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Regency stylings add to the luxury and comfort of Marlfield House

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M a l a h i d e • Carpenterstown P o r t m a r n o c k • • KLaurel i n s e a ly • C l•a Roselawn r eMonth h a lXX, l 2012 Castleknock Lodge INSIDE: Coolmine Community School students and staff welcome President Michael D Higgins P8

Soccer:

Mochta’s hopes of third in LSL take big blow Page 30

Hurling:

Castleknock adjust to life in division three Page 31

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES....................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................27

charity run: Mount Sackville present a €3.5k cheque to Pieta House Page 6

Charity resume respite services  Laura Webb

Respite services at St Vincent’s Centre are set to recommence after they were suspended following a crisis situation that has led to the redevelopment of facilities there.

The centre, located on the Navan Road and run by the Daughter’s of Charity, was approached by the HSE to take individuals in need of full time care.

However, as the centre has no provision for emergency residential placements, facilitating the HSE’s request meant the service’s respite house was filled, leaving other families without access to it.

Denis Cronin of St Vincent’s Centre has stated that they have worked with the HSE to resolve the problem by renovating its existing facilities via funding provided by the HSE. Full Story on Page 2

Gourmet girls: The Butler’s Pantry open new outlet in Castleknock the butler’s Pantry were delighted to open the doors of their 10th shop in Castleknock recently.

Those who visited the shop had the chance to meet some chefs and bakers and pick up lots

of cooking tips. Also, children like Katie Sheehan (11) and Ali Dodd (8) got to learn the art of cookie making and bring some home for baking.

Picture: Andres Poveda

2 CASTLeKNOCK Gazette 30 May 2013

dublin GAZETTe newspapers i n f o r m at i o n

funds Crisis stalls placements at facility

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It is hoped that the St Vincent’s Centre on the Navan Road will be back up and running on June 4

HSE moves to restart centre respite services

The HSE has moved to provide funding to St Vincent’s Centre respite service to facilitate emergency residential placements after a crisis situation led to regular respite placements being put on hold at the facility.

The centre, located on the Navan Road and run by the Daughter’s of Charity, was approached by the HSE to take in people in need of fulltime care. As the centre does not provide emergency residential placements, facilitating the HSE’s request meant that the service’s respite house was filled, leaving other families without recourse to a respite

 laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com

service.

According to Denis Cronin of the centre, they worked immediately with the HSE to resolve the problem by renovating its existing service: “The HSE agreed to fund us to reconstruct our respite house to allow us to have emergency residential placement on one side and regular respite placement on the other side.

“They [HSE] did respond promptly and have offered us money to reorganise this, and the revenue to staff the new accommodation.

“These people had been getting services and respite from us anyway, but there was an escalation in their family situation which meant we had to take them to give them full-time care for a period of time. That is what the problem was.

“Unfor tunately for the other 16 families involved, we weren’t able to provide them with support,” he said.

The families have been without respite since May 9 and the situation is anticipated to go on for another week-and-a-half until the service is back up and running.

“The good news is that we anticipate to have [the centre] back and open for normal operation on June 4. That is our plan; work began immediately,” said Cronin.

“T he HSE in this instance did respond

promptly recognising there was a crisis and responded immediately.

“Once the building is renovated, we hope to provide the crisis respite on one side of the building and the regular respite service for the 16 families on the other side,” he added.

A spokesperson for the HSE said they are working with Daughters of Charity to ensure that the respite services can resume as soon as possible.

“Dublin North City Disability Service is allocating a sum of €140,000 for the adaptation of a residential house to accommodate clients with specific needs and to provide the staffing resources to allow the Daughters of Charity to operate this facility. This will allow the Daughters of Charity respite facility service to be resumed as normal.”

D u b l i n We s t T D Patrick Nulty (Ind) said the responsibility for the crisis does not lie with

the respite service providers, but with the HSE saying no service should have been closed.

“The HSE should have had crisis management in place and be able to deal with this situation without any closure of respite [services], shortterm or otherwise.

“There is a broader issue of funding for respite services and support for families who have a family member with special needs or an intellectual disability.

“T here have been massive cuts to disability support services in the Dublin area.

“As far as I am concerned, funding for these types of support should be ring-fenced. Remember, families caring for someone who has special needs, not only do they do a fine job in difficult circumstances, but they also save the State hundreds of thousands of euro a year as carers – they are the unsung heroes in our society,” he added.

30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK Gazette 3

The Thinking Factory Hotel bids to create something unique

Enhancing creative thinking  laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com

Castleknock Hotel and Country Club have created The Thinking Factory, a meeting room that combines modern technology with simple thinking to attempt to enable creativity among those who use it.

Explaining what’s involved, Andrew Kavanagh, director of sales and marketing at Castleknock Hotel, said: “We recognised that there is a gap in the market for modern companies looking for something special - the days of just a room with a view and some tea are gone.”

The new concept in meeting spaces was set up to enhance creative thinking, which it is believed is improved when people

are in the right environment.

“We are now trying to provide for something that is unique to any hotel in Ireland and this room is a mixture of being innovative and creative using high-spec technology but also having basic principles such as using colours, decor and things like that,” said Kavanagh.

“We want to make sure that people are comfortable and relaxed, but at the same time stimulated and energised. The Thinking Factory was designed with this balance in mind,” he said.

The rectangular room has an inner circular design to promote group creativity, removing the hierarchical top-table structure. Traditional meeting room tables have been removed and

replaced with contemporary designed side-tables, with an interactive island featuring five large display screens providing the centrepiece of the room.

“Each person has a side table for their laptops. The island is a hexagon shape with a series of televisions.

“If you are on your laptop and want people to see what’s on it, we have picture technology that allows your information to come up on the five screens on the island.

There are also two 60 inch TV’s too. The beauty is you have several USB ports that allow a split screen – more than one person can display their information.

“We put in a brand new carpet, and the seats are green and blue - colours associated with creativity

The rectangular room has an inner circular design to promote group creativity

and relaxation – which are much more comfortably than normal office chairs.

“We have created a new brain food menu as well, so everything from start to finish is designed towards having a pro-

ductive meeting that you can’t recreate in your own office.”

The official opening of the room is yet to be confirmed, but a corporate night showcasing the room is scheduled for June 6.

Anyone interested in finding out more about this night can email sales@chcc.ie For enquiries call 01-640 6300 or see www. castleknockhotel.com/ thinkingfactory for further information.

scouts New members wanted The 175th Castleknock Scout Group is seeking new members for September 2013.

According to a spokesperson for the group, scouting is a great way for children to get involved in exciting activities and make new friends.

“We have spaces available in all sections: Beavers for ages six to eight, Cubs for ages nine to 11, Scouts for ages 12 to 15 and Venture Scouts for ages 15 to 17.

“We also have spaces available for people who may be interested in volunteering as leader, who must be over 18. We are inviting anyone who is interested in getting involved to contact us,” the spokesperson added.

Email derek.castleknockscouts@yahoo.ie for an application form.

4 CASTLeKNOCK Gazette 30 May 2013

schools Students wished the best of luck, and urged to just do their best

Principals urge students to stay calm for exams  laura webb

LOCAL school principals are wishing their students the best of luck in their upcoming State exams, and offering advice in the run-up to the exams.

As thousands of students across Ireland get ready to sit their State exams next week, principals across the country are offering final support

and encouragement to their students.

In Dublin 15, Castleknock Community College has 420 students presenting for exams, including 14 LCA students.

Offering advice to the exam students, principal John Cronin said students need to “remain calm” and “have their timetable in place”.

He said: “Don’t start doing anything different at this

stage. Certainly stick to the plan, stick to being familiar with the exam paper, the weighting of marks, and the timing allowed.

“All too often, we meet students after the exams – particularly with the humanity-type subjects such as English, history and geography – where they might say they ran out of time. That is simply a case of time management.

“Know the time and make sure you discipline yourself to work within the time allotted to each question,” he said.

He added: “It is worth mentioning that with all the hype around Leaving Cert and Junior Certs exams that we can often forget that there is a cohort of students presenting for the Leaving Cert Applied, and I want to wish them well, because they are

very much a part of the college community.

“While they may not be working towards CAO points, they are looking towards PLC courses and beyond – it is equally important.

“We wish them all well – it too will pass, and the summer will come.”

Meanwhile, 90 students at Luttrellstown Community College are sitting their Jun-

ior Cert exams. This is just the second year the school has had students sit the Junior Cert.

Priomhoide Fionnuala Ni Chaisil wished her students the best of luck: “Go n’eiri libh. Keep cool, pace yourself and just do your best.”

She went on to say that the school’s doors are always open if students need support.

football: dance night

Strictly a fun fundraiser  laura webb

CASTLEKNOCK Celtic FC is swapping its football boots for pairs of dancing shoes, following the official launch of its Strictly Dancing Experience event to raise funds for a new all-weather facility.

The club has joined forces with Kevin Rowe Events to bring the Strictly Dancing extravaganza to Castleknock.

Many turned out for the official launch on May 26 in the Castleknock Hotel to find out what the event was about, and who will swap tackles for tangos this June.

The project will see 15 couples take to the dance floor. Kevin Rowe announced the couples and their particular dances, ranging from jive to samba, on the evening.

Coaches, parents and members of the community are taking part in the event, which will take

place on Saturday, June 22 at Westmanstown Conference Centre at 7pm.

Celebrity judges on the night include model and local resident Alison Canavan, and Dublin AllIreland football winner Alan Brogan.

The club said it appreciates the support being given to the event, particularly from its main sponsors, VIP Taxis.

Mark Callaghan, owner of VIP Taxis, said his company was “delighted to support the event, which will help the club realise their ambition to provide much-needed all-weather facilities”.

Tickets for this event cost €20. There is also advertising space in the event’s programme for those who would like to support the club.

For further information, contact 083 411 1721, email info@castleknockceltic.com, or visit www. castleknockceltic.com.

Getting the LEO-down: Move to support business A NUMBER of prestigious guests called to Fingal County

Hall in Swords recently, to help showcase local enterprise offices (LEOs), and announce details of 31 LEOs’ delivering of improved supports for micro and small enterprises.

It is hoped that with the support of the LEO system, more businesses, and ultimately more jobs, will be facilitated

across the country.

Ciara Sutton, from Fingal County Council, was joined by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan; the Minister of State for Small Business, John Perry and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Richard Bruton.

30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK Gazette 5

plan 32-classroom project is left out

The new building at St Mochta’s National School was promised in 2006

Principal not happy with building delay  laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com

The principal at St M o c h t a ’s N a t i o n a l School has expressed her disappointment in the delay to the delivery of in a promised new school building, saying that the hold-up is highly unsatisfactory.

Speaking to The Gazette this week following a public meeting at the school, principal Maria Farrell said there is disappointment within the school that the new 32-classroom building, which was promised to them in 2006, was not included in the Department of Education’s five-year school building plan.

The school’s board of management must now complete the tendering process and submit a planning application before the new building can be considered for funding.

“The school was approached in 2006 to go to a four-stream [system,

ie four of every class], and the conditions from the Department of Education [included] that we would be fast tracked through the building programme,” the principal said.

“In September, we will be up to 32 classrooms, with 900 children on a site that was originally designed for half that number.”

Farrell says that the Department of Education have been advised of the issues that the school are encountering.

“The board of management outlined concerns to the department regarding safety in the school, security, finance, planning compliance.

But until we are ‘shovel ready’ we won’t be considered for any additional funding.

“The department asked us to go full stream and we have done that – it was on a promise. We have compromised our site, we have so many issues and we now have children in temporary accommodation – it is a

most unsatisfactory situation,” said Farrell.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said this project is at an “early stage of architectural planning”, and budget demands arising from the need to prioritise additional school accommodation for increasing demographic requirements meant this project could not be included in

the five-year construction programme.

T he spokesperson added that previously initiated projects not included in the construction programme, including St Mochta’s, will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of further funds being made available in the future.

6 CASTLeKNOCK Gazette 30 May 2013

Connolly Work on MRI suite under way Work on extending the x-ray department for a new MRI examination suite at Connolly Hospital is underway.

The €2 million MRI scanner has moved closer to opening with work starting on a new extension at the Dublin West hospital.

It is expected to have the scanning service up and running later this year when the new extension is completed and the scanner is installed.

Welcoming the start of work for the new facility, Minister Leo Varadkar (FG) said: “The provision of an MRI scanner is a vote of confidence in Connolly’s future and also highlights the Government’s ongoing support for the hospital.”

event Mount Sackville a big part of charity run

€3.5k cheque presented to Pieta House  laura webb lwebb@gazettegroup.com

Mount Sackville students have presented a cheque for over €3,500 to Pieta House after hundreds of the students took part in the Darkness into Light event recently.

On May 23, Patricia Maloney received the cheque on behalf of Pieta House, the suicide and self-harm crisis centre founded by psychologist Joan Freeman.

The thousands of euro raised by the 250 students

who took part in the 5km route in the Phoenix Park was made possible through sponsorship by their peers, parents and neighbours.

The students took part in the event, which saw thousands of people walking or running in the park at the break of dawn.

The annual Darkness Into Light fundraising event got under way at 4am on May 11.

An estimated 30,000 people turned out for dawn walks at 20 locations around the coun-

try. There were twice as many participants as last year, with supporters walking and running the 5km route.

In addition to the students, a large number of teachers were also in attendance at Darkness Into Light, and many of them availed of a healthy breakfast set up by the schools parents’ association afterwards.

During the cheque presentation ceremony, principal Eileen Higgins, praised the students who donned yellow t-shirts for

Eileen Higgins, principal of Mount Sackville, with Carol Kearney and Margaret Boylan of the school staff along with participating students present Patricia Maloney (centre) with the cheque

the occasion, reflecting on the words of Blessed Anne Marie Javouhey, founder of the Cluny Order, to “do a little good every day”.

Principal Higgins commented: “As a school community, we were delighted to support the Pieta House event, Darkness into Light.

“Our staff, parents and students who walked and ran experienced the event

as a symbol of hope and a celebration of life.

“I am very proud of our involvement with this initiative and particularly of how the whole school community came together to participate. Darkness into Light reminded us all of the importance of taking care of each other and ourselves,” she added.

Patricia Maloney of

Pieta House was said to be delighted with both the generous donation and warm reception at the school.

Meanwhile, principal Higgins wished all her students the best of luck as they prepare for their examinations. “All the months of study and preparation have come to an end. I wish them every success.”

R1

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK Gazette 7

8 CASTLeKNOCK Gazette 30 May 2013

gazetteGALLERIES

President Michael D Higgins with representatives from Coolmine Community School. Pictures: Ronan O’Sullivan

Pupils perform for First Citizen S

TAFF and students of Coolmine Community School recently welcomed President Michael D Higgins to their school.

The visit became one of the school’s most memorable events in its 40-year history.

Last October, the school got confirmation that the President of Ireland would visit.

The school extended their warm welcome to the President by showing him their various projects, clubs and societies, as well as some musical performances.

President Michael D Higgins and student Cian Gibney

Students were totally engrossed in the days events

Anthony Quinn

30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK Gazette 9

Have you seen yourself in the Gazette? Buy photos online from only â‚Ź6.99 at www.gazettephotos.com

Pauline Connolly

Louise Ginnane sings her heart out

Shauna Donnelly performs on stage

Student Laura King enjoying the show

10 CASTLeKNOCK Gazette 30 May 2013

gazetteGALLERY

Annie O’Shea and Suzanne Fitzpatrick

Junio Salvadore and Adriana Vergara

Have you seen yourself in the Gazette? Buy photos online from only €6.99 at www.gazettephotos.com

Junio Salvadore and

Arune and Aiste

Adriana Vergara

Keturakyte

Barry Egan and Emma English

Radio Nova blasts into summer in fine style

R

ADIO Nova kicked off the summer in rock ‘n’ roll style as they recently hosted a big party at their usual hot party venue, Cafe en

Seine, in Dublin. The Radio Nova Listener’s Party featured music from The Hot Sprockets, and the Nova DJs played out many of the best hits

throughout the night. The loyal listeners also had chances to win great prizes on the night, and they partied hard until the early hours.

Ella Goodwin, Peter Devlin and Lisa Hogan.

Pictures: Patrick O’Leary

30 May 2013 Gazette 11

theatre P14

dublinlife

Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week, as well as the latest from our schools

asdfsdaf businessP27 P16

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diary P12

books: wide range of genres to be covered

An impressive line-up for Dalkey’s fourth festival The four th annual Dalkey Book Festival is being held this year from June 14 to 16 in the charming seaside village.

David McWilliams came up with the idea to start a book festival in 2010 at a meeting of The Dalkey Business Group.

The idea was a creat i ve r e s p o n s e t o a community desire to encourage activity, both cultural and economic

in the area.

This year’s line up is a very impressive array of mainly Irish writers working in several genres from poetry and prose to journalism and history.

Interview

On June 14, in the Church of the Assumption, Pat Kenny will be inter viewing Rober t Fisk, the 30-year Middle East correspondent

for The Independent.

There will also be a tribute to the late Maeve Binchy and Dalkey resident in the form of a talk in the town hall on June 14 and as a photographic display in the library.

Other writers due to appear include Edna O’Brien, Anne Enright, Frank McGuinness, Roddy Doyle, Declan Kiberd, Dawn O’Porter (Chris O’Dowd’s wife),

Robert Fisk, Eoin Colfer, Pauline McLynn, Tim Pat Coogan, Eamon Morrissey and a host of others.

Talks, readings and dramatisations of books will be held in venues all over Dalkey and tickets for each show cost from €10 to €15.

Book by phoning 086 054 2531 or the festival box office will be open from June 10 at 20 Railway Road in Dalkey.

David McWilliams came up with the idea to start a book festival in 2010

Gazette

12 Gazette 30 May 2013

dublinlife

diary

A berry lovely look for the lady in red Rosanna Davison took fashion to a very natural level when she donned a dress decorated with real cranberries for the launch of the show gardens at this year’s Bloom festival in the Phoenix Park.

The dress was designed by Trish Kelly from the Grafton Academy of Dress Design and took over 20 hours to create.

The former Miss World’s new look is inspired by a show garden themed - A Cranberry Gathering, Inspired

by Ocean Spray - by award-winning gardening duo Alan Rudden and David Ryan from Gardens Now, based in Castleknock.

This show garden, which features at Bloom, will have 25 tonnes of soil shifted to create a sunken courtyard, house two outdoor living spaces, an elevated hideaway and a 4m high wall with cantilever steps.

The garden will feature 750 plants, eight specimen trees, and 2,000 litres of water.

Alan and David are hoping that a gold medal is in sight at this year’s Bloom.

Bloom opens on Thursday, May 30 for five days, see w w w. bloominthepark.ie for further info.

a great time to visit mill theatre A timely stage version of F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is to be performed at Mill Theatre Dundrum this June.

This is an Irish pre-

miere and was adapted from the popular American novel by Simon Levy.

T h e s t o r y, s e t i n the Jazz Age, revolves around Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire and his lavish life.

Film and theatre company, CAS Productions is currently touring the show around the country.

In April of this year, the company appeared at Mill Theatre with the award winning Dealer’s Choice, a comedy by Patrick Marber.

T he Great Gatsby runs in Mill Theatre on June 6 and 7 and tickets, costing €17 and €15 can be booked by contacting the theatre’s box office on 01 296 9340.

Rosanna Davison is pictured with award-winning gardening duo David Ryan and Alan Rudden at the launch of their garden

30 May 2013 Gazette 13

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dublinlife

theatre: x-Factor star takes the stage

All Marcus needs is just a little Hairspray

 paul hosford

As the happy hairdresser turned singer on the X-Factor, Marcus Collins won over the viewing public, finishing second to Little Mix. Now, he is attempting to win over the public again, this time singing about Hairspray when he

takes on the role of Seaweed Stubbs on the tour of the acclaimed musical, which lands in Dublin on July 16 at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre.

The leap from singing to musical theatre is a comfortable one for Marcus, though he says it comes with its own challenges.

“I tried musical theatre when I was younger, so to get a chance to audition and do something like this is amazing. I’m really enjoying it, but it’s a different type of performance and a challenge.”

Despite a gruelling schedule of promotion, and the fact that he is headed for the airport,

Marcus is infectiously upbeat and says that, coupled with his past experiences, Hairspray made an attractive prospect.

“I was a hairdresser and [the idea of being in Hairspray] hit me straight away. It’s a fantastic musical, with a brilliant score and a brilliant message. It fits in the pocket of everything I wanted to do.”

Te a m i n g u p w i t h renowned English character actor Mark Benton, who stars as larger than life Edna Turnblad and ex-Eastender Lucy Benjamin, who appears as scheming TV executive Velma Von Tussle, Marcus says that he hasn’t been intimidated by his

Hairdresser and X-Factor star Marcus Collins takes on the role of Seaweed Stubbs in the musical Hairspray which lands in Dublin on July 16

co-stars.

“They’ve been great to work with and I’m loving everyone. Everyone is getting on quite well, which is great.

“Lucy has her two young daughters with her and we’re all helping out babysitting whenever she needs it.”

As a graduate of Simon

Cowell’s talent show, Marcus says that he still watches the show that saw him finish runnerup to all-conquering girl group Little Mix. “It’s weird to watch it.

It feels like it was yesterday but at the same time, it feels like it was ages ago.

“I relive it when I watch it, so I try to just watch the performances and see how different people interpret their talents.”

Coming out of the X-Factor did not guarantee a career and Marcus has had to work to shake off some of the preconceptions about him.

“Some people think on X-Factor you just sit on your arse and do two minutes on a Saturday night. But you actually do more than most pop artists that are on record labels.”

With a salon opening in Liverpool, TV work and a new single due at the end of the year, Collins is proving that his work ethic can’t be questioned.

Hairspray is at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre from July 16 to August 3. See http://www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

30 May 2013 Gazette 15

Gazette

features

Child charity donations secure despite scam Charity donors are being reassured that online donations at Jack and Jill are secure and are much-needed after revealing a credit card scam involving €130k in fake donations.

The chief executive and founder of children’s foundation Jack & Jill, Jonathan Irwin, issued a statement last week reassuring people that their online donations are safe despite a recent charity scam being uncovered.

In the last month and a half the charity has received and refunded over €130,000 via credit card donations which have been scammed from private credit cards, ranging from 2 cents to €3,000.

According to Jonathan,

the majority of donations were under €5.

Jack and Jill is an Irish children’s charity that provides and funds home nursing care support to 300 families with children with severe developmental delay as a result of brain damage.

In his statement he said the criminals use Jack and Jill and other charity websites “to test and verify that the details are still active on the card they have stolen so that they can use it for further, bigger fraudulent transactions or sell it on to other criminals”.

Adding: “They were made from skimmed cards linked to financial institutions in countries such as Luxembourg, Venezuela, South Kore-

an, Puerto Rico, Italy and Ireland.

“We felt it our duty to go public on this, so that we can alert other charities and remind the public to check their statements for these small ‘tester’ amounts which are a sad reality of credit card skimming.

“I also want to reassure our supporters who kindly make regular donations online that our website is safe and secure and that our vigilant online team monitors transactions daily.

“We’ve alerted the authorities about this, as well as providing rebates on more than 1,000 fraudulent payments, marking each piece of correspondence with the words ‘fraud alert’. This

has taken a huge amount of time in administration, which has been the real cost to Jack and Jill.

“Through good monitoring and prompt action we uncovered this scam. We never factored

these payments into our budget. These were fake donations that were never meant for us, but part of a skimming racket. However, it is sad to think about all the home nursing hours, over 8,000 in fact,

that €130,000 would fund for sick children in every community in Ireland.

It’s tough for every charity out there, and a credit card scam like this is cruel and very time consuming “I want to thank our

supporters who donate money by post, by text and online and to reassure them that Jack and Jill has a highly secure online and monitoring system, something we regularly review and update.”

Gazette

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dublinlife

business

Clear that credit card debt!

Q&A Family firm is happy to drive local investment Michael Barrable, michael Barrable motors

A WHOPPING €965.80 is the average amount spent at Christmas in 2012 by every adult living in Ireland.

That figure was compiled by Deloitte’s last December in their 15th annual Christmas survey.

We are also still tops in Europe for spending, with nearly €500 spent on presents, more than €288.30 spent on food, and the balance of €177.90 spent on socialising. So, now that your credit card is feeling particularly vulnerable – 50% of cardholders only pay the minimum balance, and for those who do just pay the minimum balance, it will take up to 20 years to clear the entire debt – is there anything that can be done to gain financial independence in 2013?

Here are a few practical and easy-to-implement tips.

A PRIVATE, family-run business, Michael Barrable Motors was incorporated in 1987, trading from rented premises on the old airport road. The intervening years saw massive investment by the company, including developing a 1.75 acre site at Airside Motor Park, represening an IR£5m investment.

Currently steering a Kia franchise since 2005, and well-known for its Fiat dealings, the company is also a Seat dealer, while many customers have also dealt with the company regarding Hyundai and Alfa Romeo brands.

Michael is joined by Linda, Peter and Robert for the day-to-day running of the business at the north County Dublin motor park.

How long have you been in business?

Since 1987, 26 years.

What makes your business successful?

Good customer service, good staff, dedication and determination.

Good product.

What do you offer your clients that differs from your competitors?

Better customer service and better understanding of their needs.

How has the recession impacted your business?

Dramatically, it

has rescued it by approximately 70%.

What is your ambition for the business?

What law or regulation would you change overnight to help your business?

To survive and be successful and to be a prominent motor dealer in north County Dublin and to provide security for all my family for the future.

Reduce VAT. What have you changed about your business to combat the effects of the recession?

Restructured our staff levels, focused on better customer service and needs.

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

Live below your means.

How do you use social media (Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin, etc) to help your business?

Constant update of sites and promotions eg sales/service.

What is your favourite thing about doing business in your local area?

To be part of the community and provide employment.

What living person do you most admire?

My wife.

What is your favourite Dublin restaurant?

All restaurants in Swords.

Who would your three dream dinner guests be and why?

Sebastian Loeb, nine times World Rally Champion, Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear and Valentino Rossi would make for a very good conversation.

Step one: Switch your credit card balance to a more competitive rate The AIB online Click card is the most competitive right now, at 9.14% APR (now only available to AIB Bank’s existing online customers). While this rate is not one of those pesky introductory offers, there are nevertheless 73 terms and conditions attached to the card – including the whopping 24% rate when you take out cash on the card! Caveat emptor.

Step two: Bring your lunch to work It costs €2 to make a sandwich in the morning, whereas it costs on average €6 to buy it in the local deli – add in a packet of crisps for good measure. Over the course of 2013, you will save yourself more than €900!

Step three: Buy generic food brands There are big savings on tea, coffee and cereal in particular. When shopping, always compare unit price, as

opposed to pack price. If you can save 10 cent on a nappy and you change it six to eight times per day, that’s a saving of almost €300 in 2013.

Step four: Shop Online About 50% of shoppers shop three to four times per week – according to research conducted by the Marketing Science Institute. Shoppers making a “quick trip” to the supermarket end up buying more than 50% more than they anticipated. If this translates to €10 each time, that’s an extra €2,080 per year. Shop once a week, and it’s €520 versus €2,080 per year. That is a saving of €1,560 per year.

Step five: Rethink internet/TV/phone providers There are many good deals out there and the telecoms industry is so competitive there’s always a deal to pick up. The status quo is not your friend here. Consider downgrading your TVpackage also if you are not making the most of it. Sky’s basic package will cost you €246 per year as opposed to their advanced package of €852, saving you €606. Check out ComReg’s site www. callcosts.i – and there are five more tips to come!  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

resource : one-stop-shop to benefit industry

Website a major boost for research and development  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

A brand new website which is being hailed as a one-stop-shop benefiting both employers, employees and jobseekers in the research and development (R&D) industry has been launched by Minister for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock this week.

The new facility is being funded by the government to allow easier access for business owners to a bank of opportunities in R&D as well as jobseekers.

The new website, called euraxess.ie will provide a number of services for

those in the industry including advertising vacancies, searching an online database of researchers’ CVs, access to research visa systems and funding opportunities.

The point of the website is to allow businesses to search for all national and European funding supports for their business and research activities as they crop up.

This, it is claimed by the Department of Research and Innovation, will address a common industry concern: difficulty in accessing such information.

Minister Sherlock

said: “This great new resource will give a boost to research and development and clearly demonstrates that when it comes to innovation, Ireland is open for business.

“Businesses have specifically asked for a onestop shop for these queries and that is exactly what this new portal does. ” The new portal was developed by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) Euraxess office, which is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the European Commission.

It is the first of its kind in the wider European Euraxess network.

Maire GeogheganQuinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, said of the new service: “This new industry user interface will make Euraxess Ireland more attractive to industry.

“We will be exploring the possibility of rolling this out to other countries so that business users across Europe will have a tailored interface including both job and funding opportunities.”

To find out more about the site or to register, go to www.euraxess.ie

30 May 2013 Gazette 17

cinema P20

asdfsdaf P27 TRAVEl P24

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

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Gazette

MUSIC P18

Pets can you give dessie a new home?

TV chef and food writer Catherine Fulvio will be attending Taste of Dublin once again this year

interview: Catherine Fulvio on her love of food and the Taste of Dublin

Irish food with Italian twist  natalie burke

“We have fantastic ingredients here in Ireland. Mix that with an Italian twist and you’ve got a marriage made in heaven,” TV chef and food writer Catherine Fulvio recently explained to The Gazette, but it’s not her own love life with Italian husband that the culinary star is referring to. Instead, it’s her love of food and her anticipation of the upcoming Taste of Dublin event set to be held next month.

While Catherine is busy appearing on TV around the world, being the proprietor of Ballyknocken House and Cookery School in Co Wicklow, and working on her fourth book, the famous Irish chef still had time to catch up with The

Gazette to tell us about the upcoming Taste of Dublin festival and her future plans in the kitchen.

“I’ve been doing stuff for Taste of Dublin now for a good few years, but this time around, it will be in a different capacity,” she said.

“I was invited over to the BBC Good Food show in Birmingham last autumn to talk about sustainability in the food industry and lack of waste. They wanted to bring their message to Ireland and bring it to Taste and they did. I am their Ambassador for Taste and for Ireland.”

Avoiding food wastage is an important message that Taste of Dublin is trying to send, according to Catherine, who says people are becoming more aware of healthy eating and are looking

to cook simple, inexpensive meals.

“People are much more interested in practical cooking at home. At the height of the Celtic Tiger, everybody wanted to learn how to make sushi. Realistically, who is going to make sushi every night of the week?” she said.

Cook simple

“Our biggest selling classes here [at Ballyknocken Cookery School] are practical ones. There’s an awful lot you can do to cook simple, inexpensive meals and it’s very simple to cook inexpensively once you have the skills.”

Catherine is famed for her modern Irish cooking and that celebrity status has seen her appear on NBC’s Today Show in America and most recently

become a member of the BBC Saturday Kitchen family.

She will be attending Taste of Dublin once again this year, and encouraging people to attend. “I’ve met people coming from Donegal, Cork, Galway and all over Ireland. It’s such a cosmopolitan mix of food, it’s just a melting pot of all these wonderful flavours. There’s a great party atmosphere as well with music playing and the live cookery demonstrations,” she said.

The highly-anticipated Taste of Dublin 2013 event, sponsored by Electrolux, is a summer food and drinks festival taking place from Thursday 13 - Sunday 16 June in the Iveagh Gardens, Dublin.

Tickets are on sale now at www.tasteofdublin.ie or call 0818 30 00 30.

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is darling Dessie, an 11-year-old female German Shepherd. This beautiful lady sure looks amazing despite her years and is young at heart to boot!

Dessie can get a little worried sometimes so is best suited to a home with big kids 16+ and small dogs who she will happily make friends with. Her ideal owner would be active, enjoy walks and playing fetch the ball (Dessie’s favourite game!).

She is already muzzle trained and all the carers in Dogs Trust firmly believe that this lady is going to make a fantastic pet for the right owner.

If you think that might just be you, please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000.

They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50.

Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustireland or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

Gazette

18 Gazette 30 May 2013

OUT&ABOUT

MUSIC

FASTtunes

The Rocky road to hip-hop heaven Ireland’s hip-hop fans were blessed last weekend when the Heineken Live Project was able to secure A$AP Rocky to play at the Academy.

The Harlem-born Rakim Mayers has been on the tip of the tongues of talent tasters since he released his first mixtape in 2011.

Appearances with Kendrick Lamar on Drake’s 2012 tour added to the justified hype and the release of his debut album, Long.Live.A$AP earlier this year has taken his career into another stratosphere, it’s clever combination of beats and influences from beyond the strict confines of hip-hop (the album features appearances from the likes of Skrillex, Santigold and Florence Welch) leading to a hypnotic and addictive blend for a new age of rap.

The venue was literally rocking by the time Rocky and his crew took to the stage, and over the course of an hour that saw the band stagediving, the crowd bodymoving and sweat dripping off the roof, A$AP secured a place in Dublin hip-hop hearts – it’s not every show where you hear the main act freestyling over the Ole, Ole, Ole chant.

A mutual respect between crowd and crew was established early, and it was clear that A$AP was delighted and surprised by the power of the reception he received – but when you have tracks as strong as Wild For The Night, Peso and Goldie in your arsenal, that reception is going to be intense and unbridled.

This is easily the smallest venue that you will see Rocky in over the coming years, as his star will continue to ascend with performances as strong as these, slick rhymes and savvy collaborations with the great and good of a number of diverse genres, all adding up to the most exciting new act in hip hop this generation has seen. Long.Live.A$AP indeed.

A$AP Rocky on stage at the Academy last week

Kasabian - Ian Matthews, Tom Meighan, Sergio Pizzorno and Chris Edwards - are headlining this year’s Forbidden Fruit. Picture: Dean Chalkey

interview: kasabIAn frontman tom Meighan talks to GM

Music for the masses

Forbidden Fruit is barely days away, and the range of bands point towards a great weekend of live music.

But what every festival needs is an epic band to unite and rock the crowd from the front to the back and, in Kasabian, the organisers have certainly hit that mark by booking the Leicester groove rockers to close out Saturday night.

Their blend of indie power pop has put them firmly on every festival’s wishlist since 2004, their swagger allowing them to take the throne that Oasis had tenuously clung to since Morning Glory, particularly on their last two albums, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum and 2011’s Velociraptor.

But the live arena is where Kasabian come

 ROB heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com

to vivid life, and talking to Gazette Music last week, lead singer Tom Meighan was thrilled at the prospect of returning to the stage, despite having meant to have been on hiatus.

“We are only doing so many gigs this year, as we are meant to be taking time out.

“But we got the offer of these gigs, and they are too good to pass up, as we want to stay oiled. We don’t want to stay away forever. Some bands take a two or three year break, and I don’t like that idea.

Even a year out frightens me a little bit, but we got the offer, and we took it.”

Tom said that he sees the shows as a process of charging the band’s batteries ahead of a return to the studio.

“T hat’s the whole point of doing these gigs.

It’s keeping people interested, and we have a new guitarist in the band now, and the future is looking good.”

Guitarist Jay Maher departed from the good ship Kasabian for a spot with Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye, something that Tom sees as a positive and understandable thing.

“Jay just loves playing his guitar and being on the road, and we only have eight shows this year. He wants to be out there, and Liam asked

him to join, and we were totally supportive of that.

He’s one of our brothers and he’s gone to a great band. We know all that lot, and it’s cool. Two months off is too much for him, and I’m kind of the same.”

The process of coming up with new music is something that is never far away from the band’s minds, according to Tom. “Serge always has ideas, and he’s always writing. He never stops getting ideas, which is great, and he has a studio at his house, so we can always work on new music and record on our terms.

“He just shows us on guitar these new ideas, or gives us a CD, and that’s how we work.

“With new songs,

we are always trying to change our ideas and not do what we did before.

I’ve heard the songs, but I can’t really describe how they sound. It’s too early to say at the moment, and I don’t want to give anything away.

“We are going to be recording a new album this year, this summer for sure, and going to have something ready to come out next year, we’ll be on fire again.”

And coming back to Ireland to play is always a joy for the band.

“I like the passion and the people, I love the way that the crowds react.

The crowds in Ireland are the best in the world, that’s just the way they are.”

For more information, log on to forbiddenfruit. ie

30 May 2013 GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

STYLE I am going on holidays next month and always seem to get my airport clothing wrong – wear it too tight or too heavy – what would you recommend wearing for travelling? - Anne, Castleknock Tanya’s Advice: Whenever I am travelling I try to accomplish two things, layer so that I can disrobe when I reach my sunny destination, and wear things that are holiday essentials and can be styled a few different ways when on holiday to get maximum use out of them. This printed top from Love Label is the perfect travel top.

Not only is it pretty with any pair of neutral trousers or jeans, but you can dress it up or down on your holidays by wearing with city shorts or tuck it into a skirt for a more evening look.

When travelling, team with these gorgeous blue Crop trousers. These will look good with both sandals and heels. Most importantly, carry an extremely large tote bag like this one from Layla, so that you can throw your magazines and your kitchen sink into it.

 STAR QUESTION - I’ve become a recent convert to cycling, but I would love some advice on what I should wear while on my bike. I’m not too keen on the idea of bright fluorescent colours or unflattering lycra gear. I’d like to know what clothing would be practical and functional.

- Michael Breen, Goatstown

I have a coral maxi dress to wear to a wedding in July which is going to be a pretty relaxed kind of wedding. I can’t wear high shoes, as it just is long enough and could look silly with wedges, so what type of sandals would you suggest? - Aine, Dublin Tanya’s Advice: A coral maxi dress sounds beautiful, but I know that coral can be a tricky colour to accessorise, as it is not quite pink but not quite nude, so the best colour to stick to when styling coral is gold. Opt for a sandal that is quite minimal in its design, that has thin straps but with some form of gold. I have picked two pairs of sandals that I think would

look the best. The miss KG version has no straps in the front, only ornate gold beading, and I love the little dash of animal print on the back strap for extra glamour. The South pair are even more ideal. Not only are they coral in colour, but they have gorgeous gold-beaded detailing down the front and they are only €31.

You can’t get better than this!

Style

Gazette Style and Littlewoods Ireland have teamed up to help readers with some style dilemmas

Star Question!

Q&A

For the past four months Gazette Style and Littlewoods Ireland have teamed up to help readers with some very interesting style dilemmas. This, sadly, is our last feature for this Style Q&A. Gazette Style would like all thank our readers for taking an interest in this, and for Littlewoods Ireland Ambassador Caroline Morahan and resident stylist Tanya Grimson for offering their expertise to our readers with their top tips and recommendations.

Tanya’s Advice: You can always wear loose gym shorts and a t-shirt, but if you are cycling lengthy distances you will probably need a t-shirt with some sort of sweat control such as this top from Under Armour – depending on how serious you are taking your new activity? I have also chosen two items that are vital to cycling and more importantly to Irish weather. Altura has produced a range of rain and wind proof over-clothing, ie they can be worn over anything to keep you protected. This gorgeous jacket from the Altura range, is not only rain and wind proof, but has illuminating designs to reflect light in the winter months. They come in a range of lovely colours such as reds and blues.

But if colour isn’t your thing, they also come in black. Add the Night Visions trousers and roll them up in your back pack for when they are needed.

Gazette

20 Gazette 30 May 2013

OUT&ABOUT

Theatre THE pavilioN THEATRE 01 231 2929 Audrey Niffenegger in Conversation with Mia Gallagher

THE Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger’s talismanic first novel, sold more than two million copies and became the quintessential book club choice.

Niffenegger, one of the world’s most audacious and inventive storytellers, will be in conversation with journalist Mia Gallagher on May 31, tickets €10/€8.

Draiocht 01 885 2622 Death of the Tradesmen

DEATH of the Tradesmen is a new play about an army of men and the live register. Death of the Tradesmen was developed as part of the TITLE Residency at Solstice and the Cork Midsummer Festival. Made with Rough Magic Production Support and kindly supported by the Arts Council. June 7 and 8, tickets €18/€14.

Mill THEATRE Dundrum 01 296 9340 The Great Gatsby

This is a classic fable – of America, of the breathtaking glamour and decadent excess of the Jazz Age, of enchantment and illusions, of a world where love and dreams are pursued and betrayed. Jay Gatsby, a selfmade millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan. June 6 and 7 tickets €17/€15.

CINEMA

review: Ride or die ... again

Live fast, have fun, make sequels THERE was a time, somewhere near the start of this millennium, where it seemed that Vin Diesel would be the biggest movie star on the planet.

It was a crazy time.

Foot and mouth disease was on everyone’s mind and Windows XP was on the horizon.

Diesel scored back-toback-to-back hits with Pitch Black, xXx and the original The Fast and The Furious and his card seemed marked. He was the new millennium’s action hero.

His appearances in a Spielberg film (Saving Private Ryan) and a real drama (Boiler Room) gave him a cachet with serious film fans.

Since then, however, it just hasn’t happened for Diesel. The follow-up to Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, was a commercial and critical bomb, his attempt to return to drama, Find Me Guilty, was underseen and under-rated.

Only when he returned to the franchise he had launched, was his career reignited.

Having mostly sat out two sequels (he makes an uncredited cameo in Tokyo Drift), Diesel reteamed with Paul Walker for the imaginatively

 Paul hosford

Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson get ready to rumble

titled Fast & Furious.

That was unexpectedly decent and led to 2011’s formula-busting Fast 5.

Heading to Brazil and adding Dway ne “The Rock” Johnson, the whole franchise was reborn, seemingly knowingly becoming bigger, brasher and sillier.

With Fast & Furious 6, the gang have retired after their South American heist exploits and are dotted around the world living luxurious lifestyles on their ill-gotten gains.

The only one still at the coalface is The Rock’s Agent Hobbs.

He is still a DSS agent, but he is now joined by UFC fighter Gina Carano.

Together, the tough guy/girl combo must catch Owen Shaw, a scenery chewing English baddie who has a crew which is described as being the “evil twins” of Diesel’s crew.

So, of course, they use due process and a lengthy surveillance operation to piece together a case that

Film of the Week: Fast & Furious 6 h h h (12A) 130 mins Director: Justin Lin Starring: Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Paul Walker, Jordanna Brewster, Luke Evans, Gina Carano, Ludacris, Michelle Rodriguez

OUR VERDICT:

It is bad, speaking from an objective place. Overblown story, repetitive action and clunky dialogue abound. But, and more importantly, it’s also fairly entertaining, has The Rock and features some of the best bad one-liners you’ll hear all year. The post-credit scene, which is already more known than the movie, is an absolute belter.

will stand up in court.

Of course they don’t!

Instead, they go around the world recruiting a bunch of internationally wanted criminals who can drive cars really fast and, um, furiously – because the US government just doesn’t have the manpower to take down criminals.

Anyway, ludicrous set up aside, the gang gets back together, on the promise of complete exoneration.

And, for Diesel’s Dom Torreto, the fact that his once-dead ex-girlfriend is now being held captive by Shaw, thanks to a handy dose of amnesia (seriously).

As the action shifts to

the streets of Europe, the confined nature of the London streets does little for the racing action and the constant darkness pervades the whole film.

Fortunately, the gang

is soon transported to a sunny Spanish highway, where a tank, muscle cars and speed abound.

It is here that the film hits the highest notes, revelling in what made Fast 5 so enjoyable.

The problem is that Shaw, revealed to be a Moriarty like presence in the gang’s lives, is just not a good bad guy.

Luke Evans tries manfully, but the material is too weak and the reversion of Johnson and Diesel to friends removes an air of friction that the film sorely needs.

R1

30 May 2013 Gazette 21

GAZETTE

22 GAZETTE 30 May 2013

OUT&ABOUT

GAMING

BYTES&PIECES

FLICKR USERS GREET SITE’S MAKEOVER ... ... with (virtual) axes and torches, and (real) anger

EVEN in a busy couple of weeks for technology, several stories leap out – which, alas, I don’t have room to recount, here. However, flickr – the photography storage/sharing website, owned by Yahoo – certainly made quite an impact following its surprise makeover recently.

Touted by Yahoo as a step forward that takes into account modern design aesthetics and user expectations, flickr’s old and sensible (but slightly dull) layout and functionality have been sent packing, with a complete overhaul seeing flickr now practically bashing saucepans on the screen, almost yelling for attention with giant photos that, you might expect, would be just what photography lovers would be looking for.

Ah, not so, as within a day of the sudden radical overhaul rolling out, irate flickr users were up in arms, with many thousands of user complaints – many of them bitter and vehemently opposed to the new look and workings – flooding flickr’s own discussion thread set up to focus on the new look, as furious posters sniped at a wide-ranging litany of complaints, vowing to vote with their feet (and wallets) and hitch their wagons for other photography sites instead.

Why does this matter? In short, while pretty much every major website sees howls of protest from some users following any change, I’ve never seen such a firestorm of unbridled user revolt and anger ignite around such a major site, with many of the user comments I read pointing out the same perceived flaws and complaints.

Of course, such changes often get adjusted afterwards, following user feedback, and it’ll be interesting to see how Yahoo addresses the flickr row. At least the tech giant won’t have far to look – at the point of writing, there are 16,253 user comments on the new look to take note of ...

FORWARDS, NOT BACKWARDS!

Microsoft bigwig disses gamers’ hoped-for feature ONE Xbox One feature that has rankled with gamers is its lack of backwards compatability, meaning that all of the hugely popular current 360 games aren’t playable on it.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal (with his comments then echoing around the internet like a crack of gaming thunder), Don Mattrick, president of the company’s interactive entertainment business division, said: “If you’re backwards compatible, you’re really backwards.”

Ouch. I’d better not repeat my friends’ opinion on this, and say, instead, that it’s unfortunate this feature isn’t there.

TECHNOLOGY SECTOR TAXES EXAMINED

Growing political anger at companies’ arrangements AS MUCH as I like my Christmas omnibus edition of Eastenders, even I’ve been hard-pressed to keep up with the unfolding drama regarding international tech firms as their – entirely legal and law-abiding – tax arrangements have come under the media and political spotlight in a number of places.

Specifically, at the time of writing, a US Senate committee has echoed a British parliamentary public accounts committee (led by Margaret Hodge, who has greeted the heads of various megacorporations with the verbal equivalents of a red hot poker, when it comes to questioning their entirely legal business methods) in questioning how tech firms arrange and organise their tax systems, and – Ah, like Eastenders, I’ve run out of time, and I’ll have to end on a to-be-continued cliffhanger. Doosh, doosh, doosh ...

Here it is – the Xbox One: powerful unit, a remodelled controller and souped-up Kinect peripheral – a far cry from the chunkier original Xbox (right)

GAMING: MICROSOFT FINALLY UNVEILS ITS NEXT CONSOLE

One to watch out for

AT LAST, Microsoft has thrown its hat in the nextgen ring with the unveiling of the slightly oddlynamed Xbox One – the follow-up to the hugely successful XBox 360 console and, clearly, something that the company very much sees as a home entertainment hub, in addition to being a pretty powerful games console.

It’s a position that it was certainly pushing for with the 360, but the One appears to be a much more aggressive push into

 SHANE DILLON sdillon@gazettegroup.com

the home-entertainment sector, and could indeed be well positioned as an all-in-one entertainment solution.

As a quick overview, suffice it to say that, as with the equally impressive PlayStation 4, the

One has plenty of oomph under the bonnet (and, inevitably, both consoles outperform each other in different ways, techwise, making their choice a case of oranges or apples).

Rather than dig down into the One’s technical specs – most of which would fly like a frisbee over the heads of many readers – there are a number of points that caught my eye, and many others.

For starters, there’s now a significant Cloud ele-

NUTSANDBOLTS A FEW INITIAL QUERIES ABOUT THE XBOX ONE State-of-the-art tech that looks ... slightly familiar ...

DESPITE all the great tech and functionality that the Xbox One showcases – its HDMI cable in/out functionality, Blu-Ray player, Skype function, 8GB memory and 500GB storage, and so on – gamers were quick off the draw to ask ... well, what about the games? One criticism of the One’s reveal for many gamers was that the console’s games side felt downplayed at the launch. Other issues to be made clearer involve the Kinect peripheral, how second-hand games can be exchanged/played, and the issue of Cloud data storage and retrieval. Finally, more than one gaming wag has already pointed out that the One has a slightly similar visual “footprint” to clunky old video players!

ment involved in the tech – whereby data is stored or retrieved externally, as required, rather than necessarily being stored locally, on the unit itself.

The Kinect camera peripheral has been beefed up considerably, with its use expanded to integrate better into the whole home entertainment hub sector that, logically, Microsoft is pushing towards.

Slightly controversially, Kinect must always be attached for the One to work, which won’t please many old-skool gamers who didn’t warm to the Kinect first time round.

Alas, it’s been made clear that 360 games won’t be compatible with the One, due to their different innards, so hardcore gamers will probably dash out to buy a cheap, but new, 360 “legacy” console to hoard and play

their 360 games on long into the future (while noting that, on the other hand, any movies, music etc can transfer over).

Of course, there’re the games, too, to consider, with a number of wellknown franchises and a wealth of publishers and developers working away on launchday titles, with platform exclusives to set alongside a number of multiplatform big hitters.

At this stage, that’s more or less it, as there’s no specific release date other than that it’s due out later this year, or pricing (which is likely to see weak sales in Ireland, given the recession).

Still, following on from the WiiU firing the opening salvo in the next-gen battle, it’s good to see the Xbox One has been unveiled at last, bringing the promise of even more great games, and technology, ever closer.

30 May 2012 CASTLEKNOCK gazette 23

24 CASTLEKNOCK gazette 30 May 2013

Gazette

&ABOUT OUT fast

TRAVEL

TRAVEL

Take a holy enjoyable Tuscan walk  natalie burke

FOR those hoping to incorporate their love of walking with their summer holiday this year, perhaps a relaxing walking holiday under the Tuscan sun is exactly what you’re searching for and, with C a m i n oWay s . c o m , there are some unforgettable experiences to choose from.

Enjoy a relaxed walking holiday across the picture-perfect Tuscan countryside, taking time to enjoy the region’s cuisine and explore some stunning UNESCO World Heritage sites.

A seven-day holiday, starting from just €679 per person, takes you on a leisurely walk across the countryside, visiting sites and villages, and is suitable for the most novice walkers. It also covers part of Section 17 of the Via Francigena – a classic pilgrimage route.

Designed for those looking for an active s u m m e r, h o l i d ay makers can take time to discover and admire some of the most beautiful spots of Tuscany, and taste authentic Tuscan food and wine in the region’s best “osterias”.

For further information or to make a booking, see www. caminoways.com, or call 01 525 2886.

wexford: regency stylings at marlfield house

A Gorey setting provides a lovely country escape

 mimi murray

AN HOUR’S drive from Dublin in any direction will bring you into the heart of the countryside, and none prettier than the Wexford coastline and the stunning setting of Marlfield House, just outside Gorey.

It is the perfect little jaunt for an overnight stay, but it feels like you are a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Surrounded by beautiful mature trees and manicured gardens, the house was built in the Regency Period.

There is a tennis court and croquet lawn within the grounds, and you might just find yourself being woken by the loud

call of two magnificent peacocks that live on the grounds.

We stayed in the French Room, which was very spacious and was decorated in keeping with the period of the house.

Lovely French doors lead on to the gardens and, from there, a pretty man-made pond, designed by the owners – the Bowe family – who took the house over several years ago.

Fluffy bathrobes and slippers are provided, as well as some other nice extras such as complimentary mineral water, chocolates, and fruit.

This is certainly the kind of place where you might wish to get out your finery and dress for

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

‘You might just find yourself being woken by the loud call of two magnificent peacocks that live on the grounds’ --------------------------

dinner, and what better excuse? The bar, which serves some tasty predinner drinks, had a great selection of aperitifs and cocktails to choose from.

The menu is a nice size with plenty of choice, ranging from scallops to chicken liver pate, and goat’s cheese pannacotta to quail, for starters.

Main courses included rib eye steak, john dory, spring lamb or risotto.

Food is presented in a classical style, cooked simply with vegetables, herbs and fresh fruits from the house garden.

Dessert was a rhubarb mousse followed by a cheese board, with a selection of delicious Irish cheeses.

After dinner, we got into conversation with a couple of diners, most of them American, and many of them searching for their Irish roots.

They told us they were staying in some stunning period properties around the country, but Marlfield was a stand-out for them.

After a quick nightcap, we settled in for a night of

Classic style is married with comfort and elegance in the welcoming setting of Marlfield House, just a skip up the road outside Gorey

wonderful sleep.

Back to those peacocks – we have them to thank for just in time making it to breakfast the following morning. Had it not been for their unusual calls, we probably would have slept till noon, such is the comfort of Marlfield.

After a hearty break-

fast, made to order, we packed up and headed back to Dublin relaxed and revitalised, and ready to face the hustle and bustle of the city again.

For further information on Marlfield House Hotel, see www.marlfieldhouse. com, or www.irelandsblue-book.com.

30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 25

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PLANNING NOTICE

FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL Retention planning permission is sought by Southern Ireland Cuesport Federation at ‘Parkside’, Main Street, Old Navan Road, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15 for a change of use of part of the first floor area (406.5 m²) from offices (as granted under Reg. Ref. F07A/0527) to use as an exhibition and teaching academy. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the planning authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee (€20) within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of this application.

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26 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 30 May 2013

DUBLIN GAZETTERECRUITMENT DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPER HAVE 169,000 READERS EACH WEEK *based on TGI-ROI 2012

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30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK Gazette 27

awards P28

asdfsdaf gaelic games P27 P31

dublinsport Let the Gazette keep you up to date with all the best local sporting action from around the city as we cover all the stories that matter to you and your community



Gazette

athletics P29

FastSport support run for childline:

CEO of Leopardstown racecourse, Pat Keogh, is thrilled to be able to introduce the course’s improvements and reinstate the King George V Cup race after 102 years

racing: first phase of improvements coincide with running of historic race

Leopardstown getting ready for return of George V Cup To celebrate its 125th anniversary this year, Leopardstown Racecourse announces that it will undergo a major redevelopment of its existing facilities.

The first phase of the project will see Leopardstown invest €3 million in the upgrade, which will create up to 50 jobs.

The work, which began in January, is due to be completed next month in time for the British Irish Raceday on June 7, which will feature the King George V Cup as the feature race.

This will be the first time in 102 years that the cup has been competed for

when, in 1911, King George V presented it to the winning owner, Daniel Moloney, a farmer from Limerick.

Designed to offer race goers an even better racing experience, the first phase of the rejuvenation focuses on the grandstand area and a new third floor panoramic suite, with capacity to seat 150 people.

The existing grandstand was built in 1970 and, while there has been a number of improvements to this structure, this is the biggest addition in 40 years.

The aim of the first phase of the rede-

velopment of Leopardstown is to bring it up to international standards. Each year, Leopardstown hosts top quality racing that attracts the best international horses and this redevelopment will ensure that Leopardstown has the facilities to match.

Commenting on the redevelopment, chief executive of Leopardstown Racecourse Pat Keogh said: “Over the past 125 years, Leopardstown has been the backdrop to some of Ireland’s racing’s greatest racing, family and community events. It is fitting that we announce the

details of the first stage of redevelopment in Leopardstown, and open the new grandstand area and panoramic suite in time for the King George V Cup. “The new development and our investment in upgrading and creating new facilities at Leopardstown Racecourse, shows our continued commitment to offering race goers, families and the local community the ultimate experience.”

For more information on the British Irish Raceday, and on the festivities to take place, see leopardstown.com.

Runners across Dublin are being called upon to help support Childline when Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club hold a 5km midsummer run on June 16 at St Anne’s Park, Raheny, at 11am.

Athletes are called on to run, jog or walk in the park to help raise funds for the children’s support charity, and participants will be joined by former RTE newscaster Ann Doyle.

There will be medals for all finishers and chip timing will be used to help runners capture their performance.

Registration is now open through www.rahenyshamrock.ie and costs €20.

c o n ta c t s Sports Editor: Rob Heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com

For more information or to send in news and photos: sport@gazettegroup.com Phone: 01 651 6205

Gazette

28 CASTLEKNOCK Gazette 30 May 2013

SPORT

DublinGazetteNewspapers 2013 dublin sports awards may nominees

A HELTER skelter conclusion to the soccer season at adult and underage level has culminated in a string of titles for local clubs, just reward for top class efforts over the past nine months. The scale of what each has achieved varies but St Francis’ exploits to win two All-Ireland titles while remaining steadfastly a local club is to be lauded as is Swords Celtic’s return to intermediate football after over a decade at junior level. On the team side, St Pat’s Palmerstown’s hurlers have begun 2013 in flying form. On the individual front, Annalise Murphy has built on her fourth place finish at the 2012 Olympics in stunning fashion as her road to Rio ramps up. Stephen Quinn is Premiership-bound and could make his international debut while Andrew Meegan was in record-breaking form, marking a brilliant month of local sport.

H STARof the MONTH

annalise murphy

stephen quinn

andrew meegan

THE National YC sailor won gold at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in the Netherlands last weekend to make it two top place finishes in a fortnight. It followed success at the Italian Olympic Week on May 12 to show her superb form.

THE clondalkin winger, right, was in superb form in Hull City’s promotion push to the English Premier League was enough to earn him a place in the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the first time.

ALSAA’S Andrew Meegan was one of the stars of the Carlton Irish Long Course Swimming Championships this month, setting national records in both the 800m and 1500m freestyle events at the NAC.

st francis

St Pat’s Palmerstown

Swords Celtic

THE John Hyland Park club’s U-13s grabbed their second All-Ireland title of 2013 in thrilling fashion when they won the SFAI Troy Cup on penalties against St Joseph’s College, adding to the DB Tours title won in January.

THE Glenaulin club’s senior hurlers have started their season in superb fashion, qualifying for the quarter finals of the SHC with a game to spare while they lead AHL2 with four wins from four games to date.

THE SWORDS Celtic Sunday Major side produced one of the most emphatic league campaigns in the LSL to win back a place in intermediate football after a lengthy wait. They lost just once en route to the title.

TEAMof the MONTH H

Vikings claim honours at Leinster championships  sport@gazettegroup.com

Gold medallist from Viking Swim Club receives her medal in the 100m backstroke

Members of the Viking Swim Club in Palmerstown had a successful meet at the recent Leinster Division 2 gala held at the National Aquatic Centre in Blanchardstown.

In total, six swimmers from a team of 13 reached the finals of events held on the day. In turn, the finalists claimed one gold medal, four silver and two bronze medals. In addition, one of the swimmers from the club achieved the Leinster Division 1 standard.

Talking after the gala, head coach Jackie Roche said: “As a swim coach, I can’t underestimate the importance of participation in competition galas for our young swimmers. We are actively encouraging these young swimmers to achieve Division 1 standard.

“We are equally pleased to see the numbers participating, making finals and achieving personal best times. The haul of medals from this gala and the success at previous galas and in the Community Games is an indicator of the value of

the hard work and effort these young swimmers regularly put in during their training.”

Fundraiser The club are set to hold a fundraising event in Kenny’s Public House in Lucan Village on Friday, June 14.

Club chairman Paul Collins said: “The quiz night is a good opportunity for the club to generate essential additional funds which will be ploughed back into the development of the young swimmers.”

Viking Swim Club was estab-

lished in 1991, and operates in Palmerstown. Members come from the greater West Dublin and surrounding areas including Palmerstown, Lucan, Leixlip, Clane, Athy and Maynooth, as well as Phibsboro, Ballyfermot and Clondalkin.

Coaching is provided by a team of trained staff employed at the sports facility, but as volunteers in their own time.

New members are always welcome to join and can contact the club via www.vikingsc.com or on www.facebook. com/VikingSwimClub

30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK Gazette 29

Gazette

Running for a dream is possible for us all Kenyan athlete and Olympic gold medallist Wilfred Bungei, in Dublin recently to take part in Africa Athletics Week, brings his inspiring message to schools across the capital  sport@gazettegroup.com

In sport, there are many legends. but few places in the world produce as many legends as a small village in Kenya called Kabirirsang.

Located in the Nandi District of Rift Valley Province, the village has a unique place in sport, in that within a 7km radius, there are no fewer than 10 Olympic gold medallists.

One of these legends, Wilfred Bungei, winner of the 2008 800m Olympic gold in Beijing, was in Dublin last week as a guest of Africa Athletics Week, and spent time going around schools talking about his sporting career and inspiring children to pursue their dreams.

Speaking to Gazette Sport, Wilfred explained why he is motivated to bring his message to people internationally.

“The most important

thing for me is that I am the product of a teacher who inspired me at an early age and instilled in me that I had a potential in athletics. It is inspiring for me to be able to tell children that when they are told that they have a potential, in music or sport or whatever, that they should take it seriously and pursue that dream.”

Wilfred explained how the inspiration to be the best he could be in athletics came to him.

“The inspiration for me came in an unexpected way. It was on a Monday, and we had come from a weekend meeting, and on the Monday, the teacher told me, Wilfred, can you see me in the staffroom immediately after sports?

I thought maybe I was in trouble.

“Coming from the competition, I knew I was not the best, but the teacher told me, ‘You know

what? I think you have a potential in athletics, I want you to work hard on that’. Immediately, for the next four years, I always thought, why did he pick me out of everyone else in the class? But his confidence gave me the desire to pursue athletics as a sport.”

Wilfred has been hugely impressed by the reaction to his story in the schools he has visited.

“I am really overwhelmed by the way that the children respond to this message, and they realise that me and other Olympic champions, we are not supermen, we’re people just like them.

“The one thing I really admire most is that when I take time to take questions from them, they ask me when did I start, and so on, so many questions that it amazes me. These young minds, they just need motivation for them to be able to be perform

Kenyan athlete Wilfred Bungei was in Dublin last week and visited Mount Sackville school in Dublin 15

at their best. I’m here as an athlete, but I’m not talking especially about athletics alone, but about sport in general, and other curricular activities that the children are doing in school.”

Although modest about his achievements, Wilfred comes from a long tradition of excellence in mid-

And overcome he did, claiming gold in a thrilling and closely contested final in Beijing that secured his place in athletics history.

“I had one motivation - I knew it would be my last Olympics and I knew I had to give it my all. I was never as focussed for competition as I was for that race. For me, it was

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

‘It’s inspiring to me to be able to tell children to take their potential seriously and pursue their dream’ - Wilfred Bungei

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

dle- and long-distance running in Kenya, and that tradition in Kabirirsang runs strong.

“Coming from this place, it was a motivation for me. The Olympians from Kenya were people you met and you knew what they achieved in the world.

“For me it was a little easier, as I looked up to them and I also come from a family of runners.”

And quite the family it is: Wilfred is related to both world-record holder Wilson Kipketer and the man who helped define Kenyan athletics in the 70s, Henry Rono.

“We are the products of our environment, I always say. But the road to the Olympics and being an Olympic champion was not easy. The challenges you face as athletes, I faced myself, but I managed to overcome them.”

an overwhelming thing to be able to beat all the odds.

“As a country, we were coming from post-election violence, and there were so many challenges, but I kept my eyes on the ball and never lost the focus. For me, when I crossed the line, I was not sure that I had won, but it was like a dream when I realised I had.”

Wilfred hopes that he can inspire Irish athletes and hopes that they can learn from the Kenyan experience.

“There was a time when people in Ireland performed well in athletics, and athletes should have the opportunity to travel and learn from Kenyan athletes. There is so much we can offer to inspire these kids and in the next few years, hopefully there will be world class athletes coming from Ireland.”

FastSport

Tesco launches 2013 football championship Noelle Healy from St Brigid’s, Roisin Ryan from Ballyboden St Enda’s and Ciara Murphy from Foxrock Cabinteely were on hand last week to help launch this season’s Tesco HomeGrown Dublin Club Championship Division 1 at St Clare’s, DCU Sportsgrounds, Ballymun last week.

Tesco HomeGrown have been supporting Dublin Ladies Gaelic Football since 2011 and are title sponsors from Under 11 Championship right up to Senior Championship. In addition to supporting the Dublin Ladies Football Championships, Tesco HomeGrown will be supporting Dublin clubs through a number of initiatives including a sponsored jersey scheme, player’s awards, fundraising activities and support of the Championship finals.

For more information on ladies football in Dublin, log on to www.dublinladiesgaelic.ie.

Dublin fans called on to show support GAA supporters in Dublin are being called on to demonstrate their love of the team by submitting pictures of how they have dressed their houses and communities to support the county in the Ulster Bank Best GAA Home In Ireland competition.

Throughout the football championship, Ulster Bank is asking supporters to Tweet, post on Facebook and email pictures of how they have decorated their

houses, clubs and communities, with their beloved county and club colours.

One overall winner will be selected to win €5,000 towards a home makeover, as well as tickets and hotel accommodation, for their family, to the GAA Football AllIreland Final in Croke Park. Additional prizes will be given out regularly throughout the campaign.

Picture submissions can be made via Twitter to @UlsterBankGAA and by using #UBGAAHome, via Facebook to www. facebook.com/ulsterbankgaa and via email to GAA@ulsterbank. com

Gazette

30 CASTLEKNOCK gazette 30 May 2013

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: third place under threat for porterstown club

Castleknock CC aim to form youth section CASTLEKNOCK Cricket Club has come on tremendously and currently fields three teams in the Leinster league since it was formed just three years ago in Porterstown Park, Dublin 15.

This year has seen them start a youth section within the club and, with the help of Reinhardt Strydom (Fingal Development Officer), they hosted a Coaching for Children event recently.

The coaching got off to a good start as children from the local schools and colleges turned up for a morning of fun and lots of good cricket activities coached by Strydom and his assistant Simi Singh.

Castleknock now plan to run a summer camp during July and will then look at providing coaching sessions for children on a weekly basis.

With many local schools in the area now playing cricket in the schoolyard, this will be great news for children in the area to have a club nearby to join.

The goal will be for the club to be able to enter some youth teams into the Leinster leagues next year.

“Cricket has seen increased levels of participation in recent times and Reinhardt’s involvement will be a great bonus to all involved in the game in the Fingal area,” said Castleknock CC’s Willie Barr.

Kennedy upbeat after Donington sixth place AFTER retiring from Monza two weeks ago, Clonsilla man Jack Kennedy banked his best finish since moving up to the World Supersport ranks when he was sixth past the chequered flag in Donington Park last Sunday, leaving him in ninth place in the championship standings.

Piloting for new team Rivamoto Honda, Kennedy has been turning heads with his rides so far this year and, when speaking to GazetteSport after his last outing, he insisted that he will be searching for more high finishes toward the end of the season.

“It was a great result for the team,” said Kennedy.

“We’ll take a lot of positives from that but we want to keep moving forward.”

St Mochta’s Sunday Senior 1B side found their bid to claim third place in the LSL Sunday Senior 1B pegged back by Parkvilla

Mochta’s ambition Parked LSL Sunday senior 1b St Mochta’s Parkvilla  carl duffy

0 1

sport@gazettegroup.com

ST MOCHTA’S were dealt a blow in their effort to secure third place in the LSL Sunday Senior 1B as they suffered a narrow defeat against league rivals Parkvilla.

Villa’s Colin Lynch scored the game’s only goal midway through the first half after finding himself unmarked on the edge of the box and was able to tee up a low drive to the right of Mochta’s keeper Warren Fee, who

could only watch the ball rattle the back of his net.

The opening 20 minutes saw both sides producing an end to end display of attacking football.

Mochta’s experienced centre forward Glen Crowe was the focal point of their play and he was indeed instrumental in creating the first chance of the half. He chased down a ball over the back of the Villa defence and squared a pass across goal to strike partner John Reilly who would have certainly scored if not for the last gap defending of Chris Kennedy to block the path of his strike.

blue is the colour Leinster supporters revel in Rabo victory leinster supporter John Martin, from Castleknock was part of the packed house that saw the blues see off Ulster 24-18 in the RDS last Saturday to claim the Rabo Pro 12 league title.

Former Castleknock College student Devin Toner also played his part for Leinster as they closed out their season with a second piece of silverware within eight days, adding to the Amlin Cup title won with victory over Stade Francais.

Parkvilla were awarded a freekick moments later right on the edge of the box but captain Andy Williamson hit the ball well wide. From the resulting goal kick, Crowe again turned provider when he hit a first time pass across the length of the pitch towards Cillian Corcoran, who did well to make room for his thunderous strike on goal but goalie Anthony O’Connor saved.

W i t h 15 m i n u t e s played, Saints left back Gavin Smith almost scored an ambitious effort from the half way line, he did well to spot O’Connor

off his line and his powerful chip sailed just wide to spare the away side’s blushes.

A quickly taken counter attack from a Mochta’s corner, saw Villa break down the left with David O’Neill whose pass found Lynch unmarked on the edge of the box , where he was able to turn and tee up an unstoppable shot to break the deadlock.

The Saints were forced into a change midway near the end of the half, Paul McNally forced to come and his replacement, Gary Hilliard, was unfortunate not to equalise for his team, when his

shot from 25 yards out looked destined for goal only for him to be denied by the fingertip save from O’Connor.

The home side dominated the majority of the second half but were left frustrated.

Villa had Brian McCrossan sent off late on, for unsporting behaviour and Mochta’s nearly took advantage of their extra man advantage when a corner deep into injury time, was met by the unmarked Jason Barter whose header went agonisingly over the top of the crossbar as the final whistle was blown.

30 May 2013 CASTLEKNOCK gazette 31

Gazette

Brigid’s juniors pull clear of Donabate  sport@gazettegroup.com

ST BRIGID’s junior hurlers produced a great team performance at Russell Park last Sunday, especially considering they were short a few regulars, to make it two wins and a draw from three games in AHL8 to date as they saw off St Pat’s Donabate 1-13 to

1-6.

Brigid’s raced into an early lead with two points from Neil Plunkett before Pat’s replied with a goal against the run of play.

Further scores from Fergal Counihan, Plunkett and Ciaran O’Reilly, however, added three more points before half time to leave the score

0-6 to 1-03.

Playing with the wind in the second half, they pushed on with wingback Rory Dunne making a couple of great catches in the second half to lift the spirit.

With Tim O Leary’s puck outs landing on the half-forward line, it was Counihan who turned provider to set up

Ciaran Cahill to beat the full back to send the ball cracking to the net.

After this score it was all one way in favour of the home team, although St Pat’s got three points late in the game the home side had done enough to claim the two league points and continue their unbeaten start to the season.

hurling: somerton side get baptism of fire

Club Noticeboard castleknock NOT a great week for the club on the

ing. The competition is worth €4,000

pitch, as our intermediate hurlers

to the club if we win, so well done to

lost to Parnell’s and St Peregrine’s in

all involved.

two league games last week and our

The Great Car Give-Away is continu-

ladies footballers lost out to Lucan

ing in conjunction with the Tax Dona-

Sarsfields in the championship.

tion and Bond Schemes for the club-

Focus for the ladies now switches to

house appeal, so please visit castle-

the league as they seek promotion to

knock.net for details on how you can

intermediate level.

be entered into this fantastic draw.

Hard luck also to Castleknock foot-

The club would ask everyone to be

ballers Aoife Whelan and Molly O’Neill

extra vigilant around Somerton and

members of Dublin U-14 team who

Porterstown. With some anti-social

lost narrowly in Leinster final against

behaviour taking place in Somerton

Westmeath.

recently and a van stolen from the

Some good news though, as the U-15

car park last week, it is the respon-

and U-12 girls teams had great league

sibility of every club member to look

wins over Templeogue Synge Street

out for one another, and report any

and Skerries Harps.

suspicious activity to the gardai.

The club would also like to thank eve-

There was no winner of this week’s

ryone who made a contribution to the

lotto jackpot which now stands at

Cash for Clobber initiative, with over

€4,000, with the next draw taking

50 bags collected on Saturday morn-

place in the Bell.

st brigid’s THANK you to the Jackson Court Hotel

welcome. Contact Paul on 087 9154748

and to everyone who sponsored,

or email info@stbrigidsgaa.com.

organised and played in our annual

Annual mini leagues dates are June

golf classic at the Royal Tara on Fri-

10-15 with a social evening for par-

day, a brilliant day and lots of enjoy-

ents/adults on June 15 from 8pm

ment was had by all.

onwards. Entry is open to all National

Well done to our senior ladies foot-

school children, €15 per entry, €30 per

ball team who excelled themselves

family, 6.30 to 8.30pm each evening,

with a win over Ballyboden; they now

with finals on Saturday afternoon.

Castle’s AHL3 plans receive double blow

top the group with one game to go.

AHL Division three

St Peregrine’s turned over Castleknock last Saturday as the blue and golds adapt to life in their new division

Parnell’s Castleknock  sport@gazettegroup.com

1-7 0-6

AFTER a hard fought battle in the championship, Anton O’Cleirigh’s AHL 3 hurlers returned to league action last week with two tough tests, first with Parnell’s on Wednesday night and then to neighbours Peregrine’s on Saturday.

In the former tie, Castlknock controlled the first half with ease but failed to produce where it counts – putting points on the board. Despite going in with a three-point advantage at half time, 0-5 to

0-2, the newly promoted men could have had a far greater advantage if they had have taken their chances.

The backlines of the Castleknock ranks will take a lot from the first half of play, breaking down the play very well and Brian Dunne was vocal and comfortable between the sticks for the Dublin 15 side.

Castleknock were still at the races in the second half but with the wind on their backs the Coolock side took some scores that gave them the edge, while the Somerton men continued to shoot wide

of the target, allowing the opposition to get ahead.

The turning point of the game came when Parnells managed to find the net, making it too much of a task for the AHL 3 newcomers and it was very harsh on the Castleknock backs who fought for everything throughout the hour.

Castleknock were second best on the final whistle at 1-7 to 0-6 and unfortunately they suffered another loss when the travelled to Blakestown on Saturday, losing out to their neighbours 1-16 to 0-9.

However, at the end

of the game, Peregrines’ mentor Ciaran Connelly was full of praise for the local rivals, insisting that the side would find their feet in the AHL 3.

“We had the better of it today,” said Connelly, “but Castleknock have just been promoted and this league is an incredibly tough one.

“I think we won six matches in a row last year and still only ended up in a mid-table position, but I’m sure Anton and the lads will find their feet soon, much like ourselves they are looking forward to exciting things at the club.”

Always a great week for families

Our U-14 ladies won their league last

especially those new to our com-

Friday to complete the league and

munity. Open to members and non-

Feile double. Our junior ladies foot-

members alike, sign up online on our

ballers, inter and junior hurlers and

website www.stbrigidsgaa.com.

U-12 camogie teams also had great wins last week.

2013 membership is now long over-

The club lotto is in the Vineyard this Thursday, May 30. The jackpot remains at €15,000.

due. Any member with issues regard-

You can now order our new O’Neill’s

ing membership can contact our club

club shop stock by emailing breege-

registrar Trish O Reilly on 086 6026229

carolan@hotmail.com. The club shop

or 8reillyp@ie.ibm.com.

is open every Friday from 7-8pm and

The club nursery for four- to sevenyear-olds continues this Saturday (and every Saturday morning) from 9.30-11am. New members and families

every Saturday morning from 10.3012pm.

The ticket book for Dublin vs Westmeath is now closed.

garda/westmanstown THERE are no fixtures next bank holiday weekend.

Commiserations to Heather Smyth and the U-14 Dublin ladies team that

The Gaels nursery (five-to seven-

narrowly lost to Westmeath in the

years) runs every Saturday morning

Leinster Decider in Clane last Sunday.

from 10-11.30am at the Gaelic Grounds

Well done to the U-13 boys who con-

in Westmanstown. Ask for Geraldine

tinued their good run with a win over

Culloty or contact club GPO Declan

Parnell’s in football.

Jennings for more information at 085

The U-13 girls lost a gripping football

8006101 or visit www.westmanstown-

encounter to Lucan Sarsfields in their

gaels.ie. New members welcome.

final league match of the season.

The clothes collection continues with

The U-9 hurlers lost to Good Coun-

all proceeds going to purchase equip-

sel while the U-10 hurlers drew with

ment and kit for all of our teams.

Crumlin.

GazetteSPORT all of your castleknock sports coverage from page 27-31

new challenges: Castleknock hurlers find life tough in AHL3 following promotion to new level P31

may 30, 2013

inspiration information: Kenyan Olympic gold medallist speaks to the Gazette P29

John Brophy, centre, is likely to make a welcome return to the Phoenix line-up for their huge date with Dundalk in Oriel Park on Friday night

Kenny eyes cup upset Phoenix are hoping to cause the surprise of the FAI Senior Cup second round as the LSL side travel to Dundalk to face a top Premier Division side  peter carroll

sport@gazettegroup.com

PHOENIX boss Marc Kenny believes his side are more enthusiastic than ever ahead of their FAI Senior Cup game with Dundalk at 7.45pm in Oriel Park on Friday night.

As a Shamrock Rovers, Dublin City and Monaghan United player, he knows from his own experience that League of Ireland sides can look past the challenge of the league teams when it comes to the cup.

“I can remember being at Rovers and we had to travel to Athlone,” said the Phoenix manager. “We went down and we really weren’t that focused on the game; we thought

the result was a given and we went out of the cup that night for our troubles.”

Since taking over the Navan Road club from his older brother Harry earlier in 2013, Kenny believes his team’s form suffered on account of them having nothing to fight for.

After going out of the FAI Intermediate Cup and with their league status relatively safe, the results just stopped coming for Phoenix.

“The fact that I had coached the lads for a long time made the managerial transition very easy for me and the players but, to be honest, a lot of the players lost their enthusiasm when we went out of the inter cup,” said Kenny.

However, with the looming FAI Senior Cup, Kenny has noticed a complete change in attitude among his players with everyone fighting for their place against Dundalk, which is sure to be an experience they won’t forget when they travel to the Wee County this weekend.

“This game has completely changed everything. Everyone one is at training and giving it 110% at the sessions, there’s genuine competition in the team.

“The lads all put in a serious shift against Bohemians last weekend where they won 2-1 in a friendly game.

“We’ve got no real injury concerns apart from Keith Dawson and Glen Campbell who

are still out with long-term injuries, but we’ve got John Brophy back who had been missing for a few games.

“The mood is good in the squad, but we’re under no illusions as to the challenge that we’re facing this weekend.

“To win we’re going to need all 11 players on the pitch and we’re going to have to be very strict with the type of football we play.

“I’d like to think we’re known as a ball playing team. We like to keep the ball on the ground and we can be very creative.

“But, if we lose the ball in bad places, there’s no doubt about it, Dundalk are going to make us pay so we have to be very careful.”