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INSIDE: Former Irish rugby union hooker Shane Byrne has plenty of ways to escape the mayhem P15

eighth Amendment: Clare Daly argues against in first of a two-part series P6

Super interested: Kids pick up some great hurling tips Football:

Fingallians take place in JBFC final in style Page 31

ROBERT Brady, Pierce Donohue and

Sean Curran were all smiles for the camera as they took a break at the annual one-week hurling summer camp run by St Sylvester’s, Malahide, at Broomfield recently. Lots of children attended the camp, with Dublin hurlers Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields) and Darragh O’Connell (Cuala) joining the coaches to help put the budding sports stars through their paces and pick up some tips.

See Gallery on Page 10

Athletics: Fingal 10km draws huge crowds Page 30

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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES..................... 10 DUBLIN LIFE................... 13 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................28

24,000 people attend the Summer Festival Inaugural event is a hit for the town, with business seeing footfall boost

 keith bellew

SOME 24,000 people descended on Swords last weekend for the first Swords Summer Festival, hosted by Fingal County Council.

Musical performances

took place throughout the weekend, along with great activities for children and the opening of Swords Castle.

The Great War Society were also on hand, decked out in period attire to present exhibitions of First World

War memorabilia.

Tony Lambert, chief executive of Fingal Dublin Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Fingal County Council on a job well done, saying that the festival provided a great weekend out for fami-

lies. He went on to say that local businesses such as The Wright Venue and Empire Bar and Grill reported huge increases in footfall, similar to the numbers seen on St Patrick’s Day. Full Story on Page 8

2 swords gazette 23 July 2015

survey Only four out of 10 customers satisfied with service

Dart complaints in the spotlight Irish Rail and the N a t i o n a l Tr a n s p o r t Authority are currently working on measures to address issues raised by Dart customers.

This follows the publication of a sur vey undertaken by Deputy Terence Flanagan (RI) of Dart customer satisfaction in Fingal and Dublin Bay North.

It showed that around four out of 10 customers were satisfied with the service provided by Irish Rail, whilst three out of every 10 were dissatisfied.

Furthermore, the survey found users wished

 keith bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

to see more Irish Rail staff on the ground in local stations to combat issues such as ticketing problems and anti-social behaviour.

Respondents were very dissatisfied with the level of communication from Irish Rail particularly in terms of Dart delays.

About these, 85% said they felt they were in the

dark.

Many who answered the survey said they felt the increase in Dart prices in recent years (cash price increases of up to 30% in the past three years) failed to lead to an increase in the quality of Dart services.

Many commuters also said there had been a significant increase in overcrowding in carriages, particularly during rush hour commutes.

Deputy Flanagan said the findings just solidified a view commonly felt on the ground among Dart users that the price increases since the reces-

sion had not led to a tangible improvement in services.

“People also felt that longer trains or more frequent trains should be in operation during events such as international football and rugby matches and the St Patrick’s Day parade,” he said. He hopes to meet the chief executive of Irish Rail shortly to relay the findings of the survey to him.

An Irish Rail spokesperson said they welcomed Deputy Flanagan’s feedback and would be happy to meet him to discuss all issues raised.

“We are working with the NTA on developing a new schedule for Dart which will see a major increase in frequency.

Consultation on this is planned later this year with a goal of early 2016 to introduce the expanded service to meet existing and future demand.

Irish Rail and the National Transport Authority are currently working on measures to address issues raised by Dart customers

For special events, we always operate additional trains and capacity,” said the spokesperson.

They went on to say that fare levels were raised due to a reduction in Exchequer funding of almost 40% , but pointed out that annual tickets and Leap cards provided commuters with considerable distance.

In relation to staff levels the spokesperson said they were currently

reviewing how staff were deployed at stations to increase their presence.

In addition, Irish Rail continuously liaise with gardai, community groups and public representatives (including Deputy Flanagan) on anti-social behaviour issues.

T he spokesperson also defended communication with customers, saying: “Information [is available] through cen-

tral PA which updates info to all stations, platform displays, ontrain announcements, our real-time app and website, and our Twitter account which was named Best Business Twitter Account for customer service three years running from 2012-14.

“We update customers with service details continuously, and are working to improve this information further.”

Rise in violent assaults in Swords  keith bellew

There has been a 44% increase in violent assaults in Swords in the first five months of this year, compared to the same period last year according to recently published figures.

Swords has also seen one aggravated burglary per month to date in 2015; 13 assaults causing harm, and a 95% increase in the possession of illegal drugs charges in the last 12 months.

The Department of Justice has said that increased Garda resources which are now coming on stream will undoubtedly support enhanced policing and community safety in north County Dublin.

This follows calls from local Sinn Fein representative Louise O’Reilly for more stringent policing in the Fingal area.

“This has been an ongoing and increasing problem, particularly in Swords. It is clear that a revision of policing has

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reached a critical state in the Fingal area. Swords is a large town on the outskirts of Dublin with very quick access to the M1 and M50 motorways.

With a lack of Garda presence this makes it a haven for opportunistic burglars,” O’Reilly said.

Balbriggan Cllr Malachy Quinn (SF) said he received continuous reports of instances of anti-social behaviour and criminal intimidation.

An Garda Siochana said it did not comment on remarks made by third parties, but a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said that while the level of various crime types fluctuates over time, and

varied from area to area, the recently published CSO crime statistics for the first quarter of 2015 shows a decrease in many crime categories.

“The Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has secured additional resources for new specialised vehicles to support an enhanced operational response by gardai to current and emerging crime threats, including burglaries, many of which are being committed by highlymobile gangs,” said the spokesperson, adding that with the resumption of recruitment last September, more gardai would be deployed to various stations in the near future.

23 July 2015 swords gazette 3

skerries

music: prestigious all-ireland event set to attract thousands

Join in a raft race to help aid RNLI

Malahide to host pipe band contest  keith bellew

IT HAS been confirmed that the All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships will be held in Malahide Castle next year.

Some 80 bands from across Ireland, Scotland, Canada, the US and Australia are due to travel to the event next July.

An audience of 5,000 people is expected to attend, and it is estimated that this will be a huge boost to the local economy, with hotels, restaurants and local businesses set to benefit from the numbers that will attend from Ireland and abroad.

Senator Darragh O’Brien (FF) said this was a huge announcement for Malahide and

the entire north county Dublin region. It’s the first time in 25 years that Dublin has hosted this event, and the first time ever that it will be hosted in Fingal.

He said: “The announcement follows several meetings I had with the Irish Pipe Band Association, which involved showcasing Malahide as the perfect venue for the event. I also met Fingal County Council and I am delighted that they agreed to fully support the endeavour.”

Held in New Ross, County Wexford last year, more than 3,400 people attended. Organisers say it will be bigger than ever next year and 5,000 spectators are expected.

Senator O’Brien said: “The event will be promoted heavily in Ireland and beyond, and it gives us a platform to showcase all that Malahide, Portmarnock and the surrounding areas have to offer in terms of natural beauty, amenities, history and culture.”

Gavin Richardson, chairman of the Irish Pipe Band Association, said the championships was the premier event for piping, drumming and drum majors in Ireland.

The selection of Malahide as the venue would not have been possible without the support of Fingal Mayor David O’Connor (Ind), Senator O’Brien and Fingal County Council he said.

Milestone: MSD marks one million accident-free work hours – and more MSD celebrated a number of prestigious milestones at its Swords facility recently as the pharma company celebrated 50 years in north County Dublin, 25 years of supplying women’s health medicines and one million work hours without site injury. With a large cake on hand to mark the event, Joe Bolger, quality director; Bill Walsh, associate vice president and plant manager, and Sonya Corcoran, human resources business partner joined staff for a big barbecue, with live music adding to the celebratory atmosphere. Close to 500 people helped to celebrate the notable achievements at the Drynam Road facility.

A raft race in aid of Skerries RNLI will be held at south strand in Skerries on Sunday, August 2.

Last year’s raft race was a great day out for the family and the fundraising committee is hard at work to ensure the event is an even bigger success this year.

Each raf t must be crewed by four to six people and life jackets are mandatory for the event. Mechanical propulsion systems are not allowed and the entry must be a raft. Surfboards, boats, carved foam will be disqualified.

For more information on the event, visit www. skerrieslifeboat.ie.

4 swords gazette 23 July 2015

study: economic impact

housing 132 dwellings contracted for remediation

Dublin Airport ‘vital to Fingal’  keith bellew

An economic impact study carried out recently has shown that Dublin Airport provides 97,000 jobs, 25,150 of which are in the Fingal area. These jobs have either been created by the airport itself or by airport related businesses.

By 2023, it is estimated that 27,700 people will be directly employed by the airport, and this will rise to almost 28,000 by 2033 and to almost 41,000 by 2043.

Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) has stated that the importance of Dublin Airport to the economy cannot be underestimated as it has greatly benefited the north county over the past 75 years.

He added that based on growth projections, it was clear it would continue to do so.

“Dublin Airport is undoubtedly vital to Fingal in terms of the jobs created in local towns as a result of the Airport’s presence. Furthermore, a large amount of the investment which is made in the local economy can be attributed to the airport, both through companies related to its activities, and through those who base themselves in the north county to avail of the connectivity offered by the airport,” he said

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Junior Environment Minister Paudie Coffey and party colleague Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) visiting Ravenswell Estate in Rush

Coffey visits Rush estate to review pyrite scheme  keith bellew

Junior Environment Minister Paudie Coffey recently visited Ravenswell Estate in Rush to review the progress of works being carried out under the pyrite remediation scheme.

It emerged in 2007 that thousands of homes in Fingal, particularly, Balbriggan. Donabate, Rush and Lusk, were built with inadequate materials which contained the mineral pyrite. This caused houses to crack and crumble in parts.

The pyrite remediation scheme was launched in 2013 for affected homeowners to apply for assistance in fixing their damaged properties. As

of March 31 this year, a total of 357 applications has been made from the Fingal area.

Balbriggan had the highest number of applications at 119, while Lusk had 98, Donabate had 64, Rush had 61, Kinsealy had eight, Ballyboughal and Swords had two, and Malahide, Oldtown and Portmarnock had one.

Nationally, 520 homes have been approved for remediation under the scheme.

Deputy Alan Farrell (FG), who owns a property which was affected by pyrite but was remediated by the developer that built it, said he was glad that remediation works had started in Fin-

gal as it was among the areas most affected by the issue.

“I have previously called on Minister Coffey to examine the possibility of expanding the pyrite remediation scheme, and to tackle the issue of pyrite affected homeowners being refused home insurance,” he said.

Minister Coffey said 132 dwellings were contracted for remediation and would be completed on a phased basis over the coming weeks.

“Twenty-one have already been remediated and I expect this progress to increase in the coming period. I was pleased to visit north county Dublin to view an estate that was affected by pyrite to see at

first hand the difficulties many homeowners have experienced and to get an update on the ground of how effectively the pyrite scheme is working.” he said.

However, not all home-

Speaking to The Gazette a resident of Moylaragh, Balbriggan said that as her property had deteriorated only to the first level it was not eligible for remediation and the fact that it was

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

‘Twenty-one [houses] have been remediated and I expect this progress to increase in the coming period’ --------------------------------------------------------

Paudie Coffey, Junior Environment Minister

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

owners affected by pyrite are eligible to have their home remediated under the scheme. Homes affected by pyrite are separated into levels of deterioration, and a property must reach the second level before it is eligible.

affected by pyrite was making it very difficult for her to sell it.

She went on to say that the nature of pyrite was complex, due to the fact that it may cause the fabric of a property to deteriorate continually, or it

might just deteriorate to a certain level and then stabilise. This has left her in limbo as she cannot have her property remediated.

People are wary of buying it on the off-chance that it might deteriorate further.

A spokesperson from the Department of Environment said the remediation criteria were set by the National Standards Authority of Ireland, and were in line with similar schemes the Government provided.

Deputy Farrell said he would continue to engage with Minister Coffey and the Department of Environment on homeowners not currently eligible to have remediation works carried

23 July 2015 swords gazette 5

don’sdublin Erwin Schrodinger’s journey from Vienna to Baile Atha Cliath FOR A man interested in colour and who published scientific papers on the subject, the adjective colourful certainly applies to Erwin Schrodinger.

The famous scientist lived for 17 years on Kincora Road, Clontarf and certainly left his mark. His lecture What Is Life, given in Trinity College in 1943, was inspirational to many younger scientists and led to the discovery of DNA in 1953.

He was an only child born in Vienna in 1887 to middle-class, educated parents and was tutored at home until age 11. Later he attended school, then university where he excelled and gained a PhD in physics. World War I interrupted his progress and he spent it as an officer in the Austrian army.

After the war he had a number of different positions, married Annemarie (Anny) Bertel in 1920, before he was offered the chair in theoretical physics at the University of Zurich in 1921. His 1926 paper explaining the movement of an electron as a wave provided a theoretical basis for the atomic model, and he was awarded the Nobel prize for physics in 1933.

By that time he was aware that many of his Jewish colleagues were being dismissed from their posts and he decided to leave Hitler’s Germany. He went to Oxford University for three years before returning to Austria in 1938. The following year he accepted Eamon de Valera’s offer of coming to Ireland and helping establish the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. De Valera, himself a mathematician, got his man and made sure that Schrodinger’s visa arrangements were processed speedily. For Schrodinger’s needs were indeed complicated and had previously stymied him at Princeton and Oxford, as he lived with both his wife and his lover, Hilde March, with whom he had a daughter. Of his relationship with the fairer sex he said: “Poor things, they have provided for my life’s happiness and their own distress.

Such is life.” Colourful indeed!

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

Erwin Schrodinger, the famous scientist, lived for 17 years on Kincora Road in Clontarf

safety Council to examine Swords Manor FC traffic issues

No plans for off-street parking at football club  keith bellew

There are no plans to introduce off-street parking in the vicinity of Swords Manor Football Club. A traffic engineer from Fingal County Council, however, will examine the situation with a view to identifying if appropriate signing and lining can improve visibil-

ity and accessibility.

This follows calls from local Sinn Fein activist Louise O’Reilly for Fingal County Council to address what she described as “traffic hazards” outside the football club.

“Swords Manor Football Club match participants and supporters have to park along the

Brackenstow n Road as there are currently no parking facilities.

This leaves visibility and accessibility very poor on a relatively busy stretch of road for buses and residential traffic. It’s time to look at options to facilitate these cars,” she said.

One local resident said the situation was an accident waiting to happen.

“I see them every Saturday morning, and a lot of them only kids. I fear the day I hear someone’s been hit. There can be 20+ cars there on match days, it’s crazy. And there’s plenty of space to clear and make space for parking spots,” said the resident.

A council spokesperson said its operations

department was available to meet the club to discuss the matter.

“We actively encourage clubs to request their parents and visiting club parents to car pool where possible and to be aware of the needs and wishes of residents in estates where matches are taking place,” said the spokesperson.

6 swords gazette 23 July 2015

opinion ‘The 8th Amendment affects the care women get’

Abortion laws must reflect our society Amnesty International and the United Nations have called for changes to Ireland’s legislation, writes Deputy Clare Daly A RECENT Red C poll, commissioned by Amnesty International, revealed that 90% of Irish people agree with abortion in certain circumstances, with 81% of those believing that abortion should be available in circumstances beyond the current right to abortion when a woman’s life is in danger.

Some 68% of people recognise that the constitutional barrier of the 8th Amendment to the Constitution, which equated the life of a woman with that of a foetus, has not stopped Irish abortion – it has just meant that it takes place in England or Holland, or with a packet of pills bought over the internet.

This hypocrisy has gone on long enough.

It’s time to repeal the 8th Amendment so that we can protect women’s lives, health and choices.

Every day, between 10 and 12 Irish women and girls travel to the UK to access abortion.

The majority are aged between 20 and 34.

The women who have abortions are the women who have children – your mother, sister, friend, daughter, partner.

Their reasons for terminating their pregnancies are all different, and all valid, but their reasons for travelling are the same: they cannot access safe and legal abortions in Ireland.

In the past, women with crisis pregnancies could

be sent to Magdalene Laundries – now, they are sent to other countries in order to exercise their right to health and bodily integrity.

The 8th Amendment does not stop abortion, but it means that those women who are too poor or too sick or of precarious immigration status and therefore can’t travel can be forced to carry a --------------------------

‘The United Nations’ Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights called for Ireland to hold a referendum on abortion’ --------------------------

pregnancy to full term against their will, sometimes endangering their lives.

When Alan Shatter was Minister for Equality, he said: “The reality is that there is no impediment to men seeking and obtaining any required medical intervention to protect not only their life but also their health and quality of life ... it can truly be said that the right of pregnant women to have their health protected is, under our constitutional framework, a qualified right, as is their right to bodily

integrity.”

But no proposal to deal with this discrimination was put forward by the Government. In fact, when I moved legislation to propose a referendum on the 8th Amendment, it was voted down by all the political parties, not for the first time showing how utterly out of touch they are with the real lives of citizens.

The 8th Amendment has negatively affected the quality of care that pregnant women receive in Ireland.

This was evident not only in the tragic case of Savita Halappanavar, but also in the many cases of fatal foetal abnormality where women and couples are effectively deserted by our health services.

Left with a choice of continuing a pregnancy when the foetus has no chance of survival or travelling to the UK to avail of the health services in that country, Ireland has failed these women and their families.

Amnesty International criticised this double standard in their report, She is Not a Criminal, published last month, which highlighted how Ireland’s abortion laws violate human rights.

[It stated] “These laws violate women’s and girls’ rights to life, health, privacy, non-discrimination and freedom from torture and other ill-treatment.”

Within weeks of the Amnesty report, the Unit-

Deputy Clare Daly: “When I moved legislation to propose a referendum on the 8th Amendment, it was voted down by all the political parties, not for the first time showing how out of touch they are with the real lives of citizens”

ed Nations’s Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights called for Ireland to hold a referendum on abortion.

The committee was concerned at Ireland’s “highly restrictive legislation on abortion”, and called for a referendum to repeal Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution.

The UN committee was also particularly concerned at the crimi-

nalisation of abortion, including in the cases of rape and incest, and of the risk to the health of a pregnant woman, the lack of legal clarity on what constitutes a real and substantive risk to the life, as opposed to the health, of the pregnant woman, and the discriminatory impact on women who cannot afford to get abortion abroad.

Next month, tens

of thousands of young adults will be getting their Leaving Cert results. They will be starting college or looking for jobs – most of them were born 14 years after the 8th Amendment was passed!

It is beyond ridiculous that we can allow this restrictive legislation to remain in place for these young adults. Not a single person of present reproductive age has had a say

on this issue.

Decisions for women about our health and bodies has no place in the Constitution. With a General Election on the horizon, let’s make Repeal of the 8th a reality.  Deputy clare daly

Independent Socialist Next week, The Iona Institute will provide an opposing view.

23 July 2015 swords gazette 7

8 swords gazette 23 July 2015

council AAA councillor blasts use of strategic policy allowance as ‘ridiculous’

Calls to scrap €6,000 payments to committee chairs  keith bellew

FINGAL County Council has defended the annual payments of €6,000 to the chairpersons of the various strategic policy committees (SPC), following calls for the payment to be scrapped.

There are six separate SPCs

FastNews

Proposal for a Strand Road retail store Irish development and investment group, Ardale Property, has lodged a planning application with Fingal County Council to develop a convenience retail store on Strand Road in Portmarnock.

The €12m project will create around 40 jobs.

The proposed development would be two stories and include a convenience retail store and off licence on the first floor, and parking at ground level for 75 vehicles at the former site of the Tin Church.

Kieran Goss to play at Bracken Court Hotel SINGER songwriter Kieran Goss will perform at the Bracken Court Hotel Balbriggan on July 31.

He has been hailed as one of Ireland’s leading songwriters and performers, with a reputation for putting on an excellent live show.

Time Out magazine has described his act as “‘One man, one guitar and a voice sent express mail from Heaven”.

His upcoming gig provides fans with a unique opportunity of seeing him perform solo. For further information on the concert, see www.kierangoss. com.

in Fingal which meet on a bimonthly basis. So far this year, the arts, culture, heritage and community development SPC has met twice, economic development and enterprise SPC has met three times, housing SPC met twice, planning and strategic policy SPC met three times, transporta-

tion SPC met three times and water and environmental services SPC met twice.

Cllr Eugene Coppinger (AAA) said that he would like to see the annual payment for the chairs of the SPCs scrapped.

He said: “There’s a lot of fighting that goes on over

chairing the SPCs because there is an allowance [payment] for it. I’m opposed to it.

“Why should a chair get an extra allowance? It’s ridiculous – they go to the same meetings as the members [of the SPCs].

“There may be a bit of extra

work that he or she has to do to prepare for the meeting, but the allowance and the fighting over the positions are ridiculous. I’d be in favour of that being cut back,” he said.

A spokesperson from Fingal County Council said: “Payments to chairpersons of strategic policy commit-

tees are made in accordance with The Local Government (Expenses of Local Authority Members) Regulations 2014, Circular letter dated February 2 from The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, and [from] the annual budget adopted by the council.”

community: 24,000 visit town, with inaugural event hailed as a success

First Summer Festival ‘a proud day for Swords’  keith bellew

A TOTAL of 24,000 people descended on Swords last weekend for the inaugural Swords Summer Festival, hosted by Fingal County Council.

Tony Lambert, chief executive of Fingal Dublin Chamber of Commerce, congratulated Fingal County Council on a job well done, saying that the festival provided a great weekend out for families.

He went on to say that local businesses such as the Wright Venue, and Empire Bar and Grill, reported huge increases in footfall over the weekend, similar to the numbers seen during the St Patrick’s Day Festival.

The festival began with a “sold-out” ticketed concert organised by the Swords and District Lions Club. It featured the Hot House Swing Band – a 10-piece band who performed Big Band swing, jazz and rhythm and blues music.

On Saturday, Main Street was awash with colour for the family fun day. Entertainment commenced at 1pm with a performance from the Fingal Gospel Choir, followed by the Swordsbased Kidkast Theatre School.

Chandelier Events hosted bands, We Were Giants, White Chalk, Joe Gavin and Alex Smyth.

The headline acts on the night were Interskalactic and Bentley Boys.

Swords Castle, which is now open to the public, hosted The Irish Great War Society – a group dedicated to highlighting the history of the First World War.

Memorabilia The group were attired in the typical garments worn by soldiers of that era, and their displays in the chapel in Swords Castle included artefacts and memorabilia from WWI and a replica of a hospital.

Outside, they had tents displaying the living quarters for soldiers during that period and the type of weaponry they used.

Sunday saw 3,500 r unners par ticipate in the annual Fingal 10km Road Race, which returned for its fourth instalment. The race took its usual route, but this year the runners made their way into Swords Castle for the finish.

Fingal County Council has said that it hopes to build on the success of the festival and make it an annual event.

Part of the decorations at Swords Castle, which was opened to the public during the festival

Cllr Darragh Butler (FF) congratulated Fingal County Council, their events team and Chandelier Events for what he described as an incredibly successful inaugural Swords Summer Festival.

He said: “The Swords Lions Club Swing Band event on Friday evening

was excellent, followed on Saturday by the opening up of Swords Castle with exhibitions and children’s activities, and the concert on Main Street was a huge, huge success.

“Another big turnout for the Fingal 10km was a great way to round off the weekend.”

He went on to say that Swords residents, young and old, really appreciated Swords Castle being open to the public and being used for an event such as this.

“For many, it was their first time within the castle walls and, for others, their first time in decades.

“Huge congratulations are deserved by the Fingal County Council events team and all involved, and I look forward to this festival becoming an annual event.

“It was a proud day for Swords and for Fingal County Council,” said Cllr Butler.

23 July 2015 swords gazette 9

courts Official pocketed VRT motoring fines over a year

Man stole €20k from the Revenue A REVENUE official who stole nearly €20,000 from the State over the course of a year by pocketing motoring fines has been given a suspended sentence.

John (also know n as Anthony) Kelly, 41, of Barons Hall Apartments, Balbriggan) was an executive officer with the Revenue, responsible for collecting fines from motorists who hadn’t paid vehicle registration tax (VRT).

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard motorists caught by gardai without VRT had their cars seized and would have to meet Kelly to pay a fine and get their car back. Kelly

would then keep the fine himself.

Counsel said Kelly had “over-extended himself” financially during the Celtic Tiger era and needed the money to repay loans and also to fund medical procedures to help himself and his wife conceive a child.

Judge Desmond Hogan said Kelly had “sullied his own good name” at work and in the community by succumbing to temptation, albeit for “very human reasons”.

He sentenced Kelly to six years in prison, but suspended it in full for four years, noting that Kelly was unlikely to be of trouble again.

Judge Hogan said it was a serious offence which represented a severe breach of trust.

He acknowledged that Kelly had been in financial difficulty at the time and had cooperated with gardai and pleaded guilty, thus avoiding a lengthy trial.

Kelly has been repaying the money and brought the outstanding amount of €3,490 to court. Judge Hogan ordered that this final repayment be passed on to the Revenue Commissioners.

The court heard that motorists who don’t have VRT are fined 10% of the value of the car.

Kelly targeted high-end

cars such as Porches and BMWs, and stole a total of €19,350.

Kelly pleaded guilty to three counts of theft from the Revenue Commissioners at New Customs House, Dublin.

Two similar counts were taken into consideration.

The offences took place between March 2005 and January 2006.

Detective Garda Stephen Niland told prosecuting counsel Garret Baker BL that motorists were stopped in the Dublin area and directed towards Kelly to get their cars back and pay the fine.

The owner of a BMW Jeep paid over €7,000, the

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard how John (also known as Anthony) Kelly, 41, of Barons Hall Apartments, Balbriggan kept for himself money paid as fines

owner of a Porsche paid €5,650 and the owner of a BMW 325 paid €2,300. The Revenue did not receive any of these fines.

A year after the Jeep driver was fined, he was stopped again in Wexford by Revenue officials

for not having VRT. The driver told officials he had already been fined for the offence, and Revenue began an investigation when it found no record of this.

Shortly afterwards, Kelly paid over the original €7,000 fine in the

form of two cheques and cash. The investigation then discovered the other missing fines.

Kelly was interviewed and denied stealing the money, but identified his signature on several documents which were part of the case against him.

10 swords gazette 23 July 2015

gazetteGALLERIES

Pierce Donohue, Sean Burke, Nathan Farquharson, PJ Hickey and Michael Gilmartin

Cillian and Enda Rooney

Puck in from Colm Byrne

Odhrain Montlahan, Leo McGrattan, Dublin’s Darragh O’Connell, Conall Reilly, Conor McGrattan and Ois¡n Dunphy. Pictures: Stephen Fleming Photography

hurling: SUMMER CAMP FOR ST SYLVESTER’S

Aiming to succeed ...

Dublin Senior player Darragh O’Connell (Cuala) signs Conor McGrattan’s shirt

A

JUVENILE hurling camp at Broomfield got some heavy-hitting support when Dublin inter-county hurlers gave it their advice and insight recently.

Almost 70 children took part in the annual one-week hurling summer camp run by St Sylvester’s, Malahide, with Dublin hurlers Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields) and Darragh O’Connell (Cuala) joining the coaches to offer some great tips to all.

Coaches Eoin McCarthy, Panner McCarthy, Eamon McLoughney The players and participants gather for a group shot

and Derek Morris

Danny Curran takes aim

23 July 2015 swords gazette 11

entertainment: new piano bar opens in swords

Geraldine McGuinness and Sandra Brady. Pictures: Brian Whelan

Hans Sussen, Eduyta Magjer and Sebastian Blesgniat enjoy a night out at Empire’s plush new piano bar and garden, Babylon, on Main Street in Swords. Babylon opened with a huge party for its customers where guests were treated to entertainment by the talented Paul Harrington playing Babylon’s beautiful Veuve Clicquot branded Bluthner baby grand piano.

Alison Moore and Lorraine Savage

Avril Kelly Carter and Paul Harrington

Big fun at Babylon

Dragana and Vanja Maricic

12 gazette 16 July 2015

gazetteGALLERY

Helping to choose the healthier options

T

op blogger and model Pippa O’Connor teamed up with GAA All Star Henry Shefflin at House in Leeson Street recently to help launch Centra’s newest initiative, Centra Live Well.

The latest initiative aims to redefine everyday convenience retailing

in Ireland by providing shoppers with choices and information about healthy and nutritious food.

Under the new Live Well banner Centra is offering shoppers healthy and nutritious choices across a range of 300 plus products whatever their needs are throughout the day.

Speaking at the launch, Sarah Keogh, consultant dietician with Eatwell.ie, said: “I am delighted to be working with Centra on Live Well.

“I find too many people are confused about healthy eating or think that it is simply too difficult.”

Henry Shefflin with Hugo Kirley and Ely Kirley from Maighread Cremin and Niamh Scally

Kilkenny at the launch

Andrea Smith

Henry Shefflin with Pippa O’Connor. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Michelle O’Connor and Laura Curtin

Sarah Keogh and Liz Costigan

23 July 2015 Gazette 13

escape P15

asdfsdaf feature P27 P16

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

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diary P14

what’son Rockin’ And A Rollin’ and a runnin’: Run-

Alan Ardiff: “We don’t get much of a summer here in Mayo so I have to find sunshine somewhere”

day in the life: jewellery designer Alan Ardiff is a coffee and muesli man

Making sunshine in Mayo  Aisling Kennedy

Living on the beautiful west coast of Mayo, Artane man Alan Ardiff is one of the most well-known jewellery designers in Ireland and he took time out this week to talk to the Gazette about a day in his life.

“I normally get up at about 8am because we have young children so it’s all part of the routine of being a parent. I’d like to stay in bed longer though.

“I’m a coffee and muesli man in the mornings as I like to try and stay healthy.”

When he is not busy designing his kinetic and delicately hand-carved character jewellery, Ardiff is a family

man who enjoys spending time with his wife and three children Zoe (17), Sam (14) and Sophie (10).

“They keep me young at heart,” he explains.

Every day, Ardiff drives his daughter Sophie to school in the morning and then he makes his way to Mount Falcon Estate where he goes for a swim and does a workout.

“We don’t get much of a summer here in Mayo so I have to find sunshine somewhere and I find that at the swimming pool.

“After that I make my way back to my studio where I work on the current design I’m developing.

“I just recently finished my woolly jumper pendant (€350) which took

time as I wanted to incorporate a sheep jumping over a fence into the design.

“There’s a little cog on the inside of the design and as the chain roles over it, it actually moves the sheep to allow it to jump over the fence.

“That piece fits quite well to reflect my rural background.”

Ardiff explains that a lot of time goes into the production process of a design but it’s worth it when he finishes a piece.

Ardiff takes his lunch break each day at 1pm and explains: “I usually just go into the house and make a ham sandwich or something like that for myself.”

He then works until 6pm most days

perfecting the design he is working on and at 6pm he looks forward to joining his family for dinner.

“After dinner I usually go back into my studio and if I’m not working I usually use the studio as a bit of a man cave where I listen to music, create a drawing or read a book. I love listening to Lyric FM.” At the end of a busy day, Ardiff gets into bed at about 11pm and recharges the batteries for another creative designing production day the next day.

Alan Ardiff will be at the Kilkenny Shop in Swords on Saturday, July 25 where he will be launching his new jewellery range in store from 11.30am to 2pm.

ners and rockers mark your calendars as the Dublin Rock ’n’ Roll Half Marathon is set to take place again this year on August 2.

Starting from Dublin’s Docklands and heading to the Phoenix Park, participants will race past the city’s famous sites, including Ha’penny Bridge, Christ Church, the Brazen Head Pub, the James Joyce Museum and the Guinness Brewery.

The top three male and female finishers will receive €500 (first prize), €300 (second prize) and €100 (third prize).

Volunteer opportunities are also available on the day at the water and medical stations on the route, and at the start and finish line. All volunteers will receive a race crew t-shirt. To find out more about the run and to sign up for the price of €49, visit www.runrocknroll.com/dublin or the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon Facebook page.

Online registration closes on July 26.

Gazette

14 Gazette 23 July 2015

dublinlife

DIARY

Molly Malone is ‘too sexy’ for Facebook Apparently Molly Malone is too sexy for Facebook as the social media site refused to let a Dublin author use a picture of the iconic Dublin statue to advertise his new book on the site.

F i r s t- t i m e D u b l i n

author Frank Whelan submitted an image of the cover of his debut novel, Diar y of the Wolf, which shows two wolves, a full moon, and a picture of the Molly Malone statue, to the Facebook Ads Team but was told that Facebook

is no place for the scantily clad maiden.

A member of Facebook Ads Team wrote to the author, stating: “Your ad was rejected because the image doesn’t follow our ad policies.

“Ads may not use

overly sexual images, suggest nudity, show a lot of skin or cleavage, or focus unnecessarily on specific body parts.”

He argued that the statue is located in one of Dublin’s busiest thoroughfares, but Facebook was having none of it.

bank holiday food festival Attention all food lovers – the Temple Bar Food Festival is set to take place over the August bank holiday weekend and it’s one not to be missed.

This is the first time The Temple Bar Company has run this event and it promises to be a great weekend for all the family with dishes from some of the best restaurants in the area including the Boxty House (traditional) , The Chameleon (Indonesian), Klaw by Niall Sabongi of Rock Lobster (Seafood), Bar Pinxto (Spanish) and Monty’s of Kathmandu (Nepalese).

The festival will take place in Meeting House Square and will see the area transformed into an urban picnic area with games for the young and old such as a giant Jenga, giant Connect 4, giant chess, face painting and a DJ. The food festival will take place on August 2 and 3, 2015.

For more information

Frank Whelan’s cover of his debut novel, Diary of the Wolf, shows a picture of the Molly Malone statue

see www.templebarfestival.com.

outdoor yoga at Stephen’s Green Every Saturday at 11am, outdoor yoga classes take place in Stephen’s Green by the bandstand.

Each class is donation-based and every weekend the event supports a different charity.

Recently, participants were required to write down an act of kindness that they promised to do during the week and then hand it to their teacher as an exchange for the lesson.

If you have ever done outdoor yoga you’ll know exactly what all the fuss is about, and if you have never tried it here is the perfect excuse to give it a go.

Yoga is a great way to work on your flexibility and strength. Just about everyone can do it, too - it’s not just for people who can touch their toes or want to meditate.

For more information on the weekly event, visit w w w.facebook. com/OutdoorYogis or www.theyogahub.ie.

The Happy Prince at Bewley’s Cafe If you’re a fan of Oscar Wilde then make sure you don’t mis s the upcoming performance of The Happy Prince in Bewley’s Cafe Theatre at Powerscourt in Dublin city centre.

This widely acclaimed show has been one of Bewley’s Cafe Theatre’s most successful productions to date.

The show will run for

three weeks and will be performed by Michael James Ford with the composer Trevor Knight performing his haunting piano score live on stage.

The Happy Prince tells the story of a gregarious swallow who befriends a melancholy statue while en route to Egypt.

The bird helps the prince to alleviate the suffering of his poor citizens and in doing so learns profound truths about the nature of love and suffering.

The show will run from July 27 to August 15, 2015, with tickets ranging in price from €8 to €12 depending on the day.

For more information log onto www.bewleyscafetheatre.com or call 0868784001.

16 July 20154 Gazette 15

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM: Former rugby star Shane Byrne leads quite a hectic life

Friends and family help the ‘Mullet’ to tackle stress  Ian Begley

Former Leinster, Ireland and Lions hooker Shane Byrne leads quite the hectic life keeping up-to-date with the latest rugby news on top of running his family’s waste disposal business in Wicklow.

In this week’s Escape the Mayhem, The Gazette catches up with the former Irish rugby union hooker to see what he does to unwind from his day-today life.

“I have twin daughters – Alex and Kerry (12) and two dogs in the house so whenever I’m free I seem to always end up on the beach in Killiney or wherever with them.

“I like to spend as much time with my girls as possible because I’m at work so much, but I also really like getting out and unwinding with the lads at night.

“There is always so much to do in Dublin.

Myself and my girls were in Tayto Park and on the Viking Splash recently, which they really loved. It must have been their third time on it at this stage.

Former Irish rugby union hooker Shane Byrne says he loves spending time with his twin daughters

“They’re going from primary to secondary school now and have now developed into proper characters.”

Nicknamed the “Mullet” for his renowned hair style, Byrne is a director with ArklowWaste Disposal, his family business, and is also head of operations for Focus

International Property.

In June 2014, Byrne made his acting debut with the release of Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie on top of being featured as a regular rugby pundit on television and radio.

“We’re now leading into a huge time of rugby which is something

to look forward to, but at the moment I have a lot of family time but every now and again a good old blow out is something I really like to have with my friends.

“I’m honestly too busy at work to dedicate much time for watching telly, but I have a house full

of girls so whenever I do get the chance to sit in front of the TV they always dictate the things I watch.

“I do, however, love a good movie and when myself and the wife get a few hours to ourselves we often run away and go to the cinema.”

Gazette

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM Lynott’s mother donates artefacts

Phil Lynott’s mother Philomena has presented several sentimental artefacts belonging to her son to Dublin’s Rock ’n’ Roll Museum.

Philomena made the presentation at the museum in Temple Bar recently, where she presented three of Phil’s guitars, four of his beloved leather jackets, and a collection of gold discs will now be exhibited in the newly-opened museum.

The new memorabilia items that are now featured in the museum also include a school report that reveals that the iconic star got a grade of 88% in arithmetic when he was a schoolboy.

Speaking after the presentation, Philomena said: “It was just so good to know that Philip’s prized possessions are now safe.

“I spent a long time with a duster shining them up this morning and I can tell you Philip used to shine those guitars himself.

“In fact, he would put a mirror on the guitars and every time I went to see him play in concert he would make sure I had a front row seat or a balcony seat and he would get the lighting man to shine on that mirror on his guitar and he would direct it at me,” she said.

Gazette

16 Gazette 23 July 2015

dublinlife

feature

Calling all Dubs – help the capital win culture title  Keith Bellew and Ian Begley

The European Capital of Culture for the year 2020 will be hosted by Ireland and Croatia.

Dublin, Galway, Limerick and the south east are now competing to win the coveted title.

Dublin2020 is Dublin’s campaign to make sure our city wins.

The European Capital of Culture is awarded for a period of one year, highlighting the diversity, richness and integration of cultures in Europe and the chosen city.

While 2020 may seem like a long time away, the judging is happening in mid-October of this year when a panel of European judges will arrive in Ireland and shortlist their favourites.

A number of projects is being undertaken by the Dublin 2020 team, one of the most interesting of which is a mini series of short films made by Dubliners called We Are Dublin 2020. Each We Are Dublin2020 film concentrates on one person, their Dublin story and the reason they love Dublin.

Two films have been made so far, the first of which is The Unofficial Lord Mayor of Ballymun, a film which focuses on 16-year-old Jamie Harrington, who talks about his belief in community, his love for Ballymun and his desire to make it a place where everyone wants to live.

The latest film is called More Than One Million Hits and focuses on taxi

driver John McCartney, who gives wise words on maintaining the balance between his love for Dublin and his blog, which can be viewed at www.dublin2020.ie.

Another interesting initiative is Dublin: Let’s Chat, which is a series of conversations with prominent Dublin figures about what Dublin means to them and why they love the capital.

The first in this series was Senator David Norris who said: “I think Dublin is a wonderful city. If you look at it in the European context it has made an absolutely disproportionate contribution to literature: Yeats, Shaw, Wilde, Joyce, Beckett, Colm Toibin, Roddy Doyle, it’s just an endless list of people. We’ve made an utterly amazing contribution to 20th century literature, written some of the greatest poetry with Yeats, we’ve contributed the greatest novel of the 20th century: James Joyce’s Ulysses.”

The second in this series was former Lord Mayor Christy Burke who said: “What makes Dublin home for me is, when I’m away and I’m coming in on the plane and I see Howth or Dublin Bay, then I know, this is home. It’s that sort of pride that hits me, makes me proud to be a Dubliner.”

According to the Dublin2020 team: “The reason we are competing for the European Capital of Culture 2020 is to build a new story for Dublin, based on

A number of projects is being undertaken by the Dublin 2020 team, one of the most interesting of which is a mini series of short films made

by Dubliners called We Are Dublin 2020

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

‘What makes Dublin home for me is, when I’m away and I’m coming in on the plane and I see Howth or Dublin Bay, then I know, this is home’

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

Former Lord Mayor Christy Burke

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

shared ideas, inclusion and confidence. Dublin can be a leading city in Europe. We can take advantage of our talented young population, our informed older population and everyone in between to

initiate major progress in communities and neighbourhoods. We need everyone in Dublin to join in. If you are part of Dublin you are part of Dublin2020.”

Dublin’s distinguished Artane Band also

showed their support for Dublin 2020 recently in Connolly Station by performing in front of hundreds of morning commuters who were on their way to work.

Keith Kelly, director of Artane Band, told The Gazette that the young members of the band really enjoyed the experience and said that the public really showed them their support.

He said: “In the runup to the performance we were all a little nervous as we considered that it could go either

way. At eight in the morning you’re going to people in good or bad forms.

“When the band started to play some people just walked past with their heads down, but the majority of commuters stopped and listened and seemed to really enjoy what we had to offer.

“Some people even started dancing while the band were playing.

“The band enjoyed it so much that the kids asked could if they could go outside the sta-

tion and play outside the Luas.

“The kids then picked up their instruments and started playing out towards the street. It was great fun and a really worthwhile experience.

“We’ve offered our support for Dublin 2020 since Artane would be considered one of the most visual parts of Dublin, especially considering our connection with Croke Park,” he said.

For more information on the Dublin2020 bid see www.dublin2020.ie.

23 July 2015 Gazette 17

travel P20

asdfsdaf P27 food P22

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

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style P18

Pets quiet ritzie is looking for a calm home

Dublin band The Hot Sprockets will play at Whelan’s

festival: live music, automobile displays, fashion exhibits and more!

Get ready to rock and roll!  Keith Bellew

A festival celebrating the sights, sounds and styles of 1950s and 1960s era rock ’n’ roll will take over Dublin’s Dame Street and surrounding areas from July 31 to August 2.

Now in its second year the Rock ’n’ Roll Conference returns as the Dublin Rock ’n’ Roll Festival with music performances, automobile displays, barber’s conventions, fashion exhibits and banging live music.

Crowds can avail of live music throughout the weekend with the best of rockabilly and rock ’n’ roll bands performing in various venues.

Speaking to The Gazette, festival organiser Kieron Black said: “This year

I decided to do this because I have a passion for that genre of music and style. It’s all [about] good people coming together for the love of rock ’n’ roll, and rock ’n’ roll is so huge, it can be something from the 1950s and other people consider Rock ’n’ Roll as something from the 1980s.”

The festival kicks off on Friday, July 31 with the Rock ’n’ Roll Dance Off presented by SwingScene.ie at The Mercantile from 8pm.

Pulp Fiction fans can show off their Vincent Vega and Mia Wallace impersonations at this event which will see Dubliners exhibiting their skills in the art of swing, lyndy hop, boogie and woogie, the twist and more.

Dancers of all skill levels are urged to

take part in the dance off which will be followed by live music from the Jive Cats.

Giants of the American motor industry dating from its unrivalled glory days will be on display at Hot Rod City Vintage car show at Dame Court from 12 to 4pm on Saturday, August 1.

Classic American Motors Ireland V8 will be on hand with 18 of the most amazing hot rods and streetcars straight from the vintage days of the USA. Black said that this event was one of the highlights of the festival, with around 10,000 attending last year.

Visitors to The Mercantile on Saturday, August 1, will be lost in a sea of quiffs as the rock ’n’ roll fashion show will see Dubliners decked out in frocks

and bobby socks, blue jeans and Brylcreem and plenty of plaid and polka dots.

Sunday, August 2 will see a motorcycle rally across Dublin, as a convoy of motorcycles roars through the city from the Garden of Remembrance to the Phoenix Park where it will coincide with the finale of the rock ’n’ roll half marathon.

The festival ends with a bang on Sunday, August 2, with the Dame District Rock ’n’ Roll closing party at The Mercantile from 11pm.

There will also be free live music all night from 10-piece big band Sweeneys Jazz Men at Sweeneys and The Hot Sprockets, The Mighty Steph and The 45s at Whelan’s.

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs.

Our Dog of the Week this week is Ritzie, a three-year-old female Staffordshire Bull Terrier crossbreed.

She is quite wary of unfamiliar people and dogs, but with time, love and commitment from her new owners, her sweet, affectionate and playful nature will emerge.

Ritzie loves playing ball and will happily trade one ball for another and play tug with soft cuddly toys.

She is looking for a home with older children and, if possible, a calm canine companion.

If you think you could offer Ritzie a loving home 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.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 23 July 2015

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THE Galway Races are almost upon us and it’s time to take the fascinator out of the box, get the best guna to the dry cleaners, and practice walking in stiletto heels in mud and muck.

Alternatively, splash out on a fabulous new frock – especially if you want to be in with a chance

to win a best-dressed ladies competition, of which Kilkenny Shop is this year’s sponsor.

I have picked some of my personal favourites, with a few curve balls thrown in there. Who says you can’t wear a trouser suit to the races?

Thanks to these great outfits and accessories, we’ll get you trotting straight to the winner’s post in style.

And they’re off!

River Island Bag €33

23 July 2015 Gazette 19

Gazette

STYLE River Island Dress €80

Lucy Kennedy with Caoimhe Barrett and Kyle Doyle

La Roche-Posay wants you to take a selfie and help Temple Street Children’s Hospital

The Kilkenny Shop Aideen Florence dress €215 River Island Heels €75

Mint Velvet Textured biker coat €209, Wrap top tunic €89, Wide leg trouser €89

TV PRESENTER Lucy Kennedy joined dermatological skincare brand La Roche-Posay to call on fans of the brand to share a “selfie” with their favourite La Roche-Posay product.

She was joined by Caoimhe Barrett and Kyle Doyle to launch the campaign, which will help to support Temple Street Children’s Hospital.

La Roche-Posay is known for developing products formulated for sensitive skin, ensuring the highest tolerance and safety. The brand has committed to donating €1 to Temple Street Children’s Hospital for the first 10,000 selfies shared on its website: www.laroche-posay.ie/ yousharewecare.

Kennedy is calling on fans of the skincare brand to get involved with the initiative. She said: “This campaign provides people with a really quick and easy way of helping the hospital.

“I visited Temple Street, and it was plain to see the fantastic work that goes on in Temple Street and this campaign will provide much needed funds to the hospital. Every selfie shared will make a big difference.”

Denise Fitzgerald, chief executive, Temple Street Foundation,

said: “We are so grateful to have the support of La Roche-Posay this year through their You Share, We Care campaign.

“By taking a selfie and sharing it, each individual has the power to make a difference to the lives of sick children in Temple Street.

“For years, the hospital has delivered worldclass care in challenging -------------------------

‘This campaign will provide much needed funds for Temple Street Children’s Hospital’ -------------------------

Lucy Kennedy

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

conditions and many of the facilities are struggling to cope.

“The support of La Roche-Posay will help us to continue to fund specialist equipment, and the redevelopment of critical wards, that will save a lot of little lives,” she said.

To make your €1 donation to Temple Street, firstly, take a selfie with your favourite La Roche-Posay product, then click on www.laroche-posay.ie/ yousharewecare and upload your photo, and explain why you love the product.

Gazette

20 Gazette 23 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

fast

TRAVEL NEWS

Cruise through two countries in style  ian begley

IF YOU fancy a romantic getaway this September, a cruise along the River Rhine might be the perfect trip for you and your other half.

The trip, organised by Travel Department, offer passengers a cruise that will take you through Germany and Holland along the River Rhine on September 25.

This €1,529pp offer includes all transfers and one night at the four-star Maritim Hotel Cologne in Cologne on a half-board basis, and seven nights on board the four-star Superior A-Rosa Aqua on a full-board basis, with an unforgettable trip taking in fascinating cities.

In Cologne, you will see the magnificent Grand Cathedral and its rivalling neighbour, Dusseldorf, the City of Fashion. Afterwards, you will travel to Holland and visit Rotterdam, from where you can visit beautiful Delft. Then it’s on to Amsterdam, the Venice of the North, before returning to Cologne via Arnhem and Bonn.

For further information, see www.traveldepartment.ie.

Stena Line offers for a family getaway  ian begley

FAMILIES who are still looking to book a summer break may be pleased to know that Stena Line has launched a new holiday package offering travel by car and seven night’s accommodation from €525 for a family of four – €131 per person.

This offer includes return Stena Line travel from Dublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard, Belfast to Liverpool or Belfast to Cairnryan for a car, two adults and two children, and seven nights’ self-catering accommodation in Pontins Prestatyn Sands in North Wales, or Southport in Merseyside.

For those who don’t want to drive, a coach option to Prestatyn is also available from Dublin on selected dates.

For further information, see www.stenaline. co.ie/pontins.

northern ireland: game of thrones’ lands are part of the lovely province

Visit some of the best sights in Westeros  ian begley

NORTHERN Ireland is renowned for its inspirational locations, stunning landscapes and the friendliest of welcomes.

A summer break within the Six Counties will leave you spoiled for choice with things to do and see.

This week, The Gazette has compiled a list of the main attractions in Northern Ireland this summer.

Game of Thrones With Northern Ireland playing a starring role in HBO’s Game of Thrones, Tourism Northern Ireland has welcomed news that The Causeway Coast and the Glens of Antrim have

been placed third in a list of 30 film and TV destinations adults most want to visit.

Thanks to Game of Thrones, Northern Ireland’s stunning mountains, forests, lakes and countryside are now familiar to millions of people around the world, having helped create the magical backdrop that much of the show’s action is filmed against.

Some of the locations based across the Causeway Coast and glens that Game of Thrones fans can visit for themselves include The Dark Hedges, in Stranocum (which is used to portray King’s Road), Downhill Beach

See for yourself why places like Murlough National Nature Reserve attract visitors from all across the island of Ireland, and much further afield

(Dragonstone), Larrybane (The Stormlands), Ballintoy Harbour (Pyke, The Iron Islands), Cushendun Caves (The Stormlands), Cairncastle (North of Winterfell), Murlough Bay (Storm’s End) and Slemish (Dothraki Grasslands).

A geological jewel One of the jewels in the crown of the Causeway Coast has to be The Giant’s Causeway, with its famous basalt columns, dramatic cliff faces and spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Just along the coast of Antrim is the dramatic Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, which was first built by fishermen 350 years ago and is suspended nearly 100 ft above the sea.

These days, it’s a popular attraction for visitors, but crossing is not for the faint-hearted.

Further round the coast, take time to enjoy the delights of Portstewart Strand – one of Northern Ireland’s finest beaches, with two miles of golden sand.

With their use in early series of the smash-hit show, area. However, wherever any visitors roam, they will

It’s much more than just a beach though, with its sand dunes forming an important nature conservation site with fantastic walks.

From the beach, you can see Mussenden Temple, and it is worth continuing your journey to explore Downhill Demesne, where both the temple and Hezlett House are situated.

With amazing ruins, endless woodlands and stunning gardens, you won’t be disappointed.

Festivals There is also a vast range of festivals taking place this summer in Northern Ireland, which cater for all ages.

August Feile, which takes place from July 30 to August 9 in Belfast, is Ireland’s largest community festival, which features headlining music as part of a diverse range of events including com-

edy, sporting, exhibitions, tours, drama and debates.

The SunFlowerFest is set to return again this year in Hillsborough, County Down, from July 31 to August 2.

This well-established and family-oriented festival will feature superb live music, storytelling, poetry and interactive art, dance and music workshops, in a beautiful setting with on-site camping at Tubby’s Farm near Hillsborough.

From August 28 to 30, the Hilden Beer and Music Festival will occur once again in the Hilden Brewer y in County Antrim. Enjoy more than 20 acts across three music stages, with three bars serving more than 30 ales, stouts, lagers and ciders from Ireland and Britain, plus a food village in the front garden.

The much anticipated Carnival of Colours will also be making a comeback this year at St

23 July 2015 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

Travel fast

TRAVEL NEWS Detox – take time out from digital living IT’S set to become the new buzz term: “digitally detoxing”. We know that we all need to do it, but somehow it always seems that tiny bit too difficult not to check your Facebook page for another Like, or your mobile for a response to a text message.

Dunderry Park (above) in County Meath is putting on a digital detox weekend that will require you to do just that – switch off from all things digital. We spoke to the founder of Digital Detox, Emily Duffy, who gave us her top five reasons to detox.

Game of Thrones (inset, lower-right), Stranocum’s The Dark Hedges (main) have become a fixture for the show’s fans visiting the find lots of places with outstanding natural beauty.

Columb’s Park, Derry, from August 29 – 30.

This flagship circus, arts and music festival will be filled with top treats for all the family. Highlights include the very best of international and local street theatre, storytelling, workshops and international foods, with evening cabaret, music and comedy.

Local beaches Within Northern Ireland, you will find some of the most spectacular beaches in Europe. The naturally stunning formations of the coastline provide long stretches of golden sand and impressive sand dunes. The Causeway coastal route has more than 10 magnificent beaches alone, and views to match.

Whitepark Bay’s sandy beach forms a white arc between two headlands on the North Antrim coast.

In this secluded location, even on a busy day there is plenty of room for quiet relaxation.

The beach is backed by ancient dunes that provide a range of rich habitats for bird and animal life.

Downhill Beach offers a wealth of activities, including water sports, scenic walks and facilities for that perfect family day out, as well as the prominent Mussenden Temple – one of the most photographed buildings in Northern Ireland.

Tyrella Beach, a small enclosed beach and dune complex within Dundrum Bay, is situated alongside the Mourne coastal pathway.

The stunning waters invite water sport enthusiasts all year round, and it is one of the top beaches in County Down.

The Murlough National Nature Reserve is a fragile, 6,000-year-old

1. We are too connected to the opinions of others.

“Whether other people’s opinions of you are good, bad, or indifferent, relying on what they think to determine how you feel about yourself makes you more vulnerable and less capable of maintaining your self esteem.”

2. We are less capable of having real conversations.

“When was the last time you had a full, uninterrupted conversation with a friend that didn’t involve someone checking their Facebook, taking a selfie or messaging other people?

“Our smartphones have become such a part of who we are that, at times, we use them to ignore what is right in front of us.”

Hillsborough, Co Down, is set to once again welcome the SunFlowerFest in late July

3. We suffer from information overload.

“The internet has made information more accessible, and that’s great, but the trouble is, we have access to so much information that we can’t process any of it.”

4. Our privacy has disappeared.

“One only has to look at the Jennifer Lawrence photo leak to know that what we share with our friends privately isn’t safe from hackers, snoopers or creepers.”

Must-visit Benone Beach is just one of the North’s many welcoming, golden strands

sand dune system owned

by The National Trust, and is perfect for walkers or anyone interested in bird watching due to its spectacular location at the edge of Dundrum Bay and the Mourne Mountains.

Benone Beach is also a must-see when visiting Northern Ireland. With seven miles of golden sand and a magnificent backdrop of mountain and cliff scenery, and stunning views across to Donegal, this is an attractive

sightseeing environment along with the usual seaside activities, including picnic spots, watersports, and fishing.

For further information on Northern Ireland holidays, see www.discovernorthernireland.com.

5. We need fun, non-digital hobbies!

“That’s why we’ll have mindfulness meditation, laughter yoga, falconry, storytelling, art and much more on the weekend, which takes place in Dunderry Park from August 14 to 16. The rate for the weekend is €200.”

For further information, call Emily at 087 747 2147, email emily@spiritoffolk.com, or see www. digitaldetox.info.

Gazette

22 Gazette 23 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

BITESIZEDNEWS

FOOD&DRINK

Chop House (Shelbourne Road) Prime Irish Hereford cote de boeuf €60

L’Gueuleton (Fade Street) Chargrilled 10oz rib eye steak and chips with bearnaise or cafe de Paris butter €26.50

This cucumber mint margarita is perfect for July

Make a margarita (for when summer arrives) THE sky out there may think it’s October lately, but we have a recipe for a lovely, refreshing cucumber mint margarita that you’ll be glad to whip up whenever the summer finally arrives for more than a day or two. This drink recipe serves two.

Ingredients Half cup chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded 2 tablespoons sugar Quarter cup key lime juice Quarter cup chopped mint One-third cup tequila reposado 2 tablespoons orange liqueur One-eighth teaspoon Tabasco sauce 6 ice cubes Garnish Salt to rim glasses 2 cucumber slices Preparation • Blend ingredients in a blender for one minute.

Divide between two 6-ounce salt-rimmed glasses.

• Garnish each glass with a cucumber slice, then serve, and enjoy!

Bord Bia survey shows rise of local suppliers MORE than 95% of Ireland’s leading restaurateurs have increased the amount of local suppliers they work with in the past 12 months, and 85% spend in excess of 40% of their monthly budgets on local food and drink.

A Bord Bia Just Ask! survey has indicated that leading Irish restaurants actively promote local supplier details to their customers.

From name-checking suppliers on menus and websites, to including supplier photos in their restaurants, to spreading the word via social media and arranging “meet the maker” events, restaurateurs have recognised the merit in showcasing their support of local producers and the resulting bottom-line effect on their business.

Take5

Brookwood (Baggot Street) 28oz porterhouse steak for two, served with sides and a glass of wine or craft beer €50

 james martin

WHEN it comes to good beef, Ireland is very lucky. Our rainy, evergreen fields mean that we are in a position to create some of the best and tastiest farmed produce in the world.

This, of course, means great steaks!

Coupled with a rise in top-class restaurants devoted specifically to the bovine banquet, we are indeed punching well above our weight.

From thick and juicy filet mignon to the hefty t-bone for two, Dublin city has a fantastic range of eateries offering chargrilled perfection.

We have compiled our list of top-five places to get a super sumptuous steak in the city.

Have we missed anywhere? Let us know on the Gazette Newspaper’s Facebook page, or on Twitter at @DublinGazette. Next month, we will be unveiling our top pizza places in the city.

FX Buckley (Pembroke Street and Temple Bar) Rib eye on the bone 22oz, served with cajun onions €38

Asador (Haddington Road) Dry aged cote de boeuf for two €60

23 July 2015 Gazette 23

BUSINESS PROFILE

Gazette

COMMERCIAL FEATURE tom browne, Salus Training Services

A whole world of skills and experience Salus Training Services was formed in 2005 to service a growing market in safety training, consultancy and traffic management.

Tom Browne (above) was one of four directors who took the lead in developing the business so that Salus could provide the services to a range of existing clients from his previous company, Aztec Training Ltd, and new clients through

the partnership of South Midland Construction who at the time were working on behalf of Bord Gais, ESB, local authorities, the RPA, NTL and many more.

Salus provided specialised training in partnership with our technical associates in the UK. Salus is now in the process of seeking approval for City & Guilds qualifications including

confined space, poly pipe welding to start with and progressing to a number of others.

Managing director Browne has a wide range of skills and experience not only in Ireland but in the US, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, UK and across Europe.

He also studied at UCD, Maynooth College, Salford University and in Australia.

Salus also has an operation

in Australia and can deliver training for persons hoping to emigrate to Australia/New Zeland and can have their qualifications converted and recognised through their associate companies based in Australia.

There is also a traffic management division at Salus which has been successful since 2008 and growing continually.

How long have you been in business?

ents that differs from your competitors?

minimised the effects.

the business to a sustainable level offering more programmes to our existing and new clients.

Salus Training Services has been in business since 2005.

What makes your business successful?

Strong customer focus and quality service provided.

What do you offer your cli-

We offer our clients a strong understanding of their needs and willingness to adapt to their needs.

How has the recession affected your business?

Our strong relationship with existing clients has

How do you use social media?

We use Facebook/Twitter/ LinkedIn to promote our business.

What is your ambition for the business?

Our ambition is to grow

What is the best piece of business advice that you ever received?

Offer a good service at a fair price and be honest throughout.

GAZETTE

24 GAZETTE 23 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTH

FURTHERPREPARATION JIMMY’S TOP TOOL KIT AND ACCESSORIES WHILE everyone has their favourite musthave item, some equipment is essential to ensure you’re fully prepared for anything that might happen out on the course. New products have come on line in the past few and they’ll help you save time.

Happy pedalling!

Tube and tyre levers: For mechanical problems, you’ll need the right kit to help you get back on your bike. Remember that no one can help you in the race so you absolutely have to know how to use your kit. The original and can’t-do-without kit is a tube and three tyre levers. Why? Obviously a puncture is your most likely source of problems. Make sure you have the right tube size to match your bike and valve style and only use plastic tyre levers. So you’ve nothing to inflate this? That brings us neatly to our next item.

Co2 inflator: A very simple device that will inflate your wheel in seconds to the

correct pressure.

Mini pumps simply don’t do the business, using mini pumps to attempt to inflate a tyre can take a lot of your energy and never fully inflate the tyre fully.

Multitool with chain-splitter: These guys will suit all fittings on a modern bicycle.

If your saddle slips or handlebars turn in transition out on the course the multitoll will come to the rescue. Getting one with a chain-splitter is crucial also to cover that eventuality.

Powerlink for chain: The powerlink is designed to quickly rejoin a broken chain. Using your chain-splitter to clear broken debris from your chain, then install the powerlink to instantly reconnect your broken chain.

Castelli Retro Cap €19.00 The retro cycling cap features a classic eight-panel design and styling that harks back to the old days of European racing. Italian or multicolor strip and screen printed Castelli logos. Universally sized.

Compressport Race Belt €12 The new compressport race belt is functional, adjustable and easy to clip on and off. It has three clips for attaching a race number and four elasticated gel holders on each side.

LOUIS GARNEAU TRI SPEED €75.00 Interchangeable HRS heel retention system 2 reversed velcro tabs for easy slip-on and quick attach patented ergo air. Compatible with SPD, SPD-SL, TIME, LOOK and SPEED PLAY cleats, Weight (size 41/1 shoe): 281 g/10 oz Ergo Air.

Elasticated laces LockLaces €7.50 Elasticated shoe laces feature an adjustable toggle fastener that provide a custom fit. Replace your race day trainer’s laces with these elastic alternative and never tie your laces during a race again.

Specialised PROPERO II €99.99 This race-inspired design is known for its great fit and great value. The composite matrix internal reinforcement allows larger vents for greater cooling.

The bike section is the longest part of the race going from Dun Laoghaire out as far as Kilcock in County Kildare

IRONMAN: PART 2 OF 3 TO GUIDE YOUR TRAINING

It’s onto land as the race really gets going  GARY CROSSAN

SO Ironman wannabe – you’ve completed the 2km swim. This week, GazetteHealth picks up where we left off with Gary Crossan of Triathlon Ireland. And he recommends that competitors take a moment to steady themselves on dry land after the swim.

One swift change later and this is where the race really starts.

Time to face the 90km bike ride (shown above).

Crossan advises that the course is flat, fast and consists of a single lap with total elevation gain of 240m. It leaves Dun Laoghaire, heading out towards Finglas and taking in Counties Meath and Kildare.

Anyone who has cycled the course before May, be aware of a slight change around Kilcock which was made to make it safer.

Things he reminds us to be aware of during the bike section are drafting and nutrition.

Last week, we recom-

These products will help you to get the best out of any bike or foot race and are all available from Base2Race, Unit 46, Fashion City, Ballymount, Dublin 24.

Keane claims 21st place at championships BRYAN Keane battled to a 21st place finish at the European Championships in Geneva recently, finishing in a time of 1.57.27.

Keane admitted to a poor swim which resulted in the leading pack opening up a gap and pulling away throughout the 40km bike leg.

The Cork man found himself in the second chase pack in which world number one Javier Gomez of Spain was also to be found. Once off the bike, Keane produced one of the fastest runs of the day in 33.03.

For more info visit www.triathlonireland.com

The run section takes place in the beautiful Phoenix Park

mended drafting. But on the bike leg of a triathlon this is illegal and will result in a time penalty and a possible disqualification.

Official draft marshals on the course enforce these rules.

The bike section is also the longest part of the race, and therefore it is the best time to give the body some needed fuel and hydration. You can either stick gels to the cross bar of the bike or have premixed drinks in the fuel bottles on the bike.

All this should be practised in training. There will also be a fuel station in Maynooth at the University Campus.

The final section of the very flat three-lap half marathon race takes place in the beautiful Phoenix Park (shown left).

The run section’s main feature is the pacing strategy runners must employ. With crowds of spectators and the adrenaline rushing, it’s tempting to start out too fast, says Crossan.

When it comes to running races the best strategy is to run negative splits which means running the second half of the race faster than the first. Keep taking on fluids and fuel at all the feed stations to ensure you keep as well hydrated as possible.

A main area for all competitors to be aware of and something most people will not have experienced before is the split transition. Have a check list of everything you need for transition one – after you come out of the swim.

This should include bike gear, for example helmet, sunglasses, cycling shoes. Then have a separate check list for transition two – after the bike leg in Phoenix Park.

This should include running gear, for example runners, vaseline, socks, sun cap. Make sure you are not the person without your runners in transition one in Dun Laoghaire. It will happen to someone, warns Crossan.

23 July 2015 gazette 25

Gazette

GAMING

WEEBYTES

The late Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo

Tributes paid to late Satoru Iwata

 shane dillon

IT SEEMS that The Caped Crusader (aka Batman, aka billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne) is never far away from popular culture, including videogames, as a number of products demonstrate at the moment.

While cinema fans look forward to Ben Affleck putting on the cape in next year’s Batman V Superman, and TV watchers delve into the murky city that the newly orphaned

child Bruce Wayne grew up in, gamers have never been left wanting for some great Batman games, with Batman: Arkham Knight

(developed by Rocksteady Studios, published

by Warner Bros Interactive) delivering Bats and “friends” in style.

The recently released game has been a smash hit on next-gen (now current gen) platforms, delivering a visual tour de force as one of the flagship titles to really show what the Xbox One and PlaySta-

tion 4 are capable of. PC owners, however, experienced a different Gotham (see panel, below).

The title’s stunning graphics have really brought the seedy, criminal underbelly of gothic Gotham to glistening life.

This week, we take a look at the rain-slicked streets, towering architecture, interesting characters and chaos of Gotham in Arkham Knight that have created such a stylishly memorable dark knight ...

‘Holy unplayable, Batman! now what?’

WHILE Arkham K night is indeed a pretty spectacular title – on next-gen consoles, at least – PC fans weren’t happy after the game was released, as it was extremely buggy and crashed or froze a lot, even on high-spec gaming rigs.

Indeed, Warner Bros and Rocksteady have temporarily suspended PC sales, offered refunds, and issued a statement,

apologising to fans.

“We want to apologise to those of you who are experiencing performance issues with Batman: Arkham Knight on PC. “We take these issues very seriously and have therefore decided to suspend future game sales of the PC version while we work to address these issues to satisfy our quality standards.”

At the time of writing, PC sales

are still suspended while the developers try to fix the bugs and performance issues, with PC Batman presumably left to practise his Batarang aim rather than face his adversaries on Gotham’s mean streets.

Who would have thought that Batman’s greatest adversary could end up being just a few lines of problematic code?

TRIBUTES have been paid around the world to Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s president, who recently died of cancer, aged 55.

Nintendo released a short but respectful statement, simply saying: “Nintendo Co Ltd deeply regrets to announce that President Satoru Iwata passed away on July 11, 2015 due to a bile ductgrowth.”

Earthbound director Shigesato Itoi’s tribute was particularly poignant, saying: “When I’m parting with a friend, regardless of the circumstances, I find it best to just say, ‘See you later.’ We’ll meet again.

After all, we’re friends.

That’s right – nothing unusual about it. I’ll see you later.”

During his time with the company, which he joined in the 1980s, Iwata oversaw some of the highs and lows in the company’s fortunes, seeing it introduce a wide range of consoles.

Its hardware and titles may not always have set the gaming world on fire, but they always showed the company’s singular vision at work.

Popular with the industry and gamers alike, Iwata was the embodiment of Nintendo’s willingness to experiment in the name of fun, and was a driving force in gaming. He will be missed.

26 SWORDS GAZETTE 23 July 2015

SWORDSCLASSIFIEDS IMPROVEMENTS

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28 Gazette 23 July 2015

SPORT Ryan is Ireland’s golden girl

FastSport

cycling: garda cyclist leads irish challenge at sundrive track meet

St Pat’s to face Manchester city next week:

ST PATRICK’S Athletic are delighted to announce that the Saints will take on a Manchester City XI in Richmond Park on Wednesday, July 29 at 7.45pm.

Liam Buckley’s side will take on The Citizens as they continue their preseason preparations ahead of the 201516 English football season.

The last Premier League sides to have faced the Saints in Richmond Park were a Chelsea XI in 2009 that featured the likes of Fabio Borini, while a Tottenham Hotspur side with Gareth Bale, Dimitar Berbatov, and Robbie Keane amongst their ranks were visitors to Inchicore in 2007.

Ticket details for the game will follow and be announced on stpatsfc.com in the coming days; ticket details when confirmed will go on sale from the St Patrick’s Athletic club offices on Emmet Road.

 sport@dublingazette.com

MOST of the medals and records from last weekend’s Dublin Track Cycling International at Sundrive went to international stars, but Garda Cycling Club’s Caroline

Ryan took home a gold and reduced the track record for the 3km pursuit on her way to medal success.

Beating her own Sundrive best by almost four tenths of a second, the rower turned cyclist was

one of five riders to lower the track record in their events as competitors from 13 countries competed at the Crumlin venue on Saturday and Sunday of last week.

The event was Ireland’s only UCI level one track

Ryan with her gold medal

Caroline Ryan on track at Sundrive

meet of the year and it attracted three current world track champions, a reigning junior road race champion, and numerous former and current medallists at world, European, and Olympic level over the two days.

Ryan’s record setting victory actually came at the expense of former world road race champion Tatiana Guderzo over Italy. Aside from the Westmanstown woman, who just missed out on third in the women’s points race, there were a number of other local cyclists who tasted success over the weekend.

New Zealand cyclist Regan Gough dominated the men’s 4km pursuit over Ulsterman and Dublin-based cyclist Martyn

Irvine and Gough’s ride included an improvement of 2.5s on Ryan Mullen’s venue record set at the same event last year.

Irvine was also involved in the men’s 15km scratch race and started extremely aggressive. He was joined early on by Max Beyer of Germany before both returned to the bunch and Irvine was eventually reeled in. It wasn’t long before he went back on the attack, riding solo all the way to the final six laps of the 460km circuit before Beyer raced clear again to claim the gold medal ahead of Belgium’s Moreno de Pauw and Alex Frame of New Zealand. Irvine also finished fifth in Men’s omnium event.

Gough added another

win in the men’s points race with another dominant showing in which he lapped the field twice.

Norway’s Aleksander Perez took second while local Sundrive rider Murt Rice raced clear of the rest to claim the bronze medal.

Orwell Wheelers’ Naoise Sheridan took the gold in junior women’s scratch race, while in the Men’s, club-mate Conor Murnane made it a double for Orwell as he edged out Xeno Young of Powerhouse Sport and Barry Talt of Murphys Surveys Kilcullen.

To round-up the Irish interest, Dubliner Lydia Boylan mirrored Irvine’s fifth place finish in the omnium in the women’s category.

National basketball cups get boost from Hula Hoops  sport@dublingazette.com

Lynn Tunnah, left, from Dublin, Dylan Phelan and Keavy McDermott help launch the Hula Hoops National Cup

THE biggest annual event in Irish basketball is to have a new partner for 2015-16 as Hula Hoops has been unveiled as official sponsors of the National Cups.

The announcement of the Hula Hoops National Cups comes in a period of growth for the sport. Over 125 clubs from 16 counties are expected to take part in this season’s elite competitions while a new national intermediate club championships will give more Dublin clubs

a chance to play at the National Basketball Arena.

Forty-five Dublin teams took part in 2014-15. Twenty one titles have stayed in the capital over the years but it was a lean season with UCD Marian, Killester, St Vincent’s, DCU Mercy and Oblate Dynamos were all beaten in the 2015 finals.

“There are 10 national cups catering from Under-18 right up to our two senior flagship competitions, which will be televised live on TG4,” said Basketball Ireland sponsorship and marketing manager JP Montgomery.

“The national cups have been a platform for great Irish basketball players and great drama for over 30 years but we feel that Hula Hoops coming on board marks a new chapter for knockout basketball in Ireland.”

The draw for the Hula Hoops National Cups takes place on September 23 with the first rounds in October and the finals played in January in the National Basketball Arena.

Elsewhere, Meteors have appointed Mark Byrne to take over from outgoing head coach Eoin Chubb.

The South Dublin side took their play-off push all the way to the penultimate round of the league last season and will aim to go one better this term.

Byrne has enjoyed a long and successful playing career with Delta Notre Dame ,Tridents and UCD Marian. As a coach he has had success with Maol Og and UCD Marian.

He said, “I’m looking forward to working with this talented squad. Our pre-season programme is challenging and will ensure we are in the best of shape for the new season”

23 July 2015 Gazette 29

Gazette

Personal bests and the glint of bronze Dublin-based Paralympic swimmers produced a series of superb performances in Glasgow last week with Clontarf’s Ellen Keane and Daragh McDonald earning a podium place  nathan kelly sport@dublingazette.com

IRELAND’S Paralympic Swim Team, packed with Dublin-based swimmers, began and finished their World Championships campaign with a bronze medal and three personal bests, repeated the feat on the event’s final day last Sunday.

Last Monday, UCD’s Darragh McDonald swam a season’s best of 5.11.26 in the 400m freestyle (S6) which won him his heat and booked a spot in that evening’s final. In the final, McDonald was just over a second outside of that time which earned him third spot on the podium.

Speaking after the final, he said: “I’m really happy to make the World Championship podium tonight.

It’s been a tough season, and the medal makes for

a great finish to it. I’m really looking forward to the year ahead and the road to Rio.” McDonald was back in the pool on Thursday, and finished fifth in 50m freestyle heat with a time of 34.01, which left him ninth overall meaning he just missed out on the final. He also missed out on a place in the final of the 100m freestyle (S6) on Sunday by just one spot.

Blanchardstown’s NAC Swim Club had three of the swimmers on the Irish squad and London Paralympian James Scully was the first Irish athlete in the pool last Monday, recording a time of 45.18 in his heat in the 50m backstroke (S5), leaving him in sixth spot.

Scully’s club-mate Ellen Keane was also in the pool on Monday and swam a personal best of 1.18.69 in her 100m back-

stroke heat, but unfortunately just missed out on a place in the final in what is her least favoured event.

Keane was back in action on Tuesday and produced a lifetime best of 1.22.97 in her 100m breaststroke (SB8), which won her heat and booked her place in the evening’s final.

She set another personal best in the final of 1.22.50, which earned fifth spot in a race in which second and fifth spot were separated by just a second and a half.

Scully was the first of the Irish in the pool on Wednesday and he swam a season’s best in the men’s 200m freestyle (S5) of 2.54.84 in the second heat to qualify seventh fastest for the final.

Just like Keane the day before, Scully turned in another season’s best

Castleknock’s Ailbhe Kelly competes in the heat of the Women’s 100m Freestyle S8 where she finished seventh. Picture: Ian McNicol/Sportsfile

in the final of 2.53.77 to finish sixth in one of the most competitive events at the World Championships.

The third NAC Swim Club member on the Irish squad, Castleknock teenager Ailbhe Kelly, made her world championship debut on the Thursday

of the women’s 400m freestyle (S8) of 5.37.45, beating her previous best by over five and a half seconds.

She just missed out on the final but can take comfort from the fact that her time was inside the minimum qualifying standard (MQS) for Rio

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

‘I’m still in shock; I was happy with a personal best but saw the three and I couldn’t believe it!’ - Ellen Keane -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

morning in Glasgow.

She showed no signs of nerves as she swam a lifetime best of 1.20.44 in the women’s 100m freestyle (S8) to finish seventh in her heat and 12th overall.

Keane was also back in action on Thursday and swam another season’s best in the heats of the 50m freestyle of 31.03.

Scully competed again on Friday morning and added another lifetime best to the growing personal records being broken in the Irish camp.

He recorded a time of 38 seconds flat in the second heat of the 50m freestyle.

In the final later that day, he beat his time from the morning by an impressive .08 of a second which resulted in an eighth place finish.

Kelly recorded a lifetime best in the sole heat

2016.

The next day, Kelly reached the final of the 100m backstroke (S8) event, finishing eighth and recording another lifetime best time of 1.27.24.

On the final day of the championships, Keane finished second in the first heat of the 200m individual medley (SM9).

In the final that evening, she set another new lifetime best of 2.40.31 which earned her a brilliant bronze in the event, which she spoke about afterwards.

“I’m still in shock,” she said. “I didn’t think I got third! I looked at the clock and registered my time and was happy with my PB, then saw the ‘3’ and couldn’t believe it!

“I’m just so delighted and especially for my parents after dressing up in their Irish suits all week!”

FastSport

Royal Dublin’s Devine eyes PGA Foursome final PATRICK Devine hopes to emulate the greatest week of his professional life as he bids to reach the final of the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship.

Devine, of Royal Dublin Golf Club, will team up with Killiney Golf Club’s Leo Hynes for the qualifying event to be held at Headfort Golf Club in Co Meath on July 22.

And the pair will go into the competition with impressive track records. Devine is a former champion having won the final with Stuart Taylor in 2009 when it was held at Forest Pines Golf Club in Lincolnshire.

And if Hynes qualifies, he will be looking to improve on his joint 16th place finish in last year’s final at St Mellion in Cornwall.

They will be aiming to reach the £35,000 Skycaddie and BMW supported grand final at Carden Park in Cheshire between August 12-14.

Devine has fond memories of his title win six years ago.

“It was probably the greatest day as a PGA player when we won at Forest Pines,” he said.

“Everything went to plan, myself and Stuart played well, we made a lot of birdies and had fun doing it at the same time. If you can’t enjoy weeks like that in golf, when can you?

“It was a fantastic tournament for us and I remember it well.”

Devine hopes that he and Hynes will find the winning formula.

“We’ve known each other since we were amateurs, we go way back,” said Devine. “But we’ve never played together in this competition before.

“I hope it’s a good combination and I know Leo played in the final last year. He did well and would want to improve on that.

“If we can get to the final, we’d be trying to win it.”

Devine also admits this year’s final venue - the Jack Nickalus designed course at Carden Park - is another incentive.

“I’ve already had a look at the course graphics online,” he said.

“When you can see the standard of the venue where the final’s going to be held, that’s something that makes you want to play there.”

Gazette

30 SWORDS gazette 23 July 2015

SPORT

fastSport

athletics: raheny runner rocks at annual fingal 10km

Thunder’s Lacey plays his part in China event LOCAL basketball star Kevin Lacey was present last week as a Men’s Premier League Select squad came third at the Sino-European Championships in Kun Shan, China.

The Travelodge Swords Thunder guard was included in the 12-man squad for the competition that also included teams from Russia, Italy and hosts China.

The tournament began for the Irish last Friday with 40-72 defeat against Team Italy. The squad picked themselves up rather quickly however and recorded a fantastic one point win over Russia the next day, with a 70-69 win.

The last game for the Premier League squad was against Team China and the hosts racked up their third win of the competition with an 82-46 which crowned them overall winners while Ireland’s third place finished was confirmed.

Despite the defeat against China, the Premier League selection’s player-coach Colin O’Reilly remained upbeat afterwards. “We’ll take positives from it,” he said. “I think we left 15-20 points on the court today where we just didn’t finish properly. That’s what this whole trip has been about – getting used to this intensity and playing with it for 40 minutes.”

Indeed, just two of the Irish squad had previous experience at a similar level, and one, O’Reilly, was actually forced to sit out all three games due to a calf strain, while the other, Paul Dick, who was Ireland’s top scorer at the competition with 32 points, missed the final game with a hip injury.

Also speaking after the event, Basketball Ireland secretary general Bernard O’Byrne emphasised the importance of such an event for going forward. “I honestly think it has changed the perspective of a lot of players involved,” he said. People can get into a comfort zone being the best at their own level. This week has really shown us that there’s another standard to aspire to and most positively that we have the capability to achieve that standard.

“This tournament was not a destination,” he continued. “It’s a step along the road. We want to drive Irish basketball to new levels and be part of a very vibrant basketball scene in Europe and beyond.”

Mick Clohisey, centre, flanked by Mark Carroll and Mark Kennelly following his success last Sunday morning

Clohisey breaks record  sport@dublingazette.com

RECORDS tumbled in Swords last Sunday as Mick Clohisey and Maria McCambridge produced a superb pair of runs at the annual SSE Airtricity Fingal 10km.

Clohisey, running with Raheny Shamrock AC, was first over the finish line of the SSE Airtricity Fingal 10km with a new course record of 29.44, finishing just four seconds ahead of club mate Mark Kennelly in a high quality battle.

Speaking afterwards, Clohisey said “It was a challenging course and

I had good battle with Mark Kennelly throughout.

“It was only on the last kilometre that I managed to slip away from him.

I didn’t give up or throw in the towel and now I’m delighted with the new course record.

“It wasn’t my fastest time as I completed the Dunshaughlin 10k a few weeks ago in 29.27 but this was definitely harder.”

He added: “This will be my last Dublin event this year as I will be competing in the Berlin Marathon as I chase an Olympic time but I would like to wish

homecoming

Balbriggan’s Hagan back on home turf Jamie Hagan made a quick return to

his home town, Balbriggan, last week as part of a meet and greet session at the local club’s Leinster Rugby summer camp where he met the young rugby stars of the future like Roisin Duffy.

Hagan recently signed a short-term deal to return to Leinster after a spell with London Irish last season. He will provide cover in the early stages of the new Guinness PRO12 campaign.

everyone else the very best of luck for the rest of the SSE Airtricity Race Series Events and the Marathon in October.”

In the women’s race, Maria McCambridge from Dundrum South Dublin AC, became the first woman ever to win the Fingal 10km for the second time following her course record in 2013.

She completed the race in a time of 34.10.

McCambridge was followed by Ciara Hickey in 36.52 in second place and Niamh Devlin in third.

Meanwhile, Swords home favourite Suzanne Sheehy ran 39.52 and came

in eighth place despite a fall.

Winner of the women’s race, McCambridge said of the race: “It was tougher than I had expected and, to be honest, I thought I would’ve felt a little bit better about it but I’m still happy with the win.

“I’m a little tired due to my pre-marathon phase so I’m going to take a bit of downtime to rejuvenate both mentally and physically.

“I was hoping for a better time as I wanted to use this race to help me to gauge where I’m currently at but I’m happy enough.”

Team Dublin Marathon which consists of five men and five women also took part in the event in preparation for the 26.2 miles later this year.

Between now and race day in October each team member will be following their own individualised training programmes and weekly training schedules from two of the best marathon runners in the country, Gary Crossan and Maria McCambridge.

The Fingal 10km run is the second race marked in this year’s SSE Airtricity Dublin Race Series which kicked off with the Irish Runner 5 Mile.

23 July 2015 SWORDS gazette 31

Gazette

leinster leaders

Fingallians crew play big role in Dublin success

Club Noticeboard fingallians

Fingallians’ Emer ni hEafa, Niamh

Rickard, Fiona Hudson and Sinead Finnegan all played their part in helping Dublin win their fourth successive Leinster ladies football senior championship title last Sunday in Carlow.

They are pictured with a young Fins’ club member who played in the halftime mini-games for Dublin, too.

PRESIDENTIAL visit this Saturday:

their fourth successive Leinster

An tUachtaran will arrive at 10am to

crown against Westmeath by seven

officially open our new all weather

points on Sunday afternoon. Well done

facility.

to Sinead, Fiona, Niamh and Emer.

The morning will consist of under-

Another very successful hurling

age games, dance, music, history

camp in the club last week with over

board presentation and TV inter-

150 participants.

Many thanks to all who attended

views.

All members past and present are most welcome and are asked to

Picture: Kyran O’Brien

attend from 9.30am.

football: swords club’s juniors on the march

We would also like to ask all musicians to bring their instruments down with them for a seisiún during

and helped out in trying weather conditions.

A special thank you to the Dublin players Alan Nolan and Daire Plunkett who popped in on Thursday.

Applications can be made in advance at the club bar for the foot-

the visit Our junior B footballers had the

ballers All-Ireland quarter final.

narrowest of victories over Ballymun

The next gold society outing will be

2-7 to 1-9 to reach the championship

in Corrstown Golf Club on July 31 from

decider but unfortunately our jun-

2-3pm.

ior D footballers were beaten by St Jude’s in their semi final.

Further details on the final to follow; it will be against Bank of Ireland.

A timesheet is on our mysociety page for time slot booking or by texting Dan Davern/Stephen McNally.

Visitors most welcome.

Both teams recovered from the

We had no winner of last week’s

midweek games to record important

lotto and the good news is the jackpot

league victories at the weekend and

this week will be €3,534.

remain in contention for promotion.

The Dublin senior ladies captured

The lucky numbers last week were 3, 15, 24, 30 and 35.

st finian’s THE St Finian’s GAA Club lotto jack-

were: Ann Sweeney, Paul Curran,

pot was €4,000 this week and the

Harold Hainsworth and Patricia

Lynch’s late point nicks final place

numbers drawn were 3,16,17 and 24.

Murray.

JBFC semi-final

Bedlam in front of the Ballymun Kickhams goal against Fingallians. Picture: Kyran O’Brien

Ballymun Kickhams Fingallians  sport@dublingazette.com

1-9 2-7

FINGALLIANS continued their impressive form as they booked their place in the junior B championship final with a dramatic, late, one-point win over Ballymun Kickhams last Tuesday night and followed it up with a league win over St Brendan’s.

The Swords men made the short trip to Pairc Ciceam last Tuesday evening for the championship semi-final against their rivals from the other side of the airport and left with

a 2-7 to 1-9 win.

The game kicked off at a frantic pace with both sides’ line-ups containing a strong blend of youth and experience.

Fins took an early lead with a well taken free from Mark McArdle who went on to add a couple more to his tally throughout the contest. But it was Ballymun who took the lead with the first goal after a well worked move resulted in a penalty which was converted powerfully and precisely into the back of the net.

Fingallians soon responded with their first goal of the game when

a pinpoint free from 40 yards found the on-running Oisin Lynch who flicked it into the net.

The second goal quickly followed when good play from Lynch opened up space for Ross O’Neill who showed good feet to beat the defenders and bury past the goalkeeper.

Ballymun came out all guns blazing after the break and were one up themselves after 15 minutes.

As the game entered its last 10 minutes, the action was something of a free-for-all with both sides throwing everything forward and defending like

their lives depended on it.

The score was all square as the game crept into injury time but up stepped JJ McCormack who tapped Fingallians ahead before the Mun quickly responded to level proceedings again.

From the resulting kick-out, O’Neill’s catch in midfield set up Lynch to power over the winner which leaves just Bank of Ireland standing in Fingallians way of the championship title.

Two days later, Fins’ AFL11 team bowed out of the D championship with to St Jude’s in the final four.

There was no jackpot winnner. The winners of the €25 lucky dip prizes

Nex t we e k’s j a c k p o t w i l l b e €4,100

fingal ravens A BIG thank you to all who attended our Reaching Out night on Wednes-

nate three people.

The seniors were beaten in the league last Tuesday in Rolestown by

day in Kettle’s.

A special thank you to our speak-

a strong Kilmacud Crokes team.

ers Stephen Maguire (Smart Per-

Our juniors had a great win in the

formance), Pauline Bergin (Pieta

championship on Thursday night at

House), Stacey Cannon (GAA Health

home against St Sylvester’s in awful

and Wellbeing) and Mickey Harte

weather conditions; well done all.

The juniors also played in the

(Tyrone GAA).

Also, a huge thank you to all our

lea gue on Sunda y morning and

committee, helpers and of course

had a great win against St James’s

Kettle’s Country House Hotel for

Gaels.

their assistance in organising the

The club are now live on Twitter -

night. Don’t forget to create your

please follow @FingalRavensGFC for

own Reaching Out video and nomi-

live match updates.



Got a story? we want to know!

Call our sport team on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3

or email sport@dublingazette.com

GazetteSPORT all of your swords sports coverage from page 28-31

july 23-29, 2015

fingal 10km: Clohisey leads the way as the crowds sundrive sensations: Invitational track cycling event come out in force for annual race around Swords P30 draws the best from Ryan P28

Players at the recent hurling summer camp got an early feel for the new pitch at Lawless Park with Dublin senior players Daire Plunkett and Alan Nolan also in attendance

Fins welcome new pitch

Lawless Park set to celebrate on Saturday morning as president of the GAA Aogan O’Fearghail officially opens refurbished all-weather pitch

 stephen findlater

sport@dublingazette.com

FINGALLIANS welcome GAA President Aogan O’Fearghail to Lawless Park this Saturday morning to cut the ribbon on their newly refurbished all-weather training pitch.

The €150,000 pitch – part-funded by a sports capital grant and part by club fundraising – replaces the 16-year-old turf that preceded it which was no longer suitable for play, suffering from a lack of give and had become worn out over time.

Club PRO Paul Gormley says the new turf, with the requisite lining and new posts, will

provide a superb facility for the club’s evergrowing reach while also providing a facility for the several national schools in the area.

“There is a ferocious amount of use that the pitch gets,” he said. “We have 67 teams in the club and everyone wants to use it – not so much in the summer – in the winter months or when other pitches are unplayable.

“We do get requests from clubs outside ourselves and from other sports and while we could do with the money that would bring, we can’t hire it because we have so many teams.”

Gormley adds that the turf is a considerable step up from the previous pitch and is

hopeful that the club will get as much use as they can from it.

“The big upside is the surfaces they are laying today as opposed to 15 years ago are much better.

“The big thing now is to maintain it; it’s just like the front garden.

“If you are not doing the bits and pieces, it will wear down an awful lot quicker. Now, we have a particular maintenance crew who are trained in looking after it.”

As for the opening event, the morning will run from 10am to 12pm and consists of underage games, dance, music, a history board presentation and TV interviews.

Gormley is also particularly pleased that

O’Fearghail will be involved in the ceremony, saying that he is a man who has shown particular interest in the project and in the development around the country in parish clubs.

“He is interested in having a look at the pitch and the facilities, meeting everybody.

That’s the type of guy he is, a real grassroots kind of guy.

“He has a big interest in the Irish language and culture which a good section of our club engage in – we have our own Scor section who do Irish music while a couple of club meetings each year are done as Gaeilge.”

The event is open to all with club members past and present encouraged to attend.