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INSIDE: Enjoying a funfilled Easter at the Mill Shopping Centre P6-7

opinion: Senator Averil Power speaks out on high price of childcare Page 8

Spurring on: Popular local eatery re-opens SPUR Steakhouse in Liffey Val-

Soccer:

Bluebell prepare for Inter Cup encounter Page 32

Hurling:

Rushe adds to talent in Dublin side in NHL tie Page 31

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES................... 6-7 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................27

ley, closed for months after a fire, re-opened last week, much to the delight of local fans of steak and ribs.

The restaurant, which has reopened as Rapid River Spur Steak and Grill, has brought back the original team, including general manager John Healy.

Here, the team are pictured with David Maich, director of Spur Corporation UK.

€170,000 drug bust at Balgaddy house Cocaine, cannabis and firearm are seized and a man arrested at scene

 Paul Hosford

GARDAI have seized drugs with an estimated street value of over €170,000 from a house in Balgaddy this week, in what is believed to

be a major blow to a local drug ring.

As part of an ongoing investigation into the sale and supply of controlled drugs in the Ronanstown and Lucan areas, gardai

carried out a search of a house on Tuesday evening.

During the course of the search, cocaine worth an estimated €150,000 was seized together with

cannabis wor th about €20,000.

A firearm and ammunition were also recovered during the search.

A 37-year-old male was arrested at the scene.

2 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 4 April 2013

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RUBBISH Ongoing efforts to clean up area

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Cllr Breeda Bonner (Lab) is trying to tackle the “constant problem” of illegal dumping

Calls to tackle illegal Neilstown Road dumping CALLS have been made to tackle the problem of illegal dumping on the Neilstown Road.

Local councillor Breda Bonner (Lab) raised the question at the most recent Clondalkin area committee meeting, saying that there was a “constant p r o b l e m ” w i t h “ l i tter scattered along the whole length of the road”.

C l l r B o n n e r, w h o works in the area, said that the problem was ongoing and that efforts were made to clean up the area.

“We organised cleanups, but the problem is constant. It’s obviously

 PAUL HOSFORD

phosford@gazettegroup.com

people who don’t live in the area that are dumping bags of rubbish on the road.

“It’s very unfair on people who are living in the area and are paying [bin] charges. It’s very, very difficult to combat it. Litter wardens go through the bags and look for incriminating evidence, but there very rarely is any.”

The council report

said that there had been four reports of dumping to them in the last six months and that fines had been handed out, but added that litter wardens were dependent on support from the general public.

“The council’s enforcement and licensing division, environmental services department is dependent on the support of local residents to provide information to support the taking of legal action under the Litter Pollution Act 1997.

“Specifically where an incident of illegal dumping is witnessed, residents are actively

encouraged to report vehicle registration/ other details to SDCC where this information will be followed up with a view to pursuing legal action under the aforementioned Act. T he council is also reliant on eye-witness reports to support SDCC in the taking of legal action through providing evidence in any subsequent court proceedings.”

Cllr Bonner said that while surveillance was ongoing, she felt CCTV was not effective.

“There’s a few cameras around the county, but really they’re not effective. You’re not going to get a clear

enough picture to catch somebody.”

Cllr Bonner added that the removal of waste collection waivers did not offer a good e n o u g h e xc u s e f o r offenders.

“It’s not enough to say they shouldn’t have gotten rid of the waivers. People are still breaking the law,” said Cllr Bonner.

“It is a nationwide problem, but something has to be done to tackle it.”

SDCC’s litter picking and gully cleansing schedule is available for the public to view on the council’s web-site at www.sdcc.ie.

Sheridan to Break a Leg at the Civic Theatre ACCLAIMED theatre director Peter Sheridan will host a postshow discussion in the Civic Theatre on April 11.

The talk, hosted by playwright Jimmy Murphy, will come after a performance of Sheridan’s one-

man show Break a Leg. The show, based on Sheridan’s memoirs, tells the story of his life in theatre, as well as delving deeply into Sheridan’s life, as well as the wider culture and politics of Ireland in the

1960s and 1970s.

Honestly confronting his emerging problems with panic attacks and alcohol, and blending social history with memoir, Sheridan’s story will be told nightly from Wednesday, April

10 to Saturday April 13 at 8pm.

Tickets, priced at €18 and €16 can be purchased from www. civictheatre.ie, or by calling 01 4627477. Tickets for the opening night are specially priced at €10.

4 April 2013 CLONDALKIN Gazette 3

politics St Patrick’s travel criticism rejected

Trip to India was valuable, says Fitzgerald  paul hosford phosford@gazettegroup.com

A local TD has this week hit back at criticism of the St Patrick’s Day trips taken by Cabinet members this year.

Frances Fitzgerald spent St Patrick’s Day in India which, for the first time ever, went green to celebrate the occasion.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs was one of a number of cabinet members to go abroad for the national holiday.

The move drew criticism, with Fianna Fail councillor Trevor Gilligan saying that local TDs should stay local for the day, but Fizgerald says that the trip was valuable from a societal and economic perspective.

“I was pleased to be able to travel to India to help build positive diplomatic relationships between the two countries. India is a growing economy of major importance and Ireland has a new awareness of our commercial and educa-

tional links with India.

India is at the cutting edge when it comes to IT and I met with their second largest corporation in this industry.”

During her visit, the Minister met one of India’s largest employers in the information systems industry, a number of Mumbai’s leading businesses, Irish workers from the NGO the Hope Foundation who work with vulnerable children and held talks with her Indian counterparts on inter-country adoption.

Minister Frances Fitzgerald visiting a children’s home during her visit to India

“At the meetings in India, I had the opportunity to engage with leading business people and explain the benefits of establishing commercial bases in Ireland. I also met many Irish people working in India . I toured the Kerry Food Group campus in Delhi and met

Presentation and Loreto nuns working in Calcutta and Chennai.

“Together with representatives from Tourism Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, I made important links with some of India ’s most successful corporations and most influential politicians. It was a great

honour to see, for the first time ever, the gateway to the Indian sub-continent of Asia lit green in celebration of St Patrick’s Day,” she said.

During her trip, the Minister also met with aid workers in Calcutta and visited homes for orphaned children.

food Local grill reopens Following three months of closure, Spur Steak and Grill at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has reopened.

The restaurant, which was damaged by fire, u n d e r we n t a m a j o r refurbishment and has re-opened as Rapid River Spur Steak and Grill on Friday, March 29.

T he original staff team and general manager of two years, John Healy, made a return to greet customers for the evening dinner service, with an official opening planned in the coming weeks.

Spur UK director David Maich said: “We are very happy to have Rapid River Spur in the family fold. Rapid River Spur Steak and Grill and our customers and staff are incredibly important to us.”

4 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 April 2013

education Community college set to open in September 2014

Plans to build Kishogue school  paul hosford

PLANS to build a new school at Kishogue have been welcomed this week.

The new secondary school, to be called Kishogue Community College, is set to open in September 2014 after planning applications were lodged last week.

The college, which will be run by Co Dublin VEC in partnership with Educate Together, will be built to accommodate 1,000 students and will also incorporate a

PE hall and a special education suite. It will be located at a site on the Fonthill Link Road, south of Foxborough estate and close to the Outer Ring Road.

Labour TD Robert Dowds said the news was “welcome” this week.

“There will be huge numbers of school children moving from primary to secondary, so this news is very welcome,” said Dowds, who paid tribute to the Minister for Education, Ruairi Quinn.

“It is an example of

the Minister finding money to put towards new schools, despite the economic difficulties.

“It wasn’t that easily done and I suspect some of it is the result of the [promissory note] deal.”

Dowds went on to say that the challenge was keeping pace with population growth.

“T he most recent school was Adamstown Community College and that is doing great work, but it’s important to keep up with the extra cohort of people coming along.”

FastNews Alzheimer’s cafe event

Local TD Robert Dowds (Lab) welcomes the plans for the new school

Cllr William Lavelle (FG) said that the school would deliver muchneeded school places.

“An assessment of census findings indicates that over the past five years the number of second-level students

in the area increased by 800, most of whom have been accommodated in the new Adamstown Community College.

“However over the next five years the second-level student population is expected to increase by a

further 1,700.

“Submission of this planning application therefore represents another major step forward in the long-running campaign to deliver a secondary school for the area,” he said.

epa: South dublin has high recycling rates

90k tonnes of waste in 2011  paul hosford

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SOUTH Dublin accounted for over 90,000 tonnes of waste in 2011.

New figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that the county was the third highest producer of recycled goods in the country, behind only Dublin City and Cork County Councils.

In total, South Dublin produced 91,456 tonnes of waste in 2011, with 20,780 tonnes of that being recyclable, or green bin, waste. Mixed waste, or black bin collections, accounted for 40,438 tonnes of waste, with just 9,445 of that waste being brown bin waste.

The figures also show that South Dublin County Council collected the second-highest amount of waste from civic spaces in the country, rounding up 14,465 tonnes from common areas.

Overall, waste figures from the EPA show that Ireland’s municipal solid

waste generation has decreased by 17% since it peaked in 2007, largely, the agency says, as the result of the recession and a decline in personal consumption.

Ireland now produces less household waste per capita than the EU average and is recycling 40% of its municipal waste, the agency says.

Commenting on the figures Dr Jonathan Derham of the EPA said: “Ireland is well advanced towards achievement of all of its EU obligations across a broad range of waste legislation, in particular in relation to recovery and recycling. In fact, a recent European Environment Agency report showed that Ireland was one of the countries in Europe with the fastest growing recycling rates. However, Ireland continues to show a substantial reliance on recovery of municipal waste abroad.”

The National Waste Report 2011 is available on the EPA website.

Bloomfield Hospital will hold a free Alzheimer’s Cafe event for South Dublin on Wednesday, April 10.

The event is entitled, Communication: Positive Responses to Dementia, and runs from 7pm.

The keynote speaker will be Dr Kate Irvine, who is a lecturer at Dublin City University.

The event will take place in Bloomfield Hospital, Stocking Lane, Rathfarnham and attendance at the cafe is free.

For more information on the event and the hospital, see www. bloomfield.ie/acscd

RUA RED celebrates drawing RUA RED, the South Dublin Arts Centre, is set to celebrate National Drawing Day with two separate free workshops.

The events will take place on Saturday, May 18 and will see groups split into two.

For children aged four to eight, the workshop will begin at 11am and will be based on the surrealists’ game Exquisite Corpse.

Participants will use their imagination to design an unknown creature.

At 1pm, eight- to 16-year-olds will scan and digitalise their designs to create a juice carton.

The events are being run in conjunction with DoodleMoose Designs and parents are welcome to attend with their children.

To book, or for more information, contact RUA RED on 01 451 5860, email boxoffice@ruared.ie or visit reception (Monday to Saturday 10am - 6pm).

4 April 2013 CLONDALKIN Gazette 5

eco ideas

services: group join 5,500 others at conference to inspire youth

Pupils answer the call

Local students shine as Young Social Innovators A group of Clondalkin students represented their school at the Young Social Innovators conference at the Red Cow Hotel last week.

Chelsea McDaid, Jade Chrystal, Jasmine Murphy and Sarah Doherty presented their project on behalf of Collinstown Park Community College, which displayed the work of Jigsaw, an innovative, evidence-based approach for organising services and supports to enhance the mental health and well-being of young people. Jigsaw is an initiative of the Headstrong organisation.

The group were just four of over 5,500 young people across Ireland who are participating in this year’s Young Social Innovators’

(YSI) Social Innovation Programme.

The YSI programme is open to 15- to 18-yearolds to help give them the skills and know-how to bring about change in their communities and wider society.

The young people spoke out on issues ranging from sudden adult death syndrome and farm safety, to food poverty and school stress.

Over 42,000 young people have participated in Young Social Innovators since it was founded in 2001.

Under a new partnership with Vodafone Ireland, Young Social Innovators is aiming to build an empowered network of 100,000 young social innovators by 2015.

Speaking at the event, Sr Stanislaus Kennedy, chairperson and cofounder, Young Social Innovators, congratulated the young people on their fresh and insightful ideas on some of society’s pressing problems. “Your creative and energetic approach is vital to changing society. You have proven that we can have a brighter future with the next generation guiding us,” she said. “Irish people are renowned for our ability to talk. We need now to place increased emphasis on listening, especially to our young people.”

For more information on Headstrong and Jigsaw, see www.headstrong.ie or www.jigsaw.ie and more on YSI, see www.youngsocialinnovators.ie

Tools of the trade: Tourism operators visit Best of Britain and Ireland show tourism operators from around Ireland – including Helen Daly of the Clarion Hotel Liffey Valley – travelled to Britain to join Tourism Ireland at the Best of Britain and Ireland (BoBI) travel trade exhibition, which took place at the NEC in Birmingham.

BoBI is the premier, annual event for the travel trade in Britain, attracting over 2,000 influential coach tour operators, group travel organisers and educational travel organisers.

Pictured are Miriam O’Connell, Tourism Ireland; Helen Daly, Clarion Hotel Liffey Valley; Minister for Health James Reilly and Marie Richardson, Choice Hotel Group, at the Tourism Ireland stand at the trade fair.

Students from Our Lady Queen of Apostles NS were part of a group of young people who came together last week to present their ideas on the environment.

Groups from all over Dublin presented their action projects to raise environmental awareness and make a positive contribution to their local community to judges a t E C O - UNE S C O ’s Young Environmentalist Awards.

Over 20 Dublin schools and youth groups had to convince a panel of expert judges that their group deserves a spot at the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards in May. The group gave it their all at the ECO-Den and will find out after the Easter holidays if they have advanced.

6 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 April 2013

gazetteGALLERIES

Organisers Catherine Power and Jodie Ambrose

Caffeine buZZ: GREEN ISLE HOTEL COFFEE MORNING FOR DAFFODIL DAY

Anthony Quinn and purple dinosaur friend

T

HE Green Isle Hotel recently hosted a coffee morning fundraiser in aid of the Irish Cancer Society’s annual fundraiser, Daffodil Day. Although it was a bit of a washout around the country this year with the dreadful weather conditions, the hotel staff had things covered with both residents and visitors kept nicely under wraps.

Catherine Power and Suzanne McCabe and the staff organised the coffee morning in the dining room and donated all the proceeds to the charity.

Helena and Casey Tierney and Lucy Gleeson get a ballooney Easter surprise. Pictures:Cathy Weatherston

Karen and Etan Kelly

Ricky Lee O’Brien

Suzanne McCabe

Patrick Anthony O’Brien Musical accompaniment for the festivities

Caitlin, Zoe and Chadon in the bouncy castle

easter fun: A SPECIAL DAY FOR CLONDALKIN KIDS

Mill-nificent day T Jimmy O’Dwyer and Jodie Ambrose . Pictures: Geraldine Woods

HE Mill Centre in Clondalkin held a special family day on Easter Saturday, and the sun came out to celebrate, too.

It was a fun day for all who attended, with face painters, balloon-making, music on the mall, fun characters and bouncing castles for bouncy kids.

For the many who came along to celebrate the long weekend, there was an abundance of Easter fun and not a snowflake in sight.

4 April 2013 CLONDALKIN Gazette 7

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Molly and Daisy Mae Cole

Ian Carberry, PJ Flannery and Xena Hanly show off their temporary tattoos

Siena Kavanagh

Chris from Colour Splash

Calvin and Shannon Doyle

8 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 April 2013

opinion Anti-woman, anti-family, economically stupid - Powersff opinion asdfasfafaf as dfdasfasffd

‘Childcare costs the issue – not mothers working’ LocalMatters S u p p o r t l o c a l b u s i n e ss

Advertise with the Gazette call 60 10 240

 sen Averil Power

(Fianna Fail)

THROUGHOUT Dublin parents are struggling to balance the demands of raising their kids, keeping their jobs and paying the bills.

Thousands of families are fighting this battle while living under the shadow of enormous personal debt.

For working mothers in particular, it’s a constant day-in, dayout battle to keep the show on the road and juggle the demands of their hectic lives. Many find that childcare costs exceed their takehome pay. But they choose to stay at work because they believe that maintaining their long-term career prospects is in the best interests of their family.

Arrears There are 186,000 households with mortgage arrears in Ireland that may have to avail of the new arrangements for personal debt relief. Last week it emerged that the Government planned to give lenders the power to make parents in such homes quit their jobs if their childcare costs are too high. Many families are already struggling to cope with cuts in maternity benefit, child benefit and back to school payments. Now Minister Varadkar has revealed that mothers in particular may be forced to jeopardise their long-term career prospects because of short-term childcare problems as well.

Not only is this measure incredibly anti-

women and anti-family, it is also economically stupid. It would deprive our workforce of skilled female employees and damage their long-term e m p l o y a b i l i t y, w i t h resultant costs for the Exchequer.

T he lives of these parents are being held to ransom by a bean counting attitude in Government Buildings that is completely out of touch with the sacrifices that many parents are already making to keep their families afloat. By focusing solely on the personal debt issue, Ministers are completely ignoring the bigger issue of bringing down childcare costs.

Outrageous It is outrageous that for many families the cost of childcare exceeds an entire income. Last May in the Seanad, I listened as Minister Burton promised a new “Scandinavian style childcare system” while simultaneously cutting the one family parent allowance. The cut was delivered, but we are still waiting on the new child care system.

Instead, we’ve had Ministers going on the airwaves and setting out new arrangements for women to give up their jobs if their childcare costs are too high. In the face of understandable public outrage, the Taoiseach appears now to be rowing back on this plan. But he is still washing his hands of the real issue here – the exorbitant costs of childcare, the responsibility for which lies firmly at his door.

T he new personal

Senator Averil Power (FF): “The Taoiseach is still washing his hands of the real issue - the exorbitant costs of childcare, the responsibility for which lies firmly at his door”

insolvency system is already deeply flawed.

It basically gives banks a veto that will allow them to continue to penalise homeowners who are working hard to keep their heads above the water.

These are hard times

for families. The burden of debt, rising unemployment and the high cost of living are all making it harder than ever to give our children the start they deserve in life. Yet in spite of the circumstances, mothers and fathers are working

hard to do the best they can for their kids.

Instead of adding further obstacles like those revealed this week, it’s time for the Government to start listening to parents and delivering for the families who need it most.

4 April 2013 clondalkin Gazette 9

courts Man ‘catapulted into the air’ and left injured on road

Woman sentenced for hitting cyclist A beauty therapist who struck a cyclist into the air leaving him with catastrophic injuries has been given a 12-month suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

S i n e ad K i ng ( 29) did not demist her car windows that morning before setting out for work. She accepted that she could not see out properly and later told gardai she had no idea she had knocked someone over.

She said she noticed four children playing on one side of the road and then heard a loud bang. She noticed her

windscreen was broken and assumed her former partner, who she had difficulties with in the past, had attacked her car.

King drove on leaving Peter Vaughan, a retired English man who had been visiting his son in Clondalkin, on the side of the road with his leg broken in three places, a broken eye socket and mild brain damage.

M r Va u g h a n t o l d gardai that he had taken his son’s bicycle to the local shops and “was catapulted” into the air. He had seen no cars around and thought at first it was a gas explosion.

As he lay on the

ground he looked again for a car but could see no vehicle either to his left or right.

King, a mother of two, of Riverside, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious harm on Monastery Road, Clondalkin on October 16, 2010.

She had one previous conviction for failing to give a breath sample and was banned from driving for four years in December 2010.

Garda Ruth Brett told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that a passerby came to Mr Vaughan’s assistance and called an ambulance. The same

man also recovered debris from the road, which included a wing mirror and broken bits of plastic She said King arrived at the Garda station four hours after the accident to report the damage done to her car.

When the garda examined the vehicle she realised it was the one that had been involved in the accident and cautioned King.

King maintained that she had no idea that she had knocked anyone down.

Garda Brett agreed with Paul Comiskey O’Keefe BL, defending,

A woman has been given a 12-month suspended sentence for knocking down a cyclist

that there was no indication that King had been driving at excessive speeds and she told gardai herself that she had been driving at 30kph.

The judge then hand-

ed down an 18-month suspended sentence and banned King from driving for 10 years, but noted that she has “lost her nerve” and doesn’t intend to drive again.

After King entered

into her bond Judge McCartan told her: “You made a dreadful mistake but put it behind you.

I believe you have the resilience to do so. Everything else about you impresses me.”

10 CLONDALKIN gazette 4 April 2013

gazetteGALLERY

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Suzie O’Connell and Aine O’Neill

Master tailor Louis Copeland with business woman and Newstalk presenter Nora Casey. Pictures: Una Williams

Gina McCormack

Tailor-made for celebs

M

ANY stars flocked to the Ballsbridge Hotel recently for the Green Angel Skincare fashion show for Barnardos.

Models on the night included some of the cast of Fair City, Louis Copeland and Celia Holman Lee. The glamorous fashion show was

hosted by TV3 presenters Noel Cunningham and Cathy O’Connor.

The latest trends were on show on the catwalk, with collections from The Ivory Closet, Karen Millen, House of Fraser, Lara Boutique, Avoca and Louis Copeland. Stars from the reality television shows Dublin Wives and

Tallafornia also attended the fundraising event.

Mary Byrne, 5th Base and Eva Coffey Creative Communications provided some entertainment on the night.

The organisers were delighted with how the event turned out, and are said to be already planning the next one.

Liam Geddes and Emma Doogan

4 April 2013 Gazette 11

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

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family fun: landmark event kicks off april 9

Treats galore for everyone at Five Lamps Arts Festival The Five Lamps Arts Festival in Dublin will begin with treats galore for music lovers, theatre enthusiasts, children and everyone up for entertainment in a variety of forms.

This will be the sixth year for the Five Lamps festival which is one of the most popular festivals in Dublin. The festival name celebrates the famous Five Lamps landmark and the sur-

rounding community of north inner city Dublin.

Many of the events will deal with the centenary of the 1913 Lockout.

Such events include a piece in the Sean O’Casey Theatre called Ballads, Banter and Banners, a visual art exhibition in the LAB in Foley Street called Exiles, and an architectural exhibition in Amiens Street called Re-imagining Sean McDermott Street

from Findlaters to the Five Lamps.

Other highlights are Mar uczella, a mime play from Poland’s Theatre Nikoli, Julie Maisel’s flute performance, French-Irish storyteller Fiona Dowling , Johnny Taylor Trio Jazz session, and in the LAB on Foley Street, a poetry reading

by Rita Ann Higgins and Paula Meehan One of the big draws for children at the festi-

val will be a production of The Gruffalo, which will be presented by No Strings Theatre Company on April 13 at 2pm in Charleville Mall Library and in Killarney Court at 4pm.

The festival will run from April 9 to 25 and you can find out more by going to fivelampsar tsfestival@gmail. com or by ringing 087 9737401 for programme details.

Mime play Maruczella, a treat in store from Poland’s Theatre Nikoli

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12 Gazette 4 April 2013

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Irish Cancer Society volunteers Gary Reed and Valerie Abbott tried not to let the dreadful weather on this year’s Daffodil Day dampen their enthusiasm. However, with the society’s main national fundraising event badly affected by the day’s downpours, the society is appealing for online donations to help reach its €3.4 million target.

Hey petal, support Daffodil Day 2013!

DEDICATED volunteers supporting the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) were left devastated after a washout day made it hard for them to reach the charity’s fundraising target on Daffodil Day. Despite the heavy rainfall on Friday, March 22, volunteers braved the elements to sell daffodils for the ICS. However, initial indications showed funds being collected from street sellers were significantly lower than on previous years.

And so, the ICS is asking all those who would have given to support them on the day to give online donations, instead.

It’s not too late to support Daffodil Day and help the society reach its target of €3.4 million.

Without a successful Daffodil Day, the society will struggle to continue to provide information, care and support to those with, and affected by, cancer in Ireland services in 2014.

You can make a secure donation online at www.cancer.ie, or call 1850 606060 to donate.

Alternatively, you can text Daff to 50300 to donate €4, with 100%

of your donation going to the Daffodil Day fund.

You can even buy a virtual daffodil on the society’s Facebook page.

fun depression-era party for film fans BONNIE and Clyde, the ultimate gangster-love road movie, is to be screened on Saturday, April 13 at 8pm, and on Sunday, April 14 at 3.30pm, at Film Fatale in the Sugar Club on Lower Leeson Street.

Film Fatale is celebrating films from the 1930s with a screening of the cult classic heist film, Bonnie and Clyde, which is based on the true-life exploits of notorious Depression-era bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.

The film chronicles the short lives of America’s most infamous criminals, with the screening to be followed by a Dirty Thirties -themed vintage party.

Those attending are encouraged to dress the part and come in their best vintage finery, with Bonnie and Clyde as fashion inspirations.

Tickets to Film Fatale are €15, while tickets to the Dirty Thirties

party are €5, and are available on the door from 11pm.

be a sport and help support hospices THE Association of Schools’ Unions of Ireland is organising a fundraising event for the Blackrock and Harold’s Cross hospices by celebrating sport in all its forms in a thanksgiving service.

This year’s Annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service for the Gift of Sport will see Liam Harbison, chief executive of Paralympics Ireland, delivering an address to the congregation.

All of the singing at the service will be led by The Belvedere College Chamber Choir.

The first such service, supported by the Association of Schools’ Unions, took place in 1949.

This will be the 64th such annual sports service, and organisers are hoping a large crowd of all denominations will attend the service in St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street at 7pm on Sunday, April 14.

All proceeds from the collection will be donated to the Blackrock and Harold’s Cross hospices.

4 April 2013 Gazette 13

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dublinlife

Encouraging the young to Think Big Young people from Dublin were among a group of people from across the country that attended a recent Think Big workshop in O2 headquarters in Dublin.

Think Big is a programme designed by O2 and Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, designed to inspire young people around the country to promote positive mental health in their local community.

T he young people attending the workshop on February 16 were each awarded a place on the national Think Big programme, after successfully submitting an idea for a project in their community.

Think Big has granted initial funding of €300 to help get each project off the ground, along

with a mobile phone (with €50 top-up), and a Think Big start-up pack.

Aisling Flynn,Think Big coordinator, Headstrong, said: “The young people taking part are leading the way in changing how we think about mental health in Ireland.

“Young people intuitively understand the importance of mental health, and are ideally placed to promote positive mental health among their peers.”

She added: “Each project attending the training has great potential to make a positive difference in their community and, in joining more than 250 other Think Big projects, they are helping to transform our understanding of mental health.”

Emma Holmes, Holly Madigan and Katie Furlong from the Teresian School in Donnybrook, who investigated the electrical properties of fruit and veg as part of their SciFest Science Fair entry at DIT recently

schools: science fair ‘bodes well’ for institutes’ future

Electrifying projects Post-primary students from schools across Dublin took science to the next level last week, displaying more than 70 projects at the recent SciFest 2013@ DIT. On Friday, March 22, secondary school students from across Dublin gathered at DIT to showcase their science projects, and to begin the first of 15 regional SciFest Science Fairs.

More than 70 science projects were displayed at SciFest@DIT, with about 150 students from schools across the county displaying their scientific projects.

Entries to this year’s SciFest have broken all records, with up to 4,000 students to exhibit their projects at 15 venues over the next three months.

Officially opened by Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor (FG), the fair featured a range of scientific discoveries and explorations.

For example, the event saw the “five second” food rule being put to the test, and radioactive material found in north County Dublin seaweed being investigated, as well as whether or not smiling is contagious.

SciFest is an allinclusive, all-island science competition where second-level students showcase their science, technology and maths projects at a series of one-day science fairs.

The winners from each science fair will go on to compete at the national final in November.

The SciFest pro-

gramme is primarily sponsored by Science Foundation Ireland’s Discover Science and Engineering wing, and Intel Ireland.

It is also supported by a number of other companies and organisations.

Top prize

The top prize on the day went to fifth-year student Tom McDonald from Skerries Community College with his project, Coastal Erosion in Skerries, which examined coastal erosion and deposition over a period of two years on his local beach in Skerries.

He discovered that the beach profile changes seasonally due to wave and wind action experienced.

McDonald will now go

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on to the national final of SciFest which will take place in the Science Gallery in Dublin.

DIT SciFest coordinator Dr Julie Dunne said: “It is hugely encouraging to see such high-quality entries for this year’s SciFest@DIT. “Dublin’s post-primary students are displaying a real interest in the sciences, and you only need to take a look at the variety of projects and experiments on show to see that they have taken SciFest very seriously.

“It bodes well for the future of institutes of technology that there is such a high standard being set, and [the event] shows the value of SciFest as an outlet for students to explore science in ways that interest them,” said Dr Dunne.

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Matters

4 April 2013 GAZETTE 15

SCHOOLS

‘Gazette gave me a great insight into newspapers’  ROISIN PUTTI

Ursuline Secondary School, Thurles, Co Tipperary

AS A transition year student, a huge part of my year is based around work experience in various careers.

The aim of work experience is to get a feel for individual careers and to learn skills vital for the workplace.

More of ten, however, work experience involves photocopying, shredding and making coffee.

Students understand how difficult it is for workplaces to facilitate 15- and 16-year-olds, so we are thankful for the

opportunities we get, and we try to photocopy, shred and make coffee with as much enthusiasm as we can muster.

When I applied for work experience in the Dublin Gazette Newspapers, I thought there would be a limited amount of jobs I could do – that’s why I was so surprised when I got there.

Release On my first morning, I was given a press release that was sent to the newspaper, to shorten so it could be published.

Later that day, I was handed another one.

I was so busy typ-

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All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

ing, proofreading, and rephrasing, the working day went very quickly.

In fact, the whole week flew, in a blur of rephrasing long passages and putting press releases into article form.

Events During my week, I wrote about upcoming events and projects, travel and local news. I edited pieces, and tried to shorten the amount of words so they would fit into the paper.

I observed the jour-

nalists, and the great work they do, and saw the emphasis on local news stories.

I spent some time watching the production of the newspaper, which answered the many questions I had about the making of a newspaper.

I observed the advertising staff negotiate with local businesses.

I witnessed a bright, happy atmosphere in the offices, which made The Gazette a lovely place to spend a week in.

I have a genuine interest in studying journalism af ter secondar y school, which is why I chose to travel from Tipperary to get work experience here.

Career After my week in the Gazette, I am even more interested and view journalism as an exciting career.

I’d like to thank everyone at Gazette Group Newspapers for all their help and support over the last week.

Get involved in our schools pages CALLING all students! Dublin Gazette Newspapers continue to reach out to schools in our catchment areas so that we become a closer part of our community than ever before.

Schools are the beating hearts of communities; one of the last places around which a community can gather.

We want all budding writers and photographers from all of our schools to help fill the pages and, in order to encourage the next generation of journalists and snappers to get involved, we are partnering with Harvey Norman to present the Dublin Gazette Newspapers’ Cub Reporter and Cub Photographer of the Year awards. For more details, contact rheigh@gazettegroup.com or telephone Rob Heigh at 01 601 0240.

Gazette

16 Gazette 4 April 2013

dublinlife

Q&A

anthony carroll, entrepreneur

Game on for business and social initiatives ANTHONY CARROLL heads up Tab Tech and Street SoCcer Ireland. He is evolving from a business entrepreneur into a social entrepreneur, creating products that have a positive social and community benefit.

Through his new company, TabTech & SportsTech, he is developing mobile applications focused on the football, sports and fitness community as well as the education and health sectors. The firm is creating a suite of apps and housing them online where customers can customise their own functional apps using a subscription-based model.

It is also selling mobile device solutions, including portable coaching, teaching and presentation solutions.

Street Soccer Ireland is a non-profit social enterprise that improves the knowledge and life skills of young people through fun events using football as the vehicle.

How long have you been in business?

I have been running my own business since 2003. I have two current businesses: Street Soccer Ireland and TabTech. Street Soccer Ireland is running since early 2011. TabTech is just recently established and is a spin off from another company in which I was a partner, called Seismic Online.

What makes your business successful?

In general, it’s the staff, the products and the way we do business.

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

Products that make a positive impact on our customers’ lives, and staff who genuinely care about our customers needs.

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

Put a greater emphasis on the power of the mind among our staff.

At all times, we do our best to rise above the doomers and gloomers always trying to keep a positive outlook. We see setbacks as simply positive lessons to learn from and continue moving forward.

to keep positive, be persistent and to keep following our goals.

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

It’s not a law that can be upheld in court, but if I could change a law, it’s the law of negativity that so many people seem to prefer to view or focus on and abide by!

What is your ambition for the business?

To create a global business(es) that really does have a significant positive impact on our customers, while building a reputable brand and credibility in the marketplace.

How do you use social media to help your business?

Everyone needs to embrace the social digital age and we are no different. We have a good presence online via the main social platforms, however we are human beings selling to other human beings and we focus more efforts on providing a personal approach to our customer relationships. It’s ironic that social media is not very social at the end of the day

What’s the worst job you’ve had?

How has the recession impacted your business?

It has been just a greater challenge

Door to door insurance sales, although it gave me a great neck and ability to deal with rejection.

LocalMatters S u p p o r t l o c a l b u s i n e ss

Advertise with the Gazette call 60 10 240

business

Dealing with recruitment agencies Having worked in recruitment for a number of years, I know what it’s like to sit on the other side of the desk.

It is a hard, sales-driven business, but job candidates are not products. They are people who have feelings, who need jobs and who can let you down.

I also know that while most agencies abide by a professional code of conduct, there are some who won’t acknowledge your CV, persuade you to go for jobs you’re not suited to and send your CV to employers without your permission.

As agencies are considered to be about the third most successful method of securing work, it’s worth keeping a few things in mind: Be as specific as possible about what type of work you are looking for. Recruiters don’t have the time to help you clarify your career path. If you don’t know what you want, you are difficult to place and may be filed under miscellaneous.

Don’t blitz agencies with your CV. If working close to home is a priority for you, contact the local agencies first. If you specialise in a particular area like IT or accountancy, contact specialist agencies.

It is up to you to make contact with them. The most common gripe about agencies is that you never hear from them again. If you have sent them your CV, you should receive an acknowledgement. If you leave them a message, they should call you back, that’s nor-

mal business practice. Recruiters speak to and interview dozens of people a day, however, so – unless you are looking for interview feedback – don’t expect much more communication unless you initiate it.

If you are applying for an advertised position, call and speak to the consultant dealing with the job before forwarding your CV. Find out as much as you can about the job and tailor your CV accordingly. Ask the consultant how they work, when you can expect to hear from them and if it is okay for you to call them in a few days.

A word on confidentiality: You expect a recruiter to keep your personal details confidential. If they give you the name of a client company which is recruiting, and ask you to keep it confidential, do that. Like many other things, it’s all about developing positive relationships, and remember, recruiters are people too.  Rachael Kilgallon is a qualified career coach and founder of

The Career Hub. Contact Rachael at hello@thecareerhub.ie or visit www.thecareerhub.ie.

ambition: company aims to chase market share

A wraparound solution for event management  natalie burke

AN EVENT solution company is celebrating its first year in business this year. EventEase.ie is an Irish company, founded in February 2012, which was established to assist event organisers and concert promoters with their specialist accreditation needs and a personalised service for all types of events.

The innovative company is the brainchild of its director, Neil Dowling, who has more than 25 years’ experience in all aspects of the concert and event industry.

With the company achieving great success in its first year, Neil says the company is looking towards a bright future.

“We are going to be chasing market share in Ireland next year; we’re

going after everything. We want to expand the company rapidly,” he said.

EventEase offers what Dowling described as a “unique, wraparound service”, managing the operational risk for event promoters, festivals and venues.

“We supply and manage staff for areas such as the accreditation of all event personnel, box office, guest list, entrance managers, wrist-banding and ticketing operations.

“We are the only company supplying this service in Ireland, and are available for festivals, venues, concerts, corporate and sports events,” he said.

The company supplies wristbands and lanyards of all types and currently supply to a number of prestigious events and ve n u e s n a t i o nw i d e ,

Neil Dowling, director, EventEase.ie, with some of the event solution company’s bus advertising

including Body and Soul, Electric Picnic and Forbidden Fruit. The company also sell direct to the public.

“No order is too big or too small. We also endeavour to offer preferential discounts for registered charities, independent promoters and new bands, and we are always available to advise and assist clients.

“We’re ultra professional. I have people with me 20 years, and we know

how to run gigs. We don’t know it all, by any means, but we know enough,” said Dowling.

EventEase are hoping to expand for 2013 and are in the process of creating more jobs in Ireland over the coming year, according to Dowling.

For further information, contact EventEase on 01 864 5000, or see its website at www.eventease.ie, or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ eventease.ireland.

4 April 2013 Gazette 17

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

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Pets can you give Roman a new home?

Eoghan and Gillian Casey with 98FM presenter and TV personality Ray Foley and his son, Matthew

funding: water babies splashathon in aid of three national hospitals

Splash out to help children  laura webb

PARENTS, babies and toddlers are diving in to support the Water Babies Splashathon fundraiser in aid of three national children’s hospitals.

Leading baby and toddler swim school Water Babies announced that the sponsored swim for the little ones will take place across Ireland during Water Babies classes between April 15 and 21.

The Water Babies Splashathon will raise vital funds for our three national children’s hospitals: Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; Temple Street Children’s University Hospital, and The National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght.

During the fundraising event, babies and toddlers will complete sponsored challenges in Water Babies classes, from swimming solo underwater for the first

time to swimming through a hoop or even completing a splashathon circuit challenge in the pool.

Speaking on behalf of the fundraising teams of our three children’s hospitals, Anne Cooney explained: “[The] Water Babies Splashathon is a fun way to make a real and lasting difference to the children and babies attending our hospitals.

“The money raised by parents and Water Babies’ young Splashathon fundraisers will help purchase vital lifesaving equipment such as baby incubators, dialysis machines, ventilators and patient monitors.”

Supporting the cause, 98FM presenter and TV personality Ray Foley, whose son, Matthew, attends Water Babies classes, said: “As a parent myself, I appreciate how important it is for children to learn

to swim at an early age, so I’m delighted to be taking part in the Water Babies Splashathon with Matthew.

“We will be splashing for cash and raising money to support the great work of our children’s hospitals.”

Carol McNally, who runs Water Babies lessons across Dublin, says: “Our previous Water Babies charity event in 2011 raised more than €44,000 for Temple Street Hospital.

“Since then, Water Babies has grown nationwide, with classes now in Dublin, Louth, Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Galway, Cork, Sligo, Wexford, Waterford, Tipperary and Kilkenny.

“We are confident that, this year, with the help of all our lovely little splashers, we will be able to raise more than ever, to provide those all-important funds for our children’s hospitals,” said Carol.

In Ireland, Water Babies has four regional franchises teaching more than 2,400 babies and toddlers each week across Ireland.

Classes in Dublin include locations such as Baldoyle, Castleknock, Swords, Blackrock and Liffey Valley.

According to the team, most participants will happily be swimming distances underwater by about 30 months, then naturally start swimming on the surface as their strength increases.

Water Babies was named Best Activity Provider for Tots and Toddlers at the Families First awards held in Dublin last year.

To donate to the Water Babies Splashathon Fund, visit www.mycharity. ie/charity/waterbabiessplashathon.

To find out more about Water Babies, visit its website at www.waterbabies.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 romantic Roman, a sixyear-old male Boxer with a heart of gold.

He arrived into Dogs Trust in quite poor condition recently and has been given oodles of TLC from all the staff and is now thriving and full of personality! He is a true gent and would need to go to a loving family who can continue his development by bringing him on several short walks a day to help him build up his muscles again. He is happy to hang out in his new forever home with big kids (10+) and a canine pal.

If you think you could give this handsome man his perfect forever home, please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off Exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustireland or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 4 April 2013

OUT&ABOUT Betty Jackson Hematite Spike €12

Faith €84

Betty Jackson Hematite Spike €12

METALLICS ATT RACT Faith Rose Padded Faux Leather Clutch Bag €49

Butterfly sequin ombre vest €53

IT’S not a look that people warm to easily, as most feel they could end up looking more like baking foil than fashion forward. But fear not, as this look is easily achievable and can really bring an outfit to life. For instance, an LBD can be spruced up with some metallic accessories, such as those shown on this page. Be red carpet ready, with this amazing number from Jenny Packham (€287),

which teamed with some subtle accessories makes it a perfect evening gown.

A metallic top teamed with white jeans can be transformed from day to evening wear in a flash.

With this in mind, play around with metallics, and let the inner magpie loose.

Call it Spring Silver ‘Schapp’ Shoes €59

 All items featured are available in participating Debenhams stores.

Miss KG Cork wedges €91

Faith Metallic Glitter Heart Bag €54 Betty Jackson Hematite Spike NL €23

Jenny Packham sequin dress €233

4 April 2013 GAZETTE 19

Believable bronzing

 LAURA WEBB style@gazettegroup.com

ON the calendar it looks like we should be bathing in sunshine, but reality hit us hard last week when we wrapped up warm to face the snowy weather. So in a bid to bring a little sunshine to our lives, this week, we are talking all things tan, how to avoid blending in with the snow and instead be a bronzed goddess.

Like many of us, we don’t always have the time to go to a salon and get the spray tan done, so instead it’s a little DIY job at home.

For instant tan, try Karora Self Tan Mist (€24.99). This tan is a quick and easy way to transform skin from pasty to sun-kissed. What’s great about this product

is that it’s made using only organic and natural extracts, making it suitable for sensitive skin.

Coverage with this tan was given top marks from our beauty tester, with Jessica saying: “It sprayed on easy and, used with their exfoliating product [Karora Micro Peel €14.99], it made sure it was an even tan.

“As a newbie to fake tan, I was very surprised and happy with the results – I went back to looking American,” she laughed.

Karora is available at McCabes, Doc Morris, Sam McCauleys and independent pharmacies and salons nationwide or online @ www.cloud10beauty.com.

Another instant tan is He-Shi with its hint of sparkle that really radi-

KARORA Self Tan Mist Original 200ml €24.99

Cocoa Brown by Marissa Carter €8.00 KARORA Multi-Action Micro Peel €14.99

ates on dull days. This product first appeared on our beauty radar last December, but as it still feels like that same month, why not add a bit of ChristHe-Shi Luminous Shimmer 150ml mas Sparkle to our socalled spring months.

Applied with a mitt, like all tans should, this tan goes on smoothly and without any fuss because it has

a cream texture. It’s light and being an instant tan it’s easy to see where to blend and even out the tan.

Beauty tester Natalie said: “After applying the tan, I felt the colour was really natural and my skin had a really nice glow to it. It would be the perfect tan for a night out or a special occasion.”

The He-Shi range has a youth revivé opti tan formula that rejuvenates your skin’s appearance, whilst helping to fight the signs of ageing. Other products include their He-Shi Face & Body Gel €21.50.

Some Diamonds, dahling?

DON’T wait until a birthday or Valentine’s day to get perfume, treat yourself this month to summer fragrances such as Emporio Armani Diamonds.

This summer 2013, Emporio Armani Diamonds is re-interpreted in summer fragrances.

Emporio Armani Diamonds for Women – Edition Summer is a musky, floral fragrance that sparkles with freshness.

According to the beauty brand, this fragrance gives a raspberry and litchi accord on top cooled down with

a green apple sorbet to give a crispy identity to the fragrance.

Emporio Armani Diamonds for Men – Edition Summer is a woody aroma. For this, the brand says fresh mint and iced lemon come together for a fusing icy crescendo start.

The limited editions of the original Emporio Armani Diamonds fragrances offer a cool, fresh summer fragrance.

Emporio Armani Diamonds for Women and Men, Summer Edition is available nationwide from mid-April, RRP: €34.00 for him and €41.00 for her.

Available at participating stores, salons and spas nationwide.

Mousse

Express, self-tan mousse Cocoa Brown (€7.99) is easy to apply and develops into a natural tan within just 60 minutes – yes you read correct, one hour.

This mousse is nicely fragranced, glides on to the skin, is lightweight and fast drying. Testing this one, I gave it the full 60 minutes and jumped straight into the shower at 61 minutes.

Afterwards there was a slight difference, but

not dark enough for my liking. So it is recommended by the product makers to try it for two consecutive nights for a darker tan, which worked out better. It can also be left on for three hours before washing off to insure a darker look.

See www.cocoabrown.ie for stockists These products are just a few of what is available out there, so test and trial before making up your mind. Don’t forget to exfoliate and treat drier areas like to the elbow, knees and ankles with extra care by moisturising well.

GAZETTE

STYLE

Avon’s Skin loving BB balm THE BB craze is very much a hot topic in the beauty word and another coming on to the scene is Avon’s Ideal Flawless Skin Loving BB. This Beauty Balm (BB) is a lightweight formula that is SPF protected.

It also aims to tackle dull and dry skin.

The BB can be applied quickly and smoothly, helping to create a flawless looking skin tone.

This BB balm is mineral and vitamin E infused without blocking pores. It is also developed to hydrate and minimises redness.

Available in six shades: Ivory, Shell, Nude, Natural Beige, Medium Beige and Nutmeg, it’s easy to find your perfect match.



Don’t forget to send in your style question for our Style Q&A with Littlewoods Ireland Ambassador, Caroline Morahan. The Star Question will win €50 voucher for Littlewoods Ireland. Email style@ gazettegroup.com The next Q&A is out April 25.

Gazette

20 gazette 4 April 2013

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

Theatre THE pavilioN THEATRE 01 231 2929

Douglas Kennedy in Conversation with Nadine O’Regan DOUGLAS Kennedy ranks among that rare breed, the bestelling author whose novels attract critical praise.

In his new novel, Five Days, we meet Laura, a model wife and mother who through a chance meeting in a hotel lobby is reminded of the young woman she used to be and the woman she could have become. Douglas will discuss the book and his career with journalist and radio presenter Nadine O’Regan. April 9, tickets €10/€8.

Dwayne Johnson’s Stupidly Sculpted Arms would be a good name for a band

review: explosions! fights! bruce willis! the rock! terrible film!

Hardly Rock solid

MY name is Paul and I quite like professional wrestling.

At 26 years old, this confession still raises eyebrows, but the absolute daftness of it all, mixed with the levels of athleticism on show, make the squared circle a favourite form of entertainment for me.

With that in mind, and remembering that I grew up in his heyday, I also love The Rock.

Sure, nowadays he goes by the name Dwayne Johnson and likes to be thought of as an actor and occasional wrestler, but to me he’ll always be The People’s Champion, The Great One, The Brahma Bull: The Rock.

Such is my love of Johnson, I have subjected myself to some of his, shall we say, less glorious filmic output.

Faster, Doom, The Game Plan and more

Film of the Week: GI Joe Retaliation h (15) 100 mins Director: Jon M Chu Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum, Ray Park, Adrianne Palicki, RZA

 Paul hosford phosford@gazettegroup.com

have been consumed with gusto, with Johnson continuing to prove himself a talented actor (outshining everyone in the absolute wreck that was Be Cool).

Another thing that I carried over my childhood is an appreciation of GI Joes.

Four inch plastic figures that consumed m a ny h o u r s o f my formative years, GI Joe was brought to the big screen in 2009 with a star-studded cast and a woeful movie.

Such was the poor reception of 2009’s Rise of Cobra, the producers did the only logical thing: call The Rock.

OUR VERDICT:

BAFFLINGLY poor. It’s not even a good bad film, in the way the original was. That at least had the good grace to be hilariously bad. This is just bad. Which is a shame because Johnson really deserves a vehicle worthy of his star power and easy action charm. He also needs some laughs, which Chu fails spectacularly to deliver at all. Save your money, see Fast and Furious Six.

Of course, GI Joe: Retaliation also features one Bruce Willis and a certain Channing Tatum (cumulatively setting a world record for biceps in a film).

But, really, this is a play directly from the Fast Five playbook. In the fifth instalment of the car-chase franchise, The Rock reinvigorated the whole thing with his stern gaze and unbelievably built body.

Again the role of shot in the arm of a flagging franchise is left to The Rock because, spoiler alert, Tatum bolts early doors and Bruce Willis,

one of the biggest stars on the planet, is marginalised in favour of story building.

Normally, a focus on story is a good thing, but this is a GI Joe movie.

The whole premise is so preposterously nonsensical that the only way to make a decent film is to have some fun with it.

Unfortunately director Jon M Chu (director of the Justin Bieber movie), didn’t get that memo and decided that a film based on action figures, starring The Rock, had to be a deadly serious thriller.

It’s the filmic equivalent of having a band with Slash in it and making a dubstep album.

Chu seems weighted by the ridiculousness of the premise established by the end of the first film (an evil doppelganger has taken the office of the US President).

So weighted, he seems, that he fights it with every inch of his being, trying desperately to establish his film as something else.

But Eliza Doolittle, GI Joe: Retaliation is not.

Two collaborations with Bieber put Chu in enough stead to be given a budget of $185 million and despite the early buzz of this being almost singularly negative, he has been handed the reins to The Masters of the Universe reboot.

But based on this, he does not have the power to revive a franchise.

4 April 2013 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

GAMING BIOSHOCK INFINITE: FLOATING CITY MAKES A MEMORABLE SETTING

Elevates a genre to new heights

READERS with decent memories may recall that, ooh, ages ago I had a preview of Bioshock Infinite.

After taking a great deal longer in development than expected, and having taken a few sidesteps along the way, the keenlyawaited title has finally arrived – and, boy (or girl), was the wait worth it ...

Infinite is the spiritual successor to the critically lauded – and commercial smash-hit title – Bioshock, from a few years ago.

As with Bioshock, Infinite is “just” another firstperson shooter, where you wander through the game, shooting this and that on your way to the ending.

However, where both titles (I’m skipping past the slightly undercooked and underwhelming Bioshock 2) greatly impress are not just in their gameplay and graphics, but with their story and characterisation – things rarely done well in the FPS genre, yet mastered once again, here.

It is 1912, and Booker DeWitt has been sent to somehow gain access to the mysterious floating city of Columbia – a vast city of state-of-the-art everything, encapsulating the very best of American

SQUARE ENIX PRESIDENT RESIGNS

Wada steps down as losses loom in quarterly report

In Bioshock Infinite’s strikingly realised portrayal of the floating city of Columbia in 1912, it’s difficult not to see many design echoes of the truly spectacular 1893  SHANE DILLON

sdillon@gazettegroup.com

ideals of the time.

Booker’s task is to find a young woman, Elizabeth, and spirit her back to the world below.

However, Columbia – a stone, steel and glass marvel that celebrates art, science and progress – is far from the happy utopia that it at first appears.

In fact, Columbia is a society sharply defined by ultra nationalism and isolationist policies; it’s a city that’s only meant for “proper” folk (basically, American, caucasian, God-fearing and rich).

The f loating city’s endless posters and propaganda rail against the menace of “foreign hordes” and the corrupted world below, with all of the “normal” standards of its prim and proper 1912 setting.

It’s also a place where the rich cavort gaily in the sunshine on the surface, while the poor toil and languish in the city’s underbelly, below – and it’s all ruled over ruthless-

BYTES&PIECES

World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (below); two worlds – one real, one fictional – both seeking to encapsulate the brash confidence of their times

ly by Father Comstock.

Somehow, Elizabeth – an isolated young woman who has seen almost nothing of Columbia, let alone of the world below – is key to the city’s future, and possibly a great deal more, besides.

The only problem is, how on earth can Booker and Elizabeth be expected to escape a city that’s on the edge of a social revolution, when all of Father Comstock’s forces are determined to stop them, and to keep Elizabeth there?

Like I said, Infinite is anything but a standard FPS, which have too often descended in recent years into noisy, chaotic and rather forgettable setpieces.

By wandering through Columbia, using a range of upgradeable “Vigours” (basically, near magic powers) alongside conventional weapons of the era, Booker and Elizabeth run into some terrific setpieces, all presented with

great design throughout.

Elizabeth deserves particular praise, as fears of the game being little more than an extended escort mission are soon set aside, due to her help.

With such a particularly accomplished world setting – even if it’s a deliberately provocative one, at that – great graphics, interesting characters and a singularly memorable setting, the long-

delayed title deserves to be the smash hit that its chart sales suggest it is.

Bioshock Infinite is available now on PC, XBox 360 and PlayStation 3; as always, l o o k around for the best price.

An interesting cross between a damsel in distress, guide, innocent abroad, travelling companion and rebellious protaganist, Elizabeth makes quite an impression as a strong character

IT’S barely been a couple of weeks since Lara Croft’s great, if gory reboot saw her turning into a mudspattered cross between Rambo, Chuck Norris and Kate Middleton on a remote Japanese island, but despite the game’s sales racking up about 3.4 million units, so far, Tomb Raider seems to have been deemed a retail flop.

That’s bad news for its publisher, Square Enix, which has been putting out critically well-enough received and reviewed titles such as Sleeping Dogs, and Hitman: Absolution in the past year or so, yet which has consistenty seen such titles return underwhelming numbers – and profits – in stores.

Okay-ish sales in Europe haven’t been matched in the US, with Square Enix sales facing the same weak sales slump in the States that almost all publishers have been hit with in the past 18 months or so, in particular.

Tomb Raider’s weak sales there have now added to Square Enix’s list of decent – or even great – titles that have somewhat inexplicably failed to make much of a dent at market and, while the company still has substantial assets and a rather big cash pile, to face such commercially uninspiring returns must undoubtely affect its future projects.

Such sales were accounted for in a recent company statement that said it expected “to incur extraordinary loss in the settlement of the accounts for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2013”.

While Square Enix has a number of interesting games and projects in the pipeline, seeing such key titles failing to meet company targets, and the related impact on their expected profits, both for individual returns and for collective quarterly results, have seen company president Yoichi Wada (above) resign.

This marks an interesting – and unfortunate – development underlining the growing air of uncertainty surrounding even top-notch titles and franchises. When even these fail to meet their targets, and when acclaimed companies start to feel the effects of this gaming lull, it begs the question of what (unwelcome) changes are now hitting the gaming industry, in general.

With several skilled developers under its wing, and a number of interesting titles on the way, here’s hoping that Square Enix has just hit one of the bumps in the road that all publishers, and developers, have been hitting lately ...

‘250,000,000 GAMERS’ ON FACEBOOK

Milestone figure announced by social media giant IF I could distract you a moment from Facebook, I’d like to mention that it has just announced that more than 250 million users play games through the site on a monthly basis, and that it also plans to add a dedicated gaming section to its Timeline.

Personally, while I’m about as much a fan of games on Facebook as I am of Eastenders’ Christmas episodes, obviously 250,000,000 of you are very happy to tend your farms or match jewels or whatever, there. Watch this space for news of 500,000,000 Facebook gamers to appear ...

Gazette

22 Gazette 4 April 2013

OUT&ABOUT

MUSIC

FASTtunes with Radio Nova’s Dee Woods

Forget about God saving the Queen, it’s a revamped arena spectacular that’s keeping the band’s music alive on stage these days. We Will Rock You has been doing just that to 12 million Queen fans for the past decade, and the musical is in town this week ahead of a worldwide arena tour.

Directed by writer/comedian Ben Elton with Queen guitarist Brian May and Queen drummer Roger Taylor as the musical supervisors, We Will Rock You delivers 24 Queen songs to your ears through the magic of rock theatre.

The show is celebrating its 10th anniversary with this arena tour which features a bigger and better design than previous performances. And Brian May says you won’t be disappointed, promising audiences will have “a big night out” with this big show.

We Will Rock You rocks The O2 for four performances from this Thursday, April 4 to Saturday, April 6th with tickets from €40, including booking fee.

Or, if you like your Queen shows to feature the real thing, here’s something really special. Brian May will be turning off the lights at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre this summer for one night only as part of The Born Free Tour.

The man behind Queen anthems such as We Will Rock You, I Want It All and Fat Bottomed Girls is playing an acoustic show, by candlelight alongside vocalist Kerry Ellis, who’ll be singing songs that have been hand-picked and rearranged

by May. It promises to be a show with a difference.

Brian May and Kerry Ellis play the Olympia Theatre on Sunday, June 30 and tickets are €36.50, including booking fee. God save us a seat!

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The lights are on and the studio is ready for the launch of 8radio.com, the brainchild of Simon Maher, right

interview: a new sound for dublin music lovers emerges

8’s eclectic dream  ROB HEIGH

As every avid music fan knows, the variety of music available on Irish radio is, erm... limited.

Niche stations, like Radio Nova, break the mould by catering to a specific style of music and find there are huge audiences disenfranchised by playlistdriven broadcasting that clutters the dial.

Rock has its saviour in Nova, but what about our taste? That scattershot love of everything on the spectrum, from Adam and the Ants to Yeah Yeah Yeahs and back again?

It looks like our saviour has risen in the form of 8radio.com, a new station set to light up Dublin every weekend on 94.3FM until July, as well as online every day and on its Apple and Android apps.

Their eclectic mix has been putting a big smile on faces in this office and everywhere else it has been heard across the city, and Gazette Music caught up with its creator, Simon Maher, and asked where the idea for the station came from.

“I was general manager and one of the presenters on Phantom when it was

seeds set for festival Nick Cave and PiL among first acts for Body & Soul NICK Cave and The Bad Seeds and John

Lydon’s Public Image Limited are among the headline names in the first batch of acts to be confirmed as appearing at Body & Soul 2013, the boutique festival which takes place again this year at Ballinlough Castle in Co Westmeath from June 21 to 23. With more acts to be announced, this is already gearing up to be one of the most magical and unique events of the summer. For more information, see www.facebook.com/BodyandSoulIreland and www.bodyandsoul.ie.

taken over, and when I left, I was thinking about what I wanted to do next.

“As my day job, I teach media at Ballyfermot College, and I was asking students about what they listen to now, they said they tend to put on iTunes and hit shuffle. I asked them to hit shuffle and tell me the first five tracks that came up, and they were a really eclectic mix. I realised people are able to cope with an unexpected mix of music, so why don’t we create a radio station that does exactly that?”

The audience that 8 are looking to capture are a

unique group, something that Simon’s experience in broadcasting has taught him is possible to achieve.

“When we went to the BII to get the temporary licence, they asked if we would be taking people away from the established radio stations, and the fact was that we wouldn’t.

A lot of the people who would listen to 8 would have been lost to traditional radio, and we knew that would be our target audience. It’s a different kind of radio.

“The majority will always listen to traditional

radio or watch traditional TV, but it’s the other people who we are after.”

Simon is keen to spread the word, and hopes that this fledgling period for 8 will lead to a more permanent place, whether that be online or on the airwaves.

“We would hope by July that we would have around 2,000 to 3,000 listeners a week logging on to the web version of the station. The 15 weeks of the temporary licence will be used to drive people toward that. If people trust us musically, we will see where we go next.”

4 April 2013 CLONDALKIN gazette 23

24 clondalkin gazette 4 April 2013

Gazette

MOTORS OUT&ABOUT road NOISE More efficient and better equipped volkswagen: The new Golf 1.4 ACT TSI Highline 140bhp

Ford launches the new Fiesta ST

The new Ford Fiesta ST is Ford’s fastest and most dynamic small production performance car ever, employing a precision-tuned and driver-focused powertrain and chassis to deliver the ultimate Fiesta driving experience.

Developed by Ford Team RS, the European arm of Ford Motor Company’s Global Performance Vehicle group, the new Fiesta ST is equipped with a 1.6-litre ecoboost petrol engine to achieve 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and offer 182 PS and 240 nm of torque. Top speed is 220 km/h.

Ford Team RS tuned the powertrain, suspension, steering and brakes for optimised driving dynamics; and introduced features only previously found in larger performance cars – including enhanced torque vectoring control (eTVC) and three-mode electronic stability control (ESC), six-speed manual transmission and rear disc brakes.

Everyday practicality is underlined by fuel efficiency of 5.9 l/100 km and 138 g/km CO2 – a 20 per cent emissions reduction compared with the previous generation Fiesta ST, though it produces almost 20 per cent more power than the first-generation model’s 2.0-litre engine.

The new Fiesta ST features a large trapezoidal grille with a unique honeycomb construction and dramatic rear diffuser element.

The refined high-contrast interior is equipped with Recaro seats, and a new sound symposer channels the engine note to the cabin to ensure the distinctive engine roar is integral to the driving experience.

Electronically-optimised enhanced chassis eTVC applies brake force to the inside front wheel of the Fiesta ST when cornering to improve road holding and reduce understeer without affecting speed. New software controls the Fiesta ST’s balance in response to steering inputs under acceleration and braking – and ESC offers full system intervention; wide-slip mode with limited intervention; and full ESC deactivation.

Electronic power assisted steering offers a sharper steering ratio of 13.69:1 and a shorter steering arm for a more direct response.

The Fiesta ST debuts rear disc brakes on the Fiesta platform and introduces a larger tandem brake master cylinder that boosts braking performance.

The Fiesta ST

n Cormac Curtis

I recently took the 1.4TSI ACT Highline spec Golf with 140bhp for a week-long road test.

The test model I drove may have had enough poke to leave me with a grin as wide as O’Connell Bridge, but its fuel efficiency betrayed its boyracer appeal.

This is thanks to VW’s active cylinder technology, or ACT. This helps to create an extremely efficient engine capable of 4.7 l/100km (combined cycle) and 109 g/km thanks to the ability to deactivate the central two cylinders under light loads. This makes it 23% more efficient than the equivalent engine in the previous version of the Golf.

The petrol engine range available for the new Golf starts with a four-cylinder 1.2-litre TSI unit producing 85 bhp, rising via a 1.2-litre TSI 105 bhp up to the all-new 1.4-litre TSI 140 bhp engine with the active cylinder technology mentioned above.

The two diesel engines at launch are a 1.6-litre TDI 105 bhp and a new 2.0-litre TDI 150 bhp unit.

Both feature the latest common rail diesel technology for maximum efficiency. All new Golf models – both diesel and petrol – come with a Stop/Start system as standard, along with battery regeneration.

A 90bhp diesel will follow in Q2 of 2013.

On Trendline models, the standard composition colour system includes a five-inch colour touchscreen, FM/AM radio as well as eight speakers (front and rear) and a CD drive (MP3 compatible).

The CD drive is located in the glovebox along with the SD card slot.

It’s the host of other features that sometimes makes road testing a car that bit more difficult – in this case, I find myself thinking of the features that I could do without to bring down the price a bit (I’ll get to the price later), but, at the same time I know that it is often the sum of the parts that make this particular model so

The Golf is a stunningly well built and beautifully designed car

thoroughly enjoyable.

Let’s start with what’s included in the highline spec. There is the impressive 5.8” composition media radio with TFT display and Bluetooth connectivity; climatic air conditioning; electric windows front and rear; electronic parking brake with autohold function; cruise control; sport seats with lumbar support, front; front fog lamps including static cornering lamp; fatigue detection;

SIMI Motor Industry Awards Denning’s Cars win the coveted Bodyshop of the Year award local business Denning’s Cars have won the nationwide award of Bodyshop of the Year at the recent SIMI Motor Industry Awards in association with Castrol and attended by Niall Quinn (right). Denning’s are a bodyshop repair specialist which are approved by major brands such as BMW/Mini, Mercedes-Benz and Honda, whilst also being the chosen repair centre for many major insurers. Pat Denning started the business in the 1960s and since then, Pat and three of his children have grown the business from strength to strength. For more information visit www.dennings.ie or www.facebook.com/denningscars

ESP (electronic stability programme) including multiple impact braking.

Phew!

I would say that for such a generous supply of kit, the highline spec Golf is definitely good value for money.

But the model I was driving had even more tasty treats, such as the sport pack that included 17” “Madrid” alloy wheels and 65% light absorbing tinted rear windows; it had a winter pack, a Dis-

cover pro’ navigation system, park assist including park distance control, premium multi-function display, adaptive cruise control with front assist, lane assist including dynamic light assist, xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights.

But these options alone came to an extra €6,336.

Which would make the beautiful Golf that I drove cost a whopping €33,081.

The moral of the story is – do your homework.

4 April 2013 CLONDALKIN gazette 25

Gazette

TRAVEL fast

TRAVEL There’s Norway better to holiday in

The delights of Nhatrang Beach, Vietnam, could await you on a Thomas Cook five-star luxury cruise

getaway: from the bahamas to vietnam, dream cruises await couples

Romantic breaks you’ll love  natalie burke

IT ISN’T hard to imagine a romantic break on the high seas and this year, Thomas Cook have a range of romantic cruise destinations perfect for Irish couples hoping to savour some of the magic of

the sea this summer, from just €1,399 per person sharing.

Couples can discover the beauty of the Caribbean this summer aboard the Freedom of the Seas, with the serene beaches of the Bahamas and stops at the idyllic islands of St Maarten and St Tho-

mas providing the ultimate release.

Couples can relax in the adults-only solarium, with two cantilevered whirlpools extending 12ft from the side of the ship. This seven-day voyage starts at just €1,399 per adult, including flights.

If a trip to the exotic is called for, South East Asia provides a spectacular backdrop for a couple’s paradise.

Operated by the world’s only authentic boutique cruise line, a five-star luxury voyage through the timeless wonders of Vietnam, Cambo-

dia and the Mekong River is available from €3,348 for 16 days, cruise only, taking in the oriental beauty of the Nokor Bachey Temple and the Angkor archaeological area.

To book, call Thomas Cook Cruise at 01 514 0336, or see www.thomascookcruise.ie.

choice galore: continent has so much on offer for great holidays

Let The Americas lift your spirits  natalie burke

WITH the month of March finishing up with showers of snow, the idea of finally availing of some much-needed sunshine has been a thought playing on all our minds.

Perhaps setting sail on a sunshine cruise could be just what you need to help brighten your mood!

Whether it’s a tropical cruise through the Caribbean or a more adventurous exploration of

Canada you have in mind, American Holidays is offering some great cruising rates for the month of April, and their staff are even offering to tailor an option to suit you.

Start your holiday by spending three nights at the three-star Stay Hotel in Miami, Florida, before hopping aboard a 14-night cruise on the Norwegian Pearl, and spend another three nights at the fourstar Stay Hotel in Los Angeles, California, from

€2,035 per person.

Price includes return f lights from Dublin, accommodation as stated, taxes and charges.

The option to upgrade to an ocean-view room is available from €235 per person, travelling on April 18.

Why not spend five nights at the three-star Hotel Orlando in Florida before taking a sevennight cruise on an allinclusive basis aboard the Freedom of the Seas from

€1,199 per person?

Travel on September 10, with a price that includes return flights from Dublin, accommodation as stated, taxes and charges. An option is also available to upgrade to an ocean view from €129 per person.

For a chance to see the Big Apple and the sights of Canada, spend three nights at a three-star New York hotel before setting sail on a seven-night cruise aboard the Norwegian Gem, from €1,435

Cruise in style aboard the Freedom of the Seas

per person when you travel on September 18.

The price includes return flights from Dublin, taxes and charges, while upgrades are available for €55 per person.

For further dates and prices, call American Holidays at 01 673 3804, call into their office at 18-19 Duke Street, Dublin 2, or see www.americanholidays.com.

P&O cruises are offering a chance to explore Norway aboard the newAzura, this May. Departing Southampton on May 24, take in beautiful Bergen (above), the Briksdal glacier near Olden, and Stavanger from €719 per person.

The Azura features 11 restaurants, five shopping boutiques, four swimming pools, two lounges and an open air cinema.

From Southampton, enjoy a Norwegian summer on the classic Oriana, which includes the Gary Rhodes-inspired Oriana Rhodes restaurant. First stop is the world’s most northerly capital, Reykjavik, famous for its nightlife and views. After taking in the fishing port of Isafjordur and the city of Akureyri, it’s on to the spectacular Faroe Islands. The holiday departs July 7, priced from €789 per person.

Prices are per person sharing for these seven night cruises, unless stated, and do not include gratuities. To book, call the Thomas Cook Cruise team (exclusive agents for P&O) in Dublin at 01 514 0336, or see www. thomascookcruise.ie.

26 CLONDALKIN GAZETTE 4 April 2013

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INSIDE: Arlene’s hopes to pluck Rose success Page 8

‘HONOURED’: Robert Dowds to join Constitutional convention See Page 2

Moving forward: IT company to create 20 posts Basketball:

Ballon granted Super League status Page 30

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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 BUSINESS .....................18 MOTORS ....................... 20 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

LEADING IT security services provider, Ward Solutions, has announced that it is to increase its workforce by 50%. The company plans to invest â‚Ź3m and create 20 jobs for highly qualified and experienced information security professionals and sales staff. Pictured at the announcement were Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton TD, Pat Larkin, chief executive, Ward Solutions, and Paul Hogan, chief technology officer, Ward Solutions.

200 jobs secured across Clondalkin Redundancies averted and new positions created

ďż˝ PAUL HOSFORD

THERE was good news on the jobs front for Clondalkin this week as nearly 200 jobs were secured in three separate moves.

Firstly, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre has announced the arrival of eight new nation-

al and international retailers, which will create 120 new jobs within the centre.

There was good news for existing jobs also, as workers in two local stores were granted reprieves in the face of possible redundancies.

The Atlantic Homecare store in Liffey Valley will

remain open, after it had been marked for closure when the company went into administration last month, and 40 jobs in Ballymount were rescued last week after a management buy-out of building providers TJ O’Mahony, part of the Moritz Group.

Full Stories on Pages 2-3

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Gazette

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FastSport Jude’s hope to raise the bar:

Garda cycling club’s Caroline Ryan, left, and Fingallians’ Sinead Finnegan launched the Race the Ras charity cycle in Croke Park last week

cycling: national breast cancer research institute to benefit from race

Ryan and Finnegan in Croker to launch charity cycle event A HOST of top sports stars past and present joined forces with top world track cyclist Caroline Ryan in Croke Park last week to officially launch the Race the Ras charity cycle.

Entering its third year, the charity race will see almost 150 amateur cyclists, accompanied by a host of current and former GAA stars – among them Fingallians and Dublin ladies football star Sinead Finnegan – lining up to bike across Ireland from May 19 to May 26.

All money raised will go to the National Breast Cancer Research Institute.

The charity cycle is linked with the An Post Ras, Ireland’s most prominent cycling event. The cyclists will start three hours ahead of the professionals and will travel through 13 different counties.

Stage finishes will be in the towns of Longford, Nenagh, Listowel, Glengarriff, Mitchelstown, Carlow, Naas, and Skerries on the final day.

Endurance Current Dublin Senior Football selector Declan Darcy spoke of the endurance needed to undertake the cycle:

“This is a serious undertaking. Each of the eight stages averages 146kms in length - 1,260kms in total - and will take over five and a half hours to complete, so the eight-day cyclists will be on the bike for almost 50 hours in total.

“Most families in Ireland have been affected in some way by cancer and this is just a small way former GAA players can help raise much needed money.

“We are also delighted that more women will be taking part this year and Dublin vice captain Sinead Finnegan was here to show support.”

Broadcasting legend Micheal O’Muircheartaigh was also on hand to launch the charity race and said: “Race the Ras has been a huge success raising €260,000 to date since it began in 2011.

“I would ask people to donate no matter how small as it will make a huge difference to the National Breast Cancer Research Institute.”

To register for the cycle, log on to http://racetheras.com. With eight stages to choose from, cyclists can opt to do all eight stages, a single stage or opt for a combination of two or three stages.

NEXT Saturday, April 6 is the deadline to vote for Dublin representatives St Jude’s in Etihad’s Raise The Bar competition with the winning club announced.

Voters are asked to decide which of the final four clubs are most deserving of a year’s sponsorship package with the Abu Dhabi-based airline.

Jude’s are up against Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh, Cork’s Blackrock and Wexford’s Kilanerin This vote, along with the views of a panel of judges consisting of Nicky English, Des Cahill and Micheal O’Muircheartaigh, will decide which club comes away with the ultimate sponsorship package. For more information, go to etihadgaa.ie.

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

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

Gazette

28 CLONDALKIN Gazette 4 April 2013

SPORT

FastSport

Age just a number for evergreen Fagan

Portmarnock man Oisin Fagan’s colourful career brings him to Essex on Friday as he looks to put a check on Chris Munch and bunch Get In The Game for Heineken Cup Goodwin’s world title ambitions with his unique style SHANE Byrne was among the sporting luminaries who turned out to support the launch of a new multimedia campaign, Get In The Game, ahead of the final of the Heineken Cup being played at the Aviva stadium on May 18.

The campaign was launched to a packed house of rugby fans, players and legends in Dublin last week, with Byrne, Frankie Sheehan, Alan Quinlan, Bryn Cunningham and pundit Brent Pope on hand to take part in the digital event.

Designed to bring the Heineken Cup experience from the pitch onto fans’ mobiles, computers and into pubs and homes across the country, Get in the Game offers a range of opportunities between now and the date of the final to get involved and be part of the ultimate rugby spectacle.

Fans can get involved with Get in the Game via www.heineken.ie/game, or by stepping up to challenges featured in pubs throughout Ireland. Arcade-style games such as Conversion Challenge and Catch will be available to online players who will also have their Heineken Cup knowledge tested with quizzes. It is all linked in a single contest where the overall winner will receive a once-in-a-lifetime VIP experience at the final.

Karl Donnelly, Heineken’s sponsorship brand manager, said: “Sports fans are increasingly looking for new and engaging ways to enrich the Heineken Cup experience. We have developed an innovative and multifaceted approach that lives on mobile devices, computers and in pubs.

Wherever you are, you can Get In The Game with the aim of scoring points and winning prizes.”

Donnelly, said: “Today, so much of the conversation around sports events takes place across social media. Heineken recognises how important this space is. We are utilising this rich conversation and harnessing it with visual animations and projections over the weekend of the Heineken Cup final. A custom built structure for this visual display will also provide an interactive virtual kicking game; fans can literally kick conversions which will, in turn, send tweets in support of various teams. A social sentiment project like this has never been seen before in Ireland.’

WITH 15 years separating Oisin “Gael Force” Fagan from his Friday night opponent Chris Goodwin, the Portmarnock scrapper says the gulf in experience gives him plenty of reasons for belief ahead of their date in the Grays Civic Hall in Essex.

After an initial date in Cork fell through, 39-year-old Fagan is looking forward to getting back in the ring for the first time since January 2011 against the current World Boxing Federation lightweight champion despite being pitted as the underdog.

“Obviously, I’ve been out of the ring for a couple of years but I keep in tip-top shape all the time,” he told GazetteSport. “I can count on two hands and two feet the amount of days I have taken off in the past 20 years; I just keep fit anyway, waiting for the call to come.

“Obviously, the odds will be stacked against me but I’m mad for it.

He’s 24, I’m 39 and the Irishman in England never goes down too well.”

T he relocation of the bout to Goodwin’s home turf from Ireland is a glitch for Fagan but he says that it does not overly bother him.

During his career, he has made a habit of putting it up to some of the world’s best, facing

 stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com

down a packed house of screaming Mexicans in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas against Cesar Chavez Junior while also encountering a hostile crowd against the Pittsburgh kid Paul Spadafora in Pennsylvania.

Both times he went the distance against the soon-to-be world champions while he also tussled with Amir Khan whom Fagan tussled with in London, showing little fear of travelling.

Such a situation came of a necessity for the Dubliner who arrived to the professional game late by chance, seeking only to earn enough money to fly home from the US. “I was never well promoted in the States and was always the man brought to places and putting it up to the hometown boy. In one way, it’s not great for your record but I’ve only really lost to world champions.

“I had to start [fighting professionally] because I was in a tough place in my life and needed a few quid to get home from America. I’ve always thought in the back of my mind, if I started as a kid,

I might have been able to box a bit cleverer.

“I was never experienced as an amateur, only having three fights, before I was pushed into being a pro. But it did work for me because I’m afraid of nothing and I don’t have any fear going to Essex.”

Fagan made his debut a little over 10 years ago and says the lack of amateur training has left him with a unique, all-action style, something he says Goodwin is unlikely to have seen before.

That style is the antithesis of the work he is currently doing with the IABA and Dublin county council, working as a community development officer to help develop the sport.

“I wouldn’t teach kids

to box like me because I don’t box, all I do is fight!

I know there are 12-yearolds out there who are better boxers than me but it would be hard to find a better fighter. I know my strengths and weaknesses and I know I’m a world class fighter.

the pedal.”

And he reckons this method could be key to landing another couple of decent fights in the future.

“I’ll be his toughest to date. On the flip side, I’ve had about 10 opponents who were

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

‘I wouldn’t teach kids to box like me because I don’t box; all I do is fight’ - Oisin Fagan

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

“Nobody really has a style like mine. I don’t say that to brag but I get bored by boxing and I like when people say ‘he’s a good scrapper’, that I’m exciting and never take my foot off

on a better level than this guy. You can’t really take that too much into account but I’m quietly confident. I like going in as the underdog and I’m happy enough to take on that role.”

Oisin Fagan, right, says his experience will help him see off Chris Goodwin

4 April 2013 CLONDALKIN Gazette 29

Gazette

DublinGazetteNewspapers 2013 dublin sports awards march winners

Local teams FastSport line out in U-12 contest  sport@gazettegroup.com

H STARof the MONTH

fiona coghlan LUCAN teacher Coghlan has been the leader of the pack with Ireland’s women’s rugby team, captaining the national team to their historic set of achievements in the 2013 6 Nations championship run, only the third captain ever to claim the Grand Slam.

DE LA Salle Palmerston hosted their fifth annual Under-12 festival of rugby last week in the new surround of Ballycorus Road.

Over 25 teams took part, with the guests of honour being the London Irish RFC squad whose visit was part of the Gathering event.

Most of the participating clubs were from within the Metro area which covers Dublin, Meath, Wicklow and Kildare but DLSP were also delighted to wel-

come Wicklow, Naas, NUIM Barnhall, Coolmine and Terenure for the first time.

The club were particularly indebted to the likes of Vivian Harrington, John Connolly and Michael Nugent for organising an event of this magnitude while they also were thankful for the support provided

by Old Wesley RFC. They stepped in to provide their impressive Ballycorus Road facility as a venue, after Kirwan Park had been declared unplayable due to waterlogged pitches.

TEAMof the MONTH H monkstown HC MONKSTOWN hockey club ended their 99-year wait for Irish Senior Cup glory, finally breaking their hoodoo in the competition in the most thrilling of finals as Andy Ewington, for the second time in a week, netted a silver goal winner.

Get set for the Great Ireland Run  sport@gazettegroup.com

D u bl i n G a z e t t e Newspapers is delighted to announce that we have teamed up again this year with the SPAR Great Ireland Run to recognise runners in each of our papers’ local areas.

The Gazette will recognise the fastest man and woman from each paper’s circulation area with a specially designed plaque as well as prizes

of sports gear. After the run, we will also be publishing a results list of the top local male and female finishers.

The SPAR Great Ireland Run 2013 will take place in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, April 14, at 1 pm.

This year’s run will more than ever be about enjoying a full family running day as a mini run for five- to eightyear-olds over a one mile lap has been added to

the programme alongside a junior run for nine to 15-year-olds over 2.5km. The mini-run and junior run will precede the main event and an adult can run or walk alongside each child in the mini-run.

Up to 12,000 entries are expected and every adult entrant will receive an exclusive technical T shirt as well as a medal and a generous goody bag after completing the run.

Participants are being encouraged to raise funds for good causes and the event’s nominated charities are the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation and SPAR’s charity par tner, the 3Ts – Turn The Tide of Suicide. The Baby Max Wings of Love Fund is the nominated charity for the junior run and mini run.

Entries can be made online at www.greatirelandrun.org.

Dundrum athlete Ava Hutchinson at the launch of the Great Ireland Run

Four medals for Whitechurch at Dublin championships Whitechurch Boxing Club were celebrating recently when their six entrants into the Dublin championships returned with two gold and two silver medals.

Sean McGuirk and Seamus Maughan picked up their first championship medals for the club, with McGuirk beating a current Irish Champion on his way to silver, while Sean Mari and Megan Felton progress to the AllIreland championships as county champions.

The youngest member of the team, Seamus Maughan, met a great opponent in Michael McDonagh from Darndale BC in his final but can be proud of his performance over the three rounds.

The club’s first ever national champion, Megan Felton, continued her winning ways by pipping an excellent Niamh Kelly from Baldoyle BC by 12 points to 8 in a high-tempo final.

Reigning Irish champion and Irish international boxer Sean Mari claimed his county title this year by virtue of a walk over, and is now focused on defending his national title this month.

The two other members of the team, Dylan Fox-Reynolds and Paddy Maughan, both showed great improvement in their boxing over the course of the championships.

Fantastic Fins win in Athlone Fingallians AC were in flying form last week at the national championships in Athlone, with fine performances from the travelling panel.

Marie Torsney won the Under-17 girls’ national indoor shot putt title with a personal best of 13.54m, and Fiona Tuite won the Under-18 title in the same event, with another personal best,

14.54m, which was also a new national record.

Meanwhile, in the boys’ Under-18 1,500m Sam Martin placed third, as did Ciaran McManus in the boys’ Under-13 60m race.

Torsney, Tuite and Martin were all award winners in Fingallians’ 2012 athletic awards.

Notable performances were also recorded by Bronwyn Keogh, Rachel Murray, Brian Markey, Stephen O’Connor and Conaill Tuite.

Gazette

30 CLONDALKIN gazette 4 April 2013

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: LSL rivals have it all to do again after draw

Adamstown CT duo on form in league ADAMSTOWN cycling team’s Finola Lawlor and Roisin Kennedy produced fine performances last weekend as they travelled to Rathdowney on Sunday for the first stage of the Women’s 2013 National League.

Over 40 women competed in the Ossory Cycling Club Event, and both Kennedy and Lawlor were happy after their first major test of the new season.

Veteran Irish cyclist Kennedy had shown a return to her top form in 2012, earning her a recall to the national development team and early indications are that she has stepped it up again for the 2013 season.

She followed the first attacks from the gun, going clear with Orla Hendron and Trish Buckley (both Orwell Wheelers), and she soon found herself riding alone ahead of the chasing bunch for over 30 minutes.

The Adamstown rider was joined by Anne Dalton (Orwell), Sandra Fitzgerald and Eve McCrystal (Garda) after the first climb, and the four riders pushed on the pace putting over three minutes into the chasers at the half way point.

Kennedy attacked again on the second lap, and a counter attack from Fitzgerald saw the leaders whittled down to three.

Kennedy was unable to shake her breakaway companions in the final few kilometres, and Sandra Fitzgerald led out the sprint for first with Kennedy settling for third prize in the sprint to the line.

Finola Lawlor was riding her very first competitive event for Adamstown CT. The young senior rider has trained hard with Kennedy over the winter, and will target the women’s league races this season.

She has proven to be a fast learner and Adamstown asked her to start the top level national event for experience only. Lawlor performed well on the first lap, and is already looking forward to her next race this month.

Glenville’s Bob Cullen comes under pressure from Beggsboro’s Dean Lawless in the sides goalless encounter in the FAI Senior Cup

Glenville held in cup clash fai senior cup round 1 Glenville 0 Beggsboro 0  stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com

GLENVILLE were left frustrated as a rousing second half performance could not yield the single goal that would have been enough to see them through against LSL Sunday Senior 1A rivals Beggsboro in the FAI Senior Cup first round.

Indeed, both sides had their chances in a tightknit tussle at a chilly Palmerstown CS, perhaps the best of which fell to Donal Gilmore a

minute into injury time.

Sweet interplay from Tom Wynne and Bob Cullen flicked the ball through to him down the left side of the penalty area but he slid the ball agonisingly just wide of the right of the post.

Other than that, the chances were primarily restricted to free kicks and corners, especially in the first half when the hosts had several balls whipped into the box to no avail while Beggsboro’s Dean Lawless created the most danger with his left-footed deliveries.

Clear chances, though,

Kicking with confidence

Clondalkin miss out on next round of J3 cup clondalkin’s John Murphy kicked six points scored on Friday night against Newbridge but it was not enough to help the club progress in the J3 Anderson Cup last Friday night Having dismissed Cill Dara in the first round 14-11 early in March, they bowed out at the second round stage 33-6, missing out on a quarter-final date with Kilkenny.

Elsewhere, Clon’s U-17s hosted touring side Banbury RFC from England in a friendly on Easter Sunday.

were at a premium with Carl Corcoran’s neat turn and shot the pick of the efforts though it was well blocked with Boro’s keeper Ian Donnelly not needing to get involved.

Both keepers were coping decently under the aerial attack, Carl Donnelly in the Glenville goal particularly adept at getting his fists to the ball first as well as claiming some key catches.

The second half proved a much more open affair as Wayne McDonald managed to gain greater freedom down the right channel. He wriggled free to sting the palms of

Carl Donnelly soon after the interval.

In the 54th minute, the Glenville keeper was called into action once more, brilliantly diving full length to palm away Liam Byrne’s stinging 25-yard drive. The ball spilled into the path of Brian Voakes and he slid into the net but the offside flag was raised well in advance to quell his celebrations.

It came during a strong Beggsboro spell but Phil Duffy was marshalling his defence well while his midfield were getting more of a foothold. On three occasions, Cullen

was worked into shooting positions while also creating a great 71st minute opening for Gilmore.

Jack Doyle was next to test the reflexes of Ian Donnelly as Glenville sensed they were more likely to grab a winner.

They had to be vigilant with Carl Donnelly catching McDonald’s scissor kick but the main chances were falling their way and Gilmore came within inches of winning it at the death.

But those inches mean the sides have to do it all over again, heading to Kilkieran Road on Friday night for the replay.

4 April 2013 CLONDALKIN gazette 31

Gazette

Tower’s Conroy part of Dublin U-16 panel  sport@gazettegroup.com

ROUND Tower’s Amy Conroy is part of the extended Dublin U-16 panel that is in flying form in ladies football’s Leinster U-16 championship, running up three consecutive wins in 2013.

They smashed Wexford 9-13 to 1-1 last

weekend having already eliminated Meath and Kildare.

The opening 30 minutes was rocked to life

by Dublin’s three first half goals courtesy of Emma Colgan, Ciara M c K e ow n a n d A n n Marie Troy for a 3-7 to 1-0 lead.

On the restart, Dublin began to exert renewed

pressure on the Wexford defence, Dublin then pounced to grab a brace of goals, with Aoife Kane, Ciara McKeown, Louise Whelan, Colgan and Mia Jennings all on target for Dublin.

Wexford’s Chloe Fox knocked over a consolation point late in the second half to finish the game as her side’s only

scorer with a personal tally of 1-1.

Dublin look on course to reach this year’s provincial decider but Pat Kane’s charges will be keeping their feet firmly on the ground as Dublin have two tough games against Offaly and Laois to look forward to in the coming weeks.

hurling: limerick the last hurdle to overcome

Club Noticeboard Round Tower, clondalkin MEMBERSHIP is now overdue. Renew-

to Violet Smith, Philip Carr and Paul

al forms available on the club website

Swords who were the three €100 win-

or in reception in the clubrooms.

ners. No match three and the bonus

Only members who have renewed

by Monday, April 1 will be entitled to

ball winner. This week’s jackpot is €10,000.

vote at the next AGM. Any adult play-

Pick your lotto team leader and help

ers that have failed to pay are not

them become the top Friday night

covered by the insurance scheme

seller.

and should not train or play until membership has been paid.

One hour once every seven weeks is all it takes. If you are able to help

Tickets for the gala dinner on Friday,

please contact Matt McCormack on

April 19 to mark the official opening of

087 683 6737 or email info@round-

the Monastery Road development are

tower.ie.

selling fast. They are priced at €45 and

Entry is open for the Flora women’s

can be booked by contacting Jessica

mini marathon on Monday, June 3.

O’Malley at 087 280 6273. The following

Anyone interested please contact

day the Dublin senior footballers will

Jessica O’Malley at 087 280 6273.

play an intercounty fixture.

Further details available on our website.

The Ciaran Carr Foundation fundraiser and official launch will take

The clubrooms are available for rental for parties, anniversaries, etc.

Please contact Jimmy behind the bar or on 01 459 2960.

place in clubrooms on Saturday, April

The club shop is open every Mon-

6 with music by Farmer and Friends.

day night from 7.30-8.30pm. Please

Admission €5 or a donation. Please

call Betty Ward or Catherine Moran

support, all welcome.

direct if you have any particular

Lotto results for March 25: numbers were 1, 12, 19 and 26; the bonus ball was 6. There was no winner of the jackpot of €10,000. Congratulations

enquiries on 087 675 2238 or 086 830 3207 respectively.

Bingo is on every Tuesday night, first call 8.30pm.

lucan sarsfields St Pat’s Palmerstown’s Liam Rushe played in midfield in a changed Dublin side who defeated Carlow last weekend

Rushe the backbone as Dubs set up final  sport@gazettegroup.com

ST PAT’S Palmerstown’s Liam Rushe has an NHL Division 1B final date against Limerick as he helped a much-changed Dublin to victory over Carlow in Parnell Park last Sunday on a 3-15 to 0-11 scoreline.

He lined out in midfield for a side that welcomed back Stephen Hiney, Ryan O’Dwyer and Conal Keaney from injury while Oisin Gough also made his first start of the campaign.

L u c a n ’s J o h n ny McCaffrey and Peter Kelly sat out the tie and

the glut of changes initially saw Dublin struggle in an untidy first half performance with a large number of wides.

Rushe did split the posts during this time to help the sky-blues scrap their way to a 2-5 to 0-7 lead at the break thanks to goals from Kevin Byrne and Niall McMorrow.

The second half was tidier with Paul Ryan coming off the bench to land seven points while McMorrow scored his second goal, setting up a final date with Limerick next Saturday in Thurles at 7pm.

Elsewhere, Lucan camogie players were busy over the weekend on inter-county duty for the Dublin minors and seniors.

On Saturday, Kate Whyte, Niamh Byrne, Ann Marie Courtney, Claire Rigney, Orla Beagan, Laura Morrissey, Rachel Kenny and Ailise Dowling played vital roles helping the Dublin minors to a thrilling two point victory over Kilkenny in the second round of All-Ireland Minor A championship.

That makes it two wins from two and a win or draw in their final group

match against Tipperary next Sunday will send the minors straight into the All-Ireland semi final.

On Sunday it was the turn of the seniors when they faced Galway in round three of the Division 1 National league in O’Toole Park. Whyte and Rigney had little time to relax with the former starting in goal and later coming on as a second half substitute.

Ali Twomey also featured as a second half substitute.

Galway proved too strong for the Dubs, running out winners on a 2-10 to 1-7 scoreline.

WELL done to Kate Whyte, Niamh

house afterwards. Package includes

Byrne, Claire Rigney, Annemarie

the full pitch from 1.30pm to 2.30pm

Courtney, Orla Beagan, Laura Mor-

on a Sunday afternoon and a reserved

rissey, Ailbhe Ryan and Ailise Dowling

area in the clubhouse from 2.30pm

on the Dublin minor camogie teams

onwards for your party.

championship win over Kilkenny on Saturday.

You may bring you own food but all drinks must be purchased in the club

Membership is now overdue and

bar. Cost is €100 for non members and

can be paid online through our web-

€80 for members. Contact Alice on 086

site www.lucansarsfields.ie or at the

0805055 for bookings. Only one party

clubhouse bar.

booking per week so book early to

There will be a strict no pay no play

avoid disappointment.

policy in place this year. Our senior

We are pleased to announce that

hurlers beat Confey last Saturday

for every club member who books a

afternoon in the Leinster league divi-

course in Colaiste Laichtin for July or

sion one by 0-23 points to 0-8.

August the club will receive €100.

Congratulations to Peter Kelly on

Our nurseries for boys and girls

being selected as our new team cap-

born in 2006, 2007 and 2008 continue

tain and Barry Aird as vice captain

every Saturday at 1.30pm on our all

for 2013.

weather pitch at The 12th Lock.

Our golf society’s first outing is

Camogie nursery at 2.15pm for girls

at the K-Club next Saturday from

aged six and over. This is your child’s

8.30am to 10am. To book, text Gerry

chance to be coached by Dublin senior

at 086 0560111 immediately. The first

hurling captain Johnny McCaffrey.

30 will be accepted. New members welcome.

Music in the clubhouse on Saturday, April 6 will be with new local band Arthur.

The 25-card drive continues every Friday night in the clubhouse, €5 entry, first prize of €50. All welcome.

This weeks lotto numbers will be available on our website.

Stuck for a birthday party idea?

Josephine Donohue’s team will be

Why not book the all-weather pitch in

in charge next Monday night when

Lucan Sarsfields GAA Club for games

our sponsor will be Diamond and Gem

or matches and a party in the club-

Jewellers.

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

rushe to success: St Pat’s hurling star adds to talent in Dublin team as they defeat Carlow P31

APRIL 4, 2013

marching onward: Last month’s Sport Award winners are announced P29

Bluebell United are looking for another victory over Dublin 15’s Phoenix as they look for league and cup success, says manager Andy Newman

Bluebell’s final in sight Phoenix once again the opposition in the FAI Intermediate Cup this weekend as United target success on all fronts, according to manager

 peter carroll

sport@gazettegroup.com

Bluebell will take on Phoenix this weekend in the semi-final of the FAI intermediate Cup, and the Clondalkin men will be confident of taking the victory after seeing the Blanchardstown men off in league action in early March on their own turf.

Despite their seven-game unbeaten streak coming to an end last weekend, manager Andy Newman is confident that once his side focus on their own game they will come away with the victory.

“We didn’t get the best of results at the weekend, but we were missing a lot of play-

ers who were away,” said Newman. “Phoenix got a good result in the senior cup against St Mary’s there, but once we perform on the day there should be no problems.

“If both sides show up it will be a very good game. They have a very big side and they can get the ball down on the ground and play too.

“We managed to get the win against them on their astro pitch and they held us to a draw when we met earlier in the season,” said the Bluebell manager.

“They are strong all over the pitch and we have noted the particular threats they pose, but I always prefer to stay focused on our own game rather than trying to combat the

way the opposition play.”

It isn’t only the Cup that the Bluebell will be working towards for the end of the season. Their recent run of form has put them right back into league contention and, with all of the top teams still to play each other, Newman is not ruling out the possibility of taking two pieces of silverware.

“We were runners-up last and now we’ve fought our way back towards the top of the table. Crumlin have been incredibly strong this year, they’ve only lost on one occasion, but we’ll give them a game when we play.

“To be honest, I don’t prioritise between the league and cup, we want to win everything here and as long as they’re both still a

possibility I don’t see why we shouldn’t try our best.

“Last year was disappointing. We came away with nothing, and I know the lads don’t want that to happen again.

“It was tough to get going at the start of the year, there was a lot of new, young faces around and it did take us awhile to balance the side.

“We have good numbers in the squad now and I can’t see us losing too many players before the end of the season.

“A win against Phoenix would put us through to the final and 90 minutes away from the Cup and that’s exactly where we want to be,” said Newman.