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Dun laoghaire • Blackrock • Cornelscourt • Deansgrange • Dalkey • Glasthule • Monkstown • Glenageary

INSIDE: A fun playtime as local toy store celebrates its 50th birthday P8

book launch: Shane Ross, author

and TD, on politics and bankers P7

Wheely helpful: Players check out Tesco funds Paralympics: Road to Rio laid out at key open day event in UCD Page 29

Hurling:

Cuala gearing up for massive SHC final date Page 32

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

WITH its motto of Every Little Helps, Tesco recently presented a cheque for €500 to members of Foxrock Cabinteely Ladies Gaelic Football Club, at Tesco Stillorgan, in honour of their recent victory in the Tesco Homegrown Dublin Senior Championship Final.

Katriona Cassidy, Tesco Stillorgan store manager, presented the cheque to the team’s Sarah Brophy, Anne-Marie Murphy, Amy Connolly and Niamh Collins, who were delighted to check out the funds for the team.

Licence to drill off Dalkey draws fire

Tanaiste called on to back demand for public enquiry

 Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

THE granting of a foreshore licence by the Department of the Environment, enabling Providence Resources to drill for oil 6km off the Dalkey coast, has been widely criticised by locals, politicians and environmentalists.

Despite repeated requests from residents and heritage groups to conduct a public enquiry ahead of any decision to grant a drilling licence, Jan O’Sullivan (Lab), Minister of State at the Department, announced last week that the foreshore licence had been granted.

Local councillor Cormac Devlin (FF) is calling on the Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore, to intervene and allow a public enquiry to go ahead.

He said: “The environmental issue is paramount and is of huge concern because the drilling is so close to the shore.”

Full Story on Page 4

2 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11 October 2012

retail: buyer hopes to create 120 jobs

health Boning up on osteoporosis at Old Belvedere RC

Investor set to regenerate Shankill SC  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

THE Shankill Shopping Centre has been sold for approximately €6 million to a private investor, who hopes to create 120 jobs, according to chartered surveyors, Xavier McCaffrey.

With the sale, the unknow n buyer has acquired the majority holding of the shopping centre, including six retail units and an anchor supermarket unit.

The investor has plans to upgrade and modernise the whole centre in the coming year, with the intention of creating a high-quality supermarket and ancillary retail units.

Damien McCaffrey, director, Xavier McCaffrey said: “The new owners intend to refurbish and renew the property to deliver a vibrant and successful village shopping centre, and provide a welcome boost to employment with the potential creation of 120 jobs.

“We were delighted with the huge level of commercial interest

shown during the recent sale, from both owneroccupiers and domestic and international investors alike.”

The shopping centre has been almost completely idle since 2007, with only three units still trading since that time.

Five years ago, the centre was bought by Select Retail Holdings, an investment group which bought the Superquinn chain for €450 million.

However, their plans to open a large Superquinn store in Shankill fell through. The failure to open Superquinn in Shankill was a severe blow to locals, as more than 100 people had lost jobs when Supervalu and other shops on the site closed down.

Three units currently operating out of the Shankill Shopping Centre are not owned by the new buyer, and will continue to trade as a chemist, a fast-food outlet and a hairdresser.

The centre features 150 car parking spaces at surface level, and there are a number of vacant units of various sizes available for lease.

Rugby legends Ollie Campbell and Philip Orr (left, right) with Eoin O’Malley, Ireland/Leinster Rugby; Professor Moira O’Brien, Irish Osteoporosis Society; Fergus McFadden, Ireland/Leinster Rugby and the Heineken Cup

Rugby stars team up for charity O LD Belvedere Rugby Club recently played host to a gathering of current and former sports stars, with ruggy stars and Olympians alike all keen to help support the Irish Osteoporosis Society’s Bone Up For Osteoporosis event.

With the condition affecting 20% of men, and 50% of women over the age of 50, and with the condition

striking people of all ages, including children, the society is keen to continue raising awareness of it as well as encouraging children and adults to become more physically active to help ensure they have healthy bones.

The day saw lots of healthy activities laid on at the club, all designed to help encourage exercise for people of all ages and, of course, to have lots of fun.

Tom Maxwell

Michele O’Brien, the Irish Osteoporosis Society, with

Geraldine and Eddie Cotter

Irish Osteoporosis Society volunteers Hillary Gannon, Redmond

Alex and Adi Singh

with the impressive Cup

O’Mahony and Ciara McCallion

(Back) Ollie Campbell (rugby legend), Keith Walsh (ex-athlete), Tom Hickey (actor), Eoin O’Malley (Ireland/Leinster Rugby), Fergus McFadden (Ireland/Leinster Rugby), Philip Orr (rugby legend), Professor Moira O’Brien (Irish Osteoporosis Society), Kevin Williamson (ex-Olympic swimmer, 1976 and 1980), Natalya Coyle (2012 Olympic pentathlete), Mark Kenneally (2012 Olympic marathon runner), Derek Holland (Atlanta Olympic runner) and Neville Maxwell (Atlanta Olympic rower) with (front) Irish Osteoporosis Society volunteers Hillary Gannon, Barbara David, Harry Cullen, Caroline Shesgreen, Lisa McDonnald, Sophia Singh, Richard Sweeney, Naoise Jeawon, Darragh Whelan and Redmond O’Mahony

11 October 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 3

BUSINESS Treasury Holdings’ DLR assets in spotlight

Questions over future of properties THE future of a number of properties owned

by Treasury Holdings in the Dun LaoghaireRathdown area is uncertain after lawyers for the investment company announced in the High Court last week that they will not be opposing an application by KBC Bank to put the group into liquidation, due to an unpaid debt of €70 million.

Treasury Holdings’ DLR property portfolio includes such concerns as the Stillorgan Shopping Centre, Blake’s of Stillorgan, the Leisureplex site

in Stillorgan, Glendruid Valley, which is part of the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone, and six properties in Central Park in Leopardstown.

Speaking to The Gazette, Councillor Gerry Horkan (FF) said that the announcement of the liquidation would have little effect on Stillorgan Village (formerly Stillorgan Shopping Centre), but that the future of the other properties remained uncertain.

He said: “My understanding is that Stillorgan Shopping Centre is almost full, and it’s doing better now than it has for 10 years.

“They’ll keep going and

trade on, no matter who the owner is. It is easily the most secure of the properties in the county owned by Treasury [Holdings].

“The others are more uncertain, as many of them have no planning, though they’re very good sites.

“There are very few today with the wherewithal to buy the Blake’s site, for instance, and they will probably go into liquidation and someone will buy them, but it’s unlikely that anything will be done with them soon anyway,” said Cllr Horkan.

Cllr Richard Humphreys (Lab) said Treas-

bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

Councillor Gerry Horkan (FF) said he expected the liquidation moves against Treasury Holdings would have little impact on Stillorgan Village, but that others of the company’s assets in the DLR region could face a more uncertain future

ury’s plans had been unsuitable for Stillorgan.

He said: “I don’t know how it [the company’s collapse] will relate to [the] DLR [region], but I can speak about Stillorgan.

“Treasury had some very grandiose plans for Stillorgan, which were out of scale for the area and would mean excessive retail concentration in the village, which wouldn’t have been supported by the road network and

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would have damaged existing business in the community.

“I put forward a motion at the time for the County Development Plan to hold onto Stillorgan’s retail limits,” he said.

“I’m hopeful that the new situation will result in more modest and appropriate development of the extensive land holdings Treasury has in Stillorgan.

“I was very pleased to

see the revamping of the shopping centre, and the new plans are more in keeping with the scale of what is, essentially, a residential area. Treasury wanted to develop multistorey buildings, which would overshadow other buildings,” said Cllr Humphreys.

Treasury Holdings had not responded to The Gazette’s enquiries for comment by the time of going to print.

A NEW exhibition of paintings and ceramics by local artist Karen Ebbs will be launched in the gallery of Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre next week.

She uses the landscape around her to create her pieces and, last month, Ebbs’ work was selected by the Crafts Council of Ireland to exhibit her show, A Place To Gather, at the London Design Festival.

The Dublin-born artist has two studios, one in the capital and one in Wicklow, where she creates her ceramic pieces.

Rockpools and Constellations will be launched in the gallery on Wednesday, October 17 at 6.30pm. The exhibition will continue until Sunday, October 21.

The showing time is from 11am until 4.30pm, and admission is free.

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Councillor Cormac Devlin (FF): “A public enquiry is a must, as far as I’m concerned”

Approval for offshore drill plan condemned  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

THERE was strong condemnation by local politicians and environmental groups to the granting of a foreshore licence to Providence Resources to drill 6km off the Dublin coast early next year, despite repeated calls for a public enquiry into the plan.

The decision to grant the licence was opposed by heritage group An Taisce, which said damage to marine life was possible, and local group Save Our Seafront, led

by Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP), who said the decision had been

made without due consideration of a range of issues.

Earlier this year, Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan refused to grant a public enquiry into the licence application, despite a petition with 4,100 signatures, as well as 700 proposals received through a public consultation process.

Councillor Cormac Devlin (FF) is calling on Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore to back local demands for a public enquiry into the Providence drilling plan off the Dalkey coast.

He said: “I said originally that this was of paramount importance – this

was when the licence was being sought.

“A public enquiry is a must, as far as I’m concerned. The environmental issue is of paramount importance, and is of huge concern because the drilling is so close to the shore, which is unprecedented.

“We need to look at our Government representatives in the constituency, as they have a lot of sway they can use. They need to speak up for people as the public needs to have a say in order to raise their concerns in a proper forum.”

But Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Govern-

ment, Jan O’Sullivan, who is responsible for granting the licence, said she was satisfied that it “would not have a significant negative impact on the marine environment”.

She went on to say that it was “In the public interest to grant the foreshore licence, having regard to the nature of the proposal”.

The Dalkey prospect’s yield estimates are around 250 million barrels of recoverable oil.

In a statement from Providence Resources, a spokesperson told The Gazette: “We have invited a number of groups and individuals to come in

and meet with us to discuss the project and have received constructive and positive feedback.

“We continue to remain open to approaches to discuss any aspect of our proposals with us and encourage anyone with any concerns to speak to us directly.

“We would like to reassure all interested parties that rigorous environmental and health and safety standards form a vital part of our ethos, and detailed proposals on environmental mitigation measures and safety procedures have been submitted as part of this application.”

Retirement club raises €2.2k for charity  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

A recent fundraiser held in the Sallynoggin Inn organised by local active retirement coordinator and water aerobics teacher, Kay Goggins, has raised €2,200 for the Blackrock Hospice.

Kay spoke to The Gazette about the most recent fundraiser: “I run a swimming group every Wednesday in Monkstown for Active Retirement and last week we held our coffee morning in aid of Blackrock Hospice at the Sal-

lynoggin Inn “Everyone in our little swimming club supplied something for the raffle and several shopkeepers like Des Kelly, Woodie’s, the hairdressers, local shops, the flower shop and the credit union gave bigger prizes which we could then auction off.

“It was a great success and everyone enjoyed themselves, there were so many gifts donated that nearly everyone there won something, and we raised €2,200 for the charity.

“George Davis, the owner of the Sallynoggin Inn was very good to us. He gave us a special room for the event because you’d never fit such a crowd into the pub. He gave us the premises for free and laid on hot scones too.

It was like a party and it really had a lovely atmosphere.”

Suzanne Brock from the Irish Hospice Foundation was at the fundraiser and spent the morning explaining the work Blackrock Hospice does and answering any queries people had.

Kay began doing the fundraisers for Blackrock Hospice after she suffered the loss of her daughter to cancer three years ago.

Kay continues to run and lead the water aerobics club in Monkstown swimming pool which meets every Wednesday from 11am until 12pm. She is encouraging all seniors to go along and try it out.

“We’re all over 65 and some are even 80, our oldest member who was 86, only left the group recently. It’s a great bit of fun.”

11 October 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 5

music

council: garda safety plan identifies dun laoghaire district

Concert to help the blind

Road fatality claim disputed  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

DUN Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) is refuting claims made in a new Garda road safety campaign report used to launch their Casualty Reduction Implementation Plan (CRIP) last week, which identified Dun Laoghaire as one of the highest areas for fatal and serious injury crashes.

The CRIP was launched in the Dublin Metropolitan Region on Monday, October 1, and will run for eight weeks.

In a statement, the Garda press office cited a report which said: “Garda districts with the highest levels of fatal and serious injury crashes were Clondalkin, Tallaght, Coolock, Blan-

chardstown, Ballymun, Store Street, Lucan, Dun Laoghaire and Raheny.”

Responding to this claim, a DLRCC spokesperson said the numbers in the report needed to be looked at in greater detail.

“What I can confirm is that of the 51 collisions mentioned in this report (which resulted in eight fatalities and 43 cases of serious injury), only four of them occurred in the county of Dun LaoghaireRathdown.

“These four collisions resulted in one fatality and three cases of serious injury, and this is the lowest level of such incidents of the four Dublin Local Authority areas.”

In response, the Garda press office said: “The ... press release refers to specific Garda Districts.

T he Dun Laoghaire

Garda District is one of a number of Garda Districts within the Local Authority area of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.”

The aim of the new safety plan is to reduce the number of road users killed and seriously injured, and focuses in particular on the most vulnerable road users – pedestrians, pedal cyclists and motorcyclists.

A DLRCC spokesperson said of the plan: “The council is implementing a multifaceted road safety campaign over the coming months which include initiatives such as the AX A/DLRCC Road Safety Roadshow on November 26 and 27; a schools cycle training programme, on-going road safety works at school entrances across the county and a safety review of the N11.”

 Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

Appointment: The Hen House serves up a new head chef, from New Zealand THE Hen House Restaurant in the Pavilion in Dun Laoghaire has appointed a new head chef, who comes all the way from New Zealand.

Nathan Arps took the culinary reins last week at the popular Dun Laoghaire restaurant, having worked in a number of well-respected Dublin eateries over the years, including Johnny Fox’s.

The Hen House specialises in char-grilled chicken, steak and fish dishes, and uses only Irish ingredients. Nathan and his staff use a special American wood-burning oven to cook rotisserie free-range chickens.

Paulo Tullio reviewed the restaurant last week, and gave it a glowing recommendation across the board.

For further information on the Hen House restaurant, see www. thehenhouse.ie, or call 01 663 66 11.

A CONCERT by allmale Rathmines choir, the Celtic Choristers, will take place in the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire this November, in aid of Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB).

The Celtic Choristers were set up in 1998 in St Mary’s College, Rathmines, and frequently competes, in national and international choral festivals.

It has a broad repertoire, including popular songs, Irish and Welsh hymns, and classical compositions.

The choir often performs at charity events, and the Pavilion concert in aid of IGDB begins at 8pm on Friday, November 23, with tickets priced at €15.

To book tickets, or to learn more about the concert, see www.pavilion.ie.

6 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11 October 2012

charity: fundraiser helps support hospice

charity

Call to join Run for a Life

Musicians strike up for a worthy cause

 Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

 Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

Thinking pink: Centra walkers help to raise more than €3,000 to support cancer services STAFF from O’Reilly’s Centra in Cabinteely

were happy to think pink and help support Action Breast Cancer recently. Mark Doyle, Ian Cudding and Bobby O’Reilly helped take part in a 10km looping walk from Cabinteely which took in Blackrock, Monkstown, Dun Laoghaire and Dalkey.

Dressed in vivid pink, and pulling a large, brightly-coloured cart to help highlight the cause, the walkers raised more than €3,000 along the route, with the funds to go to help the Irish Cancer Society continue to provide information, advice and support services for women with breast cancer in Ireland.

THE Dun Laoghaire School of Music recently brought their talent to town and into local cafes for a grand musical coffee morning to raise funds for the Blackrock Hospice.

The school of music, now in its 20th year, organised the fundraising event with local coffee houses, including The Giddy Goose and the Leonardo Cafe.

A number of teachers from the school, including clarinettist Paula McCarthy, guitarist Ioan Moldovan and Iulian Pusca on pan-pipes, were accompanied by tenor Vincent Deegan, Luodmila Podlesnykh on keyboard, and violin-

ist Nina Pusca as they entertained patrons.

Musician Roxanne Heffernan performed for customers at The Giddy Goose, as well as at the newly-established Leonardo Cafe.

“We were delighted to have the music for our customers for such a worthy cause,” said Leonardo Cafe owner, Cristina Pusca.

Catherine Madden, director, Dun Laoghaire School of Music, said: “I am very happy to put our talents to use for such a fantastic charity.

The hospice do excellent work with such commitment and dedication.

“We had a great time sharing music with everyone, and people were most generous. We made almost €300.”

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BROADCASTER Miriam O’Callaghan, and six-yearold kidney transplant recipient Rhys Kane from Loughlinstown, met last week to support the Run for a Life organ donor awareness fundraiser, which takes place on Saturday, October 13.

O’Callaghan said: “As a mother, I can fully appreciate how a sick child or family member impacts on all the family. The wonderful legacy of organ donation is that it touches so many lives in such a positive way.”

Run for a Life takes place at Park West Business Park, Dublin 12 at 12pm.

To register, see www. runforalife.ie. Organ donor cards can be obtained by free-texting DONOR to 50050, or by using the LoCall number, 1890 543 639.

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11 October 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 7

publication Bankers, politicians under scrutiny

Tackling The Untouchables and Ireland’s tribal politics  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

DEPUTY Shane Ross (Ind) and journalist Nick Webb were on hand in Easons in Dundrum last week to sign copies of their new book, The Untouchables, and spoke to The Gazette after the successful launch of their analysis of cronyism among politicians and bankers in Ireland.

The Untouchables is described as an analysis of the rise, fall and rise again of many former bankers who Deputy Ross deems responsible for the current economic crisis in Ireland.

After the signing, he said he was pleased with the event in the popular local bookshop.

“It was brilliant to be in Easons in Dundrum.

There’s always a great buzz at the beginning of a book’s launch.

“It was very lively, and those who showed up asked some very pertinent questions, such as what could be done, and who were ‘the untouchables’, and why were they not being exposed? How could they resurrect themselves so easily and re-emerge in other positions in Irish life?

“They [the attendees] were very curious about this, and there is a huge amount of public anger about it.

“I’ve had hundreds of

emails from people calling [the revelations in the book] horrific. People are very angry; they feel they’ve been hoodwinked.

“The tribal nature of politics in Ireland makes it very stale, and there is a growing demand for new politics.

“I hope there will be an influx of people into politics who are disgusted and frustrated, and will show the door to the old guard,” said Deputy Ross.

He went on to outline the premise of his book, written in association with Webb.

“There is an elite of businessmen and bankers in this country which looks after itself.

“Even more than the politicians, these men are untouchable. Judges, too, can’t be removed from their positions for their whole lives – they are totally untouchable.

“No judge in Ireland has ever been impeached.

They simply can’t be moved,” said Deputy Ross.

“The key appointments in this country are taken up by quangos, judges and bankers and they should all be taken out of the political arena so that they are no longer political appointments.

“There is ruthless use of patronage by quangos for banking appointments.

“In Nama, too, the same property developers

Journalist Nick Webb and Deputy Shane Ross (Ind) at the launch of their new book on Ireland’s politicians, bankers and systems of patronage, The Untouchables, at Easons in Dundrum

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

‘There is an elite of businessmen and bankers in this country which looks after itself’ --------------------------

are back. All Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour politicians use their patronage to get their own cronies into these positions.

“Unfortunately, Fine Gael and Labour are as adept at it, because they learned the game very

quickly. They have their own people in the top spots now, particularly throughout the judiciary,” he said.

Deputy Ross said that two things came to the fore when talking to Irish people about this matter.

“One is the depressing lack of change, despite the Irish political cataclysm which took place with the banks going bust. The old culture is still intact.

“T here is a huge amount of stuff in the book that people don’t know about, and when they do, they’ll be even more cross,” he said.

Superquinn Blackrock reopens  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

LOCAL shoppers were celebrating last week when Superquinn in Blackrock was reopened following a €2 million overhaul and upgrade by its owners, the Musgrave Group.

The relaunch was attended by TV and radio pundit George Hook who did a live Newstalk broadcast from the supermarket.

Celebrations continued at the store with free Irish food tastings and a cooking demonstration by celebrity chef Catherine Fulvio.

The supermarket currently employs 156 staff in Blackrock, and the new investment represents a mark of confidence in the supermarket, which has been in the village since the mid-1970s.

Local councillor Niamh Bhreathnach (Lab) said: “I’ve been in the new store and met the manager and he’s very conscious that he wants the community to come in.

“It’s more like a local supermarket than a chain, and it’s much easier to move around as the long aisles have been broken up.

“I think it’s important that Blackrock people support commercial

life in Blackrock.”

Commenting on the refurbishment, Ian Lynam, the general manager of Superquinn, Blackrock, said: “We are very excited to be officially reopening our new-look Blackrock store.

“The store will have a unique offering for our customers, with an unmatched selection of fresh Irish products.

“We would like to thank our loyal shoppers who have been putting up with the disruption over the past few weeks. Their patience is greatly appreciated and we look forward to having them back in the store.”

crime

Prison escapee arrested  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain bnibhraonain@gazettegroup.com

A MAN who was arrested following an armed robbery in Blackrock on October 4 is wanted in England after escaping from prison, where he was serving a life sentence.

Derek Brockwell was arrested in a taxi on Merrion Road following an armed robbery of Bank of Ireland on Main Street in Blackrock. He was taken to Blackrock Garda Station for questioning under Section 30 of the Offences Against The State Act. Brockwell is one of Britain’s most wanted men, and was featured on the BBC’s Crimewatch TV programme.

The 51-year-old Englishman had 22 life sentences imposed on him, running concurrently, for armed robberies in London. He escaped from Kirkham Prison when on day release in Blackpool.

8 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11 October 2012

RETAIL Nimble Fingers celebrates its first 50 years with

Bernard Farnam

Enterprisenews

Do you need a friend to help you start or grow your Business?

The word Mentor, originally Greek, means “trusted advisor, friend and confidant”.

Everyone running a small business encounters issues – specific or general – where another view would help, especially if this is coming from someone experienced who is able to take a detached view.

For this reason, the Enterprise Board has a panel of Mentors who are appointed to small businesses for a series of meetings on a one-to-one basis, to help the entrepreneur through whatever issues are of concern.

The Mentor assigned to the company has a clear objective – to help the owner manager grow and develop skills to enable them to overcome barriers which are impeding the business’ development.

The Mentor is able to give the business the benefit of a vast amount of experience, together with an objective view of the issues which it is facing.

The Mentor’s role is to guide and advise on the course of action to be taken in a given situation.

The Mentor doesn’t become actively involved in the day-to-day running of the business, nor do they take on a role of an executive of a company.

Typically, an assignment is of six months duration and during this period, the business owner will meet the Mentors five times. Further details on the Mentor Programme, and an application form are available on the Board’s website: www.dlrceb.ie or please call (01) 494 8400

Conor Slater gives out party bags to Dylan and Simon Lowther. Pictures: Geraldine Woods

Playful party brings out child in all of us T

HE popular toy store Nimble Fingers in Stillorgan recently their 50th birthday with a free family festival,Little One In All of Us. Nimble Fingers organised the festival to thank all of its loyal customers who have supported the store across the years. The festival included a range

of free activities and games for children of all ages. There was face painting, arts and crafts, book readings, tea parties and other fun activities.

The shop’s owner, Gareth Staunton, welcomed everyone and said that he was delighted that so many people came along to celebrate the Staunton

family’s important golden milestone.

With generations of families in the area to draw upon as valued customers, Nimble Fingers is firmly cemented in the community as a particularly handy store to get great toys, with locals looking forward to its next 50 years.

Holly Walker makes a Blaise Farnam

Nimble Fingers’ toys cater for all ages and interests

souvenir to take home

11 October 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 9

a fantastic family festival and party at its Stillorgan store

Belle Staunton

The children had fun at the craft area

The shop sells presents for parties and supplies for art and school projects as well as a great range of toys

Captain HOHO joined in on the day’s festivities

Brianne Farnam

Leo and Alfie Ward

Lewis Gibney

Jenny O’Leary

Louisa Jiang brushed up on her art skills at the colourful painting area

10 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11 October 2012

television Launch of a dating show with a difference

10 10 10 10 10 10CASTLEKNOCK CASTLEKNOCK CASTLEKNOCK CASTLEKNOCK CASTLEKNOCK CASTLEKNOCK Gazette Gazette Gazette Gazette Gazette Gazette27 27 27 27 27 27 September September September September September September 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012

Barry Finnegan and Catriona McGinley

Sean Montague, Katie Jane Goldin and Jonny McCann

Make a date with the Love Clinic L

OTS of revellers mingled at the launch party of the new TV show Love Clinic in the grafton lounge, in the city centre recently.

The new TV show, which airs on Thursdays at 9pm, hit the small screen just a few weeks ago, on September 27th.

It is proving to be an untypical

Michaela Fitzpatrick

dating show in that it aims to take participants and with the help of experts in the areas of psychotherapy, life coaching and styling, understand where they have gone wrong in their past relationships. Then, the hope is they will be equipped with tools and strategies to get on the road to finding the right partner.

Helen Goldin, Ronan O’Leary and Aisling O’Dwyer

Brendan Marc Scully

A fairly ambitious goal but it should make interesting viewing over the next few months. And maybe we can all pick up some tips from it.

Love Clinic is a new show format, created by Straywave Media, with the support of RTÉ and in association with Warner Bros International Television.

Pamela Ryan

Virginia Macari and Jo Jordan

11 October 2011 gazette 11

festival A cavalcade of arts for Dracula author

Celebration of Stoker, fangs to Cornwell  bairbre ni Bhraonain

Best-selling crime author Patricia Cornwell is coming to Dublin for the first Bram Stoker Festival which will take place this Halloween.

Cornwell will deliver a talk in Trinity College on the rise of the serial killer in crime fiction and its relation to the Dracula legacy. She will also be signing copies of her new book, Bone Bed. The talk, entitled The Anatomy of Fear – From Stoker to Scarpetta, takes place in the Edmund Burke T heatre, Ar ts Building in Trinity College at 7.30pm on October 26. Tickets are €12

and €10 for concessions.

Dublin will be celebrating Stoker and all things Dracula-related this October bank holiday weekend, October 26 to 28, with an array of vampire-based events throughout the city.

Bram Stoker’s Dublin walking tours will explore the city through the laneways of Victorian Dublin, as well as incorporating creepy visits to places like Christ Church Cathedral’s crypt.

There will also be a series of literary workshops on horror writing given by various wellknown authors, includi n g aw a r d - w i n n i n g children’s writer, Celine

McKiernan.

McKiernan will give a three-hour writing workshop for children aged 11 to 14, entitled Blood Red Ink in the conference room, Long Room Hub, Trinity College, on October 27 and 28 at 10am, and tickets are €5.

Street theatre company Spraoi will give a horror performance suitable for the whole family in the grounds of Dublin Castle, where Stoker worked as a civil servant.

Imagining Bram Stoker will be performed October 28 at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm and is a free event, but booking is required.

For adults, Ouroboros Theatre Ireland will stage

Author Patricia Cornwell: Coming to Dublin for first Bram Stoker Festival

Stoker, a new play by Paul Walker about the life of the creator of Dracula, and his rivalry with Oscar Wilde.

Tickets are €25 and €20 for concessions and the play will be on in the Samuel Beckett Theatre in Trinity College on October 26 and 27 at

7.30pm.

The iconic vampire film, and the first of all the Dracula screen representations, Nosferatu, will be shown for free in Meeting House Square in Temple Bar on Saturday, October 27 at 8pm. The silent film will be accompanied by atmospheric

music from 3epkano, a collective specialising in avant-garde cinema soundtracks. Booking is essential as demand is expected to be high.

For more information on all the events lined up for the festival, you can go online to www.bramstokerfestival.com.

eyesight

Doctor’s call for eye care A Dublin doctor has urged people in the city to take care of their eyesight.

The call from David Keegan, an eye doctor at the Mater Hospital and member of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists, comes as World Sight Day is celebrated on October 11.

“More than half of all sight loss is avoidable when detected early, and a regular eye test can identify early indications of eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, diabetes and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Many agerelated conditions can be successfully treated if detected early.

“In the next 15 years, the Irish population aged 65 and over is set to double and the number of patients with agerelated sight loss problems will increase,” said Keegan.

12 gazette 11 October 2012

filmfest Music on the screen celebrated D oc u m e n tari e s and films about Blur, folk legend Daniel Johnston and Ireland’s DIY scene are among the highlights of a new season of music films taking place at Dublin’s Lighthouse Cinema this month.

OneTwoOneTwo takes place over the weekend of October 19 – 21 in the recently re-opened Smithfield venue, and will feature new and old music documentaries, classic films including In Bed With Madonna and one of the best concert films of all time, Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense.

On the Irish front, there will be a free screening of A Joyful Slog, a documentary examining Ireland’s DIY scene.

Tickets are priced from €15, and there is a weekend pass for €65.

More information can be found at facebook.com/ onetwoonetwodublin.

health Life-changing leaders sought for show

Don’t think twice – go for Operation Transformation  LAURA WEBB

It’s time again to make a lasting change as Operation Transformation returns for its sixth season, and the show is on the look-out for people who wish to make 2013 the year to change their lifestyle and diet.

The Operation Transformation team are looking for people who may be struggling to keep the pounds off or feel their current weight is holding them back to leading the life they would like.

T he show returns next year on RTE for its sixth series and, once again, RTE Radio 1’s John Murray Show is on board as the radio home

for the series.

Radio presenter Murray recently joined four of the 2012 Operation Transformation leaders to put out a nationwide call to find five inspirational new leaders for the 2013 series. Those chosen need to be willing to radically change their eating and exercise habits, and be prepared to inspire viewers and listeners to follow their journey.

Speaking at the photocall, Murray said: “The John Murray Show is delighted to be involved with Operation Transformation once again, and I’m sure it will again inspire thousands of people around Ireland to change their life-

styles and become fitter, healthier and happier.

“If the next leaders are half as committed as those who have come before, I think we are guaranteed another successful campaign that will get people motivated to shed the pounds.”

The TV show’s presenter, Kathryn Thomas said: “The most difficult thing is filling in that application form and signing your name to it.

Don’t think twice – just do it. I know it’s a big deal for people, I know it’s a bit daunting, but if last year’s leaders are anything to go by you’ll be glad you applied. If you’re worried about a family member, friend or colleague, please

Participants from the last series of Operation Transformation Killian Byrne, Natalie Cox, Grace Batterberry and Adrian Brereton with RTE’s John Murray

encourage them to take part.

“We’re looking for families to take part, too, and ask that people be available to take part in filming between November 2012 and March 2013. I’d encourage anyone who’d like to change their lifestyle to get in touch with the production team. Don’t put it on the long finger,

do it today,” she added.

One of last year’s contestants, Natalie Cox said: “Operation Transformation is a great opportunity. Just take the risk, it will change your life and you’ll never be sorry. It changed my whole personality; I’m confident, happy and not afraid of anything. I am so glad I have changed.

I even love shopping

now. It was hard but I will never look back, I’m just happy.”

The closing date for applications is Friday, October 19.

If you think you have what it takes and want to change your life for the better, check out www.rte.ie/ot/featured/ applynow.html or call Sinead or Andy on 01 864 1444.

DublinGazetteNewspapers Advertising Sales Professionals Dublin Gazette Newspapers is Dublin’s fastest growing community weekly regional publisher, with 8 titles covering the M50 from Swords to Dun Laoghaire.

We are currently looking to recruit: We are now seeking experienced media sales executives to work in our advertising dept in our Lucan head office on a number of Dublin Gazette titles. Experience in newspaper advertising sales is preferable. Full clean driving licence and own car required; fluent written and oral English essential.

Excellent package on offer to suitable candidates.

If you can work on your own initiative within a team environment, are motivated, enthusiastic with an excellent work ethic, please send your cv to: mmcgovern@gazettegroup.com

11 October 2012 gazette 13

libraries: contest

music: attempt to get the most people ever dancing to jackson hit

Click! away to win an iPad 3

A great Thriller to enjoy  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

THE National Basketball Arena in Tallaght will host a Guinness World Record attempt to create the largest ever collective performance of Michael Jackson’s Thriller this month.

Thrill The World Dublin 2012 is a world record attempt and charity fundraiser to get the most people dancing simultaneously to the song.

The iconic dance will see performers dressed up as zombies executing the moves made famous

by Jackson in his video for the song, which was a worldwide hit in 1983.

G u i n n e s s Wo r l d Records listed Thriller as the most successful music video of all time in 2006, while, in 2009, the video was the first ever to receive the honour of being inducted into the National Film Registry in America by the Library of Congress, in recognition of being culturally, his-

torically or aesthetically significant.

The dance routine is more than 13 minutes long, and the fundraising is dedicated to raising money for the Carers Association of Ireland.

T he charity helps people who care for the elderly or infirm in their own homes and includes those who are seriously ill, people with disabilities and children with special needs.

The public is urged to go along to support the world record attempt, see a spectacle they won’t forget in a hurry, and help out the association.

If you wish to be part of the world record attempt, you should register by going online to the website at www.carersireland.com.

Thrill The World 2012 takes place on Saturday, October 27 at 6pm and will go on until 9.30pm in The National Basketball Arena, Tymon Park, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Witch way to help? Girls spell out a great Cow & Gate way to support children’s hospital CLARE Dooley and Lauren Heary had a

horribly good time helping to launch Cow & Gate’s Spooky Smiles For Crumlin fundraising initiative. The girls were hoping to help the company cast a spell over people all over Ireland to help support the hospital, with everyone invited to hold a Halloween party to help support Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin’s cardiac and cancer care

wards, with a Cow & Gate party pack to help make the parties a scream.

A Facebook app (www.facebook.com/ cowandgateireland) also invites users to “spookify” little party goers, and share their picture, with Cow & Gate donating €1 to the hospital for each person that uses the app.

For further information on the hospital’s work, see www.smilesforcrumlin.ie.

AVID amateur photographers have a chance to show their skills and maybe pick up a prize this month when South Dublin Libraries runs its annual Digital Photo Competition.

This year, the competition has been renamed as Click!, and the organisers are looking for photos that capture the spirit of living, working in or even visiting South Dublin County.

Your photo should show something distinctive about the county’s admininistrative area that makes it special.

Photos can concentrate on any number of Dublin subjects, whether that means the people, the places, the culture or heritage at work or play and in everyday situations or extraordinary events.

Entry is free, and the closing date is October 31. The first prize for the winning photograph is an Apple iPad 3.

Entries are acceptable by email or in digital form only, and up to three photos can be emailed to sdc@ireland.com along with contact details, title of the photo and where it was taken.

14 gazette 11 October 2012

Gazette Contacts

snapshot The local stories of the day

Block 3A, Mill Bank Business Park, Lucan Tel: 01 6010240 Fax: 01 6010251

Managing Director: Michael McGovern email:mmcgovern@gazettegroup.com Acting News Editor: Rob Heigh email: rheigh@gazettegroup.com Production Editor: Jessica Maile email: jmaile@gazettegroup.com Acting Sports Editor: Stephen Findlater email: sport@gazettegroup.com Picture Editor: Paul Hosford email: picturedesk@gazettegroup.com Advertising Manager: Louise Fitzgerald email: lfitzgerald@gazettegroup.com Advertising Production: Anita Ward email: ads@gazettegroup.com Advertising Sales: 01 6010240 email: sales@gazettegroup.com Gazette Group Newspapers Ltd. Terms and Conditions for acceptance of advertisements Reserve the right to omit or suspend or alter any advertisement(s) in any of its publications. We also decline any responsibility in the event of one or more of a series of advertisements being omitted for any reason whatever, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement. If your advertisement appears incorrectly, contact the Advertising Department immediately, as responsibility cannot be accepted for more than one week’s incorrect insertion. Responsibility cannot be accepted if the complaint is made more than two weeks after insertion. If one places an advertisement for more than one week and then cancels it after the first week, no refund or credit will be given for weeks cancelled. The advertiser undertakes to indemnify the Proprietors against any liability for any civil action arising out of the publication of the advertisement or any other matter printed or published in the Blanchardstown Gazette, Castleknock Gazette, Clondalkin Gazette, Dundrum Gazette, Dun Laoghaire Gazette, Lucan Gazette, Malahide Gazette and Swords Gazette. The placing of an order or contract will be deemed an acceptance of these conditions.

One4All’s Decade in Design judges James Earley, Jerry Kennelly, founder of tweak.com, and Aoife Davey, marketing manager of Gift Voucher Shop with cake-carrying friend at the launch of the competition recently

One4All calling for cards to celebrate ten years Diary TO celebrate 10 years in business, gift voucher company One4all is asking budding designers from Dublin to help them mark the occasion by creating a unique graphic for a specially-commissioned birthday gift card.

The winner will receive a MacBook, in addition to their design being produced and sold across One4all’s various sales channels throughout the country.

Speaking at the launch, judging panel member, renowned graffiti artist, and graphic designer James Earley said: “This is a great opportunity for those in Dublin involved in commercial and graphic design or for anyone interested in a career within this industry. What better way to draw attention, literally, to your talents with a unique project like this in your portfolio?”

Closing date for Decade In Design is 5pm on Friday, October 26.

Those interested in entering or learning more about the competition should visit www.one4all.ie/ design.

Road Safety Authority highlight mobile danger STAR of the RTE hit drama Raw and RSA Road Safety Ambassador Keith McErlean this week launched the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and Setanta Insurance national road safety film competition, Keep Drama Off The Roads.

The competition, which will appeal to all young budding filmmakers, aims to generate awareness among young people of the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving, particularly texting while driving.

The competition marks the launch of Irish Road

Safety Week, which takes place from Monday, October 8 to Sunday, October 14.

To date this year, 131 people have been killed on Irish roads.

One third (31.3%) of those killed were aged 16 to 25. Last year, 56 young people in this age bracket were killed on Irish roads, representing one in three of all road fatalities.

A full list of entry requirements for the competition can be found on www.keepdramaofftheroads. ie.

Get ready for library festival coming to the Red Line this November South Dublin Libraries has announced the first Red Line Book Festival, taking place from November 13 to 17.

The Red Line Book Festival features both Irish and international contemporary authors, celebrating books, reading, and the written word.

The festival will incorporate the traditional Readers Day on Saturday, November 17, with Dermot Bolger as host, with esteemed guests President Michael D Higgins, Gerard Donovan, Anne Enright, Sean Moncrieff, Ferdia MacAnna, Christine Dwyer Hickey and Adrian Kenny.

Readers Day takes place in the The Civic Theatre, Tallaght. Tickets priced at €10 and €8 concession are on sale now.

Events will take place at the Civic Theatre, The Victory Centre, Firhouse, Rua Red, and South Dublin Library branches.

To browse the programme online, see www. redlinebookfestival.com All the events in the Civic Theatre including Readers Day can be booked online at www. redlinebookfestival.com, in person or by phone (01 4627477)

11 October 2012 gazette 15

retail Website brings virtual service to homes

The shopping centre in your living room  laura webb

A VIRTUAL online shopping centre has arrived, making e-commerce easier for the seller and buying easier for the shopper.

Fresh on the online market, shoppingcentre. ie is an innovative and convenient new way to shop online from the comfort of your home.

The website is designed to unite large and small retailers, service providers and other sellers directly with the customer online.

T he website rents space to businesses that want to sell online using an efficient platform with

integrated social media, stock management, discount systems and many other features.

This approach is designed to make local shopping even easier with a planned expansion of the site to include Ireland’s shopping centres and other locations, for example, blackrock.shoppingcentre.ie and swords. shoppingcentre.ie.

Commenting on the new website, James McGeogh, of Connemara Foods said: “I set up a virtual shop myself with its easy-to-use guide in under two hours, and it was launched almost i m m e d i a t e l y. T h a t removed a huge amount

of stress out of a normally time-consuming task.”

According to the team behind shoppingcentre. ie, it makes shopping fun, easy and cost-saving.

Buyers can easily browse and buy online, compare prices and choose the best option for them.

The buyer will be able to shop locally, regionally or even globally from many shops around Dublin, Ireland and overseas.

Multiple items can be bought and purchased using PayPal. Vendors then send the products directly to the buyer.

There are 21 stores currently “live” on the site, with 35 more on the way.

Interested businesses

Jurgita Glodenyte, the owner of shoppingcentre.ie

can join shoppingcentre. ie by registering online, paying the store set-up fee of €195. Sellers who register with shoppingcentre.ie before the middle of October will get the first six months “rent-free”.

Alternatively, they can choose to start paying monthly fees and avoid

the store set-up fee.

Jurgita Glodenyte, the owner of shoppingcentre.ie, says: “We use a flexible approach and will accommodate every business.”

After registration, sellers are coached in how to add products and pictures, prices and deliv-

ery instructions on the site. The team at shoppingcentre.ie can also arrange a PayPal set-up and recommend the best shipping companies to help them deliver their products.

For further information, see www.shoppingcentre.ie.

theatre

Thrill to new form on stage DUBLIN’S Project Arts Centre will this week play host to an elaborate experiment in theatre, when Your Brother, Remember? comes to town.

Written by reknowned American playwright Zachary Oberszan, the play uses the concept of before-and after photographs, and splices together home videos, Hollywood film footage and live performance within the proscenium arch.

Challenging expectations, Oberszan depicts the peculiar parallels of his childhood with his brother and the life of their hero, Jean Claude Van Damme, and explores how the brothers’ life paths diverged from the hopes of their past.

The show runs from October 11 to 13 at 7.45pm nightly, with a 5.45pm show on October 13.

Tickets, priced from €15-20 are available from www.projectartscentre.ie

16 gazette 11 October 2012

Gazettemusic review: tyler hilton releases the long-awaited forget the storm

Coming through stormy waters  Paul hosford

ACROSS the world, there are acts dreaming of landing a major-label deal.

Even in the changing musical landscape, the backing of a behemoth company to keep an act on the radar of news outlets, radio stations and tastemakers the world over can be an invaluable resource.

But, for every star that labels create, there are the others.

T he scrapheap of those promised the sun, moon and stars but come up short is littered with artists too talented not to continue making music.

For Tyler Hilton, prob-

ably best known for his role as Chris Keller on the hit show One Tree Hill and for playing Elvis Presley in the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line, a five-year stint spent writing and eventually scrapping an album on Warner Bros was the beginning of something of a rebirth.

The Storms We Share may have proved ill-fated, but his new album, the aptly-titled Forget The Storm, sees him in fine form.

For a man who hasn’t released an album in eight years, Hilton has a remarkable swagger.

Opener Kicking My Heels features big, bassy drums and a huge chorus that recalls Match-

box Twenty in their prime, with Hilton singing “Even God needs the Devil/And I’m one hell of a friend/If it makes you feel better/At least we’re going down together” before embracing his faith, exclaiming “Ha!”.

Prince of Nothing Charming is another chorus-driven pop song, with the raspy vocals, the earnest lyrics (“And I got nothin’ when you smile like Mona Lisa/ Cos I need ya/I need ya tonight”) and the big guitars-and-piano-driven chorus proclaiming “Baby, You’re Beautiful”. It is quintessentially American teen-dramasoundtrack standard, but is no worse for it.

It is, like the vast

majority of the tracks on the album, a well-crafted, catchy and ever-somelodic song.

Hilton is a writer capable of writing big, commercial-sounding hooks, which many scoff at and deride as a skill.

But, the reality is, there are many, many hugely talented bands that are a good hook away from being great.

Singalong hooks, choruses and riffs are priceless in this day and age as they can command attention in a world where the average music career lasts as long as a Kim Kardashian marriage.

But, Hilton himself seems to be aware of his skill and branches out

on Forget The Storm.

Leadoff single Loaded Gun is a bluesy piece of stomp rock and Ain’t No Fooling Me sees Hilton in touch with southern rock.

The songs come as a breath of fresh air in the album, even if, personally, I prefer the acoustic/piano efforts, with Leave Him and I Belong being absolute highlights and You’ll Ask Me the best song on the album, showing Hilton as a writer of massive talent and potential.

Let’s just hope it’s not another eight years to the follow-up.

Hilton is on his way to Dublin for a gig at The Academy on October 25 with tickets €20.

Tyler Hilton’s all-American face is matched by his sound

11 October 2012 GAZETTE 17

GazetteBEAUTY

Edited by Laura Webb

Use the scent of summer to banish the winter blues

S

O IT’S the end of the summer – not that we actually had one, but who says we can’t still enjoy the fresh and revitalising scents that are associated with the summer season?

Roger and Gallet Paris, a perfumery since 1862, has two great fresh fragrant water sprays that are sun-filled to brighten up even the darkest days.

The first is Eau Sublime Or – Boise D’Orange.

This fragrant water has fresh notes of mandarin, with a hint of coconut and vanilla.

What is great about this product is that it adds an elegant glow to the skin, courtesy of the little speckles of golden sparkles incorporated into the spray.

Another fragrance from this perfumery is Rose Imaginaire – Eau fraiche parfumee. This natural spray has been inspired by the wonders of nature.

It, too, has a zesty fragrance of mandarin, complemented by strawberry, giving it a great fruity note, while jasmine and violet blend sweetly, leading to the heart of the

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

‘Be adventurous with your fragrances, and you will be surprised how they will lighten your mood’ --------------------------

fragrance.

These fragrances are not overpowering, and they each leave a subtle scent that will have everyone talking.

The recommended retail price is €39.75. For further information, and for a full list of stockists, see www.roger-gallet.ie.

Meanwhile, Lancome has launched its new shower gel and body lotion inspired, by its new fragrance – La vie est belle.

The shower gel and body lotion are now available, complete with a wonderful fresh scent, courtesy of the new Lancome fragrance.

La vie est belle shower gel and body lotion are now available from your nearest Lancome counter, with a RRP of €32 (shower gel) and €34

Eau Sublime Or – Bois D’Orange: fresh notes of mandarin, with a hint of coconut and vanilla

(body lotion).

La vie est belle eau de parfum is available from Lancome counters nationwide, priced from €47 (30ml).

So, instead of feeling the blues this autumn/ winter, let your senses be

your guide to make you feel and smell like the warmest day of summer.

Be adventurous with your fragrances, and you will be surprised how they will lighten your mood – the fruitier, the better!

Super search: Hunt is on for next top stylist THE search is on for a super stylist, with Oasis teaming up with TV3 to launch My Personal Stylist 2012, with a dream job as a personal stylist up for grabs.

Last year’s winners of the Oasis Personal Stylist search, Justine King and Sarah Blake, styled Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model 2012 contestant, Lisa Madden (centre) to help launch the search.

For further information, and entry forms, call into your local Oasis outlet.

Eau Sublime Or (top), and Rose Imaginaire

Get ready – A&F is about to open FASHIONISTAS everywhere, hold on to your stylish hats – the legendary American chain that is Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) opens its Dublin flagship store next month.

On November 1, at 11am, A&F will open its store, located at 34 College Green, with the historic location to be the first of its kind in the region.

Known for its exceptional quality, the international chain, which is more than 100 years old, has very well-known admirers, with the brand worn by some of America’s most notable visionaries and leaders.

Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and John F Kennedy were patrons, as well as American icons such as Amelia Earhart, Ernest Hemingway, James Dean and Katharine Hepburn.

A&F is known around the world for its iconic, provocative image of the perfectly toned and defined AllAmerican Guy. The iconic image of the “hot guy” honours the longstanding heritage of strength that A&F has been known for since 1892.

For the opening ceremony of the store, the hottest A&F Guys, carefully selected from their stores in the US, Italy, Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong will be flown into Dublin.

During the week leading up to the opening, the A&F Hot Guys will be greeting and taking pictures with fans outside the store.

Follow A&F on Facebook and Twitter, and line up early on November 1 for the grand opening.

18 GAZETTE 11 October 2012

GazetteBUSINESS

Supported

by AIB

Interview: Jacqui Fogarty, Little Miss Party Nails, Little Miss Party Hair FINANCIAL PLANNING MADE EASY I USED to be a dreadful worrier. (Stick with me on this, because it is relevant.) I would lie awake at two in the morning, asking myself where I had gone wrong and a voice would answer back: “This is going to take more than one night.”

Then, I had the good fortune to work with a successful entrepreneur who, for the purposes of this article, I shall call Gerry, because that happens to be his name.

The thing I noticed straightaway about Gerry was that he had elevated list-making to an art form. Before he wanted to achieve something important – start a business, raise millions of euro a year for charity, launch a takeover – he would prepare a list of all the different steps involved.

Anyway, as someone who has elevated plagiarism to an art form, I copied him and, although I cheat (I often write down things I have already done for the satisfaction of being able to cross them off), I have found that the simple process of listing has dealt a deathblow to my nocturnal fretting.

What does this have to do with financial planning made easy? If more people realised that financial planning was nothing more than a bit of glorified list-making, they might be keener to take it on.

A well-executed plan What can a financial plan do for you? I’ll cut to the chase – financial plans are like a powerful amulet. This is what a good, well-executed financial plan could do for you: • Wipe out all your personal debts.

• Help you pay off your mortgage early.

• Make sure you never have to borrow again.

• Help you build up plenty of savings.

• Ensure that your money achieves the highest possible return.

• Give you enough money to retire early.

• Protect you and your dependants against financial hardship.

• Offer you financial freedom.

• Make you wealthy enough to never have to worry about the future, whatever it may bring.

Think I am overpromising or exaggerating? If anything, I am erring on the side of caution. A good financial plan can make you invincible.

What exactly is a financial plan? Perhaps the easiest way to explain how they work is to use an analogy.

If you were driving from Copenhagen to Zagreb – heaven knows why, but you are – and you don’t have one of those wizard satellite navigation systems, you would not choose a road at random and hope for the best, would you? No, you wouldn’t.

You would plan your journey. If you encountered diversions, you would get out the map and decide on a new route. Throughout the journey, you would check on your progress.

Your financial plan should have the same qualities. That is to say, it should help you reach your destination, make your journey as fast as possible and stop you from wasting time, energy and, of course, money.

Part Two continues next week ...  Contact John with your money questions at

jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor

Jacqui has nailed what little girls want WITH more than 15 years’ experience in the hair and beauty industry, Jacqui Fogarty, from Churchtown, felt there was a gap in the market when it came to hair and nail parties for little girls – hence, Little Miss Party Nails, and her newest party addition, Little Miss Party Hair, was born.

She said: “Little girls love nothing more than having their hair and nails done, but I wanted the whole party experience to be more than just that by introducing hair and nail demonstrations for all the guests to creating themselves, with dummy hands and doll heads.

“Our parties can be mixed and matched, and are very creative, developing each individual’s imaginative side while waiting their turn.”

Being very concerned about applying regular polish, Jacqui sourced award-winning Piggy Paint nail polish from America.

This child-friendly formula is non-toxic, hypo-allergenic and water-based, making it perfect for little nails. To seal the finishing touches, nail art/nail decals are applied with a glossy top-coat, glitzy hand tattoo and a ring of choice.

They also offer the optional extra of Little Miss Party Bags to really take the pressure off mothers.

While each individual guest has their nails or hair professionally crafted by an experienced nail technician/stylist, all the other guests will be busy having fun creating stunning designer nails and crafts or hair designs with gems and glitter as far as the eye can see.

Catering for a wide range of different events, and with party sizes covering the Dublin area and surrounding counties, parties start from €125 for approximately 150 minutes, depending on numbers.

Jacqui Fogarty

Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

A: In the entertainment industry

Q: What was your first job?

A: Promotional work Q: And your first pay cheque?

A: A few pounds Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed?

A: No Q: When did you start your present job?

A: I created Little Miss Party Hair & Nails in March

Q: What is the best thing about your job?

A: The flexibility that it gives being a working mum

Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be?

A: Chocolate

12 is listening to or watching, I am, too – I have to get into their world to be able to party with them

Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna?

A: Dame Edna

Q: Is there anything about yourself that you would like to set the record straight on?

A: Yes – I am a bit of a clean

Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward?

A: It has to be Jedward

Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously?

A: Everywhere

freak and have to be organised

Q: What music/pictures/movies do you have on your iPod/ iPad? A: A mixed bag of everything

day ... I am a working mum

Q: What sport do you follow?

A: Golf, as it’s never off our television

Q: What sport can you play?

A: I love skiing Q: What habits would you like to lose?

A: Lost many a bad habit a long time ago, but there is still that chocolate on the desk

Q: Have you achieved anything that you once thought you could not pull off?

A: Being my own boss

Q: At the moment, what are you looking forward to?

A: A few days’ break away with

Q: What part of your working day do you delegate?

A: [Nothing, as] All day every

Q: What is your guilty music/ TV or movie pleasure?

A: Everything that a girl under

the hubby

Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook?

A: Anyone that makes me laugh

Q: What was your last Tweet/ status update?

A: The fact that we are delighted to be promoting Oxfam Ireland’s Pass The Present campaign (www.oxfamireland. org/passthepresent)

Q: Describe your dream meal?

A: The one whereby you lose pounds as you eat ...

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A: About 20 Q: What was your worst holiday experience?

A: Lots of great holidays when I would arrive – but always drama, getting there and back

Q: Describe your dream holiday?

A: The one that never ends ...

Q: What would be your dream job?

A: I am in it now. Partying every week with happy faces – who could ask for more?

Q: What do you plan to do when you retire?

A: Keep partying

11 October 2012 GAZETTE 19

GazetteBUSINESS Many happy returns for 2011 taxes

Supported

by AIB

ADVICE: HINTS AND TIPS ON NEGOTIATING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED

Paul Brady AITI BL BCL, a chartered tax adviser and founder of taxandlegal.ie, recently spoke to GazetteBusiness about the upcoming tax return deadline, and had some hints and tips to help people to complete their returns.

It is tax return time again.

If you were self employed and/or a landlord in 2011, you are required to file a return and pay tax on or before October 31 next.

The following are some tips for those faced with a looming tax bill:

1. Do not bury your head in the sand Do not develop a false sense of security because there is no one banging down your door. A tax liability will not disappear if you ignore it. In fact, it will grow at 8% per annum interest and that is ignoring surcharges and penalties which may apply.

2. Working from

home Many self employed individuals operate from their own home. Remember, you can deduct part of the cost of electricity, heating, telephone and internet. You must apportion costs between private and business use on a reasonable basis. In many cases, people will use square footage, usage or time spent as a basis. If you are renting, a portion of the rent attributable to a home office could be claimed. If you are in receipt of mortgage interest relief at source (TRS), be careful in trying to claim mortgage interest payments as a deduction.

3. Use actual expenses Some sole traders estimate their expenses based on the angle of the sun and direction of the wind. This is not a good idea. If you are audited, Revenue may seek the supporting documentation for expenses claimed

and, if they do not exist, Revenue can use their own estimate of what your expenses were.

Needless to say, that is not a desirable situation.

4. Preliminary tax Once your business is up and running for two years, you will have to pay the balance of tax due for last year (ie 2011) and preliminary tax in respect of this year (ie 2012). Preliminary tax is an amount equal to 100% of last year’s tax or 90% of this year’s total. Some banks are offering loans to meet preliminary tax liabilities.

If you can pay last year’s tax but preliminary tax is causing you difficulty, you should get in touch with your local Revenue office. Despite the impression given in the media, the Revenue Commissioners are not looking to put people out of business and will work with you.

5. Mortgage deduc-

tions for Landlords Normally, mor tgage repayments will have both a capital and an interest element. If you are renting a residential property, remember that only 75% of the interest element of the mortgage repayments is deductible.

Do not make the mistake of assuming that because the mortgage exceeds the rent, no tax arises.

Besides, if you declare losses now, they can be offset against profits in the future (here’s hoping!).

6. Spare cash If you have cash to spare, you could reduce your tax bill by investing in a tax relieved film or an EIIS scheme. Investments made now will reduce your 2012 liability. You could also make a contribution to a PRSA or other pension in respect of 2011. Again, up to certain limits, your taxable income will be reduced by the amount of the contribution.

Paul Brady AITI BL BCL, chartered tax adviser and founder of taxandlegal.ie with some tax tips

www.gazette group.com All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

20 gazette 11 October 2012

GazetteMOTORS Bose edition RoadSigns bodes well for Renault’s Grand Scenic Over €2k of extras for loyal customers

When a car hits the right notes, manufacturers are often faced with a dilemma about where to go next?

It could easily be seen as arrogant to assume that a successful offering is so good that it needs no refinement, yet at the same time, to mess with a successful concept can often detract from its original appeal.

The Skoda Yeti is a car that I have great affection for - it was the very first car that I test drove as a motoring journalist, and it put a big smile on my face.

n Cormac Curtis

The Skoda Yeti Urban

At the time, my own car was a big SUV that guzzled petrol if you so much as looked at it, and it didn’t really like to move very much.

The Yeti, on the other hand, politely sipped from its diesel tank and ate up motorway in exceptional comfort. To say I was smitten would be putting it mildly. This car offers so much to so many it has been widely hailed as one of the most complete cars on the road. It’s an incredibly eye-catching and attractive car, and it’s big, but it’s not so big that it becomes impractical for city living.

For getting away from it all – it has everything you need for a rural break, no matter how outdoorsy your demands may be.

Even using the standard seating configuration, the car has enough clever nets, hooks and storage areas to keep all your gear stowed safely.

It offers Skoda’s VarioFlex rear seating system – so even skiing and surf gear can be carried while passengers still ride in comfort. The Yeti Urban is powered by Skoda’s efficient 2.0 TFI (110bhp) engine, which gives it a nice bit of power when you need it.

So, in short, Skoda is offering its loyal Yeti customers over €2,000 worth of extras for just €220 with the Urban spec.

The car comes with the extraordinary panoramic sunroof, attractive 17” black/silver alloy wheels, a Bolero Radio, multifunction leather steering wheel with Bluetooth, the VarioFlex seating, tinted sunset windows, cruise control, airconditioning, ESP and a total of seven airbags for added safety.

For €25,495 you are certainly getting a lot of car for your money.

I was a little taken aback when I heard about the Renault Grand Scenic Bose Edition.

Q u i t e h o n e s t l y, I really couldn’t understand how Renault were going to marry a car with a premium sound system as a special edition model.

My confusion dissipated as soon as I saw the car.

The designers really did manage to capture a variety of musical elements and translate them into style points on an already impres-

sive vehicle.

The Grand Scenic itself defies accepted wisdom by providing an incredibly roomy car with a selection of very economical – and comfortable – diesel engines that don’t disappoint when it comes to performance.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating, the efficiency that car manufacturers can squeeze out of such small engines continues to impress me.

The model I drove came with the 1.6 dCi engine producing 130 bhp, more than enough poke to balance the

power-to-weight ratio of this particular cruising machine in the driver’s favour.

Not only that, it will use just 4.4 litres of fuel per 100km on a combined cycle.

The look of the car really does set it apart.

The pearl white paint is the perfect canvas on which to show off the obvious as well as the more subtle design cues.

A good place to start is the lights. The rear shows off L -shaped clusters that w rap around the side as well as up towards the roof of the car.

This lifts what could have been the least attractive aspect of the Scenic.

The boot boasts an attractive chrome strip across the handle, and, moving around to the side, and we are presented with more beautifully understated chrome strips set just above the bottom of the doors.

This chrome pack is finished off at the front, where we are presented with three strips accenting the dramatic black, low-set grille.

The middle strip has a cluster of LED lights set in to give the front

The Grand Scenic did not

an impressive look at night.

On the inside, I can only describe the dash as being lifted straight from a grand piano.

There is some of the

11 October 2012 GAZETTE 21

Edited by Cormac Curtis

RoadSigns

The new Panda’s looks are all about practicality

Fiat introduces its new Panda

disappoint when it came to performance

most highly polished panels I have ever seen in a car adorning the console, and only the mere mention of Bose, a name that only appears very subtly on the car, inside and out.

In terms of sound – anyone with a passing interest in music will be completely blown away by what the system is capable of producing across its nine speakers.

My own choice of very loud guitar and hip hop really must have seemed at odds with the somewhat practical image of the Grand Scenic.

The comfort of the driver and passengers is, of course, well taken care of with a list of features including a combined odour/particle filter, dual-zone climate control, electrically operated heated folding door mirrors, a

heated rear windscreen, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, electric front windows (driver’s one touch) , the innovative handsfree Renault card and the very useful hill start assist.

For safety, electronic parking brake, ABS - Emergency brake assist, front lateral and curtain airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounting points (rear side seats), front fog lights, a perimeter alarm and a safety pack are all standard in the Bose edition.

Not forgetting the Bose® Energy Efficient Series Sound System with Bluetooth® and Plug & Music.

The sat nav features Britain and Ireland maps and the Carminat

TomTom Live navigation system Controls include cruise control and speed limiter, rear parking proximity sensors, electric parking brake, daytime running lights and motorway mode

indicators.

I felt the dark grey upholstery with Teflon treatment and leathertype inserts complemented the console, and the leather steering wheel gave one of the most important points

of contact a very luxurious feel.

The car’s 17” alloy wheels, extra tinted rear windows and black sari aluminium wheel rim all added to a very exclusive package that made this dad feel very young at heart.

THERE are certain cars that will always have a place in the hearts of Irish motorists. One such car is the Fiat Panda.

Many consider it a design classic, with a shape that first hit the streets in 1980. It has had just two significant makeovers in Europe over the last three decades.

The most recent shape came off its Italian production line in 2011 and hit the Irish market earlier this year. If you’re honest, the idea of a Panda will probably bring a smile to your face, with just a hint of a smug grin at the thought of the original boxy shape. But let’s not forget that the Panda comes from Italy – and the Italians know a thing or two about style, even if the dependability of their cars wasn’t always world class.

At first glance, I liked the look of the Panda – it’s clearly all about practicality, but there are playful elements of design all over this car. The brief here is user-friendly, with a smile.

Several features of the second generation of the Panda have been nicely redesigned, such as the vertical rear light cluster and third window, now with softened angles that create the effect of an uninterrupted glazed surface. Smooth, rounded shapes are also found in the strips applied to the bumpers and side panels. Finally, the lower section of the tailgate protrudes with respect to the rear window. Combined with the side line, this gives a distinct impression of a roof panel resting on the bodywork.

The interior of the Panda is roomy and comfortable, where flexibility and versatility become the city car’s real strong points. The dashboard – enveloped in a colourful frame – has been designed as a practical multipurpose shell containing a large and roomy storage pocket for very useful stowing.

The raised gear lever in the centre of the dashboard, up close to the steering wheel, guarantees comfortable driving. Another stylistic and functional feature is the distinctive shape of the parking brake whose smaller size allows the space to be used more efficiently.

This is an agile, manoeuvrable and really big city car - but it faces stiff competition from a wave of small cars that are fighting aggressively for a share of the Irish market, including the Skoda CitiGo, VW Up! and Seat Mii.

22 gazette 11 October 2012

GazetteTravel FastTravel A superb celebration of the arts at Queen’s University Belfast festival WHETHER it’s spending an evening in the company of Van Morrison, listening to the tunes of Ray Davies or enjoying a world-class production of Macbeth, the 2012 Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s University in Belfast is one stop that should be made this month – to a city that’s really made an impact this year.

In what is the 50th instalment of the festival, the Belfast arts celebration has come a long way since the modest campus event that first took place in 1961. Over the past 50 years, the festival has showcased some of the world’s biggest acts, including Jimi Hendrix, Kylie Minogue, Rowan Atkinson and Michael Palin.

This year, the festival features more than 180 events across 17 days, with world premieres and international acts taking to the stage of Belfast City.

Holidays for Halloween needn’t be hellish at all

n natalie burke

Golden anniversary ... Shan McAnena, Belfast Festival director; Fiona Cunningham, Northern Ireland Tourism Board’s market manager for the Republic of Ireland, and Anne McMullan, Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau, mark a big event

International acts From October 19 until November 4, Belfast will be featuring both home-grown and international artists, authors and performers.

Performances by Dublin’s Junk Ensemble, WillFredd Theatre, the Project Arts Centre and the Everyman Theatre in Cork will be highlights of the festival, while productions from across the world will be making their Irish debut.

See the National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Enquirer, the controversial production Minsk 2011, by the Belarus Free Theatre, or the Tron Theatre Company’s brilliant re-imagining of Joyce’s Ulysses.

Speaking at the launch, festival director Shan McAnena summed up the heart of the festival, saying: “There’s music in shopping centres, churches and museums, comedy at the heart of Queen’s University, theatre in offices, public baths and bars, and art in the open air.

“From hip-hop to opera, hunting for fairies to ghosts in the dark, from international superstars to local heroes, we are proud to present the largest and most eclectic festival in Ireland.”

For further information, places to stay and things to do, see www.discovernorthernireland. com, or call 1850 230 230.

Halloween is almost here and along with pumpkins, goblins and the other ghoulish types that haunt this time of year, some families may be hoping to make an escape from the regular trick or treating trail.

With ghost tours, pumpkin festivals and fancy dress balls on the getaway menu, it appears to be full scream ahead when it comes to choosing a daunting destination this October bank holiday.

Killer Killarney Killarney is known for having its fair share of ghosts and legends and this year’s Halloween festival at the four-star

Malton hotel does its best to awaken the best of them.

With party games such as Pass the Pumpkin and Musical Zombies, as well as a programme filled with ar ts and

Two nights B&B with one evening meal is available midweek from just €149 per adult sharing and €60 per child (three to 12 years). See w w w.themalton.com online.

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

‘With ghost tours, pumpkin festivals, fancy-dress balls and creepy cruises on the getaway menu, it’s looking like full scream ahead for Halloween destinations’

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

crafts, a spider hunt and a ghost bus tour, taking guests on a frightening trip to see some of Killarney’s scariest spots, The Malton has plenty of horrors for the whole family to enjoy.

A family room at the Castlecourt Hotel in Co Mayo

Macabre Mayo Elsewhere, the Westport Plaza and Castlecourt Hotel Resorts in Co Mayo are offering a host of tricks and treats for all the family, from Monday, October 29 to

Sunday, November 4.

Just minutes away from the haunted house and fireworks display at the Halloween Fest, Wespor t House, the hotels are tailormade for a Halloween break.

The “spooktacular” packages offer a Halloween party night and karaoke for the kids, while mum and dad can escape for some relaxation at the Spa Sula.

Three nights’ B&B, plus two evening meals a r e av a i l a b l e f r o m €409 at the Castlecourt Hotel (see www.castelecourthotel.ie online) or from just €449 at the Westport Plaza (online at www.westportplazahotel.ie).

See Travel Briefs for a chance to win a break away.

Petrifying Pumpkins For a town normally home to just over 3,000 people, Virginia, Co Cavan, cer tainly knows how to cater for the crowds as a total of 20,000 people are expected to descend in time for the annual Pumpkin Festival, taking place from October 25 to October 29.

In what is the town’s sixth year to host the popular Halloween celebration, the event will be headlined by the Hothouse Flowers and

Smashing little pumpkins

the Garth Brooks Experience, and will entertain out-of-towners with a pumpkin weigh-in competition, a haunted forest walk and Ireland’s largest fancy dress party.

K nowing where to stay is easy, with plenty of hotels offering some scarily good prices.

Stay at the Lakeside Manor Hotel from just €55 per room or treat yourself at the Park Hotel on its own private 100-acre estate from €109 per room.

Visit www.pumpkinfestival.ie or www.hotels. com.

Creepy Killiney If there’s one type of hotel that really sells the Halloween theme, it’s got to be an original 18th century castle.

And for families who don’t want to travel too far, the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney, could

11 October 2012 dun LAOGHAIRE gazette 23

Edited by Natalie Burke

Competition Win a wickedly good weekend in Westport this Halloween Dublin Gazette Newspapers and the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, Co Mayo, have joined together to offer our readers the chance to win a frightfully good getaway this Halloween mid-term, with a two-night stay at the four-star resort for two adults and two children sharing, with breakfast each morning and dinner on one evening of your choice.

Children can avail of the Buzz Club during their stay, with daily sports, treasure hunts and talent shows.

The dates for the prize are Thursday, November 1, and Friday, November 2, and to win, answer this simple question: What day of the week does Halloween fall on this year?

Send your answers (including name, address and contact number) by email, with the subject line, Halloween, to competition@gazettegroup. com, by Friday, October 19.

Max and Ruby Kelly helped launch the 2012 Virginia Pumpkin Festival. Inset, the spooky exterior of the Malton Hotel in Killarney.

be just the haunt.

From just €370, families can enjoy two nights’ B&B with one evening dinner for two adults and two children.

Guests will be greeted by wine and chocolates as well as a spooky Halloween gift for the children. Available from October 29 to November 2, email reservations@ fitzpatricks.com.

Scary Co Derry One of Europe’s greatest Halloween festivals, the Bank of the Foyle Halloween Carnival, is set to return to Co Derry once again this year, with five days of family fun leading up to the spectacular carnival parade and fireworks display on October 31.

With events organised for all ages, visitors can dress up in creepy costumes joining the throngs of witches,

warlocks, vampires and monsters haunting the streets.

W hy not take up Northern Ireland Tourists Board’s (NITB) special accommodation offer at the Everglades Hotel, Co. Derry with two nights’ B&B and one evening meal from just £95 (€118) per person sharing.

For more information or to book, visit www. discovernor thernireland.com or call 1850 230230.

King Cong Spending a night in bewitching surroundings is one theme that sells to both the children and their parents when it comes to taking a Halloween family break.

A “ghoulish getaway” package at Lisloughrey Lodge in Cong, Co Mayo will keep the little monsters entertained in

the Skeleton Club with scary movie evenings, Halloween games and ghost story telling, while the family can enjoy breakfast each morning, a delicious dining experience with the “Best Chef in Connacht” at W i l d e ’s R e s t a u r a n t before the Halloween Party pumpkin carving and old-style trick or treating.

Available from €390 for a family of two adults and two children, visit www.lisloughreylodge. com.

Sail from Ross-scare Off-shore, ghost ships make up the biggest part of seafaring lore and Stena Line have created the perfect package to create your own legend this Halloween.

The Halloween Family fun day cruise takes place on Wednesday, October 31, setting sail

across the Irish sea on a non-landing cruise from both Dublin Port and Rosslare.

Passengers can enjoy a scarily good day of Halloween balloon modelling, scary face painting, spooky treasure hunts and Halloween arts and crafts.

With a prize for the

best dressed, families can take their trick or treating on board from just €35 for one adult and one child, €60 for two adults and two children or €70 for two adults and three children.

Visit www.stenaline. ie/halloween to book your place.

Lighting up the Halloween night in Derry

24 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11 October 2012

GazetteENTERTAINMENT

GoingOUT THE pavilioN THEATRE 01 231 2929 Brendan Grace

THE greatest family comedian of his generation proudly presents 40 years in the comedy business, Brendan’s new show features some brand new material and some old favourites from his vast repertoire over the last 40 years including all time favourite parodies Father of the Bride and Chinese Takeaway. As always it is advisable to secure your ticket early. Grace is playing two shows, October 19 and 20 and tickets are priced at €31.

mill theatre 01 296 9340 Sylvia’s Quest

THIS innovative promenade show uses cutting edge radio technology, which empowers you to listen to the sounds, voices and worlds which only Sylvia can usually see and hear on headphones, as you follow her through her labyrinth. Sylvia’s Quest invites you to take to Dundrum and follow Sylvia on her thrilling quest through the centre’s labyrinth. Sylvia shares her multiple worlds with you, her new friend, as she guides you through her labyrinth of secret streets and time portals. October 17-21 tickets priced at €10/€12.

CIVIC THEATRE 01 462 7477 Gay Byrne Live on Stage

THE Civic Theatre is proud to announce a rare opportunity to see Gay Byrne, one of the most loved television and radio personalities in history, for a live performance. In his five decade broadcasting career, Gay Byrne was “the man who changed Ireland”. From senior politicians to senior clergy to the brightest stars in the Hollywood firmament, he has been a confessor figure to the good, the bad and the ugly. Catch the legendary Gaybo on Wednesday, October 17 at 8pm, with tickets priced at €20.

draiocht 01 885 2622 One-Man Star Wars Trilogy

GROWING up on an isolated farm in Canada, young Charles Ross was starved for entertainment. His family owned just three VCR tapes, one of which was the first Star Wars. Ross watched the film more than 400 times, committing every line to memory. And what was once a childhood obsession has now become a career. The actor’s One-Man Star Wars Trilogy takes fans on a whirlwind adventure through a film franchise that has preoccupied the imaginations of so many children around the world. October 18 at 8pm, tickets €18/14.

Brad Pitt, looking less than Hollywood gorgeous, takes aim in Killing Them Softly

No soft sell for Pitt

Visceral, brutal and violent, there is plenty to like about this gangster film, with a return to form by Ray Liotta

 PAUL HOSFORD

AF TER a couple of weeks in the sun, an easygoing, light-hearted film was just what I was after to ease me back into the reviewer’s chair.

Un f o r t u n a t e l y f o r me, Brad Pitt has reteamed with the director of 2007’s criminally overlooked and underrated The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and the lure of that team was, quite honestly, too strong.

Assassination was, simply put, one of the finest films of the 21st century and director Andrew Dominik, who announced his arrival with 2000’s hilarious and violent Chopper, could very well become

Film of the Week: Killing Them Softly hhhh (18) 97 mins Director: Andrew Dominik Starring: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendehlson, Sam Shepard,

OUR VERDICT:

IT won’t please everyone, with some violent overtures, a television news narration of the wider world and nothing that is truly original on show. But, what Killing Me Softly does is recall 1970s film-making at its finest. Gritty, dirty and drained of colour, Dominik creates a world where no character occupies the moral high ground and all are merely shades of grey.

a very important part of the American film landscape (granted, he’s Australian).

Without wanting to anoint anyone, Dominik has the visual flair, the technical ability and the violent streak to position him as his generation’s successor to Martin Scorsese.

Heady praise, indeed, but with Killing Them Softly his third film, it is hard to ignore the fact that, forgive the cliche,

they just don’t make them like this anymore.

Dominik takes his own gangster script, set in the days of the handover from George W Bush to Barack Obama, and forgets the last 20 years of gangster films ever existed.

No Tarantino-esque fizz to the conversations, no pop culture references and no jumping around the timeline.

This is a film about

two men, Frankie and Russell (McNairy and Mendehlson, respectively), who are hired to rob a mob-protected card game run by local hood Markie Trattman (Ray Liotta, on excellent form).

Of course, it is Markie who has hired the hapless duo to rob his game, but nobody involved in the plan is as smart as they think they are.

That’s where Pitt and Gandolfini come in as outside enforcers for the various mobsters smarting at the loss of their money.

Of course, they are not just in tow n to s h a ke p o c ke t s a n d kindly request that the money be returned and, soon, Frankie and Russell are in a desperate situation, with no way

out in sight.

Although some elements of the film are slightly heavy-handed ( T h e Ve l ve t Un d e rground’s Heroin for when a character is on drugs feels a little too on the nose), the strong characters and often beguiling, almost honourable code that they live by are captivating.

This is where Pitt, who is surely the world’s finest actor over the last five years (Tree of Life, Benjamin Button, Jess James, Moneyball, Inglourious Basterds and Burn After Reading), steals the show.

His Jack Cogan navigates a messy world, but his job remains the same.

The lesson, seemingly is, things don’t always change.

11 October 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 25

GazetteGAMING

Exclusive: We play Halo 4 (and talk to a key Chief)  SHANE DILLON

JUST a week ago or so, I dropped in to Microsoft’s HQ in Madrid – as you do – for an exclusive, handson playtest (see below) and look at the upcoming and exclusive XBox 360 title, Halo 4.

The latest in a longrunning series (of pure, classic space opera), a lone hero – Master Chief – must work with scant allies and over-stretched resources to deal with hostile alien threats.

Which he resolves with lots and lots of shiny space guns, as well as occasional forays into vehicle-based combat ...

In my role as the only Irish journalist invited to the Madrid showing, I was also able to bag a second exclusive – an interview with Frank O’Connor, a key figure in the long-running Halo franchise.

Indeed, as franchise development director for Halo 4 (and with his extensive Halo background), Frank is, basically, “Mr Halo”, making him the perfect person to talk to about the latest title in

the series, what will make Halo 4 appeal to all-new players and diehard fans alike, developing for the 360, and more ...

of creating. But, to be honest, this time we didn’t drop that many features, compared to the number that we were able to add.

Was it pretty hard to come up with new stuff for Halo 4, or was it just an iteration of concepts, rather than all-out revolution?

The first game basically created the template for how you create [this type of] videogame on this type of hardware, from “muscle memory” and control through to networking games and usergenerated content.

But, yes, we have to have evolution, too, so we had to have some really big things change, to make it exciting, creatively.

Do you think you have pushed the 360 to its limit with Halo 4?

No. This was our team’s first effort on Xbox, yet this is what we [could do]. You have to imagine that our next effort will be even better than this one!

We’re supporting the 360 for quite some time [to come] with new map packs, and other content that we’re still creating right now. The old girl’s got a lot of life left in her!

(Above) Halo’s hero, Master Chief, stands by, ready for the global launch of Halo 4 in November; (right)

Were there a lot of ideas that you had to drop through development?

When you’re building games, it’s a funny thing because some of the best ideas you have, the most ambitious ideas you have tend to get dropped.

We try to be realistic from the outset, and think about what we’re capable

Can you sum up Halo 4 in one thing?

I can’t! And the reason is that there are too many constituents to it. But, one thing is that Halo 4 is a fantastic piece of value.

Say, back in America, I go to the movies. By the time I pay for my parking, tickets, popcorn etc, I’m up in the $40 range – and if two people go … It can be an expensive night out, just for an hour and 45 minutes of entertainment!

Frank O’Connor, franchise development director for 343 Industries, Halo 4’s developer. Pictures: Shane Dillon

But Halo, for $60, will give me literally hundreds of hours of entertainment.

Do you think Halo will reach out to new audiences with its latest addition?

Halo will definitely bring in new audiences, this time; it’s been a fiveyear break since Halo 3.

A lot of people didn’t have a 360 five years ago, and will be looking for new experiences.

Our job is to make sure that the new audiences have a smooth “on-board” experience with Halo, but we also have to make sure that our 10-year Halo veterans are happy, too.

Will Halo 4 be accessible to everyone, or is it something more suited to long-term players?

A lot of people are intimidated by that Halo

So, after an extensive preview, what’s Halo 4 really like to play?

I PLAYED through several hours of a number of Halo 4’s modes; and had quite a blast! (Sorry!)

After playing through a couple of Single Player campaign missions, it’s just as you’d expect from Halo, but more so – a mixture of the old and the new, with an elaborate, unfolding plot that’s presented with noticeable polish, thanks to intricate graphics and audio – if you’ve time to notice such things, as the hectic

gameplay (with Halo’s famous AI to the fore) remains as engaging and challenging as ever.

The Co-op play (with fellow hacks) was also plenty of fun, with expansive locales and a number of strategic chokeholds mixing up gameplay challenges.

Finally, what many gamers still see as its strongest point – Halo’s Deathmatch games – were great, with a terrific must-try surprise giv-

ing a real kick to some of the levels.

In short, as an old Halo fan, 343 Industries definitely seem to have nailed the series at its best, with all of the above.

Thanks to its unique identity, its strong pedigree, and a clear vision of what Halo “is”, Halo 4 should shoot to the top of the charts upon its release. I’ll certainly be playing along ...

number – 4 – and ask: “Well, will I have to play 1, 2 and 3 [first]?”, but this is a new story, and quite complete.

If you ask me which game to start with, I would say to start with Halo 4.

Then, when you love that universe – and we hope you do – you can go back and try the other games [to flesh out the Halo universe some more].

And, with that, Frank had to go, though there were, of course, many other Halo and XBox topics that I could have asked him about. I guess they’ll just have to wait until Halo 5 or 6 …

Halo 4 is released exclusively for the XBox 360 on Tuesday, November 6 with a RRP of €69.99, or €89.99 for a limited edition.

GAZETTE

26 DUN LAOGHAIRE GAZETTE 11 October 2012

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GazetteSPORT

11 October 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 27

glorious gaa: All the best stories as the championships reach fever pitch: Page 31

soccer: local clubs line up exciting ties in second round of intermediate cup

LSL’s top two face off as Merrion get Phoenix showdown

 sport@gazettegroup.com

THE second round of the FAI Intermediate Cup draw threw up some tasty fixtures, set to be played on the weekend of October 28.

LSL Sunday Senior high-flyers Mount Merrion have been handed a home draw against Phoenix should they be able to get past the challenge of Glebe North in the first round in what could be the pick of the

bunch.

Merrion have been transformed this season since their dalliance with relegation a year ago in the league, winning five of their first six ties before enduring a blip. Among their two losses was a 2-1 setback to Phoenix who have now nestled into second place in the division with an unbeaten start to the campaign.

Another Sunday Senior contender, Bluebell United, have also

picked up a home tie as they welcome Belgrove Home Farm to the Red Cow and eye another bid for the competition in which they have such a proud record.

Elsewhere, Wayside and Dublin Bus have unfinished first round business but, if they make it through, they face an away day at St Patrick’s CY who have yet to pick up a win in the league.

Verona are at Greystones while Broadford

Lucan United and Phoenix are once again hoping to push on in the FAI Intermediate Cup

Rovers have a huge task ahead of them as they face last year’s finalists Cherry Orchard.

The Cherries, runners-up to Avondale for the past two years, had an 8-2 win away to Skerries Town in the first round and must travel again in round two, this

time to Broadford who had a bye in the opening round.

After last year’s heroics in this competition, Lucan United may fancy an upset despite the two divisions that separate them and Greystones A F C . T h e W i c k l ow team have struggled in

the Senior 1 this term and lie in the relegation zone while the Airlie Heights men have risen from a slow start with three wins from four.

Lucan beat a number of higher division sides last season, earning a place in the FAI Senior Cup for their efforts,

notably bringing Phoenix to a replay after an epic tie at Scribblestown.

TEK United go to Kilnamanagh; Glenmore Dundrum meet Newbridge Town in St Tiernan’s while St Mochta’s take on Pegasus St James Athletic.

28 DUN LAOGHAIRE Gazette 11 October 2012

GazetteSport FastSport

To Hell and Back: Huge turnout for annual adventure race over 1500 participants came through the

third annual “Hell and Back”, Ireland’s toughest 10k race at Kilruddery Estate last Sunday.

Barbed wire, electric shocks, ponds of peril, and Satan’s Pit were all obstacles on the man-made hell on earth covering 1,200 acres.

The event was run by Alive Outside, a full time professional sports events company in Patrick Street, Dun Laoghaire.

The next event on their schedule will take place on January 27, 2013, and will be the Ultimate Test of Winter Hell and Back.

hurling: new initiative offers €10,000 prize fund

Leixlip handballers Court’ success LEIXLIP’s handballers are ready for battle at the world handball championships after they received their brand new, specially designed gear at the Courtyard Hotel last week.

The Courtyard Hotel is the main sponsor of Leixlip Handball and, in handing over the new jersey to club captain Una Wrynn, the proprietor of the hotel, Luke Moriarty, said he was delighted to be sponsoring the side.

“Leixlip has a proud handball tradition,” said Sean O’Connor, chairman of the Leixlip Handball Worlds Committee, “and since I became involved with the club, a number of years ago I am aware that they have represented their club and community with distinction both at home and abroad, winning many All-Ireland and international competitions.

We are proud to sponsor them,” he said.

“We have 27 players competing in the world championships (14 juveniles and 13 adults) which take place in City West from October 11 to 21.

“We have been looking forward to this since the last championships in Portland, Oregon in the US three years ago. Our preparations have gone well and we are satisfied that this is the best-prepared team to represent Leixlip since the foundation of the club” said Sean.

“We are satisfied that a number of our players will reach the latter stages of the competition and we are quietly confident that, with a bit of luck, we might bring home a title or two.”

In paying tribute to the Courtyard and Luke Moriarty for their generous sponsorship, Seán also thanked Leixlip Town Council and all the other benefactors who have contributed so generously to the club’s fundraising campaign.

The event in Citywest sees some of the best handballers from around the world compete, including Dublin 15 native and multiple AllIreland champions Eoin Kennedy.

Galway’s Joe Canning and and Kilkenny’s Eoin Larkin with flight attendants Joanne Walsh, Natalie Morton, Jessica Reilly and Grainne Nagle

Etihad set to raise the bar  sport@gazettegroup.com

ETIHAD Air ways, sponsor of the GA A Hurling All Ireland Senior Championships, has launched a new competition for clubs across the country with the ultimate prize, a year’s sponsorship package with the Abu Dhabibased airline.

The winning club will receive €10,000 cash sponsorship fund; new branded playing and training kit; as wellas mentoring, coaching and social visits from key figures inside and outside hurling.

Among the other prizes on offer are Etihad Airways flights and All-Ireland hurling final tickets.

D ave Wa l s h , E t i had Airways’ Ireland country manager, said: “Sports clubs are always looking for sponsorship opportunities and we are delighted to launch the competition with this incredible prize.

We are looking for the club that wants to raise the bar and show us why they deserve to be the winner.”

Uachtaran Chumann Luthchleas Gael Liam Ó Néill urged hurling

clubs ever y where to engage with the initiative.

Engaging He said: “This is an excellent way of engaging with our sponsors Etihad Air ways and there is an attractive prize on offer for the lucky winning club.

“It’s innovative and exciting, and participation alone has the potential to stir interest and vibrancy in our clubs as they look at different ways of making them and what they do stand out from other clubs.”

Clubs enter the competition by submitting written and video entries that show how they “Raise The Bar” and why they deserve to win the sponsorship package.

Achievement comes in many forms, not just silverware. Etihad Airways wants to reward one special club, whether the focal point of their community, or managing to keep the club going against the odds or even growing their club in recent times.

Details can be found online at etihadgaa.ie.

T he winning club will be decided by a public vote and a panel of judges consisting of Nicky English, Des Cahill and Micheal O Muircheartaigh.

Etihad Airways has a rich history in innovative hurling competitions and “Raise The Bar” follows the hugely successful “Best Club Under the Sun” competition.

T his was won last year was won by Clarinbridge GAA Club in Co Galway and previously saw Lucan Sarsfields claim the prestigious title.

11 October 2012 DUN LAOGHAIRE gazette 29

Paralympic road to Rio laid open

FastSport

Next Saturday, potential Paralympic medallists can make their first move toward pursuing their Young boxers take on sporting dreams, writes PETER CARROLL Newcastle’s finest THIS Saturday, fresh off the amazing success of London 2012, Paralympics Ireland will be on the hunt for the next generation of talent, with chief executive Liam Harbison claiming to be confident that “someone will walk through the door this weekend that will go on to be a medallist for Ireland at the Rio Games in 2016”.

The Paralympics Talent Search is a chance for all people interested in sport that have a disability or visual impairment to try their hand.

The event will need all interested parties to be in the UCD Sports Centre between 10.30 am and 3pm on Saturday, October 13.

Harbison claims that in light of the success of Team Ireland at the Paralympic Games, this talent search could be

a massive success with a lot of people becoming aware of Paralympic sport for the first time this year.

“For the first time the Paralympic Games got blanket coverage – everyone was exposed to it and I’m sure a lot of

many people that wanted to give these sports a try.

“What’s really fantastic is finding people that are already athletes and turning them toward a sport that they maybe wouldn’t have been aware of had they not

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

‘Someone wilI walk through the door this weekend that will go on to be a medallist for Ireland at the Rio Games in 2016’ - Liam Harbison

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

people will want to get involved with it now that have physical disabilities or visual impairments.

“We ran a similar project in 2009, on a far smaller scale, and we expected about 50 people to turn out on the day. It turned out to be 400. There were just so

come out to the open day.

“I can remember we had a lot of amputees showing up on the day who had been playing soccer, but there is no amputee soccer in the Paralympics so we put them on to different sports and they went

Liam Harbison, far left, with Paralympic medallists and ones for the future

on to really enjoy them, something that wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t shown up that day,” said Harbison.

Although many people dream of representing Ireland at the Paralympic Games, Harbison underlined that the point of the talent search is not strictly to find some new members for Team Ireland, but rather to get disabled people involved in sports and to find them something they can enjoy doing.

“The primary goal of The Paralympic Talent Search is to get people who have disabilities and visual impairments active and get them involved in sport in general.

“From there the enjoyment factor comes into it and then there is always the goal to gain a mastery of the skill involved in the activity and that’s where our Paralympians generally come from.

“The process of getting to the Paralympic Games is a huge one.

“It takes a lot of effort from coaches and the athletes but there have been some cases where people have done great things very quickly and that’s an amazing thing to see,” said Harbison.

With a talent search on a much lesser scale in 2009, Harbison witnessed himself how much a life can be changed by simply try-

ing to get involved in sport.

“I remember a woman coming into us and she seemed completely debilitated and she wanted to try out one of the cycling sports.

“She had been waiting quite a while and one of the coaches suggested that she should try one of the rowing machines while she was waiting so she gave it a go.

“T hat woman was Anne Marie McDaid and she went on to represent Team Ireland this year at the Paralympic Games.

“It completely changed her and the quality of life she enjoys now is amazing.

“Similarly with Mark Rohan, he crashed his motorcycle and suffered terrible injuries and started off his Paralympic journey playing wheelchair rugby.

He just decided to give hand cycling a try and now he’s a double Paralympic champion,” said Harbison.

The event includes exhibition areas for Paralympic Sports, opportunities to take part, expert advice on what sports suit your disability type, demonstrations of elite Paralympic team sports including wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and cerebral palsy football and presentations by some of Ireland’s Paralympic heroes including Michael McKillop.

MONKSTOWN’S Cameron Fox and Eoin Larkin, Whitechurch’s Sean Mari and Mulhuddart’s Killian McDaid were all part of a Dublin schoolboy’s boxing team (aged from 11 to 14) that travelled over to Newcastle recently.

They went there to box against the Tyne, Tees and Wearside regional schoolboys champions, many of who were ABA Champions – the equivalent of an All-Ireland champion.

The boxing took place in the newly built Gateshead Academy of Sport and, after 15 bouts, the Dublin schoolboys came away with an 8-7 win, quite an achievement against one of England’s most successful regions.

Mari (27kg) and Larkin (31kg) got the side off to a fine start when they saw off Spennymoor’s Charlie Eddy and Kieran Lindsay, respectively.

Cameron Fox boxed well but was undone

by Newbiggin’s Rhys Harrison while McDaid also found Wellington’s Morgan Guest a formidable opponent at 44kg level.

But the event proved a high quality exercise for all concerned with Ed Griffin (Esker ABC) and JP Kinsella (Monkstown BC) among the backroom team helping the side progress.

Dublin 15 hosts All-Ireland WESTMANSTOWN GC will play host to the Míele All-Ireland Ladies Fourball Championship 2012 national finals next weekend with 32 lady golfers teeing off with high hopes of claiming a national green pennant for their club.

T he competition continues to grow from strength to strength and this

year ’s tournament which teed off mid May, saw a record number of 235 clubs involved and over 2,200 woman golfers from across the North, East, South and West taking part.

T his tournament provides lady golfers across the country the opportunity to win an All-Ireland national pennant in a fourball matchplay format.

Eastern Region winners Dublin City, having defeated Lucan, last year’s winners,

30

dun laoghaire gazette 11 October 2012

GazetteSport FastSport

soccer: ballinteer duo star for Irish Under-17s

Loreto, Grange Road enjoy day to remember OVER 140 pupils from Loreto Primary School, Grange Road lit up the National Hockey Stadium in UCD last week as the school took in Ireland’s 1-1 draw with Scotland in the Electric Ireland FIH Champion Challenge 1.

Three buses transported the fourth to sixth class students, many of whom play with Loreto hockey club, along with 12 volunteer parents, Sr Katriona Joyce and Sr Maria Hyland (principal of Loreto Primary School) from their school in Rathfarnham.

The children were resplendent in green and led the supporters’ chants throughout a pulsating game. Twenty-two of the pupils, pictured above, were selected to be the official mascots, walking out with the Irish and the Scottish players and standing with them for both national anthems and got to have a few words with the respective sets of players.

The week before the match, the teachers in Loreto Primary School taught the words of Ireland’s Call to all the children. Their rendition gave the players a lift with Nikki Symmons, Ireland’s most capped player, saying: “We knew from the wonderful rendition of Ireland’s Call, that the pupils of Loreto Primary School would be the Irish team’s 12th man.”

They saw Ireland fall behind 1-0 but a second half goal from Katie Mullan levelled the tie. The initiative was part of the Irish Hockey Association’s endeavours to promote the game with Katie Roche and Fiona Mills support the joint Loreto Hockey Club/Loreto Primary School venture.

Elsewhere, Loreto’s women’s first team stayed joint top of Leinster division one as Cathy McKean’s double saw off Pembroke in a 3-0 win.

The visitors made life difficult but had not the firepower to match a Beaufort outfit who welcomed back Irish international Lizzie Colvin.

Half-time ended 0-0 but once McKean finished off a clever corner move, there was only one likely victor. Nikki Keegan got on the end of Sarah Clarke’s bash and McKean scrambled in a broken down corner for extra insurance in the closing phases.

Avril Brierly, first on the left of the middle row, was part of the Republic of Ireland U-17s team that progressed in the Euro championships

Irish U-17s reach elite tier  sport@gazettegroup.com

AVRIL Brierly, of St Joseph’s Girls, was part of the U-17 women’s national team that qualified for European championships elite stages, The Girls in Green now join France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Czech Republic and Northern Ireland amongst the team’s already qualified.

Coming into the final encounter with Finland, the side knew they could proceed to the elite qualifying stages if they claimed a draw from the game.

However, the side came together and it was

Aisling Frawley that got the important winner in the dying embers of the game to see Ireland, along with the former Broadford Rovers elite, through with maximum points from Group 9.

Going into the next stage, Ireland can be sure no other outfit will be excited to see their names drawn beside that of the Emerald Isle, as the team registered some big wins against stage hosts Belarus, who they managed a one-sided result over, 3-0, before they went on to give Georgia a 7-0 thumping.

Speaking after his side secured their quali-

fication, manager David Connell highlighted how the top spot of the group was always their target, as was the 100% record they left Belarus with.

“We set out to win the three games and win the group so it is very nice to have done that,” said Connell. “We knew going out that a draw against Finland would have been enough to qualify as one of the best losers but that’s a dangerous way to approach any game and I am pleased the girls kept looking for the win and got it.

“It took us a while to settle against Finland and we got a break with

the own goal. That got us going and we created plenty of chances after that.

“Lauren Dwyer was off the pitch receiving treatment for an injury when they equalised from a corner and the girls showed great character in going up the pitch and scoring a well-worked goal a few minutes later,” he said.

Looking forward to the qualification, although Connell stated there are a few teams he would rather avoid, he is sure Ireland will be competitive no matter who they play come spring of next year.

“Hopefully we can

avoid some of the big guns like France and Germany but I don’t think too many of them will want to get us.

“We played a high pressure game against Finland and the girls did a great job in making sure they had little or no room to move. I don’t think anybody would be comfortable playing against that sort of pressure,” he finished.

The second round draw will take place in Nyon on November 20 with the games to commence in spring 2013.

The semi-final and final scheduled for Switzerland in June.

O’Connaill grapples with East Coast success EAST Coast Jiu Jitsu head coach Darragh O’Conaill came back from the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Pro Trials in Poland last weekend with a fantastic haul of a bronze medal in his own weight division and silver in the open weight category.

The driven grappler, however, was not overjoyed with his tally from the weekend, but can see signs of improvement ahead of the London Open and Nogi (without formal attire) World Championships that are to take place in two weeks.

“The bronze and silver are not what I was looking for, to be honest,” said O’Conaill. “I lost by advantage in the final to the European champion who I had previously lost to on points – so that’s one thing to take from it.

“It’s been good in regard to keeping me focused ahead of the London trip in two weeks where I’ll be out for gold again, with a whole team who will be looking for the same.”

O’Conaill’s desire to win ness has spread through the ranks of his Dun Laoghaire club, who came out team

champions in Newcastle at the North East Premier Championships, where the team took 12 medals despite only being eight strong.

“It’s fantastic that the lads have such a competitive streak.

I’ve tried to spread that aspect of the game to them, but a lot of them already had that edge already and those who didn’t are definitely motivated now.

“We’ll all be heading off to London full of confidence after the Newcastle trip, it really has given us a massive boost and spirits are running high at the club.”

Darragh O’Connaill, centre, and team

11 October 2012 dun laoghaire Gazette 31

camogie: St enda’s continue to set standard

Club Noticeboard

cuala

WE are looking forward to one of the

Good luck to our three minor foot-

biggest weeks in the club’s history

ball teams who are all in champion-

and are looking to get all members

ship action across the city from

involved from the youngest to the

Dalkey to Portmarnock on Sunday

eldest. Centre-piece is of course Sun-

morning.

Our first title of the season was

day’s Dublin senior hurling championship final against Kilmacud Crokes.

Throw in is at 3.45pm in Parnell Park

hurlers beat a spirited St Peregrine’s

and there will be daily updates on

side by 3-11 to 3-2 to make themselves

www.cualagaa.ie concerning ways

unassailable at the top of league divi-

in which people can get there, ways

sion five. Well done to the lads on their

in which they can dress up and give

10-game unbeaten run.

the best level of support and ways in

Great win on Saturday for the U-16

which they can get to know Harry’s

hurlers who came from 11 points

Heroes that will hopefully be bringing

down with 20 minutes to play to beat

the title back to Hyde Road on Sunday

Whitehall Colmcilles by two points

night.

and set up a championship semi-final

Throughout the weekend we will

The Ballyboden St Enda’s side that won the Dublin senior camogie championship last weekend

Three’s a charm as Boden retain title Senior a final Ballyboden St Enda’s St Vincent’s

1-11 1-5

 sport@gazettegroup.com

IT WAS truly a game of two halves last Sunday when Ballyboden St Enda’s took on St Vincent’s in the county camogie final at Blakestown, with the Boden ladies claiming their third senior camogie championship title in as many years.

Vincent’s took the game to their opponents in the first half, and after a fantastic opening stanza they could have been further ahead had it not been for a fantastic performance by Sile Nic Coitir between the sticks.

Twenty minutes into the game however, the goal of Nic Coitir was breached when Naomh Uinsionn captain Eimear Brannigan got on top of a rebound to give her side a good lead of 1-4 to 0-1.

However, from then

the winds of fortune changed in Boden’s favour and, minutes later, it was 16 year-old Sarah Nagle who showed the way with a great point for Boden as another teenager, Doireann Mullaney, was introduced to the game who would go on to command great influence in the final.

The Firhouse Road club’s resurgence was highlighted by the first two-point score in Dublin adult camogie when Anne Griffin put the sliotar between the posts from a sideline cut to leave the scores at half time, 1-4, to 0-4.

A point for Dearbhla Brennan on the restart, a long range effort from Griffin and a fantastic dispossession and score from Denise McGrath levelled the scores and gave the defending champions momentum.

It wasn’t long before a Griffin free saw Boden take the lead.

N a o m h Ui n s i o n n seemed to disappear

from the competition after they lost the lead, and spells saw Orla Smith, Fiona Ní Chorcorain, Joanne O’Sullivan, Natalia Hyland, Rachel Ruddy and Jane Nolan claiming possession with little or no challenge by the opposition.

Scores from Griffin from the 45, McGrath and Emer Lucey put the side well on the way before Mar tha O’Donoghue found McGrath with a fantastic delivery that split Vincents’ backline before she tucked it away to cement their grip on their eighth senior title.

After winning their third consecutive camogie title, Ballyboden will now go on to face the winner of Wexford’s Oulart-the-Ballagh and Kilkenny’s Mullinavat in the Leinster championship.

In a weekend of successes for the Southside club, the junior Bs also managed to claim some silverware, winning the

C championship in a one-sided affair, winning over Naomh Fionnbarra 2-11 to 0-9.

Saturday saw the senior’s draw with Kilmacud Crokes in the last 16 of the Dublin senior football championship at O’Toole Park, after going 51 minutes without scoring.

Andy Kerin was the main man, scoring 2-3, but Boden suffered a big loss in the shape of Declan O’Mahony when he suffered a gash in the opening minute of the game, and after an initial 20 minutes of dominance, the Firhouse men fell out of the game allowing Crokes to get back on terms.

The tie ended at 2-8 to 0-14 at the end of normal time and, since the game was delayed by over 30 minutes due to extra-time in the previous game, the referee deemed there to be insufficient light to finish the match forcing the game to a replay.

secured on Saturday when the U-14B

against, who else, Kilmacud Crokes.

be co-hosting a festival of hurling

Well done to the U-13 hurlers who

with teams from both clubs at all

secured survival in division one with a

ages from six to 15 meeting in chal-

crucial win over Ballinteer St John’s.

lenge games at Hyde Road, Glenalbyn

Tickets are still on sale for the Scoil

and Thomastown. Everyone will be

Lorcain fashion show featuring plenty

in club colours and fired up then for

of Cuala folk taking place on Saturday

the trip north of the river. Keep up to

night at the Killiney Castle Hotel.

date through Facebook, Twitter and

Thanks to all those who made the

online with all the news, times and fun

effort to help out at the two recent

ahead of us.

big nights in the Cuala Hall.

foxrock cabinteely NEXT Sunday will be a big day for the

Crokes Under-14 All-Ireland seven’s.

club as our ladies senior team play the

The girls gave an incredible display

first round of the senior club champi-

of football all day. It wasn’t helped by

onship.

the fact that we lost two of our county

The opposition are Laois winners

players, Amy Donnelly and Megan Duffy,

Timmahoe and the match takes place

to injury in the first two matches. How-

in Bray Emmets at 3.30pm.

ever thanks to the hard work of our

The match was a home fixture for the

physio and senior player Sinead Dela-

club but Leinster council stipulates that

hunty, we managed to have them back

the pitch has to be enclosed, hence Kil-

for the last two matches.

boggett Park is unsuitable.

The panel was Caroline Dawson, Lau-

Our full-forward Anne-Marie Mur-

ren Hanney, Ellen Curran, Megan Duffy,

phy will no doubt bounce back after

Amy Donnelly, Robyn Magennis, Hannah

her defeat with the Louth girls against

O’Neill, Lydia Synnott, Hannah Foster

Antrim last Sunday in the junior All-

Ryan and Tarah O’Sullivan. It was great

Ireland final in Croke Park.

to see Kilmacud Crokes go on to win the

Hard luck to the U-14As who lost by one point in the semi-finals of the

final having hosted this superb competition.

naomh olaf OUR minor hurlers had their first game

A no limit Texas Hold-Em tournament

in the 2012 championship against a very

will take place on November 10 in the

strong Castleknock side at home on

sports hall. Registration from 4.30pm

Sunday morning.

with cash prizes for all at the top table.

Apart from a slow start which sent the visitors into an early 1-5 to 0-1

Tickets are €50 at the club counter or phone Eoin Kinsella at 087 6769280.

lead, Olaf’s battled hard, matching

Congratulations to Michael and Mary

Castleknock score for score for the

Shivnan, Stillorgan, on the birth of

remainder of the game. The final score

grandson Darragh, no doubt a future

of Castleknock 3-13 Olaf’s 3-8 flattered

full forward for Dublin.

the visitors.

Sympathy is expressed to the family

Our junior footballers had a crucial

of Ciara Coughlan of Dun Emer Road,

promotional contest against Raheny

Dundrum who passed away last week.

away on Sunday morning.

Ciara’s sons Cillían and Ronan play with

However, despite leading by a point

Naomh Olaf.

at the interval, Olaf’s were eventu-

There was no winner of the Lotto

ally defeated by a very strong side on a

Jackpot this week. Numbers drawn 6,

scoreline of 1-12 to 2-5.

11, 22, Next weeks Jackpot €1,900.

all of your dun laoghaire sports coverage from page 27-3

Paralympic dreams: London

success set to lay pathway for Rio glory P29

october 11, 2012

championship matters: Dublin GAA season builds to a crescendo P31

 dunlaoghairesport@gazettegroup.com

CUALA boss Harry Roberts claims his side will go into their senior hurling championship final showdown with Kilmacud Crokes with no tactics and will be playing as close to their adopted ethos in Parnell Park on Sunday as possible, which is based on honesty and simplicity.

“We base our play around a simple game. There’s no point in having tactics when it comes to a final; you have to make sure your players are tough enough and then send them out just to play,” Roberts told GazetteSport.

“Our lads want to play hurling, that’s all. They took some great results over Vincent’s and Boden, they had to be up there amongst the favourites, and now it’s time that we focus on playing the game we like; it’s simple but it’s effective.”

He can draw on a 100% fit squad, a team that have been touted as future champions for a long time.

“I think it’s the first time we’ve ever had everyone fit, training together and ready to play in a big game like this. All of our county players are back; it was a blessing

in disguise having Dublin go out early because we had the lads back.

“It just gives such a big boost to have a fully fit squad and we can go into the game with some comfort knowing that we can give it our best on the day.”

While some of the Cuala community might look with confidence to their side’s June encounter with Kilmacud when they met in AHL1, with Cuala winning 0-6 to 0-18 on the day, Roberts slammed the encounter as a “joke” claiming that it would have no bearing on the weekend’s result at all.

“It was a joke. We had all of our county players and they had none of theirs. You really can’t look at that match as a marker to what will happen in the county championship – it’s completely different,” he said.

With the club’s last county championship coming in 1994, with Roberts as a selector at the time, many believe that the young side could be one of the most promising in the county, with a conveyor belt of talent seemingly coming out of the Dalkey club. With the talent in the senior, U-21 and minor Dublin set-ups, Roberts

Cuala are hoping to win their first Dublin senior hurling championship since 1994

would not rule out the team having a spell of dominance if they were to claim the championship.

“No one has a God given right to win a county championship. If a player can realise they have an opportunity and they are hungry it’s possible to win one but they have to want it more than anything.

“If the lads want this bad enough, they’ll go and get it. It all comes back to honesty and simplicity. Play the game honestly, train honestly, keep it simple and keep it at full tilt – that’s the most important thing.

“We’ll go in as underdogs and that suits us perfectly,” Roberts added

GazetteSPORT

Tactics not important for Cuala