the bench. They beat Antrim last

Sunday to add to a win over UCD, setting them up well for their meeting with Laois in Rathdowney in their third Bord na Mona Walsh Cup clash next Sunday. And manager Ger Cunningham was content with last Sunday’s victor y over Antrim when Dublin improved in the second half to

run out comfortable winners. “It was a cold day for hurling, but I think the guys did well - it’s early in the year and we have a tough test next week to go to Laois. “It’s great to be hurling, considering the bad weather and the start to the year to play two good matches in four or

five days, so being honest it is a good workout,” said Cunningham. The Dublin boss has been encouraged by the early season form of forward Eamonn Dillon. He hit 1-3 against Antrim in an attack that scored 3-25 with Paul Ryan contributing 1-10 (0-7 from frees).

Club Noticeboard Cuala MEMBERS are reminded that their

Well done to Conor Mullally and Con

uary 1, 2016. There is no increase for

O’Callaghan (who scored 1-2) on beat-

those who pay before Febraury 28.

ing DCU with the Dublin footballers at

You can pay online through the Cuala

the weekend.

website.

Well done also to Darragh O’Connell,

Congratulations to Cuala adult

David Treacy and Mark Schutte, all

camogie player and minor footballer

part of the Dublin hurling panel that

Dervla Madden who was one of 265

defeated Antrim by 3-25 to 1-17 in the

national recipients of the silver Gaisce

Walsh cup on Sunday.

award.

football: dcu eliminated as dublin progress

ing homes.

annual subscriptions fell due on Jan-

This week’s Cuala lotto jackpot will

Members will be saddened to hear

be a massive €4,000. Our lucky dip

of the passing of Seosamh O’Drisceoil,

winners last week were Eileen Quill

one of the founding fathers of Cuala,

and Eddie Gough. Buy your tickets

over the Christmas break. Ar Dheis De

online at http://www.cualagaa.ie/

go raibh a anam.

lotto.

Congratulations to all those who

Tickets (€10) for the 2016 GAA

took part in the We Climb, We Care

national club draw are on sale in the

fundraising walk up Maulin mountain

club now. Fantastic prizes. All money

to honour Orla Quill. The funds raised

raised stays in Cuala. Contact your

now total €3,810. Thank you every-

team or section rep to buy them.

one.

Book your table now for the Cuala

This will be given to Habitat for

awards night on Saturday, January

Humanity by our Cuala team-mates

23. Contact Orla on 086 8577471 or

who are off to Zambia in June build-

Damian on 086 3855133.

Shankill THE juvenile academy, sponsored by

tion for the new season. New players

O’Donnell’s Pharmacy Shankill, and

always welcome contact Kevin on 086

all our teams will return to action on

8449902.

Saturday, January 23.

Na Fianna man Johnny Cooper at the launch of the O’Byrne Cup. Picture: Paul Mohan

Cuala’s O’Callaghan stakes Dubs’ claim

o’byrne cup

Dublin 1-16 DCU 1-12  sport@dublingazette.com

CUALA youngster Con O’Callaghan continued to stake his claim for a regular place up top for the Dublin senior footballers with a lively, creative performance, notching 1-2 in the O’Byrne Cup, while teammate Conor Mullally was given a run out in defence. Dublin overcame DCU at Parnell Park to book a date with Longford in the pre-season O’Byrne Cup semi final, despite a strong showing from the

students, coming out on top by a scoreline that slightly flattered the visitors at 1-16 to 1-12. The Boys in Blue started slowly, with DCU finding plenty of space in among a Dublin defence that looked substantially below par, while Dean Rock and the rising minor Con O’Callaghan kept the sky blues in touch at the other end, before O’Callaghan notched the Dubs’ only goal with a sharp finish in the 19th minute. An increasingly feisty game saw the ever-domineering Dean Rock bully the DCU backs, scoring

0-6, while Jason Whelan’s second half cameo saw the Ballymun Kickhams man use his energy to make incisions into the students’ backline. Shane Carey’s late goal saw the students flatter to deceive in a game Dublin never really looked like losing, but will still leave Jim Gavin feeling he has plenty to sort before the league season rolls around. Johnny Cooper appeared irritated for much of the match at cornerback, and was somewhat lucky to escape without a card, but it is fringe players like Shane

Cathy and Cormac Costello who have most to gain from outings like this, and in a bitty game in slippery conditions, few particularly stood out. In difficult conditions, the day suited merely getting the basics right. The manager’s trial of almost 30 different players across the three group stage games makes his strategy clear, however, and if only the boisterous O’Callaghan comes from the experiment, it will have been one worth undertaking. Dublin travel to Longford on Sunday, January 17, with kick off at 2pm.

The club AGM will be held on Mon-

If you would like your child to join

day, February 1 at 8pm in St Anne’s

the academy, or any of our teams,

Resource Centre Shankill. For more

just contact us at the e-mail address

information, contact secretary.

below there are no trials, no selection

shankill.dublin@gaa.ie or 086 3215087.

processes and no annual subscription. The cost is only €2 for each child.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Join Shankill GAA club. Your com-

The men’s adult football team train-

munity, your family friendly GAA Club

ing resumes on Sunday, January 17 at

where you’re not just a number and

11am in Shanganagh Cliffs in prepara-

everybody knows your name.

naomh olaf NAOMH Olaf received a belated

Michael O’Connor and Cathal

Christmas present on December 28

Sorohan were the managers who

when their young Under-21 side won

brought it all together.

the C championship final in style for the first time. The game against St Finbarr’s was

The winner of this week’s lotto jackpot was Jenny Dowling. Next week’s lotto will be €1,000.

played in Alfie Byrne Road Clontarf

Reminder that membership for

and Naomh Olaf supporters turned

2016 is now due. Membership can

out in large numbers to cheer on

be paid online at www.naomholaf.ie.

the lads who had postponed some

Forms are also available to down-

a s p e c t o f Ch r i s t m a s t o m a ke

load on the membership section of

sure they were in top form for the

the website.

match. They didn’t disappoint and captain

New members are always welcome at Naomh Olaf.

Stephen Mulvaney brought home the

If you are living or working in the

first ever Under-21 football trophy

broader Sandyford, Dundrum, Ste-

to the Naomh Olaf clubhouse.

paside area and want to try your

Christmas and New Year celebra-

hand at Gaelic football, hurling, cam-

tions were rolled in to one and it

ogie or ladies Gaelic football, please

was all worth the wait. All but two of

contact Naomholafpro@gmail.com

these players will be eligible to play

who will put you in contact with the

Under-21 again next year.

relevant team manager.


GazetteSPORT all of your dun laoghaire sports coverage from page 28-31

january 14-20, 2016

meteors brought to earth: Stillorgan club fall cabo’s social success: League of Ireland newcomers to fancied Cork outfit in bid for national final spot P31 set online benchmark P29

Emily Flanagan is back for another year with the Dublin minor side. Picture: Peter Hickey/GAAPics.com

Crokes’ minor quintet

Kilmacud club well-represented in the Dublin set-up following their excellent run to the club county title in 2015 as new squad announced

 nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

DUBLIN ladies football minor champions Kilmacud Crokes were unsurprisingly well represented when the Dublin minor panel for 2016 was announced earlier this week. No fewer than five Crokes footballers were included in Dublin manager Martin McDonnell’s 32-player squad list for the upcoming year. Muireann O’Gorman, Julia Buckley and Mia Jennings return to the panel from 2015 and are joined by clubmates Katie Ronan and Rachel Fleming. Ronan and Fleming will contest for the goalkeeping slot on the Dublin panel this year mean-

ing there will be some friendly rivalry for the long-standing teammates. South Dublin as a whole is well represented in the panel and will be captained by Foxrock Cabinteely’s Tarah O’Sullivan. Crokes lead the way for numbers of players with their five but nearby neighbours Cuala haven’t done too badly either, with three of their players on the list. That trio is Jennifer Dunne, Billie Kate Huggard and Hannah O’Dea who performed excellently for the Dalkey side in 2015. Ballyboden St Enda’s and Foxrock Cabo provide two players on the squad while Ballinteer St John’s, Naomh Olaf and Thomas Davis all have one representative. Emily Flanagan and Ciara Anne Carroll

are the Ballyboden duo and are joined by the Foxrock Cabo pairing of O’Sullivan and Hannah O’Neill. O’Sullivan has been named minorcaptain of 2016 with St Maur’s Sinead Moran acting as vice-captain. Grace O’Shea is Ballinteer St John’s representative and completing the South Dublin contingent are Clara O’Sullivan from Naomh Olaf and Thomas Davis’s Jade Sweeney Knott. “Naturally were delighted that our excellent performances as a club at minor level has been recognised and identified with the inclusion of five of our players on the Dublin panel for 2016,” said a Kilmacud club representative. “We would have expected that our three players from last year’s panel retain their place as

Muireann, Julia and Mia did well in 2015. The fact that we managed to get two more on the panel in the shape of Katie and Rachel is pleasing and will be interesting to see how they got on in contesting for the goalkeeper’s slot at intercounty level. “Rachel has been playing in goal for us regularly while Katie’s played outfield quite capably and being part of the Dublin set-up will only improve them as footballers. “The minor section at Crokes has grown from strength to strength in recent years and we are working hard to ensure it continues. This team has been together since Under-9s and are back on the training field this week ahead of what we hope will be another successful campaign.”


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