Malahide GAZET TE FREE
Great Danes help to bring the Viking past back to life in Roskilde, Denmark
TRAVEL P22-23 July 11, 2013
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Hurling:
Naomh Mearnog valiant effort falls just short Page 31
Cricket:
Malahide CC reach national semi-finals
GALLERIES...................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE...................11 OUT&ABOUT ..................17 CLASSIFIEDS ................26 SPORT ...........................27
VILLAGE HAS IT! Festival brings two days of entertainment and activities Page 2
€70,000 boost for childcare services NATALIE BURKE
Page 30
ALSOINSIDE:
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OVER €70,000 in funding has been allocated to a number of childcare services across Dublin North. The allocation comes as part of Childcare Capital Grants funding and was announced by Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald last week. A total of 21 childcare providers in Dublin North have been allocated funds, totalling approximately €71,177 altogether.
Funding granted to childcare services in the local area ranged from €1,363 to €9,978. Commenting on the funding, local TD Alan Farrell (FG) welcomed the announcement, saying the grants would improve local childcare services. “The allocation is a welcome investment that will help to ensure that we continue to improve the quality of early childhood care and education in our area,” he said. Full Story on Page 4
Seeds of success: Families live it up down on the allotment ANGELA and Siobhan Loscher are pictured at the recent Malahide Allotment’s family fun day. They were joined by plenty of locals who turned out on this beautiful day to enjoy a whole host of fun activities including games, face-
painting, some tasty barbecued food and live music. The event was a great way for the community to come together in this great location and enjoy a very memorable day. See Gallery on Page 8
2 MALAHIDE Gazette 11 July 2013
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Rebecca Steele and Anna Leahy enjoying the fun at last year’s festival
Two-day festival to be bigger and better natalie burke nburke@gazettegroup.com
Malahide is set to host a feast of entertainment and activities later this month when the town holds a two-day festival of celebrations in Malahide village. The Malahide Has It festival returns to the town once again this summer, and will run from Saturday, July 27 until Sunday, July 28. Speaking to the Gazette this week, president of the Malahide Chamber of Commerce Trish Murtagh has confirmed that plans are in full swing for the muchanticipated annual festival, and promises it will be “the best year yet”. The aim of the festival is to promote and generate trade for local businesses in Malahide and the chamber’s
recently re-elected president is encouraging the whole community to get involved. “I would absolutely encourage everyone to come out for the Malahide festival weekend. As well as all of the activities already organised, a lot of community groups, clubs and societies will be doing their own things as well. It’s definitely an opportunity for everyone to get out and about and see what’s going on,” she said. “We will have live music this year from 2pm until 10pm and will be featuring big acts each night, including Rob Strong. We will also be featuring local bands during the day and also the Hallelujah Gospel Choir. “We also have the usual suspects: K insealy Pet Store, who
are always a big hit, the local chess club, the oversized connect-four game and a soft play area on the green,” she continued. “We will also have stands from local restaurants, community games, sports for kids, the tug of war on Sunday and the Bar Man’s Race. “Manor Books will also be hosting a storytelling session on the green. “This year will be bigger and better in terms of music and there will be a really nice family feel, with plenty of activities and music all day.” Trish, who is also the owner of Mischief children’s store in New Street Mall, was delighted to be re-elected as the president of the local chamber recently and is looking forward
to another year in the role. “To be made president for the second year in a row; it’s a great honour. What I’ve seen over the past while is the benefits in terms of communicating with Failte Ireland and Fingal County Council. “With the Public Realm in Malahide also, it’s a great opportunity to be in there and having an impact on the town for years to come, not just now. This year will be equally as busy if not more.” The Malahide Chamber of Commerce has been working with the Junior Chamber International (JCI Fingal) in the area which according to Trish has been a “very exciting” experience. “It’s a good opportunity for them to work with people who are
experienced. The group are so enthusiastic and we are loving mixing with them. They are always looking for new members also,” she said. Trish says she sees a lot of “positive feeling” in Malahide and believes the festival is continuing to grow year on year. “It’s really well supported by local businesses and people who volunteer their time. There is such a fantastic bunch of people and I want to acknowledge that.” The Malahide Has It festival is presented by the Malahide Chamber of Commerce and other local groups. A full programme of events will be posted on the Malahide Has It (www.malahidehasit.com) in the coming days.
11 July 2013 MALAHIDE Gazette 3
stranded 15-person team called to help teen
Boy rescued after getting stuck on cliff Natalie Burke nburke@gazettegroup.com
A teenage boy was rescued by a 15-person team from the Irish Coast Guard last week, after he became stuck on a cliffedge in north Dublin. The stranded teenager was rescued by the Cliff Rescue Unit of the Irish Coast Guard, after he became stuck while climbing 50m above a local beach in Howth. The Cliff Rescue Unit was called to Whitewater Brook in Howth
shortly before 10pm on Friday, July 5, where the 16-year-old was stranded on the cliff face. The boy, who was uninjured, was recovered and brought to the cliff top. According to a spokesperson for Howth Coast Guard, the boy had tried to climb up from the beach at Whitewater Brook, but had become stranded halfway up the cliff. He is believed to have taken a different path down to the beach earlier in the evening. Coastguard staff
received the emergency call at approximately 9.45pm and the rescue unit was on the scene within 10 minutes. “T he rescue took approximately an hour between when we received the call and when we brought the teenager up safely,” explained the spokesperson. “As he didn’t have any injuries, it meant we could operate without the assistance of a helicopter. Paramedics on the team were able to check him over and he did not require a
The teenager had tried to climb up from the beach at Whitewater Brook
visit to the hospital.” The spokesperson said the incident is not isolated. “It’s not the first time this has happened, it happens about once a year. People can think there is a path up the cliff face but when they get to a certain point, they can’t go forward or back.”
The teenager suffered no injuries apart from grazes on his hand from holding on to the rocks. “He was okay; maybe a little shocked alright. There was an element of fear that came into it I think,” said the spokesperson. The Cliff Rescue Unit comprises of a number
of volunteers and the spokesperson for the unit said that call-outs such as these do not cost money to the State. “If people see someone in trouble or think that they are stuck on cliffs, on the beach or in water, they should call us on 112 or 999 and we can get there early on.”
recycling Schools’ battery collection Primary schools in Fingal have recycled more than 39,000 batteries as part of the European Recycling Platform’s (ERP) schools campaign. Swords Educate Together National School and Oldtown National School were named as the top two schools in Dublin North which each collected the highest number of batteries per student as part of the campaign. As a whole, schools in Fingal collected a total of 39,043 AA batteries. ERP’s Go Recycle and Win primary school battery recycling campaign was set up in order to educate and encourage young recyclers to get into the habit of collecting used batteries and bringing them into school for recycling.
4 MALAHIDE Gazette 11 July 2013
finalist Toni&Guy takes place in competition
Salon proves to be a cut above the rest A local hair salon in Malahide has proved it is a cut above the rest after it was named as a finalist in a prestigious L’Oreal hair competition. Toni&Guy, which is located on Church Road in Malahide, was selected in recent weeks to go
through to the Grand Final of the L’Oreal Colour Trophy Award. The competition will take place on July 15 at the Convention Centre in Dublin. The L’Oreal Colour Trophy is the world’s longest running and larg-
est, most directional live competition in the hairdressing calendar. The overall winning salon and hairdresser will win a prize package worth approximately €20,000, including a photo-shoot in London, a double page spread in Irish
Tatler magazine, lunch with a top UK hairdressing idol, a bespoke education plan, as well as a bespoke PR plan and PR opportunities. Tickets to the Grand Final are priced at €95 and are available by calling Lynda on 01-6045935.
Charity: Berry happy to help pop-star Ronan Keating was on hand to launch the Marks & Spencer Keelings Irish Berries Promotion in aid of the Marie Keating Foundation. From now until July 31, 2013, M&S will donate 20c to the charity for every specially labelled packet of Keeling’s Irish strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries sold. Ronan is pictured with his sister Linda from the Marie Keating Foundation.
fingal: 35 providers in local area to get grant
Funding boost for childcare services Natalie Burke
Over €120,000 in funding has been allocated to a number of childcare services across Fingal, it has been announced recently. The allocation comes as part of Childcare Capital Grants funding and was announced by Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald last week. The minister announced a total allocation of €2.75 million for 671 different childcare providers located across the country. Of these providers, 35 childcare services in the Fingal area will receive funding from the grants which will total €123,324. In Dublin North, 21 child-
care providers have been allocated funds, totalling approximately €71,177 altogether. Funding granted to childcare services in Dublin North ranged from €1,363 to €9,978. Recipients of these grants included Kidz First, Bubbles Too and A to Z Playschool in Swords, Beverton Preschool, Cois Inbhir Montessori and Hazel Grove Nurturing Centre in Donabate, Sticky Fingers in Skerries, Balbriggan Community Childcare and Deerpark Montessori in Howth, to name just a few. Commenting on the funding, local TD Alan Farrell (FG) welcomed the announcement, saying the grants would
improve local childcare services. “It is vitally important to invest in children in their early years and I am delighted that for the second year in a row, the Minister has been able to make funding available to support childcare services around the country. The allocation [of €71,177] is a welcome investment that will help to ensure that we continue to improve the quality of early childhood care and education in our area.” “This investment is being targeted to have a high impact on the successful childcare providers involved. Funding will go towards providing safe outdoor play spaces
in childcare services, improving buildings and supporting services to ensure that children with disabilities have better experiences within early year’s settings.” The news was also welcomed by Sandra Cummins, owner of Kids First Creche and Montessori in Swords. “It is definitely really beneficial for the creche. It gives me the funds to buy more equipment that I wouldn’t have been in a position to buy without it so I’m delighted to receive it. Any spare money goes into repairs but we will use this to buy a four-seat buggy which will benefit me and the children.”
11 July 2013 MALAHIDE Gazette 5
goodwill €2m raised in past 12 months
Fundraising group with heart in Wright place A massive €2 million has been raised in the last 12 months for charities and local organisations, thanks to the help of the local Michael JF Wright Hospitality Group in Swords. Formerly known as The Wright Group, the well-known multi-million euro hospitality group has helped a number of charities, schools, sports clubs and other various organisations raise the €2 million in funding in the last year, and have hosted popular events in all of their nine venues across Dublin. Events such as race nights, fashion shows, table quizzes, barbecues and charity performance shows have been held at all of the group’s venues, with the larger fundraising nights being hosted in the Wright Venue in Swords. According to the group’s corporate sales and events manager, Shane Harnett, organising the fundraising events for different charities in Dublin has fast become a full-time role. “Funding for charities and sports clubs and other organisations had really dried up over the past number of years for people so when I first started in this role, I started getting my rugby club in Clontarf involved. “It naturally moved to schools, other clubs and more local organisations. It also quickly grew from just hosting white collar boxing events for males to hosting Strictly Come Dancing events for both men and women of all ages! Organising the fundraising events just took on a life of its own,” he said. “For us, it’s nice to be able to give something back and help with these important events. The
goodwill buzz you get afterwards is great. And it’s so good to do an event that we know is benefiting the community in some way,” Shane added. “We’re being invited to some of the cheque presentations that were raised at events we have helped host and it’s so great to see the results. It is really nice to be involved in doing something positive.” Part of Shane’s role at Michael Wright Hospitality is to help people decide on what event they would like to have in order to raise funds for their school, club or charity. “There can really be something for everyone. It can be a small event, a Look Who’s Cooking event, a charity barbecue or a white collar boxing event. We have the venues to suit different sizes and types of fundraisers too,” he said. According to the group, fundraising groups can raise an average of €22,000 from hosting White Collar Boxing events or Strictly Come Dancing themed nights. A spokesperson for the group said that Michael Wright Hospitality does not take a percentage of the organisation’s earnings or charge huge production fees, as the necessary lighting, staging and screening are built in already. “Costs are totally upfront and in black and white with no hidden charges,” the spokesperson stated. Michael Wright Hospitality was established by Irish entrepreneur Michael J Wright from Howth in 1996 and now consists of nine awardwinning bars and restaurants throughout Dublin and the award-winning “super club”, The Wright Venue.
Avril Kelly with Shane and Laura Cooke from Michael JF Wright Hospitality
music: venues lined up
Killer Ceol set to tour
Having supported a number of well-known musical acts such as The Coronas, Aslan and Mundy, north Dublin musician Killer Ceol is embarking on his upcoming summer tour this month. The Portmarnock singer, songwriter and harmonica player will play in a number of venues throughout July. The summer tour officially began last week, as Killer Ceol took to the stage at McGarry’s of Harold’s Cross and The Zodiac Sessions in Bruxelles in
Dublin. Next on the agenda sees Killer Ceol perform at The Michael Collins in Rush supporting The Pat McManus Band on July 13, Sweeney’s of Dame Street on July 19 and finally upstairs in Whelan’s of Wexford Street on July 23. With more gigs still to be added, it’s looking like a very busy summer for the musician whose album Killer was released to critical acclaim in 2011. For more information check out www.killerceol. com or www.facebook. com/killerceol
6 MALAHIDE Gazette 11 July 2013
FastNews opinion 40 years of campaigning for women’s equality
Armed robbery at service station Security staff were threatened at a service station in Baldoyle during an armed robbery last week. At approximately 1.30pm on Friday, July 5, gardai said that two men, one armed with what is believed to be a handgun, entered a service station on Grange Road. The men escaped with one cash box containing a sum of money. There were no injuries. A man in his 20s was arrested by gardai near Moyne Road in Baldoyle following the incident and was detained at Raheny Garda Station, but has since been released without charge. A quantity of cash was recovered by gardai. A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Time running out for donations Just a few days remain to donate to Heaven Cent, a joint fundraising campaign run by Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital and Temple Street Children’s Hospital. Dublin North natives wishing to support the fundraiser can drop their loose coins off at locations including An Post at Malahide Shopping Centre, Portmarnock Service Station on Strand Road and Bank of Ireland in The Mall, Malahide, before Monday, July 15. See www.heavencent.ie.
Working as a catalyst for change in an unequal world Th i s y e a r marks 40 years of women and women’s organisations coming together in the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) to campaign for women’s equality. In Dublin 40 years ago when a group of feminists chaired by Hilda Tweedy from the Irish Housewives Association, got together, NWCI was born. Ireland was a very different place for women. Younger readers will not remember the Marriage Bar, when women working in the public and civil service as well as in many other companies had to leave work when they married. The sale and distribution of contraception was banned and women could not legally refuse sex with their husband. Only three women were members of the Dail. The mother of a friend remembers having to get her husband’s signature in order to buy furniture.
At a recent conference in Dublin, Brid Horan, the Deputy CEO of ESB, said that when she began work at 18 in Irish Life, because she was a woman, her father had to sign her contract. Forty years on women in Ireland can be proud of what we have achieved. Key milestones on the path for greater equality were the end of the Marriage Bar in 1973, the complete liberalisation of contraception in 1991 and the introduction of divorce in 1995. Accessing the European Union 40 years ago has been very good for women as it boosted women’s rights in relation to equality and employment legislation. Today, 57 per cent of third-level graduates are women and over 55 per cent of women are in paid employment. And women in paid employment have access to 26 weeks’ maternity benefit. The 40th anniversary year for NWCI has come at a pivotal time
for women’s rights in Ireland. Events over the last months have shone a spotlight on the historic discrimination and misogyny that exists and persists in Irish society, but also of the potential and possibility of a more equal and just future. Leadership in Irish society is bereft of women. Only 16 per cent of TDs are women and only 9 per cent of women sit on the boards of our top private companies. Fewer than one in four voices on our news and current affairs radio belong to a woman. And even with legislation for the X case, Ireland will still have one of the most restrictive abortion regimes in the world. A significant number of women remain dependant on their husbands for their income and beyond child benefit have no access to money in their own right. Despite the increase of women’s par ticipation in the labour market there is
Orla O’Connor, director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland
an absence of state support for affordable childcare in Ireland with costs amongst the highest in the EU. While progress in the past 40 years has been slow, in recent times there has been more cause for optimism. Quotas for encouraging more women into political leadership are very welcome, as are the changes signalled by our Constitutional Convention on changing the place of women in Irish society and the progress towards marriage equality. NWCI is particularly heartened by the resurgence of an interest in feminism. NWCI recently
opened up its membership to a broader range of organisations and individuals. And many young women and men have joined in NWCI’s youth Initiative, the Y Factor project, which is empowering and supporting young people to become leaders for women’s equality. NWCI with its more t h a n 16 0 m e m b e r organisations works to be the main catalyst for change in the achievement of equality between women and men in Ireland. In times of austerity, it is paramount that the needs and aspirations of women are clearly articulated and that women are
seen as part of the recovery. If we want Ireland to be a different place for women - and men - in the next 40 years we must all take a proactive role in these challenging times to ensure that the attainment of women’s rights and equality is at the centre of change in our society. For further information and if you would like to join NWCI please see w w w. nwc i . i e or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
Orla O’Connor Director National Women’s Council of Ireland
11 July 2013 MALAHIDE Gazette 7
success Giving small local start-ups a helping hand
Weekly market is just the business Natalie Burke nburke@gazettegroup.com
A weekly market in Malahide supporting local crafts and other small home businesses and start-ups, is proving a great success two years after its founding. The brainchild of Joyce Clegg, who features her own stall at the market selling 100% woollen jumpers, the Malahide Market was first set up two years ago and has been responsible for a number of success stories ever since. The market opens from 1.30pm until 6pm every Saturday at St Sylvester’s GAA clubhouse
in Malahide. According to founder Joyce, the market aims to give local small businesses a helping hand as well as encouraging members of the local Dublin North community to shop local. “The idea of the market is to encourage people to try everything and anything and that a business idea can work with the right amount of determination. The market offers huge support to each person showcasing their products and we help each other, offer tips and provide ideas on where they can go next,” says Joyce. When the market first
began, it saw about seven stalls open to the public. These days, the market features up to 20 different stalls on a weekly basis. “We have a core group who have built their businesses up at the market and come every Saturday, but there are new people launching their businesses every week,” she said. “Some businesses use the market to show and tell, and then use Facebook to sell during the week.” Joyce star ted the Malahide Market as a way of promoting workers in the area who made crafts but had nowhere to sell them. Today, it is
a launching pad for local entrepreneurs who want to get a feel for the business climate. “It’s difficult, tough, and takes a lot of determination,” says Joyce. “I insist on high-end brand new products or handmade items and it’s about women – and men also – getting out there. Some of the handmade jewellery at the market is really outstanding.” With many success stories resulting from the market, Joyce says that one new business, 88 Food Company, is doing particularly well. The food company’s products including jams, relishes, hummus and
New business, 88 Food Company, is doing particularly well at the market
satay sauces, have been stocked by local Kerrigan Craft Butchers in Malahide, after being noticed at the local market. “Another success story is Gaye Woulahan of Perriwinkle Design who was recently published
in Bead Magazine. Gaye came into Malahide Market with a jewellery making hobby and now has a very successful business with a strong client base. “It can be a stepping stone for local businesses to get themselves
noticed,” said Joyce. “Our mantra is ‘shop local and support your friends’. I want to thank people from Malahide, Baldoyle, Swords and Portmarnock for continuing to support us,” she added.
8 MALAHIDE Gazette 11 July 2013
gazetteGALLERIES
Angela and Siobhan Loscher
Jason and Alex Shoebridge
Robyn and Gavin Fitzgerald. Pictures: Una Williams
11 July 2013 MALAHIDE Gazette 9
Have you seen yourself in the Gazette? Buy photos online from only €6.99 at www.gazettephotos.com
Luka Williams, Cian Fitzsimons, Alexander Ross, David Lynch and Ronan Furlong. Pictures: Una Williams
school’s out: pupils gear up for the summer vacation
Mary Darcy, Sam Ennis and June Carey
Aina and Ferran Pavia
Brian Geraghty
let’s party: firing up the barbecue
Feelin’ groovy out on the allotments D
ublin North locals were snapped enjoying a summer’s day at the recent Malahide Allotment’s family fun day. On the day there were activities such as games, face-painting, a barbecue and live music for everyone to enjoy, to name a few. Malahide
Allotments is a community-based allotment project which is located on the Swords Road, Malahide. Of its hundreds of allotments 50 will be used to provide training in life and behavioural skills to people with epilepsy and associated neurological disorders.
Hannah Williams, Victoria Sisson and Nina Hetherton
Shannon Pierce and Harry Small
Max Keely
Yvonne Burke, Sam Burke and Orla Byrne
Catherine and Paddy Donovan
Geraldine Clarke and Stephen Thornton
Deirdre Goodman, Keila Troy and Ciara Smith
John and Jack Clifford with Sophie O’Hanlon
10 malahide gazette 11 July 2013
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Have you seen yourself in the Gazette? Buy photos online from only €6.99 at www.gazettephotos.com
Aleissa Macari and Lisa Borza
Aileen O’Meara with Eileen and Dee Murphy. Pictures: Una Williams
Having a heart to help support kidney group T
HE Irish Kidney Association’s charity ball in memory of Giuseppe Marsella was a great success recently, with lots of beautifully-dressed people attending the stylish gathering at Finnstown Country
House Hotel in Lucan. Organisers John Marsella and Maria Carron were delighted with the turnout, which saw a wealth of well-known faces coming along to support the association’s work.
John and Carolina Marsella
Sharon Stacey Hennessy, Sinead Noble and Maureen O’Halloran
The guest list included a number of familiar names and faces, such as Roz and Vincent Flanagan, Eileen and Dee Murphy, Rosie Boyle, Darragh McGann, Kalie Noble and Alan Fitzimons, to name but a few.
Marisa and Serena Anna Marsella, Olga Coletti and Renata Matassa
Macari
Roz Flanagan, Danielle Macari and Aisling Holly
11 July 2013 Gazette 11
competition P13
dublinlife
Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week, as well as the latest from our schools
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diary P12
weight-loss: District of the Year 2013 accolade
Biggest losers are winners at prestigious awards ceremony A recent weight-loss award highlighting the successful accomplishments of Irish women losing weight has been awarded to a national slimming group. Slimming World clubs across the country have been awarded for their efforts in helping more than 21,237 people in the Republic of Ireland to lose weight. The clubs lost a total of 65,152 stone in 2012. The district of Ireland,
which includes 152 consultants, was named Slimming World District of the Year 2013, an accolade presented at a prestigious awards ceremony held in Birmingham, England, last month. Manager of the district Gretchen Mone said she was “over the moon” to see her teams succeed. “ O u r t e a m s h ave worked extremely hard over the past year to ensure that every single group across the district
is providing an excellent service to our members to ensure their weight loss success.” The best part of the accomplishment, according to Gretchen, was the team effort put in by the whole country. “Every single one of our consultants and local managers agree that we have the best job in the world. We’re passionate about helping people to change their lives by losing weight and seeing
them succeed is the most important thing to us, but winning this award is a wonderful bonus.” Slimming World is set to open new groups across Ireland, and are currently looking to recruit. Career opportunity events will be held soon in the Hilton Hotel, Malahide Road on Saturday, July 20, and Saturday, August 10 at 11am. For more information, visit www.slimmingworld. com, or call 01 656 9696.
Slimming World were awarded for their efforts in helping people lose weight
Gazette
12 Gazette 11 July 2013
dublinlife
Make-A-Wish ambassador TV3’s Martin King with colleague Sybil Mulcahy join special guest Wilbur the bear at the announcement of Debenhams Ireland partnership with children’s charity Make-A-Wish Ireland. Picture: Robbie Reynolds
diary
Debenhams are helping to make wishes come true The official charity partner for Debenhams Ireland has been named as Make-A-Wish Ireland. The retail giant hope to raise €10,000 by the end of the summer for the charity that grants wishes to children aged three to 17 who have life-threatening medical conditions with the simple aim of giving them some joy and enrich their lives. Throughout July and August, staff at all 11 Debenhams stores in Ireland will participate in a number of fundraising activities, as well as inviting customers to make a donation with their purchases. Staff at Debenhams Blanchardstown are busy getting ready for a number of activities including internal cake sales, a pub quiz and football tournament, a fashion show and pamper day, as well as a book and DVD sale in the staff canteen. There will be collection canisters at the tills in store also, encouraging customers to donate a euro or two to the worthy cause.
To be in with a chance of winning, prize entrants must book and complete a Wedding Show Around at the Waterside House Hotel, before taking part in the Bridal Mile together, a fun run which takes place on July 24 at 7pm on Donabate Beach. This race will bring out each individual couples’ relay team skills whilst battling through some wedding-themed obstacles along the way. For more information and to enter, visit www.facebook.com/ watersidehousehotel.
youth advocate programmes to hold bag pack The Youth Advocate Programmes (YAP) Dublin have organised a fundraising bag pack in St Stephen’s Green on July 12. YAP Dublin will be in the St Stephen’s Green shopping cen-
tre to raise funds for its service, which provides intensive support programmes for young people and families. It uses a strengths-based, family focused approach to deliver a one-to-one service for up to 15 hours per week over six months to young people with complex needs. Speaking in advance of the fundraiser, Jenny Nulty, service manager for YAP Dublin and the North East said: “We are very excited about organising this event which will provide additional funding for our service and create more awareness of the work of the organisation. Although the charity is funded by the HSE, fundraising is an essential part of adding value for the local programme. We hope that the public in Dublin will show us their support on the day.” For more information, see www. yapireland.ie
go the extra mile and win a dream wedding package With just one week left to enter, Dublin brides-to-be are being called on to compete in The Bridal Mile to be in with a chance of winning a dream wedding and honeymoon. Launched in April and running until July 18, the Waterside House Hotel in Donabate is looking for engaged couples to enter their competition to win a full wedding package and a five-star honeymoon to the Gran Atlantis Bahia Real in Fuerteventura.
The Waterside House Hotel in Donabate is looking for engaged couples to enter their competition to win a full wedding package and a five-star honeymoon in Fuerteventura
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11 July 2013 GAZETTE 13
FEATURE CAMPAIGN
Accidents prompt call for more safety
Darren Kenny’s photo, Dun Laoghaire, was shortlisted in 2012
Celebrating our coast LAURA WEBB
IRELAND’S beautiful coastlines are being put in the spotlight by a national competition that is calling on amateur photographers to submit their snaps and showcase their local coast line. T he Clean Coasts annual photography competition is organised by An Taisce. Amateur photographers across the country are being asked to enter the competition with their photos of their coastline to be in with a chance of winning a slice of the €4,000 total prize fund. The theme of this year’s competition is Treasure Our Coast, and entries are invited under four categories: Coastal Heritage; Coastal Landscape; People and the Coast; and Wildlife and the Coast. There will be three prize winners within each category, with first prize receiving €500, second prize €300 and
third prize €200. T h i s p h o t o g r a p hy competition is a key part of An Taisce’s Clean Coasts programme, which encourages communities to conserve, enhance and celebrate some of the 3,000 miles of Irish coastline. Last year over 3,000 entries were received and this year, as An Taisce marks the tenth birthday of its Clean Coasts programme, it is thought even more budding photographers will get involved. Pat Oliver, director of An Taisce’s environmental education unit, said: “All amateur photographers are invited to submit their photos of the coastline to the Clean Coasts photography competition. “Ireland is fortunate to have some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in the world. “T his competition encourages people to look anew at the beaches and coastal landscapes
we can sometimes take for granted. “The overall mission of the Clean Coasts programme is to celebrate and preserve Ireland’s spectacular coast, and this competition is central to that effort as it gives people a chance to show their local coastline at its best.” The Clean Coasts programme is operated by the environmental education unit of An Taisce, and is supported by the Department of the Environment, Community
and Local Government, as well as Coca-Cola. The 2013 competition was launched on Thursday, May 16, as part of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week 2013. This amateur photography competition has proven itself to be a great way of showcasing Ireland’s diverse and unique beauty and heritage, and has captured the pride and imagination of both photographers and the public. An exhibition of pho-
tos from entrants is currently travelling around the Irish coastline. See the CleanCoasts Facebook page to find out where they will be appearing next. If you would like to get involved in, or learn more about An Taisce’s Clean Coasts Programme, log on to www.cleancoasts. org. Amateur photographers should submit their photos of their coastline online at the same web address by August 16.
Corkwing Wrasse by Graham Pimlott was shortlisted in 2012
A SURVEY by the Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons (IAPS) which revealed that four children have lost limbs in lawnmower accidents in the last six weeks has prompted calls for gardeners to be more safety conscious. Dr Patricia Eadie, president of the IAPS, said that those planning on cutting the grass should ensure that their children are securely in the house. “Lock up your children. That should be the first thing anyone does before starting the lawnmower, or have a second adult to supervise them. “In the last six weeks I, and colleagues, have seen two children with horrific foot injuries where their feet went under a powered lawnmower at their homes. “This resulted in both patients losing most of their toes and a lot of their foot. We also had two other children with severe hand injuries, one who lost all the digits on one hand and the second, the majority of all their digits,” said Dr Eadie. Dr Eadie went on to say that while most of the damage can be repaired, the scars of such incidents remain. “Fortunately, in all cases our members have been able to repair some of the damage but this will still undoubtedly leave these children scarred physically and mentally for life. “Our members noted that, of these four recent cases, three of them were injuries sustained from being near ride-on mowers. Whereas a parent would never allow children to drive a car for whatever reason, they don’t exercise the same vigilance with what is a motorised blade. This just makes no sense to us.” For anyone who does happen to suffer injuries, the advice is simple. “Our advice to anyone unfortunate enough to lose digits in this way is to place any severed digits into a plastic bag, place the bag into a container of ice, and get the patient to an emergency room.”
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14 Gazette 11 July 2013
dublinlife
feature
ideas: promoting mental well-being
Young people Think Big at health workshop natalie burke
Young people from across Dublin have attended a workshop designed to help make a difference to mental health in Ireland. The young people joined groups from across the country to attend the Think Big workshop in the 02 headquarters in Dublin. Think Big is a programme designed by
O2 and Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health, which aims to inspire young people around the country to promote positive mental health in their local communities. The young people attending the recent workshop were each awarded a place on the national Think Big programme after successfully submitting an idea for a project in their communi-
ty. Think Big has granted initial funding of €300 to help get each project off the ground, along with a mobile phone with €50 top-up and a Think Big start-up pack. Carmel O’Reilly and Evelyn McGrillen from Clondalkin worked on furthering the development of Knockmitten Youth Cafe. The youth cafe will give young people a place where they can socialise in a positive
Knockmitten Youth Cafe’s Carmel O’Reilly and Evelyn McGrillen
environment without the influence of drugs and alcohol. Avril Clarke from Stoneybatter focused on her website project, Betterthannoodles.com. The aim is to make the site the number one student cooking website in
Ireland. It will include video recipes, which will refer to nutritional values, and the site will work to promote the association between a good diet and a healthy mind. Simply Positive Performing was developed by Megan O’Loughlin
from Artane in Dublin North, which will promote dance to boost the mood of the locality. Megan has studied the performing arts and knows first-hand how movement and music can improve one’s outlook on life.
Corporate responsibility manager at O2 Jill Johnston congratulated those who took part: “The variety and high calibre of projects that young people across the country have submitted has really impressed us.”
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11 July 2013 Gazette 15
FEATURE safety: pre-holiday checklist
Protecting your home this summer
laura webb
Gearing up for the summer holidays, the check-list in place with the priority probably being your passport, but have you checked to see if your house is secure? This week, The Gazette is bringing you some tips for securing your home this holiday season. According to An Garda Siochana, there are three simple steps that people need to adhere when leaving the house, even if it’s just for an hour: 1. Put the alarm on, 2. Lock all doors and windows and 3. Leave a light on when leaving your home empty. It is also a good idea to set timer switches to turn lamps and radios on and
off. Residents who remember these simple steps every time they leave their property are making it less attractive for burglars to target your home. Thieves are also known opportunists so, even when at home, doors and windows should also be locked because it takes just seconds for thieves to enter a property and steal items. When going on holidays, inform a trusted neighbour, give them a key so they can bring in post and switch on and off lights if you don’t have a timer switch. Remember to ask neighbours to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to local garda, no matter how small they
think it is. Meanwhile, security expert Aaron Mooney from Action Security, has compiled a checklist that can make sure your house is safe and sound, allowing you to sit back, relax and enjoy your time away. Avoid tell-tale signs that no one is home: Empty bins and rubbish not going out on bin day are strong indicators no one is home. Ask a neighbour to use your bins or put them out for collection. Ask a trusted key holder to take in your milk, newspaper or post deliveries. Turning off and on lights and also opening and closing blinds are ALL essential security measures.
It takes just seconds for thieves to enter a property and steal items
Don’t invite them in: Large bushes or foliage around your house are a great hiding place – don’t give a potential burglar an easy entry/escape route. Whatever you do, don’t leave a key under a mat or in a plant pot – a favourite in rural Ireland. Don’t put up on social media that you are going away. If you have previously ‘checked in’ at home then it is easy for a burglar to find out where you live. Don’t leave valuables on display. The Securikey Digital Safe from Action Security will ensure that
your valuables are secure while you are away. But above all LOCK UP. Once you have taken
time out to make sure your house is secure, you can sail, or fly, into the sunset that little more relaxed.
For further tips and advice on security, visit Action Security online on www.actionsecurity.ie
Gazette
16 Gazette 11 July 2013
dublinlife
Q&A
david maich, director, spur uk
Cooking up new ways to satisfy customers AS DIRECTOR of Spur UK, the British-based head of Spur steak restaurants, David Maich, has been kept busy overseeing the company’s expansion, with its Irish division opening Rapid River Spur at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in West Dublin. David has now been in the hospitality sector for more than 21 years, and
has been with Spur since April, 2010. He was appointed the director of Spur UK in January, 2011. David lives with his wife and young family in Rochester, and regularly visits Ireland to oversee the Rapid River Spur restaurant in Dublin, and the Nevada Spur restaurant in Belfast, at Victoria Square.
How long have you been in business?
entertainment, and specifically what they think about the restaurants. Then we dissect that, and decide how our restaurants should evolve. Innovation is also one of the cornerstones of the company.
Spur Steak Ranches opened its first restaurant in 1967 in Cape Town, and now has almost 500 restaurants globally across its multitude of brands.
What makes your business successful?
Our people are what make our business successful. We have appointed staff that are passionate about driving the success of our business and delivering the Spur experience within a family-orientated, value-for-money restaurant. Our restaurant managers are absolutely crucial to our success. Their leadership is extremely important; they have a great respect and understanding of the Spur brand, and they surround themselves with happy people who can integrate with our customers and make them feel happy.
What do you offer your clients that differs from your competitors?
Great food, a great environment and a great atmosphere are non-negotiable if you want to run a successful restaurant, and they are a given at Spur. We spend a considerable amount of money on market research, keeping up to date with changing tastes and trends in family eating and
How has the recession impacted your business?
At a time when many restaurants are experiencing great pain from the recession and restaurants are feeling the effects of shrinking disposable income, we are thankful that our footfall is increasing and we are still retaining a strong market share.
How do you use social media to help your business?
I believe that social media is crucial to any business that wants to stay current. We have recently appointed a company to manage our social media on both Facebook and Twitter, and we encourage our restaurants to provide up-to-date action – we want our customers to talk to us, provide feedback and share their Spur memories with us.
What is your ambition for the business?
We are constantly receiving requests from our loyal customer base to expand our brand in different areas in the UK and Ireland. We have a five-year plan to expand our brand [there].
business
A generic CV will do you no favours HEAD of PayPal Ireland Louise Phelan recently said that many graduate applicants weren’t being taken seriously as they were submitting generic cover letters and generic CVs for positions in the company. Rule number one when applying for a specific job is to tailor your CV to that job. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the employer wants to know at a glance if you have the specific skills and experience that they are looking for. Secondly – and just as importantly in today’s market – it demonstrates that you are sufficiently interested in the job to read the spec properly and spend time on your application. This is as relevant for seasoned professionals as it is for graduates. For example, if you have years of high-level experience and you now want a less stressful part-time job, wowing a potential employer with your impressive corporate achievements will be futile unless they are directly related to the job in question. When tailoring a CV, your first point of reference should be the job spec and your previous CVs. Ideally, you should have a “master” CV that you amend according to the position you are applying for. You need to clearly match your work history and achievements to the specification. You may need to “juggle” bullet-points and move those more pertinent to the job to the top of the list. The absolute best way to tailor your CV is to repeat
the words that are used in the spec; however, you do need to use your common sense. Just because the spec calls for a “creative self-starter with acute attention to detail and the ability to multitask” does not mean that you should use this sentence to describe yourself in your CV (or cover letter, for that matter). The more honest and effective way to show the links between the position and your application is to weave the qualities and words mentioned in the spec throughout your CV. Take a highlighter and go through the spec highlighting the keywords that the employer uses. Consider which of these phrases apply to you and your experience, and alter your CV to incorporate them – but make sure you can stand over what you say. It is a little time-consuming, but what does it matter if it gets you an interview? And, if you do get called for interview, you have half the preparation done. Rachael Kilgallon is a qualified career coach and founder of The Career Hub. Contact Rachael at hello@thecareerhub.ie or visit www.thecareerhub.ie.
launch: softener for ‘hard’ mineral traces
D15 company’s product to improve water quality natalie burke
A WATER softener company in Blanchardstown has celebrated the launch of a product that is set to help Irish homes affected by poor water quality. E W Te c h n o l o g i e s (EWT) Europe is an Irish water softening company with its European headquarters located in Blanchardstown. T he company has launched a brand-new water softener in recent weeks that will help tackle the water problems suffered by numerous homes across the country. According to EWT, an increasing number of Irish homes are affected by poor water quality, especially “hard” water, which contains dissolved chalk, lime and other minerals.
The company says that the gradual build-up of hard water can prove to be a costly problem. With the most recent launch of its Gold Range softener, EWT has developed “one of the most efficient” softeners in the market today, it says. According to Oliver Ginty of EWT, the company first began developing the product more than two years ago. “The main reasons for doing so was to develop a highly-efficient water softener suitable for Irish homes as, before, all softeners were large softeners mainly designed in America where they have the incoming water mains in their basement. “These old-type units are still sold in Ireland, but the problem is they’re
EW Technologies fitters regularly see the problems that a hard water supply can create, over time
installed outside and can be damaged by frost in winter and, with water metering on the way, these units can be inefficient on water usage.” EWT was established in 2002 and has become Ireland’s largest water softener and cooler company. Today, it is the country’s leading provider of water
softerers for homes, office water coolers for businesses, and water filtration systems for large-scale industrial and commercial establishments across Ireland. For further information on EWT’s Gold Range, phone 1850 392 837 or see www.ewtechnologies.ie.
11 July 2013 Gazette 17
travel P22
asdfsdaf P27 music P24
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
senior living P18
Pets can you give young Toby a new home?
Hectic schedule: Radio host Ray Shah will compere the annual Miss Ireland competition for the third time and continues to DJ and run his sports nutrition store
interview: 4fm’s Ray shaw teams up with tv3’s elaine crowley
Keeping up with Ray natalie burke
Radio host Ray Shah has one hectic schedule to keep up with these days. When he’s not filling the waves on weeknights on 4FM, he can be spotted DJing in some of Dublin’s busiest nightclubs and managing his own sports nutrition store. In fact, it’s surprising that he can make time to do anything else, but this year will be the third time for the popular personality to host the annual Miss Ireland competition. Now in its 66th year, the competition will be taking place in Dublin’s Ballsbridge Hotel on July 20. Ray will be teaming up for the first
time with co-host, TV3’s Midday presenter Elaine Crowley, and says he is already looking forward to it. “I’ll miss hosting with Sinead Desmond, we got on like a house on fire, but I know Elaine really well and I know we will get on great. You really have to be able to have chemistry on stage to make it work,” he told the Gazette. With this year being the third time Ray will host the event, he says it is one job he isn’t ready to hand over just yet. “It’s actually a job that I had wanted for many years. When my chance came up three years ago to host the final, I jumped at it. It’s a really fun event and I love doing it.” Last year’s Miss Ireland sparked
controversy when the original winner was stripped of her title after she was revealed as being over the age limit to compete. Although Ray says it was a “very tense” time, he believes it will raise even more interest for this year’s event. “Any publicity is good publicity, especially for an event such as this. But it’s going to make this year’s event more interesting because of it.” With Ray sharing his love of DJing with an interest in health and fitness, the Raheny resident opened Bodyfirst Nutrition in Clontarf in December last year. “I’ve been really into health and fitness for years and I realised that during the recession, people were still spending
on health and fitness. Plus, the supplement industry was getting bigger and bigger. I decided that I would give it a shot and it’s going really well,” he said. With such a hectic lifestyle, Ray says it’s sometimes difficult to balance work and life. “I’m balancing three jobs; DJ, radio and the shop as well, and then spending time with my girlfriend. I make sure I devote time to my relationship. I want to keep her happy too!” Tune into Ray on Classic Hits 4FM weeknights from 7pm, or catch him spinning the decks at Copper Face Jacks on Thursday nights, Buck Whaleys on Fridays and Solar, Navan on Saturday nights.
The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is Toby, a three-year-old male Lurcher. Toby is a bouncy, happy, playful chap! He is very shy at first but once you take it slow, he will make a great friend. He likes lots of exercise but also loves his down time where he can relax in a comfy bed. Toby is a bit of a superhero in the centre as he donated blood to save another dog’s life! He deserves a super special home, so if you think that you could offer him that, get in touch with the centre on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook. com/dogstrustireland or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.
Gazette
18 Gazette 11 July 2013
SENIOR LIVING
Initiative to help guide people with preferences at end-of-life Think Ahead is an initiative to guide members of the public in discussing and recording their preferences around end-of-life. Think Ahead was developed by the Forum on End of Life in Ireland – an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) – following a yearlong public consultation process on issues surrounding death, dying and bereavement. The project involves people thinking about and recording their preferences in the event of an emergency, serious illness or death, when they may be unable to speak for themselves. Think Ahead will
engage all members of the public – young and old, those who are healthy and those living with illness. Ideally, this is something that we would do while healthy and then go on with living our lives, revisiting our preferences over the years to make sure that they continue to express our current wishes. The Think Ahead form will also allow people to record the location of key legal and financial documents and approve the donation of their organs and a hospital post-mortem in the event of their death. For more information, log on to www.thinkahead.ie or contact Sarah Murphy on 01 679 3188.
| arthritis ireland courses |
Helping to change the perception of arthritis Anne Marie Gannon
When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 17 years ago, I didn’t know where to turn or what to do. I had been feeling a lot of pain and fatigue, and I found that I wasn’t able to use my hands properly. I went to my doctor and initially they told me that it was most likely due to depression, but I kept getting worse to the point that I couldn’t even walk up or down the stairs. At one point the inflammation was so severe that
the tendons in my thumb snapped. I was in unbearable pain. The pain and inflammation spread from my fingers and hands to my knees and shoulders. I felt like I was walking on nails at times and I thought to myself that there was no way that this could just be due to feeling down or depressed. Eventually my GP referred me to a rheumatologist and following tests, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. By that time my shoulder was giving me a lot of trouble
and x-rays showed that the RA had practically destroyed the entire joint, boiling it up and breaking it down, and it had to be replaced. Impact
As well as the physical effects it also had a major impact on me mentally and emotionally. I stopped socialising with friends and my mood was very low. I didn’t know where to turn and found that nobody really understood what I was going through, not even family. It was at that point that
I saw an ad for Arthritis Ireland and decided to give them a call. I spoke to a woman on the phone who was very reassuring. It was a great comfort to me to discover that I wasn’t alone. From that phone call I signed up to take a Living Well With Arthritis self-management course with Arthritis Ireland. There I learned not only about the impact arthritis has on every part of your life, but also the things that you can do to manage it, such as pain management techniques,
Anne Marie Gannon was
creating weekly plans and other problem solving skills. More and more people are being diagnosed
11 July 2013 Gazette 19
Gazette
Protect your hearing this summer Summer conjures up images of long sunny evenings, splashing around at the beach and music festivals. However, many summertime activities pose a threat to hearing health. Digital Hearing have put together some hearing health tips to protect your ears during the sunny season: Weed out bad habits in the garden
Gardening is a popular activity at this time of year and power tools are one of the most prevalent devices. They’re also hazwas diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 17 years ago
with arthritis all the time and feeling, like I did, alone and helpless. These Arthritis Ireland courses change that perception
and people begin to realise that there is something that they can do. For more information about Arthritis Ireland’s
support in your community or to make a donation, visit www.arthritisireland.ie or call 1890 252 846.
ardous to hearing health. Whether you’re using a lawn mower or a power saw be sure to wear proper ear protection. Music matters
Summer music festivals means sweet sounds but also stress to the ears. Take precautions such as carrying earplugs and noise-dampening headphones, as well as avoiding standing next to the loud speakers at the side of the stage. The plane truth
Many airline passengers suffer from throbbing
pain in the middle ear, a dullness of hearing, or a feeling of fullness in the ear canal on takeoff or landing due to changes in cabin pressure. For a comfortable trip suck on a sweet, yawn to keep your Eustachian tube open, stay hydrated and avoid falling asleep. Don’t let swimmer’s ear dampen your summer fun
Swimmer’s ear is a common but painful summertime ailment. Before taking the plunge remember these simple steps: wear a swimming hat to
cover your ears and make sure ear canals are clear of water after swimming, bathing and showering by drying your ears with a towel or tilting your head to each side to allow water to escape. Be proactive about hearing health
The first step to better hearing is a free hearing test. Hearing tests can be carried out in any of Digital Hearing’s 60 clinics nationwide. For more information, freephone 1800 303 392 or log on to www.digitalhearing.ie.
GAZETTE
20 GAZETTE 11 July 2013
SENIOR LIVING
Country retreat THE Dunboyne Castle Hotel and Spa located just outside of Dublin is offering a special Golden Years package for €60 per person sharing for dinner, bed and breakfast. This country retreat offers acres of picturesque tree-lined grounds and gardens and the historic architecture of the original Dunboyne House. A relaxing coffee, lunch or afternoon tea can also be enjoyed in the hotel’s light-filled Terrace Lounge, which overlooks the stunning grounds. For more information, see www.dunboynecastlehotel.com or call 01 801 3500.
| LOCAL COMPANY MAKES HEALTHY EATING EASY |
Fresh food, right to your doorstep DO you find cooking difficult? Preparing single meals every day? Having to do food shopping every week for your main meal? A new company, ChefDirect.ie delivers meals on time, freshly frozen, and directly to you each week. The company brings over 1,500 ready prepared meals directly to their customers each week, including students, business professionals, and retired or elderly people, and are already selling well within the senior citizen community in the greater Dublin area having teamed up with Age Action Ireland and Bluebird Care.
“Our service is very simple. ChefDirect.ie has a range of ready-prepared frozen Irish meals including dishes such as the roast loin of pork and apple sauce,” says Keith McGovern, who along with his partner, Paul Kavanagh, set up the business recently. ChefDirect.ie uses traditional cooking methods to give a hearty Irish flavour to the whole range. Meals contain fresh ingredients, with meats quality assured by Bord Bia and vegetables purchased from local farmers. “We are very proud of the fact that we use only 100% Irish produce in all of our meals support-
ing Irish jobs,” says Paul Kavanagh. Chefdirect.ie guarantees their food to be free of MSG, hydrogenated fats and all of their dishes are low in salt. Once cooked, all meals are freshly frozen, then
ChefDirect.ie has a range of ready prepared frozen Irish meals like the chicken fillet meal and lasagne
delivered to customers’ door steps and are ready to enjoy in less than 10 minutes from a microwave, or under 30 minutes
from an oven without the need to defrost. Costing only €5.50 per meal, with delivery free of charge, this service is light on the
pocket. “Customers can either ring 01 4916262 or go to www.chefdirect.ie to register their details,
select their meals and make payment. Then sit back and relax knowing that their free delivery of meals is on its way.”
11 July 2013 Gazette 21
Gazette
22 Gazette 11 July 2013
OUT&ABOUT
fast
TRAVEL Stay in pretty villages
Concorde Travel has great value for Croatia natalie burke
IT’S a country full of tourist-friendly cities that are rich in culture, and it’s fast becoming one of the more popular destinations for Irish holidaymakers abroad. On July 1, Croatia officially became the 28th member of the European Union. So, to celebrate, Concorde Travel has extended its summer holiday sale. Special offers include a seven-night stay at the three-star Old Town Antuninska Apartments in Dubrovnik on a self-catering basis, for just €599pp. Alternatively, stay at the three-star Hotel Odisej on the island of Mljet (half-board basis) for just €659pp. Stay at the four-star Hotel Grand Park & Villas in Dubrovnik on a B&B basis from €749pp, or at the five-star Croatia Hotel in Cavtat, on a B&B basis from €799pp. For further Croatia travel dates, offers and information, see www.concordetravel.ie or phone 01 775 9300.
denmark: fly off to copenhagen for a fascinating and fun weekend break
Roskilde’s Viking past makes a big splash shane dillon
IT’S not often that you get to fly to Copenhagen with the King of Denmark. Mind you, that title was claimed by one of my travelling companions in reference to his role in a play when he was four or five, I think he said. (Or was it 14 or 15?) It was a fine start to my return visit to Copenhagen and Denmark – not only one of the coolest cities around, but also one of the friendliest lands, and peoples, I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit. I was winging my way over to Denmark with some new-found friends via SAS Scandinavian airlines; a friendly and efficient – and surprisingly affordable – airline that whisks you to Copenhagen in
just under two hours. It’s a very appropriate time to set sail – err, so to speak – for Denmark, given the ties between our countries, particularly regarding our Viking past, and the role they played in contributing to Ireland’s culture and heritage. With 2014 marking the 1,000-year anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf here in Dublin, we can all expect to see many examinations of the legacy of the Vikings in Ireland, as well as a reaching-out to our ... cousins over on “the mainland”.
Appreciation So, now is an excellent time to visit Denmark, which has developed a fine appreciation of its Viking past, and the role its most famous peoples have had on the development of the Danes, and her neighbours, across the centuries. First stop: Copenhagen, which remains a comparatively littlevisited city, despite having some of the richest history, friendliest people, best restaurants and hip-
pest nightclubs within a thousand miles. With just an evening’s visit in Copenhagen, my companions and I whisked ourselves around using the handy Metro, checking in at the extremely comfortable Hotel Kong Arthur, set within easy walking distance of some of the city’s most interesting spots. From there, we set off for the National Museum; a rich treasure-trove of Danish and international artefacts, but of particular interest for its superb temporary Viking exhibition (until mid-November), which even features several Irish artefacts, with these spoils of war taken back to Denmark. However, the centrepiece of the exhibition are the remains of the longest Viking ship in the world, which, at 37 metres, is a very impressive sight. The carefully-presented remains were found in Roskilde, our destination for day two, but, alas, despite the fascinating long boat, we had another boat to study – a canal and waterways tour boat,
For three weeks every summer (until July 14, this year), Jesper Wittenburg and many other locals bring the Viking world to life at the meticulously curated Frederikssund Vikings theatre and festival (www.vikingespil.dk), creating a great community event
Roskilde’s Viking Ship Museum (main) features the remains of several ancient long prows’ shapes echoed elsewhere in the region. For example, the temporary Viking the remains of the longest Viking ship in the world (inset, right), while various local
which took us past many of the city’s main sights and lovely landmarks. That evening, a delicious meal near our hotel awaited us at Host, featuring some ultra-modern Danish fare. I’d love to tell you all what my tastebuds were saying, but, in all honesty, they were drowned out by loud cries from my companions of: “This is gorrrrrrgeous” (and, less poetically, “Yummy!”) as my friends and I laid waste to the expertly-prepared meal. From there, Copenhagen’s busy nightlife awaited, and – well, at that point my notes stop making sense, but we had a fun night out, courtesy of the friendly locals. Next morning, we set off by train for nearby Roskilde, the region’s heart of the Viking legacy, scattered with important sites and finds.
After checking in at historic Hotel Prinsden, we took a great look around beautiful Roskilde Cathedral, where many Danish kings and queens of old reside, and where the modern Danish monarchy will also rest, in time.
Heritage The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site, on account of its being the first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick, and as it has been expanded and adjusted since being built 800 or so years ago, it features wildly different chapels and styles, today. From the historic cathedral, a relaxing stroll takes you down to Snekken restaurant by the edge of the fjord, where master chefs present food cooked using ingredients they think the Vikings would have used. Ve r y t a k e n b y
Snekken’s imaginative fare, we strolled next door to the superb Viking Ship Museum, where a friendly guide gave us a great insight into how the iconic long ships were built, and, indeed, also had much to say on mutual Irish-Danish interests. The museum features the preserved ruins of several Viking long boats found in the middle of the nearby fjord, creating a tangible link between past and present. Seeing their skeletal remains in the wonderfully-presented museum was quite a sight, and we happily discussed the uniquely Danish sights as we tucked into yet another delicious meal that night, this time back at nearby Hotel Prinsdsen. Our next, and last, morning featured two real treats – first up was our visit to Land of Leg-
11 July 2013 MALAHIDE GAZETTE 23
GAZETTE
TRAVEL fast
TRAVEL
Local travel tip: When enjoying Host’s delicious fare (left) in Copenhagen, ask for a bottle of cherry wine. Roskilde’s Snekken, and Hotel Prinsden restaurants (centre, right) also present outstanding Danish meals, such as a combination of perfectly-cooked meat and fish mains served with delicately flavoured sides.
Embark on a European walking trail
Set off on a Camino style walk NATALIE BURKE
Copenhagen’s Nyhavn district is a laid-back, welcoming area
An elevated view over central Roskilde, where the sounds of a brass band playing
ships found in the waters of the nearby fjord, with the exhibition at Copenhagen’s National Museum features sites have the same shape (above). Pictures: Shane Dillon
ends, where everything from the Viking past to the Iron Age in Denmark is celebrated, often by using “living archaeology” to explore the lives of our ancestors (and where I proved that my archery skills make me a menace to fields of grass everywhere, but actual archery targets needn’t worry). Our second treat was a visit to Frederikssund Vikings: a three-week long festival that uses actors and locals to celebrate and explore the lives
of the vikings. With its mixture of the very old and the ultramodern, Denmark is a delight to visit at the best of times, but its fascinating Viking past (and present echoes) make its capital, and Roskilde, a definite m u s t- g o holiday destination for all.
My thoroughly relaxing room at Hotel Kong Arthur, Copenhagen
Beatles songs drifted up from below
For further information on Copenhagen, Roskilde ... HOTELS Copenhagen’s conveniently-located and thoroughly comfortable Hotel Kong Arthur can be found at www.kongarthur.dk; enjoy a five-star welcome in Roskilde at Hotel Prindsden; see the site at www.hotelprindsen.dk/prindsen/PRINDSEN/FRONTPAGE_UK.html. DINING Enjoy some of the New Nordic wave of fine food at Copenhagen’s Host (http:// cofoco.dk/hoest.php); dine on delicious Viking-inspired fare at Roskilde’s Snekken (Danish-only website at http://snekken. dk/), or savour some top-notch hotel dining at Hotel Prinsden (see link above).
ATTRACTIONS Copenhagen’s superb Viking exhibition (until November 17) is an absolute must (http://natmus.dk/nc/en/). Water leisurely way to see Copenhagen, courtesy of www.canaltours.com. Another must-see is Roskilde’s wonderful Viking Ship Museum (http://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/). Step back in time at Land of Legends (www.sagnlandet.dk/English.425.0.html). TRAVEL SAS Scandinavian Airlines fly twice daily to Copenhagen from just €69pp one-way, including a free 23kg baggage allowance, free online check-in, and many other great flight features. For flights and fares, see www.flysas.ie.
A NEW CaminoWays. com sister brand – FrancigenaWays.com – specialises in cycling and walking holidays along the Via Francigena, Italy’s Camino. To celebrate the launch of FrancigenaWays.com, it is offering 10% off when you book your Via Francigena walking holiday this month. The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrim trail starting at Canterbury Cathedral in Kent and finishing in Rome, passing through some of Europe’s most spectacular landscapes. Book by July 31 and receive 10% off the base price. The price excludes flights and includes accommodation, half-board meals and holiday packs. For further information, or to request a free quote, see www.francigenaways.com or call 01 525 2886.
Gazette
24 malahide gazette 11 July 2013
OUT&ABOUT
MUSIC
FASTtunes
FullSet ready for their return to Dublin stage Having travelled around the world and played to audiences across Europe and the US over the last year, acclaimed folk act, FullSet are returing to Dublin to launch their new album, Notes After Dark, at Whelan’s on July 17. It’s a kind of homecoming for the band whose members hail from Phibsborough, Kingswood and Kimmage, and will see them perform tracks from their latest release as well as their debut, Notes At Liberty. Tickets cost €10 and can be obtained by visiting www.whelanslive.com, and doors open at 8pm.
Hothouse Flowers will play the Bulmers Live At Leopardstown event on July 18 - for more, log on to www.bulmersliveatleopardstown.com
interview: fiachna o braonain from hothouse flowers
Blooming at the races There is seldom anything better than a good venue and a cooking band to create a memorable summer night. Bulmers Live At Leopardstown are bringing one of the nation’s treasures, Hothouse Flowers, to the stage at the southside racecourse on July 18, and Gazette Music caught up with the band’s guitarist and founding member Fiachna O Braonain. We began by asking him about the unusual venue for the show. “The shows at racetracks seems to have caught on and become fairly popular in recent years. We played at Cheltenham on St Patrick’s Day last year, and that was a different sort of a show, but a lot of fun.” Although it is almost
ROB heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com
a decade since their last album, Into Your Heart, was released, the band have been anything but idle in the meantime. “We haven’t put anything out since 2004, and it’s hard to believe it’s going to be 10 years ago next year. We were never the most frequent record releasers, as for most of the time, we were off on stage somewhere. “In recent years, we’ve all branched off and done different things Liam focusing on his solo career, and I was off doing my own things,
working with Michelle Shocked and radio production too, as well as making a record with Cait O’Riordan from the Pogues and Dave Clarke from the Flowers in 2007 which we toured here and in America. “But all the while, the phone keeps ringing and people want the Flowers to play, and that’s what we do.” “I think the fact that we play and enjoyed playing over the years, the fact we thrive live on stage, people remember that, and they want to come back.” The Flowers bloomed after years of germination while street performing and playing live, and their soul-inflected traditional rock hit a chord with music lovers at home and abroad. Their burgeoning
popularity led to them getting international exposure via the Eurovision half-time show in 1988, and the songs from that time became ubiquitous on Irish radio and in the charts. “We were really lucky in that those records People, Home and Songs From The Rain - were well received. We were on a big record label and it was a time when there was big promotion in the record industry, and the world got to see our band, and we were pretty good!” Time flying by hasn’t hindered or diminished their power live, as the Flowers have proved at their recent live shows earlier this year - the joy of performing still gushes from the stage and involves the audi-
ence as much as it ever did, something that means that fans flocking to Leopardstown for the shows will be a part of. Fiachna says that fans going to the show can expect “everything and anything”. “We rarely write a setlist any more, we react to the vibe from the crowd. They are very much a part of a gig at a Hothouse Flowers show. “We’ll work out what we open with, and maybe the second song, and then improvise from there. There are some cornerstones, some traditional Irish things, and maybe a wee hit or too as well. “We want to make music that makes people want to dance, and has been something that we’ve always done”
11 July 2013 MALAHIDE GAZETTE 25
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football P29
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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
Baseball P28
FastSport Take your place at jackies’ summer camps:
Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce were on hand at Lord’s cricket ground to launch the RSA Challenge match between Ireland and England at Malahide in September
Cricket: england the adversary in september one-day international
Joyce and Stirling invite fans to Fortress Malahide encounter The two-month countdown is on to one of the biggest days in Irish cricket this year when the RSA Challenge match comes to Malahide on September 3, which will see Ireland face off against the perennial adversary, England. Ireland stars Ed Joyce and Paul Stirling were on hand at the home of English cricket, the Lord’s ground in London, to launch the match and invite Irish cricket fans to get on the Malahide bandwagon and support the boys in green, with momentum behind the Ireland side after two impressive one day international (ODI) performances against Pakistan earlier this year.
Joyce, who has been in superb form for both Ireland and Sussex this season, is relishing the opportunity to take on England as Ireland attempt to claim yet another famous scalp. “Irish cricket’s big game in 2013 is against England and, after a couple of near misses against Pakistan in May, the whole squad is keen to make amends against England in September. “I can’t wait to play against England in front of what is set to be the biggest crowd ever seen at a cricket match in Ireland at our new ODI venue in Malahide. There’s talk of Malahide becoming a fortress for Irish cricket, and we’re
looking forward to the first visitors to Fortress Malahide being England.” “It should be a magnificent occasion and it’d be a great achievement if we can get another famous victory against one of the world’s best teams.” The match is on course to be a sellout and Paul Stirling, who is currently ranked an Irish record 8th in the world in the Reliance ICC Batting Rankings, urged fans not to miss out on the chance to see some of the top stars in world cricket in action. “It’s fantastic that there’s been so much interest already in the fixture, and it’s bound to be a really special atmos-
phere. Games between Ireland and England in any sport have that extra edge.” Ireland are currently in action in Holland in the InterContinental Cup final, with the winner securing one of the two automatic places at the 2015 event in Australia and New Zealand. The game at Malahide looks certain to be the highest ever attendance at a match in Ireland, and with the RSA Challenge being an official Gathering event. Tickets for the match can be purchased online via www.ticketmaster.ie. For more information, log on to cricketireland.ie
The Dublin Ladies Gaelic Football Association is hosting two summer camps and are inviting prospective future Jackies stars to take part in coaching that will be run by some of the Dublin ladies team. Week one will be held in St Margaret’s GAA Club in north County Dublin from July 29 to August 2, while week two will be held in St Peregrine’s GAA club in Dublin 15 from August 12 to 16. The camp is for girls aged from nine to 13 years and costs €55. They run each day from 10am to 3pm. For registration information contact camps@dublinladiesgaelic.ie or log on www.dublinladiesgaelic.ie to download the application form.
c o n ta c t s Sports Editor: Rob Heigh rheigh@gazettegroup.com
For more information or to send in news and photos: sport@gazettegroup.com Phone: 01 651 6205
Gazette
28 MALAHIDE Gazette 11 July 2013
SPORT
FastSport legends take the tour of croke park: The 2013 GAA Legends Tour Series will commence this weekend at Croke Park when former Dublin star Ciaran Whelan takes the first tour of the summer of HQ for fans of the game and its history. These special tours, first introduced in 2008, provide fans with an opportunity to hear memories and anecdotes at first hand from their GAA heroes. The line-up for the 2013 tour series includes Whelan, former Dublin senior football team manager Pat Gilroy, Steven McDonnell, Ken McGrath, Noel Skehan, Seanie McMahon and Tommy Dunne. The tours take place on Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons throughout July and August. Log on to www. crokepark.ie/gaamuseum for more details and booking information.
baseball: international tournament to grace corkagh park
Swinging for the bleachers sport@gazettegroup.com
This weekend will see the American game come to Clondalkin’s
Corkagh Park when the Peter O’Malley Invitational Tournament takes place. The event runs from
Baseball was represented at launch of the Gathering
July 12 to 14 in honour of Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Peter O’Malley, with teams representing the US Navy and the British Baseball League taking on the best baseball players in Ireland and an international team of all-stars in the tournament. A national youth baseball competition will also be held on Saturday, July 13. Tournament organiser Mike Kindle explained Peter O’Malley’s influence on baseball in Ireland. “Peter O’Malley’s family used to own a team called the Los Angeles Dodgers. We got to know him in the early 90s when we were setting up the Irish Baseball League. He wanted
Team Ireland’s Dan Barry will be in action at Corkagh Park
to help the development of baseball in Ireland as he is a really proud Irish guy. When he heard about us developing the sport and that we played our matches on rugby and football pitches, he said, ‘that’s enough!’ “He donated about $140,000 (€109,000) for us to build the facility out in Corkagh Park. He’s a really lovely guy. He stays in constant contact with us with regard to keeping things going.” The tournament will add an international element to Baseball Ireland’s traditional midsummer classic, which usually consists of
games against a single touring side. It will see two nonIrish teams - US Naval Team the Rota Blue Devils and British Baseball League champions Liverpool Trojans - playing baseball in Dublin for the first time since 1946, when two American teams returning from service in Britain in WWII played an exhibition game in Croke Park. Kindle is hopeful the game’s appeal can grow in Ireland. “Baseball is the second most widely played field sport on the planet, behind soccer, and there are approximately 120 countries
that are affiliated with the International Baseball Federation. “We’re hoping people will see it being played for the first time and get involved, or get their kids playing Little League. “South Dublin County is the home of Irish baseball,” said Kindle, “and thanks to South Dublin County Council, our main sponsors SoftCo and all the Irish companies who are supporting the tournament, it’s going to be home to a festival of sport and fun for all the family.” For more information, log on to baseballireland.com
Soccer part of social initiative for jobless in Dublin sport@gazettegroup.com
Players from the project Futsal Hub, Ballymun, Lee Meehan and Michelle Watson at the official launch of Project Futsal Hub
Unemployed soccer lovers in south Dublin are being called upon to get involved in an initiative set up by the FAI, South Dublin County Council and the Dublin VEC which begins in September. Project Futsal is a unique opportunity for people who are unemployed and out of formal education to get involved in an innovative project to help them back into the workforce. The project is a joint initiative between the FAI and the
Welsh Football Trust (WFT) with the aim of using soccer as a social inclusion tool to facilitate community regeneration, and will roll out in seven communities across the country. Each hub will comprise a programme that will provide an academic year of adult education, personal development, football coach education and work/volunteer placements. The overall aim of the project is to provide education and work opportunities for young people in the SDCC area and to influence and assist commu-
nity regeneration via employment and volunteerism. The main objectives are to increase participant’s employability and/or enhance their prospects of going onto further education. It is hoped that the extensive programme of football activity on each course will incentivise people to participate in the project. FAI development officer Robbie Hoey said: “To date, I’m informed that 65% of people completing the course have gained employment while another 20% have gone on to
higher-level education. “The added bonus of football being included in the programme should be attractive given its popularity in the SDCC area and will also bring positive health benefits for participants. “With the extra qualifications and work experience gathered on the course, it should provide a real boost to a person’s CV when looking for a job or to progress their education.” For more information, log on to www.projectfutsal.ie
11 July 2013 MALAHIDE Gazette 29
Gazette
Brennan hopes for a Sky Blue heaven
St Vincent’s man and Dublin centre-back Ger Brennan sees the same attributes in the Metros as were present in the side which claimed All-Ireland glory in 2011
WHILE much has been made of the Dublin senior footballers extravagant style of play so far in 2013, Ger Brennan says that the principles guiding the side are not too far removed from those that saw the sky blues win the All-Ireland in 2011. The St Vincent’s man provided one of the images of the Dubs semi-final win over Kildare, bursting forward from centre-back to pop up for a score as furthest man up and land a point. Similarly, the effervescent half-back Jack McCaffrey regularly worked goal opportunities. So far, this approach has yielded a bumper
stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com
25-326 in 16 games with players given more freedom to roam than under Pat Gilroy’s more compact approach. But Brennan says that while the tactics employed are evolving under Jim Gavin, the underlying motives remain the same from both managers. “I suppose the thing about humanity is that we are all very different and unique,” he told GazetteSport at the launch of
Ger Brennan kicks back at Michael Barrable Motors
the new Seat Leon at Michael Barrable Motors in Swords this week. “Jim has his ow n approach [to the game] but there are many similarities to Pat. They are both very professional and very thorough. “Both are very transparent in what they want to do and what they ask of you. I find Jim very clear and concise in transferring his message to the squad. “The ultimate goal is to do the best in a Dublin shirt no matter who is in charge. That certainly was the drive of Pat Gilroy and it goes for Jim Gavin as well. Maybe it just boils down to the way people in general are different.” He adds, though, that while Dublin are currently playing an expansive style, it may not always be the case as the summer progresses. “We are probably playing more open football at present but we are constantly working on different systems of play and nothing is set in stone just yet. We still have a lot of work to do on our offensive and defensive play and there are opportunities where you might be able to get up the pitch as a defender and support the forwards. “But ultimately, the forwards job is to score and the defenders job is to defend but we do play the game as we see it.” The Dubs face Meath
at Croke Park on Sunday at 2pm aiming for an eighth Leinster title in the past nine years and their performances have very much put them in the favourite’s bracket not just for this crown but the All-Ireland title. Because of that bigger picture, some commen-
win. “There’s always a great tradition against Meath. I try not to dwell on past experiences and just focus on the present. “We have limited opportunity to view them so far this year because they haven’t been on the radar.
--------------------------------------------------------
‘I am grateful to be in the first 15 and want to make the most of my gifts and talents’ - Ger Brennan --------------------------------------------------------
tators have dismissed the importance of the provincial title. But it is a competition which holds plenty of relevance for Brennan. He cites his point in the 2007 final against Laois – his first in a Dublin jersey – as one of his favourite memories. Indeed, he has only been on the losing side once in the competition. The opposition? Meath in a harrowing 5-9 to 0-13 pasting in 2010. As such, this next date is very much the focus. “If you start looking too far to the future, you lose sight of the present. That’s when you can fail. We’re not looking beyond the Leinster final. “The provinicial championships are personally very important to me; any player wants to win it. You hear some people denouncing the value of the provincial system but it is something I strive to
“But you can already see some of the hallmarks of Meath football, lifting the ball in long. They have some very tough guys and traditionally they never give up. They will lift their game against us which is what they have always done.” Beyond that, Brennan says that there’s not much more to it, adopting a refreshingly simple outlook on performing at this elite level. “Just to be playing is great. I’m enjoying it as much as previous seasons and again I am always grateful just to be in the first 15 and part of the squad. “I try to enjoy every day and I’m a positive person in life and just want to make the most of my gifts and talents. I try to be a kind and caring person and do my best and enjoy each day as it comes and extra blessings that come along.”
FastSport
Leinster stars attend rugby summer camp Leinster Rugby’s Andrew Goodman and Jimmy Gopperth joined in on the fun and tough training at the Leinster Rugby Summer Camp in Railway Union RFC last week. The Leinster players were on hand to help aspiring rugby stars of tomorrow improve their fitness, fine tune their rugby kills, such as passing, tackling, evasion and kicking, and of course to join in on the fun. The camps are open to boys and girls aged six to 12 and are run by fully accredited IRFU coaches. They will take place in 19 venues throughout Leinster in July and August, including a large number of Gazette Country locations, and will run from Monday through to Friday 9.30am to 1.30pm each week. The venues and dates are as follows: July 15 to 19: Seapoint RFC, South Dublin and Greystones RFC, Wicklow July 29 to August 2: Donnybrook, Dublin 4 August 12 to 16: DSLP FC, South Dublin and Garda/Westmanstown, Dublin 15 August 19 to 23: Clontarf FC, North Dublin As well as learning new skills, meeting Leinster players, making new friends - each camp attendee will receive an official Canterbury of New Zealand Leinster Pack which includes a T-shirt, ball, boot bag and water bottle. For more information, log on to www.leinsterrugby.ie/camps
Gaelforce event for BCI in July Dublin’s women athletes are being called on to go west on July 27 to take part in Ireland’s first ever Women’s Adventure Race, organised by Gaelforce Events with their chosen charity, Breast Cancer Ireland. The challenge runs over the distance of
23km and involves a 7km run/walk, a 15km cycle and a 0.5km kayak paddle through the scenery of Leenane and Killary Fjord. If you are coming late to the event, there are training plans available from Elverys blog at www.elverysblog.com. For more information, log on to www. womensadventurerace. com.
Gazette
30 malahide Gazette 11 July 2013
SPORT
FastSport
cricket: last-four encounter with rush the prize
Sammon backs Fingal FAI soccer programme Malahide native and Derby County and the Republic of Ireland star Conor Sammon was on hand recently to help to launch the FAI/ Fingal County Council Road To Rio summer program, which is being run in association with Swords Pavilions. With events planned for the Portmarnock, Swords, Kinsealy and Malahide areas following the success of the Skerries and Balbriggan Road To Rio 4v4 program, the ongoing success of the program will mean that over 500 boys and girls will have taken part in the initiative come the end of the summer. Sammon spent his formative years with Malahide United FC and was happy to lend his support to a program that he would have appreciated as a youngster. “As youngsters, it should be all about fun and learning the game. Programs such as the Road To Rio is another way of replicating street football which can only help to improve the boys’ and girls’ technical skills. “Being from Malahide, it’s great to see the progress of all the local clubs and this program will aid those who take part.” The Road To Rio program encompasses small-sided games where players are encouraged to express themselves. The program is also being rolled out in Swords in Applewood Community Centre from July 15 to 19 from 11am to 1pm. For further details, contact either paul. keogh@fai.ie or 086 044 4435, or mpender@ fai.ie or 087 127 3258.
Ryan brings home AllIreland title Garda Cycling Club member Caroline Ryan recently claimed the All-Ireland Ladies Time Trial Championship title in County Louth. Ryan, who rides
for the Swords-based Garda/Richies Bike Team, impressed over the 40km circuit between Carlingford and Ballymascanlon at the event hosted by Cuchulainn Cycling Club. She completed the course in 57.56, defeating US based professional Mel Spath by 24 seconds.
Malahide cricket club member Peter Chase was named in the Irish Under-19 panel for the World Cup qualifiers next month
Semi-final place for ’Hide sport@gazettegroup.com
MALAHIDE cricket club claimed a place in the RSA National Cup semi-finals with a comprehensive 162 run win over County Galway last weekend, setting up a delicious final four date with Fingal rivals Rush on August 3. Half centuries from Fintan McAllister, Alan Reynolds and Yogesh Kashyap along with strong contributions from Ryan Gallagher and Andrew Pyne saw them amass a more than competitive 319 all out from their 50 overs.
And Galway’s chase never really got going as they were reduced to 157 all out, well short of their target. Despite the loss of Callum Riches early on, McAllister at the top of the innings along with Gallagher soon began to pile on the runs with the former hitting 67 and the latter scoring 42. The innings threatened to be undone by a series of run outs in the middle order but Kashyap’s 50 and 66 from Reynolds kept the scoreboard firing along while 24 wides – from a total of 42 extras – from
Kevin’s number one Island golfer claims Under-15 championship the island’s Kevin Le Blanc carded four
birdies on the front nine to lay the foundation to win in this year’s Leinster Boys U-15 close championship at Ashbourne. Runner-up went to Sean Doyle (Glasson) who shot a fine 73. Third place went to Alex Brady from Rosslare with a three over par total of 74. In the Under 13 Category the first place went to Sean Dowling (Beaverstown) with a round of 75.
Picture: Pat Cashman
Galway meant they scarcely kept a lid on the scoring. Their chase was laboured, too, as a pair of early wickets pegged them back to 34-2 after 11 overs with the run rate climbing. Under pressure, they dropped to 122-6 in the 34th over and they were mopped up with not too much fuss. Malahide were given a further boon in the week with club member Peter Chase being named in the Irish U-19 squad who will attempt to qualify for the 2014 ICC U-19 World Cup next month
in the Netherlands. The selection panel comprised former internationals Alan Lewis, Junior McBrine, and Ryan Eagleson - who also coaches the side - with manager Brian O’Rourke and National coach Phil Simmons. Ireland will compete with hosts Netherlands, Scotland, Denmark, Jersey and Guernsey for the one qualification place on offer. Eagleson is well aware of the importance of the six-team competition, which is being held in Holland between August 2-8.
“ T h e Wo r l d C u p qualifying tournament in Holland is a hugely important one for Cricket Ireland as only the winner will qualify for the 2014 World Cup. In the past there has been the safety net of a global tournament with the top six qualifying so it’s very much a case of winner takes all. “There’s a good balance to the side which is packed with talented allrounders. All the players are playing senior cricket for their club sides and turning in consistent performances which augurs well for August.”
11 July 2013 malahide Gazette 31
Gazette
Sylvester’s miss out on St Vincent cup sport@gazettegroup.com
S T S Y LV E S T E R ’ S missed out on claiming their second St Vincent de Paul Cup in the past few months as Ballymun Kickhams got revenge for their defeat in the last edition of the competition’s final. In February, St Sylvester’s overturned Bal-
lymun in the 2012 version of the competition, which was carried over into this year due to the overload of fixtures. But the roles were reversed last Saturday at Broomfield with Kickhams picking up a 1-16 to 0-12 win to claim the 2013 vintage of the competition. Their early goal and a
few quick points in the opening phases were the key scores in the final reckoning as Ballymun led from start to finish, and were in control for the most part of the match, bar a spell in the second quarter. St Sylvester’s manager Gabriel Bannigan shuff led his deck to some extent from the
side that lined out in the league five days earlier. F o r m e r S u n d e rland footballer Niall McCardle came off the bench for the side while Stephen Finnegan, G l e n n H a z l e y, K e n Swe e n e y a n d A l a n Foy were among those brought into the side for the tie.
Club Noticeboard st sylvester’s THE Dublin hurlers brought great
shape. Please support this fund-
delight to us with their convincing
raiser to improve our playing facili-
and historic Leinster final victory.
ties.
It’s great to be alive to see and enjoy it. The Dublin senior ladies play their Leinster final against Meath in Carlow at 5 pm next Saturday, July13. Please come along and support our very own Sinead Aherne and Niamh McEvoy as they seek another
hurling: second-half blitz sees off local side
Leinster title for the Dubs. Our intermediate hurlers beat Commercials by six points. Our senior football team lost the Vincent de Paul Cup final to a very good Ballymun side. The Buy A Brick fundraiser continues with the ball wall taking
The Lotto jackpot this week is €3,600 with the draw live in the club every Thursday. Fixtures are subject to change at short notice please check with the website www.stsylvesters.ie AFLI: St Mary’s v St Sylvester’s, Saturday, July 13 at 6.30pm AFL3: Ballyboden v Sylvester’s, Saturday, July 13 at 6.30pm AFL6: St Sylvester’s v Kilmacud Crokes Friday , July 12 at 6.30pm AFL9: St Sylves ter ’s v Ballyboughal, Thursday, July 11 at 7pm MHL2: Clontarf v St Sylvester’s, Monday, July 15 at 7.30pm.
Naomh Mearnog Well done to our Minor footballers
ster final in Edenderry on Sunday.
who had two very impressive league
Congratulations to the Dublin sen-
wins against Ballyboden and St Syl-
ior hurlers on regaining the Leinster
vester’s during the week. This puts
title after a lapse of 52 years. This
them in contention for league hon-
was a monumental achievement.
ours.
Good luck to Shane, Kevin and the
Our Under-16 hurlers went to
football panel next Sunday against
Cuala and came away with the league
Meath. Tickets ordered for this game
points.
can be collected on Thursday night.
On Saturday evening, our senior footballers play Fingal Ravens
September could yet be a very busy month for all Dublin GAA fans.
at home in the league. After a very
Thank you to all who organised and
Mearnog battle but Ballinteer benefit
impressive recent run of results, the
supported our annual golf classic.
team is now at the “business end” of
This is the 15th year of this event and
the league and they deserve the sup-
it was a great success.
ahl division 2
Best wishes to Mick and Aisling Hoban
Naomh Mearnog’s Aidan Kenny in action in last week’s match against Ballinteer St John’s
Ballinteer St John’s 1-18 Naomh Mearnog 1-11 stephen findlater sport@gazettegroup.com
A SECOND-half Ballinteer St John’s blitz saw the Marlay Park hosts boost their promotion hopes, meaning Naomh Mearnog’s winless season continues in AHL Division 2. Seven consecutive points early from the 36th to 52nd minute saw Ballinteer blow apart a strong Mearnog’s first half effort despite the best efforts of free-taker Aidan Kenny. He ended with 0-9 but once his opportunities
were limited by Keith Nolan’s superb performance at centre-back and Frank O’Donoghue in the full-back line and the players further up the field began to make hay. It transformed a tight tie that was locked at 1-9 a piece prior to that rush of points which at times threatened to boil over. But Ballinteer kept their cool and ran up some delightful scores from the likes of Gilligan brothers James and Jack and the Clabby boys Aodan and Fionan. They had made a decent start with Fearghal Duffy and Sean Lane clip-
ping over nice scores. But the visitors replied with a fortunate goal as Gary Deloughrey’s long range effort was missed by two sticks in front of Louis O’Flaherty and, unsighted, he fumbled the dropping ball over the line. Cillian O’Driscoll should have added a second goal when he was put clean through but O’Flaherty atoned with a brilliant full length save. He did likewise from Kenny’s one-handed effort as Naomh Mearnog created a number of goal opportunities going down the hill. They also forced a
number of frees with Kenny adding five before the interval but Ballinteer went back in front when Duffy fired home an excellent goal, wriggling away from his marker and firing home from a narrow angle. In conjunction with a trio of James Gilligan points, it edged them 1-7 to 1-6 in front before Aodan Clabby and Kenny traded scores to leave just one in it at half-time. But the second period was no contest as Ballinteer tightened up on the frees and had the luxury of hitting nine second half wides as they ran riot.
port of everybody.
The club is looking at different
On Saturday also, we are hosting
ways of fundraising and we would
an intercounty Under-14 Camogie
appreciate ideas from any club mem-
blitz. This is a huge event and all
ber. It doesn’t have to be a ma jor
pitches will be used between 10 and
event once it generated some funds.
4.
Please contact any member of the The club Lotto is now over €8,000.
Please support this vital fundraiser. who were married last week. Good luck to the Clann Mearnog Ceili Band who take part in the Lein-
executive or put your idea in writing and give it to Eamonn in the bar. We extend our sympathy to the Kielty family on the death of Martin’s sister, Marianne. May her soul rest in peace.
Fingallians Bridging 52 years, the Dublin senior
ing place all this week. There are still
hurlers took home the Bob O’Keeffe
places available for those who have
cup with a stylish victory over Galway
not registered yet.
2-25 to 2-13. Congratulations to the management and panel and we wish them the very best on their quest for the Liam McCarthy cup.
The camp runs from 10am to 2pm each day and the cost is €40 for members and €60 for non-members. Well done to our U-6 team who travelled with the U-7 team for their first
It is a big championship football
ever match against Ratoath. They
week in Swords: Thursday, July 11 -
were a credit to the club and played
Junior D quarter-final v O’Tooles at
extremely well. Thanks to all the par-
7.30pm at home.
ents and mentors who helped make
The football summer camp for boys and girls aged four to 13 years is tak-
their first match possible. They are the future stars of the club and county.
32 malahide Gazette 11 July 2013