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‘Please help us catch my dad’s brutal killer killer’ Daughter’s plea as locals hold vigil for tragic Dermot

 SYLVIA POWNALL THE family of a man who died in a savage street attack in Swords have pleaded for information to help bring his killer to justice.

Dermot By rne’s

heartbroken daughter, Shawna, said: “My dad was brutally killed in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“Please if anyone has any information please contact the guards.”

Dad-of-three Dermot (left), who ran a bicycle

import business in his native Finglas, was beaten, stripped and left for dead in an unprovoked attack.

He was set upon as he walked home from a night out.

On Tuesday, a vigil was held for the popu-

lar 54-year-old at the college steps on North Street where he was found.

Tributes have been paid to “absolute gentleman” Dermot, who “wouldn’t hurt a fly”.

Continued on Page 2

2 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 20 July 2017

AFFORDABLE HOUSING | DEVELOPMENT IS A FIRST FOR IRELAND

Unique housing scheme receives first residents  EMMA NOLAN

Helen Cheever, with baby Erik, receives the keys to her new home from Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy

THE first residents of Ireland’s only affordable housing development moved into their new homes last week.

The scheme, being run by the O Cualann Cohousing Alliance, is building 49 affordable housing units at a site in Poppintree near Ballymun.

They range from two bed terrace, up to four bed detached houses and are available to current mem-

Shocked community pays tribute to dad of three after killing Continued from Page 1

Dermot was on his way home when he was attacked. He was found with severe head injuries on the steps of Fingal Community College by a passer-by at 3.05am on Sunday morning.

The brave dad clung to life and still had a faint pulse when paramedics arrived, but he died as they were treating him in the ambulance.

Gardai believe his attacker removed his Shawna and clothing, which has not her dad, been recovered, to avoid Dermot leaving traces of their DNA at the scene.

A 29-year-old man who was arrested and quizzed over the assault was later released without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP. Tributes paid to Dermot, a director of the family-run Intercontinental Distributors business, describe him as “an easy-going and respectful man”.

An Irish Blackball Association statement said: “Dermot was known to all as a gent. He was one of the nicest and most genuine people anyone could wish to meet. A true gentleman who never had a cross word with any soul ...

We will miss you, friend.”

Gardai have reviewed CCTV footage and are appealing for witnesses who were in the area between 1.30am and 3am on Sunday to come forward.

Crowds gathered for Tuesday’s vigil to show support for Dermot’s grieving wife Geraldine and his three daughters, Shawna, Rebecca and Emma.

Shawna said: “I can’t even begin to describe the pain and devastation that has hit our family. And I just want to say thank you so much to everyone for all your kind messages and your help at this tragic time.”

bers of local co-ops or those living in the North West area of Dublin.

The houses range in price from €140,000 for a two bed terrace property to €219,000 for a four-bed detached house, which is more than 30% lower than the market value of similar properties in the area.

The scheme is specifically aimed at families with an income of €36,000 to €80,000 and O Cualann plans to have all families moved in by September 2018.

Helen Cheever, her partner and their two sons were one of the families receiving the keys to their new house. Helen will be saving money every month thanks to the scheme, with her new mortgage coming in €700 cheaper than the rent she has been paying.

Helen said: “My partner and I have been looking for a house for years and we’re delighted to finally be moving into our own home early next week.

“We’re big into energy saving and with the solar panels and low energy rating of this house, we’ll be saving on electricity and heating each month too.”

The families that are moving in have signed a common charter that binds them to collectively

defined community values.

This includes a desire to live in a community where people get to know their neighbours before they move in, where they look out for each other, and where they feel safe and secure.

Speaking last week, CEO of O Cualann Cohousing Alliance Hugh Brennan said: “The time is right for the Government to bring in policies to support and promote affordable housing schemes.

“We now have our first five families moving in to their new homes, which they would not have been able to afford without this scheme. The development here in Poppintree shows that these projects work and there is no doubt that the demand it out there for more housing schemes like this.”

O Cualann is a notfor-profit company. This unique development represents a new co-operative housing model for Ireland.

As an approved housing body, the development levy on each unit has been waived by the council.

It has also sold each plot of land to O Cualann at a heavily discounted price. These factors have reduced development costs which are being passed onto the purchaser.

FASTNews

Render of how the finished Liberties distillery should look upon its opening next year

Investment pours €28m into Liberties whiskey plan SOME €28 million has been raised for the Dublin Liberties Whiskey Distillery, with Quintessential Brands announcing a major investment, including new banking facilities.

It has agreed an €18.3m investment by Stock Spirits Group PLC in return for a 25% equity interest in Quintessential Brands Irish Whiskey Limited (QBIW), which owns The Dublin Liberties and The Dubliner Irish Whiskey brands, and last year announced the construction of a new state-of-theart whiskey distillery and visitor experience in The Liberties area.

As part of the total €28 million investment in QBIW, a €10 million banking facility has been completed with Wells Fargo Bank. The Dubliner Irish Whiskey was recently confirmed as the fastestgrowing Irish whiskey globally.

Go shopping – and support One4all’s help for sick kids THE Shop4Crumlin charity campaign is back, with the campaign running from July 22 to 30 set to raise money for the CMRF Giggle Fund – a fund dedicated to brightening the lives of patients in Our Lady’s Children Hospital Crumlin. More than 130,000 children a year attend the hospital, with The Giggle Fund aiming to make every one of those sick children smile. Birthday parties, Christmas parties, pizza nights, movie nights and the supply of toys are all made possible through the fund.

During Shop4Crumlin week, One4all will donate €0.50 to CMRF Crumlin for every transaction made in any of its 8,000 retail outlets nationwide or online – a cause well worth supporting.

Dealz Clarehall delivers 25 jobs to the D17 area THERE was good news for Clarehall with the opening of a new Dealz, bringing 25 jobs to the area.

The newly opened 8,518sq ft store, located in Clarehall Retail Park, is the company’s 60th Irish store.

Dealz country manager Darren Jones said: “We are delighted to be further expanding the Dealz portfolio in Ireland with our store in Clarehall Retail Park, making this our 15th Dublin store.”

Hugh Brennan, chief executive of O Cualann Cohousing Alliance, addresses the crowd

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

20 July 2017 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 3

HAPPY DAYS

BULMERS LIVE AT LEOPARDSTOWN | WIN WIN WIN BRING THREE PALS TO SEE HAPPY MONDAYS ON US

Shaun and Bez will reel back the years at

Leopardstown next month

HAPPY MONDAYS’ seminal ‘Pills ’n’ Thrills and Bellyaches’ was produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne and went platinum in the UK, selling over 350,000 copies.

To WIN, just answer this easy question:

Name the Happy Mondays’ lead singer?

Email your answer along with your contact details to competitions@dublingazette.com, or see our #GazetteGiveaway post on The Gazette’s Facebook page Best of luck!

WE’VE got three sets of four tickets – including a special top prize “Summer Bundle” for four – to see the legendary Happy Mondays, the headline act at this summer’s Bulmers Live at Leopardstown.

You and three pals could be heading to the famous south Dublin track on August 17 for an evening of racing, food, drink, and of course, free entry to see one of the 1990s’ most influential bands.

Not only that, you and your party will each receive a €5 Tote Betting Voucher from the good folk at Leopardstown!

If you don’t win the Summer Bundle top prize, don’t worry – we have two further sets of four tickets so you and three pals can head along to see lead singer Shaun Ryder and co reel back the years – and enjoy an evening’s racing at one of Ireland’s best racetracks.

Previous visitors to Bulmers Live at Leopardstown in 2013, Happy Mondays frontman Shaun says: “I am really looking forward to our shows leading up to Christmas. We’re performing better than ever and I love getting together with the band, blasting out all our great tunes we’ve made together over the decades. It’s gonna be great.”

Each of the four Summer Bundle tickets include:  Admission  Race Programme  Bottle of Bulmers or soft drink  Summer feast meal option  Live concert and racing For more concert info visit www.leopardstown.com

4 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 20 July 2017

APARTO DORSET POINT | LUXURY ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE NEXT SEMESTER Addict ‘in fear

Rent starting at €235 per week at new student digs  EMMA NOLAN

Some of the new student accommodation

A NEW “state of the art” 447bed student accommodation development has opened on Dorset Street Upper amid claims that the cost of renting the units are too high.

At €235 a week for 41 weeks through the academic year, students will have to hand over just under €1,000 a month for the en suite rooms at Aparto Dorset Point.

Study areas, a games room, cinema room, gym, outdoor tree-lined courtyards and a roof garden are also included in the Hines development.

By comparison, student accommodation at Trinity averages around €600 a month during the semesters.

Alex Knapp, Hines’ managing director responsible

for student accommodation, said: “We are delighted to open our latest student accommodation development at Aparto Dorset Point.

“Dublin is home to a vibrant student population and demand is strong for highquality, secure, conveniently located accommodation.

“We believe that a student home is more than just a room, it’s also the experience, and Dorset Point’s unrivalled amenities are testament to this.”

Mr Knapp did admit however that the prices are high.

Speaking to the Irish Times he said: “Prices are high, site prices are high and expectations on all fronts are very high.”

The property giant entered the Irish student housing

market last year and to date has acquired five major sites in Dublin which will deliver over 1,700 beds for Dublin’s student population.

Aparto is the operating platform for all of Hines’ student accommodation developments.

In addition to Aparto Dorset Point, Hines acquired the 205 bed Aparto Montrose development adjacent to UCD; a 470-bed development at The Binary Hub; a 450-bed development in Summerhill due to be complete in 2018; and a development site on Cork Street, which is subject to planning approval.

The first students will be moving into Aparto Dorset Point ahead of the new academic year in September.

Hullo, petal ... Giving a gift to help highlight parks’ blooms

LORD Mayor Micheal Mac Donncha had a lovely gift for Raheny girl Ava Collins as they launched the recent annual St Anne’s Park Rose Festival, one of the natural jewels of the northside summer calendar. Speaking ahead of the event last weekend, Cllr Mac Donncha (SF) said: “St Anne’s Park is one of the jewels of Dublin’s northside where the public can enjoy woodland walks, recreational facilities and, of course, the beautiful Rose Garden.” Ava and Micheal are encouraging everyone to come along and see the gardens’ flowers, with the spell of good weather helping the flowers to look their blooming best. Picture: Chris Bellew

of his life’ robbed same bookies twice AN addict who was “in fear of his life” due to his drug debts robbed the same bookmakers twice while the same staff member was working there, a court has heard.

Paul Heaney (33) threatened the woman with a large kitchen knife in the first robbery and pointed an imitation firearm at the terrified victim during the second offence later the same year.

Heaney, of Michael Mallin House, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robberies of Paddy Power Bookmakers, Meath Street, on January 3 and October 28, 2016.

He also admitted possession of a realistic imitation firearm at the premises on October 28, 2016.

The court heard Heaney, who has 47 previous convictions, was under the influence of drugs at the time of the robberies and did not know it was the same woman in both offences.

He told gardai he feared he would be shot due to his debts and that he was “shaking” as he carried out the robbery.

Apology Heaney wrote a letter of apology in which he said had no intention of hurting the woman and just wanted to get the money.

He said he was in fear that he or his family would be hurt.

He said he hoped she would forgive him.

Judge Karen O’Connor adjourned finalisation of the case until October 20, 2017 to allow a probation report be prepared.

20 July 2017 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 5

6 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 20 July 2017

Out and About

Katy Connell and Sinead Bane

Actors Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan.

Left: Shona Guerin Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Stars land in Dublin for Dunkirk premiere I

RISH acting talent was out in force for the Dublin premiere of Dunkirk at the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield last week. Cillian Murphy, Jack Reynor and Barry Keoghan were seen on the red carpet to the joy of film fans who tuned out to see Christopher Nolan’s action movie about the 1940 evacuation of Allied troops from the French city of Dunkirk in World War II.

Lar Kaye and Conor Adams from the band All Tvvins

Sarah Sharkey and Rvar Ari Bjarwasow

Kat Stewart

Actor Jack Reynor and model Madeline Mulqueen

Lar Kaye and Conor Adams

Lisa Cannon and her father Mick Cannon

Roslyn Murphy and Diane Downes

20 July 2017 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 7

Caoimhe Kirwan, Ella Tubridy and Kate Flynn. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Festival goers flock to music spectacle Orla Collins, Olive Maher and Eabha Walsh. Picture: Brian McEvoy

T

ENS of thousands of Dubliners flocked to Marlay Park last week for the three-day Longitude music festival. This was the fifth year of the festival which featured top acts including Stormzy, Skepta, The Weekend, Mumford and Sons and some of Ireland’s biggest club night heroes who took to the decks. There were also plenty of Irish celebrities in attendance including Saoirse Ronan and Hozier, who were spotted hanging out together.

Caoimhe Joyce and Alannah O’Brien. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Michael Kinsella and William Bolger.

Sisters Laura and Jade Mullett at the 3Live experience.

Picture: Brian McEvoy

Picture: Brian McEvoy

Lucy Murphy and Katelyn Dunleavy-Larkin. Picture: Brian McEvoy

8 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 20 July 2017

SAFETY | SWIMMERS WARNED AS DANGEROUS JELLYFISH RETURN

Alarm as Lion’s Mane spotted in our waters  EMMA NOLAN SWIMMERS using Dublin beaches and bathing areas have been urged to be cautious as the dangerous Lion’s Mane jellyfish has been spotted.

Warning signs have been erected at lifeguard-patrolled areas as the jellyfish have been spotted there and further into Dublin Bay. The jellyfish has been reported along the Dublin coastline and from Cork up to Donegal, which has resulted in the public being warned to steer clear of several coastal locations.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council confirmed that Sandycove beach was checked on Monday, and there were no signs of jellyfish washed up on the beach – however, visitors to all beaches are asked to be vigilant as the jellyfish may still be out in the bay.

The lifeguards will be on duty from noon until 6pm and will

The pretty but potentially very dangerous Lion’s Mane jellyfish, now lurking off our shores with its many long, stinging tentacles

advise all visitors on swimming conditions.

The Lion’s Mane is one of the world’s largest species of jelly-

fish and can grow to be more than two metres wide, with tentacles up to 60 metres in length.

Its sting can produce blisters,

irritation, muscular cramp and may even affect respiratory and heart function. Some people can also suffer from anaphylactic shock after being stung.

Local councillor Cormac Devlin (FF) said: “Lion’s Mane jellyfish have particularly long hair-like tentacles which can cause a severe sting to bathers. I would urge swimmers to be cautious while swimming in Seapoint or around the coast.

“As an added precaution, lifeguard warning flags are on red and will remain there until further notice. The lifeguards and council officials are actively keeping a vigilant eye on the coastline, water and bathers.”

Lion’s Mane jellyfish are usually more commonly found along the east coast, but have been known to migrate throughout Irish waters.

In 2014, 17 of the venomous jellyfish were washed up at Sandycove and removed by the council.

Join Stephen on the fundraising 600km Tour de Leinster for DSI DOWN Syndrome Ireland’s Dublin branch is calling on Dublin cyclists to get on their bikes alongside Irish cycling legend Stephen Roche for a unique cycling tour around Leinster, all while raising much needed funds for the charity.

The annual Tour de Leinster cycle, which is now in its fourth year, takes place from Thursday, September 14 to Sunday, September 17 and will cover 600 km across four days.

The challenge gives

cyclists the chance to cycle with Irish Tour de France and Giro D’Italia legend Stephen Roche, who will cycle shoulder to shoulder with participating cyclists for the four days.

The event starts at TV3 in Ballymount, Dublin and the route traverses Leinster in a spectacular route taking in counties Wicklow, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath, Meath and Louth, with some amazing scenery along the way.

Each participant will cover their own costs, so

all funds raised from the Tour de Leinster event will go directly towards Down Syndrome Ireland to help support essential services in the participating Leinster branches, including its Dublin branch.

The charity is also encouraging people to come out and support the cyclists as they pass through their counties.

Speaking at the launch of Tour de Leinster 2017, Stephen said: “I am delighted to be part of this fantastic event for Down Syndrome Ireland

FASTNews

Wimbledon heckler takes a swing at serving funds WIMBLEDON’S most famous heckler (and crowd pleaser, and viral internet sensation) of recent times, Chris Quinn – AKA president of Greystones Lawn Tennis Club – is making the most of his moment in the global spotlight to auction the skirt he slipped into in aid of The Gavin Glynn Foundation.

Chris’s unexpected starring role on the court in front of millions of viewers – courtesy of Kim Clijsters’s white skirt, which he briefly wore in the ladies’ invitation doubles after being picked out from the stand to take a “body serve” after shouting helpful advice – saw images of him flash around the world.

Now, he’s auctioning off the infamous skirt to help his local charity, which supports sick children travelling abroad for treatment. To make a bid, see thegavinglynnfoundation.ie/auction.

Quest to find a Sandyford soldier’s modern relations A GRAVESIDE promise made beside World War One war graves in France has led one man to reach out from Britain to try to find the family of a soldier from Dublin.

After hard work to track down his grandfather’s grave, Dominic Mullan noticed that a soldier from Sandyford – G. Mason, #3615 of the Sixth Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment – had died on the same day as his grandfather (August 10, 1916) and is buried beside him. Mr Mason was the son of Lawrence and Ellen Mason, and husband to Elizabeth, then of 57 The Cottages, Sandyford.

Dominic would love to let Mr Mason’s modern relatives, if any, know where he is buried. He can be contacted at dominicmullan2000@yahoo.co.uk.

Wood you look at this new sustainable building policy

Eoin Cotter helps Stephen Roche launch Tour de Leinster 2017 in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland. Picture: Diane Cusack

once again.

“The Tour de Leinster is a magnificent cycling challenge, it’s so well organised and you get amazing support from people with Down syndrome and their families along the way.

“I look forward to meeting many of the friends I made last year and to a very enjoyable four days of cycling.”

For further information on the cycle, see www. downsyndrome.ie.

ONE of Dublin’s four local authorities has become the first in Ireland to pass a “wood first” policy for new buildings it funds.

The move by South Dublin County Council (SDCC) follows a motion put forward by Cllr Francis Noel Duffy (GP) and means, where practical, all new and modified SDCC-funded buildings will use wood as the primary building material.

Cllr Duffy said: “This will allow the council to lead the way in sustainable procurement practices, with a view to shaping public perception of sustainable construction methods.

“Growing native timber for the construction industry locally also creates sustainable employment, and offers many side benefits, including recreational facilities, water purification, arrests soil erosion and flooding.”

20 July 2017 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 9

COURTS | SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR ‘MOST REMORSEFUL’ CITY-CENTRE CASINO DOORMAN

The court heard how gambling debts led to the man agreeing to transport drugs

Driver using a phone led to a €7k drug haul A MAN transporting drugs in his van in order to pay off a gambling debt was caught after a garda spotted him using his mobile phone while driving, a court has heard.

John O’Keefe (26), of Windmill Avenue, Crumlin, ran up gambling debts after falling into depression following the death of his father in 2011. He was to be paid €200 for transporting the drugs valued at more than €7,000.

O’Keefe pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Greenhills Road, Tallaght on April 11, 2016.

He has 16 previous convictions, ten of which are for district court drugs offences.

Convictions The court heard his previous drugs convictions all arise from one incident, for which he received a ten-month suspended sentence.

Garda Stephen Connor told Sinead McGrath BL, prosecuting, that he stopped O’Keefe after spotting him using his mobile phone while driving his van towards the city centre.

He said O’Keefe was acting “extremely nervous” and there was a strong smell of cannabis.

Gardai searched the van and recovered a bag containing 248 MDMA or “ecstasy” tablets, valued at €2,480, and a bag of cannabis herb, valued

at €4,734.

O’Keefe told gardai he had gambling debts and was being paid €200 to move the drugs which he had picked up about half an hour before. He was not aware of the value of the drugs and said he did not know who he was doing it for.

Gda Connor agreed with George Burns BL, defending, that the drugs were not broken down in any way and that there were no other “paraphernalia” in the van.

Mr Burns said O’Keefe’s father had died in 2011 and his client lapsed into depression. He began gambling at roulette machines in bookmakers, losing up to €1,000 per day.

He said O’Keefe was “a different man now” who has been engaging with Gamblers Anonymous and has not gambled for one year. Since the offence, O’Keefe has completed a CE scheme and secured employment.

Counsel handed in testimonials on O’Keefe’s behalf and said his client had also done voluntary work in his community.

Consequences He outlined that O’Keefe had been assessed as having an extremely low IQ which led to difficulty thinking through the consequences of his actions.

Judge Karen O’Connor adjourned the case to October 25 for finalisation to allow a probation report be prepared.

Testicle ruptured by bouncer’s kick in row A BOUNCER who ruptured a patron’s testicles when he kicked out at him following a verbal altercation has been given a suspended sentence.

Alan Foley (46), of Dolphin House, Dublin 8, was working as security at Colossus Casino on Montague Lane in Dublin city centre when Robert O’Donnell and his three friends tried to gain admittance following their Christmas party.

Mr O’Donnell was allowed in, as he was a member, but when the other men were refused entry he returned to the door staff to remonstrate with them.

Garda Brian O’Connor told Eoin Lawlor BL, prosecuting, that a verbal altercation broke out between Mr O’Donnell and Foley, which had been initiated by the victim.

He agreed with Anne-Marie Lawlor BL, defending, that it was clear from CCTV footage that Foley “flicked out his leg” towards Mr O’Donnell.

“In my opinion, there was no real malice or intention to cause injury. I would say he kicked out just to get him away,” said Gda O’Connor.

He agreed with Ms Lawlor that it was more “a reckless act” by

The incident occured after a row broke out with a patron outside the casino, the court heard.

Picture: Google Maps

Foley and that he demonstrated “the highest possible level of cooperation” in the subsequent garda investigation.

“He is probably one of the most remorseful people I’ve interviewed,” said Gda O’Connor.

Foley pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on December 16, 2015. He has no previous convictions and has worked in the security industry for 20 years.

Judge Karen O’Connor said the circumstances of the case put it in the lower end of this type of offending. She said this was not to take from the injury which

was caused to the victim.

She imposed a one-year sentence which she suspended in full and ordered that €3,000 brought to court by Foley be paid over to the injured party.

During the sentence hearing, Gda O’Connor said there was an exchange of insults when Mr O’Donnell was unhappy that his friends were not allowed into the casino on the back of his membership.

He said the day after the assault, Mr O’Donnell woke up in extreme pain and attended hospital where it was discovered he had ruptured his left testicle.

He was off work for two weeks

but by the middle of the following month he was completely pain-free.

Foley was arrested after gardai viewed CCTV footage of the assault. He accepted it had been wrong of him to “kick out” but said he didn’t think he had kicked the victim that hard.

An apology he offered Mr O’Donnell during interview has been accepted, as has the €3,000 Foley had in court as a token of his remorse.

A victim impact statement before the court said although Mr O’Donnell has been assured by medical professionals that the injury had not affected his fertility, he worried if the damage may affect his ability to have a family in the future.

Gda O’Connor agreed with Ms Lawlor that the offence seemed to be out of character for Foley, who has a long-established career in the security industry.

Ms Lawlor submitted that although Mr O’Donnell sustained a serious injury, her client had no intention to cause injury nor had he used a weapon.

She said he had an unblemished record and a conviction such as this against him would have an impact on his career.

Man assaulted chipper owner – and flew to Australia on bail A MAN who threw beer bottles at the owner of a chipper and subsequently fled to Australia while on bail will be sentenced later this month for assault.

Ethan Emmett (24), of Cappagh Drive, Finglas, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm in Finglas on March 31, 2011.

Emmett flew to Australia while on bail in 2011 and was only returned to Ireland this March following his serving of a prison sentence in Australia for

reckless wounding.

Garda Sergeant John Walsh told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, that Emmett – 18 at the time of the incident – entered the chipper and asked for a loan of a phone charger from the owner.

When he was refused, he left the chipper, returning a short time later with bottles of beer and asked to put the bottles in the fridge of the chipper.

The owner agreed to put two bottles into the fridge, but refused to put every bottle in the fridge.

Emmett became irate and started throwing bottles at the owner. He jumped onto the counter and repeatedly threatened to kill the owner, while shouting about “foreign bastards”.

He attempted to enter through the archway to where the owner’s family was located. The owner, fearing for his safety and the safety of his family, grabbed a small knife and Emmett fled the chipper.

Several of the bottles struck the owner, while others damaged the walls

of the restaurant and the cooking facilities.

Glass shards from the smashed bottles also got into the food, forcing the owner to throw out everything he had prepared for the night. The total damage done to the restaurant was estimated to be €2,000.

Emmett was arrested three days later by Sgt Walsh. During his arrest, Emmett said: “I was out of my head and I didn’t know what I was doing.”

John Berry BL, defending, said that Emmett was

released on bail and flew to Australia on a tourist visa and stayed in that country to look for work.

He received a five year and 11-month sentence there after being convicted in 2012 for an incident where he stabbed someone at a party.

Emmett was deported upon the completion of his sentence and was arrested by gardai at the airport when he returned to the country in March.

Judge Karen O’Connor adjourned the case for sentencing on July 28.

10 GAZETTE 20 July 2017

Out and About 98FM presenter Dara Quilty pictured taking the first slide as Mary MacSweeney, Deputy Head of Economic Development, DCC, looks on.

Pictures: Andres Poveda

Just put your feet up and relax they said ... It will be fun they said ... And it was!

Kassi Cheirogeorgou pictured at the 98FM Big Slide Festival

Idie O’Faolain is having some serious fun

20 July 2017 GAZETTE 11

Next! Ciara Dixon from Dublin and Alice Tector from Greystones

SPLISH

SPLaSH INTO SUMMER T he 98FM Big Slide Festival made a big splash in Dublin over the weekend.

The one-of-kind, inflatable, 260ft slide was a huge draw for revellers of all ages and this year’s festival included more sliding, music, entertainment and food than ever before.

98FM presenter Dara Quilty and Mary MacSweeney, Deputy Head of Economic Development, DCC (top left) were the first brave souls to take on the slide. Kids of all ages quickly followed and got completely drenched in the process.

For those who prefer dry land, there was a free fun zone at the festival open to the public all weekend.

The free family event was brought to Dublin by 98FM together with Dublin City Council.

Lorna Duffy shows no fear as she makes her way down the monster slide Paul Bonass is armed but not very dangerous ...

GAZETTE

12 GAZETTE 20 July 2017

DUBLINBUSINESS

Guinness has a €16M expansion plan in store THE multi-award winning Guinness Storehouse announced details of a €16 million expansion plan which will see the iconic Gravity Bar double in size.

With its spectacular panoramic views over the city, Dublin’s highest bar has proven to be a highlight for the 16.5 million people who have visited since it opened in 2000.

Subject to planning permission, it is hoped that construction will commence in 2018 and will welcome visitors by 2019.

Speaking at the announcement, Paul Carty, managing director, Guinness Storehouse said: “The Guinness Storehouse has become part of Dublin. It is the number one visitor attraction, and is a must-see and must-do experience;

celebrated by the staff, by tourism in Ireland and by the people of Ireland.

“We are now excited to reveal the next chapter of the Guinness Storehouse, the expansion of the Gravity Bar.” The innovative plans announced involve the creation of a new 360 degree space, which will directly link to the original Gravity Bar forming a unique, spectacular, panoramic space, which can hold up to 500 people at any one time, doubling the current capacity.

The good news for visitors is that the Guinness Storehouse and existing Gravity Bar will remain open as normal during the construction period.

In addition to the expanded Gravity Bar, the Guinness Storehouse Hub, a new facilities build-

Tech firm to create 300 jobs GREAT news as it has been announced that customer services support tech company Zendesk is to hire 300 new members of staff as it moves to huge new offices at 55 Charlemont Place.

The company, which currently employs about 200 people in Ireland, also confirmed it has agreed a lease to expand into 55 Charlemont Place next year, taking over 58,000 sq ft of grade A office space in Dublin for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters, which is currently located nearby at One Grand Parade.

Roles available will be across engineering, DevOps, infrastructure, product management, Android/iOS development roles, sales, customer advocacy, finance and legal.

However you make your presentation, remember to have prepared, be organised, and have a clear goal

Stay focused, and your presentation could clinch the job

The iconic Gravity Bar will double in size

ing, directly adjacent to the Guinness Storehouse building is also included in the plans.

This three storey building will provide additional space for the Guinness

Archives one of the world’s most remarkable archives, chronicling the history of Guinness over a long 257 years, along with retail storage and employee hub.

Since first opening its doors to the public in 2000, the Guinness Storehouse has made a significant contribution to Ireland’s tourism sector and economy.

The Digital Hub welcomes ten new companies to its enterprise cluster THE Digital Hub has welcomed ten new creative and tech businesses to its enterprise cluster in 2017.

These latest scaling businesses comprise a mix of international and indigenous based companies.

Included among the new companies are businesses providing services covering animation, film and production, business training, public relations, interactive entertainment and film industry events.

Commenting, Fiach Mac Conghail, chief executive officer at The Digital Hub said: “2017 has been a busy year for The Digital Hub so far, and we are delighted to welcome ten new companies to our campus. Our enterprise community continues to grow and we are particularly thrilled to have a wider mix of creative companies established at the hub that can

support and complement each other. The introduction of ten new companies now brings the current number of companies located at The Digital Hub to ninety-five and employing over 700 people.”

Some of the new companies announcing their move to The Digital Hub include: Gingerbread Animation, a brand new independent and creator-driven animation house specializing in high quality trad-digital 2D animation content for kids.

Planet Korda Pictures, a small but dedicated Irish film and television production company.

The company was established in 2005, focusing primarily on feature-length, creative documentary films with an international appeal.

Kubicle, founded in 2014 with the goal of improving Excel train-

ing in the workplace. Kubicle initially focused its efforts on contextualized, high quality content delivered through an easy-to-use platform.

Wachsman PR, is an international PR agency founded in December 2015 and headquartered in NewYork. Wachsman PR specializes in financial technology with over 40 clients around the globe.

Giraffe Games, is an interactive entertainment company based in Dublin primarily known for establishing very successful sports games for mobile, phones and tablets.

Audi Dublin International Film Festival, is Ireland’s premier film event taking place in February each year. The company has built a formidable reputation for delivering to audiences the very best in Irish and international film talent.

PRESENTATIONS generally come in the second or third round of interviews, depending on the type of job you may be going for.

They are a good way to ascertain whether you are suitable for the role or not.

The good news: if you are asked to make a presentation, you are being seriously considered for the role.

You get a chance to show that you have the energy, knowledge and skills required to do the job.

Make sure to invest some time in preparing your presentation and you will improve your chances of landing your dream job.

Here are some tips that will help you deliver a job-winning opportunity ....

• Identify questions that will be asked about your presentation and have answers ready for them.

• Ensure your presentation is easy for the audience to follow. A good format is to introduce your topic, develop We are available at RecruitmentPlus to discuss your presentation and how you can use the opportunity to make a first-class impression. For further i n fo r m a t i o n , c o n t a c t RecruitmentPlus at 01 2788 610, or also see www.recruitmentplus.ie.

your ideas and end with a summary and conclusions.

• If you are using an application like PowerPoint, don’t get caught up in the elaborate features.

Focus on the content.

• If you are using PowerPoint, you should also bring hard copies of the presentation in case there’s a problem with the projector or some other hitch.

• Resist the temptation to cover everything.

You may be best served by focusing on a few significant facts than many trivial ones. This is a judgement call, but know your audience. While it is important to show that you have broad knowledge in the particular area, stay focused.

• Using process maps can help people visualise your suggestions and may make it easier for them to follow and understand your suggestions. Provide solutions.

• The audience (probably) knows more than you do about the subject matter, so be careful not to lecture.

• Prepare well and enjoy the opportunity!

20 July 2017 GAZETTE 13

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

ROXY’S READY TO GIVE YOU SLOBBERY KISSES AND TONNES OF LOVE OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Roxy, a stunning, two year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier crossbreed.

Like most Staffies, Roxy just loves people and being around them! She is a very bouncy lady so would be best suited to a home with children aged 16 years of age or older.

Roxy loves treats and is very clever so training classes would be a great way for her to get to know her new family.

If you are an active family with the time and commitment to invest in Roxy, you will be repaid in slobbery kisses and tonnes of love!

If you can be Roxy’s #SpecialSomeone*, then 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, atfacebook. com/dogstrust irelandonline, or on Twitter @ DogsTrust_IE.

CINEMA P24

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CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN CPR saves fish, according to Inland Fisheries Ireland at the launch of a new campaign to highlight angling and the importance of conservation. The hashtag #CPRsavesfish has been placed on a couple of high profile bridges in Dublin to engage Dubliners around the pursuit of conservation focused angling.

“CPR” stands for “Catch, Photo, Release” and refers to a method of angling where a fish is caught and subsequently returned unharmed back into the water. This angling technique is proven to contribute to the maintenance of healthy fish stocks and ensures future generations can continue to enjoy the recreational and economic benefits of the fisheries resource.

Pictured at the launch are Katie McGregor and Matthew Roe with Suzanne Campion, Head of Business Development at Inland Fisheries Ireland.

14 GAZETTE 20 July 2017

GAZETTE

DIARY DUBLINLIFE FEATURE The Spitting Image of success THE STRYPES: NEW ALBUM STRIPS AWAY PAROCHIAL LIFE WITH PUNCHY, POWERFUL TRACKS

 NICK FITZGERALD CAVAN band The Strypes proved they’re ready to tear ‘strypes’ off the competition with their new album Spitting Image, which launched recently at Thomas House in the Liberties.

It’s now been almost two years since Ross Farrelly (lead vocals/harmonica), Josh McClorey (lead guitar/vocals), Pete O’Hanlon (bass guitar/ harmonica) and Evan Walsh (drums) created Little Victories back in 2015.

Producer Ethan Johns has perfectly captured the band’s rawness, honing their talents and showcasing it to the full in Spitting Image, surely the

band’s greatest feat, to date Their highly-anticipated third studio album hooks listeners from the beginning, thanks to its short snappy songs with dark, melancholic and atmospheric narratives The 13-track album opens with Behind Closed Doors, where a riveting drum beat and guitar rift meets the airwaves. The catchy tune emphasises Ross’s powerful and clear vocals that sound well beyond his years.

(I Need A Break From) Holidays speeds up almost instantly and is reminiscent of a classic rock song. It’s punchy with short and repetitive lyrics that hook you in – the tracks are just two highlights of Spitting

Image’s great combination of short, snappy songs with a darker side.

Evan told The Gazette: “It’s a funny thing – the level of notoriety we’ve achieved luckily isn’t enough that people recognise us, or know who we are, but at the same time they do.

“It’s interesting. It’s been great, rising up the ladder of gigs, playing bigger gigs as you go along and crowds getting more into the band and knowing the songs – that’s all fantastic.

“Our home lives haven’t changed at all. We all still live in

Cavan. We all want to get back as much as we can. Basically, whenever we’re not travelling or touring, that’s where we are.”

On the background to Spitting Image, Pete piped up: “It’s very parochial – the thematic content of the lyrics. It’s very much ... because we’ve spent so much time at home, it’s rooted in a home-life sort of thing.

“It’s very simple stuff; it’s stuff that’s partial [to us], but also [stuff] everyone’s gone through in their life – it’s not anything that’s particularly personal to us.

“We like the idea of songs having a story: a beginning, middle and end, like act one, act two, act three, much like bands like Squeeze that

would have a narrative in a story, quite like a third-person observer. There’s a lot of that in it as well.”

On Spitting Image’s sheer energy, Josh said: “I suppose another massive difference this time around was Ethan Johns, who produced the record, being involved. He just brought a very new attitude to recording for all of us.

“He was the first person to really capture the sound of the band live, and that energy, just the way he was able to filter through all of the songs and get the best out of all the songs.

“It was a very different experience than the first two records, and it has definitely benefited this record.”

20 July 2017 GAZETTE 15

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST MEMORABLE GAA MOMENTS? EirGrid, the state-owned company that manages and operates Ireland’s national grid launched the “EirGrid Moments in Time” campaign as part of its timing partnership with the GAA. The campaign will culminate with a club in each province winning a digital clock and scoreboard.

To launch the initiative EirGrid has conducted research amongst 300 GAA supporters to establish some of their best and most memorable GAA moments.

92% of GAA fans said that their first time in Croke Park stood out as a childhood memory, with 57% stating it was their father who brought them.

Dads remain top of the pops when it comes to attending GAA matches as a quarter (25%) of people surveyed said their favourite person to go to a match with was their Dad.

GAA fans who want to take part in the EirGrid Moments in Time competition can enter by posting a picture highlighting a special GAA moment from the championship on their Twitter or Instagram using #EirGridGAA & tagging the specific provincial board. We want to see them all.

For further information please see: www.EirGridgroup.com.

TACKLING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WITH CHARITY FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IRELAND’S top musicians and footballers are joining forces to raise funds for young people’s mental health.

The Coronas and Picture This will compete in a star-studded football tournament that includes a team of Irish celebrities, a team of former League of Ireland players, Ireland’s Homeless Street League team and a team of Boh legends.

Former Celtic star Paul Byrne along with Richie and Dessie Baker will be showing they still have it when they take on TV presenter Brian Ormond and FM104’s Keith Ward with more names to be announced.

The eight-team tournament takes place at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght on Sunday, August 27 with kick-off at 10am.

Tickets are just €5 with all money raised going to JIGSAW. Tickets can be bought online at www.facebook. com/charity.vinny or on the door.”

SURVIVORS GUIDE COMEDY SHOW FOR VISITORS TO DUBLIN IRELAND A Survivor’s Guide, the fantastic comedy sketch show for visitors to Dublin returns to the International Bar until August 31, Tues to Fri at 1pm.

This 5-star Trip Advisorrated comedy show is bril-

liant lunchtime entertainment.

Their sketches are fast physical and weird.

There’s audience interaction, music and some crazy props. The show is constantly changing and evolving so even if you’ve been once, come back a second time to see what’s new.

Booking at www.irelandasurvivorsguide.com.

ela AveiroOjeda and more.

The event is be free and accessible for all, including trans, neurodivergent, and disabled people.

Organisers, the Trans Live Art Salon are a collective whose aim is to carve a

space for trans and gender nonconforming people to feel safe, work together as a community, and learn from each other.

Tickets for the event are free, find out more at fringefest.com.

TRANS LIVE ART SALON IS CREATING AN INFLATABLE OASIS IN DUBLIN A FULLYAutomated Luxury Gender Oasis is coming to Dublin as part of this year’s Fringe Festival.

The Trans Live Art Salon is curating an inclusive art space in the Temple Bar Gallery and Studios with performances, exhibitions, and queer skill-sharing workshops from September 15 to 19.

What is the Fully Automated Luxury Gender Oasis you ask? Well it’s a “magical, inflatable oasis”

MAGIGAAL moments Tyrone footballer Sean Cavanagh with his daughters Eva, left, age 6, and Clara, age 4, pictured at the launch the ‘EirGrid Moments in Time’ campaign.

with a curated programme of workshops, games, art, talks, and performance by queer, trans and gender non-conforming artists.

Artists include Elll, Squinky, Aitch Giles, Tammy Duplantis, Gabri-

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The Fully Automated Luxury Gender Oasis will feature a curated programme of workshops, games, art, and talks

20 July 2017 GAZETTE 17

DUBLINLIFE

MUSIC

N O S ’ T A H W

 JAMES HENDICOTT

E D I U G S T N E EV with JAMES HENDICOTT

Dublin Maker Festival 2017

A festival aimed at anyone who’s into making things, be it in the form of coding, DIY or arts and crafts. The Merrion Square event will explore a wide range of different creative topics on July 22, with a day long exploration for ‘makers.

The Irish Music Record Fair

Bulk up your record collection with some rare gems, as Filmbase hosts its regular record fair, with a focus on hard-to-find Irish records. The Temple Bar venue opens its doors on July 22.

Bray Air Display

BRAY AIR DISPLAY

Get ready for two days of packed beaches, fairground rides and busy skies as Bray’s big annual event returns for 2017, with parachuting, a Spitfire performance, the Black Knights and the Jordanian air force all in attendance. Arrive early on either July 22, 23- queues can be huge.

Brian Wilson - Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys frontman drops in on Dublin to perform the surf-loving summer act’s best loved album, Pet Sounds. Marking the 50th anniversary of the 1967 release, Wilson’s shows this tour will be the album’s last ‘in full’ outing. July 25.

Vodafone Comedy Festival

The annual comedy meetup returns to Iveagh Gardens over the course of four days, featuring Tommy Tiernan, PJ Gallagher, Al Porter, Joanne McNally, Jason Byrne and Foil, Arms and Hog. July 27, 30.

Dinner with Darwin

Organised by the Stop Climate Chaos campaign and Happenings, Chris Darwin (great grandson of Charles) will be in attendance at a climate event featuring a climate change panel alongside yoga and a screening of Wall-E. The Happy Pear provide the food. July 22.

Grease on the Beach

See the classic summer love story on a huge screen on Bray sea front. The late night movies will be a regular feature throughout the summer, with a free event taking place at the harbour wall every fortnight. This one screens on July 27.

U2 in Croke Park

Ireland’s biggest venue hosts Ireland’s biggest band. Bono and co have long since sold out their return to GAA HQ, with the Joshua Tree anniversary tour featuring support from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, and (doubtlessly) a long stream of hits. July 22.

New album of the week

Grizzly Bear - Painted Ruins. Gorgeous under-the-radar New York indie band return with their first record in five years, ahead of the opening of their first tour in just as long this October... in Dublin.

A band worth taking the time to explore.

Tony Wright and Dean Stevens AKA The Tragedy of Dr Hannigan

BELFAST musician Tony Wright is a real enigma of the Irish music scene.

Once at the absolute heart of breathtaking instrumental act And So I Watch You From Afar – a swirling tornado of rock so successful they toured arenas alongside Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters – he quit, picked up his acoustic guitar instead, and currently lives the life of a troubadour, hopping homelessly between friend’s couches, and strumming for a living.

Not that he has any regrets at all: what Tony’s become sits better with him. It’s closer to who he is now, and allows him to step away from the commercial side of music and explore at his own place.

“For all the And So I Watch You From Afar albums, we really had a deadline from the labels to produce the record,” he recalls.

“It was very much a product; a commercial process. That didn’t sit well with me. Now I’m making music when I want to make music. It feels so much more natural.”

What Wright sounds like now is hard to define. He hops between gloriously emotional guitar-pop songs - performed under the moniker VerseChorusVerse (a nod to Nirvana, though largely a sarcastic one) - and fiery collaborations where he seems to absorb a part of the soul of his musical partners.

He spits out delicate and heartwrenching interpretations that wildly differ in style depending on who he’s working with.

Naturally, doing this homeless – and with mental health difficulties he pointedly speaks about publicly in an attempt to end stigma – is not the easiest.

“I’m lucky enough to have a lot of friends who’ll put me up, so I’m not literally on the street,” he says of his situation.

“It’s partly circumstance and partly Tory government that have me here.

But mentally I’m doing well now.

Some days it’s like walking a tightrope, and you have to keep your eyes on the horizon to be sure you don’t fall off, but I’m doing okay, I’m allowing myself space.

“There’s too much bullshit in life and music, and people don’t like to talk about the real stuff,” he adds.

“I’ve been doing this since I was 15, essentially as a professional. That’s how old I was the first time a label approached a band I was in, and you do start to see it. What I do now is a better path for me.

“One of the biggest pop stars in the world is small, ginger and carries just an acoustic guitar,” he adds jokingly.

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The Wright stuff Tony Wright with collaborator and fellow Belfast musician Dean Stevens

JAMES HENDICOTT TALKS TO BELFAST MUSICIAN TONY WRIGHT - A TRUE ENIGMA OF THE IRISH MUSIC SCENE “Admittedly, that’s probably where my similarities to Ed Sheeran end.”

Wright’s latest project is entitled The Tragedy of Dr Hannigan, a collaboration with another Belfast native called Dean Stevens, with the first single Hey Little Worried One emerging last week.

It’s a charming, scatty folk ditty, a style that’s become something of a theme for latter-day Wright material.

Wright describes the collaboration as “from a place of deep connection”.

He’s known Stevens for over a decade, and describes him as “not prepared to let ‘the scene’ dictate what he is or what he does. He’s really true to himself, and doesn’t fit neatly into any musical niche. It’s great, a lot of my music is about being able to express yourself in any way at all.

“I’m not really singing as me,” Wright explains, defining the style as “twistedly optimistic pop”.

“I go into character. The character is the man who stands behind you

when you look in the mirror, staring over your shoulder and forcing you to doubt yourself. He’s the man who stops you making an important phone call because you don’t know what to say.

“I guess it’s me purging myself, looking at my doubts and saying the stuff I wouldn’t say in everyday conversation.”

There’s another VerseChorusVerse album on the way, too, Wright’s third, and as expected it’s profoundly inventive.

“It’s the best thing I’ve done,” Wright explains, before stopping to apologise for blowing his own trumpet.

“I’m just really happy with it, but I’m also writing a book about my travels across America as a book to release with it. Ideally, I’ll put them out together. It’s kind of memoir ish, but about a very specific time.

“A lot of what I do is very much about my life. I guess I’m a kind of nomad character in my own head,”

Wright explains. “A lot of my songs are stories.”

The book – about a journey involving a record label and a storied journey between several big American cities – is a story for another day, and given his track record, one we’ve little doubt that Wright will produce.

Wright’s music, though, is for right now: he’s a man who gave up a lot to follow his heart, scraping by, but more himself in the process. His heart is in his melody.

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DUBLINLIFE

GLOW UP GET a glowing complexion this summer with the help of good moisturisers, SPFs and of course bronzers and highlighters.

Ditch the foundation and avoid your make-up melting off by making the most of this season’s beauty trends.

Think soft dewy highlighters and gentle bronze tones ...

H& stri M Can slee pe bow dy ve t op € 30

NYX High-def Blush €8

New Look Denim 0 embroidered dress €4

Summer

Catrice Duo highlighter €5.50

fashions fit for a fair city  EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

NYX West Coast lipstick €8

Catrice Golden lip boster €4.50

Zara Sm ock dress €30

NYX Butter gloss lipstick €6.50

Payout Anti-aging face cream SPF30 €20

OKAY – so we’ve reached late July, but we still have more than a month of summer left, and that’s not including a possible Indian summer (please, please, please).

Dublin has that weather where most days at this time of year, it isn’t cold, but it’s certainly not hot.

This can often be a struggle when figuring out what to wear when you get up in the morning.

Whether it’s for the office or a day

off, it seems like that the sdsfdgdhsdgs sensible jumper we brought with us at 8am is just weighing us down at 5pm.

Then there’s the mental anguish of either feeling too naked in your shorts because it was sunny when you left the house, and vice versa, feeling like an idiot in your long-sleeve top when the sun starts to split the trees.

And, of course, there’s the inevitable warm-when-you-left-the-house--butabsolutely-freezing-when-the-sungoes-in situation! Here a few Dublin staples that can be thrown on without too much worry about the weather ...

Zara C jumps ulotte uit €5 0

20 July 2017 GAZETTE 19

Little w Irelan oods d Stripe r shirt € uffle 25

py Strap €40 M & p H dot to a lk o p

ck Miss Selfridge Bla 5 €4 floral lace jumpsuit

New Look Flora l tea dress €40

Zara dress Dark flor al €40

Zara Dusty rose culottes €50

Littlewoods Ireland PETITE rs tapered trouse €28

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DUBLINLIFE

FOOD

Prudence proves he’s the big cheese of edible art ATTENTION cheese lovers - International food sculpture artist Prudence Staite has created the iconic Greek ‘Discobolus’ statue from 100 kilos of Kilmeaden Cheddar Cheese.

When it comes to our favourite Irish dish, bacon, cabbage and mash is the clear winner (31%), followed closely by the full Irish (30%) according to a new survey from Kilmeaden Cheese.

Cheese, meanwhile, is our number one key ingredient for any winning dish (75%), followed by butter (22%).

The survey was conducted by Kilmeaden to unveil the ‘fillet’ of Irish talent across sport, radio, television and, of course, the Irish culinary scene.

To tie in with the brands promise of “We take away the rest and give you the best”, Kilmeaden Cheese commissioned international food sculpture artist Prudence Staite to create a stunning life size replica of the historical Greek mythical Discobolus statue.

Using 100 Kilos of Kilmeaden Cheese, Prudence took great time and care to produce the iconic masterpiece, echoing the time and quality that goes into each and every block of Kilmeaden!

Prudence, who has created all types of edible art, says: “I was very excited when I was asked by

Kilmeaden Cheese to work with them to create a special sculpture. The cheese was great to work with. It tasted amazing too so it was really hard not to nibble as I worked!”

Introducing the ‘croffle’

LISTEN up pastry lovers! An authentic French bakery pop up is currently open on Camden Street serving the highly anticipated “Croffle”.

The Croffle, which has been hailed as the hero product of the cafe menu, is a marriage of the classic rich, buttery French croissant, with the unique texture of a modern waffle.

Created in collaboration with renowned pastry chef Louise Lennox, the most hotly anticipated variation is the Avocado and sun blushed tomato Croffle, with a feta drizzle, gremolata crumb and chopped toasted hazelnuts.

La Petite Boulangerie, located at No 9, Camden Street is open until July 22 so get there quick for a taste of the Croffle. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

To infinity pool, and beyond ...

SPAS HAVE EVOLVED – AND A RANGE OF SPECIAL OFFERS CAN WHISK YOU AWAY ON A DREAM WELLNESS JOURNEY  SYLVIA POWNALL Travel Editor

IN TODAY’S ever-evolving wellness scene, it’s simply not enough to be mainstream; spas must constantly be one step ahead to cater for discerning millennials who demand treatments that give them an experience like no other.

Try Moxibustion Chinese Therapy in Italy: Lefay Spa Indulge in the Eastmeets-West wellness philosophy of this luxury spa retreat overlooking Lake Garda, where you can encounter Moxibustion – a Chinese therapeutic technique meaning ‘burning herb’.

This therapy involves the burning of mugwort – a small, spongey medicinal herb – on various acupuncture points and energy pathways around the body.

This treatment strengthens the blood, stimulates energy levels and boosts the results of other therapies. Once you’ve had your pyroma-

Call off the search, as Health and Fitness Travel – the leading experts in tailor-made wellness holidays worldwide – has trawled the globe to discover the most unusual spa therapies on offer.

From colour vibration therapy in Malaysia to pepper lipolysis in Greece, these unconventional therapies will raise the eyebrows of even the quirkiest spa aficionado ...

nia fix, unwind in Lefay’s salt water lake.

Five nights from €2,495 per person.

Try Red & Black Pepper Lipolysis in Greece: Porto Elounda Detox Offering stunning views across Mirabello Bay in the north-eastern corner of Crete, Porto Elounda is home to the awardwinning Six Senses Spa, where you can experience a detoxifying treatment like no other.

Using the medicinal properties of red and black pepper to stimulate the breakdown of fatty tissue, this dinner table staple delivers a deeply moisturising and refresh-

ing treatment.

A combination of warm and cool techniques is used to tone the skin, followed by a firming massage to increase blood and lymph circulation, which stimulates detoxification, to further enhance the treatment’s slimming properties.

Finish off with a spirulina wrap and a dip in the thalassotherapy pool to feel thoroughly cleansed, toned and well-seasoned.

Seven nights f rom €1,740 per person.

Try Himalayan Heart Stone Massage in Vietnam: Fusion Maia Discover a tropical spa paradise on Vietnam’s east coast, where you’ll

20 July 2017 GAZETTE 21

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Splashing in luxury by the shores of Lake Garda Main: The infinity pool

Relaxing with a classic treatment

at the Porto Elounda; above: part of the calming pool at the Fusion Maia

Soothing away stress with a herbal back treatment

experience a true sense of tranquillity with Fusion Maia and its range of healing therapies.

For a massage with a heartfelt difference, try the Himalayan Heart Stone Massage – a gentle, alkalising therapy using warm heart-shaped salt stones and pomelo oil to promote inner peace.

The warmth from the stones will ease tense muscles and soothe aches and pains, while the stones’ positive ions are believed to rid your body of harmful vibrations and clear the air around you.

Combine spa treatments with yoga and

meditation for a complete mind, body and soul experience at this tropical hideaway.

Seven nights f rom €2,595 per person.

Try Green Coffee Sculpting in Oman: Zighy Bay Sense of De-stress Discover a whole new world on the Arabian Peninsula of Oman, in a secluded bay surrounded by mountains where the world-class Six Senses Spa awaits with a plethora of top-notch spa offerings.

Wake up and smell the green coffee with an ener-

The Hot stone treatment room at The Banjaran

gising body treatment focusing on the thighs, waist, tummy and derriere, aimed at breaking down fat cells, stimulating circulation and boosting metabolism.

The treatment begins with dry skin brushing, before being massaged with the thermogenic, salon-strength chilli and coffee oil for a caffeine hit to rival your morning java.

Put your new-found energy to use as you take part in a variety of outdoor activities available nearby, including mountain biking, diving and paragliding.

Seven nights at Zighy Bay from €2,975 per person.

Try Colour Therapy in Malaysia: The Banjaran Rejuvenation Set amongst tropical jungle and limestone hills, the Banjaran is an acclaimed 5-star hideaway, famed for its extensive wellness offerings.

Here you can experience Chromotherapy – a

technique using colours to adjust body vibrations to frequencies that encourage greater health and harmony.

By cultivating the frequencies of individual colours to balance and re-shape the energy in our bodies, a greater level of physical and spiritual healing can be achieved.

A blue light can promote relaxation and calm whilst aiding the recurrence of headaches and nervous tension, whilst pink eliminates impurities in the blood.

Once you’ve discovered your favourite colour, head for the green, with luscious jungle, Japanese gardens and a world-class golf course all nearby.

Seven nights f rom €4,500 per person.

Try Chavutti Thirumal Massage in St Lucia: BodyHoliday De-Stress Find your bliss at this leading St Lucian wellness retreat designed to maximise well-being and improve health.

Whilst having someone walk all over you may not seem like therapy, this ancient Indian massage technique releases muscular tension, stretches the body and improves circulation and energy flow, and is perfect for those who enjoy deep tissue massage.

Also known as Indian rope massage, the therapist holds onto a rope above their head for balance and to adjust pressure, while using their feet to deliver a stronger, deeper massage.

Take a step in the right direction to finding calm, with a range of holistic therapies and activities, including Reiki, craniosacral therapy and sunset meditation.

Seven nights f rom €3,775 per person.

Try Anja Light Therapy in Thailand: Phuket Cleanse For a life-changing wellness holiday, look no further than Phuket Cleanse on the tropical island of Phuket, where

Arabian wellness awaits under the sun at Oman

you’ll find a range of therapies to detox the body and relax the mind.

Anja Light Therapy uses dynamic neural stimulating brainwave technology to induce deep meditative states; a state usually only obtained by meditative experts such as Buddhist monks and shamans.

As you explore the depths of your perception, develop clarity and direction, reduce stress and anxiety, and cultivate

a more profound connection with a broader reality.

You might even be lucky enough to experience out-of-body and astral projections.

Once you’ve come back to earth, hit the ground running with a series of fitness activities, including kickboxing, beach boot camps and TRX training.

Seven nights at Phuket Cleanse from €2,540 per person.

For advice, guidance and booking, call 0203 397 8891 or see www.healthandfitnesstravel.com.

All packages are tailored to the individual and prices quoted include flights departing from Dublin, transfers, accommodation and spa treatments.

GAZETTE

22 GAZETTE 20 July 2017

DUBLINLIFE

In the Fast Lane Motorists driven by brand loyalty, insurance costs & 5 year upgrades ONE in two people in Ireland change their car every five years according to a new report from car-buying website Carzone.

The bi-annual index which examines trends in the Irish motoring market, has highlighted the continued rise in used car sales as people upgrade their car more regularly.

When changing their car, 47% tend to stick with the same marque, so brand loyalty remains high among

New Golf delivers on enviable petrol power Petrol power is making a return as MICHAEL MORONEY discovers with the new Golf, which delivers on a promise of new levels of economy along with a very smooth driving experience

Irish drivers.

The survey found that insurance was named as the main financial concern for motorists once again, with 88% saying they noticed a rise in their insurance premium in the last year.

Fuel was the second biggest concern, followed by road tax.

On average half (51%) spend between €120 and €150 running their car each month while 13% say it can cost anywhere from €151 to €200 per month.

The report finds that city dwellers are more likely to drive a petrol car than their rural counterparts.

Just half (51%) of those based in an urban area have a diesel car, compared to 81% of those who live rurally.

Women are also more likely to drive a petrol car than men (48% vs. 17%).

The general findings are as follows: · 1 in 2 people change their car every five years and 47% tend stick to the same brand · Rising insurance premiums are a key concern for Irish motorists · 69% say car technology plays an important role in their purchasing decision · Two thirds (65%) believe that in-car technology has made them a better driver · 70% say technology makes driving more enjoyable · 85% of Irish car retailers are investing in technology in their dealerships · VW Golf remains Carzone’s the most searched car · It takes a dealership on average one week to sell a car, from initial enquiry to closing the sale (43%).

Tyres main reason for NCT fails ALLIANZ insurance company has reported that it provided breakdown assistance to 7,042 cars in 2016 97% of which needed to complete an NCT. More than one in ten (832) broken down cars receiving assistance from Allianz last year had expired NCT certificates and 5% (325) had no certificate at all.

They also found that 14% of broken down cars assisted by Allianz in 2016 were Fords, 10% were Toyotas and 10% were Volkswagens. This is explained by the higher numbers of these brand cars on the roads.

These car brands all held a strong NCT testing and pass rate in 2016 according to NCT annual results.

Toyotas were the most tested cars with 228,651 vehicles and a 53% pass rate, Volkswagens were next in line with 182,727 vehicles and a 47% pass rate and finally, Ford was the third most tested brand with 169,493 cars tested and a 46% pass rate.

The Allianz report found that 51.6% of vehicles failed the NCT in 2016 with car tyres being the primary cause of failure.

PETROL power is creeping its way back to driver consciousness once again and with good reason as petrol engines have become more efficient and cleaner.

Diesel power made such a bounce into the market more than 10 years ago, that for many of us, we now consider diesel power to be something we take for granted.

That was not the case 25 years ago and we now seem set to revert to a more even petrol/diesel market balance.

Volkswagen has been in the eye of the diesel issue storm and that’s probably why their new ranges of petrol engines are attracting attention.

For many car buyers, Golf and diesel power were synonymous – now that could be about to change.

Volkswagen has developed some very impressive petrol engines under the TFSi range that strongly evoke a fuelchoice re-think.

A f ter some days behind the wheel of the new Golf, this time powered by a 999cc, threecylinder petrol engine, I’ve quickly become a petrol convert.

It’s impressive in its own right and the new turbo-petrol engine is the icing on the cake in terms of performance and smooth driving.

It’s so easy to forget that the car is powered by a three-cylinder engine, because its 115bhp power output is smooth and effortless.

delivery also started to grow on me. The car’s sixspeed manual gearbox SPECIFICATIONS was easy and effortless Engine 1.0 litre and for many car buyers that’s their clear desire.

Engine power 110hp The six-speed gear0 – 100km/hr 9.9 seconds box option allows the Economy 21m/litre car to cruise at 120km/

(4.8/100km or 59mpg) hr on the motorway at Fuel Tank Capacity 50 litres 2500rpm on the engine.

CO2 emissions 112g/km That level of performance always assures Road Tax Band A3 €190 economy and at times I Main Service 15,000km/12 months was achieving an econoEuro NCAP Rating 5 star (2012) my figure of 5.1l/100km Warranty 3 years /100,000km (20km/litre), which is Entry Price €23,670 traditionally what we consider to be diesel-engine T his is a car that some lengthy runs mixed economy territory.

Other than the impresbecomes a challenge for with city driving and the diesel options, initial- found that the 50 litre sive petrol engine perly for reasons economy, capacity tank gave me a formance, the new Golf and when you drive it range of almost 850km. design is mildly changed you’ll find other reasons That’s impressive and from the past with new to remember the value of not far off the rated econ- bumpers, radiator grille, omy figure of 21m/litre full-LED tail lights and petrol power.

The new level of econ- (4.8/100km or 59mpg). hidden exhaust pipes. omy is the key to the That becomes the early There are new glass growing acceptance and reason why I got to like headlight covers that success of petrol power. the new Golf power. The extend further up the I took the Golf over smoothness of the power wing of the car to give a

Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TFSi

sportier look.

The big changes, however, are to the inside with improved controls and more use of electronics to give an impressive set of dials and easier overall control of much of the car’s non-driving creature comforts.

This car is probably the most impressive Golf that I’ve driven for some years.

I had almost forgotten how much a smooth and quieter petrol engine can enhance the overall driving experience of what is a very good mid-range new Volkswagen Golf.

Entry prices start at €23,670 for the five-door 110bhp version, while a lower priced 85bhp version is also available at €22,670.

This is a Volkswagen Golf that you need to drive to re-live a petrol experience that will convert you.

20 July 2017 GAZETTE 23

Don’t skip the basic safety checks before Eur summer road trip AS summer holiday season gets into full swing, it seems that many Irish motorists are “failing to prepare”.

According to a survey by Enterprise Rent-ACar, a large proportion of Irish holidaymakers who are planning to drive their own car abroad this summer will not undertake even the most basic safety checks before setting off.

Equally, of those Irish people who plan to rent or drive another car abroad this summer, many will hop in and drive away from the airport not even knowing where all the controls are.

For Irish motorists who will be driving on holiday this year, the average distance they will cover is 612km. Of those holidaymakers, 65% will be renting a vehicle abroad while 21% are planning to drive their own car.

When asked about their experience of operating a vehicle they have never used before, a full 42% admitted they have driven away without knowing how to operate at least one of the controls on the car.

More than one-third (39%) do not check how to operate the lights, the petrol indicator (38%) or the rear-view mirror (34%).

GAZETTE

MOTORING

Skoda unveils keen pricing for Citigo SKODA’S upgraded Citigo small car has been launched in Ireland with claims of comprehensive upgrades to the exterior design along with a number of interior revisions.

This is Skoda’s entry model car and comes with a starting price from €10,995 for the threedoor version.

Exterior changes for the new range include the distinctive Skoda power dome.

The Citigo also features a fresh front radiator grille design as well as reveamped front and rear bumper designs to create a young look.

Despite its small appearance, Skoda boasts that the new Citigo has grown marginally in length.

The extra space is noticeable in the 251 litres of boot capacity, which increases to 951 litres when the rear seats are folded down.

Two modern, three-cylinder petrol engines are available. The front-transverse-mounted engines with a 1.0 litre capacity drive the front wheels.

The entry-level engine is the 1.0 MPI with 60bhp and 95 Nm of torque at 3,000 rpm.

From a standing start, it accelerates the Skoda Citigo to 100 km/h in 14.4 seconds and consumes 4.4 litres per 100km (23km/litre) on average. The second 1.0 MPI petrol engine produces 75bhp and offers a maximum torque

The Citigo is claimed to be packed full of practical features, with entry prices from €10,995.

of 95 Nm at 3,000 rpm. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 13.5 seconds and consumes 4.4 litres per 100km (23km/litre) on average.

The Citigo is available in Active and Ambition trim levels.

There is also a special edition available from launch, the Skoda Citigo Monte Carlo.

The Citigo new-generation Blues radio on Active models offer many connectivity options such as an aux-in socket, CD player and MP3

E-class revamp is top off the range

THE arrival of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet in September sees Mercedes-Benz carry out the complete renewal of their entire E-Class model range – all within the space of a year.

The fifth and youngest member of the E-Class family brings opentop motoring and latest tech to the mid-range executive market.

This new E-Class Cabriolet has a striking front section with a lowpositioned diamond patterned radiator grille with centrally located star. Compared to its predecessor, it has grown in length, width and wheelbase, and has a height of 1428 mm.

The car comes with LED high performance headlamps, a drawn-out bonnet with power domes and fully retractable side windows. This new model gets a lower suspension set 15 mm beneath that of the saloon, while 18-inch alloy wheels are standard.

Its multilayered, fully automatic, fabric soft-top comes in colours dark brown, dark blue, dark red, and black with acoustic that claim to reduce wind and driving noise.

The soft-top can be fully opened and closed in 20 seconds when travelling at a speed of up to 50 km/h.

Boot capacity of 385 litres reduces to 310 litres when the roof is open.

Onboard tech features include the latest multimedia, touchpad, finger swipe and voice control items, along with comfort-adding draught-stop and neck-level heating systems similar to those fitted in other Mercedes-Benz open-top models.

The E-Class Cabrio will be available with a choice of petrol and diesel engines.

compatibility. From Ambition, the Swing radio includes a colour screen and a USB slot while the Move & Fun mobile phone mount and app offers information and entertainment assistance for the driver and passengers.

The app runs on the iOS and Android smart phone operating systems and provides navigation, driving data displays, hands-free phone calls and economical driving information as well as playing music and the radio.

Fiat launches new special edition Fiat 500 Mirror BESIDES marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Fiat 500, this year also sees the arrival of the special edition Fiat 500 Mirror.

This car comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ensuring that its driver–and passengers – are always connected and provided with quality content.

The introduction of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto means that users can access the main applications of their smart phones directly on the 7-inch screen of the UconnectTM system. Apple CarPlay enables iPhone users to access Apple Maps, Apple Music, messages, phone and more with Siri or the UconnectTM touch screen, while Android Auto integration also allows drivers to manage the compatible content and features on their device directly from the integrated touch screen or by using the system’s vocal commands.

The Mirror is available in a choice of five exterior colours, including Electronica Blue.

Standard equipment is extended to include speed limiter, integrated controls on the leather steering wheel and UconnectTM 7-inch HD LIVE touch screen with Bluetooth, USB-AUX IN ports and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Mirror is available as both a hatchback and a convertible, with the 1.2-litre 69hp petrol engine. The 1.2litre petrol emits just 110g/km CO2 or when combined with the Dualogic gearbox, the CO2 drops to 105g/km.

GAZETTE

24 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 20 July 2017

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES: TERRIFIC TRILOGY ENDS SPECTACULARLY

ReelReviews

Furry good franchise reaches an epic ending WAR for the Planet of the Apes (Cert 12A, 140 mins) closes off what has been perhaps the most consistent franchise in recent memory, following the surprise success of 2011’s Rise, and the dystopian adventure of its 2014 sequel.

Dawn may have come and gone, but War, again directed by Matt Reeves, finds the series at its darkest point.

A brief introductory summary skips lengthy exposition and drops us straight into the action; for the uninitiated, apes around the world have started to evolve

Maurice (Karin Konoval) and Nova (Amiah Miller)

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

intellectually and stand erect – some turned against humans while others simply want to live separately in peace.

The greatest threat to man, however, is the apeborne virus that has wiped out the vast majority of humankind in the span of 15 years.

Following the events of Dawn, what’s left of the US military h a s

been sent in to neutralise the ape threat.

Lead chimp Caesar’s (Andy Serkis) army are showing rapidly increased signs of intelligence but just want the war with the humans to end.

When “The Colonel” (Woody Harrelson) leads the human army into the apes’ outpost, resulting in tragedy, Caesar sets out on a quest for revenge.

War comes in at a neat two-hours and 40 minutes, packing every second of its run time with expertly scripted moral storytelling.

This is a tale of revenge that takes on board influences from classic WWII escape movies like The Great Escape and Bridge on the River Kwai, while surpassing most contemporary war narratives with its delicate handling of themes such as man’s inhumanity to man and the ultimate futility of conflict.

SPIDERMAN

Meet a Homecoming king SPIDEY gets a fun reboot with Homecoming (Cert 12A, 133mins), which ditches all the legacy lore which everyone already knows (Uncle Ben’s murder, spider bite, blah blah) and just pretty much dumps Peter Parker into the action as he excitedly learns how to be a superhero, meets some legends, and otherwise does his thing without all the dour, tedious gloom and angst that’s weighed down too many superhero films.

OKJA

Hammily enjoyable fare

Cometh the hour, cometh the ape ... Caesar (a career-best turn by Andy Serkis) takes the reins in the conclusion of the Apes trilogy. Once again, he’s the reluctant but noble leader drifting inexorably towards destroying the human race.

With yet another incredible motion-capture performance from Serkis, War often feels like a religious parable (a “holy war”, according to The Colonel) and while it often feels melancholy, occasionally downright grim, it never grates or burdens us with melodrama.

Indeed, for all the actor has done for the medium, it’s a travesty that Serkis hasn’t yet received any proper awards season recognition – even a nod is in order at this stage.

Most admirably, for all the masterful effects work in War, the film gives far more time to narrative, drama, tension and emotion than it does to big action set-pieces or messy

displays of CGI a-la this month’s Transformers: The Last Night.

The creature work is deceptively real here, never more so than in the face of the aging orangutan, Maurice (Karin Konoval), who is quite often indistinguishable from any real life counterpart.

Harrelson’s villain is the perfect foil to Caesar’s cool-headed leader: a menacing, unhinged maniac on his own quest for revenge, waging a war in which few lives are considered sacred.

Any questioning of his command is quickly, summarily cut down. However, as with any believable villain, the reasons for his maniacal actions are

somewhat understandable. War does a great job of instilling empathy on all sides.

War rounds out the prequel trilogy in style. It may drag at times around the middle act, but all ends are tied up nicely, leading toward the unfortunately dystopian world that fans of the original know is coming.

There’s some oddly misjudged comic relief from Steve Zahn, at odds with the darker tone of the film, but this epic, sweeping adventure is an extremely satisfying end to a series that has delivered consistently with each instalment – a rarity in this age of sequels and reboots.

Verdict: 8/10

THERE’S been a lot of praise for Netflix’s terrific Okja (Cert 15A, 120mins), with its simultaneous cinema and, well, Netflix release sparking some extra interest. Despite its flaws (a truly terrible Jake Gyllenhaal), an otherwise great cast, peerless effects and engaging tale – plucky Korean kid goes to rescue her genetically-modified porcine pal before it becomes lunch – make it a true highlight of the year.

THE BOOK OF HENRY It’s best left unread

THIS is definitely our last nod at the bafflingly bad The Book of Henry (Cert 12A, 105mins) as it begins to make its apologies and slink away from cinemas.

Charming boy genius Henry dies halfway through the film, but not before leaving how-to instructions for his single mum to murder their nasty next-door neighbour.

Not only one of the worst films of 2017, but one of the strangest films this decade.

20 July 2017 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

TECH

NET NEUTRALITY: ONLINE INTERESTS ARE TIED TO OUTCOME OF AMERICAN BATTLE Internet activists are keenly following how Congress are dealing with ‘net neutrality’, with lawmakers there set to rule after summer on a data matter with potentially global implications

Gamers also pay tribute to late Romero THE late, great George Romero – the film director best known for his revolutionary zombie films – drew warm praise from across the movie world this week, with critics and colleagues praising him for his unique contribution to cinema.

Even if horror and zombies aren’t your thing – and, like fresh, juicy, tasty braaaaaains, they’re something of an acquired taste – there’s no denying that Romero single-handedly created the modern zombie genre as we all know it.

Relevant He took the stuff of B-movie status and elevated it into an entire wing of horror, having an impact on cinema (and leaving a lesson on how to make a hit with a low budget) that’s still felt and relevant today.

What does that have to do with gaming, you ask? The games industry has also paid warm tribute to the man, as many of Romero’s influences crept into gaming down the decades.

Just as cinema and TV can point at literally dozens of products influenced by the late horror master, so too gamers, games directors, companies and visionaries have a long, long list of games that bear his direct influence.

For a man whose greatest mark was working with the undead, it’s perhaps ironic that his work and legacy will live on long after him.

The internet war you don’t know you’re in WHILE many cinemagoers are sitting down to a very entertaining War for the Planet of the Apes (see film review, opposite page) on the big screen, a very different online war is quietly raging – one which could soon ensnare you and me in its skirmishes on our small screens, be they our PCs, laptops, phones or tablets.

Right now, Americans are embroiled in an IT battle – no, not dodging the daily barrage of President Trump’s utterly ridiculous Tweets – as ordinary citizens have lined up alongside many of the country’s and the world’s biggest IT firms in a battle for what’s called ‘net neutrality’.

It’s a slightly complex topic, but the outcome is very simple: in short, a ‘two-tier’ or two-speed internet could emerge in America, largely controlled by major internet providers – and if so, that’s a move that’s likely to fundamentally change the nature of how the internet works around the world.

A two-speed internet model there is one which would almost

 SHANE DILLON sdillon@dublingazette.com

certainly become the norm, giving a green-light to other internet providers elsewhere to follow suit, and similarly affect how we all access a variety of data online.

Right now, the internet as we know it is an open-access system; while countries and governments apply their own rules and structures to how people access it, it largely operates the same at source for everyone.

Despite the localised blocks and data restrictions, the river of information flows more or less at the same speed for everyone, with internet providers being like the taps and pipes to channel that data into your home, and your hand.

While we all know that some providers are better than others, at the same time the core data

flows much the same, with their delivery systems being where problems can arise.

But what if the internet providers could deliberately slow down that data, giving preference to bigger companies paying for greater data speeds?

What if some data (typically, specific websites), particularly any with financial clout, was given preference, thus having the knock-on consequence of other data (or websites) being slowed down because of purely commercial reasons?

That, in essence, is the battle for net neutrality that’s already in full flow as I type – a battle to prevent internet providers from creating any restrictions or brakes that would favour some data more than any other, with opponents demanding that all data be treated the same.

Whether it’s a streaming episode of a hit TV show, an email from your sister, or a bill from your dentist – whatever it is, one of the core fundamental points of the internet is that all data is equal.

However, the US government

is currently weighing up revoking a number of net neutrality protections, under pressure from internet providers to give them more control over data.

Their arguments to scrap such protections are varied – from saying that the controls are restrictive and affect their investments and returns to how any government controls stifle freedom of choice.

In essence, they argue that creating restrictions, and creating data streams with different speeds, would actually benefit consumers, giving them greater choice and driving market innovation – if you or I don’t like our internet provider, we’ll just pay for a different one we prefer instead, right?

Unfortunately, this ignores the reality that many consumers only have one internet provider in their area.

Indeed, whether in the depths of Ireland or Iowa, many people have a pitiful choice of internet provider, so the thoughts of a two-tier system where bigger companies demand preferential treatment and data control

– thus creating a de-facto twospeed internet – is an alarming concept, and one that strikes against the heart of what the internet is.

America’s Congress is set to vote on the matter later this summer, with lobbyists there applying pressure to scrap net neutrality (whilst saying that Congress can still apply some controls).

The looming battle has already seen a spirited rebellion in America – last week, some 200 companies and groups, ranging from giants such as Facebook, Google, Netflix, Apple, Spotify and Amazon to smaller companies held a day of action, highlighting for users the issue and urging them to contact Congress to oppose it by this Monday, July 17.

Irish consumers will be affected too by this battle across the pond – whatever the outcome there from the decisions to be made later this summer, the way we use the internet here is tied to that outcome.

That’s a more pressing matter for us all to care about than apes rising up to destroy humanity ...

26 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 20 July 2017

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SPORT

Proud sponsors of the DLGFA adult championships

LADIES FOOTBALL: NEW IRELAND ASSURANCE DLGFA CHAMPIONSHIPS

MONTHLYStars Top class Have your say in July’s top Dublin club player!

THE New Ireland Assurance Player of the Month award returns for a second year, honouring the best performers from across the adult Dublin ladies football championships as the business end of the competitions comes into view.

In 2016, Ballyboden St Enda’s Emily Flanagan, Naomh Barrog’s Laura McGinley and O’Dwyer’s Shannon Richardson were among the winners for their exploits in club colours.

It’s shaping up to be another cracking summer of action with the group stages coming to a head this week in many instances.

GazetteSport will be following the action every step of the way as the race to become the 2017 Dublin champions builds month on month.

As with last year, we are seeking your help to nominate the stars from around the club game and encompasses senior, inter and all junior grades, those that make a huge impact Send in your nominations to sport@dublingazette.com by Monday, July 31, including the player’s name, club and a couple of lines about why you feel they should be up for the honour.

For July’s award winner, the nomination period will refer to the group stages to date of the New Ireland Assurance competitions.

We will announce the winner in our edition that comes out on August 3, 2017.

Dublin SFC coming to the boil  JAMES HENDICOTT

sport@dublingazette.com

THE 2017 New Ireland Assurance Dublin Ladies Gaelic football championship is reaching the sharp end with the main players coming to the fore across a busy week of action.

Senior Group A is proving hyper-competitive, meanwhile, with a strong Kilmacud Crokes team holding a slim advantage after their first three games to assure their passage into the playoff places as they added a comfortable win over Na Fianna; their third of the group.

Fingallians are their closest challengers in terms of points – the Swords’ side have stepped up hugely this year, and lost by only a single point when they visited Stillorgan in Group A’s second

round back in May. Having then drawn with Na Fianna, the new challengers have smashed no less than ten goals in their last two fixtures.

They hit four against bottom side Clanna Gael Fontenoy in a 13 point win, before smashing local rivals and their main threat for a knockout place, St Sylvester’s, hitting six goals in a 6-15 to 4-7 win last week that seems to paint them as the side with the momentum.

But they will need Kilmacud Crokes to do them a favour if they’re to qualify, though, as the top club face St Sylvester’s in the last round of group matches, with Sylvester’s needing a win to progress.

Should Crokes grab the win they need to copper-fasten top spot, a

Foxrock Cabinteely moved a step closer to retaining their title. Picture: GAAPics.com

free-flowing Fingallians side will travel to holders Foxrock Cabinteely come semi-final time, with a tasty contest between Ballyboden St Enda’s and local rivals Kilmacud Crokes the likely outcome on the other side of the draw.

Progression Fox Cab and Ballyboden both advanced to the knock-out stages of the competition, doing so with a game to spare each courtesy of the outcome of Monday’s sched-

ule of fixtures.

A struggling Parnells side were forced to concede their game against Ballyboden St Enda’s on Monday night, a default that effectively condemns St Brigid’s, and puts Ballyboden level at the top of their Senior Group B table with an unstoppable-looking Foxrock Cabinteely.

Ballyboden will argue they would very likely have won anyway, however.

Parnells are looking firm favourites to fin-

ish last, having previously been hit for 9-17 by Thomas Davis, who in turn were comfortably beaten by a scoreline of 2-12 to 0-2 by holders Foxrock Cabinteely on Monday night.

Having lost to both Ballyboden and Foxrock Cabinteely in critical games earlier in the season St Brigid’s – who missed out by the mere width of a dying-seconds shot onto the crossbar to the Foxes in last year’s Dublin final – are on the outside this time around.

20 July 2017 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

FASTSport

Coolock’s Boylan stars in Ireland box lacrosse team  BERNARD DUFF

COOLOCK’S Ciaran Boylan played a starring role in the Ireland lacrosse team that competed in Finland last week at the European Box Lacrosse Championships.

He learned the game with UCD lacrosse club and now plays for Dublin and was competing in his second tournament where Ireland finished a creditable sixth out of 14 nations in the city of Turku.

“Facilities in Finland are great. The competition has a great vibe. Ice hockey nations like Finland and Czech Republic are very strong at Box Lacrosse,” Boylan said of the experience. “For me, I feel like a more experience player since my first tournament in Syracuse in 2015 and as I get more floor time I can connect the dots now.”

Boylan contributed with 7 goals over the weeklong tournament including two hat tricks.

Bridging the gap between two continents is the challenge of Ireland Lacrosse. With a ruling that no more that 49% of players may be heritage players, it means that Irish based players and predominantly North American players make up a diverse national side.

A series of planned trials and team sessions was the prelude to the Ireland team competing in Finland last week. Box Lacrosse an indoor variant of field lacrosse played on ice hockey arena, albeit sans ice over 60 minutes.

In the group games Ireland beat Serbia 11-5 with Luke Coppinger scoring four. They thrashed Turkey 29-2 with Boylan being Man of the Match.

Ireland lost 7-18 to eventual champions Israel in the last group game, an opponent who have an extensive heritage setup.

Germany beat Ireland in the quarters and Ireland eventually met old rivals England in the 5th/6th Placement match losing a creditable 17-12.

Ireland coach Jeff Dowling said: “For the 2019 World Cup, I want at least one of our coaching team to get over to Ireland every summer and work with the Irish players. We do need to a better turnout to the trials!”

He praised Boylan, saying “he has stepped up this year in offence”.

McElligott transformed and up for everything Former St Patrick’s Athletic and Ballymun United man talks about how he got his life back on track following the loss of his leg and how he is looking forward to every new challenge  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

STARRING in RTE TV show Operation Transformation, Christy McElligott’s life has been thoroughly transformed.

McElligott played soccer for St Patrick’s Athletic and the Ireland junior side, and was turning out for Ballymun United when he was involved in a horrific car accident on his way to a match in 2001.

McElligott’s vehicle was struck by a truck on a narrow country road in Wexford, and the footballer lost his right leg almost immediately, and

was forced to crawl from his vehicle as it caught fire at the scene.

Unsur prisingly, he gained weight in the aftermath. By the time McElligott appeared on Operation Transformation as a team leader in 2017, he felt extremely unhealthy.

He lost four stone within the eight week show, citing the RTE cameras as a major motivating factor in forcing him through the process.

“The experience was life changing,” McElligott recalls. “If I’m honest I loved having people do so much for me after the accident. You’re saying to yourself ‘this is brilliant’,

but you don’t think of the consequences. Operation Transformation gave me all the tools I needed to move forward. It was a battle afterwards to keep going, but you have to do it for yourself.”

A year later, McElligott is very much back into sport, having recently made his debut for the Ireland amputee soccer team, whom he’ll also be representing in the first ever amputee European Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, later this year. Ahead of that, he’s focused on cycling.

“The Sport Ireland Tour Of Meath reached out to me and asked me if I’d like

Christy McElligott with Mr Tayto and his new hand-cycle at the launch of the Sport Ireland Tour of Meath. Register at meathsports.ie/cycle-tour for full information.

to take part,” McElligott explains. “They’ve been really great, setting me up with a bike and talking to me about the event.

“I’ll be riding a hand cycle, which is different.

It’s a lot of strain on my chest and arms, but I’m getting better at it. I’m up to 20km in training.

“I’ll be doing the 11km family race on the Saturday, which can be signed up for on the morning of the event, and I’m thinking I the organisers are keen for me to go for the 50km on the Sunday, too.

“It’s further than I’ve ever gone by a long way, but I think it’s worth a try. It’s tough, because when most people cycle they’re using their two biggest muscles.

Obviously I’m not.

“I used to be the person who would say no to things like this. I’m really open to suggestion on them now. I’d like to do an event for charity, for example, because I’ve received so much help.

Maybe next time around I’ll do that.”

As well as the 11km and 50km, the Tour Of Meath will also offer races at 100km and 160kms, aimed at exploring what McElligott describes as “really beautiful countryside” around the Royal county. The races take place on July 29th and 30th, with the bigger distances on the 30th.

Cyclists age six and up are welcome, providing they don’t need stabilisers, with age limits varying depending on

the distance of the event entered. Cheaper sign up is available in advance via the website.

McElligott’s progress in the soccer is equally impressive. “I played a tournament at UL, where we played against Everton, Manchester City and Partick Thistle,” he recalls of his return to the competitive amputee soccer game about eight weeks ago, having previously managed an Irish side at the World Cup. “I scored two goals against Manchester City, which I was very pleased with. There’s a great community about amputee soccer events, and it’s really great to be back involved as a player.

“Through all this experience, the one thing that never changed after my accident was my love of football, and that’s a common theme amongst the players. It’s a friendly, supportive community off the pitch, but once you get into the game people take it just as seriously as any other game.”

As for the future? “I’m really open to suggestion on what I do next,” McElligott concludes. “I’m not going to disregard anything now, like I did before. It doesn’t mean I’ll do everything that’s put in front of me, of course.

“There’s only one of me. But I won’t be disregarding any idea at all before it’s even come into my head.” Life, clearly, has changed very much for the better.

GAZETTE

30 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 20 July 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

RUGBY: PHILIP ORR BECOMES FOURTH MAN FROM HIS CLUB IN TOP ROLE

Fairview becomes latest parkrun hosting venue  JAMES HENDICOTT

FAIRVIEW Park became the latest Dublin venue to host one of the popular parkrun events on Saturday, with the launch of the 65th Irish venue for the fast-growing fitness series.

Parkrun has grown quickly across Ireland over the last few years, and is at its most popular in locations like Marlay Park, Bushy Park and Saint Anne’s Park, where turnouts in the hundreds have become the norm.

The concept is simple: a 5km timed run, organised by volunteers around the same, formally measured park route week after week.

The events are free to enter though you need to register in advance for a timing barcode online in order to receive a formal time.

All that the organisers ask is that regular runners occasionally step out of the run itself, and instead dedicate themselves to the marshalling of the event for others in order to keep things running.

The runs are open to everyone, however there’s no shortage of serious club runners who attend regularly. The course record for Marlay Park, for example, is an impressive 15 minutes and 20 seconds, while no fewer than 59 runners have clocked times of under 17 minutes for the 5km distance to date.

That’s not to say that any kind of speed is expected: plenty of people stroll gently around the run, or run-walk as part of a wider fitness regime. There are also a large number of children who take part, and a few brave parents who run pushing a buggy around the route ahead of them.

The new Fairview event is sponsored by VHI, and can be registered for in advance at parkrun.ie. That registration will get you into any of the 65 races in Ireland, without any payment or need to reregister, providing you’re carrying the printed barcode you will be delivered at the time of registration.

As well as Fairview, some of the current locations for Saturday morning parkruns in Dublin are as follows: Marlay Park, Bushy Park, Cabinteely, St Anne’s Park, Hartstown, Malahide, and Tymon Park. Runs typically begin at 9.30am weekly.

The IRFU’s newly inducted president Philip Orr. Picture: Morgan Treacy

Wesley legend to head up IRFU sport@dublingazette.com

PHILIP Orr, the former Ireland and Lions prop forward, was enrolled as the 130th President of the Irish Rugby Football Union at the annual Council meeting in the Aviva Stadium last weekend.

He has assumed the highest office in Irish rugby after a distinguished career as player and administrator. His services have twice been recognised by the Rugby Writers of Ireland, as winner in 2007 of the Tom Rooney award for exceptional contribution to Irish rugby and also induction to the Hall of

Fame in 2016.

A member of Old Wesley RFC for 44 years – he was President in its Centenary Year in season 1991/92 and captain of the 1985 winning Leinster Senior Cup team – and in a glittering playing career, he also starred for Dublin University FC, the Combined Irish Universities, Leinster, the Barbarians, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions.

He made his Ireland debut in 1976 against France in Paris and, in a career spanning 12 seasons, he was for many years Ireland’s most capped prop forward with a then World record 58 appearances, 49 of

LEINSTER LEADERS Elm Park starlets help province to double glory ELM Park Golf Club members (from left) Anna Foster, Leah Temple Lang and Emma Fleming (Girls Interprovincial Trophy) and Ariana Coyle Diez celebrate with the ladies interprovincial trophy.

They helped the province to a double victory in the 2017 ILGU Interprovincial Matches at Shannon Golf Club. The senior women won the title for the first time since 2014 with a 6.5 to 1.5 win over Connacht while the girls closed out the tournament with 6.5 to 0.5 win over the western province. Picture: Pat Cashman

which were earned consecutively.

His tenure was highlighted as a key player on the Triple Crown winning teams of 1982 and 1985.

He also represented Ireland in the 1987 inaugural World Cup and toured with Ireland to New Zealand (1976), Australia (1979), South Africa (1981) and Japan in 1985. He was twice chosen for the British and Irish Lions, to New Zealand in 1977 and to South Africa in 1980.

On retirement from international rugby after the World Cup 1987, he immediately began what has been an equally effective administrative

career, initially in the preparations for the Old Wesley club’s Centenary Year celebrations and then in 2000 as the Old Wesley club’s delegate on the Leinster Branch, followed by his election to the IRFU Committee in 2009.

Since then he has held a number of key roles, including Chairman of the Disciplinary, Coaching and Referees Committees and as a member of the Representative Game, Commercial and Marketing and Rugby Committees.

He was manager of the inaugural Ireland Club (amateur) team in 2005/06 and also manag-

er of the Ireland Under20s team for three years which included the winning of the Six Nations Championship Grand Slam in 2007.

Educated at The High School and Trinity College and formerly joint managing director of the family owned protective clothing company Orrwear Ltd; he is married to Anne and is the fourth member of the Old Wesley club to be elected President of the IRFU. He follows in the footsteps of Billy Hinton, George Hamlet and Henry Anderson from the club to gain the honour.

20 July 2017 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

TRIATHLON BENEFITS Cullen helps launch GLS’s new four-year link-up

UNDER-16Camogie

ALL-IRELAND football winning captain Bryan Cullen

was on hand to launch parcel service provider GLS’s four-year sponsorship deal with Triathlon Ireland at Luttrellstown Golf Club this week.

Cullen intends to compete in the Dublin City Triathlon in the Phoenix Park at the end of August and said of the sport: “The diversity of swimming, cycling, and running makes triathlon the ultimate personal challenge, and offers a tremendous health, fitness and social aspect too.” Picture: Barry Cronin

LADIES FOOTBALL: SHEEHAN’S DOUBLE NOT QUITE ENOUGH

Dublin go goal crazy DUBLIN eased to a second successive win in the Under-16A All-Ireland camogie championship as they swept past the challenge of Limerock 9-15 to 1-2 at O’Toole Park.

Dublin had tagged on 1-3 by the 15th minute before Limerick netted to leave the score 1-3 to 1-1.

But that was as good as it got for the Treaty side as Dublin gradually took control of the game adding 2-6 without reply to their total to go in 3-9 to 1-1 ahead at half time.

There was to be no respite for the Limerick girls after the interval as Dublin piled on the pressure and added scores almost at will.

Their second half tally 6-6 would win most games and Dublin face a much sterner challenge next time out when they face Kilkenny on July 30 in Kilkenny.

Clontarf’s Caoimhe O’Connor battles for possession with Galway’s Aoife Molloy. Picture: GAAPics.com

Dubs bow out after minor semi thriller ALL-IRELAND MINOR S/F Galway 3-14 Dublin 4-5  sport@dublingazette.com

CLONTARF’S Caoimhe O’Connor scored a second-half goal but couldn’t prevent Dublin from bowing out of the minor football championship with a semi-final defeat to Connacht champions Galway on Saturday.

Tarf teammates Heather Bolger, Aoibhe Bell and Sarah Fagan, St Oliver Plunketts’ Orla Martin and Siabh Hannigan of Parnells also saw action as Martin McDonnell’s side fell at the penultimate

hurdle.

On a windy and humid day at St Loman’s in Mullingar, Dublin fell just short in their effort to reach successive minor finals while Galway looked to reach their third final in four seasons.

The Sky Blues led by a point at the break but Galway pulled away in the second half.

T h e Tr i b e s wo m e n landed a goal and six unanswered points before Dublin scored a late consolation goal to leave the final score 3-14 to 4-5.

A low-scoring first half saw the girls in blue head into the dressing rooms

with a slender 1-4 to 0-6 lead.

Ballinteer St John’s full forward Niamh Sheehan having found the net with a free kick a minute before the break.

Galway dominated the start of the second half and they managed 2-2 without reply as Leanne Coen twice found the net for the resurgent challengers in the opening nine minutes.

Dublin responded strongly, however, with Sheehan adding her second goal of the game and Dianne Lawless a point to bring it back to a threepoint game.

Then O’Connor found herself on the end of a well-worked move to hit the net and level the scores with 13 minutes of the second half remaining.

Dublin couldn’t maintain their momentum, however, and were held scoreless for another 18 minutes of playing time as Galway stretched the gap out to nine points with a display of clinical finishing.

Naomh Olaf’s Clara O’Sullivan did manage to net a consolation goal side five minutes into injury time but it’s Galway who advance to face Cork in the decider on August 7.

Crokes and Jude’s lead way in AFL Division One KILMACUD Crokes and St Jude’s lead the way at the head of AFL Division 1 after 11 rounds of matches following a dramatic double week in the competition.

A 1-14 to 2-5 success against St Vincent’s at Tymon North helped Jude’s to remain at the summit of the top-tier table in midweek before they saw their title push pegged back by a draw with Skerries Harps on Saturday evening, 2-7 to 1-10.

Kilmacud, meanwhile, beat St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh in their first tie of the week and were handed a derby day walkover by Ballyboden St Enda’s on Saturday to move level with Jude’s on 17 points.

St Brigid’s, however, lost ground following their loss to local rivals Castleknock - 2-7 to 0-10 - to fall two points off the pace.

They had been in brilliant form in beating Maur’s three days earlier against St Maur’s.

They developed an insurmountable 4-10 to 0-3 cushion at the midway point in the contest, and although their goalkeeper Stephen Moore produced a brace of outstanding saves, Brigid’s were in control throughout.

Two goals apiece from the dynamic attacking duo of Philly Ryan and Darren Freeman (who played for Monaghan in the championship against Wexford last Saturday) were supplemented by further goals from Sean Egan and Daire Plunkett, as Brigid’s eventually registered a 6-18 to 0-9 triumph.

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GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR DUBLIN CITY SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

LEADING LIGHT: Old Wesley’s Orr adds to incredible life on and off the field with the IRFU presidency P30

JULY 20 - 26, 2017

HIGH DRAMA ASSURED: Dublin Ladies Gaelic season reaches business end P28

Legend Lee off to Lucan James Lee, second from right, lifts the FAI intermediate cup trophy with Crumlin in 2015. Picture: David Maher/Sportsfile

Crumlin hero steps back from the club after immaculate career, including five Leinster Senior League titles and four FAI intermediate Cup successes

 DAVE DONNELLY

sport@dublingazette.com

CRUMLIN United said goodbye to one of their all-time greats this week as Lucan United pulled off the transfer coup of the Leinster Senior League off-season with the capture of the decorated midfielder James Lee. The 32-year-old will bring a weight of experience to John Doyle’s side, having been part of a Crumlin side that won five Senior Sunday titles and four FAI Intermediate Cups in his ten years there.

He links up with his former Dublin Bus teammates Alan McGovern, who coaches at Lucan, and Sean Nolan, after manager John Doyle sold him on his plan to take the club up

from Senior 1A. He won’t be the only leader in the dressing room as ex-Shelbourne man Mark Rutherford still patrols the left wing at the ripe age of 45.

There’ll be no link-up with former Crumlin midfield partner Martin Cramer, who decided to call it a day at the end of the last season, but not before encouraging his friend to sign up.

“We’ve played one friendly at the weekend – we beat the Guards 7-0 – and it looks promising. There’s still work to do on it. John wouldn’t be shy in saying that,” Lee told GazetteSport.

“A few good players there have already impressed me quite a lot, but he has a bit of recruitment to do. As I said to him, if I make the move I at least want to challenge for promotion.”

Apart from a short spell with Collinstown last season, Lee has spent the whole of the last decade with Martin Loughran’s Crumlin.

He leaves with the blessing of Loughran, who recognised the player he brought in from Esker Celtic in 2007 was ready to move on to a new challenge.

“Martin almost felt disgusted that I was taking that decision last year. He told me, ‘you’re making the wrong move – you’ll be back.’ And ultimately he was right.

“When I made the move last year, I felt, ‘did I make the right decision here?’ My mind was more clouded last year. It’s clear in my mind that it’s the right time.”

Lee’s most enjoyable time at Crumlin was the 2010 season, when one of the best sides

Senior Sunday has seen won the league and three cups – not bad considering he almost didn’t sign up.

“The standout season was the 2010 one where we cleaned up. We got to four finals and won the league – we lost one of the finals.

“Probably the best squad ever seen in the Leinster Senior League, I’ve heard from a lot of people before my time.

“It was June 2007 I joined Crumlin, after agreeing a handshake to join Bluebell. I wasn’t feeling it at Bluebell and once I went up and did one training session with Crumlin, I signed straight away.

“That said, the Bluebell manager at the time, Liam Reilly, wasn’t too impressed when he got the phone call!”