Gazette SWORDS
INSIDE: As the election nears, politicians talk to The
Gazette about the housing and homelessness crisis P6
Learning Curve: Our supplement has plenty to help build on any college plans Page 17
Creed night: Boxing’s film fans gather for the launch of ‘the new Rocky’ Page 12
sport Football:
Rivervalley draw Carew Park in FAI Cup Page 32
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January 21-27, 2016
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Leo’s latest film, The Revenant, is a brutal, primal tour de force
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winging it to the rds to show off a d-i-y drone
FIANNA Fail leader Michael Martin was impressed by the work of Malahide Community School student Josh Murray when he visited the popular annual BT Young Scientists Exhibition at the RDS recently. Utilising two of the technological fields that became international buzzwords in 2015 – 3D printing, and drones – Josh designed and built a camera-equipped drone using parts that he made himself. With small, remote controlled drones becoming of ever greater interest to flying fans and photographers alike, the brightly-coloured drone sparked the Fianna Fail leader’s interest, with Josh happy to describe the intricacies of 3D printing, seeing his creation brought to life sliver by sliver.
Airport employment soars as 350 jobs added Transport hub has busiest year yet, with passenger rise driving related staff growth
emma nolan SOME 350 new jobs are set to be created at Dublin Airport as a result of an increase in passenger numbers over 2015. Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal
Donohoe (FG) confirmed to The Gazette that Dublin Airport had its busiest year yet in 2015, with a record 25 million passengers travelling through the airport throughout the year. Passenger numbers increased by 15%, with an
additional 3.3m people using the airport in 2015. The increase in numbers is thought to be due to the addition of 22 new routes and extra capacity on almost 40 existing services. The new positions will be added in areas such as
security, customer service and asset management, among others Deputy Alan Farrell (FG) welcomed the creation of the jobs, and said they are a great boost for the area. Full Story on Page 2
2 SWORDS Gazette 21 January 2016
don’s dublin A church blessed with the nickname The Pepper Canister Nicknames are something that Dubliners are good at handing out, usually to friends and acquaintances, but it is rare that buildings are so honoured. So, I was really looking forward to visiting St Stephen’s Church, a place that I had passed many times but never entered and, like most people, called The Pepper Canister. By the early 1800s, with the city spreading out into new suburbs, there was a need for a church to serve the growing community beyond Merrion Square. The Earl of Pembroke, a significant local landowner, gave the site for the church for free and an additional £700. It was one of the last Georgian churches built in Dublin and was designed by John Bowden who also responsible for the church of St Philip and St James, Booters-
Dublin Airport has announced that it is creating 350 new jobs due to increased traffic, which increased by 15% in 2015
town. Sadly, he died during construction and the
transport | record numbers set to continue in 2016
work was completed by Joseph Welland. It was consecrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, William Magee on December 5, 1824, and the final cost was £5,169. The original building was rectangular and the colourful apse (east end) was added in 1852. But it is the front (west end) that is the most attractive and giving an unbroken view across Merrion Square southside, to Leinster House. It is a beautifully realised feature, unchanged in almost two centuries. The cupola at the top of the church is a model of the Choregos of Lysicrates in Athens and where we get the familiar nickname. Inside, there are wonderful stained glass windows which were not original features but added in Victorian times. A piece by the renowned Beatrice Elvery and another in honour of Dr Joliffe Tufnell, a former president of the College of Surgeons, look great in the sunlight. The organ dates from the 1750s and the carved rosewood pulpit is particularly attractive. Upstairs I noted a plaque in honour of Captain Charles King, a man who survived the Battle of Balaclava. I definitely hadn’t been expecting that. Wonderful.
Don Cameron
www.donsdublin.wordpress.com
St Stephen’s Church, otherwise known as The Pepper Canister, was designed by John Bowden and consecrated on December 5, 1824
Traffic increase leads to 350 new airport jobs Dublin Airport has announced that it is creating 350 new jobs in Dublin Fingal due to increased traffic. Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD (FG) confirmed Dublin Airport had its busiest ever year in 2015, as a record 25 million passengers travelled through the airport during the past 12 months. Passenger numbers increased by 15% last year with an additional 3.3 million people using Dublin Airport during 2015. The expansion was fuelled by 22 new routes and extra capacity on almost 40 existing services. To cope with growing passenger numbers, Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) is midway through hiring about 350 new staff in areas such as security, customer service and asset management. The growth in passen-
emma nolan enolan@dublingazette.com
ger numbers is expected to continue into 2016, as 11 new scheduled services have already been announced for this year, including new direct transatlantic services to Hartford Connecticut, Los Angeles, Newark, and Vancouver. There are also new long-haul charter services to Cancun in Mexico and Montego Bay in Jamaica. Donohoe welcomed the record-breaking traffic at Dublin Airport and the new jobs that are being delivered due to the growth in passenger numbers. “I welcome the 350 new jobs being announced and look forward to con-
tinued growth in passenger numbers and employment at Dublin Airport in the years ahead.” DA A chief executive Kevin Toland said: “DAA is hiring 350 additional staff as a direct result of this growth in passengers at Dublin Airport. We recruited about 170 new people last year and a further 180 staff will be hired during 2016.These additional staff are mainly in customer-facing areas, as we work to ensure that Dublin Airport continues to offer an excellent and efficient product to our passengers and airline customers as traffic increases.” TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell (FG) said that the new job creation is a great boost for the area. He said: “Dublin Airport had its busiest ever year in 2015, as a record
25 million passengers travelled through the airport. This was a 15% increase with an additional 3.3 million people using Dublin Airport during 2015. “To cope with the growing passenger numbers, DAA is in the process of hiring about 350 new staff in areas such as security, customer service, and asset management, comprising of 170 personnel recruited in 2015 and 180 to be recruited in the coming weeks. This is providing new opportunities to people in Dublin Fingal.” Farrell said that he and his party plan to deliver more new jobs that
“pay more than welfare and where hard work is rewarded” in Fingal. Of the new airport jobs he said: “There is an excellent pool of highly skilled people in the Dublin Fingal area and I am confident that these positions will be filled successfully.” Fellow Fingal TD, Brendan Ryan (Lab) echoed Farrell’s views, he said: “The positive impact of these new jobs will reverberate across the local economy while more broadly than that, they will also help by enhancing services at the airport, thus boosting Ireland’s connectivity to the wider world.”
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21 January 2016 SWORDS Gazette 3
balbriggan | winners from loreto secondary school celebrated
balbriggan
Creative writing classes
Civic reception for young scientists aisling kennedy
Fingal County Council (FCC) held a civic reception for the students of Loreto Secondary School in Balbriggan last week following their brilliant achievements at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Awards recently. The school took home two of the top four prizes awarded to the winning students at the exhibition. Maria Louise Fufezan and Diana Burca took home the Overall Winner accolade for their project, An Investigation into the Effects of Enzymes Used in Animal Feed Additives on the Lifespan of Caenorhabditis Elegans. Renuka Chintapalli
took home the RunnerUp Individual award for her project entitled Developing a Predictive Tool for Identifying FlncAssociated Biomarkers of Oesophageal Cancer Metastasis. This was the first time any school in Ireland received two of the top awards and Fingal County Council marked the event by honouring the students in the Atrium of County Hall in Swords last week. The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr David O’Connor (Ind) and FCC chief executive Paul Reid presented the award winners with a gift to congratulate them on their success. Dr James Reilly TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, also
attended the ceremony which saw the overall winners along with their classmates, teachers and their families celebrating the students’ numerous wins. The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr O’Connor praised the students at the ceremony and said: “The achievements of these young people is an inspiration for all students and I am delighted to be able to welcome them and their families here at County Hall.” FCC chief executive Paul Reid also congratulated the students and said: “I am delighted for the students and also for the teachers of Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan who are, no doubt, extremely proud.”
2016 just A walk in the park
Over 3,000 people took part in two separate 3km walks organised by Fingal County Council Sports Office recently. Families, sports groups and fitness enthusiasts attended the Fingal events which were held in Ward River Valley Park, Swords, and Porterstown Park. Record numbers of children and adults braved the winter weather to kick start their fitness regime for 2016 and took part by walking or running the 3k route. This is the seventh annual walk to be held in Fingal and is part of an initiative by Sport Ireland in association with the RTE hit show Operation Transformation. According to data gathered by Sport Ireland, Fingal had the highest turnout nationally by far for National Walk Day. For more information on getting fit and active see the Operation Transformation Facebook page orwww.operationtransformation.ie
Ardgillan Castle in Balbriggan is starting a course in creative writing classes this February. The classes which run for 10 weeks, are located in the inspiring surroundings of the castle overlooking the sea in a “beautiful high ceilinged room with lovely views of fields and forests”. Class organisers promise that the course in Ardgillan is not only a way to enjoy the pleasures of writing but also a day out in one of the most beautiful parks in Dublin. Each week the class covers a topic such as dialogue, character development, plot, setting and more. The course fee is €110, contact Ross at Ardgillan Castle for more information or to book a place. Call 01 8492212 or email ardgillan.castle@fingal.ie
4 SWORDS Gazette 21 January 2016
strategy
Latest phase in county plan has started ian begley
FINGAL County Council has started the latest phase in the adoption of the Fingal County Development Plan 2017-2023. One of the considerations includes a focus on Swords and Blanchardstown as the county’s two major urban centres, but to maintain the right mix of urban, rural, coastline, small town and village characteristics, and also to plan and promote investment in infrastructure in the county over the lifetime of the six-year plan. At a meeting of Fingal County Council on January 15, councillors considered more than 550 motions submitted to the draft plan prepared by the chief executive, Paul Reid, and his planning department. In introducing the draft plan to councillors, Reid said: “Fingal is the fastestgrowing county in Ireland, with a young, vibrant and diverse population. “Located within the wider Dublin region, the county is a strategic location, with national assets such as Dublin Airport and strong foreign direct investment providing significant employment to the people of Fingal and the region generally. “It is important that we plan and manage these developments in a sustainable manner, but that we also maintain and cherish the distinct character, history and heritage that make Fingal a great place to live, work, visit and do business in.” In his comments to members of the council, the chief executive also emphasised a number of strategic considerations that they need to take into account when making the development plan.
The council’s social housing strategies were called in to question by Deputy Alan Farrell (FG), who criticised the delivery of same as “unacceptably slow”
fingal | the construction of units is Of ‘utmost urgency’
War of words erupts over lack of social housing
aisling kennedy
A war of words has erupted between Fine G a e l T D A l a n F a rrell and Fingal County Council (FCC) this week following Deputy F a r r e l l ’s c o m m e n t s about the lack of social housing in the Fingal constituency. Deputy Farrell called on Fingal County Council to facilitate the construction of social housing units in Fingal “with the utmost urgency”. He said: “The delivery of suitable social and affordable housing, as a result of the economic crash, remains unacceptably slow. Fingal County Council has an ample supply of zoned land on which social and affordable housing
could be developed.” He said that by bringing more social and affordable housing units on stream, it would provide many people on the housing list with their own home, while also increasing the availability of emergency accommodation for people who are homeless. Deputy Farrell told The Gazette: “Budget 2015 set out this Government’s €2.2bn Social Housing Strategy up to 2020, with the current allocation for social housing in Budget 2016 being increased from €68m to €414m. The aim of this increase is to secure accommodation for a further 14,000 households. “Furthermore, as part of Budget 2016, fund-
ing provision to address homelessness has been increased from €17m to €70m.” Deputy Farrell also said that through investment by the State, an increased supply of social housing would also assist in stimulating private housing development, which would subsequently reduce the pressure on the overheated rental market. He added: “The provision of social and affordable housing in Dublin Fingal is of the utmost importance and I would urge the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, and Fingal County Council, to urgently prioritise the delivery of this vital infrastructure.”
In response, a council spokesperson told The Gazette that it is working towards the delivery target of 1,376 social housing units as set out under the Social Housing Strategy 2020
delivered under a range of housing programmes including direct provision, the rental accommodation scheme, longterm leasing, the Capital Assistance scheme, acquisitions and Part
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‘Fingal County Council has an ample supply of zoned land on which social and affordable housing could be developed’
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Deputy Alan Farrell (FG)
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for the period 2015 to 2017. Under the Strategy, €81m has been allocated by the council to provide social housing units in the Fingal constituency. T he spokesperson said: “This target will be
V acquisitions and the return of void properties during the period. “The council continues to work collaboraatively and to support approved housing bodies in acquisition, leasing and construction programmes through-
out the county.” Meanwhile, it is taking more than a year for some local authorities to re-let vacant council housing, according to the Performance Indicators in Local Authorities report. T he repor t found that it takes an average of six months for local authorities to complete repairs and bring units up to standard to house people on social-housing waiting lists. Average waiting time for people on the social housing waiting list in the capital is 24.48 weeks in Fingal, 23.35 weeks in Dublin City, 13.36 weeks in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s area, and 11.1 weeks in South Dublin.
21 January 2016 SWORDS Gazette 5
launch | SuperAchievers Awards 2016 may be looking for you
Search is on for hardest worker in Swords area aisling kennedy
A new campaign to find the hardest working and most motivated employee in the Swords area is currently underway this week as part of an upcoming awards show. Pitman Training, which is located in Swords, launched the SuperAchievers Awards 2016 last week and this year there will be a panel of four judges instead of their usual three, with the public being the new fourth judge. The SuperAchievers Awards are asking local
people to nominate anyone they feel has been working tirelessly away to achieve their professional and financial goals, often overcoming adversity to support their families and work towards their dreams. Positive impact
Following the nation’s return to work this January after the Christmas break, Pitman Training wants to showcase and support local Swords workers who love their job, who strive to achieve, and who have a positive impact on their colleagues
and families as a result. The team are looking for nominations forWorking Mum of the Year, Young Achiever of the Year, PA of the Year, Business Newcomer of the Year, and Student of the Year (which is nominated solely by Pitman Training Centres). Maria Lalor, centre manager at Pitman Training in Swords, said: “The awards are all about rewarding and showcasing people who really go the extra mile and strive to achieve. It is a way of honouring hard workers, but it is also a way
The staff at Pitman Training launch their new campaign SuperAchievers Awards 2016 which aims to find the most motivated employee in Swords
of showcasing to others what can be done. “We hear many great success stories from our students in Swords of lives transformed and we are passionate about making sure we recognise these, along with hunting out others from within the local business community,
as part of this national campaign.” SuperAchievers has traditionally been fronted by a panel of judges and the three judges who will this year be working alongside the public are Adam Fidler, a PA Training Practitioner who has worked at Boots PLC and
Bank of America, author and Mum blogger Kirsty Smith of www.eehbahmum.com and last year’s SuperAchiever PA of the Year, Florence Katono. Nominations are now open and entries can be submitted for free via www.pitmansuperachievers.com
fingal Summer fun at Starcamp Children’s performing arts network Starcamp will host summer camps in seven Fingal locations next July and August. The camps are designed to teach performance and build confidence through song, dance, drama and games. Dates and venues where the camps will be held are St George’s National School, Balbriggan (August 8-12), Rush and Lusk Educate Together (July18-22), Malahide Community School (July 18-22), Skerries Educate Together School (July 25-29), Old Borough School Hall, Swords (July 11-15 and August 15-19) and Portmarnock (August 8-12, venue to be confirmed). For more information see www.starcamp.ie
6 SWORDS Gazette 21 January 2016
ask the politician | in the build up to the general election the gazette Question: How would you deal with the current housing and homeless crisis in the city if elected?
FF will immediately increase rent supplement
Rosyln Fuller (IND)
Senator Darragh O’Brien (Fianna Fail)
At present there are over 800 families and 1,600 children sleeping in emergency homeless accommodation, with up to 80 families becoming homeless in Dublin each month. The Government’s failure to take even simple measures, such as increasing the rent supplement or put a stay on mortgage repossessions, is forcing people out of their homes in the short term. Fianna Fail will immediately increase rent supplement and implement a system of rent stability and certainty measures. We will remove banks’ veto on dealing with mortgage arrears and ensure families struggling to pay their mortgage can stay in their homes. However, even more worryingly, the Government does not have a medium-term plan for supplying homes to those who need them. While 3,000 social housing units under the control of local authorities are sitting vacant nationwide, the Minister refuses to spend more than €30,000 on the refurbishment for
Correcting the market distortions
these homes. Fianna Fáil will ramp up refurbishment of vacant social housing and prioritise its use for homeless families. NAMA has the capacity and the land to deliver up to 20,000 new houses, however the Government is allowing NAMA to sell off these vital assets to private vulture funds while delivering less than 2,000 social housing units. Fianna Fail proposes a 50/50 split between affordable/social housing units to private housing units in the NAMA development plan. In the long-term, we will prioritise increasing housing supply. Our policy will increase the construction of social housing by 45,000 and stimulate the construction of 150,000 private homes by 2021.
In addressing the homeless crisis we need to differentiate between immediate relief for those who are homeless now and structural measures to prevent homelessness in the future. Immediate Relief I would re-purpose close-to-completion NAMA properties to provide for those currently homeless and ensure adequate funding to existing shelters for rough sleepers. I would make sure thete was swift compensation for those affected by flagrant building code violations (pyrite, etc.), as Government has a responsibility for not adequately enforcing the building code. Mortgage repayments should be limited to a realistic assessment of home owner’s ability to repay (i.e. the assessment that should have been made before the mortgage was agreed). Structural Measures I would limit annual rent increases to a certain percentage of current rent. NAMA property should be split up and sold as smaller units to indigenous buyers instead of flogged off to foreign developers for a fraction of its worth. The living wage should be high enough for anyone
in employment to afford a decent home. There should be a strict enforcement of building code. I would also reform planning permission to be easier for individuals and small builders to obtain. I do not see social housing as a panacea to the homelessness crisis as a) it has to be built first, and thus doesn’t provide immediate relief and b) those in employment should be placed in a position to be able to afford their own home at market prices. If this were currently the case, we would be experiencing less pressure on social housing. This is why I have focused on immediate relief for those in need, and on correcting the market distortions that have led to the crisis.
21 January 2016 SWORDS Gazette 7
relaunches its q&a with election candidates on the topics that matter
We have to invest and build now
I will endeavour to ensure the necessity of increasing the housing supply
Clare Daly TD (Socialist Party)
Firstly, we’ve to stop making it worse, which is exactly what the Government has done over the last five years. Their half-baked “rent certainty” measures pushed rents up even more – rents rose 11.1% in North County Dublin between summer and autumn 2015. They voted against rent controls in the Dail. They refused to increase rent supplement. All of which pushed more people into homelessness. They have encouraged real estate investment trusts into the rental market, along with NAMA selling off blocks of properties to foreign vulture funds, giving rise to a virtual cartel across the city in rental prices. A worker on the “new improved” minimum wage would have to spend 70% of their income to rent an average one bed apartment in Dublin. Stronger rights for tenants – for example, any properties sold must be sold with tenants in situ – are crucial if we’re to tackle homelessness. Telling landlords they can only raise the rent every two years instead of every year is nowhere near enough – without proper rent control people will still be made homeless by rent increases. But the root of the problem is that almost
Alan Farrell TD (Fine Gael)
no social housing has been built since they came to power. It’s a perfect storm, caused by free market ideology. We need more social housing if we’re to address homelessness. Social housing has to be publicly provided. But the Government plans to provide the lion’s share through the private market, which is the failed strategy that caused the problem in the first place. We have to invest and build now. Of the 20,000 units to be provided by NAMA, at least 50% should be social – not the pathetic 10% currently envisaged. The credit unions offered the Government access to their assets of €8.5bn, of which only about one third is loaned to members, in order to build social housing. This offer must be accepted to build the tens of thousands of houses needed now.
Affordable housing, built on a mass scale, is the key to crisis terry Kelleher (Anti Austerity
Alliance – People Before Profit)
The homelessness crisis and the parallel housing crisis, are totally unnecessary. They are a damning indictment of the failures of the political establishment over decades. A modern society should be able to plan to meet the housing needs of the people. These crises can only be solved by radical policy initiatives. The A A A demands a massive, publicly funded, house building programme of social and affordable housing. This could be funded partly through NAMA’s cash reserves of over three billion euro. Tens of thousands of houses owned by NAMA could be converted to residential use very quickly, if the political will was there. We also demand real rent controls linked to wages, and prices generally, with security of tenure for tenants. Without these it will be impossible to stop more people being pushed into homelessness. There are, at present, over 5,000 people in temporary accommodation;
1,500 of these are children. Rough sleeper numbers across the country, but particularly in Dublin, are at unprecedented levels. There are 98,000 homes in mortgage arrears. 37,000 of these are over two years in arrears and face the threat of eviction and homelessness. The AAA demands that there are no evictions from family homes and that there is a write down of mortgage debt to more affordable levels. Disgracefully, the Government have more of less ended the building of social housing. That is they have decided to abolish the only practical solution to ending the homelessness and housing crisis. In Fingal only 203 local authority houses have been built since March 2011; and not one single house has been built since the start of 2013. Despite this, there are over 9,000 applicants on the Fingal housing list. Affordable housing, built on a mass scale, is the key to addressing both the homelessness and housing crises, and, if elected, I will be campaigning, along with the rest of the AAA, for this both inside the Dail and in our communities.
The core housing issue that we currently face is that of insufficient supply. In order to tackle the housing and homelessness challenges we face, Fine Gael in Government is committed to delivering on our Social Housing 2020 strategy. This will deliver 35,000 new social housing units over the period to 2020. In addition to these long-term measures, we are also working to provide interim solutions to deal with the immediate issues that many people face in terms of homelessness. This is why, in Budget 2016, we increased funding for emergency accommodation for homeless people by €17 million, bringing it to €70 million, which is a 56% increase since 2014. Furthermore, this Government also increased the current allocation for social housing in Budget 2016 by €69 million, to €414 million. It is of vital importance that the State continues to invest in the provision of social housing, and that Fingal County Council facilitates the building of social housing units as a matter of urgency.
By making more social and affordable housing units available, we will be able to provide people on the housing list with a home. This would also assist in making more emergency accommodation available for people who are homeless, until the local authority can provide them with a home of their own. If re-elected, I will continue to work towards tackling this issue head on in line with this Government’s commitments under the Social Housing Strategy 2020. I will also endeavour to ensure the necessity of increasing the housing supply, particularly in terms of social and affordable housing, it is to the fore of the next Government’s agenda, coupled with the provision of the necessary funding to ensure homeless people have access to emergency accommodation until such a time as they can get their own home from the local authority.
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21 January 2016 SWORDS Gazette 9
10 SWORDS Gazette 21 January 2016
SWORDSGazettegallery | magical story casts a spell over
The Dame John Furlong
Ailbhe Travers and Deirbhile Travers. Pictures: Ronan O’Sullivan
Katie Marriott
Lauren Brady
Ellie Quearney and Kirsten O’Brien
Kim Quearney
21 January 2016 SWORDS Gazette 11
audiences at sell out performances
Ailish Jameson and sons Ken and Aaron Heery
Amy Conway, Lauryn McLeod and Lauren Power
IRA reenactors at Fingal’s 1916 Centenary Programme. Pictures: Paul Raftery
EXTENSIVE LINE UP for CENTENARY PROGRAMME Monica Griffen, Ian McColgan and Dermot Byrne
Kim Quearney and Annette Fay
Robyn Whithaker and Niamh McCullagh
A
N extensive line up of events as Fingal’s part in the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme was launched recently at County Hall, Swords by the Mayor of Fingal Cllr David O’Connor (Ind) in the company of An Tanaiste Joan Burton with the chief executive of Fingal County Council Paul Reid, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs James Reilly, Minister Aodhan O Riordain and relatives and friends of the men and women in Fingal who played a role in the events. The line-up includes events and initiatives ranging across all seven strands of the Ireland 2016 programme.
Colm McGrathan, Keeley Syms and David Kennedy
A tale of true love for all the family
Eithne Malin, county council co-coordinator, poses with reenactors
C
oolmine Panto Group recently put on a magical performance of Beauty and The Beast which attracted rave reviews and sold out shows. This glittering pantomime for all the family cast a spell over the audience who laughed and enjoyed the music and dancing. The audience enjoyed following the adventures of Beauty and the mysterious Beast, who’s spell can only be lifted by true love. Beauty’s father and his friend Dame Edna Beverage come to their rescue and soon Beauty learns the most important lesson of all – that true love comes from within.
Police reenactors
Chief executive of Fingal County Council Paul Reid posing with 1916 reenactor
12 Gazette 21 January 2016
commonGazettegallery | movie fans enjoy creed Premiere
Niamh Ryan and Catriona O’Connor
Laura O’Neill
Olympian Kenneth Egan and Kyle Kearney. Pictures: Brian McEvoy
Hits above the belt
Becky Godfrey and Sophie Gorman
Andrew McCabe and Romy Carroll
Joanna Richards
21 January 2016 Gazette 13
asdfsdaf diary P27 P16
Trad Festival P15
dublinlife Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week
cinema: The Revenant – a vengeful ‘inspired by true events’ epic
Haunting tale of survival How far would you go in the pursuit of justice? That is the question that lies at the bloody heart of The Revenant – a visceral and vengeful “inspired by true events” epic that sees Leonardo DiCaprio as a frontiersman abandoned in the bleak American wilderness with revenge as his sole fuel for survival. In a performance that sees its star crawling naked through the snow and consuming raw buffalo liver, it could be argued that the real question being asked here is – how far will DiCaprio have to go to in order to bring home that elusive Oscar? And with The Revenant securing 12 nominations for the awards next month, including a Best Actor nomination for DiCaprio, this looks like it could be the year that finally does it. It is a fitting follow on from last year’s ceremony which saw director Alejandro G Inarritu take home an armful of awards for the effervescent and psychedelic tour-de-force that was Birdman. A plethora of award nominations is one of the only discernible links between both of Inarritu’s recent films.
Dave phillips
While on the surface Birdman was whimsical and surreal, The Revenant is gritty, gruesome, and at times, overwhelmingly raw. Based on a novel of the same name, which in turn was based on early 20th Centur y retelling of Wild West tales, this is a story that has had several layers of aggrandisement heaped upon it on its way to screen. Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) is a tracker who embarks on an expedition to gather furs in the frigid depths of South Dakota under the command of Captain Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson). An intense opening scene depicts the absolute carnage that follows when the trappers are waylaid by a Native American war party, whose land they are pillaging. The muddy, bloody battle becomes stupendous in its scope, and the few remaining fur trappers left in its wake
The Revenant is dominated by DiCaprio’s terrifying and primal performance
are forced to forge a path through the wilderness in an attempt to reach home. Much like Inarritu brought the cityscape to life in Birdman, here the tall pine forests and snow-laden slopes become vitalized. T he Revenant is thronging with stunning shots that at once capture both the inherent beauty and peril of the natural world. Hugh Glass is scouting alone when he is attacked and utterly mauled by a Grizzly bear. Barely alive, the
crew are loathe to leave him, but do not have the resources to get him back to safety. One of the frontiersmen, John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) is paid to stay behind until Glass dies and give him a proper burial, but chooses to abandon him, crippled and defenceless some days later, setting in motion Glass’ astounding journey to seek revenge. Played out over almost two-and-a-half hours, The Revenant may be a gruelling tale, but it makes for an easy
watch. Dominated by DiCaprio’s terrifying and primal performance, and bolstered by Hardy and Gleeson’s also excellent turns, The Revenant is a film that strips things down their base components. T he natural world becomes both exquisite and treacherous. Human beings become both angelic and monstrous. And brutality becomes both heinous and routine. An overreliance on CGI at times mars what otherwise feels like a
deeply grounded and at times horrifically real film. But that should not discourage viewers too much. Inarritu has managed to craft something special in The Revenant – by focusing on this small but extraordinary piece of history, he manages to obliquely tell a much larger story of the birth of the American frontiers. It is a story dominated by men, exploitation, greed, and blood; and a story that you won’t regret watching. Verdict: 9/10
Gazette
charity challenge P14
Pets
can you give avocado a loving home? The Dublin Gazette has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. Avocado is a threeyear-old female German Shepherd cross. She had a beautiful litter of puppies who have all found their forever homes and now it’s Avocado’s turn! She will need an adult-only home and it’s really important that someone is home for most of the day. Avocado forms very strong bonds with people and really panics when left alone. If you think there is a place in your home for this bright, beautiful and loving girl, please contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 o n the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www.dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook. com/dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE
Gazette
14 Gazette 21 January 2016
dublinlife
Revup4dsi: flatley set for motorcycle challenge
The Lord of the Dance takes to the open road
ian begley
ibegley@dublingazette.com
The lord of Irish dance Michael Flatley took time out of his busy schedule to help launch Down Sy ndrome Ireland’s (DSI) annual charity motorcycle challenge Revup4DSI. Motorcyclists across the country are preparing to take to the open road for the DSI event which takes place over the May bank holiday weekend, April 30 to May 2. The successful event was co-founded in 2005 by a pair of keen motorcyclists, Michael McCor-
mick and the late Aidan Lynam, both of whom have daughters, Megan and Robyn, with Down syndrome. Michael (CEO of DSI at the time) was looking to run a motorcycle event for DSI and Aidan (managing a bar at the time) was thinking along similar lines. So after a fairly brief but enthusiastic meeting Rev-up was born. The round Ireland road trip has grown to become one the biggest and most popular fundraising events and has raised over €1.5m in much-needed funds for Down Syndrome Ireland over the last 10 years.
Down Syndrome Ireland are currently planning a number of special events for next year’s RevUp to honour the passing of their esteemed colleague Aidan Lynam. Aidan was the instrumental part of a strong team behind the very first RevUp4DSI and was tragically killed during last year’s event. In memory of Aidan, DSI intend to have their most successful motorcycle challenge yet come May 2016. Secret checkpoints
The event is a point-topoint navigation ride that takes in over 1,000km of
stunning Irish views within a three-day period. On the Saturday, motorcyclists will gather at Joe Duffy’s BMW dealership in Finglas for their first in a series of route cards that will lead them through a number of secret checkpoints and to their base for the night. The following day’s ride will take on a poker run format where a playing card is collected at each checkpoint and the best hand will win. All of which will add to the excitement and camaraderie on the road over this fantastic fundraising weekend. Entry to the three-day
The lord of Irish dance Michael Flatley with Mark Reilly and David Clarke from Drogheda pictured at the launch of Down Syndrome Ireland’s annual charity motorcycle challenge. Picture: Gerard McCarthy
event is by donation, with a minimum requirement of €500 sponsorship per rider and €500 per passenger. Accommodation
and meals are all booked in advance to make it a very relaxing and rewarding weekend of twowheeled fun.
For further information, visit www.revup4dsi. ie, email revup@downsyndrome.ie or call 01 4266500.
21 January 2016 Gazette 15
features
Warm up winter with a banjo and Bovril emma nolan enolan@dublingazette.com
Wave goodbye to the January blues and start the new year with music, dancing and… Bovril! The Banjo and Bovril Trad Festival is making a welcome return to The Harbour Bar in Bray this January 27 to 31. The festival celebrates the old tradition of the Banjo and Bovril nights that took place back in the day and is completely free to attend. When the winter days were coming to a close, the fishermen would arrive in from the sea and head for The Harbour Bar to warm up with steaming mugs of Bovril, before they settled in for a night
of singing and playing music. With some of Bray’s favourites and a few of Ireland’s very best, the line-up includes Moxie, The Bonny Men, Mundy, Ye Vagabonds, John Spillane, Lisa O’Neill, Ronan O Snodaigh and Pete Pamf, Pine Marten, Sheila Garry and Elaine Hogan, Pete Cummins, Hank Wedel, Darren Eedens, Bunoscionn and Old Hannah. Moxie are five young Irish musicians making waves on the Irish music scene with their fresh blend of jazz, rock, bluegrass and world music and The Bonny Men, will bring their set of trad tunes bursting with energy.
Mundy is sure to get the crowd going and brothers Brian and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn of Ye Vagabonds are just back from a tour with Glen Hansard. A c cl a i m e d s i n g e r songwriter John Spillane will also take to the stage. Also performing, with her natural flair for storytelling and combined with a unique sound, Lisa O’Neill’s show promises to be something special. K ila’s Ronan O Snodaigh joins forces with Pete “Pamf” Ruotolo on guitar and Dublin based trio Pine Marten will be bringing their Scandinavian, bluegrass influenced folk to the bill.
Singer songwriter John Spillane will take to the stage
Hailing from Clare, the admired talents of musicians Sheila Garry and Elaine Hogan will be performing and
Grammy Award winner Pete Cummins will be in the house. New York-born and C o r k- r a i s e d s i n g e r
songwriter Hank Wedel will be warming up with some Bovril and guitar slingin’, banjo pickin’ Canadian Dar-
ren Eedens, who has been known to stand on tables while belting out tunes will also be paying the Harbour Bar a visit. To round off one hell of a festival line up, some Harbour Bar favourites will take to the stage with the amazing tradsters Bunoscionn and from Sligo with their own brand of roots, it’s the brilliant Old Hannah. The Banjo and Bovril Trad fest is the perfect way to spend a long, cold Januar y night, dancing away to worldclass Irish acts in a cosy pub with a steaming mug of warming Bovril bringing the traditional banjo and Bovril nights back to life.
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dublinlife
diary
Witnessing a C-Section birth a big eye-opener for students
The live Caesarean Section was broadcast to students via video link from an operating theatre in the Rotunda Hospital. Picture: Maxwell Photography
Last Tuesday January 12, more than 180 students from 90 secondary schools across Ireland witnessed a baby being born via a live caesarean section as part of the RCSI (Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) transition year (TY) programme. The week-long interactive RCSI TY MiniMed training programme was held between RCSI on St Stephen’s Green and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin. The live caesarean section was broadcast to students via video link from an operating theatre in the Rotunda Hospital and was performed by a team led by Professor Fergal Malone, the new Master of the Rotunda Hospital. During the procedure, students asked questions to Professor Malone and his surgical team, who answered them while guiding the students through the C-section procedure. Now in its ninth year, the RCSI TY MiniMed programme, gives Transition Year students the opportunity to step out of their usual classroom setting and experience what it is like to train and work as a doctor in the setting of a real hospital.
DSPCA start off 2016 with special Tom cat tenner The DSPCA are delighted to start 2016 with a special Tom Cat Tenner Event which will see the neutering of male cats for just €10 Euro per animal. DSPCA head of Education Gillian Bird said: “Cat populations in Dublin and surrounding
counties has gotten out of control and the DSPCA are urging pet owners and people who are feeding feral cats to act now before the breeding season begins.” Each year the DSPCA take in over 1,500 cats and kittens most of which are born to wild or semi-feral parents. By starting the neutering early in the year, the DSPCA hope to see a reduction in the numbers of feral and unwanted cats. “A healthy and fertile male cat can father thousands of kittens each year, by being active every night of the breeding season. “By neutering the male cats in a territory, the rival males will be kept away and the females will not become pregnant thus cutting down on the numbers of kittens born,” Bird said. Male cats as young as 12 weeks of age can be neutered by the DSPCA Veterinary team. Visit dspca.ie to book your tom cat in for this discounted neutering.
in research carried out by Coyne Research on behalf of Irish Life. The research found that 77% of the Irish workforce believe they deserve more money for the job they do, while 61% of the Irish working population have made friends for life through work and 46% socialise with their colleagues after work. The research was published to mark the launch of Irish Life Empower, an improved workplace pension plan.
domestic water revenue to date hits over €110m Irish Water has confirmed that 61% of customers are now paying water charges at the end of the third billing cycle compared to 55% at the end of the second cycle and 44% at the end of the first billing cycle.
Some 928,000 customers have now paid part or all of their bills, an increase of 98,000 customers who began paying charges for the first time in the past three months. Total revenue from charges paid to date by domestic customers is €110.8m. Revenue received during the third billing cycle was €42.3m, an increase from €38m in the second billing cycle and €30.5m in the first billing cycle. Irish Water plans to spend €522m in starting to address the major deficits in Ireland’s drinking water and wastewater quality and capacity and repairing the most critical infrastructure in need of urgent investment in 2016. Irish Water Customers can find out more on www.water.ie or by calling LoCall 1890 448 448.
Survey reveals the habits of the irish workforce A survey has revealed that nearly half of the Irish workforce regularly ‘dine al desko’ and can’t start work without a coffee or tea, while four in 10 people believe they could do a better job than their boss and over a third of employees admit to having had an office crush and an office romance at some point in their career. The habits and opinions of Ireland’s workforce have been revealed
The DSPCA is offering a special Tom Cat Tenner event which will see the neutering of male cats for just 10 Euro per animal
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21 January 2016 Gazette 17
Learningcurve
courses: expanding your educational horizons in another country
Are you dreaming of studying abroad?
ian begley
If you dream of studying in Australia or New Zealand then you’re in luck as it has become increasingly popular and accessible in recent years due to the exodus of Irish young people to these countries in search of work. Even though Australia’s environment is vastly different from that of Ireland, its geography and culture present opportunities to study subjects that might be difficult to access in Ireland. This is one of the most interesting aspects of choosing to study abroad and there are a range of unique courses to choose from in the Study in Aus-
tralia section of Studyoptions.com. New Zealand’s geographicalenvironmentalso provides unique opportunities for Irish students, particularly in the medium of science. Irish students can study physical geography among volcanoes, geothermal areas, geysers, glaciers and fiords; orlearn about the unique challenges to civil engineering in an active tectonic zone. For more information see the Study in NewZealand section of Studyoptions.com. For those who are interested in studying abroad, but do not want to stray so far from home, many of the top European universities are actively seeking Irish
students. Places are available on degrees, in a wide range of subjects including: arts and humanities, engineering, life sciences, social sciences, business, IT and health sciences. Students can study degree programmes in a full range of subjects in English, with lectures, books and projects in English. In addition to the educational advantages there are cultural and adventurous aspects of studying abroad also and the young people of Europe are fluent in English in many cities. Entry requirements in Europe are lower than those in Irish universities, as are the entrance fees
Going abroad to study has many advantages such as experiencing new cultures, lower entrance fees and requirements an can look impressive on a CV
in many cases. There are no fees for Irish students studying in Scandanavia, while in Austria, Germa-
ny and Switzerland, fees are below €1,500 per annum in state funded institutions. Fees are also
reasonably low in Italy and the Netherlands, and some countries also offer Tuition Fee Loans
or grants to contribute to living expenses. Irish students who qualified for Maintenance Grants can take them with them, to public programmes on the continent. Along with all of the other advantages, the standard of education is also very high. Programmes are offered by some of Europe’s leading research universities, as well as some top universities of applied sciences and career-oriented university colleges. Additionally, a qualification from a European institution looks very impressive on a CV. For more information on studying abroad visit: www.eunicas.ie/
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Learningcurve
IT Tallaght hold Open Day What differentiates an institute of technology from a university? Traditionally there have been three main factors; the additional entry options for students in the form of the Level 6 and Level 7 courses which can be used as a ladder to progress on to the Level 8 Honours Degree, the increased focus on exposing students to more practical skills through industry-style projects and assignments and, finally, the supportive learning environment which is achieved through smaller class sizes which facilitates more individual support. IT Tallaght’s Open Day is taking place on Saturday,January 23from 10am – 1pm. According to IT Tal-
laght, the 2015 computing graduates had an employment rate of 90% within three months in the ICT sector, with an additional 5% going on to further study. This is an exceptional progression rate of 95% after less than three months, with typical salaries in the region of €35,000. The college itself has three schools; Business and Humanities, Science and Computing and Engineering with a total of 41 courses across all levels. In 2015, the Culinary Arts department launched their own Masters Programme, the first of its’ kind globally. For more information on the courses on offer, as well as the new initiatives in the college, visit www. ittdublin.ie.
money: the importance of budgets and paying bills on time
Learning how to manage finances ian begley
Many people going to college this year will be living alone for the first time and will have no experience of budgeting and paying bills. Managing your finances is just as important as managing your timetable and study plan. According to Dublin City University, recent figures show that the total cost for a student living away from home in self-catering shared accommodation for the eight-and-a-half month academic year is almost €7,000. For those who
stay at home the total cost is €3,433. A further nontuition fee, in the region of €400, must be added for non-grant holders attending certain institutions. According to director of student affairs at DCU Barry Kehoe: “The total cost-of-living figures are approximate. Some students will spend more on travel or food, while others may splurge on books or pay a higher rent.” While the total spend seems like a lot of money, Kehoe says these are minimum amounts for survival with a small portion allocated to social life. The following is a list of tips for first time students to survive their first academic year. Always pay bills on time to avoid late fees. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you have several bills to pay at once which cannot be put off any longer. If you have a credit card, make a personal note of every purchase you make as you don’t want to be taken by surprise with a huge bill. When this dreaded bill does arrive, try to pay it off as quickly as possible, as bad credit follows you everywhere. Never go food shopping when you are hungry, as you will invariably buy too much, some of which is bound to go to waste. Don’t make impulse purchases, always make a shopping list and buy in bulk. Just because food is cheaper in discount supermarkets doesn’t necessarily mean its unhealthier so shop there whenever possible. Also, these are great places to save money on things like toiletries and household supplies. Always bring lunch from home and try to avoid eating out often.
Limit the number of times you allow yourself to eat out over the period of a month. Create a budget, contact your student union to see if it runs second hand book schemes, take full advantage of student discount’s and always enquire if one is on offer. Look for special offers everywhere and check out second-hand shops for clothes, books and furniture. Investing in a Leap card is a great way to save money. Many students will have to get four buses or more a day, and those few cents saved on each journey add up.
Creating a budget is just one way of managing your finances
21 January 2016 Gazette 19
series: Literature and revolutions
Spring evening lectures at Trinity ian begley
T h e Tr i n i t y C o l lege School of English is hosting a range of spring evening lectures throughout the next several months, titled Literature and Revolutions. The series is inspired by the centenary of the Easter Rising. Some of the talks will focus on this historic occasion and its impact on Ireland’s literature and culture while the rest will explore other revolutions along with their literary dimensions. On Tuesday, January 19, Professor Patten will discuss the representation of the 1916 Easter Rising in fiction, looking at a range of novels from 1917 to the present day, and from Eimar O’Duffy to Roddy Doyle, to assess the role of the novel in depicting the revolutionary generation of Ireland’s early 20th century. On Tuesday, January 26, Brendan O’Connell will present a lecture entitled The Beastly Rebels of 1381, which will examine works by writers such as Gower, Langland and Chaucer, exploring the various ways each uses animal imagery to convey the motives and
All lectures take place in the Jonathan Swift Lecture Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin
actions of the rebels, and to articulate a wider political vision. Professor Dawe will talk about his latest book Of War and War’s Alarms on Tuesday, February 16. His volume presents a multifaceted study of war and revolution and their impact on the writing lives of Irish poets and novelists from WWI and the Easter Rising through the War of Independence to the Spanish Civil War, WWII and the Northern Troubles. DrEmaVyroubalova will host a lecture on the literary and cinematic afterlives of the Prague Spring on Tuesday, March 8. She
will look at how the events of one of the revolutions taking place across Europe in the 1960s – the Czechoslovak Prague Spring of 1968 – and its suppression by the Soviet army the following summerwas re-presented, re-worked, and re-imagined by writers, playwrights and film directors. On Tuesday, March 22, Chris Morash will also discuss an interesting topic on how time effected the 1916 rising. “At 12.20 noon onApril 24, 1916, the first group of volunteers stormed the General Post OfficeinDublin;inLondon, the clocks read 11:54am. From 1880 until Octoberof
1916, Ireland had its own time zone - a situation that was changed at least partly in response to the Rising.” This lecture will look at the ways in which Irish literature of the time, particularly theworks ofWBYeats signaled the sudden slipperiness of time itself. The cost to attend the entire series of lectures is €50, with individual lectures priced at €6 each. Concessionary rates for the full series will be €35 with individual lectures €5 each. A full programme and booking form is available on the OscarWilde Centre website at www.tcd.ie/ owc.
Open day at Stillorgan College of Further Education ian begley
Stillorgan College of Further Education are hosting an Open Evening on Wednesday, January 27, from 5.30 to 7.30pm, with details on what the college has to offer on display during the event. The college offers courses in areas such as multimedia, animation, travel and tourism, journalism, media production, art, photography, business and computer skills and event management.
Stillorgan College recently developed a new course in multimedia production with games design. The interactive media and games sector has been identified as a priority area fortraining,as there is currently a skills shortage in this growth industry. Another recent addition to the list of courses is a Level 5 course in animation.This introductory course prepares students with little or no experience for a third level course in animation production.With a dual focus on drawing and computer skills, the
course will cover all the fundamental areas required fora successful portfolio submission. Students will learn to visually develop and communicate their ideas through life drawing, storyboarding, character design, background design and planning. Stillorgan College is also hosting a second Open Day on Wednesday, March 9, from 10.30am – 3.30pm. More details about the college and the courses on offer are available from the college website at www.stillorgancollege.ie.
Gazette
Learningcurve
Irish Student Summit 2016 to take place in February ian begley
The Irish Student Summit 2016 will take place on February 4 in Dublin Castle and will have over 600 students, 40-plus start-ups, 22 workshops and powerhouse business speakers from Silicon Valley and Ireland, with speakers from Twitter, Paddy Power, Silicon Republic, Ireland AM and Humans of Dublin. One student start-up will also walk away with a €1,500 investment in their business idea. A panel of judges will narrow down applications to the 10 best applicants from the online submissions and the public will be able to vote for their favourite two on Twitter and Facebook. The final two applicants will go head-to-head in front of an audience and a panel of judges, who will
vote for the winner. Students interested in applying for this investment are asked to upload a two minute video to YouTube with their business pitch and send the linkto Fiona. omalley@usi.ie. Applicants must put ‘Student Summit 16’ in the video title before their name and ‘application’ at the end. The judges are looking for new product ideas, new business ideas or new service ideas – either at infancy or development stage. The rules of the competition state that all applicants must be second or third level students, must be the owners or founders of the company that the application is for or they must own the intellectual rights to the product idea they have. To booktickets to the Student Summit, visit www.studentsummit2016.eventbrite.ie/
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Learningcurve
Special interest rates for education loans at St Patrick’s Credit Union St Patrick’s Credit Union offers an education loan at a special interest rate of 6.7%APRdesigned primarily for members who have a child going to third level (it can also be used for adult learning, primary and post-primary education costs). Members can apply for approval for the full amount that will be incurred over the duration of the course (typically from one to fouryears) and then draw down the loan in various stages and amounts as and when required during this period. This gives the member peace of mind knowing
they have the financial resources to put their child/children through college, and avoids the uncertainty of having to apply for a loan each year. The credit union has offices at 22 UpperErne St (Pearse) 1a UpperOriel St (StLawrenceO’Toole)and 27/28 Herbert Place St Patricks Credit Union. See their website www.stpatrickscu.ie for opening times and more details, or contact them on Free call 1800 94 00 77. Credit union membership is determined by where you live and/or work. See their website to see if you qualify to become a member.
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stem subjects: Developing new approaches to teaching
Learning with Lego at Dublin City University ian begley
Dublin City University is partnering with Lego Education to create an interactive learning hub that will help DCU student teachers and Irish schools develop innovative and creative approaches to teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects in the classroom. The creation of the flagship Lego Education Innovation Studio (LEIS), will see the new Institute of Education at DCU’s St Patrick’s Campus, Drumcondra become the first centre of teacher education in Ireland to mainstream these innovative approaches across all its programmes. The Institute’s students will develop new approaches to teaching that can be replicated in
Dan Gilbert, IT Services , DCU and Nicola Broderick, Science Education, DCU at the DCU announcement of a flagship Lego Education Centre
schools throughout the country, igniting a passion for STEM subjects from early childhood education right through to third level. By adopting Lego’s playful learning tools,
teachers graduating from DCU Institute of Education will be fully skilled in helping schoolchildren develop Hands-on Mindson’ 21st century skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, teamworking and communication. Professor Brian MacCraith, president of DCU and chair of the STEM Education Working Group said: “High quality STEM education is of pivotal importance to a knowledge-based society and economy such as Ireland. Our ultimate purpose at DCU Institute of Education is to inspire and develop students to think creatively, reason systematically and release the potential to shape their own future and the future of their students in turn. “This unique collaboration with Lego Education can play a key role in transforming the future of STEM learning in Ireland, helping future generations to develop
a sense of wonder about the subjects that allow us to understand, measure, design and advance our physical world.” The new studio will have the capacity to develop research projects through linkages with existing DCU research centres such as the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning and to explore cross-faculty research possibilities with the faculty of Engineering and Computing. Internationally the Lego Education Innovation Studio at DCU will lead a European teacher education network to develop new teaching methods across Europe and exchange ideas and best practice. The network will include existing partners from Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland. Speaking at the announcement of the new initiative at DCU St Patrick’s Campus, Dr Deirdre Butler said: “This
flagship innovation space is a wonderful example of a smart partnership enabling the Institute of Education to be the first to mainstream the Lego Education principles across the full spectrum of teacher education. “It brings together Lego Education’s range of expressive learning materials with the Institute’s creative, innovative leaders in teaching and learning to design exciting learning environments in which our children can develop the range of skills necessary to thrive in this globally connected digital world.” Outreach activities of the Lego Education Innovation Studio will include a range of continuing professional development for teachers; opportunities for teachers to bring their classes to use the resources in-studio; open days and evenings for schools and local community groups and hosting the first Lego and Junior Lego Leagues.
21 January 2016 Gazette 21
Gazette
counselling: being on your own can be tough for students
There is always hope and help when dealing with depression
î Ž ian begley
More than 450,000 people experience some form of depression at any one time in Ireland, according to Aware, a charity helping those suffering from depression. Students and young people in general, make up a large portion of those who go through depression as many people experience the first symptoms of depression during their college years. Factors such as living away from home for the first time, dwin-
dling career options and declining living standards can leave some students feeling lost and alone. This can lead to some students feeling like there is no hope and no help for them but this is not the case. There is help available on most college campus’ in Ireland and students embarking on a college course should be aware that these services are always accessible to them. For any students who may be struggling, here
is a list of helpful services you can access if you feel you need to talk: UCD Student Counselling Service is a free ser vice and is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm. You can call (01) 7163133 or call into the Student Health Centre in the Student Centre for more information. UCD also have a programme called Please Talk which is a voluntary organisation run by students and staff and its aim is to provide information and sup-
port to students. For more information email ucd@pleasetalk.ie Trinity College provides support, guidance and treatment options for students suffering from mental health issues through their College Health Service and their Counselling Service. To contact the College Health Centre call (01) 8961591. DCU run a Counselling and Personal Development Service which is a confidential and free service and is available to all students. For more
information, call (01) 7005165 or email counselling@dcu.ie Alternatively, there is a listening support service called Niteline that is a confidential phone service run by and for the students of DCU, NCAD, RCSI, TCD, NUIM and their affiliate colleges. Niteline is open every night during term time from 9pm to 2.30am and you can call about any problem you may be experiencing. For more information, log onto www.niteline. ie or call 1800793793.
Students and young people in general, make up a large portion of those who go through depression. Picture: Annifer Photography
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Learningcurve
More options in higher education The recent formation of a Regional Cluster Strategic Partnership, with DCU, Athlone Institute of Technology, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Maynooth University, is expected to provide “exciting opportunities for the development of higher education across the Midlands-East and North Dublin Region”. The creation of this cluster is in line with the HigherEducationAuthority’s Towards a Future report which sets out a vision for the higher education landscape in Ireland. The four parties to this agreement have distinctive yet complementary visions for higher educa-
tion across the region. Each organisation will continue to function independently, but will collaborate on activities that are mutually beneficial to help them achieve national educational objectives. Professor Ciaran O Cathain, president of Athlone Institute ofTechnology said: “Each of our organisations have clearly demonstrated a leadership role in our local environments. Maynooth University and Athlone Institute of Technology already have a shared history of successful collaboration on bi-lateral projects, as have DCU and Dundalk Institute of Technology.
student digs: research is key to finding accommodation
Finding a home away from home ian begley
Searching for student accommodation in Dublin can be an arduous task with soaring rent prices and high levels of students in need of somewhere to live for the coming year. The price of accommodation is a massive factor that needs to be considered when looking for accommodation. Rent prices can range from €300 for a shared room and continue up to €700 or more for a more luxurious apartment. It is, therefore, very important to start searching for accommodation as early as possible before the start of the first semester or the closer it gets to the
beginning of the college year. It is advised to do as much research as you can online, but also to make sure to view the areas and accommodation you are considering renting in. Ask friends or family living in Dublin about what the area is like and ask them for alternative recommendations. Thoroughly check out public transport connections between the college and the accommodation Some areas can look close to the college on the map but may be difficult to reach by bus or Luas. Also, make full use of any accommodation support offered by the college or student union, as they will be able to offer practical help and advice. It is also very important to know your rights. In most cases, rent is usually payable monthly and in advance. At the beginning of a letting period, tenants are required to pay a deposit of one month’s rent which will be refunded when the lease is up or if the tenant decides to leave once the lease is up. If, however, a tenant causes any damage to the property, the landlord has the right to hold onto the deposit to fix the damage. Make sure that the landlord gives you a rent book so that tax relief on any rent paid can be reclaimed. Ask the landlord if they are registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB). By law, landlords must be registered with the PRTB and if they have not registered there may be problems down the road. Don’t forget there are other ways to rent in Dublin which include on-campus accommodation, longterm student hostels and accommodation with a family. Visit www.rent.ie/ student-accommodation/ for more information on what lettings are available.
Soaring rents can leave students bewilderd but starting your search early can help
21 January 2016 Gazette 23
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Learningcurve
investment: budget increase will support important initiatives
‘We are at a critical time for education in Ireland’ We are at a critical time for education in Ireland. The economy is recovering, employment is increasing and tax receipts are ahead of targets. While we cannot afford to take this newfound recovery and stability for granted, those of us with a passionate interest in educationcanlookforward to increased investment over the coming years. Budget 2016 saw important investment in education. The current education budget increased by €144m. This additional expenditure allowed for important initiatives including a reduction of one point to average primary school class sizes, increasedguidancecounselling in second-level schools, the provision of 600 additional resource teachers, improvements to school leadership, ring-fenced funding forapprenticeships and some additional support for disadvantaged students at third level. The education sectorwill also benefit from €3.8bn in capital spending up to 2021. Budget 2016 was a good start in responding to the needs of the education system, but we will need to go much furtheroverthe coming years. There is,of course,a need for investment in charting a renewed vision for education in Ireland,but money is not the only lever required. We also need a commitment to reform. Overrecent years, despite the paucity of available funding, we have led a hugely significant programme of reform through all sectors of education, and
the commitment of each of the education partners to delivering that reform has been commendable. This reformwill lead to long term change in the education system. We have created greater choice in school patronage, literacy and numeracy scores have improved for the first time in a generation, school self-evaluation has been introduced and significant changes made to school inspection. The era of unqualified teachers working in our classrooms is over, and underperformance amongst teachers will be tackled with new fitness to practice hearings. We have reduced by 50% the amount spent on the inefficient renting of prefabs. We have published and funded a new digital strategy forschools thatwill transform our approaches to teaching, learning and assessment.
Measures This Government has taken several measures to expand and improve the provision of high quality early years education, including the establishment of a new educationfocused inspections of early years and the publication of the Aistear Siolta Practice Guide. Initial teacher education has been dramatically overhauled and improved, with the number of teacher training colleges already reduced from 19 to 12. We have created 16 local education and training boards to replace 33 VECs, and cre-
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‘In the coming months, we will be facing the conclusion of this Government’s mandate, and our collective thoughts must turn to the choices we will face in electing the next government’
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ated SOLAS to replace the discredited FAS. Four consortia are now working towards achieving Technological University status. QQI has been created to replace four different accreditation and quality assurance bodies. Regional skills fora are being established, to deepen the links between ETBs, Higher Education
institutes and local industry. Regional clusters have been put in place to improve cooperation between HEIs, while we have started to systematically analyse the performance of each University and Institute of Technology. These are not individual, disconnected reforms, but all form part of a
system-wide programme of change that is designed to meaningfully improve educational outcomes at all levels. Through these reforms, we have four simple objectives: to improve quality and accountability; to support inclusion and diversity; to encourage learning for life; and to build the right systems and infrastructure.
In the coming months, we will be facing the conclusionofthisGovernment’s mandate, and our collective thoughts must turn to the choices we will face in electing the next government. Within education, we will face furtherchoices. We have worked to deliver ambitious but achievable reform of the education sector. Some will argue for deeper, faster reform that takes less account of the views of stakeholders. And others still will argue for the retention of much of the status quo. There will be no reenergising of the Irish state, and of our social contract,
without a commitment to education and to an ongoing renewal of education. The choices we make in the coming months will make one thing clear to all: the degree to which different parties genuinely believe that the needs of those we serve in education, from the youngest pre-school child to the retired lady who decides to return to education, should dominate our thinking. I know they dominate mine.
Jan O’Sullivan (Lab) Minister for Education and Skills
Gazette
21 January 2016 Gazette 25
dublinlife
HEALTH
FlyeFit has opened their fifth franchise on George’s Street Dublin gym chain FlyeFit has opened its fifth franchise on George’s Street. The new inner city location offers the compact FlyeFit model that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Affordable and straightforward, this is a no-frills facility that gets the job done and the affordable price of €29 a month or €32 a month for roaming membership which includes access to its other locations; Ranelagh, Baggot Street, Macken Street and Swords. The new George’s Street site fea-
tures a huge high performance area with 10 squat racks, as well as a free weight area. There’s a studio in the loft fitted with TRX equipment, a cardio zone equipped with numerous treadmills, cross trainers and rowing machines, a spin studio for spin classes and an astro floored studio for classes. Classes are included in membership and are suitable for all levels of fitness. Personal training is also available with the FlyeFit trainers separate to membership.
The bones of the body become more porous and brittle from osteoporosis
Keeping your bones strong and healthy Susan Boland Nutritional Therapist DipIHS NTOI
Fitness Coach IETA
Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease of the skeletal system that is characterised by deterioration of bone tissue, along with a decrease in bone mass making them fragile and more likely to break and affects millions of people in Ireland. People receive hospital treatment for fragility fractures every year as a result of osteoporosis with wrist, hip and fractures of the vertebrae the most common type of breaks. However, they can also occur in other bones, such as in the arm, ribs or pelvis.
Warnings There are usually no warnings an individual has developed osteoporosis and it’s often only diagnosed when
a bone is fractured after even minor falls. Osteoporosis results from an imbalance between the ingestion and absorption of calcium into the body and its excretion. Loss of bone-building materials can occur as the body ages, and is particularly prevalent among post-menopausal women, the early stage is osteopenia. The architecture of bone requires many nutrients to maintain and restore its integrity but there are at least 20 essential vitamins and minerals that have to be obtained from food. Causes include: family history/sedentary lifestyle/decrease in oestrogen. Digestion: Poor uptake of minerals from the diet due to low acid levels in the stomach or other causes of malabsorption of food Stress: may cause low
acid levels in the stomach, high cortisol, tissue acidity and inflammation also inflammatory conditions may lead
Medication: which affects hormonal balance or bone strength such as cor ticosteroids/steroids, thyroid
--------------------------------------------------------
‘There are usually no warnings an individual has developed osteoporosis and it’s often only diagnosed when a bone is fractured after even minor falls’ --------------------------------------------------------
to cartilage and bone destruction Diet: An acidic diet/ high cortisol may cause calcium to be leached from the bones to restore the acid/alkaline balance. Drinks: Caffeine, sugar and carbonated (fizzy) drinks affect calcium absorption or increase calcium excretion. Social: Heavy drinking or smoking/Lack of weight bearing exercise/ Lack of sunshine
hormones, aluminum containing antacids and diuretics Drug therapies for osteoporosis include bisphosphonates, these drugs are associated with a growing list of concerns, including research that suggests a link between the use of bisphosphonates and oesophageal cancer. More inf orma tion can be obtained from my website susiebwellness.ie/.
Take the pledge and make an eye test part of your routine Research shows that sight is the sense people fear losing the most and yet most don’t consider an eye test to be a core part of their health routine. Some 21% of the population have never had a sight test at all, rising to 36% of those under the age of 35. Now, as part of Healthy Eyes Awareness Week, January 18 to 24, eye health experts are urging people to take action and commit to having regular eye exams as part of a healthy lifestyle. David Hewlett, chief executive of FODO Ireland, who represents opticians in Ireland said: “An eye exam is a vital health check which can detect a range of health conditions for which you experience no symptoms and where early detection can pre-
vent sight loss. “These conditions can only be prevented if they are detected early and the key to that are regular eye exams.” Peter Coleman, chief executive of the Assoc of Opticians in Ireland (AOI) said: “We want to remind people during the Healthy Eyes campaign that even if you think your eyesight is good, you only know for sure if you get your eyes tested regularly.” Healthy Eyes Awareness Week is a chance for people to pledge their commitment to have an eye exam and encourages a positive attitude to all aspects of eye health. As part of the campaign people are encouraged to take pictures of themselves holding the Eye Pledge leaflet and share on social media #eyepledge.
26 swords gazette 21 January 2016
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28 gazette 21 January 2016
SPORT
FastSport
basketball: woods, painter and Mcdermott on flying form
Balbirnie’s extra training ahead of PNG contest FORMER Pembroke cricketer Andrew Balbirnie recently completed a three-day batting camp ahead of Ireland’s ICC Inter-Continental Cup fixture with Papua New Guinea. Returning to Dublin for a couple of days before flying out to Australia for that match, Balbirnie took part in the camp, which was run by assistant coach Pete Johnston with the support of team manager Chris Siddell, along with six teammates. Balbirnie spoke about the importance of the camp, especially given the time of year. “It went very well, most of us haven’t hit balls since before Christmas so to get the chance to all come together before we go on tour to hit balls, either red or white balls, is key.” The batters flew out to Brisbane to join up with the rest of the squad on Sunday, with a warm up match in Brisbane on the horizon before travelling to Townsville for the Inter Continental Cup match with Papua New Guinea on January 31.
DCU Mercy’s Sarah Woods combined for 75 points with Chelisa Painter and Aoife McDermott
DCU close in on league title sport@dublingazette.com
DCU Mercy took a step closer to a regular season title with a 12-point win at defending champions Team Montenotte Hotel in the women’s basketball National League last weekend. Chelisa Painter, Aoife McDermott and Sarah Woods combined for 75 points in the 82-70 win. “They’re a very motivated
team right now now and moving the ball a bit better which always makes it easier,” said coach Mark Ingle. “Our sights are set on trying to win the regular season but it is all about one game at a time. We’ve found a new way to win. We’re not as fluent on offence but we’ve picked up our defence,” he continued. Mercy recovered from a 19-6 first quarter
deficit to lead by eight points at half time. Meteors kept control of a playoff spot with a gritty 58-40 win at Courtyard Liffey Celtics. In a game which failed to ignite after a low scoring opening quarter, Meagan McGuinness and Beth Meany helped push out Meteors’ lead down the stretch. Pyrobel Killester toughed out a 64-59 win over UL Huskies in Limerick. 31 points from Sarah Benedetti put Huskies on course but with Rae Contreras on form for Killester, the Dublin side overturned the 36-33 half-time score. Twenty points from Cathy Kavanagh helped understrength Maxol WIT Wildcats to a 71-56 at home to Portlaoise Panthers, but it wasn’t enough to break the Waterford side into the playoff spots. Claire Melia top scored for Panthers. On the men’s side, GCD Swords Thunder inflicted Templeogue’s first defeat of the season
in what served as a Hula Hoops Men’s National Cup final dress-rehearsal. Thunder upped their inside game in the second quarter with a 16-6 run and pushed Jason Killeen into foul trouble. Templeogue’s efforts to regain parity were further hampered by the loss of Conor Grace to a hand injury while Thunder continued to apply tough defence. Thunder Coach Dave Baker said: “When a team is unbeaten, everyone steps up to try and knock them down. Neither side played well tonight but they only beat us by a point last time out so we felt we owed them a little. We’re just concentrating on making top four at this stage.” SSE Airtricity Moycullen are up to eighth place in the table after a 76-68 win at home to Rathfarnham’s Eanna BC. American Raheem Lemons made his debut for the Galway side but it was Ronan O’Sullivan who topped out with 20 points. Eanna had the
better start and were also closing in on Moycullen in the fourth quarter before the final buzzer sounded. The visitors had Conor Gallagher, Connor Poston and Sean Gordon in double-digits. In the last game of the weekend, C&S UCC Demons beat UCD Marian 80-68 at the Mardyke Arena. With just a basket between the sides at halftime, Lehmon Colbert’s 28 points helped Demons pull clear. The win moves Demons level on points with Templeogue, albeit with an additional game played. Pyrobel Killester shook off their cup defeat in impressive style with an 84-61 win over DCU Saints. N i n e t e e n - y e a r- o l d Eoghain Kiernan was top scorer with 19 points for Brian O’Malley’s side as they built on a 48-35 lead at half time. Martins Provizors and Duane Johnson combined for 38 points on their second appearance together for DCU Saints.
21 January 2016 gazette 29
Gazette
annual awards: rcsi set to host celebration of a stellar year
Shorlist hails Dub sailors sport@dublingazette.com
A STRONG Dublin contingent are in the running for the annual Irish Sailing Awards which will take place at the historic Royal College of Surgeons on
Thursday, February 4. The annual awards celebrate Irish achievement and success on the water, both domestically and internationally in 2015 with Rathfarnham’s Olympian Annalise Murphy among the
star attractions. Four awards will be presented on the day – The Afloat Sailor of the Year award; the Mitsubishi Motors Club of the Year award; the ISA Youth Sailor of the Year award; and the ISA
Nominees and winners from last year’s annual Irish Sailing Awards
FastSport Peas and Shels in a pod with WNL stalemate:
Howth duo Colin O’Sullivan and Douglas Elmes have been nominated for youth sailor of the year
Training Centre of the Year award. The highlight of the day is the presentation of the Afloat Sailor of the Year.
Nominees Nominees this year include John Twomey, who qualified for his 11th Paralympics in December - an Irish record; Frenchman Sidney Gavignet, who beat the round Ireland sailing speed record on his MOD 70 MusandamOman trimaran in May; and Justin Slattery, a key crew member on board the winning boat, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the Volvo Ocean race, viewed by many as the pinnacle of international ocean sailing.
The nominees for the Youth Sailor of the Year award were selected on the basis of medal results from world or European championships, including those with top 10 results from the year gone by. This award is dominated by Howth YC with Aoife Hopkins, Colin O’Sullivan, Ewan McMahon and Douglas Elmes with Lough Derg’s Aisling Keller and Waterford’s Geoff Power also on the list. The nominees for the ISA Training Centre of the Year award were selected on a regional basis and will receive a regional award on the day. T h e ove r a l l w i n ner will be announced
from the following list of nominees: The Royal Irish Yacht Club (Dublin – Eastern Region); F o y n e s Ya c h t C l u b (Limerick - Southern Region); and Mullingar Sailing Club (Westmeath – Western Region). The Mitsubishi Motors Club of the Year award is given to a club with sailing success at local, national and international level; and takes into account satisfaction of club members; the club’s impact in sailing development and training; the relationship with the local community, and relevant governmental and sporting bodies, both at local and national level.
PEAMOUNT United and Shelbourne Ladies LFC played out a highly entertaining 2-2 draw in the Dublin derby at Greenogue. Noelle Murray opened the scoring for Shels - rifling into the top right corner of the Peamount net on 32 minutes. The hosts were level three minutes after the restart. Amber Barrett’s shot rattled the Shelbourne crossbar and the rebound fell for Sarah McEvitt to drive into the bottom corner of Niamh Reid-Burke’s goal. The game sprung to life and Shelbourne retained their lead on 51 minutes as Siobhan Killeen unlocked the Peas defence for Sarah Rowe to find the net. High drama was left until the final minute as Barrett’s shot again rattled the woodwork and Roma McLaughlin saved a point for Peas with the equaliser meaning both sides are unbeaten in this year’s League Cup.
Brilliant Barton strike lands Premier title for Alex sport@dublingazette.com
The Alexandra College side that won the Senior Premier League last week. Picture: Adrian Boehm
ALEISHA Barton’s extra time goal saw Alexandra College win back the Leinster schoolgirls Senior Premier League title on Tuesday afternoon at Grange Road, edging out Loreto Foxrock 1-0 in a tense final. She swept home following a superb attack via Katherine Egan and Jan Cleary on the baseline. Cleary waited superbly before picking out Barton arriving late to finish off the move with four minutes
to go in silver goal extra time. It was the only breakthrough as both goalkeepers, Caroline Nugent for Alex, Jane ConwayKenny for Foxrock, produced fine performances between the posts. Earlier on, Foxrock had slightly the better of the first half exchanges with Christina Hamill – the Leinster Under16 captain – forging the clearest of chances when she cut through one-on-one. Nugent, though, did superbly to spot the danger and slide out and make the save low
down. She subsequently was lobbed by another effort but somehow got her glove up high enough to clear the danger over the endline. Alex were somewhat subdued in the opening period, a far cry from their semi-final when their business was all but done and dusted in a 7-0 win over Loreto Beaufort. Foxrock had gritted their way through a 2-1 battle with Mount Anville and relished the contest with Ellen Curran in midfield and Hannah McLoughlin at the back dig-
ging in. Alex, though, came out strong in the second half and dominated the play, pinning Foxrock in the 23m area for long periods. McLoughlin managed to block a number of attacks down the middle before the Milltown school started moving the ball more dramatically to the left to Ava Beatty and Sophie Roopnarinesingh. They won corners but could not convert until Barton’s precious moment in silver goal extra time.
Gazette
30 SWORDS gazette 21 January 2016
SPORT
FastSport
soccer: celtic and rivervalley enhance silverware prospects
Malahide’s Waldron in Irish World Cup squad MALAHIDE’S Mary Waldron has been included in the 15-player Irish women’s team for the ICC World Twenty20 finals following their successful qualification in Bangkok last month. Of that panel, Kate McKenna is the sole playing addition to the panel though there is a new face in the backroom staff with former Australian international Julia Price adding her considerable experience to the Irish camp when the tournament gets underway in India in March. “It’s great to have Julia joining our support staff for the World Cup,” said head coach Aaron Hamilton. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and coaching experience to the group.” Hamilton admitted the selectors had opted for the tried and tested, keeping faith with the players who had played so impressively in the qualifying campaign but he is excited about the addition of McKenna to the fold. “Kate is an electric fielder which is so important in the T20 game, and she will also bolster our batting line-up.” Ireland have been drawn in Group A alongside Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa and Hamilton acknowledged it would be a major challenge for his squad. For Price - veteran of 10 Tests and 84 ODIs with Australia, it’s an opportunity to pit her wits on the international stage having impressed as a coach in domestic cricket after her playing career finished. “I’m very excited to be invited into the Irish women’s team sanctum and having the opportunity to attend a T20 World Cup as part of the coaching set-up. “Having a good relationship with Ireland has already offered good opportunities for both countries to have players experiencing different environments and also allowing me to have some insight into Irish players like Waldron, Kim Garth and Una Raymond-Hoey. “Hobart Hurricanes players Sasha Moloney and Brooke Hepburn and Tasmanian Roar player Paris Crowe all got to play in Ireland this year and really benefit from the experience as I did back in 2000 when I played and coached with Merrion.” Ireland’s first group encounter is against New Zealand in Mohali on Friday March 18, followed by Sri Lanka at the same venue two days later.
Swords Celtic advanced their league promotion hopes with a big win in the LSL Sunday Senior 1
Swords clubs cut loose sport@dublingazette.com
TWO of Swords’ biggest football names enjoyed massive wins in very different styles last weekend in North Dublin as both Swords Celtic and Rivervalley Rangers gave their respective hopes of silverware sizeable boosts on Sunday afternoon. Starting with Swords and their back-to-back promotion hopes continued with a 6-0 demolition job of St Francis at Balheary on Sunday in the LSL Sunday Senior 1. 38-year-old Robbie Farrell proved the man of the moment by contributing a hat-trick in the
rout of their Clondalkin rivals. Celtic were dominant from the off and broke the deadlock after 15 minutes when David Cox found Farrell with a corner and his header found the back of the net. Farrell doubled he and his side’s tally just 10 minutes later when Owen Jones crossed from right and the former League of Ireland star produced a poacher’s finish to give Swords a 2-0 lead at the break. The third saw Jones turned from provider to scorer after he ran half the length of the Balheary pitch before pro-
sponsor for a day Acutrace enjoy name in lights for Bath contest aidan McDonnell, second from left, is pictured taking in the match day atmosphere at the RDS last weekend along with Bank of Ireland’s Emer McDonnell, Ian Murray and John Lynch. McDonnell is managing director of Acutrace who won Bank of Ireland’s Sponsor for a Day 2016 Leinster winner. As part of a sponsorship prize worth around €50,000, Acutrace had its branding displayed on the Leinster team jerseys for the European Rugby Champions Cup match against Bath.
ducing a stunning effort. The fourth came via the penalty spot after Barry Caulfield was hauled down. Farrell saw the chance for his hat-trick, assumed responsibility and made no mistake from 12 yards. Gloss was added to an already stunning scoreline when Philip Nolan struck twice late on. In the nearby AUL Complex, Rivervalley Rangers booked their place in the last 32 of the Leinster Junior Cup with a dramatic win over Wexford giants North End United. The Valley had most of the play in the open-
ing half and created more of the chances but fell behind on the stroke of half-time when Jason Murphy’s free-kick from 25 yards took a massive deflection which saw Conor Hurley beaten all ends up. The hosts continued to dominate in the second half and hit the post, crossbar and had efforts cleared off the line in their search for an equaliser. It was beginning to seem like the equaliser was not to be but no one told Daniel Murphy as the prolific striker seized on to a long ball on 88 minutes and unleashed a devastating finish past the
North End keeper. The visitors looked dejected and seemed content with extra-time. The Rivervalley players must of fancied their soup and sandwiches in the Peacock’s Lounge and were in no mood to stick around. Deep into stoppage time, midfield dynamo Colly O’Brien hit an unstoppable effort of the underside of the ball. While everything else seemed to be stuck in slow-motion as the ball bounced, Ronan Murtagh was on hand to throw his head at it and seized a massive win for Doran’s side.
21 January 2016 SWORDS gazette 31
Gazette
neven maguire
Finian’s host high class cookery demonstration
Club Noticeboard FINGALLIANS
st finian’s Neven Maguire cookery
demonstration is set for March 31 in The Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport. There will be a food fair, beginning at 6.30pm, and the cookery demonstration at 8pm. Tickets are €20 each and are available online from www.stfinians.com, from the St Finian’s clubhouse on 01 8132656 or 087 2506511. There will also be a raffle on the night for dinner at McNean House.
THANKS to the 79 coaches who attend-
mation, please email liamoculbaird@
ed the coaching conference on Satur-
gmail.com.
day. The practical hurling and football
The Sam Maguire cup will be down
sessions were delivered by Dr Eugene
the club this Saturday for the nursery
Young, Damien Quigley, David Her-
from 9.30am. All members are wel-
ity and Niall Cooper. Well done to all
come to pop down to the club hall.
involved on a very successful course.
football: gavin’s side struggle in semi-final
Congratulations to Shannon Mur-
This Saturday’s nurse for four to
tagh & Dervla Snow who were select-
seven old boys and girls will restart
ed for this year’s ladies Dublin minor
2016 from 10am. New members are
panel.
most welcome and are asked to reg-
The Fingallians primary school art
ister at 9.45am in the club hall. For
competition will be held again this
updates due to adverse weather,
year. Prizes will be awarded to win-
please check the club Facebook and
ners of third/fourth class and fifth/
Twitter feeds.
sixth class groups. Winners will be
The club shop re-opening date is
selected during Seachtain na Gaeilge
this Saturday, January 23 at 10am for
by a celebrity judge. Max size will be
the winter sale.
A3. Entries must be received by the
Attention adult football teams: The Seachtain na Gaeilge Peil tri Ghaeilge,
club by March 1. This year’s theme is: Eiri Amach na Casca, 1916.
seven-a-side competition will be held
Club Recycling Drive 2016: Bags of
at Somerton, Castleknock on March
all clean unwanted clothes, bed linen,
5. Great time had by all last year. Use
towels, shoes, bags and soft toys
your Irish and get game time as we
can be dropped into the club bar any
enter the season. For further infor-
evening from 7 to 9pm.
ST FINIAN’S
Paul Schutte, Sinead Goldrick, Johnny Cooper and Ali Twomey launching Dublin’s 2016 season. Picture: Ramsey Cardy
Longford bring Dubs trophy run to an end
o’byrne cup semi Longford 1-12 Dublin 0-9 sport@dublingazette.com
FINGAL Ravens’ Darren Daly put in one of few strong performances as he turned out for Dublin over the weekend, starting at half-back, while Michael Deegan of Donaghmore Ashbourne also got a brief look in for the boys in blue. Dublin were well below their emphatic best on Sunday, January 17 in Pearse Park, Longford, however, as the home side outfought the All Ireland champions, claiming a
place in the final with a 1-12 to 0-9 win. Longford’s victory came as still more of a surprise given the relatively familiar look of the boys in blue, with Jim Gavin giving several of last season’s regulars their first run out of the 2016 pre-season. On the day, Longford always looked slightly on top, a few days after their boss Denis Connerton described the current Dublin crop as “some of the best players of all time”. The third-division side led 0-7 to 0-4 after a turgid first half, with the capital side out-scrapped in front
of a noisy home crowd, with Dean Rock and Johnny Cooper falling short of their usual standards, and Con O’Callaghan failing to build on an impressive showing last time out. On his return to the side, Stephen Cluxton’s distribution was shy of his normal high standards. There were promising moments in the second half, however, as a more fluid Dublin asserted themselves to close within a point, with Rock finding his rhythm and scoring three points in quick succession to make it a single point game with a few minutes left.
Longford were not to be denied, however, with Liam Connerton’s only score of the game – a well-taken goal – rallying the home side. Longford outscored the Dubs in the closing minutes to pull away, and earn a shot at a first O’Byrne Cup title since 2000. Last time Dublin faced Longford, their margin of victory was a breathtaking 27 points. This time, Dublin are left to nurse their wounds and look ahead to the league season opener, at home to Kerry at Croke Park a week on Saturday.
THIS week’s lotto jackpot was €1,700
taking part. Search Facebook to find
and the numbers drawn were 6, 13, 16
the group OT page for all the latest
and 18. There was no jackpot winner.
news and updates.
The winners of the €25 lucky dip
Thanks to all those club members
prizes were Michelle Corr, U Willis,
who took part in the door to door club
Aaron Caul and Ann Bone. Next week’s
awareness and recruitment day in
jackpot will be €1,800.
Ridgewood last weekend.
Friday Night Bingo continues in
A particular word of thanks to Tony
Peacock’s each week. The bingo jack-
Murnane for organising and coordi-
pot is €950 next Friday.
nating the event and Robbie Callanan
A 10-game book costs €10 and
for his advice and direction. Hope-
there’s €100 up for grabs in each
fully this will be the first of a number
game. First number is called at 8.30pm
of awareness days in our catchment
each Friday.
area.
Operation Transformation (OT)
Tickets for the Neven Maguire
with St Finian’s has just completed its
Cooker Demonstration and Food Fair
first week with Tuesday night (8pm) in
on March 31 are available from the
Holy Family National School being the
club office or through our club web-
main get-together evening for those
site home page www.stfinians.com.
FINGAL Ravens 2016 club membership is now due,
are only €10 each and are on sale now;
forms are available in the clubhouse
contact Maura Norton on 087 9936458,
or can be downloaded from our Face-
Bernadette Kavanagh on 087 9397642
book page or online on www.myclubfi-
or any committee member.
nances.com.
Some fabulous prizes including top
All membership must be paid in full
prize of a new Opel Corsa are on offer.
by March 31; no player will be permit-
Anyone who purchases a ticket for
ted to play if they do not have their
the GAA National Club Draw 2016 from
membership paid in full.
Fingal Ravens will be entered into a
Lotto results - there was no winner
separate draw with a chance to win
of this week’s lotto. Numbers drawn
two tickets to the All-Ireland football
were 2, 12, 27 and 40; €20 to Liam Roth-
final 2016.
well, Paddy Newman and Veronica
Operation Transformation update:
Dungan. Our jackpot remains at
well done to all 36 people who turned
€17,000.
up for our first zumba class in Kettle’s
GAA national club draw 2016 tickets
Country House Hotel last week.
GazetteSPORT all of your swords sports coverage from page 28-31
january 21-27, 2016
demolition job: Celtic produce big display to keep shooting the lights out: Dublin clubs make big moves LSL promotion push on track as St Francis felled P30 in basketball leagues P28
The Rivervalley Rangers side that won through to the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup with victory in Clones last week
Rangers draw Carew Park Swords club looking forward to huge FAI Junior Cup seventh round tie against Limerick giants as brilliant season continues at breakneck pace
nathan kelly
sport@dublingazette.com
YOU could excuse Stephen Doran for walking around Swords with an air of confidence at the moment. Places in the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup, the last 32 of the Leinster Junior Cup and sitting at the summit of the AUL Premier B division mean his Rivervalley Rangers side could be in for special season. The final 32 of Leinster was reached with an impressive, yet dramatic, 2-1 win over Wexford’s North End United last Sunday. Goals from the prolific Daniel Murphy and Ronan Murtagh in the 88th and 93rd minute turned
the tie on its head and saw Valley go through where they’ll face league rivals Ashbourne in the next round. Limerick giants Carew Park await the north Dublin side in the FAI Junior and will travel to the AUL in early February. It’s a hard draw but Doran insists his side hold an advantage due to where rather than who they face. “It will be tough, no doubt,” he told GazetteSport. “They’re a big name and we’ll probably be about 9/1 just to win on the day. “We haven’t seen them play but, between then and now, we’ll have done our homework. It’s a tough draw but it’s a home draw and that’s all you can really ask for at this stage of the competition. All the teams remaining are
strong so the opposition isn’t too important. “It’s a competition that holds a bit of magic for us certainly,” added the talented young coach. “Last year we really announced ourselves by reaching this stage of the competition and we want to go at least one further this time around.” The next round of the competition sees it gain real national coverage with games aired on TV and a whole host of promotional events for remaining teams. Doran was asked if he was worried his players may be thinking about the limelight before it is even bestowed upon them. “Firstly, I think last year we were a bit naive in some of our performances,” he replied. “This
year, we’ve become a bit more streetwise and savvy on the pitch. “I don’t think the spectacle the Junior Cup becomes in the next round will be in the lad’s heads and it certainly won’t be on my mind. We’ve been very level-headed this season and long may it continue.” Promotion to Premier A looks a certainty if they can maintain that level-headedness. The League Cup is also still theirs to conquer but Doran insisted there’s much to do. “There are probably four or five teams who can with the league which is why I think of it as the toughest in the AUL. The lads have been excellent all season but are fully aware we’re entering the business end now.”