Lucan

Gazette LUCAN

PLUS:

February 12 - 18, 2015

FREE

Month XX, 2012 PALMERSTOWN • CELBRIDGE • LEIXLIP • ADAMSTOWN • DODSBORO • LIFFEY VALLEY • BALLYOWEN

INSIDE: Just in time for St Valentine’s Day, here comes The Wedding Ringer P19-22

ROLL UP, ROLL UP: Hector and friends launch a giant craft beer festival Page 18

Many happy returns: George is ready to party Camogie:

Twomey set for start of league campaign Page 40

Hurling:

Locals praised for Dublin contribution Page 39

Find us on

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES.................... 10 DUBLIN LIFE.................. 13 OUT&ABOUT ................. 18 CLASSIFIEDS ................34 SPORT ...........................35

THE Gondola pub was packed to

the rafters with family and friends of George Coogan who came to help him celebrate his 90th year. The birthday boy was surrounded as he blew out the candles on his specially designed cake, which featured a picture of himself as a young man beside a present image. As if that wasn’t enough there was a double reason to celebrate as his daughter marked her 60th birthday. Picture: Cathy Weatherston

Adamstown parents want action on speed Demonstration highlights traffic safety issues near primary school

 IAN BEGLEY

CONCERNED parents from Adamstown Castle Educate Together NS held signs around the school asking motorists to slow down, in protest over the area’s lack

of traffic calming measures.

Approximately 20 parents held a demonstration recently to warn motorists to adhere to the 30kph speed limit and have pledged to continue with these protests every Thursday until

the council acts upon their requests for traffic calming measures.

Principal Tim Moriarty said: “We’re trying to get the council to put signs up around the area just to get people to slow down as there

have been quite a few nearmisses.”

A local authority spokesperson said a meeting will be arranged with the school to discuss the situation at a future date.

Full Story on Page 9

2 LUCAN Gazette 12 February 2015

irish water Anger flares at absence of metering notices

‘Utility breaking all its own rules’ LOCAL residents are accusing Irish Water of giving them little or no notice before showing up to install water meters on their property.

As part of the utility’s terms and conditions they must give at least 14 days’ notice before they can begin their work, with an additional notice two days before the installation is due to take place.

According to a number of local residents and councillors from Lucan and Clondalkin, Irish Water is giving some estates little or no notification before they show up.

 ian begley ibegley@gazettegroup.com

Cllr Gino Kenny (PBP) told The Gazette that Irish Water came unexpectedly to Clondalkin recently before being driven out by a local protest group.

He said: “This was unprecedented, Irish Water are breaking all of their own rules. Their criteria is that they have

to give you 14 days’ notice before they arrive along with another two days’ notice, but Irish Water have done none of that.

“They came on [January 21] into Monastery, Riversdale and Dutch Village and they got very little work done.

The reason they gave them no notice is because if residents are going to be given sufficient notification they will contact Clondalkin Meter Watch to disrupt their work.”

Georgina O’Halloran, who is a key member of the Clondalkin Meter Watch, also told The

Gazette that the utility gave them no prior notice before showing up.

“When they showed up at Monastery a few weeks ago, a lady gave me a call and she was in hysterics.

She was woken up at 9am and there was a big hole outside her house and when she told them to go away they threatened to call the guards.

“She then called us and we turned up and they stopped all work. If they give us any notification they know that we’ll organise a protest and arrive before them.

“When they started coming to Clondalkin initially they gave us the two weeks’ warning, but when our group started building momentum they knew not to give us prior warnings because we were too organised,” she said.

Lucan councillor Ruth Nolan (PBP) told The Gazette that the residents in Earlsfort, Lucan, also got no notification from the utility before showing up.

“We’re water metered

Local residents protesting against the water charges recently

nearly a year now in Lucan, but in my specific case here in Earlsfort they didn’t give us the official notice - they just arrived unannounced one morning.

“When they arrive unannounced they’re obviously not giving people a chance to regroup and protest.”

In response to these allegations, a spokesperson from Irish Water said there were occasions when their works have to

be rescheduled at short notice.

“Irish Water is currently implementing Phase 1 of the national metering programme whereby water meters are being installed outside domestic residences on publicly-accessible land.

“Any properties that have been identified as suitable for a water meter and are scheduled for meter installations under the works programme are being notified a

minimum of two weeks in advance of the meter being installed where practicable.

“The metering project team endeavours to provide further notification at least three days in advance of the installation.

“There are occasions when works have to be rescheduled at short notice which may impact on these standard procedures,” said the spokesperson.

Businesses urged to apply for scheme  Ian Begley

Local small business owners are being encouraged to apply to the South Dublin Local Enterprise Office for their online trading scheme.

The scheme offers small businesses the opportunity to develop their websites or digital marketing strategies by availing of

vouchers of up to €2,500 or 50% of eligible expenditure.

In order to apply for an online trading voucher interested participants must first attend a training session on how to use and get the best value for money from the voucher.

Local Cllr William Lavelle (FG) is encouraging all small businesses from

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Top Floor, Clarendon House, 39 Clarendon Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

Dublin Mid-West to apply for this scheme.

He said: “Business and retail are changing. More shoppers are buying online and if traditional small businesses don’t adapt they may be left behind.

“It is estimated that only 23% of small Irish businesses use e-Commerce in any meaningful way. Furthermore, it is estimated that of all online purchases made in Ireland 70% are done in overseas markets.

“The online trading voucher scheme offers small businesses the

opportunity to develop their website or digital marketing strategy by availing of vouchers of up to €2,500 or 50% of eligible expenditure,” said Cllr Lavelle.

A spokesperson from the Local Enterprise Office in South Dublin County Council also commented, saying that they will continue to promote this initiative in order to ensure that local small businesses keep up to date with the latest online and e-commerce developments. For more information about this scheme, visit www.sdcc.ie

12 February 2015 LUCAN Gazette 3

transport Concern at plans to put 18, 76 and 76a out to tender

NTA will still be in charge of bus routes  Ian Begley

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has confirmed that the Dublin Bus routes in Dublin Mid-West which will be put to tender will still be regulated by the authority.

According to a spokesperson for the NTA, any company that wins the contract will be providing a service set down by the NTA, which includes fares and timetables.

The comments come amid concerns that the 18 Palmerstown (Old Lucan Road) to Sandymount; 76 Chapelizod to Tallaght and the 76a Blanchardstown Centre to Tallaght have been put out to competitive tender.

According to the Public Transport Act (2009), the NTA decided in December 2013, that 10% of the services renewed in PSO (public service obligation) contracts with Dublin Bus would be put out to competitive tender, to

commence operations in 2016. The routes have been advertised and the tender competition closes on April 17.

Clondalkin Cllr Jonathan Graham (SF) told The Gazette that he is angered at the proposals.

He said: “It would be a big concern not only for me, but to the many residents in Clondalkin who are dependent on the bus routes going to Tallaght.

“If you take a bus route that is being used by a small number of people it’s unlikely that a private company will maintain the frequency of those routes because it’s not profitable enough.”

Palmerstown Cllr Guss O’Connell (Ind) also commented on this issue, saying that although he has no issues with the routes being privatised, he thinks there should be more buses and routes going to and from Palmerstown.

“I don’t have any issue with the privatisation of

Dublin [Bus] routes, but we need additional routes and additional bus services. We’re already having serious connectivity problems in Palmerstown and I’ve been fighting about the 26 bus which serves half of the community.”

The NTA has confirmed that: “The contracts will specify the hours of operation and level of service to be provided on each route and contractual requirements in each case will be set to meet or exceed the current requirements for the services.

“The Leap Card will be accepted on board for services operating in areas currently covered by the Leap Card ticket. It is anticipated that operation of bus services by the successful tenders will commence in late 2016 or early 2017.”

Dublin Bus also confirmed that it has entered the tendering competition and is seeking the contracts.

diversity

Contest to combat racism

Dublin Bus also confirmed that it has entered the tendering process

To mark European Week against Racism (March 16 to 23) the council’s social inclusion unit is hosting a competition which aims to combat racism and celebrate cultural diversity of people living in Ireland today.

Anybody can participate by conveying their own personal message against racism through poetry, prose, artwork or photography. Lots of prizes are being given away for this competition in the form of vouchers.

For more information visit sdcc.ie or email shickey@sdublincoco.ie.

4 LUCAN Gazette 12 February 2015

maths Lucan’s newest school named Leinster Champions

don’sdublin It all adds up to top score for Kishoge Even abroad, Joyce couldn’t leave Dublin

 Ian Begley ibegley@dublingazette.com

The staff, students and parents of Kishoge Community College have good reason to celebrate as they achieved top marks in one of the country’s most prominent maths competitions.

Lucan’s newest

school, which opened its doors for the first time last September, has gained the distinction of being named Leinster Champions in the Provincial January Cup of the prestigious Mathletes Schools’ Challenge.

Kishoge Community College was also placed second in Ireland.

The competition saw 166 schools from all over Ireland, north and south, compete online in weekly maths challenges.

The 52 students from Kishoge achieved the highest average scores in Leinster and were runners-up to a school from Galway in the AllIreland competition.

K ishoge principal Niall Hare said: “Winning the cup is a bonus.

Competitions such as Mathletes fit perfectly with the approach we want to adopt to teaching and learning.

“As well as promoting the highest standards of achievement for each student, Mathletes makes the learning of

maths an active, co-operative, enjoyable experience.

“That’s exactly the kind of learning we want for our students.”

Maths teachers John Monaghan and Micheal Griffin also added that competitions such as these make the learning of maths relevant and fun.

ALTHOUGH James Joyce’s native city features in all his writing, the relationship between the two was not easy.

Joyce left Dublin when he was 22 years old, and he only returned for a few short visits. He lived in Trieste, Paris and died in Switzerland in 1941, aged 59, recognised as one of the major writers of the 20th century. His influence on modern writing is undeniable, and his native city is at the centre of his work.

He was born on February 2, 1882 at 41 Brighton Square, Rathgar, which at the time was a recently laid out middle-class suburb. Joyce was the eldest of 10 siblings, born to John Stanislaus Joyce and Mary Jane Murray, from whom he inherited his musical love and good voice, as she was an accomplished pianist. His father frittered away his inheritance on different business ventures, and over the years the family sank into poverty, making many late-night departures from one house to another.

The nomadic life was something Joyce understood and, during the years on the continent, moving house happened often.

Joyce found the conservative religious atmosphere and the changing political landscape in Ireland too oppressive for creative thinking, and he left for Paris. In this most cosmopolitan city, a place of tolerance in all areas, Joyce could grow as a writer and human being and encounter “the reality of experience”.

It provided the environment he needed, and even though his financial position did not noticeably improve, the freedom to think and write was paramount. It is interesting that Joyce, although “exiled” from the city that he disliked for its conservative mindset, still chose to use it as the canvas on which he wrote.

From his earliest work, Dubliners (1914) – the hugely popular collection of short stories – to his most famous works, Ulysses (1922), and Finnegans Wake (1939), the city is a “character” in its own right, adding to the colour and feel of the stories. He said that if the city was destroyed it could be rebuilt, brick by brick, using Ulysses as a model. He may, indeed, have left Dublin but it certainly never left him.

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

12 February 2015 LUCAN Gazette 5

6 LUCAN Gazette 12 February 2015

crime: witness sought

Garda, woman hurt in incident

 Ian Begley ibegley@dublingazette.com

GARDAI have charged two teenagers in connection with a series of events that occurred in Castle Riada Drive, Lucan, between 9.30pm and 10pm on the night of February 6.

Four people, including a garda responding to the incident and a woman, were injured and taken to hospital as a result of the occurrences. None of the injuries were lifethreatening.

There were attempts to hijack cars, a robber y from a person and an assault. Having searched the area, gardai apprehended

two men a short distance away on the Castle Road.

The two teens were detained at Lucan Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 and have since been charged in relation to the incidents and appeared before the Dublin District Court on February 7.

T hey were later released on bail to appear before Blanchardstow n District Court on February 16.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses or anyone who was in this area b e t we e n 9 . 3 0 p m t o 10.20pm on the night to contact them at Lucan Garda Station.

A class act: San Carlos Senior School students impress at competition and learn a little about teamwork the annual Credit Union Schools

Quiz took place in San Carlos Senior School recently. Over the past few years this has been one of the most popular and successful promotions undertaken by the credit union

movement - it is about encouraging teamwork and learning among young children. It is also an opportunity to promote the credit union movement to its members and potential members at a local, regional and

national level. Other schools participating were Scoil Eoin Phoil and Scoil Mhuire. Pictured are Competition A winners Gavin Browne, Ella MacLennon-O’Neill, Aoife Norris and Darragh Nolan.

sinn fein: ‘council had nothing to do with move’

PBP stages walkout over three arrests

Three councillors walked out at the February county council meeting in protest over the arrests of Deputy Paul Murphy and two other Anti Austerity Alliance reps this week.

People Before Profit’s Cllrs Gino Kenny, Ruth Nolan and Nicky Coules left the monthly council meeting when Deputy Murphy, Cllr Kieran Mahon and Cllr Mick Murphy were still in custody at Tallaght Garda Station.

The three Dublin MidWest politicians were arrested and released without charge in relation to the protests in Jobstown last November where Tanaiste Joan Burton was held in her car for over three hours.

Lucan’s Cllr Ruth Nolan told The Gazette that they decided to leave the chamber to show

solidarity with the other demonstrators outside Tallaght Garda Station.

She said: “As far as we were concerned the arrests were a political attack on the water meter campaign and they have since been released without charge so I think that explains it all. Dublin Says No [anti-water meter group] were in the gallery at the time of the walkout and were in a tirade of shouting when we were leaving, but we were not associated with them.

“They were shouting down at Sinn Fein members, saying to get up and support your colleagues, but needless to say nobody did,” she said.

Cllr Kenny also said that although their walkout had nothing ultimately to do with the council it was important that they showed solidarity with the representatives detained.

“It was a statement to show how the State is trying to demonise anybody that is putting opposition against water charges. It’s almost like political policing.”

Sinn Fein’s Cllr Cathal King said he and his fellow colleagues chose not to join the People Before Profit councillors because the arrests had nothing to do with the council.

12 February 2015 LUCAN Gazette 7

8 LUCAN Gazette 12 February 2015

lucan: national survey

Three-bed semi costs 19% more

 Ian Begley

The price of an average three-bed semi-detached house in Lucan rose by 19.15% in 2014, according to a national survey carried out by Real Estate Alliance (REA).

T h e R E A Ave r a g e House Index concent r a t e s o n I r e l a n d ’s typical stock home, the three-bed semi, giving an accurate picture of the property market in towns and cities countrywide.

I n D e c e m b e r, t h e average three-bed semidetached house in Lucan cost €280,000, compared to €235,000 in December, 2013.

Commenting on where he sees the market moving in Lucan in 2015, REA agent Barry McDonald said: “It will be slow until about

March/April, a continuation of the wobble we have witnessed in October/November/December 14, but it should pick up after that.

“Clarity is needed on lending rules policy and everything as always, will be dependent on how active the banks will be,” he said.

Nationally, the average three-bed semi now costs €184,713, the latest REA survey has found – a rise of 2.63% on the Q4 figure of €179,981.

REA chief executive Philip Farrell said: “Our survey shows that in all areas of Dublin, parts of Cork City, Galway City, north Wicklow and Kildare, the price of the average semi-detached house exceeds the Central Bank’s new threshold of €220,000 at which banks can lend 90% of the value,” he said.

jobless People on JobBridge not on Live Register – SF

Cllr Danny O’Brien (SF): [Gateway workers] get an extra €20 or €50 a week, but they’re not counted in the Live Register statistics because they’re not available for work – it’s just a way of manipulating the figure.”

News of 15% fall in dole queue welcomed

 Ian Begley

THOSE signing on at Clondalkin social welfare office fell by 15% in Dublin Mid-West in January 2015, compared to January 2014.

A total of 7,064 were registered in Clondalkin as of January 2015, compared to 8,277 in January 2014 – a difference of 1,213 people.

Minister Frances Fitzgerald has welcomed the recent CSO announcement that local unemployment has decreased by 14.6%.

She said: “Taking into account important seasonal adjustments, unemployment in our area has shown a marked decrease since this time last year, reflecting the improvement in the local and national economy.

“This week’s figures released by the CSO show 38 months of consecutive decrease in people signing on, with all regions nationally seeing a fall in their unemployment figures.

“Statistics also show us

that these aren’t the result of emigration, which has decreased, or job activation schemes which have only grown marginally in the past year.

“It is the result of a hard fought economic recovery and helped by Government policies such as the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work,” she said.

Clondalkin’s Deputy Robert Dowds (Lab) also commented, saying: “The fall in the Live Register figures in the last 12 months in Clondalkin and Lucan is a great sign and shows that the economy has really turned around and people in Clondalkin and Lucan are beginning to feel the benefits of the recovery. More people in work means that the Government has more room for USC cuts for low and middle income workers, something that I am arguing for.

“With the economy growing strongly, people getting jobs and the Government’s finances getting in reasonable shape, I believe that more of the

burden should be lifted from low and middle income workers where possible,” he said.

In contrast to these welcome announcements, Cllr Danny O’Brien (SF) said the statistics did not take many factors into account.

He said: “There are many people who are on the likes of JobBridge and

other Gateway schemes, but those people are still technically unemployed and are not on the Live Register.

“They get an extra €20 or €50 a week, but they’re not counted in the Live Register statistics because they’re not available for work – it’s just a way of manipulating the figures.

“I believe there has

been a bit of a pick-up, but in general people are working for less than what they were earning before.

“A lot of people now don’t have the same benefits and the cost of living has gone up so the amount of money people would have in their pockets has gone way down,” said Cllr O’Brien.

12 February 2015 lucan Gazette 9

protest Lack of traffic calming measures highlighted

Parents dig in over inaction on speed  Ian Begley

A number of concerned parents from Adamstown Castle Educate Together NS held signs around the school’s locality asking motorists to slow down in protest over the area’s lack of traffic calming measures.

Approximately 20 parents held a demonstration on February 5 to warn motorists of the school nearby and to adhere to the 30kph speed limit.

This protest precedes a long campaign by school and staff who have been asking the council to implement traffic calming measures around the school’s vicinity.

The parents have now pledged to continue with these protests every Thursday until South Dublin County Council (SDCC) acts upon its requests.

Tom Moriatry, principal of Adamstown Castle Educate Together NS, told The Gazette that the council has deemed the school’s road safety measures adequate.

He said: “They have introduced traffic calming measures all over Lucan in every other school and unlike most schools over 80% of our students walk because they all come from Adamstown.

“We’re trying to get the council to put signs up

around the area just to get people to slow down as there have been quite a few near-misses.

“They said that the signs in the area are adequate, but I pointed out to them that all these signs face in the one direction.”

Moriarty added that he is asking the council to put in place an extension to the weight restriction to the railway bridge beside Hanstead; an extension of the weight extension t o t h e A d a m s t ow n strategic development zone; an extension of the times in which this restriction applies and an upgrade of the signage on approach to the

Finnstown/ Adamstown Junction and the various crossing points along Adamstown Avenue.

He has also requested the creation of a school zone with pelican lights, enhanced road markings, ramps on approach to the crossing, flashing signs and the granting of a traffic warden.

In response to the protest, a local authority spokesperson said: “The council was unaware that a protest took place.

“In response to requests for safety measures in the vicinity of the Lucan Educate Together School, the following measures have been provided to date; advance warning signage,

Parents warned motorists of the school nearby and of the 30kph speed limit

school ahead signs, single yellow lines and school keep clear markings.

“When the second pedestrian access was provided, in addition to the above measures, the council extended the school keep clear mark-

ings to prevent parking and provided pedestrian barriers at both gates to channel children across the road safely.

“Tram lines to highlight the pedestrian crossing point were also provided, in addition there are two

pedestrian crossings on Willsbrook Road.

“A meeting will be arranged with the school to discuss the situation and to provide any additional measures that may be deemed appropriate,” said the spokesperson.

10 LUCAN Gazette 12 February 2015

gazetteGALLERY lucan village: the elm leaf restaurant arrives

A tasty opening

Graham Coyne, Marian Breahna and Jas Samra (owner). Pictures: Jolanta Rossiter

Natalya Melnik and Anastasia

Cllr Liona O’Toole (Ind) and owner Jacinta

Pavlova

Kenny

Jackie Dennis and Siobhan Kenny

Olive Linnane and Deirdre Duggan

12 February 2015 LUCAN Gazette 11

12 Gazette 12 February 2015

gazetteGALLERY

Gerry O’Brien

Deep in conversation ... Birch Hamilton, Milan Krslja and Franklin Leonard. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Many crumbs of wisdom ...

A

Katherine and Ali Jack

WIDE range of media figures and practitioners attended the recent three-day Digital Biscuit forum held in Dublin, which aimed to explore the future of the moving image.

Filmmakers, technologists and creatives alike gathered for a wide range of master classes and seminars, and network with likeminded figures across the diverse

Maura Murphy and Eoghan Kidney

sector. Several world-renowned figures – including David Chase, creator of The Sopranos, and Michel Gondry, director, screenwriter and producer of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – delivered some great insights.

In addition, the rise of digital filmmaking was also explore in some depth at the popular assembly.

Emily O’Callaghan

Leah Mahon, Alejandro Salgado and Amoreena Mann

Maggie Jackson and Donogh McCarthy Morrough

12 February 2015 Gazette 13

escape the mayhem p15

dublinlife

asdfsdaf business P27 P16

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



Gazette

diary p14

what’son food festival promises tasty delights: Food-

MEP Lynn Boylan (SF) gives The Gazette a glimpse into her busy life in the European Parliament

a day in the life: MEP Lynn Boylan shines a light on life in parliament

Hardly a minute alone at the heart of Europe  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

This week The Gazette got a glimpse into a day in the life of busy MEP Lynn Boylan (SF), who divides her week between Dublin and Brussels.

Boylan told The Gazette: “I’ve taken an apartment in Brussels because I found the lifestyle very unhealthy; eating out every night and staying in a hotel and living from a bag. So, over the summer I found a small apartment in Brussels that’s a little bit away from the parliament and I run in every morning.

“I get up about seven and jog in (it’s about 3km) and we’re very lucky in

the parliament that we have showers.

I come into work and put on the coffee machine and start the day with an espresso and a bowl of porridge. Then I could have meetings from about 8am and generally myself and Emma (who works in my office) go through what we have on for the day and who we’re meeting. You meet different NGO groups and people who might be working on the same report as you, for example I work a lot on food issues, so I might go and meet with the green MEP who I share a lot in common with. Then I’ll have committee meetings.

“There’s a canteen in the European Parliament which is a city under one

roof. It’s huge, there’s a hairdressers, a primary health care centre, four banks, so it’s a monster of a building and you tend to get sucked into it for the whole day. I believe there’s a bar somewhere but I haven’t found it yet.

“I have lunch in the canteen, usually a salad, they’ve a nice salad-bar that changes every day. Then I might be expected to speak on a session that sparks a debate or I might have to go in just to vote.

“I finish my day in the EU parliament building at about 8.30pm and then I’d have dinner when I get home.

Generally I’d have an Irish meal like a stir-fry, something that’s quick to cook

and I’m always conscious to try and eat as healthy as I can.

“When you’re on the go it’s very easy to reach for the junk food, so that’s another reason for having the apartment. Brussels food is very much like steak and chips, it’s stodgy.

“Then I’d read what I have to catch up on. The hardest part of the job is finding the time to sit down and read what you need to prepare for the next day and I generally do that over dinner in the pyjamas, then I’d have a glass of wine and watch Netflix to switch off.

I’d go to bed at around 11pm, watch The Big Bang Theory on Netflix and go to sleep.”

ies across Dublin get ready for some tasty delights coming this February with the sixth annual Dine in Dublin Festival set to kick off. Start saving those pennies for scrumptious mains and delightful desserts as top restaurants throughout Dublin’s city centre get involved throughout the week with special events, great value meal offers, and a dining experience not to be missed throughout the festival. Running from February 23 to March 1, the festival will also see well-known chefs get involved and help showcase the best of city dining. Already there are almost 40 restaurants participating in Dine in Dublin in 2015 including Bang, Brasserie Sixty6, Cornucopia, Gotham Cafe, La Cave and L’Gueuleton to name just a few, with more set to be announced.

This event is being run by DublinTown and celebrates the fantastic food on offer in the capital. For further information and updates check out www.dineinedublin.ie

14 Gazette 12 February 2015

Gazette

dublinlife Stop the lights – Spire’s in the dark How many euros does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Well, if you are talking about the big bulb on top of the Spire on O’Connell Street, the answer is €10,000.

The light has not been working since October 2014, though most Dubliners had not noticed it. Ballymun councillor Noel Rock (FG)

first spotted the glaring omission and informed Dublin City Council.

Now, the council is getting to grips with the repair but it is a complex job and the light is not expected back on top of the spire until March.

The replacement bulb is costing a whopping €10,000 as it had to be

specially designed by engineers to ensure it is sufficiently bright and robust enough not to be damaged again.

A massive crane will be engaged to position engineers at the top of the 400-foot “monument of light” to install the costly bulb.

Ahead of the repair work, the council has

DIARY

had to inform the Irish Aviation Authority so that no planes fly overhead.

Take a virtual spin around James’s Gate The Guinness Storehouse at James’s Gate recently opened its doors to a global virtual audience with Google.

The free 360-degree interactive tour allows users to virtually travel across all seven floors of its 159,219 sq f t building, including its top floor Gravity Bar, the highest bar in Dublin city, live from their laptops, iPads and other digital devices.

T hrough Google’s B u s i n e s s V i e w, t h e Guinness Storehouse has extended its reach beyond the 1,269,371 guests that passed through the doors in 2014 to a global audience; regardless of whether they are able to travel to Dublin in person.

Celebrating the launch of Google Business View, Paul Carty, managing director of Guinness Storehouse, commented: “The Guinness Storehouse is a truly unique tourism product and we are proud to be one of the first in Ireland to offer Google Business View.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and now with Google Business View people will h ave t h e a b i l i t y t o search online and walk through the doors of the Guinness Storehouse.”

Get 50% off a room with water bill For those defying the

The light on top of Dublin’s Spire has not been working since October 2014

latest utility charge, don’t bin your Irish Water registration packs just yet as a hotel in Phibsborough is offering a 50% discount on a night’s stay with every registration pack presented.

The Charleville Lodge Hotel sent social media into a frenzy last week with its social media post regarding Irish Water registration packs.

It is offering all its Facebook and Twitter followers 50% off a night’s stay at the hotel if they present their registration pack formed into the shape of a paper airplane.

On February 2, the post read: “Did you register for Irish Water today? If so, you are a little silly, as paying for something twice doesn’t

seem to make much sense…If not, don’t worry!... If you present your IrishWater application form on check in at our hotel in the form of a paper airplane, we will give you a 50% discount on your room rate.”

Now isn’t that nice.

Valentines Day Appeal to help the homeless Peter McVerry Trust will be selling roses as part of a Valentine’s Day Appeal to raise money for homeless and housing services in Dublin.

The charity’s chief executive Pat Doyle said that in recent times the number of couples who have found themselves in need of homeless services has grown and he hopes the new

appeal which has been backed by Leinster and Ireland rugby star Cian Healy, will help raise awareness of the difficulties many couples face due to homelessness.

He said: “As part of our response to the growing numbers of people experiencing homelessness in Dublin, Peter McVerry Trust increased its capacity to support homeless couples with the opening of a new service just before Christmas.”

The charity will be selling single roses, half bouquets, full bouquets and luxury bouquets. The roses can be ordered online at www. pmvtrust.ie/valentinesday-appeal or by calling Peter McVerry Trust’s fundraising office on 01 823 0776.

12 February 2015 GAZETTE 15

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO OVER 200,000* READERS EACH WEEK *Publishers statement

CALL 01 60 10 240

Sean Mahon is currently starring in Red Rock on TV3

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM: ACTOR SEAN MAHON

A pint, a chat, and a good read – that’s the life  IAN BEGLEY

SEAN Mahon has worked extensively in theatre, film and television. Having a starring role in Philomena, which was nominated for Best Film at the BAFTAs, and now as Sergeant Brian McGonigle in TV’s Red Rock, Mahon has revealed that he does many things to unwind from his hectic schedule.

“There are many things I love to do to escape from it all like having a quiet pint in my local pub in Leeson Street. It’s really nice to go in on a Tuesday evening and read a good book to decompress and relax, which I find really nice.

“I just got a book called The Examined Life by Stephen Grosz which looks into many deep things that everyone goes through. Most of the time when I go to places like

these I find myself chatting to people I don’t know and learning about who they are.”

Mahon also told The Gazette that he spends a lot of his time exercising.

“At the moment I love to walk around the Leeson Street area where I’m from and I also walk into work every day. I walk around the canal by Ranelagh and Portobello, while listening to some of my favourite music on my phone.

“During the weekend I tend to get up to a lot off outdoor activity with my brother in places like Powerscourt and Glendalough.”

Asked what he gets up to after a long day of work, Mahon said that he loves to sit down and relax by the fire, often with a glass of hot whiskey.

“When I get home, I also love to put on Netflix

and engross myself in programmes like House of Cards and Transparent.

“Last year, when I was in New York during the winter I completely dove into Breaking Bad. “I was on episode whatever and the temptation of watching the next episode at all hours of the morning was sometimes too much.

“Another thing that I really like to do is to go to museums and large buildings with a historic value.

“In New York I like to go to the Metropolitan museum or City Hall when I’m in Ireland. I love to be in places that have a sense of history and become part of something else and get out of my own head.”

Sean Mahon plays Sergeant Brian McGonigle in Red Rock, every Wednesday and Thursday at 8.30pm on TV3.

GAZETTE

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM

Gazette

16 Gazette 12 February 2015

dublinlife Q&A

colm Mcgahern, kumon instructor

The freedom of being your own boss while helping others Colm McGahern is Kumon instructor at Castlenock Study Centre, the largest in Ireland. Kumon is a math and reading educational method which originated in Japan. “[My job is] a hugely enjoyable and rewarding experience on a number of levels. I have always wanted to be my own boss. Having worked in

nine-to-five jobs for most of my working life, being a Kumon instructor now enables me to experience life as an entrepreneur with the added benefits and security of having the backing of an established, global company and highly regarded brand.

“It’s nice to know you can write your own pay-cheques, with your potential earnings being

How long have you been in business?

Three years.

What makes your business successful?

I believe a complete customer focus is key to the business’s success. Also, as a small business you are more willing to work beyond the typical nine to five, Monday to Friday routine.

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

A key advantage of the Kumon programme is that it is tailored to the very specific needs of each child, enabling them to work with confidence to realise their full individual potential.

How has the recession affected your business?

I have found that the recession has meant that people are prioritising the most important things in life, with education being central to this.

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

In the current age of austerity and EU involvement in national affairs, there are plenty of things I’d like to see changed, and not necessarily the ones that directly impact on my business.

equal to the level of work you’re willing to put in.

“An essential part of enjoying the job is the huge variety in the role of a Kumon instructor.

From the buzz of running a busy centre to the time spent assessing an individual child’s performance, and from managing the business finances to recruiting and training new staff.”

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

As people have become more price sensitive, having a more competitive pricing structure and offering greater value for money have been very important.

What is your ambition for the business?

To maintain Kumon’s position as the UK and Ireland’s number one supplementary education provider,

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

Although I recognise Facebook and Twitter can be important for business, I only use them for their news content and personal use.

However, other Kumon franchisees have found social media to be very beneficial as a good way of communicating with students and parents directly.

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

A young, diverse and multicultural population.

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

People prefer to buy something rather than having something sold to them.

business Finalists: rewarding excellence in innovation

Dublin companies on shortlist for awards

Seven Dublin companies have made it onto a shortlist of 18 nominees from across the island of Ireland for the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards.

The shortlist features entries from established companies, innovators, start-ups and academia and is very diverse with six different industry categories included.

Two Dublin companies WholeWorldBand and ARCKIT are nominated in the Creative Industries category. The former is the brainchild of Kevin Godley the founder member of rock band 10CC. W holeWorldBand is a new music platform/app that allows anyone to easily make music and videos that can be shared and enjoyed worldwide.

ARCKIT is the brainchild of architect Damien Murtagh and the model kit has been described as “adult Lego” or a type of “reality Minecraft”. The re-useable interconnectable components which he designs can be used to create model gardens, houses or office blocks.

Two other Dublin companies shortlisted are BFree Foods for its wheat free fajita kits

The judges who nominated the 18 shortlisted companies were front from left; Dr Bernadette McGahon, Tim Brundle and Marion Boland, with back from left; Niall Campbell, Pat Daly and Frank Roche

which it claims are a world first (Agri Food) and Lloyds Online Doctor (Bioscience) which is an online alternative for a select number of GP treatment areas.

Dublin is guaranteed a winner in the Energy and The Environment category with all three nominees - AmbiSense Ltd, REDT Energy and Surface Power HONE – hailing from the capital.

AmbiSense has created a remote cost effective analyser for continuously monitoring landfill

gas, REDT Energy has created a new patented technology for storing energy while Surface Power Hone has created a heating and cooling system for buildings using its nanotechnology-based photon daylight system.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on April 17 in Belfast.

Each category winner will secure a €10,000 media package with The Irish Times and an iPad. The overall winner of

Innovation of the Year will win a communications and advertising package from The Irish Times, worth over €150,000.

In addition, they will also win a UCD Smurfit Business School scholarship for an executive education programme commencing in 2016 and a state-of-the-art laptop.

For more information, visit www.irishtimes. com/business/innovation/innovation-awards2015 InterTradeIreland is a joint partner of the 2015 Awards.

12 February 2015 Gazette 17

18 Gazette 12 February 2015

MOTORS P31

asdfsdaf P27 health P33

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



Gazette

music P27

Pets truly loving home needed for dani

Broadcaster Hector O hEochagain and Jerry Fish at the launch of Ireland’s largest craft beer festival

bigger and better: Over 60 breweries descend on Dublin for 2015 drinks fest

Brewing up a beer storm  Keith Bellew

The Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fair, Ireland’s largest craft beer festival, returns to Dublin’s Convention Centre for a third time from February 27 to March 1.

Over 60 breweries from around the world along with Irish names like Hilden, the Porterhouse, Eight Degrees Brewing, White Gypsy, Rye River, Grand Cru Beers, and Blackwater Distillery will be involved.

The fair will boast an expanded food offering in 2015, pairing the best of Irish artisan food with a wide range of brews from home and around the world. Exhibitors already in talks with the team include Donal Skehan’s Skoff Pies, Bretzel Bakery, Sheridan’s

Cheesemongers and Gourmet Food Parlour.

Live musical entertainment will also be provided throughout the fair by acts such as Booka Brass Band, Jerry Fish Electric Sideshow, Amazing Apples and Interskalactic. A tradeshow will also be hosted upstairs by Irish Pubs Global, and exhibitors will have the opportunity to avail of free trade talks and network with attendees on Friday, February 27.

Speaking to the Gazette, organiser Maeve Desmond said: “We’re basically there to gather a lot of the Irish craft brews and distilled products such as craft whiskey, poitins, vodkas, gins with the craft artisan food. We’re really just trying to make everyone aware of the choice that’s out there. We have also

introduced international craft beers to the fair so that consumers can really have a taste of what’s going on around the world with craft beer.

“Last year we had about 17 countries from around the world featuring their craft beer and we run a competition for the brewers called the Dublin Craft Beer Cup and last year that was won by a Danish brewery called Coisbo, and the master brewer there, Anders Coisbo, is returning to exhibit at the fair again this year.”

The Six Nations rugby will be shown live on the big screen and Hector O hEochagain returns to the main stage to host the Ireland vs. England Beer Grand Slam before kick off on Sunday, March 1.

Speaking about the Beer Grand

Slam Desmond said: “We have beers from the UK vs beers from Ireland in a kind of taste-off competition with visitors from the fair. The big Ireland vs England match is on at 3pm and then we have Jerry Fish and his Electric Sideshow playing from 6pm on the Sunday.

“We are delighted that the fair is growing in popularity we have already got hundreds of emails in with interested parties, both on the exhibitors’ side and the consumer side. We are really looking forward to welcoming everybody to the fair.”

Tickets are on sale from €15 via www. entertainment.ie. For more information visit www.eu.alltechbrewsandfood. com or contact brewsandfood@alltech.com.

the Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is Dani, a one-year-old Collie cross.

Dani is only a young girl but she is very worried by handling.

Due to this, she would need an experienced dog-owning home that understands she will need time to settle in and help teach her that the world is not so scary.

If you think you could offer Dani a loving home, please call Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000 or pop into the centre. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50.

You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE. Treats and toys are always welcome!

12 February 2015 GAZETTE 23

The Body Shop Chameleon Blusher Marshmallow €14.50

STYLE Lancome Blush Subtil Figue Espiegle €38

Elizabeth Arden Sunkissed Pearls bronzer and highlighter €36

NYX Powder Blush Angel €7.49

THERE is nothing like adding a little blush to the face to put a spring in your step for the day or night ahead.

It’s a make-up essential for every beauty bag and, with many different shades, tones and textures available out there, there’s a blush match for

everyone.

This week, Gazette Beauty takes a look at what’s out there at the moment and what tools you need to apply blush with ease.

For most women, applying blush is as easy as smiling. Look in the mirror, apply blush to the cheekbones with a blusher brush or with

your finger-tips with a smile, and brush or dot onto the cheekbones, edging your way out to the temples.

When applying with a brush, make sure to tap off any excess blush, to ensure you don’t turn out like Aunt Sally!

Highlighters and bronzers – such as the Elizabeth Arden Sunk-

issed Pearls bronzer – are a great tool for definition, as well as (what this one says on the tin) offering a sunkissed looked.

Try to make the blush colour as natural as possible, so choose your blush carefully. Trial and error is the best way to find out, so have fun testing ...

New eyeshadows to glitter gorgeously  LAURA WEBB

URBAN Decay is known for its love of all things sparkling and glittering, and its latest range of eye-shadows lives up to that way of life.

Glitter, glitter everywhere – no, it’s not the Christmas tree you forgot to take down, it’s the latest shades hitting the beauty stalls.

Ur b a n D e c ay h a s introduced four new shades of Moondust Eyeshadow, from iridescent metallic white to a shifty purple that is bound to get even the shimmer-shy hooked.

According to the brand, this range is not like the chunky glitter you might have experienced in your teenage years – instead, it’s super

refined, with microfine bits of iridescent sparkle combined with intense, dreamy hues and lush 3D metallics.

Moondust feels like a cream but goes on like a powder to create a smooth, reflective look. It can be applied dry or wet for that extra oomph.

The first thing beauty buffs notice is the packaging. Yes, we all go to what shines the brightest, and then it’s the product inside that makes the final buying decision and the Moondust shade comes in a very compact package with a cool pop-out feature.

Moondust Eyeshadow is available in four new shades, priced €18.50 each: Ether (light purple with pink-blue 3D spar-

Urban Decay’s new shades of Moondust Eyeshadow (€18.50), clockwise from top-left: Ether, Scorpio, Solstice and Cosmic

kle and shift); Scorpio (matte black with gold 3D sparkle); Solstice (metallic pink-red with

green 3D sparkle) and Cosmic (metallic white with iridescent 3D sparkle).

The face of YSL, Cara Delevinge. YSL’s Blush Volupte is available in a

The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain €15.95

Blushing beauty  LAURA WEBB

GAZETTE

OUT&ABOUT

range of shades, including Baby Doll No 4 (€40, right)

Urban Decay Flushed €29.50

OUT&ABOUT 50 Girls €

Women ’s

Demi Lo vato ra nge

(avail M ay)

€75

Gazette

24 gazette 12 February 2015

oam ry f

’s Men

to p e

t s up

r spo

65

t€

Skechers stores and stockists are located at Henry Street, Liffey Valley SC, Blanchardstown SC, The Square Tallaght and Swords Pavilions

o mem

rt €70

’s Women

spo y foam memor

st yle  laura webb

elaxe

d fit

€75

50

s€ Boy Wo m

en’s

Kel y

Bro

ook

ran ge €

70

ls Gir 0

€5

THERE used to be a time when runners/trainers were just associated with people going for their daily exercise in the local park or around their estate, but times have changed with such footwear now being a style trend.

Skechers has a variety of lifestyle footwear that is just as fashionable as you are and just as comfortable as you want your feet to be.

For the young at heart, multi-platinum-selling recording artist and actress Demi Lovato has collaborated with Skechers to be the face of a fun and cool range of footwear.

“My generation grew up with Skechers and now, with all of their cool styles and fun colours, I’m excited to help introduce the collection to a new generation by sharing this incredible brand’s campaign with my ‘Lovatics’,” she said.

The brand expects her campaign to match the success and reach that Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Carrie Underwood brought to the Skechers brand over the years.

Meanwhile, model,

actress and television presenter Kelly Brook has been announced as the face of the Skechers’s women’s footwear collections for 2015.

She said: “It doesn’t get any bigger than Skechers when it comes to lifestyle footwear. Skechers has brilliantly comfortable shoes in so many colours and looks. I love them.”

But the talent doesn’t stop there – legendary drummer Ringo Starr is set to appear in the company’s global marketing campaign for Skechers men’s Relaxed Fit footwear this spring, offering style and comfort to the everyday man.

The brand recently showcased its spring/summer 2015 collection, and its sense of fun, colour and comfort for all the family certainly isn’t lost.

Men’s r

12 February 2015 gazette 25

Arboretum, Home & Garden Heaven Heath McCabe heart mugs €7.99

some lovely last-minute Valentine’s gift ideas

Selected stockists Victor & Rolf Spicebomb for him €79

Aldi Pink champagne brut €23.99

Kilkenny Shop Alan Ardiff 2 x Heart of Gold cufflinks €184.50

Widely available Alien by Thierry Mugler gift set €68.50

Widely available Valentine’s Day Swatch watch €55

Arboretum, Home & Garden Heaven 12 x Sweetly Does It cake cases €9.99

Aldi M pyjam en’s charac a t and s s (Perfect er shorty horts, Home r, above ) €7.9 top, 9

Gazette

STYLE

26 Gazette 12 February 2015

OUT&ABOUT

MUSIC

Gazette

Gazette

12 February 2015 Gazette 27

music: vicar street welcomes back folk heroine

Reader ready to reel in her Irish audience One of Scotland’s national treasures Eddi Reader returns to Ireland this month for her seventh annual Irish tour, and will play a special date at Vicar Street on February 19.

Eddi is back in Ireland after a hugely successful 2014 and the release of her acclaimed solo album, Vagabond. It’s remarkable to look back at her long list of achievements - an MBE, three Brit awards, eight records in her own right and a timeless number one single, Per-

 ROB heigh

rheigh@dublingazette.com

fect which she made with Fairground Attraction.

Speaking to GazetteMusic recently, Eddi was thrilled at the prospect of playing here again.

“It’s a tradition that’s going back a few years now. As long as there’s an audience, I’ll always

invest time in singing to people. Music is always a communication, a voluntary communication.

To indulge is always the choice of the audience, not the performer. I don’t like big publicity drives that tell people they should be buying this or listening to that.

“I’m hoping that just by presenting it in my own easy way, it’ll be enough to attract people to stop and listen, and then encourage me to continue, and that’s what seems to be hap-

pening in Ireland. I went to Ireland and there was a little audience, and I came back and there were more, and now I have to do the likes of Vicar Street.”

Eddi will be performing with former Trashcan Sinatras John Douglas and Boo Hewerdine on guitars, Alan Kelly on piano accordion and Kevin McGuire on double bass. Eddi explained that she is thrilled to be surrounded by such virtuoso performers, which means for her that every-

Scotland’s national treasure Eddi Reader

one gets their time in the spotlight and that everyone on stage is the star.

“I can sing the beautiful songs, and I don’t have to worry about it all. I shouldn’t be all about one person singing for an hour or two, I love when you get tunes coming out of songs and the instrumentation being raised up and as important as the singer.”

As to what fans can expect, Eddi said that every night would be unique, but with one thing in common.

“I can sing in an intimate room and bring people on a journey with me, with a spontaneous setlist and storytelling, or I can hit them with songs they recognise. It’s like an old house party, especially

when everyone is up for a bit of a ceilidh.”

Eddi’s tour begins on February 12 in Kilkenny and comes to Vicar Street on February 19 - details can be found at www.vicarstreet.ie. You can find out more at www.eddireader.com. You can listen to the full version of this interview at theaapnetwork.libsyn.com

Gazette

28 gazette 12 February 2015

OUT&ABOUT

Catch up with ‘angelic’ singing  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

THE renowned Theatre Lovett production of The Girl Who Forgot to Sing Badly comes to the Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire this March.

Theatre Lovett’s Louis Lovett, who appeared in Moone Boy and played Dieter in Killnascully, stars in this fantasy play for children and adults alike as it makes a welcome return to Ireland, having toured the world.

Since opening to rave reviews and

packed houses in Dublin in 2010, The Girl Who Forgot to Sing Badly has travelled to Edinburgh, London, Texas, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Melbourne, Sydney and to 42nd Street, New York.

The story is about Peggy O’Hegarty and her parents, who are packers of all kinds of strange items. They squeeze fruit into tins, foxes into boxes, even bikes into brown paper bags., and all the while,

Peggy sings with the voice of an angel – an unfortunate angel, who can’t sing at all ...

The Girl Who Forgot to Sing Badly runs at The Pavilion Theatre on March 10 and 11 and tickets, priced €6.50 per child, €10 per adult and €28 for a family, are available at www.paviliontheatre.ie.

Sadhbh Lawlor, Marja Almqvist and Maureen O’Dwyer with the knitted Fatima Mansions model. Pictures: Aisling Phelan

exhibition: knitting a community together

Portraits of Rialto  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

THE Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke (Ind) recently launched an extraordinary exhibition of self-portraits by people living in Rialto, working in partnership with the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in an EU-funded project.

Contemporary selfportraits, including paintings, photographs, crafts and video, were staged at European Union House on Dawson Street, with art tutors and professors from NCAD mingling with residents from Rialto and EU Commission officials in a spirit of artistic harmony.

The centre-piece of the exhibition was a collective project and self-portrait of the old Fatima Mansions building, completed as a one metre-wide knitted model.

As well as many selfportraits, there are also specially designed and handmade medals that the Rialto participants made to honour their best traits.

Entitled Medal of Honour, they include ribboned badges honouring things such as making people laugh and being kind.

Barbara Nolan, head of the European Commission Office in Dublin, told The Gazette about the project’s inception.

She said: “It’s NCAD in cooperation with the local community. NCAD is based down there in Rialto as well.

“Some of the funding came from the culture programme, which is EUfunded, and is for projects that have a trans-national element, and this one did as there were other similar projects in other memberstates ... working with the

local community to develop their creativity.”

The Gazette then spoke to Professor Philip Napier, head of the school of fine art in NCAD, who said: “This project actually makes good the rhetoric that art has the capacity to change how we see the world and that’s a radical thing.

“Art can do this very well because it’s an experiential relationship, it’s learning through doing and that has a really active place that’s often underrated.”

Of the knitted Fatima Mansions project, tutor Sadbh Lawlor said: “The first part was experimentation and then I took control of the model.

Everyone involved decided which was the best stitch to use to represent things like ‘brick’.”

Maureen O’Dwyer, who worked on the

project, said: “The whole experience was ver y good.” Since then, she has designed and knitted her own house, which she describes as “a three-bed semi”.

Marja Almqvist, who runs the local Rialto Chinese restaurant, worked on the paving for the model and said: “I think the whole thing is fantastic and we are going to do it again.”

Cllr Burke (Ind) said: “I think exhibitions of this nature proves the hidden talent that’s out there and the vision that people had of their lives is so clear.

The marriage between the art colleges and local communities was never as strongly cemented, and any move to remove that would be a disaster.”

The exhibition is running in the European Union House, Dawson Street until February 27.

12 February 2015 gazette 29

Gazette

ARTS

StepLively Try some burlesque lessons  Bairbre Ni Bhraonain

Eileen Leahy, Deirdre Lale and Ciara McGoldrick

Lord Mayor Christy Burke and Barbara Nolan, head of European Commission Representation in Ireland, study the knitted model of the old Fatima Mansions

Young Louis O’Baoill with Philip Napier and Neill O’Baoill

Nikki Chatham and Bryan Kinsella

ANYONE tempted by the allure of burlesque performance, especially as it relates to dance, is in for a treat this month as a series of special workshops is being run in Temple Bar to teach you all the most sultry moves.

The Performance Lounge welcomes duo Kate Finegan and Elise Brennan, who will begin teaching jazz, burlesque and stiletto heel dance classes every Friday, from 6pm to 8.30pm, in Temple Lane Rehearsal Studios.

The workshops run until the end of February.

Organisers claim that not only will participants get fitter, but they will feel more exotic and seductive into the bargain.

The classes are open to all, from beginners up, and anyone aged over 16 can join.

Dance lessons cost €10 for one drop-in class, or €15 for two classes. The studio is located at Curved Street, Temple Bar, through the black door left of The Button Factory.

For further information, you can email performancelounge@gmail.com, or telephone 086 874 5592.

Gazette

30 gazette 12 February 2015

OUT&ABOUT

FASTTRAVEL

€149 fare to the US Starting in October you will be able to travel from Dublin to the US for as little as €149 with a new low-cost airline.

Icelandic carrier WOW Air have revealed that they will be the first low-cost airline to fly to the States from Dublin. In October, passengers will be able to avail of €149 one way flights including taxes, to Boston and Washington.

Flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, flying from Dublin to Reykjavik, Iceland and then on to North America.

WOW Air chief executive Skuli Mogensen said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer our WOW prices for Irish passengers travelling between Dublin and North America. Our aim is to transform lowcost transatlantic flights and make travel to the US affordable for everybody.”

This news comes shortly after WOW Air announced a new route from Dublin to Reykjavik, starting from June 2 from as little as €49 each way.

cavan: unwind in lavish spa retreat

Cosy resort blends old and new charm

 aishling phelan

There is no better way to spend the last weekend of a never-ending January than unwinding in a lavish spa resort.

Farnham Estate, Cavan, sees the old infused with the new as the period style decor of the original house merges with the modern finishes

of the attached hotel.

Our luxurious room had a clean-cut contemporary design and floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the impressive landscape of the estate.

First it was time for a dose of indulgence at the health spa while my fellow guest geared up for a session at the gym.

Pretty white teapots, water jugs and fresh fruit were on display for guests to enjoy while awaiting their treatments.

I left in an absolute state of serenity after my gorgeous coconut melt body massage, which consisted of being swathed in wet hot towels and skillfully covered in warm coconut oil.

After the treatment session, I was taken to a dimly-lit relaxation room where guests are cocooned in thick white duvets, magazine in one hand, flavoured water in another.

The highlight of my stay was the afternoon tea ritual in one of Farnham’s beautiful period drawing rooms.

We were presented with a colourful assortment of cakes, canapes and sandwiches on a tiered stand.

The attentive waiter talked me through the diverse selection of teas and I opted for Irish Afternoon Gold - heavenly!

We tucked into the mini-feast beside a crackling log fire, listening to soft classical

Farnham Estate boasts some stunning grounds

music from a vintage phonograph.

The light mint and cream palette throughout the room added to the calm and soothing atmosphere.

Next it was time to enjoy the thermal suite which houses a range of hot and cold treatments and a heated outdoor infinity pool overlooking the rolling countryside.

How often does one get to swim outdoors in Ireland on a chilly January evening under the moonlight?

After drifting through the extensive thermal suite, from the Finnish sauna to the amethystsalt inhalation room, it was time to get ready for the evening ahead.

The Cellar Bar is the perfect setting to relax with some pre-dinner cocktails with its antique beer barrels and vintage typewriters dotted

The heated outdoor infinity pool

around the room.

The brick-walled space is part of a network of underground tunnels at the estate which served as the kitchens and quarters for staff throughout the centuries.

As always at Farnham, you quickly travel from the old to the new as next was the modern Botanica restaurant for dinner.

I had a tasty soup starter and a tender Barbary duck breast main course with sweet potato puree and honey roast parsnips.

The delectable dessert consisted of a steamed sponge pudding, spilling with salted caramel sauce.

After a hearty breakfast the next morning, we left following the winding road out of the estate, soaking in the stunning grounds and planning our next trip to Farnham. See www.farnhamestate.ies

The music room

12 February 2015 GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

TRAVEL

Get your holiday off to the perfect start with a convenient hotel  SUZANNE SHEEHY

Castlemartyr Resort provides everything possible to help you unwind

CORK: TAKE TIME OUT AT CASTLEMARTYR RESORT

Relax like a king in luxurious surrounds

 DAVE PHILLIPS

CASTLEMARTYR is a gorgeous little blink-andyou’ll-miss-it spot in east Cork that holds a few colourful secrets. Stop there for a pint and you might be surprised to be served by Pat Shortt, who owns the local bar. And no doubt you’ll hear some vibrant

stories from the time the Rolling Stones painted the sleepy village black when they pit-stopped there in the mid-60s. But by far the most dazzling gem on display is the Castlemartyr Resort, a luxury hotel set amid expansive and lush surrounds just outside the village.

Originally dating back

to the 13th century, remnants of the castle are still present on the grounds of the resort, but rest assured you’ll receive a very different reception today.

On arrival we went straight for afternoon tea, situated in one of the high-windowed dining rooms that look out for miles over the flat, fertile land. Sitting and admiring the view while gorging on a selection of treats is one way to pass the hours. If there’s too much on the tiered plates (and there is quite a lot), it can be boxed up to nibble on later.

The resort also houses a spa, thermal suites, and pool. There’s the usual long list of treatments you’d expect at this level, presented in very comfortable and warm rooms. Post-massage you are invited to chill out in a communal relaxation area, and provided with granola, fruit, and smoothies to ensure that you stay afloat on the healthy buzz for as long as possible.

Inevitably though, din-

ner comes around. And at Castlemartyr that means some delicious decadence.

A tasting menu at The Bell Tower restaurant guided us through five incredible dishes. Try to imagine the pan fried hake, gnocchi, oyster mushrooms and green beans with sherry and walnut veloute and you’ll get some idea of what to expect from this highly-recommended menu.

There’s a band playing ballads in the bar on Friday nights, where you’ll also find the two resident Irish Setters who are keen to find cuddles. They’ll be eager to join you for a walk around the grounds in the morning too, on the long meandering trails that lead around the estate.

And if you don’t feel like walking there are Dutch bicycles left outside the door that you can hop on. Full of little touches, Castlemartyr Resort provides everything possible to help you unwind. www.castlemartyrresort.ie

BEWLEY’S Hotel Dublin Airport is very conveniently located, only seven minutes from the airport. I recently stayed there the night before an early flight to Denmark.

I was greeted by very friendly staff at check in. The room was very spacious, comfortable and quiet with free WiFi. It had all the amenities I needed to make my stay a pleasant one. Ironing board facilities, climate control, adaptable options, plus tea/coffee making facilities. Even for an overnight stay these all came in very useful!

Later that evening I dined in the The Brasserie Restaurant which was informal and relaxed, and sat back in the lounge bar enjoying a glass of red.

I checked out at 5.30am and even then the staff oozed enthusiasm. To have a free shuttle bus take me to the airport meant no stress and little organisation on my behalf.

I was unable to avail of the varied breakfast menu. However Bewleys have an Express breakfast which can be arranged for those on an early flight. This was a perfect on the go breakfast snack for me.

Overall I found Bewley’s a good starting point for flying out of Dublin.

If I’m staying longer next time I’ll be sure to avail of their Fitness centre, a fully equipped mini-gym facility.

Park, Stay and Fly package starts at €89 per room with three days’ parking.

Gazette

32 Gazette 12 February 2015

OUT&ABOUT

wellbeing: you can be more resilient

Get ready for a 50k/80k challenge CYCLISTS are encouraged to get in training for the upcoming Stephen Roche 3 County 80km, and 2 County 50km challenges, taking place on April 12.

The challenges are supporting Balbriggan Cancer Support Group, with both routes starting from, and finishing at, the village of Balrothery, near Balbriggan. Those cycling under the €60 entry package can cycle with Roche himself in either challenge, and afterwards have lunch (maximum 100 people).

For further information, and to register, look for “cycling” under www.active. com/co-dublin-dublin/.

We bounce back from adversity

THE Oxford English Dictionary tells us that to be resilient means to be “able to spring back into shape after bending”.

While this description

may apply to objects or something other than the human species, I am sure we can all agree that life bends us, twists and heaves us into all sorts of shapes and sizes that do not resemble our original

form.

Resilience is our capacity to return to what or who we were after stressful life events have had their wicked way with us, or if necessary, to rearrange us into someone with substantially more capacity for living and coping with whatever else comes our way.

Think of a ball filled with air – think of its ability to bounce back at you when you throw it at a wall, or dribble with it around your yard.

If it takes enough bashes, or hits a nail or piece of glass, slowly releasing the air inside, then its ability to bounce back is gone – it needs repair.

It is resilience that gives us our bounce, our capacity to recover from life’s knocks. It is resilience that fills us up again.

Are we born with it? Can we grow and strengthen it in us? My answer would be ‘Yes’ to both of these questions; however, we are all different, and so, as is usual with most human qualities, some of us have it to a greater or lesser degree.

Some of us do not recover from stressful life events as quickly as others, and it is important to recognise our own individual responses.

W hile one person reacts to difficulty with

Aine Duffy: “... the stronger you feel physically, the easier it is for you to overcome difficulties [and] getting enough sleep will improve your capacity emotionally”

passion and gusto, another may crawl under the covers, lacking all energy required to tackle the situation.

Genes, personality type, childhood and early life events all play a part in deciding how we react and it is vital that we do not compare ourselves to others.

resilient people possess, things like the ability to challenge, to control oneself, to commit, or having a positive view of yourself and the world.

But what if we don’t have these qualities naturally? We can (and most research now supports it) develop our capacity to add to ourselves, to

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

‘It is resilience that gives us our bounce, our capacity to recover from life’s knocks. It is resilience that fills us up again.’

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

For those of us that understand our ability to bounce back can be compromised in any way, there is much we can do about it. My advice would be small steps, taken one day at a time and, with awareness.

A lot of articles and research can tell us the characteristics that

be more than who we thought we were.

Where can we begin?

Did you know that the stronger you feel physically, the easier it is for you to overcome difficulties, or that getting enough sleep will improve your capacity emotionally?

And what about avoid-

ance? Is there is something you have been side stepping lately, something that seems insurmountable? Try committing to tackling this thing for 10 minutes, or five if that seems too long.

Notice how you feel afterwards – I can guarantee you will have more energy afterwards than before.

Think too about what you’re good at, something uncomplicated.

Try doing it every day, or every other day for 15 minutes or half an hour.

Compare how you feel after doing this to how you felt before. Better?

Be mindful, and appreciative of your capacity to feel that way.

And what about pleasure? Ask yourself – and take some time with this – what has given you pleasure in the past? Keep it simple and achievable – then do it.

Again, notice how you

12 February 2015 gazette 33

feel afterwards; make plans to do it again.

Think about it – what puts the air back into you? Breathing deeper?

Laughter? Exercise?

Pleasure?

Consider your personality, and be mindful not to compare yourself to others.

What restores you may be very different to what restores another, so be curious about yourself and seek some awareness about the things that lift you, that make you stand taller, that create buoyancy in your step.

If being around a lot of people causes anxiety or stress, then it’s important to have days alone to recharge, or if being alone depresses and erodes you, then seek out those that reflect the good things about you, or indeed those that might challenge you, playfully,

to laugh.

H u m o u r, a g o o d belly laugh, will inject a cascade of hormones through you that promotes resilience and wellbeing.

Resilience doesn’t mean we paste over painful life events, or negative ---------------------------------------

‘To younger readers, I would say to look forward with hope’

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

thoughts and emotions, it just means we can allow these things to co-exist with other, more healthy life giving experiences and feelings ... ‘ I ’m h e a r t b r o ke n about this, but I’m grateful for that.’

Stating something

like this with awareness keeps us buoyant, when we might other wise drown in adversity.

Finding meaning in heartbreak and other painful life events will, for most of us, increase our capability to recover.

So, allow yourself to ponder what there is to learn from something that has knocked you off your perch.

There is research to support that extending ourselves to other, less fortunate people than ourselves increases our body’s ability to use seratonin more efficiently.

This is one of our feelgood hormones and isn’t it interesting that forgetting about ourselves to think about others actually improves how we feel?

So, get the balance right between self awareness and caring,

Gazette

HEALTH

Eucerin help for dry skin problems

If being around a lot of people causes anxiety or stress, then it’s important to have days alone to recharge – and vice versa, if you dislike being alone

but don’t overdo it to the point where we forget about others that might need a little encouragement, too.

For those who have lived long enough to weather many of life’s adversities, it would be safe to say that resilience improves with age; therefore, to the younger readers of this article, I would say to look forward with

hope.

Life will throw everything at us and if we live long enough, we will experience the full spectrum of events that shake us to the core and fill us with joy.

It will knock the air out of us and we need to trust that we have a natural ability to breathe in again, to fill up once more, ready to bounce

back, stronger and more resilient.

Aine Duffy Duffy (a member of the Irish Institute of Cognitive and Humanistic Psychotherapy) is a psychotherapist working in the north east who has a particular interest in stress and anxiety management. Telephone 087 793 3561, or email ainebduffy@hotmail.com.

MANY people suffer from dry skin, and depending on the degree of severity of dryness, the skin tightens, is rough, prone to itching, scaling and irritation.

Eucerin AtoControl products are clinically and dermatologically proven to help soothe and relieve dry, itchy and tight skin.

To minimise the risk of skin irritation and allergies, no fragrance or colourants have been added.

Suitable for people of all ages, Eucerin AtoControl products are also suitable for children and babies over the age of age months. The products are available in McCabe’s pharmacies now.

34 lucan gazette 12 February 2015

LucanCLASSIFIEDS

auto

services

Lucan Tyres • Lucan tyres/servicing/car repairs • Tyres/servicing/car repairs/spray painting/batterys/

01-6100359 Unit 27 hills Ind.Estate. Lucan www.lucantyrecentre.ie

1&45 $0/530- -6$"/ 3&.07"- 0' Ĺš 30%&/54 Ĺš 3"54 Ĺš .*$& Ĺš 8"414 Ĺš "/54 Ĺš '-*&4 Ĺš $0$,30"$)&4 %0.&45*$ "/% $0..&3$*"- 13&.*4&4 /0 #3"/%*/( 0/ 063 7"/ '"*3 13*$&4 1)0/&

home • Winter Tidy Ups • Over grown gardens • Trees felled and prooned • Speciality brick work • Block paving driveways and walls • Old sheds removed • Nre shed supplied and erected • Hedges trimmed • Gutters cleaned and sealed • Turfing and stump grinding 15 years’ experience For free no obligation quote call Dave: 01 8678791, 085 1474725

windows

DVD TRANSFERS ďƒźVideo & Camera Tapes ďƒźCineFilms ďƒźPhotos & Slides converted to DVD ďƒźMusic & Titles added

WINTER WINDOW & DOOR SALE

Tel: 01-2807838 / 087 9132265 alleventsvideo@eircom.net

BRICK BLOCK AND STONE â–Ş Garden Walls â–Ş Brick piers â–Ş Arches â–Ş sheds â–Ş Patios & paving â–Ş Driveways & paths â–Ş Concrete â–Ş Repair to damaged masonry â–Ş Stone walling & paving Call Dave 0872917647

FOLLOW US TODAY ON OUR SOCIAL NETWORK

GET UP TO

35% OFF

VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS IN LUCAN VILLAGE

(O PPOSITE U LSTER B ANK

ON THE BRIDGE )

W EIR R ETAIL C ENTRE , 40 H ILLS M ILL I NDUSTRIAL E STATE , L UCAN V ILLAGE , C O . D UBLIN .

T EL : 6217639

Registered & Insured RooďŹ ng Contractor Flat RooďŹ ng Specialists Industrial, Residential & Commercial • Felt work • Slating & Tiling • Organic Seedom • Guttering Fascia & SoďŹ ts

DUBLIN Gazette newspaper HAVE OVER 200,000* READERS EACH WEEK

STUART MASTERSON P:01 4439398 M: M:087 - 7712463, 086 - 2006217 E:mastersonrooďŹ ng@gmail.com stuartjmasterson@hotmail.com W:www.mastersonrooďŹ ng.ie

*Publishers Statement

APPLIANCE REPAIRS

Ph. Paul:083 1913742

advertise your business to our readers call 01 60 10 240

LEGAL & PLANNING APPLICATION

ANNOUNCEMENT

We can now officially accept planning & legal notices from all four County Councils in greater Dublin region

¡ Standard rate ₏75 + VAT ¡ Payment in advance Ph.01 601 0255

12 February 2015 Gazette 35

athletics P29

asdfsdaf gaelic games P27 P31

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



Gazette

cycling P28

FastSport Clonliffe’s murray hits 800m target:

Three Rock Rovers’ Jonny Bruton celebrates after scoring the first of his side’s goals against Lisnagarvey last weekend

hockey: semi-final place secured after comeback win against lisnagarvey

Three Rock into last four after Hillsborough heroics THREE Rock Rovers became the first men’s side to qualify for the semifinals of the Irish Hockey League as they beat Lisnagarvey 4-2 in Hillsborough to remain the sole side with a perfect record in the competition.

They trailed 2-0 after seven minutes, though, as Andy Williamson got Garvey off to a flying start, nicking in after just 19 seconds and nabbed his second soon after from close range.

But Rovers were level by half-time as Mitch Darling and Jonny Bruton’s return from international duty played a big part. The former was the creator both times; his shot rebounded invitingly to Bruton to snap up the first,

while the second came off the back of an excellent left-wing interchange to make it 2-2 at the break.

And, despite a fine performance from Garvey goalkeeper John Tormey, Three Rock pulled clear in the second half via Peter Blakeney’s rocket of a shot and Darling got a deserved fourth for his overall performance.

In between those two goals, Blakeney took one off the line while Luke McSharry got a great touch in to deny Garvey as they fluffed a three-on-one chance as they tried to get back into the tie.

Pool A remains a three-horse race between Dublin sides Monkstown

and Pembroke as well as Belfast’s Instonians going into the final day of the group phases after all recorded wins on Saturday.

Town were too good for UCC in a 4-0 result at the Mardyke while Pembroke beat Annadale by the same scoreline. Inst just held off Cookstown 2-1 to stay in the running for a first ever semi-final spot.

Pembroke got their third win from four outings in comfortable fashion.

They won the penalty corner count 8-1, a measure of their control, holding court for the last three quarters after an initially well matched opening stanza.

Justin Sherriff opened the scoring on 34 minutes with a powerful shot.

They tightened their hold on the points with penalty corner goals in the 38th, 46th and 68th minutes from Keith O’Hare, Nick Burns and Ronan Flannery.

Monkstown moved to the brink of qualifying for the final four thanks to their 4-0 win over UCC with only a couple an unlikely permutation in round five seeing them eliminated.

Andrew Ward and Richard Sykes put them 2-0 up at the break while Sykes’s second and another from Davy Carson after half-time saw home the win.

CLONLIFFE Harriers’ Declan Murray achieved the 800m qualifying time last weekend for the European Indoor Championships in Prague.

Murray was in superb form on Saturday as he front ran a 1.48.32 800m at the Boston University Scarlet and White Invitational. The time was inside the required standard of 1.48.50 for the European Indoor Championships.

Commenting afterwards Murray said “I went through 600m in 1:20 and brought it home,” he said.

“It feels good to get the standard out of the way at my first attempt. I’m running a 1,000m at Millrose Games next week, and I hope to break the Irish record, then it’s off to Ireland for the GloHealth Nationals the week after that.”

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

For more information or to send in news and photos: sport@dublingazette.com Phone: 01 601 0240

Gazette

36 Gazette 12 February 2015

SPORT

FastSport lord mayor’s team set for bhaa race: The love of healthy living is in the air this Valentine’s Day as the Lord Mayor’s 5 Alive team take on their third challenge race this year.

The team will compete in the Garda/ BHAA cross-country race which takes place in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, February 14 at 11am.

Lord Mayor Christy Burke (Ind) said: “As we reach the half way stage of the Lord Mayor’s Challenge, it is great to see over 200 people still committed to the five race challenge.

“For the first time in the history of the challenge, the participants will take part in a cross country run in the Phoenix Park.

“I would like to thank An Garda Siochana and the BHAA for allowing us join them for their event and I look forward to cheering on all the Lord Mayor’s 5 Alive team.”

The Lord Mayor’s 5 Alive challenge highlights the benefits of an active lifestyle as an important part of healthy living.

For further information on the route and registration, please go to www.bhaa.ie.

cycling: epic finish in prospect after changes to route for 2015

Skerries hosts the Ras finish  sport@dublingazette.com

Skerries is once again set to host the actionpacked finale of the 2015 An Post Ras for the tenth successive year when the peloton swings into the north county town on

may 24 at the end of what is likely to be another celebration of Irish cycling.

Unveiling a fast and tactical route which totals almost 1,200km, the organisers of An Post Ras launched what could be one of the most suspense-

ful editions of the race in recent history.

Deliberately omitting some of the tough first category climbs that have featured in recent years, the emphasis this time around is on opening up the possibility of attacks

Overall race winner Clemens Fankhauser crossing the line in Skerries last year

Rozanna Purcell pictured with Irish riders Damien Shaw, David McCann, former Rás winner, Sean McKenna and Eoin Morton at the launch of this year’s Ras

at any point in the race.

Skerries will once again host the final stage of the race with the peloton travelling 132km in from Drogheda to battle it out for that coveted yellow jersey. The riders will also have to contend with an additional lap of the finishing circuit this year which will be sure to make for an even more dramatic finale.

Double Olympian and former Ras winner David McCann was on hand to launch this year’s route and said that the path it will take will make for a thrilling spectacle, as well as being challenging for the competitors.

“It’s going to allow for typical Ras style racing with plenty of attacking which is what we love so

much about the race. The final day in to Skerries will be a great one to watch.

That extra lap up around the Black Hills will definitely add a new level of suspense. Hopefully, this year an Irish rider can take home the trophy.”

Speaking about this year’s Ras, race director Tony Campbell said the choice of terrain is intended to strike the right balance between the international and the domestic competitors, and that the final day will make for a properly thrilling finale to the race.

“The last stage is familiar to those who have been at previous editions of the An Post Ras, in that it finishes once again in Skerries” says Campbell.

“It’s actually the tenth

year that we are doing so and that finale has been absolutely fantastic for the race. There is a fantastic committee putting it together, and each year it is just better and better”.

“This time we have put in an extra lap of the finishing circuit. We believe it could be very close in the overall standings and so the third lap could make a difference and decide the race right in the final minutes. It could be a very dramatic finale.”

For more information about the Ras this year and to keep up with the latest developments and news, log on to www. facebook.com/anpostras, follow @anpostras and the hashtag #ras2015 on Twitter or log on to anpostras.ie.

Commercials reap reward of AIG sponsorship with new kit presentation Commercial GAA Club were recently presented with a range of sports equipment including helmets, hurleys and sliotars by John Gillick,

sponsorship manager at AIG Insurance. As part of AIG Insurance’s commitment to promote safety at grassroots level in Dublin GAA, they invested in the support of 20 clubs in 2014 and will focus on 20 more this year.

12 February 2015 Gazette 37

Gazette

Local Outsider stars honoured at awards

KEN’SDiary

Endurance athletes, kitesurfers and mountain bikers from Dublin are among the winners at the recent annual Outsider magazine People Of The Year awards in Smithfield TONY Mangan took top honours at the Outsider magazine People of the Year awards night held in Dublin last week The 57-year-old Metro St Brigid’s man was named Outsider of the Year 2014 in recognition of his extraordinary achievement of running around the world.

Mangan, who hails from the Liber ties, clocked up 55,000km as he ran around the globe.

That’s the equivalent of 1,200 marathons and is longer than any human has ever run.

Receiving his award, an emotional Mangan said, “This award means the world to me.”

But he was quick to add that life is returning to normal now that he’s back. “My mam is still worrying about me. She was worrying about me walking a mile in the cold

weather. I have to remind her, ‘Mam, I’ve just run around the world; I’ll be fine.’”

Kitesurfer Jade O’Connor (43), a fellow Dubliner, was named Woman of the Year.

O’Connor won the British Ladies Championship in June 2014, came eighth at the World Championships in Istanbul Turkey, August 2014 and fourth at the European Championships in Poland in September 2014. She is Ireland’s highest ranked kiteboarder.

Kiteboarding is a high adrenaline, high-speed water sport that sees up to 30 kiteboarders at a time race around a course reaching speeds in excess of 50km per hour.

O’Connor commented, “I am over the moon…

This kicks my 2015 race season off with a bang of good energy”.

A lifetime achievement award went to Maurice Mullins (72) from Skerries. Mullins organised Ireland’s first triathlon in 1983 and then long-distance triathlon.

He also competed himself, running 130 marathons, 20 100km races, a handful of 24-hour races and competed internationally in ultra-distance events.

Although he now has cancer and has had to slow down in life, he still keeps active by cycle training in his garden shed and continues to inspire.

A modest Mullins stated: “It’s lovely to get this award but for every organiser there are so many helpers behind the scenes. When I organised that first triathlon, I had 104 helpers. They deserve this award too.”

An award voted for by the audience on the night

Epic athlete Tony Mangan, who traversed the world on two feet over the last four years, at the Outsider Magazine People of the Year awards

went to Helen O’Sullivan, also from Skerries. The 37-year-old mum of one suffers from cystic fibrosis but overcame the odds to run the Dublin marathon in October in a time of 3.45.56.

A clearly delighted O’Sullivan who received a huge cheer from the c r owd , s a i d , “ Eve n

online coach for Mark Pollock’s Run in the Dark, organised the crew behind the Bumbleance charity push and also helped coach Sinead Kane, the first blind Irish female to complete the Dublin Marathon in October.

He is also actively involved in the local

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

My mam still worries about me. I have to remind her, “Mam, I’ve just run around the world” – Tony Mangan

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

through the training was hard, I loved every minute if it.”

The Most Devoted to the Outdoor Scene went to ultra-runner John O’Regan (45) who hails from Ballybough in Dublin but now lives in Leixlip.

In 2014, the Dubliner won the Red Bull Wings for Life World Run in Killarney and finished second in the inaugural Tralee 100km just two weeks after running 227km in the Belfast 24-hour race.

He is also the current National 24-hour Champion. A level 2 athletics coach, O’Regan also trained 30 first-time marathon runners at Le Cheile Leixlip AC and also ran the half marathon and Dublin marathon as an official pacer.

He was advisor and

Parkrun and coaches runners in Athletic Ireland’s Fit4Life programme.

An understated O’Regan said, “We don’t do these things to get awards but it’s nice all the same.”

The Breakthrough Achievement Award for 2014 went to Dublin mountain biker Conor Lavelle (17) who came third in the Enduro World Series junior category.

Elite Event’s Ollie Kirwan, who hails from Garristown, Co Dublin, but now lives in Killarney, picked up the Best Outdoor Event award for the Helly Hansen Killarney Adventure Race while the final Dublin award winner was Deirdre Mullins for Best Outdoor Film for her short film, Going the Distance about her father Maurice.

Padded and pleased with my pedalling progress Olympic silver medallist and Irish boxing legend Ken Egan is to take part in this year’s Laurel’s Charity Crew Cycle from Galway to Dublin on April 19. In the run-up to the event, Egan has partnered with Gazette Sport to document his preparation for the big day, and here is his latest report from the road.

I mounted my bike again for this week’s training session after a bad dose of the flu last week.

I was in a world of hurt and I was annoyed with myself that I had missed the bike ride after finding out we had our biggest numbers last weekend - 26 riders turned up last Saturday morning for the 65km cycle.

I was back with a bang, though - I finally turned up with my padded shorts and let me tell you that guy was right who told me that they were essential. I’m such an amateur. To ride a bike over any distance with padded shorts is quite simply heaven.

I cruised along the 70km trail that day with a big smile on my face.

I picked up some lessons in fixing a puncture this morning as you can see in the photo - easy when you know how.

I also took some snack foods with me such as fig rolls and nuts for my protein intake, so I’m continually adapting to my new sport all the time and learning the little tricks of the trade.

It was a brisk morning and 20 people turned up and, from what I hear amongst the group, this trek from Galway to Dublin is going to be epic.

All I need to do is get the miles done on the bike, and as the old saying goes, keep it real and believe, one mile at a time I shall touch base with you next week as I continue on my journey to become the next Sean Kelly.

For more information about the event, log on to www.facebook.com/laurelscharitycrew, and come back next week for the latest instalment of Ken’s cycling diary.

Gazette

38 LUCAN gazette 12 February 2015

SPORT

FastSport celtics stay second with late victory: COURTYARD Liffey Celtics nicked a 71-69 win over UL Huskies in women’s basketball’s Premier League to remain in second place and edge closer to the play-offs.

Suzanne Maguire weighed in with 18 points while Aine O’Connor landed 14 and Erin Bracken 12 as the Celtics clung on after leading 36-31 at half-time.

They lie second in the table on 27 points, four off leaders Team Montenotte Hotel, level with Brunell and two ahead of fourth placed DCU Mercy.

soccer: united defeat galway on penalties to take place in WNL decider

Peamount reach league cup final  sport@dublingazette.com

PEAMOUNT United booked their place in this year’s Continental Tyres Women’s National League Cup final with a tense penalty shoot-out victory over Galway WFC in the semi-final at Greenogue last week.

Linda Douglas put the Peas ahead after just two minutes in an entertaining first half when she rightfooted a looping effort over Christina Hughes in the Galway goal.

Brooke Dunne kept out Lisa Casserly’s attempted equaliser just three minutes later after Eleanor

Stafford caused havoc in the Peas penalty area from Caroline Carter’s cross.

Galway levelled the game in the 37th minute when Peamount were unable to deal with Meadbh De Burca’s corner and Keara Cormican’s drive found the net, via a deflection.

Peamount’s Sinead Taylor haunted her former side in first half stoppage time as she dodged Galway’s offside trap to scoop home Sylvia Gee’s through ball.

The Tribeswoman got back on level terms with 20 minutes remaining

as substitute Ella Rose O’Flaherty rifled home from close range as Peas were unable to handle De Burca’s corner.

Galway came closest to finding a winner in normal time as both Alana Moran and Lisa Casserly were unable to find a way past Brooke Dunne.

The visitors asked more questions of Peas in extra time with Linda Douglas producing a last ditch block to keep out Alanna Moran after Lynsey McKey’s through ball so the game went to spot-kicks.

Hosts Peamount prevailed in the shoot-out as both De Burca and

Peamount will face the winner of Raheny United and Wexford Youths

Megan Kelleher failed to find the net from the spot for Galway before Eleanor Ryan Doyle calmly slotted home the final penalty to book Peamount’s passage to their second Continental Tyres Women’s National League Cup Final.

Elsewhere, Raheny United set up a semifinal date with holders

Wexford Youths after an 8-0 demolition of Castlebar Celtic in the Oscar Traynor Centre.

Katie McCabe got the league champions off the mark after just five minutes with Noelle Murray making it 2-0 some 10 minutes later. The floodgates opened for the Dublin side in the second half

as a Rebecca Creagh double and a Pearl Slattery strike made it 5-0 before the hour mark.

Siobhan Killeen grabbed her first League Cup goal of the season to make it six with Noelle Murray and Avril Brierley wrapping up the scoring as the Pandas advance to the last four.

12 February 2015 LUCAN gazette 39

Gazette

hurling: sarfields and pat’s stars shine for dubs

Club Noticeboard lucan sarsfields Membership is now due for 2015 and

The club shop is open on Satur-

can be renewed online via our web-

days from 10.30am to 1.30pm and

site.

Thursdays from 7.30 to 8.30pm.

Congratulations to all the winners at our annual adult awards night.

Cupla Focal club continues every

urday mornings. The girls start at

Monday at Lucan Sarsfields club-

9.30am and the boys at 10am. The

house from 8 to 9pm for beginners,

academy is run by our club GPO

9 to 10pm Irish hour for those who

Johnny McCaffrey and is an excel-

have some Irish and wish to use it.

lent introduction to sport for boys

Failte roimh gach duine.

and girls aged four upwards. All wel-

The Acorn Players will present

St Pat’s Palmerstown’s Shane Stapleton was singled out for praise by new Dublin hurling boss Ger Cunningham

Cunningham praise for local duo in cup  sport@dublingazette.com

LOCAL stars Chris Crummey and Shane Stapleton came in for praise from new boss Ger Cunningham for their performances for the Dublin senior hurlers in the Sky Blues’ run to the Walsh Cup final.

Cunningham’s charges fell to a late goal in Croke Park last Saturday evening 1-22 to 1-20, their final build-up game to the National Hurling League which begins next Sunday with an allticket clash with Tipperary in Parnell Park.

And Cunningham says that he has plenty to

work on after four Walsh Cup games with the side to build up for the season.

“The league is obviously going to be the focus going forward. We mixed the very good with some not-so-good,” he said.

“We’ve tried to find a few new players, and I think we’ve found a few.

I thought some people put up their hands Shane Barrett did some really good things, maybe started slowly but he got a phenomenal score and could have got another one.

“Chris Crummey - his first game since he played an Under-21 final with his

club back in November.I thought he did a lot of very good things tonight, he showed that he can play at this level.

“We gave Shane Stapleton a game to see how he was performing, can he play at this level?

Started very well, he got a couple of very good scores, and he showed again that he’s a work-inprogress and the more of those we can find, the better.”

St Pat’s man Stapleton chipped in with two points while his club mate Liam Rushe netted the Dublin goal. Lucan Sarsfields’ Crummey started in the half-back

line along with club mate Peter Kelly who clipped a point.

Howe ve r, a 6 8 t h minute James Regan goal saw Galway perform a late snatch and grab to capture the Bord na Mona Walsh Cup title.

Dublin led 1-12 to 0-12 at the interval and there was nothing between the sides going down the home straight.

However, a long delivery into the danger zone caused a bit of hesitancy in the Dubs defence which Regan capitalised on to beat goalkeeper Alan Nolan in the race to the sliotar and kick to the net.

Our Lucan District Credit Union academy has now changed to Sat-

come.

The Two Loves of Gabriel Foley in the

There was no winner of this week’s

function room on Saturday, Feb-

€10,000 lotto draw. Numbers drawn

ruary 21. Admission is €10. This is a

were 10, 15, 17 and 24. Next week’s

hilarious comedy that will have you

jackpot is €10,500. Colaiste Laichtin

shaking in your seats. Contact Mary

are sponsoring with Frank Master-

087 746 9143 for more details.

son’s team in charge.

st pat’s Palmerstown IT WAS A great week on the field last week, as the U-8s, U-9s and U-15s and minor teams all got wins.

parents who made it happen.

Well done to Liam and Shane on their performances at the weekend.

It was also a great week for our

Annual membership is now due and

U-11s who played in the half-time

can be accepted on Wednesday night.

interval at Croke Park last week. Well

There will be a registration night in

done to all the players, mentors and

the clubhouse next week.

GazetteSPORT all of your lucan sports coverage from page 35-39

wonderwalsh: Local duo Stapleton and Crummey praised by new Dubs hurling boss in Walsh Cup P39

february 12-18, 2015

pointing the way home: North county route rounds up 2015 Ras in Skerries P36

Twomey targets opener against Cork  stephen findlater

sport@dublingazette.com

LUCAN Sarsfields star Ali Twomey says that the arrival of Rose Collins and Sarah O’Donovan to the Dublin senior camogie panel is indicative of the upbeat mood they have going into next week’s opening national league tie against Derry.

O’Donovan has previously won an All-Ireland in Cork colours while Collins marked her in an All-Ireland quarter-final for Limerick. Both have now relocated to Dublin and while Twomey has lined out against the pair in club action, she says that she had “no idea” they were linking up with the Dublin county panel.

Twomey told GazetteSport that it is a measure of the outlook for the new season with more players presenting themselves for trials over the winter than ever before.

“It’s a sign of what’s going on here,” she said. “Compared to every other year, it’s so different. For trials this year, there were 90 players interested in playing Dublin senior camogie.

“In other years, we wouldn’t even have 30 players. It shows the interest [new manager] Shane O’Brien and the management are bringing so I think it will be a good year and put Dublin camogie back on the map.

“We had a few rough years and no one wanted to play on a losing team but this shows the excitement and

enthusiasm Shane is bringing,” said Twomey.

Asked what O’Brien brings to the table, Twomey added that the new manager is bringing a fresh approach to the able after working with the side as a coach in 2014.

“He is different to any manager I have had and the whole set-up is completely new. It’s a new experience for the players but also for him.

“He was involved last year as a coach but it is going really well. His training techniques and organisation along with his communication – everyone knows exactly what they are doing and when with training. It’s really enjoyable.”

And one of his major coups was

to get the services of Collins and O’Donovan to provide top level experience to an otherwise emerging panel filled with young players of which Twomey qualifies as one of despite making her debut when still in fourth year in school.

“Both of them are such good players. Me, being a younger player, they bring that experience; I’ve already learned a lot from them. They bring an energy and are really driven.

“It also brings different voices; we have all been playing for Dublin but they have that knowledge from different counties while Sarah has won an All-Ireland with Cork. It is great to have that experience on the team.”

Lucan Sarsfields’ Ali Twomey.

Picture: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE