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INSIDE: Maia Dunphy talks to The Gazette about

balancing her work and life as a new mum Page 15

March 17-23, 2016

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Flying the flag for a day of Food & Drink: celebration The Old Spot hits the mark with delicious dishes and very friendly staff

Adi Roche honoured at lunch for Chernobyl Children International

These Gardiner Street Primary School students certainly got into the spirit of things as they celebrated Proclamation Day recently. Proclamation Day saw every educational institute around the country mark the significance of the Proclamation. Minister Paschal Donohoe was present to raise an Irish flag to huge applause. He was also invited to watch a wonderful drama based on 1916, called Lily’s Story. The school’s choir and orchestra then performed The Foggy Dew and a medley of Irish tunes followed by a group of dancers who danced the Fairy Reel.

Pages 24-25

Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

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Heroic work:

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Damien Duff on life since his retirement Page 28

Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you

Height restriction to remain for centre

No buyer named yet for Phibsborough Shopping Centre says council

 Aisling Kennedy

Following the rejection of the Phibsborough Local Area Plan (LAP) at a meeting of Dublin City Council (DCC) recently, clarification was issued by DCC last week about the

height restrictions on any future developments at the Phibsborough Shopping Centre. DCC reiterated its stance on the ongoing issue of potential future d e ve l o p m e n t s a t t h e shopping centre and said

that the height restriction would be retained to the centre’s current height. DCC also clarified that as yet, they do not have confirmation of who will buy the Phibsborough Shopping Centre contrary to recent media reports.

Speculation that Peter Leonard, son of Tony Leonard of Clarendon Properties, had bought the shopping centre for a reported €17m have gone unconfirmed by DCC. Full Story on Page 6

2 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 17 March 2016

crisis | average cost of renting house now €1,430

Rents rocket to an all time high  Aisling Kennedy

Rent rates have steadily risen over the last four years

Rent prices in Dublin have reached the highest level ever recorded and are now even higher than they were during the peak of the boom in 2007 according to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB). The average cost of renting a house in Dublin is now €1,430 a month and on average a city apartment is €1,312 per month. After the 2008 crash, rent prices dropped by 25% in 2012 but rates steadily began to rise again over the last four

years. Some private rented properties are now asking for high amounts of money for sub-standard accommodation for example in Dublin 6, The Gazette saw an extremely dilapidated three bedroom apartment that is currently being advertised to rent online for €1,400 per month. Focus Ireland Advocacy and Communications manager, Roughan MacNamara said that with a record total of 125 families becoming homeless in January in Dublin alone, the housing crisis must be a top priority for the new government. He said that research c o n d u c t e d i n 2 01 2 “showed that inadequate rent supplement payments were causing families and single people to become homeless”.

“The Government, however, did not increase rent supplement at that time – or since then – and we believe this has been the main factor in the explosion of the family homeless crisis in the last three years.” Focus Ireland said that it is vital that the next Government takes immediate action to raise rent supplement to keep people in their existing homes as that will help to ease the crisis if the number of families and single people becoming homeless every month can be reduced. Rent supplement is now so far behind market rents that families and single people are losing their homes every month as rents have shot up by 30, 40, 50% or more over the last few years, according to Focus Ireland.

Perry on trial after arrest at protest Dublin city councillor Cieran Perry (Ind) is currently on trial this week charged with two public order offences following his arrest at a peaceful protest in Cabra in September 2014. Cllr Perry took part in a demonstration in 2014 to oppose the pay cuts placed on workers at the waste disposal company Greyhound. He was arrested on the day of the protest and accused of failing to comply with a garda’s direction to leave the

vicinity and interrupting the passage of vehicles at Killala Road, Cabra, on September 2, 2014. Cllr Perry will defend himself at the trial and if found guilty, he could face a fine of €2,000 or six months in prison. At the time of his arrest, Cllr Perry said: “I was shocked to be arrested and handcuffed for participating in a peaceful protest in support of the lock-out Greyhound workers.” The trial is currently ongoing.

FastNews

Collin’s Barracks to host 1916 educational events The National History Museum is running a series of events to educate the public throughout March and April to commemorate the 1916 Rising. Reconstructing 1916 is an opportunity to view and handle the material culture of the Easter Rising. Replica uniforms and paraphernalia of the Irish Volunteers, Cumann na mBan and the Irish Citizen Army will be presented alongside artefacts relating to the British Army and the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). This drop-in activity is being hosted at Collin’s Barracks, Arbour Hill and is suitable for all ages. Weaponry from the period will be demonstrated and there will also be a focus on daily life items. The event begins at 1.30 on March 19 and at 2.00 on March 20. For a full list of events, please visit http://www. museum.ie/Visit-Us/Events.

Volunteers wanted for biggest community clean up ever Dublin City Council is looking for volunteers to join in the biggest community clean up Dublin has ever hosted on Saturday 26 March. Residents, Business, Schools and all organisations and groups are welcome to register and Rise Up to the challenge of helping to make and keep Dublin a Litter Free City. The clean-up team are hoping to invite up to 10,000 volunteers to take part in the operation on Easter Saturday. The concept is based on small community schemes from across the city and the team are hoping to have similar success like that of the 2015 Team Limerick Clean-Up event. It begins at 11.00 and runs for two hours. You can register at www.teamdublincleanup.ie for further information and health and safety guidelines.

Frances Black to run in the upcoming Seanad elections Singer Frances Black has announced her intention to run as an Independent candidate in the upcoming Seanad elections. Black secured a nomination from the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), the representative body of Ireland’s independent commercial radio broadcasters, on the Industrial and Commercial panel. Black (55) is an addiction counsellor and founded

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The Rise Foundation in 2009 to help families of people suffering from addiction. Following her announcement to run for the Seanad she said: “It’s people like me, who work at the coalface, who need to be in there, fighting for the vulnerable.”

17 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 3

education | applications must be submitted before march 24

closure

Clearys workers protest

New primary schools for Dublin 1 and 7  emma nolan

A number of bodies have applied for patronage of two new Department of Education primary schools in the Dublin 1 and Dublin 7 areas to open in September 2016. Secular Schools Dublin, Educate Together and The Education Society of Ireland (ESI) will apply for patronage of the new school before March 24. The Association of Trustees of Catholic Schools did not confirm if they were planning to apply at the time of going to print. The catchment area for the Dublin 1 school is Drumcondra, Marino and North Docklands with Phibsboro, Cabra, Stoneybatter, Grangegorman and Ashtown falling

into the Dublin 7 catchment. The school will open in temporary premises initially and the Department of Education and Skills is working to identify and procure a suitable permanent site for the schools. The Educational Society core objective is to “maximise the potential of pupils regardless of background, educational or intellectual ability”. Secular Schools Ireland (SSI) is a voluntary organisation seeking to establish Ireland’s first secular primary schools. Director of SSI, Lefre de Burgh said: “We believe that schools should be truly community based – with all children from the local catchment area welcomed on a first-come

first-serve basis. “We welcome children of all faiths and none. We just don’t teach religion during the school day and membership of a particular religion is not a criterion for entry to the primary school.” Gerry McKevitt of Educate Together described the Educate Together ethos to parents as equality-based, democratically run and child-centred. McKevitt said: “The principle of co-education is one of the founding elements of the Educate Together charter. Parents are encouraged to register their interest for their chosen patron body and the organisation with the most demand will be recognised by the Department of Education.

Arch Federation make visit Mansion House

On Saturday, March 12, The Arch Federation were delighted to have representatives from nine of their clubs from the Dublin region attend a reception kindly host by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Críona Ní Dhálaigh, to help kick off their 40th Anniversary celebrations. They were welcomed by the Lord Mayor herself, who said her plan at the start of her term in office was to open the doors of the Mansion House to community groups and clubs such as the Arch Club. Mary Davitt, a member of the Arch Federation council, said it was a great morning and a great way to start The Arch Clubs celebrations as Dublin was where they first began with a small group of parents who had children with intellectual disabilities coming together to form a social club to include not only the children, but parents, siblings and friends and hence coming up with “ARCH” – which symbolises an entrance to a better social life, a strong structure of support and inclusion of all. Pictured are Arch Club members and volunteers including the Lord Mayor in the Oak Room at the Mansion House.

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

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Former Clearys workers held a protest on O’Connell Street on March 12 to mark nine months since the department store closed its doors. The closure came when Clearys was bought by a group of property speculators, Natrium, in June last year Over 400 people lost their jobs at that time without any prior noticeand workers protested outside the shop demanding a meeting with buyers Natruim. Siptu sector organiser Teresa Hannick has said workers have had no contact with Natrium since the closure and is calling on the government to make public the findings of the report that the Government carried out in January regarding company law public.

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Ballymun Boiler House Project | sod is turned to start transformation

Green revamp for power station Dublin City Council and The Rediscovery Centre officially turned the sod on the Ballymun Boiler House Project last Monday, which will see the transformation of the iconic building into a 3D textbook, an innovative architectural prototype in educational space design. The repurposing of the Boiler House, as part of the WISER (working with industrial spaces to exemplify reuse) Project, will establish Europe’s first 3D textbook as a centre for excellence in education for sustainable

development highlighting best practice reuse and resource efficiency. This new approach to educational space design demonstrates the ability to incorporate active learning through building design, construction, operation and occupation. The plan for the building involves its reinvention as an innovative learning space showcasing best practice eco design, construction and material use. The building will be constructed using recycled materials, with energy and water systems

designed to conserve precious resources and demonstrate the latest research with regard to environmental sustainability. The centre will deliver targeted environmental workshops and education programmes for all ages and provide green services and products created on-site by waste reuse eco-enterprises. Representing An tArdmheara Criona Ni Dhalaigh, Cllr Noleen Reilly (SF) said: “I am delighted to be in Ballymun this morning for the sod turning ceremony for this

wonderful initiative. I am hopeful that the project will influence visitors to transform their lifestyles by up cycling and reusing materials at home and at work to minimise waste and adopt smarter consumption habits and so achieve a more resource efficient society.” Commenting on the project, Owen Keegan, chief executive of Dublin City Council said: “This is great news for Ballymun, a major step forward for the community and a welcome boost for the local economy. “This iconic industrial building which has served the people of Ballymun since its construction in the mid 1960’s and was due for demolition is now being given a new lease of

Pictured is Cllr Noleen Reilly (SF), Deputy Lord Mayor and Sarah Miller, CEO Rediscovery Centre at the Ballymun Boiler House. Picture: Jason Clarke Photography

life. The council is committed to promoting and encouraging prevention, re-use and recycling of waste and this project will demonstrate how a building which is now defunct can be reused and upcycled to provide an innovative and sustainable facility of local, regional and national importance.” CEO of The Rediscovery Centre, Sarah Miller said: “Now that the project is underway, the Rediscovery Centre is one

County council defends controversial 1916 banner Dublin City Council have defended its banner commemorating four constitutional politicians at the College Green Bank of Ireland. The four men featuring in the banner have sparked a lot of confusion and controversy as three of them were dead long before the rising. Henry Grattan who died in 1820, Daniel O’Connell in 1847 and Charles Stewart Parnell in 1891, all feature in the banner along with John Redmond who described the rising as “wicked and insane”. Council deputy city librarian Brendan Teeling said that the idea for the banner came from the Department of the Taoiseach who has been coordinating with the council and the OPW on how to dress up Dublin

City for the Easter Sunday parade. The banner is hanging on what would have been the Irish Parliamentary building before the Act of Union in 1800. This banner is said to be the first of many banners to be erected around the city for the commemorations. Two are set to feature the signatories of the proclamation and another is said to be of the women who were involved in the rebellion. The council offices on Wood Quay are already sporting a banner which pays tribute to the Proclamation. Teeling said that these four men were supported by Irish people well before the 1916 Easter Rising and it would be “unhistorical” to leave them out of the commemorations.

step closer to realising its vision for an experiential education centre. “Using the rich resources provided by the built, natural and cultural environment as teaching tools it is the most effective way to learn about sustainability and complements our ongoing research and reuse social enterprise activity.” The Rediscovery Centre is an environmental and social enterprise where scientists, design-

ers, business managers and craftsmen are united in a common purpose of sustainability through resource efficiency and life cycle design. Their research supports the development of the circular economy and advocates for a more resilient, equitable society with the aim of educating people on the value of waste and its reuse. The project in Ballymun is due to be completed by October, 2016.

17 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 5

6 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 17 March 2016

FastNews

Two interesting lectures to commemorate 1916 rising On March 23, as part of the Little Museum of Dublin’s 2016 lecture series to commemorate the 1916 rising, they will be hosting two lectures that evening. The first, entitled Bombshells and Bulletholes, will be given by Lar Joye of the National Museum. He will examine the weapons used during the Easter Rising and the talk begins at 5.30 pm. The second event entitled A Disaster for Ireland is hosted by Kevin Meyers where he argues that Ireland should not celebrate the Easter Rising. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door on the evening. Further lectures on the role of women in the revolution and other topics will be held throughout the year.

Phibsborough Shopping Centre

Jobs boost for Dublin 7

clarification | Phibsborough Shopping Centre

There was a jobs boost for Dublin 7 when Meagh-

er’s Pharmacy added two new acquisitions, entailing an investment of over €3.5 million and the creation of 20 jobs. They will take over the Kinvara Pharmacy in Kinvara Park, off the Navan Road. Further investment in the 2,000 square foot north-side pharmacy business will include refurbishment, rebranding, and increase of current staff levels. Oonagh O’Hagan, Managing Director at Meagher’s said: “Meagher’s Pharmacy looks forward to further investing in the store, improving the customer offering, and bringing new brands and services to this very busy pharmacy”.

Council moves to allay height fears  Aisling Kennedy

Meagher’s Pharmacy have also acquired a nine year licence to operate a pharmacy in the new Whitty Building at the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, also in Dublin 7. The pharmacy opened last week and has already created 12 new jobs.

DIT students outright winners of Hospitality Management Game A team of five students from the B.Sc in International Hospitality Management, representing Dublin Institute of Technology, were selected as the outright winner of the 31st Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI) National Hospitality Business Management Game 2016 at the Croke Park Hotel in Dublin. The team consisted of Conor Bradley, Shane Browne, Paul Fitzsimons, Caroline McDevitt and Katie Scanlan. Their prize is an invitation to the Ambassade de France Residence in Dublin where they will be treated to a very special evening, including a private tuition on the world famous wine of Domaine Laroche. The winning team scored top marks in the competition that attracted seven teams representing young hospitality managers of the future from all over Ireland. Natasha Kinsella FIHI, Chief Executive of IHI, speaking at the awards ceremony said: “Irrespective of individual results, all contestants here today will leave the games with a template that can and will work for many years ahead”.

Following the rejection of the Phibsborough Local Area Plan (LAP) at a meeting of Dublin City Council (DCC) recently, clarification was issued by DCC last week about the height restrictions on any future developments at the Phibsborough Shopping Centre. DCC reiterated its stance on the ongoing issue of potential future developments at the shopping centre and said that the height restriction would be retained to the centre’s current height. This clarification came following recent media speculation that the shopping centre could potentially be constructed to height specifications of 50m/12 storeys. At last week’s DCC Area Committee meeting, Jim Keoghan, assistant chief executive at

DCC, said: “The current City Development Plan is the statutory document for assessing planning applications in the Phibsborough/Mountjoy area. The current policy identifies Phibsborough/Mountjoy as a mid-rise area which allows for new buildings of up to 50 metres to be considered provided an LAP/SDZ is in place. “As no LAP is in place the current City Development Plan policy in relation to the redevelopment of the existing Phibsborough Shopping Centre allows for the existing height to be retained in any redevelopment proposal.” The current height of the shopping centre is estimated at 31m/nine storeys. Keoghan said that a new draft City Development Plan is being prepared and the new plan

will come into effect in November 2016. “As the LAP fell, it was agreed by the members to use the draft City Development Plan process to incorporate key policy elements of the key development sites outlined in the draft LAP for inclusion in the new City Development Plan for statutory guidance. “It was also agreed to incorporate key environmental objectives of the draft LAP into a draft Local Environmental Improvement Plan (LEIP).” DCC also clarified that as yet, they do not have confirmation of who will buy the Phibsborough Shopping Centre contrary to recent media reports. Speculation that Peter Leonard, son of Tony Leonard of Clarendon Properties, had bought the shopping centre for a reported €17m have gone

unconfirmed by DCC. Keoghan said: “The Phibsborough Shopping Centre is in the process of being sold. Confirmation of this sale being completed has not been confirmed to the city council. With regard to recent newspaper articles I wish to confirm that no member of the planning department has had any pre-application consultations with the owners/ receivers of the Phibsborough Shopping Centre in relation to any future planning application.” Cllr Mannix Flynn (Ind) said he welcomed the council’s clarification and said: “The Phibsborough LAP is a vital part of

the city and the fact that the plan is in somewhat of a grey area is a very serious matter. “The shopping centre has been an atrocious visual pollutant for some time and it needs to be completely removed in consultation with local residents. “An appropriate town centre or village centre should be placed there.” In terms of the ongoing dispute over the height of the shopping centre, Cllr Flynn said: “I would prefer to see DCC give some measure of a rule as a developer in the city like they used to do when they actually built these buildings years ago.”

17 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 7

music | audience invited to actively partake in the art of songwriting

Help shape a song live at Whelans gig  jodi waters news@gazettegroup.com

Sonic W hispers is a cross genre musical experiment where the audience and musicians come together to discuss and create music. Set to take place in Whelans on Sunday, April 17, the event will feature three new bands from three diverse types of music, a rock band called Bitch Falcon, Dublin Electronic band Wounded Healer and the Trad band Bunoscionn. T he event will be hosted by Irish stand-up comedian Rob Broderick who is quite popu-

lar across the UK for his show Abandoman which ‘creates musical songs and sketches at lightning speed based on audience interaction, which sounds like a perfect match for Sonic Whispers! Ok – so how does one come up with an event like this one? I spoke to event organiser Natasha Duffy who told me ‘the idea of having a show that was about creation, rather than the finished product, really appealed to her when coming up with ideas for a new gig. Sonic Whispers offers the audience a chance to dive into the brains and hearts of the people

behind the song writing. The event will give you and your mates a unique chance to help shape a song as part of a live improv experiment. Basically, this is a gig where you, the audience will be just as involved in the music making as the band on stage are – if not even more involved! It presents the opportunity where Rock, Trad and Electronic Music get into bed together and present us with something that we’ve more than likely never seen or been involved in before. Sonic Whispers wants to show you how music is interpreted and how different music genres

make us feel.’ Natasha goes on to explain how it works. ‘One band is on first, they play one song while the other two bands are backstage – with their ears covered! After the first song, the next band will come on and try to reinterpret the song that the previous band just played. But they had their ears covered, so how will they do it? Well, they’ll be relying on you, the audience to give them ‘clues and cues’ of how to play the song. What was the rhythm? Will you remember the lyrics? What about the structure of the verse? It’s up to the audience to

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Trad Band Bunoscionn will be taking part in Sonic Whispers on April 17, Whelans.

get the band through the song! Brilliant!’ Natasha was asked as part of TheatreClub’s festival The Theatre Machine Turns You On to curate a new music programme, something outside the box, and so

Sonic Whispers was created. Co-produced by Maurane Ramon, Natasha said that they wanted their audiences to ‘feel whether they were musicians or not, what it was like to be part of that creation.’

Sonic Whispers will be a lively, insightful, and utterly unique evening that will explore both the quirks of the genres, and the underlying harmonies of all musical expression. Tickets €15.

8 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 17 March 2016

dublin city Gazettegallery | the stars come out for the

Ray D’Arcy and actor Peter O’Meara

Peter Murphy, Rachael Moriarty and actor Killian Scott . Pictures: Patrick O’Leary

Kate Hennessy and Conor Farrell

Laura McNicholas and Susan Boyle

Allison Dempsey

Stuart Switzer, Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy

17 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 9

Irish premier of TRADERS at Cineworld, Parnell Street

Lorraine Brennan and Glen Lynch

David McSavage and Katelyn Kearney

Fighting for the number 1 spot

Allison Dempsey and Nadine Watters

Roisin Dennis and Grainne O’Leary

raders tells the story of Harry Fox (Killian Scott) who seems to have it all, the luxury apartment, the fancy car but when the company he works for goes bust it looks like he will lose everything. A solution is offered by Vernon Stynes (John Bradley) who has masterminded a diabolical, all-or-nothing scheme based on the Deep Web, called Trading. Two strangers empty their banks accounts, sell their assets and put their entire worth in cash into a green sports bag. They travel to a remote location and fight to the death. Winner buries the loser and walks away twice as rich. Vernon believes Trading is a no-brainer for anyone who wants to get rich quick. Can Harry resist the lure of such a high risk gamble? It’s dangerous and it’s illegal but it could solve all his problems.

Courtney Keogh and Michelle Keogh

Kara Connelly and Laura Callaghan

Hannah Malone and James Eastlake

Jean Thonton and Grace Murphy

Jennifer Grace and Laura Murphy

10 Gazette 17 March 2016

Gazettegallery

| special Women’s event at Royal Hospital Kilmainham

Able seaman Leia Wall and Pte Chole Carroll chatting to Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM chief of staff from The

Women’s role in Rising recognised

Irish Defence Forces

Marge Almqvist shows the President a patchwork quilt with a panel dedicated to each notable woman from the 1916 rising

Members of the women’s performance group, Flames not Flowers

President Higgins, his wife Sabina, Tanaiste Joan Burton, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys and Dublin Lord Mayor Criona Ni Dhalaigh and the creators of the patchwork quilt (behind) with a panel dedicated to each notable women from the 1916 rising

17 March 2016 Gazette 11

Gazette

12 Gazette 17 March 2016

dublinlife

diary

Sports stars, doctors and nurses are careers of choice for children Research has revealed that Dublin kids want to be sports stars, doctors and nurses when they grow up. A new nationwide research study among Irish children reveals what Dublin boys and girls want to be when they grow up and also what the best and worst things about being a child in Ireland are in 2016. The research undertaken by Calpol for their Let Kids Be Kids campaign, shows that among Dublin children aged 6 to 12, 31% want to be a sports star, 19% percent want to be a doctor and 17% hope to become a nurse. The study also found that only 9% of Dublin children want to be a teacher compared with 31% of children from the wider Leinster region. 17% want to be a singer and 14% percent want to reach for the stars and become an astronaut. Nationally there were also some interesting findings with kids revealing that playing with friends is the very best thing about being a child, closely followed by getting presents at birthday and Christmas time (60%) and going on holidays with family (30%).

Lidl staff smash fundraising goal Lidl staff in Dublin South are celebrating as they have raised €97,829 for their chosen charity, Barretstown. This has helped the retailer smash their national fundraising target by raising €1.2m for Barretstown, €200,000 more than their initial tar-

get of €1m in three years. The funds will go towards providing programmes that are medically endorsed and designed to give children back their confidence and self-esteem. Over the past three years, Lidl’s 3,500 strong workforce have held fundraising events across the country, donating in excess of 7,200 volunteer hours of their time in over 170 events. To find out more visit www.barretstown.org, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter @ Barretstown.

Riverdance to run at the gaiety Riverdance is returning home this summer for a limited run in the Gaiety Theatre. As part of the show, which will run from June 14 to August 28, audiences will have the chance to purchase the VIP package which will be available each Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evening from Friday, June 17 to Saturday, August 27. Costing a total of €91, the VIP package includes a premium seat in the parterre, early access to the theatre to watch onstage rehearsal and warm up, a Q&A with members of the Riverdance cast before the show, and a meet and greet with the principal dancers afterwards. Go to ticketmaster.ie to book.

When Does a Temperature become a Fever? Alt h o u g h f e v e r accompanies most mild

childhood illnesses, new research by Nurofen for Children has revealed almost half of new mums in Dublin (49%), do not know what temperature a fever begins (37.8°C), with Dublin mums ranking as the least likely, to recognise a fever. Commissioned by the pain relief brand, this research was carried out among 400 first time mothers as part of the #FeverFighters campaign. The survey also asked what the biggest challenge was when becoming a parent for the first time and although expectant mothers are often warned about the lack of sleep once the baby arrives, 42% of Dublin mums said the lack of sleep was the most challenging thing about becoming a parent. To support the launch, Nurofen for Children is also launching a new app which aims to help mums and dads manage the day to day aspects of being a new parent.

new Leap Family Card launched A new, promotional Leap Family Card has been launched by the N a t i o n a l Tr a n s p o r t Authority on March 2, in a bid to encourage families to use public transport during the 1916 centenary celebrations. Costing only €10, the Leap Family Card gives a family of two adults and up to four children (aged 18 or under) 24-hours unlimited travel in and around the Greater Dublin Area on Dublin Bus, Luas, Bus Eireann, DART and commuter rail.

The €10 Leap Family Card (2 x adult + 4 x children) costs the same as one adult’s daily travel cap, and is valid across all travel modes in the Greater Dublin Area. The card is also €4 cheaper than the Dublin Bus one-day family rambler (€14) and €10 cheaper than the Irish Rail equivalent (€20), saving parents using public transport money. A total of 50,000 limited edition Leap Family Cards have been made available, and two family cards are available per order. The money-saving card is available from www. leapcard.ie

Dublin set to celebrate rich melodic heritage MusicTOWN will return to Dublin next month to celebrate the rich melodic heritage and modern-day musical maestros of the city. Organised by Dublin City Council, the festival showcases the vast musical talent and vibrant musical culture that permeates throughout Dublin. MusicTown’s eclectic programme has something for all ages and interests, celebrating all types of music created and enjoyed throughout the city today; from classical to pop, trad to rock, psychedelic to opera, electronic and everything in between. Expect performances from Neneh Cherry, Mary Coughlan, David Kitt, Ye Vagabonds and fun events like a Diva Singalong Party in MVP,

Mu Mu Cheng and Cora Zhang from Falun Dafa, pictured at last year’s Mind, Body, Spirit and Yoga Festival which runs in the RDS, Dublin, from Friday, March 18 to Sunday 20. Picture: Conor McCabe

a Ukulele Tuesday in The Stags Head and blues night in JJ Smyths. Some events are free and some have a nominal charge. For further information and tickets visit musictown.ie

strengthening Irish and French connections An event to strengthen the links between Ireland and France and enhance the long-standing friendship that exists between Ireland, France and other French-speaking countries of the world will take place in Dublin Castle next month. The seventeenth edition of the Franco-Irish Literary Festival will continue the tradition that led to Dublin’s nomination as a UNESCO City of Literature with the theme Food For Thought running throughout the event. The festival showcases different artists and also offers an Irish audience the opportunity to discover French writers. The event will take place in the Alliance Francaise from April 8 till 10, all events are free and open to the public.

submissions sought for Mine Anthology An anthology of stories and art representing the struggle for women’s full reproductive rights in Ire-

land is calling for submissions. “Mine” will feature art, comics and illustrations with stories on the theme of repealing the 8th Amendment to the Constitution, reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. The creative project, led by Karen Harte and Jessica Maybury, has been developed to support the current campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment. The requirements for submissions are 1 to 2 pages of A5 artwork, 300dpi, colour TIFF or PDF and the deadline for submissions is April 13 2016. Karen Harte, graphic designer, illustrator and co-creator of “Mine’”said: “The current campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment is gaining momentum. In order to raise awareness of this critical issue for women and men in Ireland, we want to support the Abortion Rights Campaign “We would urge anyone who has a story to tell to get in touch with us - even if you don’t think you can draw, collaborate with a friend and work on something together. “We want to build up a collection of voices that show the impact that this barrier to fundamental rights is having on people in Ireland and all over the world.”

HOLISTIC AND WELLBEING FESTIVAL How our 21st century screen addictions are making us fatter and the psychology behind losing weight will be revealed at Ireland’s biggest wellbeing event the Mind, Body, Spirit and Yoga Festival in the RDS from March 18 to 20. The festival offers the chance to discover the latest techniques in self-development and life-enhancing positive psychology with 75 talks by top Irish and international experts plus exhibits by over 150 complementary and healing practitioners. Health scientist Dr Ailis Brosnan, who specialises in diet psychology, will be exploring what motivates, and crucially doesn’t motivate, people into making healthy eating and lifestyle choices, and a former industrial psychologist, now nutritional therapist, Karen Ward, will show how diet helped her recover from her virulent Crohn’s disease which, at one stage, necessitated life-saving surgery. With over 150 stands, visitors can explore everything from angels and aromatherapy to Reiki and reflexology. Tickets €12, three-day pass €30, children free.

17 March 2016 Gazette 13

14 Gazette 17 March 2016

Gazette

dublinlife OPINION We cannot ignore Syrian conflict IT’S often hard to get our heads around figures past a certain threshold: 30 billion WhatsApp messages sent ever y day; £90m for a Premier League footballer; 60 million people displaced by conflict globally. These numbers are so large they mean almost nothing – and why should they? They are vague and distant, and have little relation to daily life. One figure that isn’t hard to get our heads

around is five. War in Syria has been ongoing now for five years. That’s longer than World War 1, and gaining fast on World War 2. In those years, a host of vast and ambiguous figures have come pouring out of the now ravaged country – 470,000 people reported dead; 12 million people displaced; and 4.7 million Syrian refugees. These numbers are vast, but they can’t be dismissed. What’s more, it’s not

just the numbers that sound foreign and confusing. We have heard new words, places and names repeated on reports and news bulletins. Barrel bombs, ISIS, Daesh, Assad, Kurds, Caliphate, Homs and Aleppo have become part of standard conversation on Syria. Words that can carry as much horror for those who truly know their meaning as the figures they are a part of. Like so many countries

that violently command our attention, western knowledge of Syria was sparse before the conflict. Often described as a beating heart of Arabian culture and character, the Mediterranean state has been all but wiped of its rich and distinct identity. In its place, a new Syrian identity has emerged among a myriad contradictory and perplexing myths, misinformation and truths. It took Europe and the West too long to sit up and pay attention but, as with many humanitarian crises, time and escalation has forced a response. When the number of Syrians arriving on European shores exploded last year, Syrian identity evoked empathy, welcoming hearts and open minds. As numbers continued to swell, this became shrouded in negative stereotypes and fearmongering. What started as another chapter in the Arab Spring has descended into a devastating civil war. Like Yemen, Libya and Egypt before it, the revolt which once brought such hope to millions has left already fragile institutions and societies smouldering. Syrians have seen their homes destroyed, families tortured and killed, and their once proud identity go up in smoke. Syrians fleeing war now find themselves accused of terrorist attacks and of carrying out the atrocities they flee. The response of European states has been mostly characterised by hostility and force. Fences, tear gas, riot police and NATO warships have met refugees seeking sanctuary. One exception is the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. It can fairly be said that she failed to assemble a sufficient coalition of domestic and

Barry Andrews, chief executive, GOAL – The numbers and statistics relating to the conflict in Syria are staggering, but we must not ignore their impact on Syrians

international allies before deciding upon her openborders policy. Without support, she has proven a beacon of hope for refugees fleeing their homeland. European leaders can learn a lot. European leaders must follow through, and expand upon, commitments to take in more refugees under relocation and resettlement programmes. This would a positive response but by no means a definitive one. First and foremost, humanitarian supply routes have to be protected. One reality of the Syrian war is that humanitarian organisations working on the ground are no longer just a legitimate target, but a preferred one. While organisations like GOAL act as a barrier to depopulation and control, the bullseye is planted firmly on our supply routes, kitchens and employees. Secondly, reading the

papers and listening to news coverage of the conflict, we would be forgiven for thinking there are no routes to peace. This is simply untrue. Intervention must come from the UN Security Council; otherwise, people will keep dying. With imprecise rockets, unguided bombs and mass killings the norm, there is no safety or reality of security in Syria. More than one in 10 Syrians has been wounded or killed since the conflict began. More than 330 attacks on medical facilities. Life expectancy has dropped from 71 in 2010 to 55 in 2015. These numbers are horrific, yet here at GOAL, we like to focus on different figures. With more than 400 staff in-country, GOAL has several large-scale programmes targeting the most vulnerable people within Syria with food assistance and safe water initiatives. Our current projects have benefitted

more than two million people in total. That makes this is the largest programme in our history. Two million is also a very large figure, but for everyone at GOAL, it is familiar and clear. It is a critical part of what we work on every day and we are very proud of it. Figures like this won’t end the conflict. That outcome has to come from European leaders, alongside the United Nations Security Council. The ultimate question remains: what number will ultimately define this conflict? The number of deaths? The number of refugees taken in by European countries? The number of years fighting eventually lasts for? Five years is long enough. Any longer, and we might not be able to get our heads around it.  barry andrews Chief executive, GOAL www.goalglobal.org

17 March 2016 Gazette 15

a day in the life: Maia Dunphy

The mother of all jobs  Emma Nolan

Motherhood suits Maia Dunphy. Following the birth of her son Tom last July, with husband Johnny Vegas, Dunphy has been settling into her new role as a mum and balancing everything that comes with it and continuing to work. She sat down with The Gazette last week to discuss a day in her life as a working mum. “I don’t like routine which is just as well because we don’t have one – it’s absolutely chaotic,” she said. Dunphy is currently working with Neurofen on their Fever Fighters campaign which she said really resonated with her as a first time mum as it as educated her on dealing with what to do when a baby has a fever and other problems. “As part of the Neurofen campaign, I’ve met sleep experts and doctors who talk about the importance of routine and my

Maia Dunphy with baby, Tom

face kind of fell and they said if you don’t have one, that’s also fine. Thank god because we’re really quite chaotic people. “I hate early mornings, but they’re inevitable with Tom,” she said. “So I’m normally up anytime between half six and eight and with a baby there is a certain amount of routine. There is a danger if you’re not working that you can sit in your pyjamas for too long, I try not to do that.” Dunphy said that wherever she is in the world, the first thing she does is check Twitter and emails; “I’m unhealthily obsessed with Twitter,” she jokes. “The trouble is, sometimes I end up on Twitter for an hour.” Even though she’s not working full time at the moment, she said there is “always a tonne of emails”. “The day is peppered with baby naps and feeding times and I’m doing a lot of development work at the moment, coming up with ideas for pitches and things like that.”

She said that her walk with Tom is an essential part of her day. As for living in London, Dunphy says that there are “lonely aspects” to it. “It’s tough when you’re a mum and everyone’s on the nine to five and they want to go out on Friday and Saturday night and I can’t because I’m wrecked. If you’re not careful about it, I think having a baby can be isolating so you have to make the effort to get out and do things. “In London I was quite bad at getting involved in any mother and toddler groups but Tom and I now do swimming lessons once a week,” she said. “Monday mornings I always get up and say ‘Ok this week is going to be structured’ and suddenly it’s Wednesday I’m knackered and Tom might have a temperature and I realise that nothing I had planned to do has been done but I’ve learned to kind of go, you know what, that’s ok as well.”

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FEATURE

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18 Gazette 17 March 2016

OUT&ABOUT

Parfois; Pink bag - €29

Thomas Sabo; Skull rose and black love bridge bracelet - €259

Gionni; Bow tote bag - €58 (At River Island; pink cold shoulder swing

Debenhams, Shaws and Pamela

dress - €55

Scotts)

Introduce your wardrobe to pink’s many versatile charms  emma nolan

GRACING the spring/summer runways of fashion week from Milan to New York was a resurgence of romanticism and pretty pinks, just in time for the brighter days ahead. After many muted seasons of minimalistic and subdued trends, the pink hues have added a sense of buoyancy to some collections. Stella McCartney and Roberto Cavalli flirted with dusty rose quartz, while Emporio Armani and Mara Hoffman delivered an extensive array of pale blush and cherry blossom. While some may be apprehensive about introducing pink to a muted palette, adding accessories gradually is a great way to take part in the trend without diving head first into it. Available in Debenhams and Pamela Scott, Gionni’s spring/sum-

mer handbag offers a taste of the coveted trend to everyone. The dainty pale pink bow cross body bag for €48 and the classic bow tote €58 are the perfect entry point into updating a winter wardrobe to spring, particularly as it is too cold in Dublin to even think about shedding layers. The classic tote also comes in a peachy hue with gold zip detail, and the striped crossover bag delivers its pink through an accent of snakeskin. River Island’s cold shoulder swing dress and frill blouse are two simple ways to nod to the trend, and the bloom cross bag from Parfois and Thomas Sabo’s skull rose and black lovebridge bracelet are all unique ways to take on the trend. So, bring on the pink and enjoy a welcome, trendy reprieve from the rigid minimalism of seasons past.

Spreading colour, print and happiness  emma nolan

The spring summer 2016 collection from Oasis is all about spreading colour, print and happiness. This is a something for everyone collection with a vibrant maximalist offering. Pretty is a priority for most garments

but is juxtaposed by top to toe tailoring, softened by paper bag waists and belted bows. Ruffled shirts add texture and drama, while the suits pair perfectly well with a classic tee for a more casual approach. Stripes feature prominently in this collection in the form of a chic

Breton off the shoulder number, while darkened vertical candy stripes in cornflower blue and mustard yellow get a look in as well as a navy pin stripe co-ordinate, in that ever modern long vest silhouette. Classic feminine shapes, the spaghetti strap and bardot neck-

line feature in the form of little black dresses and clashing floral prints alongside jackets of soft summer suede. Find Oasis stores at St Stephen’s Green, Dundrum Town Centre, Blackrock, Nasau Street, Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown Shopping Centres.

17 March 2016 Gazette 19

Our fab fashion

Gazette

STYLE

WE HAVE picked five of our favourite beauty products this week – from lipsticks to shower gels, these are five beauty items that are sure to bring you from spring through to summer!

1 Fleur - Osmanthus shower gel, €9.90; 2 Nuxebody - Fragrance water, €30; 3 The Body Shop - Drops of Light pure clarifying face wash, €23.95; 4 NYX - Jumbo eye pencil, Rocky Mountain Green, €4.99; 5 YSL - Rouge Volupte Shine N46, €33

Gazette

20 Gazette 17 March 2016

OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

BITESIZEDNEWS

The Dylan Hotel’s Easter chocolate afternoon tea is sure to delight chocaholics

A deliciously tempting deal at the Dylan Hotel

The Old Spot

European gastropub

Sandymount

 emma nolan

When in Sandymount,

FOODIES and chocoholics take note – the Dylan Hotel (just off Baggot Street) is offering an indulgent Easter Chocolate Afternoon Tea this Easter, which includes an assortment of decadent chocolate creations. Head chef Mark Bodie has created a selection of specially-crafted chocolate treats with chocolate lovers in mind to enjoy with classic high tea bites and a glass of prosecco. Guests will be served a taste of the sticky caramel and milk chocolate tartlet served with cherry gel, a melt-in-your-mouth chocolate brownie with chewy chocolate marshmallow, and a peanut butter and dark chocolate truffle. Also on offer are chocolate financiers, served with caramelised pears, and chocolate mousse and white chocolate mousse, served with chocolate shortbread. Along with the chocolate treats is the traditional bill of fare, including finger sandwiches with various filling of classic egg mayonnaise and cucumber, a goat’s cheese mousse with beetroot, and duck liver parfait served on chocolate brioche. Dylan’s Easter afternoon tea is priced at €40 per person and is available from March 20 until April 3 from 12pm until 5pm every day. The hotel is also offering an Easter package, which includes an overnight stay and a complimentary full Irish breakfast for €259 per room for two sharing. Pre-booking is required at www.dylan.ie.

Delicately crafted chocolates add to the high tea esperience at the hotel throughout Easter

food, drinks and even

BATH Avenue in Sandymount is a right little mecca for foodies, with numerous stylish eateries having popped up there in the last few years. On a recent night out, we ate in The Old Spot, which is a gastropub of sorts but they are delivering big on quality, presentation and most importantly, flavours. Very bad diners that we are, we were running quite late but had called ahead to let the restaurant know. The staff were neither flustered or annoyed by this. We were shown to our seats and two Basil Sours later, we had settled in for a gregarious night. The tartness of the lime, mixed with the sweetness of the basil, p a c ke d t h e p e r f e c t punch in this cocktail and my husband had to practically be restrained from licking the glass. For starter, I went for a tuna carpaccio, served

aim for The Old Spot and a dining experience that won’t disappoint, based on Picky’s experience. The staff service all hit the spot with ease, making it well worth dropping in to.

The Picky Eater with pickles and some guacamole, while my other half went for an old favourite – seared scallops. The tuna was light and refreshing, seared just the right amount, and the accompanying pickles married the dish together so well, every mouthful was a taste explosion, and actually was set off very well by the Basil Sour. For mains, we went for something quite spectacular: the 28 Day Dry Aged Cote de Bouef Surf and Turf, with a stunning rocket, parmesan and pear salad side, as well as some sprouting broccoli. We asked for the beef to be cooked medium, and the cut was certainly that. A beautiful shade of pink sprang from the serving board and we actually did not know where to begin on this exquisite dish. My husband was right when he said: “That’s too good to spoil with

sauces.” The flavours were intense and the beef was melt-in-themouth. I did sample some of the bernaise and horseradish, both of which accompanied the meat beautifully, but this dish was a triumph on its own. My hubby was hankering after an apple crumble for dessert, but sadly they’d run out so he sampled three flavours of homemade ice cream – gingerbread, roasted banana and Ferrero Rocher. They had a mascarpone, which had also been scoffed earlier in the night, but the three he chose were superb. Our lovely waiter recommended a Spanish rioja, which wasn’t too full bodied but accompanied the flavours in the meat with ease. Staff on the whole are friendly and very attentive, and made our evening out a really fun experience.

Picky wouldn’t normally highlight a drink alone, but the Basil Sours were truly cocktails to savour

Conclusion IT’S been quite a while since Picky found a spot with such perfect fare, but The Old Spot (at 14 Bath Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin 4; tel 01 660 5599) really hit the mark. The dishes were delicious, and the staff also made it a pleasure to dine there, too.

17 March 2016 Gazette 21

Gazette

GAMING WEEBYTES

No Man’s Sky will be just too vast to fully explore

An early nod at the biggest ever game ... IF YOU thought that exploring one game world takes too much time, how about trying to explore 18 quintillion of them? That’s the total number of worlds – planets, actually – that PS4 exclusive No Man’s Sky promises to deliver later this year, following its June release. The game’s 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 (yes, that many) planets all feature in a vast, procedurally generated universe, whereby some clever coding and algorithms creates everything from the smallest blade of grass to the biggest solar systems, all on the fly. Players are tasked with making their way from their starting planet out on the edge, all the way in to the heart of the galaxy, upgrading as they go, as they explore and mine planets, find resources, upgrade their suits and ships – and much, much more ... With such a gigantic game – both literally, and in scope – many critics and gamers have been very interested in this unique title, yet also apprehensive. Just what do you do, exactly? Luckily, a round of fresh media previews have started to reveal that – pun intended – the sky’s the limit in this game. Look out for another preview soon ...

The developers have done an excellent job of capturing the look and feel of Manhattan’s urban canyons and streets

The Division adds up to a compelling title

THERE’S no doubt that the vision of a largely abandoned and postChristmas New York that’s been ravaged by a very, very deadly bioweapon plague in The Division (PC, XBO, PS4; Cert 18) is a very good looking game, whatever platform you play on. It’s one of the biggest releases of the year, and has been creating quite a stir for some time now ahead of its release. As a Division agent, y o u ’r e t a s ke d w i t h helping to restore order in the city – to gather together survivors, find food and medicine, rescue hostages, that sort of thing. However, plenty of gangs, looters and bad guys are also fighting to take over the city, as Division agents and what remains of the authorities struggle to reclaim the city. As you traverse much of the lower third of Manhattan completing missions, you get points in a variety of fields with which to upgrade your character, your home base, and a

 shane dillon sdillon@dublingazette.com

number of abilities in a pretty comprehensive skill set tree. Considering that, depending on your play style, you can shape your character to have some pretty unique abilities, it’s not hard to see the appeal for gamers looking to play with characters who don’t fit the usual archetypes for such open-world games, such as The Tank, The Sniper, The Medic, and so on. As you play, rewards and finds reveal all kinds of stats to enhance, with the constant drip-feed of loot (often common and worthless, occasionally rare and very useful) providing plenty of incentive to continue exploring, levelling up your character, and fighting to help save the city. Given the extensive mission-led content –

although the multiplayer aspect (see below) is much less organised – and the way that gamers truly shape and choose their character’s development, it’s hard to see The Division as anything other than a roleplaying game, rather than a straightforward shooter. Still, regardless of whether you’re looking for an engaging story with decent shooter elements – or vice versa – The Division should satisfy, with its densely recreated version of Manhattan being a particularly attractive setting. Indeed, the dystopian setting is a singularly attractive one, with the richly detailed streets and multitude of buildings and landmarks presented in style, thanks to some terrific lighting and weather effects, as well as its day/night cycle. A s o n e o f 2 016 ’s major games releases, The Division doesn’t disappoint, and should unite gamers and critics alike with solid praise.

Whether exploring Manhattan’s streets and seeing well-known buildings and landmarks, or wandering into looted stores and abandoned buildings, there’s an awful lot to see and find. Screengrabs: Shane Dillon

Gazette

22 Gazette 17 March 2016

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

ReelReviews

eddie the eagle

Wings it with the facts BRITAIN’S worst (but highly popular) athlete, “Eddie the Eagle” (Cert 12A, 106 mins) gets an affectionate big-screen treatment that plays a little hard and fast with the facts, but nonetheless delivers a warm-hearted underdog tale. Forever famous as a rather hopeless but very, very determined ski jumper at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, Eddie Edward’s story is pleasantly told.

Kung Fu Panda 3

Makes impressive moves PO IS back with his latest outing, as Kung Fu Panda 3 (Cert PG, 95 mins) once again sees the very unlikely martial arts expert team up to stop a very bad guy. This time round, Po has a very unlikely group of would-be martial experts to train up – an entire tribe of pandas. It’s largely more of the same for the franchise, but when it looks this good and has such spirited performances, that’s okay.

london has fallen Bangs for your bucks

AS THE sequel to Olympus Has Fallen, London (Cert 15A, 99 mins) offers more of the same – where the first film saw the US president in mortal danger, this time several world leaders are spectacularly bumped off in London. But did the bad guys think that the American president would be so easy to kill? It’s silly stuff that won’t trouble your braincells much, but is passable enough.

This laidback Icelandic film about two farming brothers living side by side and maintaining a decades long grudge presents plenty for the eyes, and the mind, too

rams: whether set in iceland or ireland, this farming tale rings true

An unexpected gem of a film

WITH all the simplicity and wryness of a folktale, Rams is a lowbudget film from Iceland that may offer one of the most unexpected cinema experiences of the year. Currently on limited release in Dublin, much of the surprise of Rams comes from its set-up, where director and writer Grimur Hakonarson has crafted what is arguably the most indie movie plot of all time. In a tiny rural community ensconced deep in an Icelandic valley, sheep-farming brothers Gummi and Kiddi carve out their bachelor existence under a blanket of contrived ignorance. The brothers have not spoken in 40 years, despite living practically next door to one another

 Dave phillips

on the family farm. A simple wire fence runs the length of the property, dividing one set of stock from the other, and also serves as a boundary for the brothers. Intermittent and essential communication over the decades is achieved by proxy. Hand-scrawled notes occasionally pass back and forth between the brothers by way of Kiddi’s sheep dog, who seems to remain cheerfully unaware of any commotion.

More delicate matters are handled by way of other farmers in the valley, who seem to have grown and accepted the feud, working around it with all the caution that a force of nature deserves. There is a captivating familiarity in Hakonarson’s story as it unfolds, and that is due in part because, in Ireland, we are never too far removed from stories of rural eccentricity, farming feuds, and estranged brothers. However, Rams offers all the components of the kind of stories we are told as children – the apocryphal tales and urban legends that are meant to instil a lesson or truth about human experience. The brothers may not

give voice to their feelings toward one another; they are expressed in other ways. When Gummi is narrowly beaten by Kiddi in the community’s annual ram pageant, he suspects that his brother’s animal is infected by Scrapie – the ovine equivalent of BSE. While Kiddi initially puts the accusation down to his brother’s jealousy, the threat of the disease – which would require the culling of all the stock in the valley – is too much for the community to brush off. Shot in the remote northern valley of Budardalur, the natural environment plays a huge part in Rams, where the lives of the protagonists are marked

out upon a vast white backdrop that always seems poised to engulf them. Using a mix of Icelandic stage actors, films actors, and non-actors the film manages to maintain an odd style of authenticity. Much of Hakonarson’s previous work is on Icelandic documentaries, and that experience follows along in this feature. While winter is always looming on our visual peripheries, silence is always present and respected. The story slowly and steadily unfolds over an hour and a half, and for much of that time we are simply watching Gummi, or Kiddi, or the sheep (who all receive acting credits) further the plot through their

own often blundering actions, rather than conversations. T his awareness of observation is part of what makes Rams such a joy to sit through. Hakonarson expertly lulls us along in a state of pleasant bemusement, until in like all good fables, we uncover the kernel of truth. Quirky, stylish, and incredibly power ful, the most tragic element about this film is that it will inevitably slip by many people unnoticed this year. Rams is a little gem of a film, that ostensibly is about feuding sheep farmers, but at its heart, is a poignant reminder of the human necessity for connection. Seek it out while you still can. Verdict: 9/10

17 March 2016 Gazette 23

Gazette

HEALTH Supporting cellular health

“Small boutique style operations have filled the void left by big box gym closures.”

Q&A: Heath & Fitness Together, Ranelagh

Resisting the hardships of the recent recession  Carl Cautley

Owner, Health and Fitness Together

Q: I believe your 10th anniversary is coming up soon? Carl: Yes, I can’t believe it is 10 years since we opened our first studio on Leinster Road, Rathmines. We operated out of a small Mews and we had two rooms. At the time, the concept of private 1-to-1 training was unique and business thrived over the first two years. Q: So you opened in 2006, what happened at the end of 2008 when the bank crisis began? Carl: It was a strange time. The media, clients, friends and family all believed it was a short term glitch. Business fell briefly but then rebounded in April/May 2009. At the time we thought the glitch was over, little did we realise. Q: How do you mean? Carl: When we headed into the summer of 2009 we realised this was a much bigger problem than most thought. Con-

fidence in the economy started to decline rapidly and thus we started to feel the consequences. Business dropped off dramatically as people started to feel the crunch. Q: So what did you do? Carl: We basically went from a profitable start-up to a loss making business overnight. The stress levels were high but we were determined to see it through. We had to change the business model completely. I came from an advertising/marketing back ground where sales and the top line were paramount. Now, for the first time, I had to look at costs. Everything was forensically analysed; staff reduced, rent and franchise fees re-negotiated, loans re-engineered, cost of supplies and utilities reduced. When we were finished the monthly saving was down by about 30%. This, of course, didn’t increase profit as all of the savings were passed on to the client. Q: How did this affect

your business? Carl: The number of clients using our facility dropped by about 40% but there were still enough loyal clients to keep the business going and a reasonable trickle of new clients for us to remain optimistic. Q: I assume this status quo remained for quite a while? Carl: I would say that after a seven-year struggle, it is only in the last four months we have seen consistent growth. Q: Do you believe the recession is over? Carl: Since the bank guarantee of September 2008 we have seen a number of false dawns where we thought things were picking up but as soon as they did they crashed again. However, 2015/2016 is the first time we have seen four months of growth year-on-year. We are definitely more optimistic but cautious, as any negative world event could impact our economy and the first to take the brunt will be small businesses again.

Q: Even though there has been a recession, the health and fitness industry seems to be booming? Carl: Yes, but the industry has changed. The recession put a stop to the big box gyms. Total Fitness, Jackie Skelly and a few other big names went out of business. In their place small boutique style operations like our own have filled the void. Q: Tell us a little bit about your business? Carl: We started off providing one-to-one personal training in private rooms. This is still the mainstay of our business but we also now offer 2-to-1 personal training, small group training, physical therapy and nutrition. Basically a private training facility providing tailor-made services to suit anyone’s budget. Carl Cautley, Owner, Health & Fitness Together, 8 Appian Way, Ranelagh, Dublin 6. Tel. 496 5829 www.healthandfitnesstogether.ie carl@ fitnesstogether.ie

An Irish company is bringing the world’s most complete organic mineral supplement direct to consumers in Dublin for the first time. Cellnutrition is providing Quinton Hypertonic and Isotonic to the Irish market on its website www.cellnutrition.ie after the company secured the Ireland and UK distribution rights to the popular supplements. Quinton has a 100-year history of supporting cellular health in the body. It is mineral-rich seawater harvested under strict conditions from a plankton bloom which occurs naturally in a pristine, internationally-protected part of the Atlantic Ocean. Cellnutrition Quinton nourishes your cells with 78 minerals and trace elements that have proven benefits for the health of your skin, hair and nails. These nutrients support the function of your main detoxification organs – your liver, kidneys, lungs and skin – and counter the chemicals and toxins we absorb from beauty products every day.

Cellnutrition chief executive John Kelleher said: “Cellular health is vitally important – after all, cells are the fundamental building blocks of life. “Every muscle movement, every heartbeat, every breath, all the functions of your organs, everything your body does depends on you having healthy, functioning cells. “Without them you would not be able to bat an eyelid or form a thought. “That’s why we’ve brought Cellnutrition Quinton direct to families in Ireland, so that they can enjoy the incredible nutritional benefits that it can provide for your health and vitality.”

24 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 17 March 2016

Gazettegallery

| Liz O’Donnell and Noel Kelly host annual fundraiser

Honouring years of heroic work F

ire Restaurant in The Mansion House was the venue for the Lunch with Liz and Noel fundraiser in aid of Chernobyl Children International hosted by Liz O’Donnell and Noel Kelly. The annual event raises vital funds for children born with congenital heart defects as a result of

Chernobyl. The Irish glitterati were out in force to show their support for the event. CCI board director Liz O’Donnell said: “We are here to honour thirty years of heroic work by Adi and thousands of Irish volunteers supporting the poorest and most deserving people in Chernobyl affected regions.”

Marie Chawke ,Liz Rae, Alison Rae and Teresa Thornhill. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Norah Casey, Liz O’Donnell and Adi Roche

Louise Cosgrave and Marita Cosgrave

Colette Browne and Laura Gilthorpe

Claire Byrne, Elaine O’Neill and Geraldine O’Farrell

Cheyanne Elkhouly, Rionna Moulds and Emily Dunne

17 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 25

for Adi Roche’s Chernobyl Children International

Fiona Creggan and Edel Fitzgerald

Joanna Butler and Catriona Kelly

Martin Wells and Deirdre Carton

Charlotte Somers and Oda O’Carroll

Julie Shynkarenkaand Adi Roche, Noel Kelly and Liz O’Donnell

Bill McCabe

26 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 17 March 2016

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Reckon Developments Ltd is applying for planning permission for a two storey rear extension including raising the roof line with roof lights to front elevation and associated site work at 41 Harty Place, Dublin 8. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of Dublin City Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.â&#x20AC;? 26434

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Planning permisssion is sought by Patrick Doyle for the rear of No. 38 Devenish Road,Crumlin Dublin 12 for rentention and completion of single storey shed to rear of existing dwelling and all associated works. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of Dublin City Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application 26444

17 March 2017 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 27

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planning Notice Dublin City Council

I, Brian Craine, intend to apply for permission for development at 40 Grangemore Grove, Donaghmede, Dublin 13 consisting of building a single storey tiled roof living room extension at the front of the house. The works include all associated internal, rainwater drainage and site works. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of Dublin City Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application. 26446

planning Notice

Dublin City Council

I, Murray MacLeod intend to apply for Planning Permission for development at the site 178 Kincora Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3. This development will consist of widening a pedestrian access to create a vehicular access to the front of the existing house allowing vehicular access onto Kincora Road. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of Dublin City Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

Dublin City Council, Ciara Dwyer and IĂąigo Fernandez Zabalza of 70 Oxmantown Road, Dublin 7, would like to apply for planning permission for the removal of the existing ground floor extension to the rear of the existing house and the construction of a single and two storey extension. The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the offices of Dublin City Council during its public opening hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

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28 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 17 March 2016

SPORT Duff takes time over next move

FastSport

Soccer: irish legend adjusting to life after professional game

De la salle team up with mount anville:

DE LA Salle Churchtown’s A team, alongside Mount Anville, won the annual Badminton southside mixed doubles tournament on their home court last week. Eight sides took part in the competition alongside St Benildus College and four girls’ schools: St. Raphaela’s, Loreto Bray, Mount Anville and Saint Joesph’s, Cluny. In the competition, each boys team was paired with a girls team to form mixed doubles partnerships. The De La Salle and Mount Anville side emerged victorious in the final, beating the De La Salle B team paired with Saint Raphaela’s who they had already defeated earlier in the tournament. The winners were unbeaten throughout the competition winning against a combined St Benildus/St Joseph’s side and also the De La Salle C team who were playing with Loreto Bray.

 james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com

FORMER Leicester Celtic, Lourdes Celtic and St Kevin’s Boys youth player Damien Duff - who can also claim just the odd one hundred caps for Ireland - has spoken about the moment that finally forced his retire-

ment from professional soccer last year. “It was Bohs away in the Leinster Senior Cup,” Duff said last week, talking of the moment he decided to leave Shamrock Rovers. “I had a few niggles and what have you but I couldn’t kick a ball 30 yards. “I think we got

through to the final that night but I went home depressed. The missus was, like, ‘what’s wrong with you?’ I didn’t even tell her but I just knew in my heart of hearts.” Duff also admitted he’s turned out for TEK United alongside his brother Jamie since retiring from the Rovers midfield over the summer, though he only managed a single friendly game for the Leinster Senior League team, away in Enniskerry, before seeing a few of the tackles put him off. “I’d like to be able to walk, so I haven’t been back,” he quipped at Life Style Sports, while promoting their new Green Ticket competition to attend Euro 2016. Duff also spoke about

Damian Duff, above, in Ireland action and, below, signing for Shamrock Rovers

his options for work, admitting that he’s finding retirement’s “wearing a bit thin,” and mentioning the possibility of punditry for Euro 2016, despite his outspoken dislike of pundits. “I did enjoy it in a weird, sort of perverse sort of way,” Duff said of his recent experience with RTE. “That’s probably just me being out of my comfort zone; you’ve done okay then you come home and you’re ... oomph, a bit relieved, happy it went well.” The former star of the Irish midfield has also

been competing in fivea-side tournaments over recent months, including a trip to a competition in Russia, where he played in a team with other big-name former internationals including Gaizka Mendieta and Gianluca Zambrotta. “Being hard-working and honest, I’d like to feel as if I’ve earned a holiday or a trip. “I don’t want to turn into Kim Kardashian,” Duff said of the trip, whilst admitting that he’s not really sure what the future might hold. As for the Euros, Duff

hopes that Ireland will take their inspiration from the grit and togetherness of Leicester City, highlighting the fight against Bosnia in the play offs. “ We s t e a m - r o l l e d them with hunger, desire and hard work and it goes a long way as you can see with Leicester City,” he said. “You have to be positive.” Life Style Spor ts’ Green Ticket competition for Euro 2016 tickets can be found at w w w.lifestylespor ts. com/greenticket.

South Dublin Swans represent Ireland on Euro stage  sport@dublingazette.com

The South Dublin Swans Aussie Rules team

TERENURE-based South Dublin Swans’ Australian Rules Football team will take on the club champions of Europe next Saturday March 19 in Amsterdam in the AFL Europe Champions League. This event is for the winners of Aussie Rules leagues across Europe and both men’s and women’s competitions are being played. In the men’s competition, the Swans will have 12 rivals for the title of best club team in Europe. The opposition include 2015

champions the West London Wildcats. The Swans are sending a strong team for their first venture into European competition. Amongst the squad are experienced recent Irish Warriors Kevin Brennan, Bobby Byrne, Paul O’Halloran, Peter Ross and Darren Sheils. They will also have talented last season rookies in Brian O’Kane, Rob Monks and Liam Burns on the plane and the experienced Craig Wood and Darren Snell. The rest of the squad will include some of the greatest club

men in the history of the club including Ed Warren, Patrick Cummins, Noel Tate, Shane Thomas, Omar Mamad and Sean Guerin. The Swans have a long and successful time in the Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) having won three of the last five Premierships and also being the winner of the most Premierships in ARFLI history. However, it is going to be a tough task to be crowned Champions League champions but they are expected to put all their energy into bringing the title home.

17 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 29

Gazette

Galligan heads Irish challenge at worlds Former Clondalkin community games athlete is the sole Irish runner to compete at this week’s world indoor athletics championships despite having major funding limitations ROSE-Anne Galligan, who originally made her beginnings in athletics with Clondalkin’s Community Games team, will compete in the 1,500m as Ireland’s sole representative at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, Oregon, from March 17-20. Galligan, the national outdoor 800m record holder, set a personal best of 4.11.07 for the 1,500m at the Athlone International and will be looking to put in a competitive performance. Letterkenny’s Mark English was also originally named to compete but the 800m runner has had to withdraw due to an ankle injury. This comes as a major setback to the UCD medical student, who had run a season’s best of 1:46.99, which he set at the Glasgow Inter-

national, and would have had hopes of adding to his medal collection – a European outdoor bronze medal in 2014 and a silver medal at the European Indoors last year. Speaking about Galligan’s entry into the indoors, Athletics Ireland high performance director Kevin Ankrom, said: “Rose-Anne has wintered well and it will be good for her 800m development.” She qualified for the competition in spite of a difficult 2015 in which her funding was cut just a year after breaking Sonia O’Sullivan’s long-standing record for 800m. To help fund her Olympic dream this year, she has been working as a supply teacher in England in order to bolster her income and earn enough to take in altitude training trips to South Africa.

She is hopeful of earning enough to go again in April to kick-start her outdoor season but, again, getting the cash together is the crucial issue. “It is an added strain,” she said recently. “Fair enough, the way the funding works in Ireland is that you have to run a time and then you get your funding. “It’s a bit frustrating because I know that I am capable of running these times, and I need to go to these camps to help my training to get there. If you’re not on funding though, you have to fund it yourself. “I was on funding after I ran my national record and they kept me on in 2014 but then when I had a year when I didn’t perform last year…I put in my application but it was declined.

Rose-Anne Galligan is Ireland’s sole representative in Portland this week

“It’s just another burden you have. Luckily, I get my kit and my running shoes from New Balance so that is one thing I don’t have to worry about. “I’d do anything to get to the Olympics but it would be lovely to be able to put everything into the training and have

This forms part of her training preparations with the goal of getting a qualifying standard over 10,000m at the European Championships in Amsterdam in July and also potentially in Rio. Ireland will also be represented by Lizzie Lee and Paul Pollock at the World

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

‘It’s just another burden you have but I would do anything to get to the Olympics’ Rose-Anne Galligan

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

the funding. I work for an agency but I’m not going to sacrifice my training sessions. If I’m doing a session on a Tuesday and Thursday, I’m not going to work those days. If I know I’m working on a Monday, I’ll get up early and go run before going on to school.” Elsewhere, the county will also be represented by Fionnuala McCormack in the New York Half Marathon, as well as three more Dublin club runners, Segiu Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers), Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham) and Thomas Frazer (Crusaders), in the World Half Marathon in Cardiff. McCormack will run in the New York Half Marathon on March 20 before running over 10,000m on the track in Stanford on April 2.

Half Marathon in Cardiff on March 26. Lee will be the sole Irish woman in Cardiff due to the racing calendar and plans of the other leading Irish women. Paul Pollock will lead a full men’s team of five and will be looking to replicate his performance at the last edition of the Championships in Copenhagen in 2014 where he ran a swift 62:10 for 30th – still his personal best for the event. Pollock will also use the event as a sharpener for the London Marathon on April 17, where he hopes to seal a place on the Olympic marathon team. Dublin-based Ciobanu, Hehir and Frazer, as well as Northern Ireland’s Kevin Seaward (St Malachy’s) will flank Pollock in Wales as they bid to put in a good performance.

FastSport

Corporate 5km dates announced for summer ATHLETICS Ireland and Grant Thornton have announced this week the dates for the Grant Thornton Corporate 5k Team Challenge series for 2016. The locations and dates are the National Sports Campus in Fingal on Thursday, June 9 and The Mall, Cork City on Wednesday, June 29, with the flagship event taking place in the Dublin Docklands on Tuesday, September 13. The Corporate Challenge is organised by the national governing body Athletics Ireland whose mission is to support and develop the athletes of Ireland of all ages, disciplines and abilities. Aimed at encouraging social running amongst the business community in Dublin and Cork, the event welcomes both seasoned runners as well as beginners. Each run will be a team event and a minimum of four participants will enter with team members’ times combined to determine the winner. Event ambassador, Olympian and former London Marathon winner Catherina McKiernan said of the event: “The growth of the event is testament to the feel-good factor that running brings. “It is a fantastic sight to see so many runners taking part each year from the regular runner to the complete beginner; this event is a great way to encourage people to take the first step towards getting fit enough to run a 5k. “The team element adds a sense of fun and camaraderie amongst work colleagues in a really well organised event. I’m looking forward to being a part of it again this year.” Now in its fifth year this event goes from strength to strength with more people participating. The Docklands run last September was a sellout with over 5,000 runners from 139 different companies. John Foley, Chief Executive of Athletics Ireland, added: “As an association one of our core strategic objectives is to promote health and fitness in the population as a whole. “This event enables us to reach beyond our core membership into the business community by encouraging them to focus on a fitness programme which targets a 5k run; a good starter point for novice runners.”

Gazette

30 dublin city gazette 17 March 2016

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: sheriff edge out kilbarrack to reach final four

St Pat’s storm to big result against Bohs on Monday ST PATRICK’S Athletic claimed bragging rights of the city on Monday night as they drew blood in the first Dublin Derby of the new SSE Airtricity League campaign with a dominant 3-0 victory over rivals Bohemians at Richmond Park. Three headers from Liam Buckley’s newlook side offered no response from a limp and absent Bohemians as the Saints continued their recovery from a shock opening day loss at home to Galway United with a second win on the bounce. Matchday three of the new season blew into life immediately with 18 goals in all spanning across the night’s six Premier Division games. Pat’s led this charge with a ravaging double inside the opening 13 minutes. The first gave former Derry City forward Mark Timlin a first goal for his new club when Billy Dennehy fed Ian Bermingham’s overlapping run, the defender crossing deep at the far post for Timlin to rattle the ball home. It was 2-0 eight minutes later when an unmarked Christy Fagan nodded home from close range from Billy Dennehy’s cross from the left flank – the forward’s third goal in as many games as the former Manchester United trialist continues to return to the form which saw him the division’s top goalscorer in 2014. A bad night was made worse for Keith Long’s Bohs when star forward Ismahil Akinade, who scored 10 goals in 19 appearances for the Gypsies last season, received a second yellow card and his marching orders from referee Padraic Sutton for a rash tackle on St Pat’s defender Darren Dennehy. This was Bohemians’ second red card in their opening three league games as midfielder Roberto Lopes also saw red in their 2-0 opening day defeat against Cork City at Turners Cross two weeks ago. The result was confirmed late on as Bohemians’ defence was pushed to the limits. A quick counter-attacking break saw midfielder Graham Kelly feed Conan Byrne on the right wing as the substitute crossed at the far post for provider-turned-goalscorer Billy Dennehy to make it three goals from three headers and bag the result for the Inchicore side.

Darren Dunne,Sheriff YC, in action against Ian O’Reilly, Kilbarrack United in their FAI Junior Cup quarter-final. Picture: David Maher/Sportsfile

O’Brien wins it for Sheriff

fai junior cup q-final Kilbarrack United Sheriff YC  sport@dublingazette.com

1 2

LAST season’s runnersup, Sheriff YC, sealed their place in the semifinals of this year’s FAI Junior Cup, by seeing off familiar foes Kilbarrack United 2-1 at Greendale Road on Sunday. All three goals of an action-packed contest came in the first half, with man-of-the-match Sean Murphy firing Sheriff ahead on 15 minutes before Mark Townley equalised with a delightful lob seven minutes

later in the tie. What proved to be the winner arrived in the 32nd minute after Darren O’Brien cut in from the right and buried a low shot beneath Craig Reilly in the hosts’ goal. Both teams finished with ten men after each having a player sent-off in the last minute following an offthe-ball incident. Sheriff’s quest to reach a third final in four years will continue on the weekend of April 9 and 10 when they welcome Janesboro from Limerick to Dublin for their semifinal clash. The other finalist for

on the mark Current St Pat’s player named as FAIS shortlist colaise Phadraig student Darragh Mar-

key, who plays club football for St Pat’s, has been shortlisted for the FAI Schools player of the year following a superb season, His hard work and determination earned him a place on the starting eleven in all four competitive Centenary Shield fixtures, scoring a key goal for the Irish schools outfit in their win over England last year. Markey is currently on a Sports Scholarship at Maynooth University.

the Aviva Stadium showdown will be either St Peters FC (Westmeath) or Pike Rovers (Limerick), both teams having also emerged from the quarter-finals. The biggest rivalry in Dublin junior football, played before a crowd of over 1,000 spectators, began at a blistering pace with Sheriff taking the initiative. From a rehearsed short corner after just six minutes, Darren Dunne sent his first-time shot over the crossbar. It wasn’t long for the breakthrough to come. Despite Darren Murphy clearly fouling John Rock

25 yards out, referee Declan Troy played a good advantage to enable Sean Murphy race clear and stroke the ball beyond Reilly. Kilbarrack didn’t waste time in hitting back. Townley had work to do when latching onto a long punt upfield but, from all of 30 yards, he executed a pinpoint lob over the retreating Lee Murphy for the leveller. The home side continued to press and Lee Murphy was required to advance and snuff out the danger as Eoin Fowler tried to spring Sheriff’s offside trap.

Still, the champions of 2012 and 2013 always carried a threat up front and they regained the lead on 32 minutes when O’Brien punished some defensive hesitancy to nip in and tuck his shot beneath the grasp of Reilly. Killbarrack launched a furious aerial bombardment late on to no avail, and as they teed up their final fling from a free-kick into the penalty area, the referee’s attention was called by his assistant, resulting in straight red cards being dished out to Darren Murphy and Jeffrey Flood.

17 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY gazette 31

Gazette

football: final showdown on st patrick’s day

Conal Keaney leads out Ballyboden in their All-Ireland semi-final

McEntee says Boden need to finish strong

all-ireland final  tadhg peavoy sport@dublingazette.com

BALLYBODEN manager Andy McEntee feels his side will have to improve the finishing ability they displayed in their extra-time semifinal win over Clonmel Commercials in order to beat Castebar Mitchells in the All-Ireland Football Club Championship final on St Patrick’s Day. T he sides meet at Croke Park in the decider on Thursday with Ballyboden looking to take a first ever All-Ireland title to add to their maiden Leinster championship title. Speaking to 98FM Sport, McEntee said: “Obviously, we need to improve but there’s no need to panic either. We were doing a lot of things right. “I think the wide count at the end of the game was 15 to four, so we were doing a lot of things right. We just weren’t finishing it off. “Obviously that’s a

huge part of the game, so it’s something we need to work on, but again lads showed a lot of patience, a lot of faith in themselves, a lot of faith in what we were trying to do. “A n d t h e y p u l l e d through and that will stand to them.” The magnititude of the achivement of just reaching the showpiece decider is not lost on McEntee and the boss is keen to ensure that his players don’t leave such a rare opportunity behind them. “Any club footballer in Ireland - there’s 2,000 clubs in Ireland and there’s two clubs left - I think most fellas would say, ‘Look it, this is the pinnacle of their football career’, apart from maybe a couple of guys who are playing intercounty stuff. “Of course there’s excitement but there’s a good work ethic here and everybody realises chances like this don’t come around too often. “You wouldn’t want to be dependent on being

back at this stage next year. You have guys that have been around the club a long time and then you have the infectious youth of Collie Basquel and Shane Clayton and Aran Waters and fellas like that and they give everybody a new lease of life. ‘There’s half a dozen young fellas that are quite special and they raise your expecta-

tions.” Pressure, and the fear of it, plays a big part in such big sporting occassions, and McEntee was keen to point out that he feels his side are well up to facing and overcoming that psychological element of the final. “You can be afraid of it or you can welcome it as an opportunity and I’d like to think that our fellas will welcome it.”

FastGAA

UCD’s Ward earns her family bragging rights ITWAS quite an afternoon for Nicola Ward as UCD claimed their first O’Connor Cup success since 2006 on Saturday. Ward scored the only goal of the game as UCD held out for a 1-7 to 0-9 victory over University of Limerick, who were denied a third successive crown in Tralee. Ward lined up against her twin sister Louise, who was in the colours of UL, and claimed family bragging rights as the UCD’s women’s team added to the recent Sigerson Cup collected by the men. Kate O’Sullivan scored the opening point of the game for UCD but the first half was low-scoring and the teams went in level at the break, 0-2 apiece. Niamh O’Dea, scorer of two goals in Friday’s semi-final against DCU, equalised with a point on 14 minutes and the Clare star rattled the UCD crossbar with a vicious drive soon after. Roisin Leonard handed UL the lead six minutes before the break but Emma Guckian’s point ensured parity at the midway point for UCD. The second half began in blistering fashion as Ward found the net from distance in the 35th minute. It was a fortuitous effort but set UCD on the road to an historic success – their first in this competition in a decade. Roisin Curran, Niamh Collins and Emma Guckian added points as UCD, appearing in their first final since that 2006 win, steamed into a 1-5 to 0-2 lead. Leonard pointed UL’s first score of the second half, a free, with 17 minutes left but Curran and Elaine Scally kept the scoreboard ticking over for UCD with points. Now 1-7 to 0-3 clear, this one looked done and dusted but UL scored the remaining six points of the game to ensure a nervy finish for the new champions. Leonard was prolific in the closing stages and her free deep in stoppage time left the bare minimum between the sides. But UCD held out and goalscorer Ward claimed the player of the match award to crown a memorable day. The Giles Cup went to St Pat’s Drumcondra, who saw off Mary Immaculate College with just a single point to spare, 0-12 to 1-8.

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European hopes: South Dublin Swans to represent Life after football: Damian Duff searching for Ireland at Aussie Rules tournament in Amsterdam P28 new role since retiring P29

Sheriff YC’s Jonathan Rock, Kevin Lynch and Paul Murphy have received a bye to the second round of the FAI Senior Cup. Picture : David Maher/Sportsfile

Killester’s Cherry on top Dublin derby between two of the capital’s finest the pick of the ties lined up in the FAI Senior Cup first round following Monday’s draw

 aaron gallagher

sport@dublingazette.com

THE first round of the FAI Senior Cup took place this past week with a number of Dublin non-league sides showing a key interest, especially when it comes to the all-Dublin derby of Killester United versus Cherry Orchard. The draw took place on Monday evening at FAI Headquarters in Abbotstown where eight fixtures were produced, while three sides – inclusive of Firhouse Clover and Sheriff YC – all received byes for the first round of the competition. League of Ireland clubs from the Premier and First Divisions won’t enter the competition until the next round, however already some intriguing

ties were pulled out of the pot on Monday. St John Bosco face off against Janesboro, while Crumlin United have drawn Wicklow side Greystones United. Elsewhere sees Bluebell United make the trip to Cork-based side Carrigaline United. Bluebell are off the back of a momentous Leinster Senior Cup victory over League of Ireland side Cabinteely on Monday night. Graham Zambra’s extra-time winner dumped Eddie Gormley’s side out of the competition following a hard-fought 90 minutes of normal time where neither side could break the deadlock. On drawing Carrigaline, Bluebell United boss Andy Noonan said his side would be focussing their initial efforts on their league fixture versus Firhouse Clover this week following a poor run

of form in the Leinster Senior Division Sunday. Their league opposition Firhouse Clovers received a bye in the first round of this year’s FAI Cup. They were knocked out of the competition at Dalymount Park back in May following a spirited showing in their 4-1 defeat to Bohemians. Sheriff YC, too, received a bye having provided the sparkling underdog narrative in last year’s FAI Cup. They progressed through two rounds, beating UCD 3-1 in Belfield while bringing fellow League of Ireland side Athlone Town to a replay which they won dramatically on penalties. The undoubted standout tie of the opening round comes in the all-Dublin pairing of Killester United and Cherry Orchard however.

Killester defied all odds in making it through to the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup last year, defeating both Dunboyne AFC and Cobh Ramblers 3-0 before hammering Tolka Rovers 4-0 in the third round. They were unlucky to go down 2-0 at the Carlisle Grounds to Bray Wanderers in the final eight, but garnered unified recognition and admiration across the league for their impressive journey. Matches for the first round of the FAI Cup will be played on the weekend of April 10 with any replays required taking place on the weekend of April 24. The winners of the eight ties and the four teams who received byes will advance to the second round where they will be joined by the 20 SSE Airtricity League clubs.