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November 21 – December 4, 2013 I www.irishecho.com.au
local news Dad takes back seat as AUSSIE WIFE AND TRIPLETS star on telly
Donegal-man’s accent cost him role in TV ad Cronan Scanlon A DONEGAL man says he is not disappointed at being left out of a television advertisement seen by millions in Australia which features his wife and their triplet daughters – because of his accent. Declan O’Callaghan, from Mullanbuoy, lives in Sydney with his Australian wife Jodie and their three-year-old triplet girls, Naomi-Gwyneth, Bronwyn-Ava and Niamh-Charlotte, as well as five-year-old Hannah. Recently, they spotted a notice placed with the Australian Multiple Birth Association (AMBA) for Higher Order Multiples calling for a family with triplets to star in a new Volkswagen Australia advertising campaign. “We responded, did an audition and got it,” Declan explained to the Donegal News. Volkswagen Group Australia and DDB Sydney launched the multi-channel campaign showcasing the extensive range of models in their Australian portfolio. The new campaign “Welcome to the Family” tells the story of an extended
family arriving to celebrate a traditional family get together. One couple, “Peter and Susan”, arrive in their VW Touareg with “their” beautiful triplet daughters in the back. However, a professional actor was hired to play the “Peter” part because Declan is Irish. “They needed Aussie males, given they were selling to Aussie males which is fair enough, I suppose,” Declan said. “Apparently, this was a good one to do and a lot of professional actors were queuing up to be involved, and then there was us. “I suppose my Donegal accent was too strong, but we did it for the experience – it was great fun and we got paid for it. So no complaints from me.” A hedge fund partner with Deloitte in Sydney, Declan tied the knot with Jodie in St Columba’s Church, Doneyloop, in April 2007. The son of Donal and Eileen O’Callaghan, Declan returned to Donegal with Jodie in 2011 to have the girls christened in the local church. The minute-long ad can be seen on http://volkswagenaustralia.com.au/
DAD A PASSENGER: Declan and Jodie O’Callaghan with their triplets Naomi-Gwyneth, Bronwyn-Ava and NiamhCharlotte, and older daughter Hannah. Inset: Jodie and the triplets with their onscreen dad in the Volkswagen.
SENT to ireland ON fraud charges
Extradited Dubliner touting legal advice Luke O’Neill
A FORMER solicitor extradited from Perth to face fraud charges in Ireland earlier this year has set up a mediation practice in Dublin. Dubliner Vincent O’Donoghue, 62, lost an eight-year battle against his extradition in April and was sent from Hakea Prison in Perth back to Ireland. He is due to go on trial at Dublin’s Circuit Criminal Cour t in March, charged with 16 counts under two sections of the 1990 Larceny Act. The charges relate to property deals in Dublin and Belfast in 1998, made before Mr O’Donoghue and his family migrated to Australia. He was granted bail by the High Court after he argued his surety should be reduced from €40,000 to nothing. The Irish Echo has learned that Mr O’Donoghue, who is now living in Drumcondra in north Dublin, is offering his services as a mediator from offices in the city centre. He is offering services for property, mortgage and
bankruptcy matters, as well as on migration, extradition, deportation and civil disputes. On the website for his new business, he describes himself as a troubleshooter and mediator. “I’ve represented many clients and I have the experience, courage and ‘the
I’m saying to people if you want somebody to dig their heels in and do battle, well, I’m your man. I’ve experience at that and I’m quite prepared to do that. I won’t flinch from a challenge.
balls’ that you are looking for. I’m simply here to help you. I’m good at my job and some would say I’m even the best,” the homepage states. Speaking from Dublin, he told the Irish Echo he has “more clients than I can handle”.
He claims his legal battles in Australia have given him unique experience. “There’s nobody here in Ireland who has been through the ringer the way I’ve been through the ringer. You can go to college but you will not learn the stuf f I lear ned in Hakea or in Perth. You won’t learn it in college,” he said. “So, yes, I’m saying to people if you want somebody to dig their heels in and do battle, well, I’m your man. I’ve experience at that and I’m quite prepared to do that. I won’t flinch from a challenge.” There are no legal requirements to practise as a mediator in Ireland, according to The Mediators Institute of Ireland, which sets its own quality assurance standards. The institute said Mr O’Donoghue was not listed as one of its accredited members. The former solicitor has taken separate cases in the High Court in Belfast and in the Australian Federal Court.
big list of events drives RECORD visitor NUMBERS
Aussies, Kiwis answer Gathering’s call RECORD numbers of Australians and Kiwis have visited Ireland this year. Australia and New Zealand have driven record tourism growth this year from Ireland’s long-haul markets for the period July to September, according to the Central Statistics Office. The figures reveal an additional 326,000 overseas visitors during the January-September period. Tourism Ireland claims the figures for the first nine months show it is having the best year ever from Australia and New Zealand. “The figures from the CSO for the
high season months of July to September are very strong, showing growth from almost all of our markets around the world,” Tourism Ireland chief Niall Gibbons said. He said there was record growth this year from long-haul markets with rises of 24.5 per cent for Australia and 22.5 per cent for New Zealand. “We have a really extensive programme in place between now and the end of the year, targeting late-season travellers around the world, to keep this momentum going,” he said. Tourism Ireland’s manager for ANZ
Diane Butler hopes the growth will continue in 2014. “We are really excited as next year poses to be just as big, with the Wild Atlantic Way of ficially opening in March and events including St Patrick’s Day celebrations, Giro d’Italia Big Start in Belfast in May, the World Flower Show and Bloom in Dublin in June, Waterford’s 1100th anniversary and Limerick named the Irish City of Culture for 2014.” Tourism Ireland said The Gathering had been a key driver bringing Ireland’s diaspora home.
irish studies conference
The never-ending story of Ireland up for discussion Andrea McCullagh
LEADING academics will congregate in Sydney next month for a conference on Irish studies investigating the theme “The Ends of Ireland”. UNSW’s Global Irish Studies Centre is hosting the conference, and a wide range of topics will be discussed. “The Ends of Ireland is to be understood in the widest possible meaning of the word ends,” said Prof Rónán McDonald from UNSW. “So ends as in conclusion. Are we at the end of the recession/depression or not? Are we at the end of the Celtic Tiger or not? Are we at the end of the Troubles? Ends as in terminus but ends as purpose, as in goal. The Ends of Ireland as in the aims, the function, the raison d’etre.” Prof McDonald says the theme was chosen to give the conference direction and the delegates have interpreted it in different ways. One of the keynote speakers, Prof Mark Finnane, will give a lecture entitled “The Ends of Silence”, which is about responses to child abuse in the church in Ireland and Australia. The Queensland-based Grif fith University academic will discuss the political, jurisdictional and institutional arrangements that hinder and enable the establishment of of ficial inquiries. Prof Elizabeth Malcolm, from the University of Melbourne, will give a paper entitled “The End(s) of Massacre in Ireland”. Associate Prof Tom Inglis, from UCD, will give a lecture called “The End of Irish Difference”, exploring his argument that the core of Irish cultural difference lies in the body. And Prof Joanna Bourke, from Birbeck University of London, will open the conference with a paper on sexual violence in Irish history. This is the first time the conference will be held in Sydney, with the event having previously been hosted by Canberra, Belfast and Dunedin. “We are open to people to give papers on
OPEN-ENDED: Prof Rónán McDonald says delegates will interpret the theme differently.
any topic related to Irish studies. That’s Irish histor y, Irish literature, Irish politics, sociology, law. We have music and all those things represented,” Prof McDonald said. The conference draws together academics and members of the public who are interested in the scholarly study of Ireland in Australia and New Zealand. Everyone is welcome to attend. “It is unusual as it attracts a very high number of non-participating attendees which I think is a sign of the interest in the non-academic Irish studies community,” he said. Parallel sessions will take place over the course of the conference and issues discussed will include Irish Aboriginal encounters, the Irish diaspora and modern Irish society. The conference is on December 4-7 and costs $300 for ISAANZ members, $320 for non-members, single day tickets are $120 and registration is available at the UNSW website.