Clondalkin

Gazette

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CLONDALKIN

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Boxing:

Ormond named on Frampton undercard Page 32

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Collinstown keep up form with league win Page 30

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Funding for care centre granted  IAN BEGLEY

A NEW healthcare centre that has long been sought for Rowlagh, north Clondalkin is being granted funding by the Government and is expected to be built by 2016.

The care centre, which will cost €4.2 million to build and will cover an area of 1,400 sq m, will serve the catchment area of Rowlagh, Neilstown and Quarryvale.

A spokesperson for the HSE said

that the lands at Collinstown Park Community College are favourable for its location.

The new centre will contain services such as GPs, counsellors, physios, occupational therapists and other medical professionals.

Labour TD Robert Dowds said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Government has approved the money for a brand new health centre to be built in Rowlagh.”

Full Story on Page 8

Shamrockin’: Leprechaun hats fill Liffey Valley Shopping Centre HOLLY Kelly got dressed up in

green as she was amongst those celebrating St Patrick’s Day at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.

Shoppers were entertained by

traditional Irish music players and Irish dancers, and were greeted by some leprechauns.

Picture: Cathy Weatherston

Full Gallery Next Week

2 CLONDALKIN Gazette 20 March 2014

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courts Victim jumped from moving cab

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Bolanje Banjo had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Peter Brazil

Taxi driver jailed for meat cleaver attack

A taxi driver who attacked a passenger with a meat cleaver after refusing to give the victim his change has been jailed for three years.

Bolanje Banjo (50) kept driving the taxi while swiping at the passenger.

The victim escaped by jumping from the moving taxi and rolling out of the way of oncoming traffic.

Banjo of New Ireland Road, Rialto, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Peter Brazil, production of an article intending to cause harm and dangerous driving on Neilstown Road on August 8, 2011.

He was convicted of all counts after a trial by jury.

Judge Patrick McCartan imposed a sentence of three years and disqualified Banjo from driving for 20 years.

Detective Garda Padraic Jennings told Ronan

Kennedy BL, prosecuting, that Mr Brazil was on temporary release from Mountjoy Prison and had gone to the prison to sign on as part of his release conditions.

After doing this he flagged down Banjo’s taxi and asked to go to Clondalkin.

He noticed the driver had a plastic partition all around where he was sitting and thought that must be for the driver’s protection.

Banjo told the passenger he would have to pay in advance and Mr Brazil gave him €15 through a hole in the partition.

When they arrived in Clondalkin the fare on the meter was less than €15 and Mr Brazil asked for his change.

The taxi driver then became aggressive and started cursing at the passenger and refused to give any money back. Mr Brazil reached out to take

Banjo’s taxi identification in order to take down his name and taxi number.

Banjo struck the victim in the left arm with what Mr Brazil thought was a cut throat razor.

He said it was very sharp and that blood squirted everywhere. He said that Banjo cursed and shouted racist and abusive remarks while making circular swipes at him with the knife through the hole in the perspex partition.

Mr Brazil opened his door to try and get away from the driver but Banjo had driven off again. He told Mr Brazil he would cut his throat and called him a “junkie bastard”.

When the victim asked him to relax the driver told him “I’ll fucking kill you”. The court heard that Banjo was driving furiously and dangerously, driving on the wrong side against traffic and causing other drivers to swerve to

avoid a crash.

Mr Brazil felt frightened for his life. He jumped from the car onto the roadway and rolled to the side of the road to avoid oncoming cars. Gardai found him in a distressed state with blood pouring from both hands. He had held onto the taxi driver’s ID card and gardai took this. They later found a small and blood stained meat cleaver in the car.

Banjo drove on and two concerned onlookers followed him in separate cars until gardai caught up and arrested him.

The taxi driver claimed that Mr Brazil was armed with a gun and a knife and had tried to rob him.

During his trial Banjo claimed he wasn’t the man in the taxi or the man arrested and interviewed by gardai. The jury were shown the video footage of the interviews in Ronanstown Garda Station.

Judge McCartan

remarked after conviction that this line of defence was nonsense.

Oisin Clarke BL , defending, said that his client is a Nigerian native who has been in Ireland since 1998 and is only one stage away from becoming a naturalised citizen.

He says the final decision is up to the Justice Minister and is dependant on the outcome of this case.

He said Banjo suffers from psychiatric and psychological problems and spent some time in the Central Mental Hospital in 2012.

Judge McCartan said it is clear that Banjo suffers from a psychotic delusion and this was evident from the appearance of the car, which was surrounded on the inside by a perspex covering with security holes and with signs everywhere regarding how passengers should conduct themselves.

20 March 2014 CLONDALKIN Gazette 3

starcamp

St Joseph’s: Pupils help to launch a new centenary of remembrance

On the up for camp

Local graveyard gets a makeover In recognising the historical and cultural importance of Mount St Joseph’s Cemetery, Clondalkin Tidy Towns have restored the muchneglected graveyard on Monastery Road.

The refurbishments that the volunteers did over the course of months include the instalment of new metal railings, brickwork repair, graffiti clearance, memorial tablet cleaning and general restoration of the site.

The pupils of St Joseph’s Boys National School also helped to launch a new centenary of remembrance by planting bulbs inside the cemetery.

Chairman of Clondalkin Tidy Towns Pat O’Sullivan said: “If it

wasn’t for the enthusiasm of local historian Joe Williams there may not have been anything to restore.

Through his dedication to this site, metal railings were installed to protect the cemetery from vandalism. Both brothers Elias and John’s names which are listed on the cemetery’s Memorial Tablet have been meticulously and tenderly cleaned by Clondalkin Tidy Towns vice-chairperson Alpha Gasama. Alpha has cleaned the tablet and the surrounding walls of all graffiti. Thanks must also go to local artist Tommy Byrne who painted the original entrance gate.

“The brickwork was repaired by Peter and Pat Ging. Over the course

of last year the restoration could not have been done without the help of over 20 volunteers and sustenance was provided

by Mary Dardis. The moment could not have been recorded without the professional presence of local photographer Tommy Keogh.

“Clondalkin Tidy Towns would also like to thank our local politicians and staff of SDCC for their help and support, particularly Bill Kearney, Maire Ni Dhomhnaill, Dr Rosaleen Dwyer and Liam Creighton of Kelland Homes for ‘unlocking’ Mount St Joseph’s,” said O’Sullivan.

For information visit w w w.facebook.com/ clondlakintidytowns

Prize: Tallaght resident cleans up at TJ O’Mahony’s €5,000 lucky draw tallaght resident John Keogh was named as the lucky win-

ner of the €5,000 voucher for TJ O’Mahony in Ballymount, in a competition that was held in conjunction with the launch of their New Halo Tile & Bathroom Centre earlier this month. He received his winnings from TJ O’Mahony’s Dennis O’Connor.

Summer camp and per formance school Starcamp has had a very busy 12 months since appearing on Dragon’s Den last year.

Since getting ‘Dragon’ investor Peter Casey on board, Starcamp have doubled their number of camps in Ireland, launched new stage schools and have a new online shop.

Starcamp founder, Aideen O’Grady said: “A year on and parents are still booking as they saw it on Dragon’s Den.” There are Starcamps in both Lucan and in Tallaght, which are now accepting children for this year’s summer camps.

For more information visit www.starcamp.ie or call 021-4377900.

4 CLONDALKIN Gazette 20 March 2014

politics Olympic medallist encouraging residents to give him their vote

My main focus is on the youth – Egan  Ian Begley ibegley@gazettegroup.com

Olympic medallist and local election candidate Kenneth Egan (FG) is busy knocking on doors and encouraging local residents to give him their number one vote.

The Gazette followed

Egan and several of his Fine Gael supporters around on his canvassing trail in Yellow Meadows Estate, Clondalkin.

Egan’s presence was generally well received by the residents who opened their doors with many questioning him on his sporting career and others asking him

to explain his political agenda.

One elderly man who strayed away from the topic of boxing asked Egan what he intends to do if elected.

Egan replied: “My main focus is on the youth of this area and I intend to tackle the many problems that

so many children and teenagers face these days, such as mental health issues and drug and alcohol addiction.”

Another man who immediately recognised Kenneth when he opened his door said: “Ah, Ken, I hear you’re running, best of luck to you. You’ve got my

number one and you can buy me a pint if you win.”

The boxing champ did seem to hesitate at some of the questions posed to him, having to consult his advisor for additional information on one topic or another.

‘Youth, sports, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction were definitely Egan’s favourite choice of words on the day, as he admits he doesn’t know much about ongoing political issues like the water and property tax.

A man, who was with his young daughter said he was concerned about the lack of youth facilities in Clondalkin and questioned Egan over the possibility of a playground for the many children who live in the area.

Local election candidate Kenneth Egan meets a Clondalkin family

Egan assured him that South Dublin County Council is funding a number playgrounds in Clondalkin over the space of several years.

The same man then asked bluntly: “Why are you running?” to which Egan replied: “W hy

not? The youth around this area will look up to me. That’s the angle I’ll be aiming for. The boxing club in Neilstown is great, but what I’m trying to change in this area is to get the kids away from the shops and involved in sports.”

20 March 2014 CLONDALKIN Gazette 5

6 CLONDALKIN Gazette 20 March 2014

campaign Residents’ group is objecting to location of new library

Group accused of ‘exploiting schoolchildren’ A local politician has expressed his support for the North Clondalkin C o m m u n i t y D e ve l opment Programme (NCCDP) after they were condemned by a local group for encouraging schoolchildren to show their support for a new library due to be built in Rowlagh.

The Library Location Group (LLG), a group comprised of a number of residents from Oatfield/ Harelawn, are objecting to the library’s location because it is expected to take up a significant amount of green space in the area.

The LLG also accused the NCCDP of “exploiting innocent schoolchildren” to further the campaign for the library, saying that school kids were being given leaflets asking them to support the campaign.

However, Labour TD, Robert Dowds, fully supports the library’s planned location saying the NCCDP “have done tremendous work over many years to support the people and the community of North Clondalkin.

I have worked with them on many issues for over a decade and I have to say I have always found them to be very genuine and very committed

to the people of North Clondalkin.”

S p o ke s p e r s o n f o r LLG and local election candidate, Francis Timmons, said: “We are disgusted that the North Clondalkin Community Development Programme is exploiting innocent schoolchildren to further their campaign for a library to be built on a Green at HarelawnOatfield in Clondalkin.

“We strongly object to schools handing out a ‘Sign if you want a library’ form to school kids and asking them to get their parents to sign it. “ We a r e h e a r i n g reports from schoolchildren that they must bring

An artists impression of the proposed library in Clondalkin

back in the form signed and currently have 538 objection letters that we are lodging to the council.”

Cllr Breeda Bonner (Lab) and principal of St Bernadette’s National School in Quarryvale told the Gazette that the

leaflets handed out to the children in her school were purely to inform them and their parents about the facts of the

new library.

She said: “The leaflets that went out in my school contained just pure factual information about the library.

“There was a lot of misinformation out there with people saying that there was going to be a drugs centre attached to the library this is not the case.

“There was also absolutely no pressure on the children to return the signed slips.

“The number of signatures is irrelevant to be honest. The library’s location would be decided by the vote of councillors, not by the number of signatures.”

supporters Why advertise with Elverys: come out for staff the Gazette?

Strong bid to Let our advertisers tell you why:

“

Dlr Leisure Services has been using Dublin Gazette Newspapers for a number of years to communicate with our customers on our programmes. We find the service we received excellent and they always offer us good value for money. The personal touch of having an account manager makes our life so much easier. The Dundrum & Dún Laoghaire Gazette covers the areas in which our centres are located. Dlr Leisure Services would have no hesitation recommending the Gazette to others to promote their company.

“

 Ian Begley

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Local

Matters

save 20 jobs An employee campaign to save 20 jobs which are at risk at the Elverys Sport’s store in Fonthill in Clondalkin is attracting a large amount of support from local people and sports personalities since the group went into examinership recently.

The employees protested in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day with other Elverys staff members around the country in the campaign to save the 700 jobs that are under threat.

Olympic boxing legend and local election candidate Kenneth Egan (FG) visited the Fonthill store recently, saying: “The support this campaign is getting just shows you how important Elverys is in Ireland for everyone - not just for the boxer, the runner, the walker, the golf enthusiast or athlete.”

Cllr Trevor Gilligan (FF), who also supports the campaign said: “It’s Ireland’s oldest sports shop and as you can see from the Facebook page

that they already have 10,000 likes. In this day and age if you have a Facebook Page that has this amount of ‘likes’ it shows you already have a very good business.”

However, speaking to The Gazette, the examiner, Simon Coyle of Mazars, said he is puzzled by the campaign, as it suggests that they are going to close. The examiner has the responsibility to get the best result for the company, including working to preserve the maximum amount of jobs.

He said: “The company is in examination [examinership]; it’s got a number of interested parties investing in it, so it would appear that the market would indicate there is a viable future for Elverys.”

People can lend their support by liking the campaign’s Facebook page at www.facebook. com/SOSelverys700, or by signing a petition of support in store.

20 March 2014 CLONDALKIN Gazette 7

appeal John Gilligan associate shot several times

Witnesses sought in Lucan murder  Ian Begley ibegley@gazettegroup.com

Gardai are continuing to appeal for witnesses in connection with the murder of Stephen Douglas Moran at his home in Earlsfort View in Lucan.

Douglas Moran, who was in his mid-40s, was shot several times after his killers forced their way into his home at around 7pm on March 15.

He was taken to Tallaght Hospital but later died as a result of his injuries.

Investigating gardai are questioning whether a car set on fire near

the scene, at Glenvale in Lucan, was linked to the murder.

T he car ’s make, model and registration number are yet to be established.

Moran was closely associated with gangland criminal John Gilligan, and has acted as his hired body guard and personal driver since he was released from prison last year.

On the day of Gilligan’s release from Portlaoise prison, Moran picked him up in an armour-plated BMW. Originally from Limerick, Moran also ran a security firm and was the owner of four pubs.

A post mortem was carried out by the Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Bolster, at the Dublin City Morgue earlier this week.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses or anyone who may have seen any suspicious or unusual activity at Earlsfort View, Lucan, between 6pm and 7.30pm on Saturday or on the days before the shooting, or who may have seen a vehicle being driven at speed or erratically on the Balgaddy Road, (adjacent to Ballyo wen Park), or a vehicle being parked/set on fire at Glen Vale, Lucan, to contact Lucan Garda

Station on (01) 6667300, The Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111 or any Garda Station.

Meanwhile, Gilligan lef t James Connolly M e m o r i a l Ho s p i t a l on Sunday, March 16, under Garda escort and has since left the country.

The recently released drug dealer was discharged from hospital around 12am, just two weeks after he survived an attempted assassination.

Wheelchair bound and holding onto a Dunnes Stores bag containing his belongings, the gang boss was escorted from hospital to a waiting car

Stephen Douglas Moran was shot at his home in Earslfort View. He subsequently died in hospital. Picture: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland

by a garda.

Gilligan was driven in a black Mercedes and taken to the ferry terminal at North Wall, where he was booked on the 2.15am Stena sailing to Holyhead.

Armed gardai followed Gilligan’s car to ensure that a second attempt was not made on his life.

Upon leaving, he was dressed in a black jacket and wearing a flat black

cap, and appeared to have lost a significant amount of weight.

Bruising on his face was also evident where a bullet had grazed his head during the attempt on his life.

8 CLONDALKIN Gazette 20 March 2014

campaign: workers’ rights

Mayor attends launch  Ian Begley

South Dublin County Council Mayor Dermot Looney (Ind), has recently launched the Dublin West Fair Shop campaign to encourage consumers in the city to shop in retail stores where workers’ rights are respected.

The launch took place in the Clarion Hotel, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin and the mayor was joined in launching the campaign

by Gerry Light, Mandate assistant general secretary and UNITE economist Michael Taft.

Jonathan Hogan, Mandate’s Industrial officer for Dublin North West explained that a Fair Shop employer is one that recognises their employees’ basic right to join a Trade Union.

He said: “In Dublin city there are dozens of Fair Shop employers and we are asking local consumers to support those retailers who collectively bargain with Mandate, with the view to improving their employees’ terms and conditions of employment.”

Consumers are encouraged to show their support for the campaign by signing the Fair Shop pledge www. fairshop.ie/fairshoppledge.

rowlagh Facility expected to be built by 2016

Good news as €4.2m care centre gets funding  Ian Begley ibegley@gazettegroup.com

A new healthcare centre that has long been sought for in Rowlagh, north Clondalkin is being granted funding by the Government and is expected to be built by 2016.

The care centre, which will cost €4.2 million to build and will cover an area of 1,400 square meters, will serve the catchment area of Rowlagh, Neilstown and Quarrvale.

A spokesperson for the HSE said they are currently in an advanced stage of negotiations with the Department of Education/Education and Training Board with regards to its location, saying that the lands at Collinstown Park Community College are favourable.

The new centre will be part of the primary care centre network and will contain services such as GPs, counsellors, physios, occupational therapists and other medical profes-

sionals.

The development in Rowlagh is one of 35 primary care centres identified by the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly.

Of these, 20 will be commissioned, subject to agreement, between local GP involvement in the centres.

Labour TD Robert Dowds welcomed the news, saying: “I am absolutely delighted that all the hard work has paid off and that the Government has approved the money for a brand new health centre to be built in Rowlagh. It will be a great resource for the entire community in north Clondalkin and will serve the sick and the elderly of the area for many years to come.

“I have worked very hard to ensure that Clondalkin is not left behind and that people living here have access to the best public services available. For the past 18 months, it has been quite a battle to get the

money for this project put in place, but thankfully we have succeeded, and thanks largely to the fact that Labour is in Government. Hopefully the project will get off the ground very shortly and will open its doors to the community on schedule in 2016,” said Deputy Dowds.

Clondalkin Cllr Eoin O’Broin (SF) said: “The reason for the delay over the last number of years was because there was a problem with two things.

“One was getting GPs to work in the centre and the second issue was its location because the existing site at Rowlagh Health Centre is too small and [they] had been looking at Liffey Valley for a while, which didn’t transpire.

“It looks as though the HSE is going to work up a proposal and seek planning permission for building the primary care centre in the grounds of Collinstown College itself.

“The positive news is

Labour TD Robert Dowds (left) and Sinn Fein Cllr Eoin O’Broin (right) both welcomed news of progress for the healthcare centre, which may be built at the lands at Collinstown Park Community College (above). Picture: Google Maps

that it looks like the HSE are bringing forward an application for planning permission soon,” said O’Broin.

Cllr Breeda Bonner (Lab), and local school principal in Nor th Clondalkin, said: “It’s great news for the entire north Clondalkin community that the funding has been approved for the new health centre. It

will be a huge boost to the area to have a stateof-the-art health centre in north Clondalkin. I have taught the children of this community for over 30 years and it is very important that the children of the area, and their parents and grandparents, have access to a top class medical facility in the community.

“There is no doubt it

is a great boost for the community, that it will be served by a state-ofthe-art facility with many different medical professionals available to treat all kinds of conditions and illnesses. This is great news for north Clondalkin and I hope that the centre will be of great use to the people of the area for many years to come,” said Cllr Bonner.

20 March 2014 CLONDALKIN Gazette 9

10 CLONDALKIN Gazette 20 March 2014

gazetteGALLERIES

An attentive audience listens to a presentation

Padraig Whelan

Sheila Norris

Students and staff from St Kevin’s Community College with representatives involved in the

20 March 2014 clondalkin gazette 11

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Aisling Caffrey

Comenius Project. Pictures: Cathy Weatherston

Principal Pat Lowry

st kevin’s college: Comenius Project

An exchange of cultural heritage S

t Kevin’s Community College had some very special visitors recently when representatives from schools in Denmark, France, Romania, Greece and Spain came to the school as part of the Comenius Project. The project is aimed at schools, colleges and local authorities across Europe and its objective is to develop knowledge and understanding among young people and education staff of the diversity of European cultures and languages, and the value of this diversity. It also aims to help young people to acquire basic life skills and competencies for their personal development, for future employment and for active European citizenship.

Bridget McGee

12 clondalkin gazette 20 March 2014

gazetteGALLERY

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Niamh Cahalane and Eddie O’Byrne

Teacher Roisin McGowan and Edel Harrington

Moyle teachers stage protest S

The teachers protested outside the school recently. Pictures: Cathy Weatherston

econd-level teachers protested outside Moyle Park College recently to highlight their concerns over proposed changes to the Junior Cycle programme.

The protest was organised by second

level unions ASTI and TUI, which represent 27,000 teachers. Both unions are balloting members to secure a mandate for non-cooperation with the implementation of the new programme.

20 March 2014 Gazette 13

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escape the mayhem P14

what’son americans to add heavenly voices to choir

Now starring in Robert Massey’s Chancers (above), in Draiocht Theatre, Blanchardstown, Mary Murray spoke to The Gazette about her busy acting life

a day in the life: mary murray on her varied routines as an actress

‘My whole life is an escape’  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

MARY Murray had to get up close and personal with Nidge, aka Tom Vaughan Lawlor, in the last season of Love/Hate, and she has now bagged herself an IFTA nomination for the role of brothel owner, Janet.

She was preparing for the final performance of Robert Massey’s play Chancers, in Draiocht Theatre, Blanchardstown when The Gazette asked her to describe a day in the life of one of Ireland’s up-and-coming actresses.

She said: “My days will vary a lot because it depends on what I’m working on. If I’m working in theatre and am not

in rehearsal, it means I’ve got plenty of free time.

“I generally get up at 9.30am or 10am.

Then, I do a bit of exercise for about an hour, some push-ups and stretching and sit-ups, followed by breakfast, which is a big bowl of fruit salad – I love my fruit – and then a bowl of porridge, and then I’m ready for my day.

“I do a bit of email stuff and I’d be dealing with agency things for some of the kids I teach, so they might be asking for me to send suggestions of kids for films, and that takes a few hours.

“I might go in to teach a class, if I’m not doing a show. All I ever wanted to do was act, so my whole life is an escape.

“I am very grateful to do what I do, and lucky that I get lots of different work. But if I only did theatre work for the rest of my life, I’d be happy. I might read a book, look at a few things on the internet, go to the pub, go to the theatre, that’s it [for my day],” she said.

Of course, her daily routine often changes, particularly if she’s involved with a show: “If I’m doing a show, I’ll generally leave at about six o’clock and go into the theatre, have a cup of tea and maybe something to eat, and do a little warm-up which would entail not an awful lot.

“I’ll sing a song and walk around because, for me, I’ve done my warm-up

in the morning.

“Next, I’ll run the lines of the show in my head and get ready to go on stage.

“What happens after the show depends on the theatre. If it’s [at] the likes of The Civic or Pavilion Theatre, and others that don’t have theatre bars that stay open for very long, you have to go home!

“Otherwise, if I’m in The Abbey, or in theatres around town, you generally tend to go for a pint afterwards.

“I go home, I might watch a bit of telly, check a few more emails and, while I’m watching the telly, I fall asleep and wake up at about four in the morning and then go up to bed. I do that all the time,” said Mary.

SOME 67 female singers from the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire will join the Sunday Saints’ Choir to give a special concert at St Joseph’s Church in Glasthule on Monday, March 24 at 8pm.

Wisconsin EauClaire Women’s Concert Chorale is one of the premier female university choral ensembles in the United States, and comprises singers from across all academic disciplines.

It will be the first time the choir has visited Ireland, and during their ten-day tour, they will perform in Limerick, Galway, Derry, Belfast and Dublin.

The programme chosen for the concert expresses the diverse musical traditions of both countries, in traditional and contemporary genres that includes American original songs, choral classics, African- American Spirituals, American and Irish folk songs.

For further information, contact Alison Moore at 0044 1306 741 000, or email alison@concertorganisers.com.

dublinlife

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM

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14 Gazette 20 March 2014

Nick Munier: taking time out from the madness of tv

Maitre d’ finds decaf turns moment golden Each week the Gazette speaks to Dubliners about how they like to unwind in a bustling, busy city. Nick Munier, MasterChef presenter, outlines his relaxation routine Renowned TV Maitre d’ and MasterChef presenter Nick Munier has an unending schedule of TV appearances, interviews, consultations and of course running his own restaurant in Dublin, Pichet.

With such a busy life it would seem that the British icon hasn’t a moment

to himself, let alone trying to unwind, but as the Gazette has learned this is not actually the case.

Earlier this week we caught up with Nick to learn what he does to escape the tumultuous mayhem that his life involves.

“I normally go for a coffee in Fade Street

Social in the afternoons because it’s relatively comforting there and I know the owner Dylan [McGrath] really well, along with the staff so it’s a good place to unwind.

“I get a decaf mocha as I can’t drink caffeine because I used to drink about 15 cups of coffee a day when I was running restaurants in London.

It was just all the fibrillations and the shaky hands that I couldn’t cope with it so I had to give it up.

“I knocked it off for a

while and suddenly got back into it because I love the allure of coffee and the smell of it, then I said to myself that I’ll try drinking decaf mochas instead.

“I don’t have it with milk because obviously milk is not very good for my health regime.

“There’s like a window terrace in the restaurant that’s very quiet where I can go with friends and just chill out for a bit – It’s lovely.

“I also like to paint to unwind and dedicate

TV Maitre d’ and MasterChef presenter Nick Munier

three times a week of my time to do this. I’m an avid abstract painter and that’s really my huge release. I really like JeanMichel Basquiat who is a famous Haitian American abstract artist.

“When I get home instead of watching TV I paint, which sort of

releases my endorphins and relaxes me, but sometimes it doesn’t always relax me because if I can’t get into it then it becomes very stressful.

“T he other way I unwind is taking my boys out to the cinema.

The weather has been so

bad lately and it’s been very hard to do things with them outside so we play the Xbox.

“They basically play this flipping Minecraft game that I don’t get so I just leave them to it and it’s nice to watch them fight, shout and scream.”

20 March 2014 Gazette 15

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16 Gazette 20 March 2014

dublinlife

Special Olympics Ireland give a shout out for helping hand Was your New Year’s resolution to volunteer for charity – have you done it yet? Well then this is for you.

Special Olympics Ireland’s annual collection day is taking place throughout Ireland on April 11.

Volunteers are needed throughout Dublin to look after collection points with over 1,000 volunteers needed at over

80 collection points from Ballymun to Ballsbridge and Skerries to Sandyford.

This is the biggest annual fundraising event in aid of Special Olympics Ireland. Money raised on the day helps Special Olympics Ireland continue its promise of offering people with an intellectual disability the opportunity to participate in sport in their area.

Liz Callery, regional director, Special Olympics Eastern Region, said: “If you have a few hours to spare on Friday, April 11 please help us by joining one of our collection teams at a location near you.

“With your help, we can all give our athletes a winning chance.”

See www.specialolympics.ie/collectionday for further information.

Daithi’s dig at Dempsey’s tan

Has anyone else noticed how tan-tastic Ian Dempsey is in his new Today FM ad? Well one person who did is friend, Today Show presenter Daithi O’Se. The ad on small screens across Ireland sees Dempsey imitating a game-show host and what would a game-show host be without some extra

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

Special Olympics Ireland members marching in last year’s St Patrick’s Day parade.

make-up? And boy, oh boy, does he slap it on.

Taking to Twitter to let his friend know that his new look has not gone unnoticed, Daithi tweeted: “Where did you get the tan @IanDempsey for the tv ad? I’ll need to

get it done for the Rose of Tralee!”

In response Ian tweeted: “@daithi_ose – I did it myself – got this ‘product’ called ShedSeal in Woodies – I might still have some left – it was a three litre can.”

Daithi was delighted saying: “@IanDempsey I’ll be over later to pick it up. You’re a horse and cart of a man” Readers please note this is just banter between the lads and ShedSeal is not a tanning product!

20 March 2014 Gazette 17

Picture: Photocall Ireland

fun and food delights The Dublin Bay Prawn Festival is, without doubt, one of the tastiest food festivals Dublin has. It is taking place in Howth Village on April 25-27.

Whatever way you

like your Dublin Bay Prawns - barbecued, whole, shelled, fried, skewered, marinated, sauced – Howth’s many award winning restaurants will serve your favourite prawn dishes in bite sized portions at the Dublin Bay Prawn Festival “Food Village”, in addition to a variety of other miniature dishes.

During the day there is street entertainment and a programme of walks, talks and seaside antics.

As the sun goes down over Howth Harbour the fun continues as each evening the festival offer choices such as a mystery dine around, special festival menus in restaurants and pubs, fireworks on the harbour and in-house musical entertainment in Howth’s Pubs.

For more information visit www.dublinbayprawnfestival.com.

doodling a way to a google win Thousands of students from across Ireland have Doodled 4 Google with the winner set to be announced at the end of this month.

Over 2,390 entries were received for the competition which sees students make artwork for the wellknown search engine.

There are five categories in the competition with prizes including a scholarship of €5,000 for the winner’s third-level studies; a €10,000 technology grant for the winner’s school; a Chromebook for both the overall winner and their teacher and their Doodle to be

Gazette

diary shown on the Google.ie homepage for a full day this month.

The winner is set to be announced on March 24 in Google offices.

searching for oldest brownie A nationwide search has been launched in order to find Ireland’s oldest Brownie.

The search is part of celebrations marking 100 years of Brownies in Ireland.

The Irish Girl Guides (IGG) branch launched in 1914 and today there are 4,000 Brownies across Ireland.

Over 3,000 of them will descend upon Dublin Zoo

Rathfarnham Brownies are helping to celebrate 100 years of the Irish Girl Guides

on Saturday, April 12 in one mega birthday bash and the hope is that they will be joined by Ireland’s oldest living Brownie.

Any prospective senior Brownie will have to beat

the current oldest known member, Peggy Allbutt, at age 95. The question is whether there is a Brownie in Ireland who is even older?

If you’re a former

Brownie and reckon you can lay claim to the title of Ireland’s Oldest Brownie, then IGG would love to hear from you. For more information phone 085 8570565.

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18 Gazette 20 March 2014

dublinlife

Q&A

business festival: speakers, workshops for event

Creative industry to be celebrated with Offset  ian begley

Thomas Spratt, DAS Academy owner

Taking steps to train the next generation Thomas Spratt is the owner and creative director of DAS Academy in Lucan. He is a choreographer and has choreographed The Late Late Eurosong winning entr y Heartbeat by Can-Linn and will be representing Ireland for Eurovision 2014 in Copenhagen.

Thomas has worked extensively in Ireland with his credits including Junior in the Hot Mikado, dance captain Singing in the Rain, Aida Opera, dance captain in Grease, Cork Opera House, Taylor’s Irish Dance Show, choreographed the Irish Premier of Jerry Springer the Opera, Bord Gais Theatre, Dublin,

Mad about Musicals at the National Concert Hall also Jack and the Beanstalk; Mother Goose; Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella at the Gaiety Theatre. Thomas has choreographed and performed alongside music artist Samantha Mumba.

His touring and international credits include Daniel O’Donnell, Rock and Roll UK and Ireland tour, Red Hurley show USA, Celtic Rhythms, Holland tour, dance captain Belle Et Fou, Berlin, Tony Kenny’s Irish dance show USA and associate choreographer A Tribute To Glee, Dubai.

How long have you been in business?

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

I opened the doors as owner and creative director for DAS Academy in September 2013 and am enjoying it very much.

What makes your business successful?

The team of professional teachers I have working for the academy teach in a way that we get the most out of the kids/teens in a fun and safe environment.

The combination of dedicated teachers and the kids/teens hard work and determination together as a team makes DAS Academy a success.

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

Every kid/teen in DAS Academy gets their time to shine. There is no favoritism. DAS Academy is about learning dance, acting and singing in a relaxed environment and building your confidence to be the best you can be.

I advertise on our Facebook the DAS Academy term dates and let people know about our workshops and guest teachers for the academy.

What is your ambition for the business?

To have a good reputation in Ireland for our professionalism and talent as a performance academy.

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

My parents told me from a young age never give up on my dream. “If at first you don’t succeed try and try again.”

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

I get to teach and work with local talent, it’s a very proud moment for a teacher be it dance, act or singing to see your kids perform knowing that you put it together and now they are performing it and most importantly enjoying themselves and having fun.

PREPARATIONS are in full swing for this year’s highly-anticipated creative festival, Offset, which is due to take place in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre from March 21-23.

Every year, the threeday festival attracts visitors from around the world to come and hear speakers from different creative industries and to take part in panel discussions and interviews.

They speak about their work, ideas and inspirations and give insights into their practices and personal perspectives.

Independently founded and run, Offset has grown from 450 to 2,000 delegates.

Bren Byrne, one of the festival’s directors, says he is extremely busy in setting up the many events for this year’s festival.

Speaking to The

Gazette he said: “Fellow director Richard Seabrooke and I have a huge amount of stuff on our plate in preparation for this year’s Offset festival.

“We are a part of a very small team of people who do a lot of work for the festival, such as inviting speakers to the event, organising presentations and panels, making calls, working on the social media side of things, and managing everything to ensure that the festival comes together really well.”

Speaking about the highlights of the event, Byrne said: “There’ve been lots of highlights in different ways, such as opening the doors on the first day and seeing the queues of people outside waiting to come in, the reaction the audience has for our speakers, and the respect [the speakers] have for the audience and for us.

Bord Gais Energy Theatre is playing host to this year’s Offset – a festival that celebrates creativity

“We see our guests more as peers, rather than talking to them from a professional perspective. In my eyes, we’re just creative people talking to people who have the same interest as us.

“We have a really great line-up of speakers this year and I’m sure they will have really interesting and insightful stories to tell to our guests.”

There is no VIP area, and no Green Rooms at Offset. The space facilitates both speakers and attendees, allowing both to mingle freely and settle

in for three days of inspiration.

The intimate surroundings of the Second Room of the Board Gais Energy Theatre allows delegates to get a little closer to some of the legendary speakers, who will give interviews, contribute to debates and take part in group discussions on the topics that are at the heart of the creative agenda.

For further information about the festival, and to see the list of events taking place, see www.iloveoffset.com.

Stock market investment I have a lump sum to put away and wonder is it too late to go back into the stock market. I am the cautious type and like most, don’t like risks. I understand there is a correction coming soon. Have you any suggestions that might work for me? Alison - Swords The stock market is a long-term investment. Mark Twain once quipped: “October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate on stocks in. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February.”

Bar the last 10 years, this sector has always been the best performing sector in any 10-year cycle. After the disastrous Irish and global stock market performance 2007 and 2008 in particular, the last two years has seen a fight back in share prices with the Irish stock market in particular being one of the leaders in growth. But before you start speculating, you should ensure that: 1. Your income exceeds expenditure. Otherwise you are dipping into savings or borrowing to bridge the gap.

2. You should have ideally three to six months annual income in a rainy day fund for three reasons. First, for emergencies – your car breaks down. Secondly sudden loss of income. Thirdly the investment opportunity – you might have the opportunity to buy a well-known

artist’s painting at a bargain price. Whatever savings you do have, ensure you are receiving the best rates (email me for free fact sheet on Ireland’s best deposit rates).

3. Not all your eggs are in the one basket. There are many asset classes apart from cash and property – equities, bonds, commodities, alternative investments including hedge funds and derivatives. Diversify and spread your risk.

4. If you do want to put the toe in the stock market waters, I would suggest the easy to understand managed funds. These are ranked in order of risk from 1 to 5 or 7 – 1 being the most CAUTIOUS and 5/7 being the most RISKY. Email me for details.  Contact John with your money questions at jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor

20 March 2014 Gazette 19

cinema P24

asdfsdaf P27 TRAVEl P25

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



Gazette

STYLE P20

Pets

can you give gentle JILL a true home?

Joycean characters protest at a previous One City, One Book event in Dublin city centre, as part of the initiative’s focus on literature associated with our capital city

one city, one book: and now for something completely different ...

Dublin to be mapped out in poetry  natalie burke

People across Dublin are being encouraged to get reading this April as Dublin: One City, One Book gets under way.

The award-winning Dublin City Council initiative, in its ninth year, encourages everyone to read a book connected with the capital city during the month of April every year.

This year’s choice will see If Ever You Go: A Map of Dublin in Poetry and Song as the book at everyone’s fingertips, which features a collection of poems, ballads and songs from a range of literary luminaries connected with Dublin.

It will be the first time in the nine years of the initiative that a book of

poetry will replace the normal prose.

According to Jane Alger, director of Dublin UNESCO City of Literature, it will be something completely different, yet still very Dublin.

Influence

“We’re always open to suggestions when it comes to choosing the title every year and we like the idea of this one. It’s very Dublin and the poems and songs are all about places in Dublin covering a huge timespan.

It also covers the whole of the county of Dublin, not just the city. Different places have influenced the poets’ writings and there are some lovely, quirky things to expect from it.”

Throughout the month of April, a host of events, workshops and poetry

readings will be held all over Dublin city and suburbs.

These events include poetry cruises along the Liffey, walking tours of places explored by the poems, film screenings at the IFI and poetry bus tours.

Dublin City Bike Tours will also hold tours to explore the streets that have inspired the poems and songs of the book, while Glasnevin Cemetery will hold walking tours of the cemetery.

On Wednesday, April 9, Dublin’s Fair City will be held in Dublin Castle, where actor Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, DJ Rick O’Shea and a number of musicians and poets will speak about what poetry means to them.

While many people are strangers to reading poetry as a hobby, Jane says Dublin: One City, One Book is the

perfect time to get involved with Irish writing.

“People are resistant to poetry, perhaps they’ve been scarred from school. But I’d recommend people to pick up the book and have it by their bed and dip into it.

“Poetry expresses emotions you can’t do with prose. I’m also encouraging book clubs around Dublin to start and finish meetings with a poem for the month,” she said.

“Start with poems about your own area, and that will encourage you to read more,” she said.

The programme for Dublin: One City, One Book will be launched on March 25. For more details and further event information, visit www. dublinonecityonebook.ie.

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is Jill, a six-year-old German shepherd.

Jill was living in a home for two-and-a-half years but her owner couldn’t look after her any longer so she is back in the centre. Jill loves cuddles and going for drives in the car. She would need to be the only dog in the house, as she can be a bit nervous.

If you think you could offer Jill her forever home then please contact Dogs Trust on 01-8791000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50 and would love to show you around. Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie

FOR UP TO DAT E N E W s follow u s :

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20 Gazette 20 March 2014

CELEBRATINGMOTHER’S DAY Butler’s Chocolate €5 Belle Juicy floral necklace €30

Celebrate Mother’s Day at The Orchard in Kildare

Enjoy a special afternoon of tea and shopping For those who are looking for something that bit unusual to celebrate Mother’s Day, The Orchard in Kildare could be just the thing. Not only has The Orchard got a beautiful cafe which comfortably seats 200, but it offers the perfect Victorian walled garden backdrop for a special afternoon tea with mother.

After a spot of breakfast or lunch in the cafe, you and your mother can do what every mammy loves – browse and shop in the garden centre on site or pick up a few delightful titbits from the home and interiors department.

The Orchard is a five-star home and garden lifestyle location which won Garden Centre of the Year at the Bord Bia Quality Awards.

Set amongst the charm of a five-acre Victorian walled garden, The Orchard Cafe offers a relaxing atmosphere and a menu including breakfast from 9am until 12pm and lunch from 12pm until 5pm, with delicious desserts on the menu all day long.

The home and interiors department showrooms has a variety of giftware items, furniture and accessories in elegant surroundings designed by professional interior designers.

If you would like to find out about The Orchard for Mother’s Day, you can go to www.theorchard.ie.

Orla Kiely iPhone 5 wallet available at Harvey Norman €29.99

Gift

Guide

Next cropped sweater €38

Pink Sony Cybershot camera €202

Grey Rose by Jane Packer – Purple mixed flower arrangement in glass bowl €78

20 March 2014 Gazette 21

J’aime la Vie Romina green dress at Carraig Donn €69.95

M&S Jonathan Saunders Edition ombre dress €125

Opium perfume 30ml €36.86

Kiehl’s Powerful Wrinkle Reducing Cream €49

for mum Mum’s Marvellous Moments Photo Album, Littlewoods Ireland €15

 laura webb

ber her style and not your own. Something you might like may not be suitable for mammy, so keep that in

Although we really should treat and pamper our

mind otherwise you might find yourself digging out the

mammy every day, when Mother’s Day comes around

receipt to get it changed.

it’s really just another excuse to spoil her rotten.

This week, The Gazette gets styling so that mother’s can look extra special on the day, while also giving the kids some helpful hints on what clothes mum might

Gazette Style looks at must-have beauty products, accessories and simple yet colourful dresses that we reckon might be on the wish list for mums.

Don’t forget Mother’s Day is on March 30.

want for their special day.

When shopping for mum, it’s important to remem-

Stila brush set from Harvey Nichols €42

Orla Kiely Floral Stem Midi Sling Bag (Orange), at Kilkenny Stores €169 Birdhouse available at Carraig Donn €19.95

Carvela Shylock Cut-out Ankle Boots, Littlewoods Ireland €194

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feature

GAZETTE

22 GAZETTE 20 March 2014

OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

BITESIZEDNEWS

This group shot shows the diverse range of winners at last year’s awards ceremony

Industries called to enter for food awards  NATALIE BURKE

DISHING up another chance for success and industry acclaim, the Irish Quality Food Awards is back for 2014 and is calling all retailers, food producers, wholesalers and food service operators across Ireland.

A unique collaboration between Food and Hospitality Ireland (formerly SHOP) and The UK Quality Food and Drink Awards (now in its 33rd year), these prestigious awards set out to recognise excellence in food and drink product development from a variety of companies across Ireland.

Once again, the judging will take place over two weeks at The School of Culinary Arts and Food & Technology in Dublin.

The results will be announced at a gala dinner in the Round Room at The Mansion House on September 11.

Repeating last year’s trade-media partnership with Retail News magazine, while forming a consumer-media partnership with Easy Food magazine, the Irish Quality Food Awards 2014 place food and drink products onto the tables businesses need for success.

The awards themselves are organised into three distinct sections: Category Q – products for the multiple and independent grocery retail market; Catering Q – products for the catering market, and Quality Drink Awards – alcoholic drinks for retail and foodservice.

Organised by Metropolis Business Media, its publisher, Helen Lyons, said the company is delighted to be organising the awards once again this year.

She said: “We are absolutely delighted with the success of last year’s awards and so pleased to be organising an equally exciting event for 2014.

“As former winners can testify, picking up an Irish Quality Food & Drink Award is a powerful marketing tool, with many winners using the awards’ logos on their packaging and in national press, television and outdoor advertising.”

Entries will be accepted until June 2 and judging will commence from July 7 to 18.

For further information and full entry details, see www.irishqualityfoodawards.com.

Terra Madre

Italian restaurant

Bachelors Walk In town, step on down to short but interesting

INTIMATE is one thing but Terra Madre’s dining room brings that cosiness to a whole new level.

Located at Bachelors Walk, this basement-level restaurant is not for the claustrophobic, and with my being more than a tad anxious in confined spaces, I eyed our corner table with more than a little trepidation.

A rather promptly ordered bottle of Trebbiano helped me to relax in our surroundings and with our rather rickety table.

This restaurant described its cooking as authentic and simple and the mismatched crockery and glasses, as well as the slightly wonky furniture, certainly is in keeping with the theme.

Decor is completely stripped back and nothing adorns the walls. The menu is very short, but there are many interesting things on there.

This is the place to go

a basement restaurant that may feel a little squished, but which also packs in plenty of variety into its “rustic” Italian fare (sample inset). While portions seemed somewhat small, the food had large appeal.

The Picky Eater if you’re all about the food and the owners have obviously plumped for sourcing the best, more delicious ingredients over presenting an elegant and grand dining room.

These guys use ingredients that have been foraged from Italy as components of some of their dishes. Many are scarce, and this makes for an exciting menu, in my opinion, even if it is short.

To start with, we had bruschetta of wild caper sprouts, which are harvested by hand and grown in the plains and hills of the Piana Di Sibari in Calabria – they are very rare. I love tart food and these, on toasted Italian bread, packed the right punch.

The Lardo Di Colonnata, which is a traditional Tuscan delicacy made with pork fat, herbs and spice, comes from the Apuan Alps where it has been matured for six to nine months in white

marble basins.

This looked insipid on bread, but the fat melted on the tongue. This bruschetta plate (€7.50) isn’t on the menu, but our relaxed waiter agreed to bring us out a selection as we couldn’t decide between the two. Our second starter was the real winner of the night.

House special

A house special of mozzarella, melted so that the creamy, delicate cheese oozed from the middle, was surrounded by anchovy, capers and tomato (€11.50).

It was divine, and the hunting down of only the best ingredients is evident in this dish. It looked clean and fresh on the plate, and I look forward to this dish again, maybe on a summer’s day served with a chilled glass of white wine.

For our second course, my friend had Pappardella with Chianina cow

ragout. Chianina is one of the oldest and most valuable cow breeds in the world. According to the menu, the cattle have been raised in Umbria, Tuscany and Lazio for at least 2,200 years.

The pasta was, of course, cooked al dente and the meat was tasty. (€14.50) My ravioli with black truffle and cheese fondue (€16.50) was very tasty, with the strong flavour of the truffle coming through and the homemade ravioli melting exquisitely on the tongue.

My only gripe is that portions are very small.

I don’t like lots of pasta, but these portions are far

from hearty and if you are hungry you may leave disappointed.

Dessert was chocolate biscuit cake served with orange and the second was an almond flan. Both of these dishes were fine (€6 each).

The chocolate biscuit cake is very much like one my grandmother used to make and was moist and rich. I didn’t consider it particularly Italian. The flan (above) was much more so and the flavours were intense and long lasting.

Two macchiatos, which the lovely waiter gave to us on the house, were well made. The bill came to €90.

Conclusion WITH rustic decor and Italian rarities on the menu, Terra Madre (at 13 Bachelors Walk, Dublin 1; tel 01 573 5300) is truly a gourmet journey through Italy. Although the menu is short and portions small, the tastes are interesting and varied.

20 March 2014 Gazette 23

theatre: stones in his pockets

Pavilion

A bit heavy going, due to its Oirish overtones  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

MARIE Jones’s play, Stones in his Pockets, has been around a while and has been a favourite across Irish theatres, both amateur and professional, since 1996.

This month saw the play return once more to the professional stage, and The Gaiety Theatre with a production directed by Ian McElhinney, and starring Damian Kearney, who played Garda Martin in Love/Hate, and Stephen Jones.

The drama is set in rural Kerry during the making of a big Hollywood film, and features two main characters who are extras.

Both actors also double, triple and quadruple as 15 other characters of both sexes throughout the play, changing their accents and demeanours in the blink of an eye.

As a dramatic device, this can be tricky, confusing and annoying, to say the least.

One moment, the actors are engaged in conversation as the

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

‘However, despite its popularity, the play was not to my taste.

‘It has more than a touch of the “Oirish” about it, and the characters are overly enthusiastic and childlike.’

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

extras, Charlie and Jake, and then, with barely a physical signal, they turn into completely different characters.

One of the smitten extras, Jake, played by Damian Kearney, is singled out for special attention by the leading lady, Caroline, and his uncouth attempts to take advantage of this are pure slapstick.

However, Caroline is not interested in Jake for any romantic reason but rather wants to learn

from him how to speak in an authentic brogue.

Stephen Jones’s character, Charlie, has aspirations to get his script made into a movie and carries it around on set looking for an opportunity to pass it to someone in the know.

Jones also plays the part of the leading lady, Caroline; a cliched transformation so complete that the audience can almost imagine her boa and stilletos.

The play is currently going down a storm at The Gaiety, and both actors are competent performers with a very authentic way with accents.

They go from Donegal to Kerry to American and English without much trouble at all.

Indeed, the accents are the main way that the audience knows which character is currently before them.

However, despite its popularity, the play was not to my taste. It has more than a touch of the “Oirish” about it, and the characters are a tad one-dimensional, overly enthusiastic and

Gazette

ARTS

Author Sebastian Barry will discuss his writing career

Temporary talk on book  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

As one half of the two-man cast, Damian Kearney brings great energy to the wildly different characters, male and female, that round out the play’s cast

childlike.

The main characters are full of testosterone and zeal, but with a gauche Irish innocence too, and their time, if they ever had one, is long gone now.

The play also shifts seismically from farce into tragedy, with no graduation or warning.

The result is an awkward silence in the audience as they adjust their perception to a more serious tone.

Stones in his Pockets has won many awards over the years, including the Evening Standard award, the Laurence Olivier award for best new comedy, and an Irish Times T heatre award for best play.

The production’s current run in The Gaiety

As with the other star, Stephen Jones impresses with the diversity of his performances

has proven so popular that it has been extended until March 29.

Stones in his Pockets

cost €25, and tickets are available from The Gaiety Theatre’s box office at 01 679 5622.

THE Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire is soon to play host to popular author Sebastian Barry, when he engages in conversation with broadcaster Myles Dungan in an upcoming event.

Due to take place on April 4 as part of the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Library Voices Series, the event will see Barry discuss his writing career and his latest novel, The Temporary Gentleman.

This, the sixth book in a cycle of separate but interconnected novels depicting characters based on his own family, tells the story of Jack McNulty – the eponymous gentleman of the title, who is an Irishman in the British army.

The story is full of drama as Jack recounts the adventures of his eventful life, yet the memory that weighs heaviest on Jack is that of the beautiful Mai Kirwan, with whom he had a tempestuous and heart-breaking marriage ...

A Dubliner, Barry – who is the son of the late Irish actress, Joan O’Hara – has written a number of successful plays, as well as novels and some poetry.

Tickets cost €10/€8 and are available through the Pavilion Theatre’s box office at 01 231 2929.

Gazette

24 Gazette 20 March 2014

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

ReelReviews

The book thief

Another Nazi tale awaits FINALLY making it to our screens, The Book Thief (Cert 12A, 131 mins) sees a young girl rebelling against local authority when she ends up living with a new foster family. However, as it’s set in World War 2, the inexorable march of the Nazi regime soon swirls around them and a mysterious refugee ...

Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson head an interesting, if familiar-feeling tale.

need for speed Vroom to improve

RACING into cinemas and hell-bent on challenging 300’s sequel (see below) for sheer awfulness, Need For Speed (Cert 12A, 132 mins) is one for particularly undemanding petrolheads.

Here, cars get driven very fast indeed as the plot careers all the way from A to B in a genre-conforming tale of manly men trying to settle old scores and get revenge ... by driving their cars dangerously. A lot.

Rise of an empire 300’s unwanted sequel

THE plot’s all Greek to us, but hey – if you want to see lots of grunting, musclebound lunks trying to chop each other into little chunks, courtesy of endless over stylised slowwwwwmotion set-piece battles, 300: Rise of an Empire (Cert 16, 102 mins) is for you. Leave your brain at home for this one, as the likes of Lena Headey ham it up against the Chippend– err, ancient Greeks.

Either the Muppets are trying to work out how to calculate the bill, or they’re discussing their next step as they get on with their current comic caper

muppets most wanted: comic stars don’t quite tug all the right strings

A Fozzie-ly directed sequel

THE latest offering in Disney’s lucratively rebooted musical franchise, Muppets Most Wanted literally builds on the success of its predecessor, with an opening shot featuring the Muppets in Hollywood on the set of 2011’s film, wondering what to do next.

The answer lies in their catchy first number, We’re Doing A Sequel, written

by Flight of the Concord’s Bret McKenzie – but the self-referential lyrics (“We’re doing a sequel, that’s what we do in Hollywood, but everybody knows that the sequel’s never quite as good”) may contain a little too much truth.

With the Muppet Theatre happily secure, the gang are persuaded to take their show on the road by PR guru Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais).

 Dave phillips

Kermit’s (voiced by Steve Whitmire) initial protestations and sneaking suspicions of the tour are drowned out by the rest of the Muppets’ celebrations.

Badguy (“It’s French, pronounced Bad-JEE”, he explains) knows how to manipulate the group and he swiftly nudges the mild-mannered Kermit out of leadership.

A more nefarious purpose to the world tour emerges when Constantine (Matt Vogel), “the world’s most dangerous frog” – who bears an uncanny resemblance to

Kermit – escapes from a soviet gulag.

A quick identity swap later, and Constantine is happily ensconced within the Muppets, while Kermit is languishing in the gulag under the obsessive watch of Nadya (Tina Fey), with no way to let the rest of the Muppets know the danger they are in.

Throw in Lady Gaga, some art gallery heists, and a marriage to Ms Piggy, and it looks to be the guts of an entertaining trip.

But, while the film is heavy with star cameo performances – too many to name here, and some are so fleeting that you’ll probably miss them – it is noticeably light in human leads.

Constantine’s ropy Slavic impersonation

of Kermit is over-relied upon as a means to carry much of the story and humour.

While falling back on classic body-swap scenarios remains funny for the most part, these scenes lack the humanMuppet chemistry found in the earlier film.

Ricky Gervais’s interactions with the Muppets feel more like Comic Relief sketches, and T i n a Fey’s o n e -

dimensional character leads to her scenes with Kermit in the gulag feeling somewhat repetitive and flat.

The closest the film comes to filling the Jason Segel-shaped hole is in the scenes with Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) and Sam the Eagle (Eric Jacobson), as French and American detectives forced to work together on the case of Constantine.

The human connection is missing in more than one sense.

The film seems to be l a c king,

not only in comparison to its predecessor, but in comparison to most other recent films aimed at children, due to its noticeably muted emotional undertones.

T he Muppets may gain a new appreciation of Kermit, but there’s no grander message on display.

Muppets Most Wanted is a straightforward romp – a colourful comedy that is content to pluck on the musical strings, but not tug on the heart strings.

The result is enough to keep you just about entertained, but never really inspired.

Verdict: 5/10

The new Muppet film stars a top comic who is much loved by his millions of fans all around the world. It also stars Ricky Gervais. Wocka Wocka!

20 March 2014 gazette 25

french getaway: enjoy a luxurious home away from home

TRAVEL

Camping in France has never been so good  natalie burke

When travelling with kids, especially ones old enough to have an appetite for running wild, your requirements for a successful, memorable holiday will most likely include the likes of a beach, a kids or teen club and a few easy going eateries.

Mobile home and camping holidays in France with Al Fresco are ideal if you’re looking for a family holiday with fun, flexibility, freedom and lots of great food. France is a holiday destination full of contrast and every region has its own character.

Al Fresco luxury mobile homes are on some of the best French campsites in Brittany, Normandy, Vendee, Champagne (near Paris), Loire valley, Charente Maritime, Aquitaine, Languedoc/ Roussillon and the Cote d’Azur.

The French holiday parcs are set in golden beach, lakeside and mountain settings and

provide some great facilities, restaurants and most importantly, a relaxed holiday atmosphere.

Wherever you choose to spend your holiday, France has a well-deserved reputation for its cuisine and good wine and there are plenty of markets and small town delicatessens located near or within the holiday parcs.

For a day away from the beach, there’s still plenty to do, with cosmopolitan cities and medieval villages to visit, activities and adventures to undertake and history and culture to soak up.

Many Al Fresco holiday parcs are toddler friendly, with creches and a toddler-friendly pool, while many will also feature a club especially for kids aged between four and seven, and eight and 12.

Here, they can get stuck into everything from mini-golf to magic shows. With multilingual staff on site, this means parents can relax with a good book and a

glass of wine knowing their family is in good hands.

Youth clubs, day trips and discos also feature for teenagers looking for some new friends and fun.

With tons of summer offers for 2014, Al Fresco offer packages based both on mobile homes or families.

Depart on May 31 and spend eight nights in a two-bedroom mobile home in Chateau De Galinne, Brittany, plus overnight sailings with cabins, from just €699 per family (based on a family of four).

T his holiday parc features a heated water park with slides as well as an indoor aquatic centre and is situated right next to a beach, and just minutes walk from Saint-Malo’s historic walled centre with fine restaurants and creperies.

Departing on June 20, seven nights in a two-bedroom mobile in La Croix du Vieux Pont, Champange, costs from €499 per mobile.

The parc is ideally

Gazette

TRAVEL fast

Irish Ferries have introduced a direct route to Cherbourg

New French route for Irish Ferries  natalie burke

Mobile home holidays in France are the ideal choice if you’re looking for a family holiday with fun

Many parks feature heated water activity areas

situated for a visit to Disneyland Paris with six times weekly coach excursions to the popular park and to Paris.

Or if the South of France is on your radar, why not depart on July 5 and spend seven nights in Le Sylvamar, Aquitaine, from just €485 for a two-bedroom mobile.

Toddler-friendly Le Sylvamar offers a range

of activities for all ages from surfing lessons to fitness programmes and also features a heated water park with a pool, a lagoon and a lazy river.

Biarritz is just 30 miles away and a trip to San Sebastian (46 miles) for tapas is a tempting day trip.

For a two-bedroom mobile in Esterel on t h e C o t e d ’A z u r, a

seven-night visit costs just €799 per mobile, departing on July 14.

Just three miles from a beach, families visiting Esterel can make the most of the outdoor swimming complex and indoor jungle paddling pool.

The parc also offers evening entertainment, fitness classes, a creche and kids clubs.​

Irish Ferries have introduced a new direct sea route to France, linking Dublin with the popular French resor t of Cherbourg.

R e c e n t l y vo t e d Ireland’s Best Ferry Company 2013 by Irish travel agents, Irish Ferries is confident that it will see more families than ever choosing a motoring holi day in France over any other, without having to drive to Rosslare to avail of the car ferry.

Irish Ferries’ new service is timed to arrive in Cherbourg early enough to facilitate easy onward travel to campsites and holiday centres throughout France.

Sailings will depart from the Ferryport terminal in Dublin at 3.30pm on Saturday, and will arrive in Cherbourg at 11.30am on Sunday morning.

It will then return to Dublin later that day, departing Cherbourg at 5pm and arriving in Dublin on Monday morning.

For more information, bookings or travel vouchers, visit w w w. i r i s h f e r r i e s . com or call 0818 300 400.

26 GAZETTE 20 March 2014

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20 March 2014 Gazette 27

catherine walsh P28

asdfsdaf gaelic games P27 P31

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



Gazette

soccer P28

FastSport roadmap rolls out at carton house: A SEMI-

Donnacha O’Callaghan at the Ilac Centre promoting the new 4Impacts advertising pod last week

rugby: rabo 12 pits province against province at aviva stadium next week

Donnacha set for the clash of titans as Munster come to town MUNSTER’S most-capped player Donncha O’Callaghan says that provincial players are well used to swapping Irish colours for club jerseys seamlessly as Leinster and the southern province prepare to lock horns on March 29.

It comes hot on the heels of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign with the two provinces set for a marquee date in the Aviva Stadium in a top-table Rabo Pro 12 clash.

Speaking from his vast experience to GazetteSport, he says that the players are able to quickly adapt from the Irish camp to their provincial commitments “Everyone gets behind the team when we are in green,” he said. “But of

course when you are involved, you do everything you can for the fella next to you and then two weeks later, you are knocking the head off each other. It’s the nature of things and is an enjoyable part of things.

“The big thing is that both sets of players care and that is what is important. They care about playing for Ireland and they care about playing for their province and that is massive.”

O’Callaghan was speaking to the Gazette at the Ilac Centre where he was promoting his new 4 Impacts advertising pod. The pod features a 55-inch high definition screen for rolling advertisements with an in-built sensor that has the ability to log the demographic

and engagement of passers-by, giving advertisers much more information about the effectiveness of their campaign.

The second row recently signed a two-year contract extension with Munster that will keep him with the province until 2016 but he is looking to set himself up for life outside the game.

“The demographic of our changing room has changed a lot. I am a married man with three kids, heading off to cinema after training isn’t really my thing any more! An awful lot of our lads study or do different things. For me, this is a sector I am excited about. There’s a good buzz about the people around the marketing sector and usually are enjoy-

able to deal with.

“I looked at what kind of things ran parallel with my rugby. It was always marketing, the bits we were used for like being in ads on billboards. With my work with Unicef, you would see how campaigns work. So I had massive interest in it and am looking to push it on.

“It’s busy but all aspects are massively important for me. When you look at the different things you are involved in, you want to give it 100pc. It’s lovely to have other interests along with my busy family life. This is my business and it really feels like my baby and when I walked into the building, I got a lump in my throat at how well they look.”

NAR to launch the Leinster golf strategy, Roadmap 2017, will be held in Carton House Hotel on Monday, March 24.

Roadmap 2017 provides an in-depth analysis of the game in Leinster.

It is based on survey results from more than 8,000 golfers and data from focus groups with key stakeholders.

A comprehensive action plan covering ten initiatives needed to develop and improve the game over the next four years has been formulated. Delegates from 170 affiliated clubs in Leinster have been invited to attend the seminar.

Castleknock’s European Tour player Peter Lawrie will be in attendance to give the delegates an insight into pace of play on the Tour together with GREENi who will give a short demonstration of an electronic Pace of Play Management System for clubs.

For more information, log on to www. gui.ie/leinster.

Gazette

28 Gazette 20 March 2014

SPORT

FastSport

Girls in green do Ireland proud in the Cyprus Cup A magnificent run in the Cyprus Cup came to an end in the fifth and sixth-place play-off match for the Republic Of Ireland’s women’s team who registered a series of results that belied their lowly status in the international women’s tournament, which they went into ranked 12 of the 12 competing teams.

It was Ireland’s first defeat in seven games, a run that stretched back 12 months to last year’s Cyprus Cup defeat by Finland, and only their second loss in 12 games.

Their progress was impressive in the tournament, opening with a win against New Zealand, ranked 17 places above Ireland in the world rankings, before a draw with eventual third-place finishers, South Korea. They defeated another side above them in the rankings, Switzerland, 2-1 before the play-off against Canada saw them take the side 26 places ahead of them in the world to the final moments of the game before the Maple Leafs secured victory.

For the fourth time in a week, manager Sue Ronan had nothing but praise for her side after they once again defied the odds, and their world ranking of 33, to leave one of the top teams in the world breathing an audible sigh of relief at the final whistle.

“They were absolutely brilliant,” said Ronan of her players. “They started with their strongest possible team and ended up having to make three changes at half-time to try and get back into the game.

“It has been a fantastic experience and is great preparation for the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers,” said Ronan. “We’ve finished with one win, two draws, one defeat, have scored five goals, and have led in every one of those four games against high ranking teams from four different continents.

“The players are growing in confidence, they are improving from game to game and bringing things to a new level. They want to push on and hopefully that will show in the games in April and May in Dublin which are going to be very tough.”

Ireland’s next game will be on Saturday, April 5, at Tallaght Stadium when they face world number two side and current European champions Germany as they resume their World Cup qualifying campaign.

An eternal Olympian exits the world stage Catherine Walsh has called time on her stellar career in sport after six Paralympic Games to start a new phase of her life - and maybe a triathlon or two...

ITTOOK Catherine Walsh a while to step away from elite sport after two decades as a Paralympian, in a breathtaking career.

It landed her an array of medals across two different disciplines; a life in sport that spanned six Paralympic Games.

A year-and-a-half since she landed a track cycling silver medal and a bronze on the road in London, she feels the time is right to step off the bike though there are times she still hankers to be back in the saddle.

Speaking to GazetteSport about her glittering career, she says that it is something she found hard to let go.

“At times, I wonder did I do the right thing? When you see everyone away

 stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com

training in Mallorca, you start to think, ‘it could be me’ but, at the same time, I also think now I am glad it isn’t me!

“It is difficult when you have trained consistently for so long and I do feel unwell when I am not challenging myself physically. But now I don’t get stressed if I miss a session, whereas before it would be the number one part of the day.”

Growing up in Swords, her parents were both coaches at Fingallians and

Catherine Walsh receives her Dublin Gazette Sports Star of the Year 2012 award in March last year

got her involved in athletics early on. Competing in the visually impaired pentathlon, long jump, 800m and discus events, she developed quickly enough to contest both the Barcelona and Atlanta Paralympics before hitting a zenith in Sydney in 2000, landing bronze in the P13 pentathlon.

Athens followed before Walsh made the big switch to track cycling and a new part of her career that culminated in a track cycling silver in London, in tandem with Fran Meehan, in the individual pursuit, along with a bronze in women’s time trial.

Speaking about her move to cycling, she simply puts it down to meeting “the right people at the right time”. While her brother had ridden a tandem in their youth and her cousins cycled competitively in South Africa, she says there was little inkling that this was a sport for her before a virtually enforced retirement from pentathlon.

Following Athens in 2004, there were not enough world level competitors to keep the fivediscipline sport in the Paralympics. As such, Walsh turned her attentions to attempting a triathlon but soon found her new calling.

“I wasn’t strong enough on a world level in the individual events from the pentathlon so I had basically retired and

had another kid; then I wanted to do a triathlon.

Through that, I learned a bit about bikes, something I was completely terrified about before but I started the track cycling and really liked it. It’s very measurable; road racing is very tactical whereas this is more similar to athletics.

embark on a new phase of life. Training is still ongoing and she does say that this year she might “finally get round to doing my triathlon!” but there is a clearer canvas to try out new things.

To that end, she went skiing with her family for the first time in February

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

‘When you see everyone away training you think, it could be me, but at the same time, I’m glad it’s not!’ - Catherine Walsh --------------------------------------------------------

I really like that and got completely addicted.”

It gave her a second career she scarcely envisaged, one she says that she relished in a different way to her athletics career.

“I thought I was finished with elite sport but it gave me another bite.

Sometimes when you are younger, you don’t appreciate opportunities that you get.

“This time, I definitely did [appreciate it] as it gets much harder when you are older to keep training with the demands on your time and increased responsibilities. While it was harder to do, I definitely appreciated it more.”

She entertained thoughts of defending the World Championship title she won in 2012 in Los Angeles but found 2013 a tough season and reckoned it was time to

while there are other avenues that she is looking forward to pursuing.

“Stepping back from it, I have left cycling in a good place. I am a little bit jealous that they are going to build the velodrome here and that could have made life a lot easier, not having as much time away from home.

“I don’t even want to do the triathlon competitively! It’s just to say ‘I did that’. Quite soon after London, I did my level one athletics coaching course with Fingallians.

My kids are now at an age where I bring them to sports that they are trying out and enjoying,” said Walsh, “I’m just doing normal things and hoping to stay involved in cycling in some form and help out people starting off and give them encouragement.”

20 March 2014 gazette 29

Gazette

30 CLONDALKIN gazette 20 March 2014

SPORT

soccer: side set for junior cup

Collinstown claimed the win over St Paul’s a week ahead of their FAI Junior Cup tie

’Town power on aul premier a

Collinstown FC St Paul’s Artane  nathan kelly

2 1

sport@gazettegroup.com

Collinstown continued their good run of form in the AUL Premier A with a narrow win over St Paul’s Artane on Friday night in Ballyowen Park.

With a depleted squad due to injuries and sickness, although some may have been left out in precaution ahead of their FAI Junior Cup quarterfinal tie next week, ’Town fielded a very young side against a strong Paul’s team, featuring strong players such as Stewart Glen up front. More changes were forced after kick-off as both Kenneth O’Connor and David Dempsey, two of the more experienced players, were forced to withdraw, with David Clancy and 17-year-old Conor De Ferreira coming in.

It was St Paul’s who threatened first through Glen but Ross Costigan saved his low strike well.

Minutes later, De Ferreira saw an effort come cracking back off the post from 20 yards. The teenager, playing just behind striker Gareth Brogan was involved again soon when he produced a lovely reverse pass to winger Ian McNeill whose shot flashed across the sixyard box.

The deadlock was broken after thirty minutes and it was the home side that broke it. Skipper Dean Carpenter, playing centre-back on the night, whipped in a brilliant free kick from almost the half-way line and, after a scramble, De Ferreira, who was having a brilliant game, poked it home.

The next goal came on 51 minutes and it was a deserved equaliser for the visitors following a good phase of play.

Right-back Clancy won the ball well for the hosts but his poor clearance allowed the Paul’s left winger to deliver a ball in and Glen controlled well and finished better past the helpless Costigan.

The winner came with ten minutes left on the clock and it was a strange one to say the least.

A long goal kick from Costigan troubled the Paul’s defence and with the keeper rushing out, the centre-half headed the ball backwards, over the young shot stoppers head and into the net.

The result leaves Collinstown fourth in the AUL’s top division and confident surely going into this Sunday’s huge quarter-final vs NUI Galway. Kevin Carroll’s side are just two games away from playing at the Aviva stadium, where the final of the FAI Junior Cup is held, but first they must overcome the students from Galway.

Peas held to draw by Raheny  sport@gazettegroup.com

Peamount United were held to a goalless draw by Women’s National League leaders Raheny United at Greenogue last weekend as their visitors maintained the advantage in title race.

A tense encounter failed to produce too many clear-cut chances with both defences at their best.

Goalkeepers Monica McGurk and Niamh Reid-Burke were called into action but remained unbeaten on the day,

although a Stephanie Roche header from an Aine O’Gorman cross late on almost broke the deadlock.

The Pandas lead Peamount by three points with four games remaining for each side in this season’s campaign.

20 March 2014 CLONDALKIN gazette 31

Gazette

special sponsors

Club Noticeboard

Round Tower’s team gets new jerseys

lucan sarsfields

round Tower’s Under-8 footballers were

presented with a set of jerseys sponsored by the Ciaran Carr Foundation at a special presentation at the club last week. The night also saw every adult team in the club recieve a defibilator by the foundation. For more information, log on to www.ciarancarrfoundation.ie

Membership is now due for 2014. We

impressive victories over St Anne’s

encourage all members to renew

and Thomas Davis. There was great

as soon as possible by following the

skill on show with a number of scores

link on our website. We particular-

taken with either foot.

ly extend an invite to parents and

The U-12 footballers came up

guardians of our juvenile members

against an impressive Fingal Ravens

to consider one of our family options.

side in the grading league and strug-

All players up to U-21 are now includ-

gled to find form. In the A grading

ed in the family options.

league, they recorded an impressive

Many thanks to all the teams who

hurling: kilkenny quashed in tight-fought tie

25 card drive every Friday night at

Full details can be found on our web-

9pm in the clubhouse bar – all wel-

site www.lucansarsfields.ie: over

come. €5 entry with €50 first prize.

550 players in action last weekend

A new members card system has

across all four codes from age seven

been installed in the bar on a trial

to 40 plus.

basis. The system will offer benefits

History was made in St Joseph’s

for club members and will initially

Secondary school last week as their

be trialled on a three-month basis.

U-16 camogie team captured the All-

Please support this initiative.

Ireland title. An excellent two-point

The golf society is running a Par

victory over Clare contenders Tulla

3 golf classic supporting Joe Whyte’s

in Nenagh last Thursday. A great

dancing shoes in Newcastle Golf Cen-

achievement; you all did your clubs

tre on Saturday, March 22. Contact

proud.

Michael at 087 233 1983 to reserve

Congratulations to all four CCC2 hurling teams who recorded victories in the league last weekend. The

St Pat’s Palmerstown’s Liam Rushe was one of the players who helped Dublin to a deserved win against Kilkenny

Local trio help Dubs to defeat Black Cats NHL Division 1A Dublin 1-22 Kilkenny 3-13  sport@gazettegroup.com

THE INFLUENCE of St Pat’s Palmerstown’s Liam Rushe was pivotal in ensuring Dublin secured victory over Kilkenny in Parnell Park last Saturday night.

Peter Kelly and Jonny McCaffrey from Lucan Sarsfields also played their part in the 1-22 to 3-13 win over the Black Cats in the NHL Division 1A, with the latter grabbing a point during the game, Rushe’s distribution was key for the

boys in blue.

The 1-22 to 3-13 victory over the Black Cats in the NHL Division 1A saw the Dubs continue their hot and cold form this season, the result giving them their second home win, the other coming against Clare, while two away games have resulted in two defeats at the hands of Galway and Waterford.

The performance of the hurlers was much improved from that loss to the Deise last weekend as Kilkenny, as expected, ensured the three-point win was hard-fought.

Dublin dominated

possession for much of the first half, and closed it by hitting 1-6 without reply. The goal came in the 32nd minute through David Sutcliffe, when his point effort dropped below the bar and the Kilkenny keeper miscontrolled the sliotar which caused it to trickle over the line. Points from Boden man Keaney, as well as Sutcliffe and Joey Boland saw the hosts go in at the break leading 1-16 to 1-6.

There was a Kilkenny revival after the restart, however, as a goal from Colin Fennelly, a TJ Reid penalty drilled past Bod-

en’s Maguire, as well as a point from Jonjo Farrell saw the ten point lead reduced to three in nine minutes.

The Black Cats momentum was halted, however, when Alan McCrabbe scored two points from frees. The Craobh Chiaran man added another soon after, along with Mark Schutte and Ryan O’Dwyer to ensure the victory for Anthony Daly’s side.

The win leaves Dublin joint second in the league, having to play bottom placed Tipperary next Sunday in the final set of regular matches.

4-16 to 1-3 victory over Parnell’s.

sent in match reports this weekend.

your three-ball.

Set Dancing classes every Wednesday at 8.30pm.

U-13s had a three-point victory over

Strictly Come Dancing is coming

Ballyboden in AGP, the U-14s had one

to Lucan! Our events committee are

point to spare over Whitehall in the

appealing to our male members to

12th Lock, while the U-16s also over-

sign up for the show. There is loads

came Oliver Plunkett’s at home. The

of time left to practice the steps and

U-15s were last out on Sunday morn-

full training will be provided. Please

ing and ran out comfortable winners

contact Josephine Donohue, Mary

over Naomh Mearnog.

Reynolds or Mary Flannery.

On the football side our U-13 ladies

Our nurseries continue every Sat-

had an excellent two-point victory

urday from 1.30pm at the clubhouse.

over Na Fianna. Best wishes to Aoife

New players are always welcome and

Brophy and Abbie Green who are

registration is just €10 for both hurl-

recovering from a broken arm and

ing and football. This is your chance

broken finger. A superb standard of

to participate in a training session

football and a great win for Lucan,

led by Dublin hurling captain John-

our selection for player of the game

ny McCaffrey. Each week over 150

was split between Molly O’Tool and

boys and girls practice their skills

Abbie Shields.

and improve their overall physical

On the boys side, our U-9s took to

well being in a safe and controlled

the field against a strong Kilmacud

environment on our purpose-built

Crokes side. There was some great

al-weather facility. Check out our

skills and commitment on display

website for more details.

from both clubs. There were too

There was no winner of Sunday

many great performances to men-

night’s €7,500 lotto. The unlucky num-

tion individually with a number of

bers were 4, 7, 9 and 20. This week’s

nominations for the Sars’ Stars team

lotto is for a jackpot of €8,000, spon-

of the week. The U-10 footballers had

sored by Lucan Village Pharmacy.



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March 20, 2014

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Ormond on Frampton undercard  stephen findlater

sport@gazettegroup.com

Q UA R RY VA L E ’ S S t e p h e n Ormond is set to fight Barcelonabased Karim El Ouazghari for the WBO European Lightweight title as part of an eye-catching bout on the Carl Frampton undercard on April 4 in the Odyssey Arena.

It will be Ormond’s third defence of the European title as he continues to build his reputation as a potential contender for a world title following just one contentious loss from his 17 bouts to date.

In El Ouazghari, known as El Diablo, he faces a solid contender with 16 wins from his 22 outings

though he has two losses in his past three fights. Those were both title flights, one for the IBF Intercontinental lightweight belt, the other the WBO European lightwelterweight strap, showing he is not averse to the big stage.

For Ormond, it is his first fight of 2014 having clocked up four wins in 2013 to win the BUI Irish Boxer of the Year gong and he says that the Spaniard has plenty about him to make this a good bout to further his personal credentials, especially after his defeat of the fancied Derry Matthews.

“He fought Kevin Mitchell and some of the names around the division,” he told Irish-boxing.com “He

is ranked, too, so it’s a chance for me to build toward that world title and impresses.

“I fight who the team tell me but I didn’t want a no name or a nobody I want to build on the Derry win.

That is the only way to improve and this fight gives me the chance to do that. I am focused on this fight but I hope a world title fight is a few more fights away.”

The venue and occasion for the fight is also a strong opportunity for Ormond with 9,000 potential fans in the Odyssey for the night. The full undercard was released on Tuesday in the Europa Hotel and Ormond has said that this kind of event is sure to provide a great spectacle.

“I am delighted to be on the Frampton card. Big time! Carl is a lovely fella and a great fighter.

I went to watch him fight in the Odyssey last year and the atmosphere was unbelievable. I can’t wait to fight in front of a crowd like that.

They really got behind him and the atmosphere was electric.

“I believe I need a couple more fights and then I want a world title.

I am delighted to be on Carl’s bills, but hopefully I can get a big show in Dublin too. I think the time is right.

In terms of boxing I just want to get busy and move toward a world title, but it would be great to have some big fights in Dublin too,” said Ormond.

Stephen Ormond will face Karim El Ouazghari in Belfast next month