Swords

Swords GAZET TE FREE

Outdoor garden is opened for young patients GALLERIES: P10 AUGUST 30, 2012 Find us on

Month XX, 2012 SWORDS • BALBRIGGAN • APPLEWOOD • BOROIMHE • AIRSIDE • RIVERVALLEY

INSIDE: Ireland’s Olympic heroes return home P2

PARALYMPICS: Local athletes set to compete in London See Pages 7 & 28

Ahoy, me hearties: Local pirates on the hunt for buried gold Football: Fingallians stun Kilmacud with useful draw Page 31

SHIVER me timbers, the beach

at Portrane was awash with a whole host of scary pirates who were scouring the sand, map in hand, looking for Captain Mouse’s buried treasure as part of the Pirates of Portrane event.

Pictured at the treasure hunt were James Davison, Dylan and Ella O’Callaghan.

Picture: Una Williams

Full Gallery on Pages 8-9

Athletics: Swords duo star at Community Games finals Page 30

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ..................... 2 BUSINESS .................... 18 MOTORS ....................... 20 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ........ 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

New special needs classes announced Provision to start in three schools from September

I SUZANNE BYRNE

FOUR new dedicated classes have been announced for children in Dublin North with special needs.

From September, there will be two special needs classes in Holywell Educate Together Primary school in Swords, one

in Bracken Educate Together in Balbriggan and a post-primary class in Donabate Community College.

Welcoming the announcement, local TD Alan Farrell (FG) said: “This is a very important announcement for Dublin North. We have a growing population and there-

fore require extra provision for children with special needs to be educated and progress in mainstream schools along with their peers.

“These classes will enable students with special needs to transition from primary to post-primary settings.”

Full Story on Page 2

2 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

EDUCATION: THREE SCHOOLS TO BENEFIT IN DUBLIN NORTH

LONDON 2012 Team Ireland’s triumphant return home

New classes provided for special need pupils

I SUZANNE BYRNE

FOUR new dedicated classes have been announced for children in Dublin North with special needs.

From September, there will be two special needs classes in Holywell Educate Together Primary school in Swords, one in Bracken Educate Together in Balbriggan and a postprimary class in Donabate Community College.

The announcement was made last week by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

We l c o m i n g t h e announcement, local deputy Alan Farrell (FG) said: “This is a very important announcement for Dublin North. We have a growing population and, therefore, require extra provision for children with special needs to be educated and progress in a mainstream school along with their peers.

“These classes will enable students with special needs to transition from primary to post-primary settings.

“While most of these classes have been allocated at primary level, there has been an increase in the number of special classes available at postprimary level,” said Deputy Farrell.

Teresa Griffin, chief executive of the NCSE, said: “These classes will

enable students with special needs to transition from primary to post-primary settings.

“While most of these classes have been allocated at primary level, there has been an increase in the number of special classes available at postprimary level.

“We welcome the continued cooperation of schools in establishing these classes to support the education of children with significant special needs. We are delighted to be in a position to sanction these classes, and that the Government continues to prioritise and invest in supports for children with special needs,” she said.

Mainstream There are now a total of 640 classes in mainstream schools nationwide that are supporting the education of more than 3,700 children with special needs.

Special classes are provided for children with significant needs who cannot currently be educated in a mainstream class setting, including children with autism or a specific speech and language disorder.

These classes have lower pupil-teacher ratios than mainstream classes, ranging from one teacher for six pupils to one teacher for 11 pupils.

John Joe Nevin, Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan, Cian O’Connor and Katie Taylor all pose with their medals. Pictures: Fergus McNally

A heroic welcome for Olympians K ATIE Taylor made history this summer by becoming the first woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal in lightweight boxing. Ireland’s other Olympic medal heroes were John Joe Nevin (silver in bantamweight boxing), Paddy Barnes (bronze in light flyweight boxing), Michael Conlan (bronze in flyweight boxing) and Cian O’Connor (bronze in indi-

Katie Taylor and Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Mueller

vidual horse jumping). The medal winners and all of the other Irish competitors arrived home to rapturous applause at Dublin Airport, where a welcoming committee and reception saw the medal winners, and all the other Olympians, coaches and support personnel, treated to the reception they deserved for representing so well our national and sporting pride in London.

Katie flying the flag after winning gold at the Olympics

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 3

MOTORS Dealer already seeking new franchise

End of the road for Cullen’s Renault deal I SUZANNE BYRNE

BILL Cullen Motors will not close, despite the end of the motor group’s long association with French motor manufacturers, Renault.

The Dublin entrepreneur’s showrooms at Airside in Swords and Liffey Valley were the last of his garages to sell the brand.

Some 60 people are employed there.

In a statement, Cullen said the relationship had been terminated “by mutual agreement”. “ I ’m p l e a s e d t o announce that my dealerships are still firmly in the motor business in

my 56th year of giving the Irish motorist the best sales and service experience in the industry.”

Speaking to the Gazette last week, a spokesman for Cullen said that the development did not come out of the blue, adding that Cullen was in negotiations with a number of car brands and “will be in business for the next few decades”.

He added that new franchises would be coming on board and that it “certainly wasn’t the end of the road” for him.

Cullen has had to scale back his opera-

tions as the downturn continues to hit the sale of new cars. Earlier this summer, the entrepreneur was forced to close down his dealerships in Ennis and Galway, with the loss of 29 jobs.

Earlier this month, Cullen’s main company, the Glencullen Group, suffered a loss of €1.4m in 2010, up on the previous year when pre-tax losses hit €10.4m.

Fondly known as “Dr Bill” from the eponymous Newstalk sketch because of his honorary doctorate from NUI Maynooth, Cullen won the rights to import Renault cars into Ireland from 1986 until

Entrepreneur Bill Cullen

2007 when the French company retook direct control of the distribution end of the business.

No stranger to the limelight, Cullen was appointed executive editor of celebrity magazine RSVP in 2009 and is on

the board of the Dublin Airport Authority.

He is also set to be one of the first passengers to take a flight into space on Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic service at a cost of $200,000.

Cullen broadened his national profile in 2008

when he became the face of TV3’s version of The Apprentice, which ran for four series before it was axed earlier this year.

His par tner Jackie Lavin also took part in the show, as did Cullen employee, Brian Purcell.

CHAMBER

Inaugural business evening FINGAL Dublin Chamber are inviting budding entrepreneurs and established business people to attend their inaugural Business After 6 networking evening next Thursday, September 6, in the new Rouge Nightclub in the Carnegie Court Hotel, North Street, Swords, which is sponsoring the event.

The chamber organises events like this to give their members an opportunity to meet and network in a relaxed and informal setting.

Members can meet potential customers by attending the workshops, breakfast presentations and networking events, as well as increasing their visibility and raise their profiles.

For further information and to reser ve places you can contact Freda on 01 890 0977 or at Freda@fingaldublinchamber.ie

4 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

LEGEND Be part of history where Man United star grew up

Local couple first to stay at Bestie’s family home I SUZANNE BYRNE

A SWORDS couple have become the first paying guests at the childhood home of soccer legend George Best near Belfast, which has been converted into a self-catering accommodation for tourists and fans alike.

Daniel and Teresa Lowry stayed there earlier this month after the terraced

house at 16 Burren Way in the Cregagh Estate was opened to the public.

For between €76 and €158 a night, fans of the mercurial Manchester United star can eat where he ate, sleep where he slept and dream where he dreamed.

The price gets cheaper if you stay longer.

The East Belfast Partnership, a not-for-profit community foundation, bought

the house for £100,000 (€127,000) 18 months ago.

Speaking to the press last week, Daniel said: “I had seen the Cregagh Estate and Burren Road feature heavily in the media over the years, particularly at the time of George’s funeral, so I was determined to visit the area.

“It was personally very important and moving to me. I got an overriding feeling of these humble walls

being where it all began, the triumph and the tragedy, as Bestie’s story is tinged with tragedy, his early demise, and that of his mother, who was unable to cope with the worldwide media glare.”

W hile the 1950s-style b r ow n s t o n e t wo - s t o r e y three-bed home has been renovated to appear as it would have when Best was a child, visitors can also avail of WiFi and an all-mod-cons

kitchen.

Best’s original wardrobe is on display, including a Wolverhampton Wanderers football kit, Best’s favourite team as a boy.

The footballer, who died in 2005, lived in the house until he was 15, and his father, Dickie, still lived there when he passed away in 2008.

Family portraits, images from Best’s glor y years

Council cuts get short shrift SOCIALIST Party Cllr Eugene Coppinger is set to propose a motion before Fingal County Council calling for the rejection of the recent reductions in the council’s allocations from the Local Government Fund, and the association between the reductions and the non-payment of the household charge by local householders.

Cllr Coppinger will submit the motion during the full council meeting on Monday, September 10.

The representative for Swords said that the Campaign against Household and Water Taxes, of which he is a member, is also urging local clubs and residents’ associations to join a protest against the cuts outside the council offices in Swords at 5pm on the day of the meeting.

Cllr Coppinger said: “Many clubs and residents will have already felt the effects of the cuts following years of reduced funding from the Local Government Fund.

“Cuts of 8.98% were already made to Fingal County Council’s allocation for 2012 and further cuts have now been announced,” the councillor said.

He added: “These further cuts have been blamed on the non-compliance of the household charge in the Fingal area.

Local authorities are trying to pit neighbour against neighbour. It won’t work,” he said.

and primary and grammar school reports can be found throughout the property.

Original letters Visitors can read from original letters Best wrote to his parents from Manchester during his early days at Old Trafford.

A fter his death, Best’s body was taken to the house for its last journey to be buried with his mother.

Day Out: Girls just wanna have fun SEEN here at The Ultimate Girls’ Day Out, Main Hall RDS, recently is the team from the Embody College and Wellness Centre in Swords - from left, Gillian Rock, Mary Tobin (holistic massage lecturer and director/ owner of Embody) and Ciara Brennan.

PROPERTY CHARGE: DECEMBER BUDGET COULD INTRODUCE VALUATION-BASED LEVY

Concerns that north Dublin could be hit hard by new tax I SUZANNE BYRNE

CONCERNS are being expressed by local representatives that homeowners in north Dublin will be among the worst hit by the proposed property tax if, as now seems likely, December’s budget introduces a valuation-based levy on homeowners.

According to a submission to the EU/IMF/ ECB troika, published on the Department of Finance’s website on Friday, a value-based tax is proposed, rather than based on the square footage of the property.

Details of the levy have yet to be published and Minister for Finance,

Michael Noonan, said nothing has yet been definitively agreed.

Fingal Senator Darragh O’Brien (FF) told the Gazette a valuebased levy would disproportionately affect Dubliners: “There are thousands of families across the city who simply cannot afford hundreds of euro a year in extra taxes next year.

“Dublin homeowners could be facing property tax bills of hundreds of euro a year even if they are in negative equity.

“It is estimated that a family with a four-bed semi-detached house could be forced to pay up to €900 a year under this new system.

“This is nothing short of crazy,” he added.

“Not only would it see Dublin homeowners facing exorbitant bills, compared to those in rural areas, it fails to take into account the extent of the mortgage crisis which is growing every day.”

Malahide councillor Anthony Glavin (FG) said that he would remain cautious about the fears being expressed until the details of the levy were known: “I’m hoping the headlines we’re hearing aren’t what it will be. I’m hoping that [the tax] will take into account size, the number of rooms and also the income of the household.”

He added: “You could

have a pensioner who would have little income so how could they be expected to pay the same as I would?

“It could be a problem for some households that may be worth a lot of money but that householder has probably grown up there and is on a low income.

“So my preference would be that it would take into account income and size. “ T h e r e m ay a l s o be houses with lower value but which use a lot of state services,” he added.

The Government plans to raise €500m from the measure, which is set to be collected by the Rev-

enue Commissioner and deducted from the pay packets of PAYE workers.

Politicians and interest groups expressed concern that such a tax would hit Dublin disproportionately, with south Dublin and middle-class areas of north Dublin the worst affected because the average property value is higher.

On average, it is estimated that the average tax would be €897, compared to just €375 in the midlands.

Chief executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Gina Quinn, said the Government’s plans would fail unless it was applied locally, add-

ing such a tax should ensure that the value of a property was set against local norms.

In a statement, she said: “Location is a key component to a property and the Government could see history repeat itself if they do not take it into consideration.

“Under the Dublin Chamber’s proposal each local authority would record the house values for the area,” she said.

“In doing so, the Government could ensure higher bills for those with bigger or higher valued sites so that neither urban nor rural households are unfairly targeted through a national system,” she added.

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 5

COUNCIL Locals urged to champion problem areas

‘Adopt a patch’ plan aims to combat litter I LAURA WEBB

GRAFFITI and litter is one eyesore many residents most want to see the back of so, in a bid to combat such anti-social behaviour, Fingal County Council has come up with a novel initiative that sees people Adopt A Patch.

Groups across Fingal are being asked to adopt a location or “patch” in their area if there are reoccurring problems like graffiti and littering taking place there. If a group decides this is the right action for them, once they have agreed to adopt the area with FCC, they will be in charge of

keeping that area up to standards set out by a maintenance pro gramme, which is a set of standards established by the local council that each residents association or business must agree to before they can officially adopt an area.

The maintenance programme involves collecting litter, painting the area, or maintaining flower beds. The local authority supplies the adopters with reflective vests, litter pickers, graffiti-kits and paint, and they will also arrange for the bags of litter to be collected.

According to a council spokeswoman, the

scheme has been proven to work “very successfully”, with many groups adopting parts of a beach, a bottle bank, or litter black-spots elsewhere around the country.

“Fingal County Council recently launched the scheme whereby, if graffiti or littering is a problem in the area, residents associations, businesses or community groups could Adopt A Patch.

“Once the patch is being maintained, a sign may then be erected, which advertises that a business or group has adopted the area.

“This scheme is operating very successfully, with about 25 groups

Fingal County Council offices in Swords and, inset, locals clean-up an area as part of the ‘adopt a patch’ scheme

signed up across the county, who have adopted parts of a beach, estate walls, walkways, open spaces or litter black-spots in housing estates,” the spokeswoman said.

The council is keen to see this initiative work, and are trying to

get as many community groups and organisations involved and turn an eyesore area into a public area that residents will enjoy looking at.

“As this is a relatively recent initiative, we hope that it will spread through word-of-mouth, and the council are cer-

tainly promoting it as much as possible,” the spokeswoman added.

If anyone is interested in adopting a patch they should check out the www.fingalcoco.ie or contact the environmental awareness team at 01 890 6236, or email enviraware@fingalcoco.ie

FESTIVAL

Terrific tomato treat NORTH Dublin fruit lovers are celebrating after it was announced that the area has got its own tomato festival.

Connoisseurs of the fruit are in for a treat when they visit the Totally Terrific Tomato Festival at the Rolestown Garden Centre on Sunday, September 2.

In addition to lectures on the subject, there’ll be competitions for the best varieties of tomato, best recipe and best tomato chutney/jam recipe.

Competitions on the day include those for the weirdest/ugliest and heaviest tomatoes.

Visitors wishing to register their tomatoes for competition should do so between 9am and 10.30am.

The event is organised

by Fingal Gardeners Club and GIY Naul, and for more information, see www.nickykylegardening.com

6 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 7

PARALYMPICS Final preparations for major event

Local athletes get set to appear at London Games STILL reeling from the tears and triumphs of the Oly mpic Games, London is already getting ready to do it all over again as it gears up for the 2012 Paral y mpic G a me s ne x t week, and representatives from north Dublin are putting the finishing touches before their appearances for Ireland at the event.

C a t h e r i n e Wa l s h from Swords, Nadine Lattimore from Malah ide a nd Heat her Jameson from Garristown are all by now in the midst of their final pr epa r at ion s at t he Olympic Village where they arrived Saturday la st a f ter a t ra i n i ng camp in Portugal.

The most experienced of the three, visuallyi mp a i r e d C at he r i ne (39), became Ireland’s first paracycling medal winner, when she won silver at the 2009 World Track Championships with sighted pilot, Fran Meehan.

Wit h bron ze medals at the UCI World Championships in 2011 and gold in the 3km Individual P ursuit at February’s World Track Championships in Los Angeles, Catherine and Fra n w i l l be a mong the favourites to bring home the plaudits from

London 2012.

Catherine also had a successful career in pent athlon, w inning a bronze in Sydney in 2000 before changing sports.

John Fulham, spokesman for the team, told the Gazette that Catherine, the reigning world champion, would have expectations of finishing in pole position in London.

“Everybody is doing t heir best, but it’s a realistic expectation for C at her i ne. She’s been in good form and has been balancing her life with training.”

Meanwhile, Nadine Lattimore will be competing in the discus and shot put category.

Twent y-n i ne -ye a r old Nadine, a full-time athlete and Irish record holder in the F11 shot put event, only became involved in the sport after the Beijing Games in 2008.

Championships Nadine will be hoping to go at least one better in London than her tantalisingly close fourth-place finish at the European Championships in Holland this year, just outside the medals in the F11/12 shot put final.

Nadine will be accompa nied by her guide dog, Quartz, the first-ever guide dog on

Catherine Walsh and Sonia O’Sullivan meet a loyal Ireland supporter

the Irish team.

The youngest of the three locals, Heather Jameson, is a student at Ashbourne Community School.

It’s been a long road to London for Heather, who has cerebral palsy.

In April, she ran the Paraly mpic A standard for the 100m when she won the Leinster championship at Santry Stadium, breaking a 2 4 -ye a r - old I r i s h record.

A n d i n M a y, s h e shaved some more time

off her record at the CP Spor t Grand P r i x in Gateshead, Newcastle.

A week later, at the London Disability Test Eve nt , s he r e a che d the A standard time required for the 200m with a time of 31.80.

She will also compete in the long jump.

For Nadine and Heather, it’s their first time at the Games and according to John Fulham: “The first couple of days will be spent acclimatising to the village to get accustomed to what’s happening.”

Free blood pressure checks I LAURA WEBB

A SWORDS pharmacy is dedicating the month of September to blood pressure awareness and is offering its customers free checks.

McCabe’s Pharmacy in Pavilions, Swords, is hosting a Blood Pressure Awareness Month and is offering free blood pressure checks for the duration of the month.

It is also offering to monitor blood pressure for customers who are outside the normal range and will be referring some customers to their GP. Pharmacists will also provide advice and information on

staying healthy and how best to cultivate a healthy lifestyle.

The McCabe’s Pharmacy nurse will be on hand on Wednesday, September 6, to speak to customers about their blood pressure results.

Discussing Blood Pressure Awareness Month, Marese O’Brien, pharmacist at McCabe’s Pharmacy at the Pavilions in Swords said: “Blood pressure is a key indicator of underlying health issues, such as cardiac disease and diabetes, so it is very important to get checked regularly.

“Almost half of Irish adults over 50 years of age have high blood

Septic tank fee flagged A REDUCED fee of €5 is being used as an incentive by Fingal County Council to persuade people to register their septic tanks before the end of September.

The council has informed all owners of domestic waste water treatment systems, including septic tanks, that they must register with their local authority on or before February 1, 2013.

The reduced fee will be in force if owners of domestic waste water treatments pay now, rather than waiting until after September 29, when the fee will increase to €50.

The penalty for failing to register by February 1 is a maximum of €5,000.

For more information on domestic waste water treatment systems registration, please see www. protectourwater.ie or LoCall 1890 800 800 .

Why advertise with the Gazette?

Let our advertisers tell you why:

“

pressure which can lead to a heart attack or stroke at an earlier age. The good news is that lifestyle changes can help prevent high blood pressure, so we’re delighted to be providing free blood pressure checks and lifestyle advice for the month of September.

“High blood pressure is also a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. For those with high blood pressure, lifestyle changes, including reduced salt intake, weight loss, healthy eating and being more active, and medication may be needed to bring it under control.”

As a community bank, we have a strong focus on local profiling and brand visibility.

Our partnership with the Dublin Gazette Newspapers delivers on this requirement.

Our sponsorship of the Business Page, as well as the editorial content that the paper provides for our local events, results in the Gazette being an essential channel in our local communications strategy.

“

I SUZANNE BYRNE news@gazettegroup.com

COUNCIL

B E C A U S E L O C A L M AT T E R S

8 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

BURIED TREASURE Pirates of Portrane scour the beach

Wendy Collins with Jayne and Conor Heffernan

Caitriona Ni Mhordha, Eoghan Purtell, Amy Holland and Andrew Fleming. Pictures: Una Williams

Arrr, me hearties, the hunt is on ORTRANE Beach was awash with all sorts of pirates and treacherous sea dogs searching the beach for buried secret treasure as part of the Pirates of Portrane event.

The fun was organised by OWLS

P

Children’s Nature Club. Captain Mouse and his scurvy men buried their stolen pieces of gold and the hunt was on.

Treasure maps were given out which took each team through a

Kate Watson, Ella O’Connor Healy and Emily Watson

variety of pirate challenges. The event was great fun with local families enjoying the activities based around pirate lore and cunning. Plus there was a prize for the best pirate costume.

Lucas and Sophie Finn

Cuan and Tadhg Dullaghan

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 9

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HEALTH Outdoor garden opened for young hospital patients

After a moment or two of exploration, cystic fibrosis patient Lilly May Browne decided she really liked the new garden for young patients (right))

Jumping for joy at facility

OUNG patients at the National Children’s Hospital Tallaght were delighted to help celebrate the opening of a new outdoor garden designed especially for them. They had fun watching the mesmerising fish, playing with toys, and enjoying the colourful space.

The state-of-the-art space was designed by architect Dermot Bannon, with the aim of

Y

Sophia Murray, Gina Murrray, RTE presenter Dermot Bannon, Alex McEleney and Lauren McEleney celebrate the garden’s opening

creating a fun and vibrant outdoor area that would allow young patients to enjoy fresh air and find respite from their medical care.

The entire process behind the planning and development of the outdoor garden has been filmed for RTE programme Room to Improve, presented by Dermot Bannon, and will be aired on RTE One in autumn.

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CINEMA Shorts, features, workshops – Dun Laoghaire has it

Festival plans to reel in buffs for third year I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN

THE THIRD Underground Cinema Film Festival in Dun Laoghaire is gearing up to get under way on September 13.

The festival will present a mixture of short films and feature films from independent producers and filmmakers from Ireland and around the world, along with free workshops from some of the most renowned writers, directors and actors from home and abroad.

The Gazette spoke to the assistant festival director, Denise Pattison, about this year’s line-up, as well as the development of the idea

of the underground film cavalcade.

“Dave Byrne [festival director] came up with the idea four years ago. He’s an actor and director and has been in many plays, and has a lot of contacts in the film world.

“He started off showing little short films made by many of his friends in a monthly cinema club in the Kingston Hotel.

It acted as a forum for local film makers, and it provided them with an audience to view their work,” said Denise.

T h e c i n e m a cl u b proved so successful that, three years ago, Dave decided to make it into a mini-festival.

“Dave hired a screen and a selection of films and set up again in the hotel. People really enjoyed going there, paying their €5 in, having a pint and watching the films. The calibre of films was very high, and there were discussions held after each showing.

Then, two years ago, he called out for volunteers for the festival.

“I took over devising the programme of guests and workshops. We had a lot of contacts and I asked people I knew to contribute. [Novelist and screenwriter] Ferdia McAnna and others gave the first free workshops; Roddy Doyle came for a 20th anni-

Denise Pattison, assistant festival director at Underground Cinema

versary screening of The Commitments, and Jim Sheridan came.”

Since then the festival has grown in confidence and reputation to such a degree that it can raise the

profile of an otherwise forgotten or neglected film. This was the case with Terry McMann’s Charlie Cassanova.

“We gave that movie its Dublin premiere and it

Money Doctor is the trading name of Providence Finance Services Limited and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland

was subsequently picked up and distributed by Studio Canal. It has gone on to have huge success and we recently partly sponsored Terry’s trip to Melbourne for Charlie Casanova’s opening night there.”

The festival is sponsored by the Irish Film Board and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and will run along four different themes for each day of the event - Women in Film, then, Underground Film, Horror and Screen Adaption.

Some of the workshops are very technical, such as using techniques like the RED digital video camera, and others more creative, with

filmmakers sharing their experiences. “People like Jack Sargeant will provide a full day of discussion and shorts never seen before, so it’s very exciting,” said Denise.

One of the highlights of the festival will be a screening of Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, with an introduction

by Bram Stoker’s great great grandnephew, Dacre Stoker.

The festival will be held over four days across three different venues; Pavilion Theatre, The Royal Marine Hotel and Irish Multiplex Cinema (IMC), Dun Laoghaire.

For more information, see www.undergroundcinema.com

30 August 2012 GAZETTE 13

RDS FESTIVAL: CRAFT BREWS ON SHOW

FUNDRAISING: OVER €100,000 FOR PET CARE

Charity funds get tails up THE results are in: Irish dog lovers have raised a whopping €100,000 in cash and food donations for animal rescue centres across the country as part of the fifth annual Pedigree Adoption Drive, with €2,000 of this year’s grant being awarded to Cat and Dog Protection Association, North Brunswick Street; and North Co Dublin.

The campaign, which ran from Wednesday, April 11 through to May 31, saw Pedigree donate money for every pack of its dog food sold.

In addition, dog lovers across the country showed their support by becoming a fan of the Pedigree Ireland Facebook page, w w w.facebook.com/ PedigreeIreland. For every new fan, Pedigree donated a bowl of dog food to a rehoming centre.

“I am delighted Pedigree’s Adoption Drive has managed to raise €100,000 in cash and food donations for dog welfare organisations across Ireland,” said campaign spokesperson and dog lover, Irish rugby

legend Ronan O’Gara.

“Most shelters and rescue organisations are in desperate need of help, that’s why I want to thank everyone who has supported this campaign and helped Pedigree help dogs find loving homes.”

Speaking on behalf of Cat and Dog Protection Association, Kathleen O’Higgins said: “We are delighted that the Irish public has again given such an overwhelming response to animal welfare by supporting the fifth annual Pedigree Adoption Drive. This money will go a long way in helping us to re-home hundreds of dogs in Dublin and beyond.

“We would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year’s Pedigree Adoption Drive and helped to further raise awareness of abandoned and homeless dogs and promote the understanding of dog ownership.”

To find out more on dog adoption, from how the adoption process works, from training to everyday care, visit www. facebook.com/PedigreeIreland.

Cheers!

5,000 to enjoy beer fest I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

Five-star move: Emirates Airlines announce sponsorship of hit RTE program EMIRATES Airlines this week put the

spotlight on its catering capabilities as it announced its newest sponsorship in Ireland. Emirates have been unveiled as the sole sponsor of RTÉ’s MasterChef Ireland, ahead of the much-anticipated return of the award-winning culinary programme to TV screens on RTÉ Two in October. Once again, successful MasterChef applicants will

attempt to impress Michelin-starred chef Dylan McGrath and top restaurateur Nick Munier, while being put through a series of intense and highly pressurised tasks and challenges, which will test their culinary skills to the limit. Pictured here are MasterChef judges Nick Munier (left) and Dylan McGrath along with Tim Clark, president, Emirates Airlines.

THE RDS is set to play host once again this September to the ever-popular All-Ireland Irish Craft Beer Festival.

The festival features products of 20 local and guest craft brewers, showcasing niche brands as well as providing technical advice on brewing and opportunities to meet the brewers.

Music will also be on tap at the event and organisers are expecting around 5,000 attendees over the weekend.

A new addition to the festival is the introduction of a beer and food pairing evening on September 6, which will experiment with the individual traits of the craft beers and a selection of foods that complement them.

The festival will be held in the RDS, Dublin from September 7 to September 9. Tickets are €10 for a day and €15 for the whole weekend.

To book, contact carley@greydogevents.com and for more information, visit http://www.irishcraftbeerfestival.com.

14 GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteContacts SNAPSHOT Block 3A, Mill Bank Business Park, Lucan Tel: 01 6010240 Fax: 01 6010251

Managing Director: Michael McGovern email:mmcgovern@gazettegroup.com Acting News Editor: Rob Heigh email: rheigh@gazettegroup.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile email: jmaile@gazettegroup.com Acting Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater email: sport@gazettegroup.com Picture Editor: Paul Hosford email: picturedesk@gazettegroup.com Ad Manager: Louise Fitzgerald email: lfitzgerald@gazettegroup.com Advertising Production: Anita Ward email: ads@gazettegroup.com Financial Controller: Carly Lynch email: clynch@gazettegroup.com

Advertising Sales: 01 6010240 email: sales@gazettegroup.com Gazette Group Newspapers Ltd. Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements Reserve the right to omit or suspend or alter any advertisement(s) in any of its publications. We also decline any responsibility in the event of one or more of a series of advertisements being omitted for any reason whatever, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement. If your advertisement appears incorrectly, contact the Advertising Department immediately, as responsibility cannot be accepted for more than one week’s incorrect insertion. Responsibility cannot be accepted if the complaint is made more than two weeks after insertion. If one places an advertisement for more than one week and then cancels it after the first week, no refund or credit will be given for weeks cancelled. The advertiser undertakes to indemnify the Proprietors against any liability for any civil action arising out of the publication of the advertisement or any other matter printed or published in the Blanchardstown Gazette, Castleknock Gazette, Clondalkin Gazette, Dundrum Gazette, Dun Laoghaire Gazette, Lucan Gazette, Malahide Gazette and Swords Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.

The local stories of the day

ISPCC bags prove that Elverys is a good sport THE ISPCC and Elverys Sports this week launched the sale of the ISPCC Back to School Backpack in Elverys stores nationwide.

These fun and useful backpacks are ideal for children to carry their books and lunch or sports gear when they return to school later this week.

Priced at €21.99, Elverys Sports will donate €5 of the selling price to the ISPCC, raising vital funds for the children’s charity.

This is Elverys Sports third year supporting the ISPCC, raising over €170,000 for the children’s charity in the previous two years.

The backpacks can be bought in all 54 Elverys Sports stores and on www.elverys. ie.

Career options on display in this Zoo CAREER ZOO, an event for those hoping to diversify or propel their careers in new directions, is set to be held on September 22 in the Convention Centre on

DIARY Dublin’s North Wall Quay.

The Career Zoo event promises to be the biggest yet, is entirely free, and will be attended by a host of Irish businesses looking for talented, eager professionals and graduates from all fields.

There will also be plenty of course choices from colleges and other education providers for those wishing to up-skill or begin on an entirely new career path.

At the event, there will also be career workshops and seminars given by industry leaders, as well as a career clinic hosted by Hays Recruitment.

Interview and networking areas will be in place, and an interactive zone from Ireland’s most innovative organisations will showcase products and provide a bit of fun too.

Career Zoo takes place on Saturday, September 22, from 10am to 5pm and admission is free.

Charity fundraiser worth jumping for HAVE YOU ever wanted to do a parachute jump? Well, now there’s a great way to cross it off your bucket list and help a very worthy cause at the same time.

Multiple Sclerosis Ireland is looking for 50 people to do a parachute jump for their fundraising 2012 Skydive Challenge.

The jump will take place at the Irish Parachute Centre in Offaly on October 7, and all proceeds raised will go towards physiotherapy and exercise classes for people with MS. MS Ireland , the national organisation which provides information and support to the whole MS community, provides a range of services and resources such as individual and family support.

If you’d like to experience the thrill of leaping out of a plane for the first time or are a seasoned jumper, you can sign up to join Team MS and raise money for the charity at www.ms-society.ie or by calling 01 678 1600.

30 August 2012 GAZETTE 15

RENTING Property market slump prompts surge

Guide aims to simplify rental journey I ROB HEIGH

AS THOUSANDS of college students prepare to search for rental a c c om mo d ati o n fo r the new term, and the number of people looking to rent instead of buy a property in the current climate rises, a new book written by Lucan businessman, John Leahy, has been launched to help potential tenants at all stages of their rental journey.

Renting in Ireland - The Tenant Survival Guide aims to provide specific advice for anyone seeking rented accommodation, highlighting the pitfalls to avoid, and

attempts to guide tenants through the process of trouble-free renting.

Speaking to the Gazette last week, John, a director of Irish Property Solutions which provides training and marketing services to the property industry and the founder of website www.renting. ie, said: “The idea of the book came about in the rapid growth in the rental market since the collapse of the property market.

The sales market doesn’t exist any more, and there are increasingly more people making the conscious decision to rent, especially with the due lack of mortgage finance.

“Even the recent Cen-

sus figures have shown that the number of people renting in Ireland has doubled since 2006. Indications are that this will be the ongoing trend.”

Speaking at the recent launch of the book, Minister Phil Hogan TD, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, whose department has overall responsibility for housing matters, said: “With the increasing popularity of renting in Ireland, this book will be a very useful resource for anyone living in rented accommodation.”

John went on to outline some of the problem areas for potential

John Leahy of www.renting.ie and author of Renting in Ireland with Minister for Local Government Phil Hogan

renters: “The increase of people entering the rental market, and the increased regulation of the market - the new legislation in terms of the quality of rental properties, for example, outlaws the traditional bedsit from 2013 - means there is a lot of confusion for

potential tenants. I saw there was no resource or book out there to provide them with straightforward advice.

“As the rules and regulations for rental properties are quite complex and were not really written for the lay person, this book takes all

of that complexity and puts it into simple terms and language for anyone on the rental journey.

It’s designed as a handbook for people at any stage of renting a property - whether looking for a property or when it comes time to move out.”

GAME SHOW

22-year winning streak IRELAND’S most loved game show is returning to the small screen this September.

Marty Whelan is back on Winning Streak, which returns on September 1 with the top prize being €500,000 on the TV game show’s wheel of fortune.

This season, Marty’s co-host on the popular game show is Geri Maye.

The first programme of this series marks 22 years of Winning Streak, which is Europe’s longest running and most successful TV game show. Since it began in September 1990, the National Lottery has given away over €133 million in cash, cars and holidays to players from all over Ireland.

Winning Streak Scratch Cards are now available in agent stores countrywide. The Winning Streak TV Gameshow returns to RTÉ One on Saturday September 1 at 8.10pm.

16 GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteMUSIC MUSIC ELECTRIC PICNIC: LOCAL ACTS SET TO ROCK LA0IS

Dublin’s finest on Picnic’s playlist

Picnic fodder for the ears: La Galaxie and, inset, Tieranniesaur, will rock the stages at Stradbally I ROB HEIGH

COMPANIES across Ireland are united in emphasising the need to support home-grown business and produce, so this week the Gazette looked to see if music festival Electric Picnic is keeping in with the local trend by supporting local bands.

Next weekend, thousands of music lovers will descend on the law ns of Stradbally Hall, Co Laois, where they will set up tents at the beautiful 600-acre estate, just 50 minutes from Dublin, for a weekend of music and fun.

Headliners like The Killers, The Cure and Christy Moore will, of course, bring in the crowds, but many of the other acts, some less well known than others, will undoubtedly blow the roof off and surprise a lot of revellers with their talent and fresh sounds.

Of the hundreds of acts listed, there will be many from around the world, but who are home-grown and from the capital?

For those who don’t know, there is a surprisingly high number from the city of Dublin, with 34 acts listed to play

over the three days of the festival, which is run by music promoters POD. Readers probably already know mainstream musicians like Cathy Davey, David Kitt, Villagers, Delorentos and The R iptide Movement but up-andcoming acts are set to find some new fans through the festival.

Here are a few worth looking out for – Tieranniesaur’s self-titled debut album was Choice Music Prize nominated and written and recorded at home by husband and wife Annie and Padraig.

They are storming sets wherever they go and have built a reputation for delivering exciting live shows, which is what Electric Picnic audiences can expect to enjoy.

Another Dublin band making waves on the music scene is The Barley Mob. This sevenpiece group have created fresh sound that delivers rock riffs, soulful melodies and folk jigs, definitely worth a look - even to see how all seven of them fit on stage.

Other Dublin acts include Cloud Castle Lake, Squarehead,

FastTunes Radio Nova’s Dee Woods FREDDIE Mercury once asked “Who Wants To Live Forever?”, and nearly 11 years after his death, the Queen frontman seems to be doing just that.

Next Wednesday would have been the singer’s 66th birthday while on September 3, Mercury’s Barcelona album is turning 25.

A special 25th anniversary release of the 1987 record will also be followed by a documentary focusing on Freddie’s life outside of Queen, featuring some previously unseen interviews and footage (where do DVD makers find all this “unseen” stuff? I’d sure love a rummage through that skip).

A virtual performance of Freddie Mercury’s sing-off with the crowd from Queen’s 1986 Wembley gig at the Olympics’ closing ceremony, coupled with a real-life rousing performance from Brian May and Roger Taylor, has seen a renewed love for the band’s music. And it

Bats, White Collar Boy, Solar Bears, Land Lovers, Le Galaxie, Hidden Agenda, Fat Lady sings and Homebrow and the Bad Examples, to name just a few.

couldn’t come at a better time.

Queen will rock Dublin next year when the We Will Rock You musical hits The O2 in April. 2013 sees the show celebrating its tenth year with a world arena tour, and audiences are guaranteed hit music with 24 Queen favourites on the bill, all under the watchful eyes of music supervisors...oh them again: Brian May and Roger Taylor.

The show promises laughs too, as it’s written and directed by comedian Ben Elton. We Will Rock You tells the story of young kids fighting musical oppression and searching for a hero. Incidentally they find two: Galileo and Scaramouche. Not sure if they do the fandango...

(Speaking of birthdays, Radio Nova turns two this week. Thank you for two years of support, and for having great taste in music!)

For a full list of this y e a r ’s l i n e u p ove r the three day festival in Stradbally, and to see when the acts are playing, log onto the Electric Picnic website

Another Electric addition, The Barley Mob

www.electricpicnic.ie Electric Picnic takes place on August 31, September 1 and September 2, tickets are still available through ticketmaster.ie.

30 August 2012 GAZETTE 17

GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY

Edited by Laura Webb

Your guide on where to clothes shop for your Debs R ADUATES acros s I rela nd are getting ready to celebrate the end of school by getting suited and booted for their debutante ball so, this week, Gazette Style is showing readers where to go for the dress or suit that will have you looking like a million dollars.

The one thing that ever yone should remember when picking out a dress or suit is to make sure it fits your body like a glove, and stick to what suits your body shape.

G

Don’t go too t ig ht u n less you have t he b o d y t h a t m a ke s it work – nobody wants to feel restricted in the outfit that is supposed to make you look your best.

There are hundreds of shops across Dublin and websites that are tailored for Debs dresses and suits so do shop around.

Here are just a few that we recommend.

Debenhams in the Blanchardstown has a great variety of men’s and women’s clothing for such occasions.

Dresses that are shor t, midi or ma x i, whatever style you may be looking for, can be found here.

For the men, renting is probably the easiest opt ion, but why not invest in a suit?

Now that school is out job interviews and college balls will follow, so such an investment w ill be wor thwhile.

There is a great range of men’s suits in Debenha ms. If you wa nt something less pricey, head down to Penney’s - many men are sur-

Make up to leave you made up

Embellished pencil

One shoulder maxi

Embellished evening

dress, €79

dress, €109

maxi dress, €134

prised by the quality of the fabric that has a bargain price-tag.

lous designer dresses available to rent for a fraction of the pr ice you would pay to buy the dress.

Their website is currently under construction, but they do have a Facebook page with all their information.

Littlewoods Ireland also has a great collec-

tion and has a fast and easy delivery service.

From designer to highstreet it is definitely wor t h check i ng out before making a decision.

Choose from colour blocks, patterns, glitz and glamour, it has everything under one roof for women and men.

High end If girls want to look a million dollars in a million dollar dress, then look no fur ther than Cari’s Closet in Malahide.

This store has fabu-

asdf sdaf sdaf asdf asd

IN KEEPING with the Debs theme this week, here is another tip from Gazette Style and Beauty.

Most make-up counters will have special rates for Debs’ customers, and there are many counters throughout Dublin.

Benefit, Mac and Lancome are just some of the many that offer this service.

LA Creative Academy, Chatham Street in Dublin offers a Debs package for €69.

What’s even better is that if you book with three of your friends they will treat you for free. Call the LA team on 01-675 1999 for further information.

18 GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS

Supported

by AIB

Interview: Jen Cleary, owner of Dundrum-based interior style store, Moss Cottage

TRACKER MORTGAGE PAY-OFF Q – I have a tracker mortgage of €93,000 and have recently inherited €200,000. Would I be better off to repay this loan – there is only nine years remaining and it is well within my earning capacity? Mary Jane – Milltown A - Your tracker mortgage will probably have a total rate of 1.5% ( 0.75% ECB rate and 0.75% “margin” – the lender’s profit ) These low tracker rates not only are likely to stay for up to another three years, but it is also possible that a further 0.25% reduction in the ECB rate may be on the cards before too long.

Therefore, when you can obtain 3.23% NET on the best three-year deposit investment (NTMA’s savings bond in all post offices ) and your repayment capacity is sufficient to meet the monthly commitment, it makes sense to stay liquid and avail of the greater return. You are earning more from the investment rate than you are paying on the mortgage rate. Even the best one-year fixed deposit rate of 4.15% ( from KBC Bank ) returns a net 2.905% after Deposit Interest Retention Tax DIRT – of 30% into your hand each year. Cash is king – stay liquid … for the moment.

PRIZE BONDS Q – A number of my friends boast they have prize bonds. I haven’t really studied them. Are they worth it and, more importantly, are they safe ? Jenny - Howth A - Prize bonds can be a most effective way of diversifying your wealth. First of all from the safety aspect, they are part of the State savings suite of investments, managed by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA - a government body that also looks after the National Pension Reserve Fund, NAMA, to name but two) As such, they are a direct unconditional obligation of the Government of Ireland and regarded as sovereign debt – ranking equally with all other sovereign debt. In other words, you would have to have total anarchy in this country before you lose your money.

As regards value, it is a little like going into a bookies’ office, placing a bet knowing that whatever the outcome, you will get your original stake back ! You do not receive interest and, instead, you are given the chance of winning a weekly or monthly prize – greater chances than you would have in the Lotto. Those prizes range from €75 to one weekly prize of €20,000 and one monthly prize of €1,000,000. Minimum subscription is €25 (they cost €6.25 each) and there is no limit to the amount you can buy ! Interestingly, the most indebted nation in the world is Japan – its national debt to GDP ratio is 233.1% ! However, 95% of the debt is to its own people – they all bought long-term bonds patriotically, hence this situation is not as bad as it looks. We would do well to follow their example and instead of jumping ship, stay on board and help keep us all afloat. So, to answer your question on whether prize bonds are worth it – they are!

Contact John with your money questions at

jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor

A stylish store gathered at Moss IF YOU are a fan of home decor with a decidedly retro twist, Moss Cottage on Main Street, Dundrum, is the place to visit for an unique stylish experience.

Owner Jen Cleary, a self-confessed interior design fanatic, opened Moss Cottage, named in honour of her grandfather, Mossy, in December 2011 at the quaint red-brick Pembroke Cottages on Main Street.

Jen studied interior design and sculpture and worked in the retail industry for years before opening the store last year. She uses her experience and her own unique style to fill the shop with a mix of vintage and new treasures for her customer’s homes.

She sources her eclectic products from the UK, France and Sweden, and also gathers the best of home-grown talent for the shelves of the shop.

As well as managing and stocking the treasure trove at Moss Cottage, Jen is currently designing a new greeting card range, taking influences from her travels to Peru, Mexico and Sweden.

Moss Cottage is open from 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday. Their Facebook page features news and updates, and Jen can also be found on Pinterest.

Alternatively you can email hello@mosscottage. ie if there is anything you’d like them to source for you.

Free gift wrapping is also available, and if you can’t make up your mind what to buy they have gift vouchers, too.

Jen Cleary, owner of Moss Cottage, in her eclectic store

Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

A: An explorer, I used to watch travel documentaries with my dad and make lists of where I was going to travel to!

Q: What was your first job?

A: Working in a fruit and veg shop in Cornelscourt.

Q: And your first pay cheque?

A: No idea Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed?

A: Nope I’ve been really lucky!

Q: When did you start your present job?

A: Late November 2011 and

A: Opening the shop before

A: Should probably go to bed

Christmas. I had lost my job in early November so it was a giant push to open so quickly.

far earlier than I do

thing to with design, business or travelling

Q: What is your guilty music/ TV or movie pleasure?

A: New Girl with Zooey

Q: What was your last tweet/ status update?

A: Announcing the winner of

Deschanel, it’s very girly but I think it’s hilarious

our latest competition on our Facebook page!

Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward?

Q: Describe your dream meal?

A: Sushi... in Japan!

Q: What part of your working day do you “delegate”?

A: Anything to do with paper work, it’s not my favourite!

Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be?

A: A travel guide to Antartica, it’s just a distraction!

Q: Is there anything about yourself that you would like to set the record straight on?

A: Yes – not all of my salary goes on shoes

opened the doors on December 3

Q: What sport do you follow?

Q: What is the best thing about your job?

A: It’s constantly changing new

mugs in the shop

stock, suppliers, trends I love it.

I always have a billion things to do but I’m in my element!

Q: Have you achieved anything that you once thought you could not pull off?

A: Rugby, hence the Leinster Q: What sport can you play?

A: I enjoy walking and hiking but have been meaning to magic up some time and try climbing

Q: What habits would you like to lose?

A: Neither Q: What music/pictures/movies do you have on your iPod/ iPad? A: I love Hitchcock, Rear Window being my favourite and for music I love everything from Kimbra, Angus and Julia Stone to The Smiths also The Musgraves! Saw them on Graham Norton a few weeks ago and thought they were fab, looking forward to their new album coming out soon!

Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook?

A: Selina Lake, Nomadic Matt, Entrepreneur Magazine; any-

Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna?

A: Enda Kenny, I’d like to have a “chat” with him!

Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously?

A: On vintage anything or plants for the garden which inevitably the slugs will devour but I’m very optimistic!!

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A: Not enough Q: What was your worst holiday experience?

A: It involves a tarantula, a power cut and a lot of screaming! I still shudder!

30 August 2012 GAZETTE 19

20 GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteMOTORS MOTORS The all-new RoadSigns Road Signs Cherokee is nothing short of a marvel TomTom launches new hands free kit

MOTORING technology company TomTom has launched the TomTom Hands Free Car Kit for smartphones with the highest quality audio for loud and clear hands-free calling and navigation.

The new car kit features an advanced noise and echo cancellation system, which dramatically reduces background noise for the caller and removes ambient noise for the driver.

New mounting options make smartphone use on the move safer and more convenient. The newly designed Car Kit has an adjustable grip to fit any smartphone with or without its cover.

An extendable microphone can be clipped to the sun visor to ensure conversations are louder and clearer.

According to Corinne Vigreux of TomTom: “The new kit has been designed for safety and convenience. With fantastic audio quality and new mounting options, we are making it easier and safer for drivers to make calls and use navigation applications on the move. With advanced new features, our aim is to help drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road.”

The TomTom Hands Free Car Kit comes in two versions to support iPhone and micro USB compatible smartphones such as Android phones with the possibility to automatically pair two mobile devices simultaneously.

When connected via Bluetooth, voice recognition functionality can be activated; enabling drivers to navigate and dial without taking their hands from the wheel.

The TomTom Hands-Free Car Kit for iPhone or Smartphone is available in selected retail stores and from the www.tomtom.com\smartphone and priced at €99.95. The TomTom Hands-Free Car Kit for iPhone with Western EU navigation app is priced at €149.95

CORMAC CURTIS

“CAN you name the truck with four-wheel drive, smells like a steak and seats 35?”

No, Simpsons fans, I didn’t get to test drive the mythical Canyonero – but I got very close.

In fact, it was the closest I have been to being a gangsta rapper or an R&B star, and it came on four enormous wheels.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland – it is nothing short of a marvel.

I f I e ve r b e c o m e incredibly wealthy and decide to don a dark

costume and fight crime at night, this will be the car I use as I roam the streets dishing out my own form of rough justice.

“12 yards long, two lanes wide, 65 tons of American Pride!”

Ok, I will be the first to admit that I had just spent a week road testing a far smaller vehicle, so it’s possible that I was more easily impressed than usual – but this car just took my breath away.

Its presence is undeniable.

The sheer size of it demands attention, but the incredibly simple

GOT A STORY? TELL US ABOUT YOUR LOCAL EVENT, CELEBRATION OR FUNCTION Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240 or email news@gazettegroup.com The sheer size of this car demands attention

style and design of the car gives it a quiet confidence.

It doesn’t require any kind of bling to grab the eye – it just uses its own gravity to draw looks of envy and admiration.

What makes my affection for the Cherokee even more unusual is that I actually used to own one.

Not only that, but it was the one car in my back catalogue that I would happily forget.

Admittedly it was a much older incarnation, around 1998.

It lasted nine months with me before I traded back in against some-

thing else – we really didn’t get along.

It was everything the new model isn’t; it rattled, the engine was lumpy, bits fell off and it required a painful amount of expensive servicing.

The new Jeep Grand C h e r o ke e O ve r l a n d couldn’t be further from my old nemesis.

You can easily compare it to other seriously premium vehicles in the segment, and it will just grin with selfsatisfaction as it rolls on down the road, or field, or beach, or mountain… because this is a vehicle with serious off-road

The Jeep Grand Cherokee

pedigree that has been worked into its ver y make-up.

But make no mistake – this is still a luxurious car.

T h e i n t e r i o r i s n ’t huge, but it is simply gorgeous.

Leather wraps you in comfort and it will adjust to every aspect of your lumber – if you play with the buttons just right you can practically give yourself a massage!

Everything about the interior design oozes a sense of reassuring security.

The first thing you grab on to – the steering wheel – is the chunkiest I have ever experienced, to an almost comical proportion, but I loved it.

Points of contact are enormously important to me, and about 70% of this wheel is covered in leather, with the rest boasting a beautiful, polished, glossy, wood-

30 August 2012 GAZETTE 21

Edited by Cormac Curtis

RoadSigns Road Signs The E300 Hybrid uses 4.2-litres of diesel per 100km

E300 BlueTec Hybrid coming to the Irish market

Overland carries a price tag of €79,050

effect trim.

This wood effect is nicely carried across the dash as well as the door panels, complemented nicely by some satin-finished metallic materials and chrome trims.

In keeping with the Jeep’s overall approach, the controls and buttons are a straightforward affair – with an array of navigation, climate, audio and telephone controls laid out simply across the centre console.

One of my tests for a car with Bluetooth is how well it integrates with the music on my phone – and the Jeep linked up very nicely.

Just forward of the driver’s armrest is a set of controls to set the car up for different driving terrain, for my purposes “auto” was sufficient.

What I couldn’t resist, was setting the car’s ride height to maximum – it drops down again once your speed increases –

but as I navigated the hoards of Bruce Springsteen fans in Ballsbridge – two nights in a row – I felt I needed to be as intimidating a presence as possible, and it worked.

Again, in the words of the Simpons: “She blinds everybody with her super high beams, She’s a squirrel-crushing, deer-smacking, driving machine!”

That might be overstating the point a little, but I decided that if I had the choice between the Grand Cherokee Overland and the Mercedes Benz M-Class, there wouldn’t be a competition – it would be the Jeep any day.

Don’t get me wrong, I road tested the M-Class, and it was a stunner in every way, but you just cannot escape the character of the Jeep.

This thing put a smile on face wider than the Grand Canyon.

Driving in it, looking

The interior isn’t huge, but it is simply gorgeous

at it in my driveway, and – most of all – seeing how people reacted to it, I couldn’t get enough.

For this spec level you will spend almost as much as you would on the Mercedes, but as far as I’m concerned it’s worth it.

The driveability is something I could easily wax lyrical about for hours, suffice to say that the power is gorgeous, the engine hums like a kitten (American kitten, obviously) and the fuel consumption is some-

thing you don’t really want to think about too much.

You don’t throw this around corners, but it will eat up the motorway while you sit back in luxury and see the world from a pleasant perspective with the cruise control set to the legal limits.

In practical terms, the rear seats folded flat very easily, even if the cross bar that holds the boot cover was a bit of a nuisance, I did have lots of room for gear, 1,554 litres of it as a

matter of fact.

It’s also worth mentioning the powered boot – something I have grown to love since first seeing it on the Ford C-Max. You can trigger it from the key fob and let the hydraulic arms do the hard work for you, opening and closing. Believe me, once you start using it, you’ll never stop.

So, if you’re like me, and you are looking for the right crime-fightingmobile, look no further.

MERCEDES-BENZ are set to introduce their new diesel-powered E300 BlueTec Hybrid onto the Irish market.

Claiming to be the world’s most economical luxury-class model, the new E300 Hybrid delivers fuel consumption of just 4.2-litres of diesel per 100km – a return close to 70 miles per gallon in old money – and low emissions of just 109g CO2/ km.

Available in saloon and estate, the E300 Hybrid combines the power of a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine developing 204 bhp with the energy of a 20 kW electric motor.

Powered and charged by its own motion, without need of any external charging points, and unrestricted in terms of driving distance, the E300 Hybrid is a self-contained unit that links the fuel economy of a diesel engine over long distances with the advantages of an efficient hybrid in city and stop/go traffic.

Positioned between the engine and the sevenspeed automatic transmission, the lithium-ion battery-powered electric motor gives a “boost effect” to the diesel engine when accelerating whilst increasing braking energy when in alternator mode. The car can also be driven under electric power alone.

Based on the E250CDI - which has a price tag of €47,500 - the new E300 Hybrid is expected to launch here at a price some 10% above this figure with annual road tax of just €160.

Commenting, Ciaran Allen, sales manager for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars said: “This small price differential will be more than offset by increased fuel economy and the savings in fuel costs that owners will make over a short ownership period.”

Two units will hit our shores initially, one of which will be set aside for press testing purposes.

Supplies will arrive in volume beginning early next year.

In a further comment, Ciaran Allen said that alongside the many other environmentally positive models in the Mercedes-Benz range, the E300 heralds the beginning of a new era in hybrid drive systems.

22 GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel Discover ancient Turkey this November with Abbey Travel ABBEY Travel are inviting classical travellers to discover ancient Turkey this October mid-term break.

The region contains some of the most impressive and most historical sites in the ancient world, including the Blue Mosque, Saint Sophia Museum, Troy and Ephesus.

The tour takes in Istanbul for three nights, Canakkale for one night, Ayvalik for one night and Kusadasi for two nights.

The trip departs on October 27 for seven nights for just €979, including tax. The price is per person based on two people sharing and includes flights from Dublin to Istanbul outbound and Izmir to Dublin via Istanbul on November 3.

For full details, call Abbey Travel 01 8047100 or visit www.abbeytravel.ie

Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa is the perfect summer escape SET in picturesque tree-lined grounds, and located just minutes from Dublin, the four-star Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa is the perfect summer escape. Enjoy the Summer Spa Getaway offer from just €150 per person sharing midweek (€169 pps sharing at weekends) with overnight accommodation in a deluxe king room.

The getaway package includes a full Irish breakfast and evening dinner at the hotel’s Ivy Brasserie, as well as a one-hour spa treatment at the hotel’s award-winning Seoid Spa and free Sabbia Med Beach Experience, where you can enjoy the sun, despite our Irish weather! This offer also includes complimentary access to the spa’s thermal suites. The Seoid Spa is one of Ireland’s most extensive thermal treatment facilities, set over three floors, with two relaxation areas and an outdoor jacuzzi. The Summer Spa Getaway offer is valid until September 30, 2012. For more information, call 01 8013500 or visit www. dunboynecastle.com.

Old Ground Hotel in Ennis offering summer last-minute retreats

Unwind in a country retreat in Skibbereen

BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN

THE LISS ARD estate in Skibbereen, County Cork, is a country retreat full of gentle grace, where it is virtually impossible not to unwind and clock out from all things stressful and unkind.

The estate is made up of a Victorian manor house, a lake lodge and a garden mews. While the lodge is a Victorian Dower House, the Manor House dates back to 1850, as does the mews, which was a former stable block.

Staying in the lake lodge, I was surrounded by the gardens and the lake, which were truly outstanding in their natural beauty and subtlety of

landscaping. Everything the eye met was soft and beautiful and the ideal complement to a meditative experience.

On the first evening, we had dinner in the dining room of the main house, where the food was sourced locally and cooked expertly. The atmosphere in the dining room was relaxed and informal, just like a country house of character should be.

Explore

The estate offers plenty to do during the day if you want to explore the grounds themselves or the surrounding area.

Taking a coach, we paid a visit to nearby Lough Hyne, a natural phenom-

WITH the summer coming to an end, the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis has a special Summer Experience offer as a last-minute treat. The Summer Experience includes a three-night stay in luxury accommodation with breakfast each morning, lunch in the Town Hall Bistro and dinner in the newly refurbished Brendan O’Regan Room restaurant on the evening of your choice.

The price also includes chocolates on arrival, a mini-facial or back massage at nearby Madeline’s Day Spa and Beauty Clinic, as well as a guided Burren National Park walk. The walk departs from the Burren Centre, Kilfenora, at 2.30pm from Tuesday to Sunday and will take you through an area of outstanding natural beauty, with limestone pavements, turloughs, and wild goats.

The Summer Experience package is available from just €169 per person sharing, subject to availability, while terms and conditions apply.

For more information, call 065 682 8127 or visit www.flynnhotels.com.

One of the finely appointed rooms at the Liss Ard Estate

enon and Ireland’s first marine reserve.

The lough is a fresh water lake but at a certain time each day, when the tide changes, the sea seeps into the lake and everything stands still.

When the tide retreats, the lake returns to its natural movements. Because the lake merges with the sea at times, it contains many rare and beautiful species of flora and fauna.

It contains so much phosphorous in its plant life that when night falls, the whole lake lights up.

Another mysterious outing was to Drombeg; the site of an ancient 930BC stone circle steeped in history and legend, one of which tells the tale of the discovery

of an adolescent sacrifice.

Dinner on the second night took us to a local restaurant in Skibbereen, perfectly perched above a rustic pub.

My companion availed of the estate’s masseuse and was so relaxed on her return, she fell asleep for hours. The massage therapist, Magali Lacroix, follows the French massage therapy tradition of “Savatofsky”, a treatment that envelops the entire body and mind. Massages range from €45 to €65.

Fishing is also a popular activity at Liss Ard Fishery with a half day costing €65 and a full day’s fishing for four people costing €190.

Liss Ard is very proud of its connection, lately established, with University College Cork. A Masters programme in organic horticulture in Europe will be run on the 200-acre estate this autumn.

Children are also catered for at the estate, with various land and lake-based activities waiting to be discovered. The estate offers a variety of family packages, ranging in price from €180 per person.

Romantic escapes seem to be the real specialty of Liss Ard and they range from €170 per person per night for a four-night promotion, which includes

The Liss Ard estate in Skibbereen, County Cork, is made up of a Victorian manor house, a lake lodge and a garden mews

dinner in a local restaurant on one evening, dinner at the house on a second evening, bubbly and oysters.

From September 1 to November 3, you can avail of a great opportunity to stay at Liss Ard Estate for five nights for the price of four. The offer includes five nights in a superior room (two adults) while one child under the age of 12 can stay in an extra bed for free. You are also entitled to a three-course dinner each day and the child gets breakfast and a meal each day, too.

Prices start at €135.20 per night.

To make a reservation, contact reservations@ lissardestate.com or call 028 40 000.

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 23

Edited by Natalie Burke

TravelBriefs

Let Farnham Estate in County Cavan find the perfect picnic spot for a romantic afternoon HOW many of us have at some stage entertained the romantic notion of packing up a picnic, seeking out the perfect spot in the sunshine and settling down to nibble our way through a summer’s afternoon, then shy away when it comes to putting the preparation in?

Farnham Estate in Co Cavan has taken all of the trouble out of pre-picnic packing by having their talented chefs create a delicious hamper for you, so that all you have to worry about is in which picturesque spot in the 7km of woodlands you choose to enjoy it!

Your picnic basket will contain a snipe of prosecco, mineral water, fresh fruit and yoghurt, a selection of homebaked breads, crisp salads, delicious cheeses and delectable sandwiches. Special dietary requirements can be catered for and, to make the occasion extra special, you can also choose from a selection of wines and champagnes and even hire a buggy, so that you can traverse the estate in style to select your ideal location for a little extra but worth it!

Choose from a waterside spot gazing out over Farnham Lake, a sheltered hideaway among ancient redwood, cedar, copper beech and Scot pine trees, or a soft patch surrounded by wild flowers. After you’ve eaten your fill, you will have the 7km of walking trails right at your feet to explore and work off some of the delicious treats in time for dinner.

The summer picnic package includes two nights luxury accommodation, a super buffet Breakfast each morning, dinner in the Botanica Restaurant on the evening of your choice and a picnic basket from just €178 per person sharing. Offer is subject to availability and is valid until September 30, with one picnic basket per room, per stay.

Visit www.farnhamestate.com or telephone reservations on 049 4377700.

Lough Abisdealy and Lake Lodge

LOCALMATTERS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS As a landscape feature, The Crater by famed artist James Turrell, has encouraged

Children are catered for at the estate, with various

many landscape architects to make their pilgrimage to Liss Ard over the years

land and lake-based activities

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL 60 10 240

24 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT

GoingOUT THE PAVILION THEATRE 01 231 2929 Tuesdays With Morrie

THIS deeply emotional drama is the autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, an accomplished journalist and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch reconnects with Morrie after learning that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrig’s disease. What starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a last class in the meaning of life. A heartwarming exploration of friendship and life. Running from Wednesday, September 12 to Saturday, September 15 at 8pm, tickets are €16/14 or €10 for school groups.

MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 The 39 Steps

URBANE, bored Richard Hannay meets a mysterious woman at the theatre, returns with her to his London flat... where she ends up dead. With that, Richard is cast into a headlong run for his life as a mysterious spy organisation alternately pursues and is pursued by him, from London to Scotland and back, as he fights to clear himself of her murder. Along the way, he is hindered and helped by many characters but especially by the beautiful, upstanding Pamela who, despite her best efforts, ends up shackled, literally, to a man she thinks is a murderer. Saturday and Sunday September 8 and 9 at 8pm. Admission: €18/15.

CIVIC THEATRE 01 462 7477

Pixar certainly hit the target with the character design but can the rest of the film stand up?

ARGUABLY the finest living female playwright in Ireland and the UK Marina Carr’s Woman and Scarecrow, was first performed by Fiona Shaw at the Royal Court in 2009.

Woman and Scarecrow is a dreamy, if sometimes darkly ironic play about death and the perspective that it can throw upon the life which it is bringing to a close.

The show runs from Tuesday, September 11 until Saturday, September 15 at 8pm. Admission €20 with €16 concessions.

The Bravest of hearts

Woman and Scarecrow

DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 Underage Band Night

ONE of the biggest challenges for young bands out there today is trying to find a place to showcase their amazing talent! It’s hard enough for them to get funding to record their tracks and pay for practice sessions without the added stress of not being able to do what they do best, play their songs for their fans. Underage Band Nights aims to allow young bands to share their talent. Friday, September 7, €5.

Pixar’s latest shows that while they haven’t been on form with recent releases they are still the big man on campus I NIALL BERMINGHAM

TO BE perfectly honest with you, I’m a bit perplexed by this one.

Having seen this film I immediately set out to write the review and found myself writing about Pixar as a company.

I compared Brave to the 12 feature length films that Pixar released prior to this one. Is that fair?

Am I really that shallow?

I ditched my previous attempts and tried again, this time, without the bias. I hope.

Brave is a film about a princess and the magical kingdom she inhabits.

Merida is her name and the Scottish highland is her kingdom.

Kelly MacDonald does a fantastic job providing the voice for the sassy independent princess (the first female protagonist in a Pixar film), and makes it very easy to believe the character as a whole.

FILM OF THE WEEK: Brave #### (PG) 93 mins Director: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman Starring: Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Steve Purcell, John Ratzenberger

OUR VERDICT:

The best animated film this year perhaps. There is something here for everyone. Young girls will love the fierce independence of Merida and the crafty triplets will definitely sit well with the boys that see it. This isn’t just for the kids though as it is very enjoyable for parents and adults in general.

Merida’s family is made up of her father, King Fergus (Billy Connolly), her mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) and her young, devious, and silent triplet brothers who will probably be a favourite amongst many of the younger audience members and many of the older members in the audience too if I’m honest.

The queen tries her hardest (much to Merida’s chagrin) to bring her daughter up as a proper noble woman and a responsible public figure.

Deciding that the day has finally come to

marry their daughter off, the queen makes the king gather the three other clans to their castle so that the leaders can present their first-borns to compete for the princess’s fair hand.

This does not sit well with Merida.

Finding a loop hole in the rules Merida wins the competition, embarrasses the other clans and really upsets her mother.

After an argument Merida runs away into the forest and follows will-o’-the-wisps to a witch’s hut. Here she convinces the witch to help her with the prob-

lem she’s having with her mother, Elinor, and her impending betrothal.

That’s as far as I’ll go with the story because I really don’t want to ruin the remaining plot twists for you. All I’ll say is that what follows is as oddball as you’re likely to find and completely memorable all the way.

The visuals in this film are one of the reasons it will be so memorable (Pixar really have outdone themselves). Merida’s head of hair is one of the most mesmerising things I have ever seen in a film. Truly it is hypnotic. The scenery and sets are all beautifully crafted and the characters all have a lovely charm to them.

A lot of the comedy in this film comes from the fact that all the men are incompetent idiots spoiling for fights and the chance to get one up on each other. They are all played brilliantly.

However despite the comedy, fantasy adventure, and action this film is in fact really all about the relationship between a girl and her mother.

Merida and Elinor bounce off each other for the duration of the film and once again Pixar show that they really know how to develop a relationship.

Another thing they know is real human drama. Whether they bring it to us in the form of sentient toys, or a robotic love story, they bring it and they bring it hard.

Brave has its moments where you’ll probably need a few tissues close by or a shoulder to lean on and that’s one of its biggest selling points.

Infact, it’s one of Pixar’s biggest selling points.

I tried not to talk about Pixar in this review but it proved next to impossible. They are just too good at what they do.

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 25

GazetteGAMING GAMING Sony’s NWZE474 series certainly looks fun, but, more importantly, despite this Walkman’s pocket-friendly price, it’s got a lot of features, too, making it a great accessory for music on the go

Groovily glorious gear I SHANE DILLON

NOW that summer is over, once you’ve finished putting your unused barbecues away until next year, why not consider some new gadgets to get you through the next couple of seasons?

For starters, Sony have a great new range of MP3 players, with the Walkman NWZ-E474 series available in a wide range of bright colours.

Since I couldn’t care less if my music player was grey, grey, grey, I should point out some of the E470 series’ more attractive features – of course, as you’d expect from Sony (creators of the original Walkman), despite its diminutive size (just 7mm thick – or should I say thin?), its crisp sound and surprisingly meaty bass make it great for music on the go.

With 8GB storage, there’s tons of space for an awful lot of music,

while its 2in screen, while small, is enough for whatever MPEG4/WMV9 files you want.

Interestingly, drag-anddrop transfer of music, video, photos, playlists and podcasts from iTunes is an attractive feature.

Full charge via USB takes approximately three hours, while its battery life sports 36 hours audio playback, or six hours’, video.

And, best of all for those on a budget – and who isn’t, these days – the pint-sized player has an equally-pocket-friendly price – just €99 rrp.

For those looking for “bigger” sound, the HTCT260 sound bar ( €359 rrp) promises to bring cinema sound to your living room, despite its compact build.

Using what Sony calls S-Force PRO Front Surround technology, the space-saving HT-CT260 sound bar has 300W of total speaker power, while

The HT-CT260 sound bar and wireless sub-woofer

The VPL-VW1000ES 4K projector

its wireless sub-woofer leaves you free to determine where best to get the maximum sound for your audio pleasure.

As a bonus feature, its Bluetooth technology lets you stream music

It’s Wipeout time for another well-known developer EVERY month sees different gaming studios close down, given the high-pressure, fast-moving pace of the industry (as, indeed, another story here about possible layoffs in a Dublin studio demonstrates).

So, it’s fairly common to see studios go bust, merge with another, sell up or be shut down by new owners.

However, lots of gam-

ers will regret the latest casualty, as Sony have announced the closure of Studio Liverpool (originally Psygnosis).

A developer that did an awful lot to cement the PlayStation’s success way back when, Studio Liverpool developed many of the console’s top titles, generating a real buzz in the process – not least with its flagship Wipeout series.

Its other early hits for the heady early days of the PlayStation included Colony Wars, G-Police, Lemmings and F1.

Having done much to help establish PlayStation (back when nobody knew if Sony’s games console could, or would, work), the developer’s days have finally run out, but it leaves behind an enduring legacy of some terrific titles.

from your PC, tablet or smartphone, making it an audio system to integrate brilliantly with all your home’s systems.

Lastly, as a pure flight of fancy for any passing millionaires who’re looking for a new projector, Sony’s VPL-VW1000ES 4K projector has just claimed the Best European Home T heatre High-End Award from the European Imaging and Sound Association, and deservedly so.

While the phrase: “If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it” never seemed more apt, its eye-watering price aside, the projector features a wide range of superb features, with its 4K images resolution

most easily explained as being comparable to four times the resolution of full HD. For a projector, that’s not just remarkable, it’s a rare feature – yet in addition to its detail, the VPL -VW1000ES offers massive vistas, too, scaling up to gigantic size with truly superb detail, colour and lightbalancing.

At present, such 4K projectors are rare – aside from their price, there’s little high-resolution content to maximise their potential – yet Sony are at the vanguard of this hightech niche, and it’s likely we’ll all enjoy such tech on a widespread, more affordable basis in the near future.

Bytesandpieces Job losses to hit at Dublin studio?

UNFORTUNATELY, it seems likely that Dublin employees of PopCap may also be caught up in the round of redunancies being rolled out at the developer’s studios in Seattle, Shanghai and Dublin.

While the name PopCap may not mean very much to many, it’s the company responsible for a number of highly-successful titles, including Plants Vs Zombies and Peggle, yet despite its great success on a number of platforms with these two titles in particular, it’s been affected by the change in gaming models that’s quietly beginning to bite at certain vulnerable sectors, as the surprise rise of free-to-play gaming has begun biting into company revenues.

Studio co-founder John Vechey was blunt in a letter to PopCap staff, widely published online, in which he said: “... we’re talking to our Dublin team about the future of that office and whether we can find a path to improve our profitability in Europe without having to close the operation.

“Today’s news is something you expect periodically from a company in a fast-changing industry, but it sucks if you’re one of the people losing his or her job. These people are our friends and we don’t like doing this.”

At the time of writing, nothing’s been absolutely confirmed about the workforce in PopCap’s Dublin studio, but here’s hoping that they escape any bad news as the developer restructures itself...

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26 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

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30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 27

GazetteSPORT

SPORT STARS: The nominations for August’s local heroes : Page 29

DUBLIN MARATHON: TWO CHARITIES OFFICIALLY NOMINATED FOR MAJOR FUNDRAISING EVENT

LauraLynn and ISPCC sign up for marathon

sport@gazettegroup.com

TWO of Ireland’s best known children’s charities were announced as official charity partners of this year’s Dublin Marathon which will take place on Monday, October 29.

Last year’s Dublin Marathon generated millions for charities and race participation numbers look set to follow the upward trend shown in recent years with entry figures for the end of July surpassing those at the same

stage last year according to race director of the 2012 Dublin Marathon, Jim Aughney.

As such, LauraLynn Ireland’s Children’s Hospice and the ISPCC have launched an appeal for runners, walkers and joggers across the country to take part in this year’s Dublin Marathon and raise money on behalf of their respective charities.

“We’re delighted to have selected both LauraLynn and the ISPCC as charity partners for this

year’s Dublin Marathon.

Both charities make huge efforts to help and protect vulnerable children and families in Ireland. Any financial support that the Dublin Marathon can generate for them will do so much for both charities”, said Aughney.

Jane and Brendan McKenna began fundraising for a children’s hospice in 2001 as a result of an enormous personal tragedy which saw them lose both of their daughters Laura and Lynn

The likes of James Hempsey, from Clondalkin, will once again bring a vibrant hue to the streets of Dublin in late October for the Dublin Marathon

in the space of just two years.

In 2007, they partnered with the Children’s Sunshine Home to make LauraLynn House a reality. LauraLynn provides hospice care for some of Ireland’s sickest children and provides families

with somewhere to stay during the transition from hospital to home, a place to rest from time to time or a place where their child may spend the last few weeks or days of their life.

Philomena Dunne, chief executive, Laura-

Lynn said “We really are thrilled to be selected as one of the two charities for the 2012 Dublin Marathon. As LauraLynn is dependent on donations and fundraising efforts to maintain services, being involved in such a major event is of huge benefit. ”

The ISPCC is the oldest children’s charity in Ireland and has a long proud history of service delivery and advocacy on behalf of children.

The charity provides 24-hour directly accessible services for children and young people.

28 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

PARALYMPICS: LOCAL ATHLETES SET TO TAKE ON THE WORLD’S BEST

Kilmacud launch club history book in style LEGENDARY Gaelic games commentator Micheal O Muircheartaigh launched A History of Kilmacud Crokes in Glenalbyn last week.

The book was written by Crokes clubman and local historian Peter Sobolewski and published by Orpen Press. Joanne Cantwell, RTE Sports’ Department, acted as MC for the evening.

O Muircheartaigh delighted the large gathering with his many entertaining stories of events both on and off the field of play. Yet, while his stories were entertaining, they were pertinent to placing the role played by the club in the broader context of the development of the GAA in Irish society.

The book itself is divided into three sections.

The first and main part deals with the GAA club founded by Kilmacud curate Fr Robert Walsh in March 1959, and covers the main developments and events in the club over the next 50 years.

One of these developments was the amalgamation of Crokes hurling club with Kilmacud in 1966. It was due to this amalgamation that the name of the club changed to Kilmacud Crokes in 1971.

The second part of the book looks at the history of Crokes hurling club from 1920 to 1966.

The third part looks at another major development in the club’s progress, its amalgamation with Benburb Gaelic Football Club, Clonskeagh, in 1972.

This book is a must for anybody interested in the development of Gaelic games in south-east Dublin. It can be purchased in the club’s shop, or from Orpen Press at info@orpenpress.com.

Photographed at the launch, above, are Tom Murphy, chairman of Kilmacud Crokes, Micheal O Muircheartaigh, Joanne Cantwell, and Peter Sobolewski.

Catherine Walsh, left, will compete in her sixth Paralympic Games while Nadine Lattimore, pictured with Eamonn Coghlan, will take on her first

Paralympic dreams sport@gazettegroup.com

IRELAND’S Paralympic team will hope to follow up the medal-winning exploits of their Olympic counterparts as they contest the pinnacle of their respective sports in London over 10 days.

The Paralympic Games returns to the country of its origin, Stoke Mandeville being the spiritual home of the event that first made its appearance in 1948.

And Team Ireland – featuring a number of stars from the Gazette regions – will be hoping to emulate the successes of Beijing where three gold, one silver and one bronze medal were earned.

Among this year’s crew is Swords woman Catherine Walsh, one of Ireland’s greatest sports people, who previously claimed bronze in Sydney in 2000

in the pentathlon and previously competed in each Games between 1992 and 2004 in athletics.

In 2007, she changed sport to tandem cycling and made her mark quickly enough to gain selection to Beijing 2008.

Walsh became Ireland’s first paracycling medal winner when powering to silver at the 2009 World Track Championships with sighted pilot Fran Meehan.

With subsequent bronze medals at both UCI World Championships in 2011 (track and road) and a sensational gold in the 3km individual pursuit at February’s World Track Championships, Walsh will be among the favourites in London.

In addition to their favoured pursuit event, she will compete in the 1km time trial on the Olympic

velodrome track and the road race and time trial at Brands Hatch.

In the swimming pool, local clubs provide two entrants. Aer Lingus’ Ellen Keane was Ireland’s youngest athlete when she swam in the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

At just 13 years old, she competed impressively, placing sixth in the 100m breaststroke.

Now 17, aside from the 100m breaststroke, Keane will also compete in the 100m butterfly and 200m Individual Medley events at the Aquatic Centre.

James Scully, meanwhile, has swum with Dublin’s NAC swimming club since 2006, when he first came under the guidance of current club coach and head of Paralympic swimming, Dave Malone – a Sydney gold medallist.

2010 heralded Scully’s

arrival in Irish Paralympic swimming and saw him claim an impressive fourth-place in 200m freestyle at World Championships in Eindhoven.

In 2011, Scully continued his progress with another fourth place in the 200m freestyle at IPC European Championships, albeit missing out on bronze by a hand touch.

Another returnee is Eimear Breatnach, one of Ireland’s most experienced table-tennis players who went full-time this year to prepare properly for London.

She took up tabletennis at the age of 19 and competed in her first international tournament at the age of 21. During a career now spanning 13 years, she has amassed an array of top-class titles.

The Ballinteer woman competed at Beijing 2008

and reached the quarter finals of the team event.

Finally, Malahide woman Nadine Lattimore takes on the world’s best in the Olympic Arena.

She is a full-time athlete and Irish record holder in the F11 Shot Put (7.68m).

Lattimore decided to get involved with Paralympic sport after the last Games in Beijing. In her first domestic competition in 2010, she threw the qualification distance for the 2011 IPC World Championships in New Zealand – claiming an impressive seventh place.

At this year’s IPC European Championships in Holland, she continued her progress and finished just outside the medals.

When Lattimore competes in London, she will be accompanied by her guide dog Quartz – the first ever guide dog on the Irish team.

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 29

DublinGazetteNewspapers 2012 DUBLIN SPORTS AWARDS - AUGUST NOMINEES

FastSport

# STARof the MONTH

MOSES IPKEFUA

KATIE TAYLOR

ANNALISE MURPHY

CLONDALKIN athlete Moses Ipkefua completed backto-back 100m Community Games titles with a stunning run in Athlone

KATIE Taylor fulfilled her destiny, adding Olympic gold to her wealth of European and World titles in London in some style

THE National Yacht club sailor agonisingly missed out on an Olympic medal after a superb campaign on the Weymouth waves

# TEAMof the MONTH

FOXROCK CABINTEELY

LUCAN FUTSAL

ST SYLVESTER’S

JUST nine years since the formation of the club, Foxrock reached the pinnacle of the Dublin county scene, beating Na Fianna

AT the first attempt in the Community Games, Lucan won both county and provincial titles before ending fourth nationally

THREE years since becoming a single entity, the Malahide club made it three successive promotions with an inter championship to boot

Leinster leaders: Local golfers land interprovincial title THE ISLAND trio Nially Foley, Paul McBride and Gavin Moynihan, Castle’s Jack Walsh and Newlands’ Alec Myles were all part of the Leinster boys’ team that won the interprovincial title at Royal County Down Golf Club.

The side was captained by Forrest Little’s Kevin Raftery. They are pictured with Ardee’s Evan Farrell and David Foy from Laytown and Bettystown and team manager from Royal Tara, John McGrath.

Myles, far right front row, added this success to his recent win in the Leinster boys’ amateur open championship, capping a fine summer for the Newlands’ club member.

Five-year-old Alannah completes marathon ALANNAH McDevitt, age five, recently completed the Mobile Kids Marathon, running a full marathon distance of 42.2kms. She did 1km at a time with her father running around Malahide Castle and along the seafront in Malahide on measured routes.

Each time she marked off a kilometre on her chart. By race day, she had run 40kms and so completed the final 2.2kms with her father on the same course as the Clontarf Half Marathon.

In so doing, she also collected sponsorship money for the Nyumbani Orphanage in Kenya (http://www.nyumbani.org/irish_intro.htm).

This is a charity that helps orphans with HIV in Kenya and all of the proceeds go to the charity with no deductions for overheads. She raised €425 and gave the money to Fr Frank Reburn of Sacred Heart Church, Seabury who is involved in the charity.

For more information on the race, go to http:// www.irishmultimarathon.com.

’Rock ladies hold open day BLACKROCK RFC ladies are hosting an open day on September 1 in Stradbrook from 12pm onwards.

The event will include a day of tag rugby with plenty of food and drinks available on the day while players can stay around to take in the men’s first 15 and J1’s in their Cup games v Greystones (kick off 4pm).

Blackrock ladies are playing in AIL Division 1 and are keen to see new faces.

For more information, e-mail blackrockladiesrfc@gmail. com.

Knockmitten seek players KNOCKMITTEN United are currently looking for new players to join their LSL Sunday Premier One side. Training is every Tuesday and Thursday in Monksfield Lawn with matches each weekend.

If you are interested, contact Peter Ford on 085 7144102. The side’s next game will take place in midSeptember.

30 SWORDS GAZETTE 30 August 2012

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

Swords man Savage the Ballyboughal king SWORDS man Nick Savage claimed Ballyboughal pitch and putt club championship, the Jones Cup, following four weeks of knockout games.

Fifteen players qualified for the final days play and the competition was very closely contested. Playing his best game of the year, Savage took the title with a score of net 44 while runner-up with a net 46 was John Fitzpatrick.

Nearest the pin on the fourth went to Ronnie Delaney with a hole in one while John Fitzpatrick also got a hole in one on the 17th. The event was sponsored by John Jones who has been a life-long supporter of the club.

Nick Savage, above left, was presented with the Jones Cup from club chairman Rory Homan.

Celtic get league off to good start SWORDS Celtic continued their impressive start to the LSL Sunday Major campaign as they added a 4-3 home win over Ballyoulster United to their victory a week earlier over Fairview CY, making it two wins from two outings thus far this term.

Despite losing a player to a red card after 10 minutes the home side went to record a comprehensive victory, 4-1 the final score.

Robbie Farrell, making his debut for the team, scored a memorable hat trick while Shane Byrne

completed the teams scoring for the day.

It is a feat that the club’s third team matched in impressive fashion as they ran up a huge 8-2 win over Cloghertown United as they head up the Saturday Division Three having opened up their campaign with a 3-2 win over Walkinstown United.

The club will enter a side in the Over35s AUL division in the last of their adult sides to get their season started.

The second team began their campaign with a defeat in LSL Saturday Major 1C, falling 4-2 to Farm United on home turf last weekend.

COMMUNITY GAMES: TORSNEY AND KIRBY-SULLIVAN STAR

Swords West’s Anne-Marie Torsney won the Community Games discus national title last weekend in Athlone

Local duo win national titles I sport@gazettegroup.com

ANNE-MARIE Torsney, a Fingallians’ club member, showed the opposition how it’s done when she took gold in the girls’ U-16 discus at the annual HSE Community Games national finals, bringing the title back to Swords West.

She was one of two local athletes to win big at the games as Niamh K irby-Sullivan (Balbriggan) had to wait for the final results to be announced before finding out that she had won gold in the girl’s U-14 long puck.

She is the goalkeeper

for the Dublin U-13 camogie team but gave up the chance to play with the team on Sunday to take part in the national finals.

T hey were among some of the stand-out performances on what proved to be a great weekend of sport as the athletics track was buzzing with excitement when Aine Holden from Carlow, an Oly mpic torch-bearer in Dublin was introduced to the appreciative crowd.

She did a lap of the track carrying the torch to the delight of the huge crowd of HSE Community Games

Island in the sun: Le Blanc claims U-15 crown after playoff KEVIN Le Blanc, pictured, from The Island golf club, claimed the Irish U-15 Boys Championship last week when he took top spot from a dramatic four-person play-off at the City of Derry golf club.

He prevailed after three holes as four players ended regulation holes locked on 150 shots following the initial two rounds.

Le Blanc produced a pair of 75s to leave him tied with opponents from Holywood GC, Laytown and Bettystown and also one from England.

supporters.

Over 200,000 young people from all over Ireland take par t in the HSE Community Games qualifiers and finals every year.

It makes it an essential part of the Irish summer, and firmly established in Irish heritage, something that is reflected in the number of participants, volunteers and spectators that get involved every year.

Approximately 3,000 children participated in a number of sporting activities with Dublin represented in athletics track and field, basket-

ball, futsal and camogie.

Over 12,000 spectators, including parents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, friends and supporters travelled in their droves to offer their support and encouragement to all of the children participating.

Another spectator enjoying the games was Brendan Boyce from Donegal who competed in the 50km walk at the London Olympics.

Boyce is a former Community Games participant and silver medallist in volleyball and U-8 60m track event.

Commenting on the

games, he said: “It is an honour to be here as a guest at the national finals, the atmosphere was electric.

“I can see that there are plenty of stars of the future here.”

G e r r y D ave n p o r t , president, HSE Community Games speaking at the finals said: “The atmosphere this we e ke n d h a s b e e n superb, the fun and competitive spirit was evident throughout the campus.

“The sun was shining and all the participants and supporters embraced the festive occasion.”

30 August 2012 SWORDS GAZETTE 31

FOOTBALL: FINGALLIANS DRAW WITH KILMACUD

CLUB NOTICEBOARD FINGALLIANS THE Fingallians family open day is on

with a personal best of 33.26m in the

September 8 starting at 12 noon.

discus in Athlone on Sunday.

A number of activities is planned for

Theatre comes to Fins next Sat-

what should be a fun day out for all

urday, September 8 at 8pm with the

including juvenile exhibition games,

presentation of the acclaimed play

skill challenges, kids’ disco with DJ

The Pitch. Tickets are available from

Tommo, an open-air BBQ, free face-

team mentors and through the bar

painting/popcorn/candyfloss and

for €10.

much more. Please contact the club for further details.

Six players have returned to action in recent times for Fingallians to bolster a youthful squad

Relegation playoff on Fins’ horizon I PETER CARROLL sport@gazettegroup.com

ALAN Hanrahan believes his Fingallians’ footballers can maintain their place in AFL2 for next season, despite a relegation playoff looming for the Swords men after a campaign that has been filled with close results, injuries and the absence of key players.

Last Wednesday, Fingallians proved they were capable of playing with the big boys of the league claiming a 2-11 to 1-14 draw against the high flying Kilmacud Crokes, in a game they looked likely to win.

“We had a few players back for the game – key players that we had been missing throughout the campaign,” Hanrahan told GazetteSport.

“Their presence made a huge difference and even the Crokes’ manager told me that they were lucky to come away from the game with a point.

“Maybe we’ve had a

bit of a hangover from our senior championship relegation last year, and that could’ve impacted our mindset in the league campaign.

“But we’ve also brought through a lot of lads that haven’t played the game at this pace before – the lads in this league may look the same size, but they hit a lot harder than the opposition some of our players are used to after coming up from the AFL 7 side.”

A fixture with Naomh Mearnog last Saturday saw Fingallians unable to keep the momentum they had gathered in the Kilmacud tie, with some players having to pull out due to injuries they sustained in the Wednesday clash.

“We came within two points of them in the second half, but after that Mearnog found another gear that we didn’t quite have on the day.

“There’s been a few results that we feel

should’ve gone our way.

“We had three great games against Naomh Barrog, Trinity Gaels and Skerries Harps – I still don’t know how we didn’t beat Skerries. We had them beaten but it seemed we were going to play until they got the result with the amount of time added on,” said Hanrahan.

However, he has a lot of confidence in his team and believes this type of situation will be a once off and he believes next year’s league campaign will consolidate them in the AFL2 before they push for promotion.

“It looks like we’ll be gearing up for a relegation playoff with Naomh Barrog and we’ve already beat them this season.

“We’ll have Paul Flynn, Eoin Clarke and Ciaran Costello back for the last two league games and that will make a total of six players that will have returned,” said Hanrahan.

“The lads have become closer because of this, not one of them has thrown the head or left the team, and with some of the younger lads still getting used to this level, I think we’ll be in a lot better of a position next season.”

The Kellogg’s Cul Camp took place in the club last week. There were over

Good luck to Catherine Walsh as the

180 children taking part in the camp

Paralympic Games in London start

which was a combined hurling and

on Wednesday with the opening cer-

football camp.

emony. Catherine’s plan is to partici-

It is the final week of the Satellite

pate in four events; on the track 1k on

Academy. Simon and Nicky will be

August 31 followed by the 3k on Sep-

on the following greens from 6-7pm;

tember 2. On September 5, the road

Bunbury on Wednesday; Glen Ellen on

events start with a 24k Time Trial then

Thursday and Lios Cian/Cian Lea on

the road race on September 8.

Friday. If you are resident of these

Well done to Ann Marie Torsney on

estates please do encourage your

winning gold at the All-Ireland com-

neighbours to send their children to

munity games representing Dublin

participate.

ALL OF YOUR SWORDS SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

COMMUNITY SPIRIT: Local duo claim medals in national games P30

AUGUST 30, 2012

SPORTING HEROES: Nominations for August awards revealed inside P29

GazetteSPORT

Liam Ryan has been a key influence for St Finian’s footballers in 2012 as they have defied expectations to push for a return to senior status

Flying Finian’s on course for AFL2 Rivervalley club produce two more huge league wins to put themselves a couple of points from promotion PETER CARROLL

swordssport@gazettegroup.com

SAINT Finian’s footballers are shaping up nicely to take a spot amongst the highly competitive AFL2 next season, after an unprecedented campaign now sees them one victory away from competing as a senior side for the first time in over five years.

On taking up the job as Finian’s manager at the start of the season, Stephen Carslake’s initial task as head coach was given to keep the Swords side in AFL3.

With the same group of men that had been a part of the club’s last outing as senior footballers, it was an older side in contrast to the others in the league, but the newly appointed manager knew that they could do much more than keep themselves afloat in the tough third division.

“It was clear after the first meeting with the lads that they wanted to get themselves back into the senior ranks, and we did a lot of things to build the lads as a team,” Carslake told Gazette-

Sport.

“I wasn’t even in the job two weeks before we headed to Rosslare for a weekend training camp, and everyone in the team was very enthusiastic and interested in the training.

“They had another two weeks off a while back, and we went to Johnstown in Kildare for another training camp and it all seemed to help the lads gel as a side,” said Carslake.

Without any minors taking up offers of joining up with the intermediate side just yet, the focus of the league performances have been solely based on the team performing as a unit.

In the past week, comprehensive wins over Clann Mhuire in the Naul and a huge 6-15 to 2-4 win over Clanna Gael Fontenoy has left the side well clear of the pack with three games to go., This year, they have been unbeaten, claiming 11 wins and one draw in their 12 outings and players like Aidan Morrissey coming in and Dublin hurling brothers Kevin and Liam Ryan more available than usual to make a significant impact.

“This league is very tough, probably the toughest in Dublin,” said Carslake. “We’ve brought in a few lads who have really stapled down places for themselves in the team, and, because we’ve been on top of the league for so long, I think it’s put a target on our backs a little.

“Every team wants to beat us, no matter where they are in the league table, they see us on top and they want to get one over on us.”

With only one game to be won out of their final three and a constantly improving forward line that seem to be scoring at will, Carslake is not counting his eggs before they hatch but he believes the league title credentials could be taken away just as quickly as they were won.

“The teams we have left to play all have a chance of getting themselves in the four spots for the playoff promotion.

“If we don’t get a result against these sides we could be in the playoff and it might not go well for us, so we need to keep our heads screwed on and attack the games from the first whistle like we have all season,” said Carslake.