Swords

Gazette SWORDS

cinema: The Witch walks a tricky line between

disquieting ambiguity and supernatural horror P20

1916 Rising : There’s plenty of events going on to commemorate Easter rebellion.

Page 14

Eggs galore: A selection of luxury, hand-finished eggs for all chocolate lovers Page 19

sport Soccer:

Swords’ MMA gym’s Fields of dreams Page 32

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Month 24-30, 2016

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Shamrockin’ at sword’s St patrick’s day parade Thousands of local people celebrated St Patrick’s Day in Swords as the parade displayed the talents of a large number of different community, charity and sporting groups who marched proudly in the parade.

Pictured on their float are members of St. Finians GAA Club.

Over 28,000 people turned up to watch and cheer on the parade which has been described as the best one in years.

See also pages 24 and 25 Picture: Stephen Fleming

Footpaths prove costly for Fingal County Council Compensation paid out by Fingal County Council has risen by 77% in 2015.

 Jodi Waters and Ian Begley Fingal County Council has paid more than 77% in compensation compared to 2014 for individuals claiming for trips and falls on footpaths.

Fingal revealed to The Gazette that the total sum paid in respect of trips and falls on footpaths for 2015 was €870,000. This is compared to €196,900 paid out by the council in 2014 – a difference of €673,100.

Speaking to The Gazette, a spokesperson from Fingal said that this increase does not represent any significant upward trend in the overall cost of claims.

Cllr David McGuinness (Ind) said: “accidents do

happen and liabilities always lay with someone, a four-fold increase should raise some serious f lags and the public deserve to know the details involved.”

Full Story on Page 6

2 SWORDS Gazette 24 March 2016

grants | sutton 2 sandycove cycleway included

€23.2 million for new Transport initiatives  emma nolan news@dublingazette.com

Paschal Donohoe TD, acting Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

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Ov e r o n e m i l l i o n euro has been allocated for public transport improvements in Fingal by the National Transport Authority including the Sutton to Sandycove (S2S) walkway and cycle route extension to Malahide. €23.2million has been allocated for 121 sustainable transport projects to make public transport more sustainable and attractive in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA).

The Sustainable Transport Measures Grants (STMG) Programme for 2016 was announced by acting Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD (FG) and will include improvements to bus, cycle and pedestrian routes and revisions to traffic management systems are designed to encourage greater use of sustainable and public transport options, reduce congestion and facilitate economic activity in the GDA. Key projects identified for Fingal County Council are the Broadmeadow Estuary Cycle Pedestrian Bridge, the Swords sustainable transport improvements and of course the S2S extension to Malahide.

The Broadmeadow Estuary Cycle Pedestrian Bridge when, will be a dedicated walking and cycling route alongside the railway line across the Broadmeadow Estuary between Malahide

Demense and Newbridge Demense in Donabate.

The €100,000 funding allocated for this project will go towards completing the design and environmental reports for An Bord Pleanala.

The €150,000 allocated for the Swords sustainable transport improvements will go towards the design, planning tender documentation and commencement of agreed projects within Swords including certain projects agreed in audits under the Green Schools Travel programme and NTA cycle network projects. €30,000 will be put towards complete feasibility and preliminary design for the S2S coastal cycle route linking Malahide Village to Sutton via Portmarnock.

Local councillor Justin Sinnott (Ind) welcomed the funding but criticised the amount Fingal received compared to the other local authorities in Dublin causing Swords to have to “play catch up”.

He told The Gazette: “While the funding is very welcome once again the level of allocation is poor when compared with the other three Dublin Local Authorities. Dublin City Council is receiving nearly four times the allocation.

In my two years as a Councillor I have seen this happen time and time again. While a town like Swords is projected to grow rapidly over the next decade the reality remains that in terms of infrastructure investment we are still playing catch up.”

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

FastNews

Fingal County Council announce support for professional artists Fingal County Council have announced their 2016 Artists’ Support Scheme to support individual professional artists from Fingal to develop their artistic practice.

This strand of funding allows professional artists to avail of up to €4,000 of an award towards travel/professional development opportunities, a residency, or towards the development of work, and seeks to provide artists with the time and resources to think, research, reflect and engage with their artistic practice.

The award is open to practising artists at all stages in their professional careers working in music, visual art, drama, literature & dance. To be eligible to apply, applicants must have been born, have studied, or currently reside in the Fingal administrative area.

Speaking about the Award, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council Paul Reid said: “I am delighted to announce this funding scheme for Fingal artists to develop their professional art practice. In 2015, the Council awarded 28 bursaries to artists through this scheme and remains committed to supporting the Arts in Fingal.”

Pictured above is Thomas Brezinga ‘Please Be Home Before Dark’ 2016.

The funding is for projects/initiatives which will take place between June 1 December 31, 2016. Closing date for receipt of applications is April 29.

Visit fingalarts.ie to enter.

1st prize for St Molaga’s choir The school choir from St Molaga’s National School in Balbriggan won first prize at the Feis Ceoil in the RDS this month.

The choir won the competition for Unison Junior choirs and gave fantastic performance of ‘The Tiger’ and ‘Pure Imagination.’

Adjudicator Catherine Ennis (daughter of local man Seamus Ennis) praised the choir for their enthusiastic singing, their breath control, intonation and warm tone.

Teachers Jennifer Ferguson and Patricia Hegarty said they were very proud of their singers and were delighted that all the hard work paid off.

The choir were awarded a silver trophy which will take pride of place in the school trophy cabinet for one year. The choir were accompanied on the day by Noreen Gavin from Skerries.

24 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 3

donabate | great strides made in delivering footpath improvements

tree week

7 trees to remember

Public safety proves top of the agenda  emma nolan

A motion to complete pedestrian public safety and road public safety works in Donabate was added to the Donabate Local Area Plan at a local area meeting last Monday March 14.

CllrAdrian Henchy (FF) proposed the construction of a footpath along the full extent of the Hearse Road frontage of the Corballis West Lands extending from the Donabate side of Newbridge Park and House main entrance to Donabate Railway Bridge.

Henchy called for missing sections of footpath along Turvey Avenue be completed as well as implementing the widening of the narrow section

of the Hearse Road west of the railway to the top of Prospect Hill.

The council’s report stated that there are a number of “constraints that currently prevent the immediate delivery of a continuous footpath along Turvey Avenue,” and that they are working towards resolving them.

Cllr Henchy said: “There a considerable amount of longstanding legacy issues within Donabate and Portrane from previous developments in the area.”

The council also recommended that an action plan be delivered to “ensure that the necessary funding and resources are identified to deliver this critical piece of infrastructure”.

“The Action Plan will

include a full traffic assessment to examine the delivery of a pedestrian crossing from Newbridge Demesne to Beresford Estate / Turvey Avenue.

“Similarly, an Action Plan will be prepared for the provision of a footpath along Hearse Road identifying potential constraints and identifying the funding and resources required.”

Cllr Henchy said: “I am particularly pleased with the commitment to formally adopt an action plan which will address the infrastructural deficits and I am very pleased with the commitment to address the longstanding traffic and safety issues in and around St Patrick’s Boys National School and Scoil Padraic Caillini.”

waggiest tail and fancy dress

There was a huge number of entries for the pet dog competitions at Dog Expo on St. Patrick’s Day at the National Show Centre in Cloghran, Swords.

Children had the opportunity to exhibit their family pet in fun competitions including waggiest tail and fancy dress. Lily Boardman and her doggie Cosmo from Clondalkin won a prize.

In addition to displays of canine agility and obedience there was the opportunity to get close and personal with various breeds of dog from pugs to wolfhounds with more than 30 Irish Kennel Club affiliated Societies represented. Free canine themed face-painting and balloon modelling ensured all ages were catered for.

Fingal celebrated National Tree Week by planting 7 oak trees at Malahide Castle last week.

The trees were planted as part of the Fingal 2016 Centenary Programme to represent the seven signatories to the Proclamation.

The Tidy Towns Unit, Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government developed this project in conjunction with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Tree Council of Ireland, and Fingal County Council as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme.

The 7 Trees for the 7 Signatories is part of Fingal County Council’s Centenary Programme, which will see over 50 lectures, films, performances, in a special Commemorative Day in Swords on Sunday April 24.

4 SWORDS Gazette 24 March 2016

technology | students challenged to design, build and race miniature f1 cars

Loreto Swords students get the right formula  emma nolan

Fourth and fifth year students from Loreto College Swords have reached the national finals of the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge, powered by the Irish Computer Society.

F1 in Schools is a global multi-disciplinary competition that challenges secondary school students to design, build and race miniature compressed-air powered balsa wood Formula One cars.

Athena Raching from Loreto Swords consist of members;

Team Manager and Design Engineer Lucy Daly, Marketing and Finance Manager Megan McDermott and Head of Testing and Analysis Emma Louise Steele, Resource Manager Gemma Dignam and Graphic Designer Leah Fagan.

The national finals are tak-

ing place in the RDS on April 28.

McDermott said: “We’ve been putting in a great deal of effort since the start of year and to see that it has paid off is really satisfying. We meet four out of five school days and over holidays, we come into

the school to work on gaining sponsorship and on our portfolio.

“Our ultimate goal is to reach the World Championships.”

Steele said: “We feel that we have a good chance of getting to Worlds. We deserve to rep-

resent not only Ireland at the World Finals, but also to represent every female who plays a part in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.”

The F1 Schools World Finals will take place in Austin, Texas in late September.

IT company eXpd8 send out legal practice software across the globe An Irish IT solutions and software company based in Swords has invested €250,000 in a Microsoft platform to create a cloud solution for legal practices. eXpd8 is an Irish IT solution company delivering legal practice software and services across the globe.

Launching eXpd8 cloud on the Microsoft platform this month, the company explained that eXpd8 Cloud has been designed to share data and applications across a secure suite of built-in legal collaboration tools.

This solution allows law firms to switch to a secure, scalable and acces-

sible practice environment on a pay as you go basis within the protective Microsoft infrastructure.

Declan Branagan, CEO of eXpd8 said: “We have been providing specialist services to the legal industry for over 30 years and we are seeing more and more firms come to us to provide protection and better security for their local networks.

“Due to recent increased attacks, more practices have been moving their entire working environment to the eXpd8 Cloud for an even higher level of security in line with EU compliant data protection.”

Councillor Darragh Butler, Councillor Adrian Henchy, Darragh O’Brien T.D. and Councillor Eoghan O’Brien at the Swords St Patrick’s Day parade

swords | 28,000 watch and cheer parade

Swords enjoys its best parade ever  emma nolan news@gazettegroup.com

St Patrick’s Day in Swords this year was a great success with over 28,000 people turning up to watch and cheer on the parade which has been described as the best one in years.

Local councillor Darragh Butler attended the parade along with fellow Fianna Fail colleagues CllrAdrian Henchy, Deputy Darragh O’Brien and Cllr Eoghan O’Brien.

Butler told The Gazette that it was the “best parade since the Swords St Patrick’s Day

parade was restored in 2011” and congratulated all involved.

He said: “Congratulations to Fingal County Council, their events team, all the participants and the huge crowd that came out to view the parade.

“It was a brilliant parade and another great day for Swords. I especially enjoyed seeing groups from neighbouring towns and villages participating in the Swords parade, demonstrating that Swords is indeed the capital of Fingal.”

Speaking about the

parade, Cllr Henchy told The Gazette: “Swords Parade was a really enjoyable day and we were blessed with the fine weather.

“The town looked very well and a great credit to Swords tidy towns and the volunteers for all their voluntary work in making the Swords St Patricks day Festival now an event that is growing and getting better every year with between 28,000 -30,000 in attendance on the day it has truly become a Parade worth going to see,” he said.

Cllr Henchy said that

there was “2,800 participants involved in the event representing clubs and organisations across Swords and the North County and they brought a great carnival atmosphere to the occasion”. “ I wo u l d l i ke t o acknowledge and thank all those involved with the Parade in particular the events team and operations department of Fingal County, An Garda Siochana, and all the local businesses in Swords who played a vital role in ensuring the event was a great success.”

24 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 5

centenary | easter sunday ceremony in donabate for the old fingal ira

Commeration for 1916 Fingallians  emma nolan news@gazettegroup.com

The Old Fingal IRA commemoration is taking place on Easter Sunday as part of the Fingal 2016 Centenary Programme.

They will be holding their 2016 Centenary Commemoration ceremony on March 27, with a ceremony in St Patrick’s Church Donabate at 11.00 am followed by a parade to the old cemetery.

One of the highlight events of the Fingal 2016 Centenary Programme, this ceremony will commemorate the Fingallians who took part in the 1916 Rising and, in particular,

the Battle of Ashbourne.

There were sixty men assembled on Easter Monday. Twenty of these men were sent into the city on the request of Patrick Pearse to fight at the Mendicity Institution and the GPO, where one life was lost (Peter Wilson).

The rest were split into four groups, led by Richard Mulcahy and Thomas Ashe, who was a teacher in Corduff, Lusk. These groups adopted mobile hit and run tactics, an innovated and successful approach that was subsequently widely adopted during the war of independence by Michael Collins.

The Battle of Ashbourne involved men and women from the Fifth Battalion (the Fingal Brigade) and was one of the only military successes of the Easter Rising. Led by Thomas Ashe, the Fifth Battalion fought their way through Fingal culminating in an attack on the barracks in Ashbourne. After the barracks had surrendered, a large force of seventy RIC men arrived to reinforce the barracks and a battle ensued.

Following four hours of fighting, the volunteers were successful, despite being totally outnumbered. Eight RIC men, two IRA members and

two civilians lost their lives.

On Easter Sunday, Fr. Pat Hannion will celebrate the commemoration in Irish in St. Patrick’s Church Donabate. The Black Raven Pipe Band will then lead a parade from the Beaverstown Road to the Old Cemetery at 12 o’clock.

After the parade there will be a number of family activities outside Donabate Parish Hall including a reading of the proclamation, a performance of the Last Post, the traditional final salute to the fallen and the rising of the Irish flag.

The general public are then invited to enjoy

The Battle of Ashbourne involved men and women from the fifth Barralion (the Fingal Brigade) and was one of the only military succeses of the Easter Rising

refreshments in the Parish Hall, where the Bleeding Pig Arts and Cultural Festival will launch their exhibition and the Donabate/ Portrane Dramatic Society will perform.

Noel McAllister, Chairman of Fingal Old IRA,

said: “The part that Fingal played in the fight for Irish freedom is a unique story that needs to be told. This annual commemoration by the Fingal Old IRA honours the legacy of the Fifth Battalion and secures its place in the

memory of future generations.

“In this particularly significant year, we call on families throughout Fingal to join us in commemorating the rich legacy of Fingal and the birth of the Irish State.”

6 SWORDS Gazette 24 March 2016

elmwood

Residents clean up estate  Emma Nolan Residents from the E l mwo o d Estate in Swords have been rolling up their sleeves in an effort to improve the appearance of their estate.

The residents have spent many long hours planting f lowers and shrubs and cleaning up the area at their own expense and have greatly improved the appearance of the entrance to the Elmwood Estate.

Local councillor Darragh Butler (FF) has called on the council to ensure that their hard work is protected.

At the Balbriggan/ Swords Area Committee meeting last Monday March 14, Cllr Butler asked the question: “To ask the Chief Executive to acknowledge and assist the Elmwood residents that have spent many hours cleaning up, planting f lowers and shrubs, at their own expense, at the entrance to their estate and along the wall, in an attempt to improve the appearance at this location and to ensure that their planting is protected?”

The council confirmed that the Operations Department is “always willing to support the efforts of the community in this regard where practical,” and said that gloves, pickers and bags can be supplied through t h e a d o p t- a - p a t c h scheme.

fingal | payouts up 77% from 2014 relating to trips and falls

Footpath Claims on the rise

 Jodi Waters and Ian Begley

Fingal County Council has paid more than 77% in compensation compared to 2014 for individuals claiming for trips and falls on footpaths.

Fingal revealed to The Gazette that the total sum paid in respect of trips and falls on footpaths for 2015 was €870,000. This is compared to €196,900 paid out by the council in 2014 – a difference of €673,100.

Speaking to The Gazette, a spokesperson from Fingal said that this increase does not represent any significant upward trend

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

‘The sum paid in 2015 is significantly higher than 2014. This is entirely due to a small number of relatively high value claims that were settled in 2015.’

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

in the overall cost of claims.

“The figure given includes the sum paid in respect of settlements

and associated legal, medical and engineering costs. The figures given represent the sum paid out in these financial years regardless of when the incident occurred.

“The sum paid in 2015 is significantly higher than 2014. This is entirely due to a small number of relatively high value claims that were settled in 2015 and related to incidents that occurred between 2011 and 2014. This does not represent any significant upward trend in the overall cost of claims,” said the spokesperson.

Cllr David McGuinness (Ind) said that Fingal County Council

Compensation rises for claims relating to trips and falls on footpaths

have recently approved €250,000 to improving footpaths in 2016, adding that “priorities seem to be very wrong here and I will put questions to the Fingal Chief Executive Officer”.

Although the amount of money paid out for

claims regarding trips and falls is based on Fingal as a whole and not on single electoral areas, Cllr McGuiness said “accidents do happen and liabilities always lay with someone, a four-fold increase should raise

some serious concerns and the public deserve to know all the details involved.”

Residents who notice path and road defects anywhere in the Fingal area are asked to report them to www. fixyourstreet.ie.

Gibneys syndicate gallop home with €400 each

 EMMA NOLAN

Cheltenham Festival took place from Tuesday to Friday this week in the UK and saw around 58,000 people in attendance at events each day.

The Festival has proven to be a great 4 days for the peo-

ple of Malahide. The last day of Cheltenham saw Gibney’s of Malahide blow-up with excitement as Irish-jockey Nina Carberry raced to victory in the foxhunter steeple chase on Friday.

Carberry and her horse ‘On the Fringe’ came in at 6/1 pushing Gibney’s syndicate

over the €100k mark. The syndicate which was set up two years ago by locals now has over 200 members, all of which have an equal stake in any winnings. Each member bought into the syndicate for €100 at the beginning of the festival and will now take home their share of the €100k

winnings.

Locals Robert Rooney and Thomas Wright set up the syndicate in conjunction with the Gibney Family to cater for the massive interest of the Cheltenham Festival in the local area. Members entrust their stake to the group ‘At the Races’ who make selec-

tions and create a timetable as well as race information and spreadsheets.

Carberry’s win was vital to the syndicate which started off on Friday morning at €30k.

The win brought the groups winnings up to over €100k and will see each member take home around €400 each.

24 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 7

courts | trinity graduate receives partially suspended 2 year sentence

Law graduate breaks the law A Trinity Law School graduate who knocked a bouncer’s teeth out after being refused entry to a nightclub and later punched a garda in the mouth has received a partially suspended two year sentence.

Niall McGlynn (30) also robbed a bookmakers during which he was thrown out and held by staff until gardaí arrived.

McGlynn of Castlefarm, Swords, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault and one count of assault causing harm in Dublin city centre and

in Pearse Street Garda Station on January 27, 2014. He also pleaded guilty to robber y at Paddy Power in Swords on June 12, 2015.

Judge Karen O’Connor suspended the final six months of the sentence and gave McGlynn credit for the three months he has spent in custody.

She had previously adjourned the matter at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Prosecuting counsel Marie Torrens BL told the court that McGlynn and another man were very drunk when they went to the Czech Inn

in Temple Bar, Dublin.

The bouncer refused them entry because of their condition.

McGlynn became aggressive and was told by the bouncer to “chill out”. McGlynn then punched the victim in the mouth. The bouncer fell back into the doorway and could feel that his teeth were broken.

Another bouncer from the pub across the road witnessed the attack and chased after McGlynn.

At one stage the bouncer was given a lift from a bin lorry in his pursuit of the accused.

He caught up to McGlynn on Ormond Quay

but the accused punched him and escaped. When gardaí eventually caught McGly nn on Nor th King Street he was very aggressive.

He kicked out at gardaí when put in the back of the patrol car and gardaí pepper sprayed him. When he got to the station he appeared to calm down but when officers removed his handcuffs he punched Garda Brian Cleary in the face.

The court heard that the following year Mc Glynn, who has a serious gambling addiction, went into his local Paddy Power. A staff member

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

told him he couldn’t serve McGlynn because he had been barred the previous week.

McGlynn said he didn’t want to be served and jumped up on the counter shouting “I want the money”. He grabbed some notes but then fell off the counter, scatter-

ing the cash.

He got up and tried to grab the cash but staff were pushing him away.

A staff member grabbed him and threw him out of the bookies with some force. McGlynn was held there until gardaí arrived.

Defence counsel

Maddie Grant BL said McGlynn had a law degree from Trinity College but never practised as a lawyer.

She said he had a gambling and substance abuse problem but had remained out of trouble since the bookies incident.

8 SWORDS Gazette 24 March 2016

swords Gazettegallery | enjoying Dublin Bay Prawn Festival

Kathryn Kennedy and Lisa Halligan

Ives Ivanova and Jullian Brando

Joy Velasco, Angie Barroga and Lorena Velasco. Pictures: Stephen Fleming Photography

Shelling out for some tasty treats T

he Dublin Bay Prawn Festival took place in the beautiful fishing village of Howth, recently.

Celebrating the famous Dublin Bay Prawn Howth’s finest restaurants, bars and cafes hosted a variety of amazing food experiences at the Festival Food Village serving the freshest, most delicious seafood including a selection of special Dublin Bay Prawn dishes. Festival goers also enjoyed music and entertainment, walks, talks and seaside antics.

Alessandro Perino, Jessica Pillani and Camilla Piromani

Musicians Genevieve, Luke and Jacob Howard

Carlos Lewis and Sophie Leger

Ariel Contreras and Macarena Soto

Tom Merman, Sean O’Connor and Charlie Fearon

24 March 2016 SWORDS Gazette 9

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dublin city Gazettegallery | Spring Summer 2016 preview

Daragh and Sarah Keany with their Jennie Dennehy and Ethan

Alison Canavan, Siobhan O’Connor and Karen Kostner. Pictures: Patrick O’Leary

Sadhbh Devlin and Lucy

Rosie Connolly

Tracey Quinn and Kelly

New collection goes on show

O’Conor

David and Charlotte Gillick

daughter, Mia

TV3’s Anna Daly

Kearney

Yasmin O’Connor

M

othercare Ireland recently held its Spring Summer 2016 preview at The Casting Couch. The event featured a collection of newborn, children’s and maternity fashion, as well as Jools Oliver’s latest Little Bird range. Guests could explore the world of new nursery furniture, home and travel before playtime with the best toys from the new Early Learning Centre collection.

Sorcha Bennett and Amy Murray

24 March 2016 Gazette 11

12 Gazette 24 March 2016

Gazette

dublinlife Opportunity for designers to create new One4all Gift Card Up and coming designers and artists from Dublin have the opportunity to have their designs sold across Ireland with One4all’s annual Design A Gift Card competition.

Now entering its fourth year, the competition allows budding designers and artistic innovators in Dublin the chance to create a unique gift card and carrier design under the theme of ‘Happiness’.

The winning design will be sold throughout the nationwide Post Office network and online at one4all.ie in 2017 and the winner will also receive a MacBook Pro. Five runners-up will also receive a €100 One4all Gift Card each and their designs will also be sold online at One4all. ie The 2016 judging panel includes esteemed fashion designer Helen Steele, who counts Saoirse Ronan and Cara Delevingne as fans, fashion illustrator Holly Shortall, whose work has featured on Kim Kardashian’s Instagram, CEO of Tweak. com Jerry Kennelly and Aoife Davey, Group Marketing Manager at One4all.

Last year’s ‘Design a Gift Card’ competition winner was Jacek Murzyn, a Visual Communications student at Limerick Institute of Art and Design.

His ‘Love Birds’ design was chosen from over 120 entries and was inspired by old Japanese culture and origami art.

Closing date for entries is Friday April 29. Enter on one4all.ie/design.

get animated for unique convention Anime Dublin, a unique, one day anime convention held in the centre of Dublin city is taking place on April 2 from 10am – 10pm at the O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel, Fenian Street.

Anime, is simply, the term for animations made in Japan. Famous for bright colours, spiky style, and stylised approach, Anime has also come to be known as a genre of animation practised and enjoyed around the world.

It has been described as a new orientalism, and is reflective of Japan’s current creative culture.

If you love your Studio Ghibli films or find yourself often engrossed in Japanese graphic nov-

els, you’ll be able to meet up with other enthusiasts and share in your passion for anime at Anime Dublin.

Dress up in your finest costume alongside fellow anime fans. There’ll be quizzes, events and lots of entertainment for those who know their Facebook poke from their Pokemon.

Tickets for this event are €11. For more information, visit the Anime Dublin 2016 Facebook page.

annie brings out the sunshine The sun will come out this April as the iconic musical Annie comes to the Bord Gais Energy Theatre.

Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at mean Miss Hannigan’s dreary orphanage.

Determined to find her real parents, Annie’s luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. But the spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a

DIARY

Jacek Murzyn pictured with last years winning card which was inspired by his love of birds.

plan to spoil little Annie’s search…

With its award-winning book and score, this stunning new production includes some of the best songs of the musical genre including the infectious Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don’t Need Anything But You and of course, Tomorrow.

Ideal for little ones and big ones who are young at heart, Annie is a mustsee.

Tickets for this show are €17.50 - €52.50 and can be purchased at www. bordgaisenergytheatre.ie.

dance theatre presents the blue boy The Blue Boy is a piece of dance theatre by the award-winning Bro kentalkers Theatre Company.

This project will take place 39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin from 8 April to 9 April 2016.

Multi-award-winning Dublin-based Brokentalkers have built a reputation as one of Ireland’s most innovative and creative theatre companies.

The company are worldwide acclaimed

and well known to audiences around the world with work such as Have I No Mouth, The Blue Boy, Silver Stars and In Real Time.

The Blue Boy deals with the experiences of men and women who were incarcerated as children in Catholic residential care institutions in Ireland.

Combining a highly physical live performance with recorded testimony from former residents of institutions, The Blue Boy gives a fresh theatrical voice to recently revealed stories of child abuse in Ireland.

The Blue Boy will tour nationally in April and May 2016, produced by Project Arts Centre and with the generous support of the Arts Council.

Tickets are available €20/€18 at www.projectartscentre.ie .

Skellig Michael gets in the picture The National Botanical Gardens in Drumcondra will host an exhibition of photographs by Mark O’Callaghan offering new perspectives on the unique UNESCO World

Heritage Site of Skellig Michael, 12km southwest off Valentia Island, County Kerry.

For centuries, the Skellig rocks have represented the ends of the earth and the extremes of human settlement and endurance. Though today the monastic cells and lighthouses stand empty, the rocks are teeming with bird and plant life amidst the ruins and isolation, and remain a magnetic presence on the horizon.

While living and working as a guide on Skellig during the summer of 2014, Mark availed of the opportunity to capture many rarely seen sights, magnificent sunsets and early morning shots in this amazing site.

The Skellig’s recently came to the attention of the cinematic world after appearing in the recent StarWars film: “The Force Awakens”.

The exhibition runs from the March 17 to April 3..

sean o’casey plays at Abbey theatre The Plough and the Stars by Sean O’Casey is currently playing at The

Abbey Theatre as part of the theatre’s centenary programme, Waking the Nation.

The play revolves around characters who are trade unionists and members of the Irish Citizen Army and focuses on socialist communities in Dublin at the time. Set amid the tumult of the Easter Rising, The Plough and the Stars is the story of ordinary lives ripped apart by the idealism of the time.

Sean O’Casey was born in 1880 in Dublin and is regarded as one of Ireland’s finest writers.

This Easter, 100 years almost to the day of the 1916 Rising, become a fly on the wall of the tenement house in which the action of The Plough and the Stars unfolds.

OlivierAward-winning director Sean Holmes will bring a new perspective to Sean O’Casey’s absorbing play. The play runs from March 9 until April 23.

There is also a sign language interpreted performance on Thursday, April 14 at 7.30pm and an audio-described and captioned performance on Saturday April 16 at 2pm.

24 March 2016 GAZETTE 13

Ready. Set. Go. Pavilions Shopping Centre, Swords. Co. Dublin T 01 525 0631 | www.compub.com Requires iPhone 5 or later. TM and Š 2015 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

Gazette

14 Gazette 24 March 2016

dublinlife

events: great mix of events to commemorate 2016

Series of events to commorate the 1916 Rising There will be a series of events taking place across the capital to mark the commemoration of the 1916 Rising. As well as

ceremonial state events, a number of lectures and performances will be on offer to the public to mark the occasion.

Easter Saturday, March 26 The Garden of Remembrance will host a ceremony for all those who

died during the events of 1916. Music and poetry will be heard throughout the day and President Michael D. Higgins will be in attendance.

A state event will take place at the RDS for the relatives of those involved in the Rising in the afternoon.

Easter Sunday, March 27 T h e E a s t e r S u n d ay wreath-laying ceremony at Kilmainham Gaol will take place at 10.30 am.

Another wreath-laying ceremony will take place in Glasnevin cemetery.

A reading of the 1916 proclamation will take place at the GPO at 11.30 am. A wreath will be laid

by President Higgins, followed by a minute’s silence in memory of all who perished. The national f lag will be raised and the national anthem will be played.

The Defence Forces will lead a parade from St. Stephen’s Green to Parnell Square.

A state reception will take place in Dublin Castle with guests invited by the Taoiseach.

The National Gallery will host a lecture entitled: “Ireland’s War and the Easter Rising in a European Context”. The talk will be given by Dr. Jérôme van de Wiel of University College Cork at 3 pm. Admission is free.

March 28 On Easter Monday in The Abbey Theatre, a lecture

The Garden of Remembrance will host a ceremony for those who died during the events of 1916

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‘Music and poetry will be heard throughout the day in The Garden of Remembrance and President Michael D Higgins will be attending

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entitled: “The Abbey Theatre and Easter 1916” will be given by Dr. Fearghal McGarry from Queen’s University Belfast. The lecture covers the role of the Abbey Rebels and the wider impact of Easter Week on the Abbey Theatre. The event is free but ticketed, and begins at 12pm.

The same venue will also host a talk by author Nell Regan. She will talk about her new book: “Helena Moloney, A Radical Life, which is the first substantive biography on the actress and activist during the Rising.

It begins at 3 pm on the Abbey stage. Admission is free but ticketed.

Finally, The Abbey Theatre will host the premier of the play “An Filleadh” by Alan Titley.

A new play for children, commissioned as part of Féile na Físe by Seachtain na Gaeilge, explores the fate of a family caught up in the history of the preRising period.

This play will be produced and performed by the students of Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh, a newly founded All-Irish

coeducational second level school in Rathfarnham, Dublin. The event will begin at 4 pm. It is free to attend but a ticket is required.

March 29 The National Gallery of Ireland will host a lecture

by Professor John Turpin of the Royal Hibernian Academy, entitled: “The story of the Academy in 1916” which begins at 10.30 am. No booking required and admission is free.

There will be a State ceremony at Liberty Hall, Dublin, to commemorate the role of the Irish Citizen Army and James Connolly.

March 30 Collins Barracks of the National History Museum will host an exhibition by Brenda Malone entitled: “Proclaiming a Republic: the 1916 Rising”. It will be a guided gallery talk about objects and the stories they tell.

Booking required and the event begins at 2 pm.

March 31 The National Concert

Hall will be holding a concer t: “Imagining Home: On Revolution” at 8 pm with tickets available at the box office or online.

An evening of word and music exploring revolutionar y ideals and their impact with an international gathering of writers and commentators from Ireland, Egypt, Libya and Europe.

The concert includes the world première of a new commission by Colm Tóibín and acclaimed composer Donnacha Dennehy.

The evening will be interspersed with musical pieces, opening with Berlioz’s Elégie en prose (for Rober t Emmet) performed by Robin Adams (baritone) and Michael McHale (piano) and Frederic Rzewski’s Excerpts from A People United Will Never Be Defeated. The Vanbrugh Quartet perform Philip Glass’ String Quartet No. 3 ‘Mishima’ (movements I, V and VI) and Beethoven’s Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No.2 (movement I).

The acclaimed Irish author Colm Tóibín and composer Donnacha Dennehy come together to present a new commission for baritone and bass and the Crash Ensemble, entitled The Dark Places.

24 March 2016 Gazette 15

FEATURES care: emotional support for cancer patients

Counselling needed as ongoing support

 ian begley

A report on the Irish Cancer Society’s Counselling Service shows that many families impacted by a cancer diagnosis require emotional support in the months and years after a cancer diagnosis.

While 48% of those accessing the service did so within the same year of learning they had cancer, 20% of clients attended for counselling within two years of diagnosis.

A further 20 per cent of clients used the service

between 3-10 years after a cancer diagnosis.

“Counselling provides emotional and practical support to cancer survivors and their families” said Dorothy Thomas, Community Suppor t Network Coordinator at the Irish Cancer Society.

“Coping with cancer can be difficult and families may experience many emotions such as anxiety, fear and sadness. It can be valuable to speak to a counsellor who can provide support in adapting to life after cancer and in finding a new ‘normal’.

“The report shows that cancer patients who attended for counselling make up 58% of clients, 14% were children, siblings or friends and 12% were a partner or spouse, with a further 16% requiring support following the death of a loved one. This further demonstrates the true impact of a cancer diagnosis on all of the family.”

The Irish Cancer Society granted €299,520 to support centres across the country in 2014 to provide a counselling service, free of charge to

cancer patients and their families. Over 1,000 cancer patients, survivors and their families, accessed the service availing of 6,086 individual counselling sessions.

This counselling service fills a support gap for cancer patients who often report that while they are undergoing cancer treatment, the focus is on the treatment plan with support from the hospital team and other patients.

It is only after the treatment is complete that they realise how much cancer has changed their

Counselling can offer great emotional and practical support to all effected by cancer

lives. The emotional effects of cancer may not be felt until weeks, months or years after the initial diagnosis.

The majority of those attending the service were between the ages of 45-64 (52%) while 25% of clients were between the ages of 18 and 44 with this age group experienc-

ing significant issues such as relationships, fertility and careers, all impacted on a cancer journey.

Women were much more likely to attend for counselling with 76% of clients female and 24% male, in line with the uptake of counselling generally. Clients under 18 made up 5% of cli-

ents, almost all of these children were struggling with the diagnosis of a sibling or a significant adult in their life.

Anyone who is concerned about cancer or is interested in accessing the counselling service, can Freephone 1800 200 700 or visit www.cancer. ie/support/counselling.

Gazette

16 Gazette 24 March 2016

dublinlife

FEATURE

heritage: camera lens captures lost images

New book offers panoramic view of lost heritage  EMMA NOLAN

A new book that offers a panoramic view of Ireland’s forgotten heritage has been released.

Written by William Derham, curator and guide at Dublin Castle, Lost Ireland: 1860-1960, transports the reader back in time with more than 500 evocative photographs from all over Dublin and Ireland.

The book presents a panoramic sweep of Ireland’s sometimes forgotten heritage, following the country through its buildings and architecture via a camera lens, from war and insurrection, to prosperity and development.

Lost Ireland: 1860 – 1960 documents the changes created by the various events and what

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

‘It will hopefully encourage us to be more aware of what has survived, and to think twice before we let it, too, disappear.’

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those changes have meant to our buildings from the past, some of which no longer survive, revealing a fascinating and nostalgic layer of Irish history, not just in its ‘bricks and mortar’ but also in the events and the people who inhabited it.

Derham has compiled collection of photographs that gives the reader a sample of the built heritage that was lost to the inevitable transformations the country endured over a hundred year period – “the humble mud

huts of the transient labourer, the ‘thatched mansions’ of the prosperous farmer, the edifices of industrial innovation and technology, and the grand homes of the well-to-do, including the infamous ‘big house’”.

Snapshots

“This book provides a snapshot of some of the buildings from Ireland’s past that haven’t made it to the 21st century, and a couple that have - just about!” said Derham.

“It will hopefully

encourage us to be more aware of what has survived, and to think twice before we let it, too, disappear.”

Colum O’Riordan of the Irish Architectural Archive has written the foreword to the book: “It is an architectural fact of life that buildings, like people, come and go… Sometimes the death of a building is sudden and unexpected, whether through accident or malice. Sometimes it comes through the creeping decay of old age, and sometimes buildings are euthanised, pulled down unceremoniously in their prime to make way for something new…

“As with portraits of people, a certain character of each building resonates from the

Essex Bridge – this view shows the wonderful buildings of Upper Ormond Quay on the River Liffey. The Church was demolished in 1969, and much of the quay’s houses have been replaced with apartment blocks with unconvincing Georgian elevations facing the river.

Upper O’Connell Street – this view shows how it looked from the top of Nelson’s Pillar before the damage of the 1916 Rising and the Civil War.

photographs; some we might regard as curious, some we might wish to have known better, some we might even be

No 1. High Street, Christchurch – this image captures the organised chaos of commercial life in previous centuries. Shops are neat and orderly, but covered with a riot of advertisement. Sadly, much of High Street was demolished in a road-widening scheme in the 1970s.

glad we never met.”

Lost Ireland: 1860 – 1960 is available in all good bookstores including Easons for €50.

Dublin Castle is currently hosting an exhibit of some of the photography from the book in The Coach House.

OUT&ABOUT



Gazette

24 March 2016 Gazette 17

theatre: 10.5 million have seen the musical

The acclaimed Billy Elliot is coming to Dublin Billy Elliot the Musical will play Bord Gáis Energ y T heatre this July.

Eric Fellner (Pro ducer) said: “Having recently celebrated ten extraordinary years of Billy Elliot the Musical in London, we are delighted to have the opportunity to bring a new touring production of this inspiring show to fans across the UK and Ireland and the chance to delight new audiences along the way.”

Based on the highly successful film, the show is set in a northern mining town against the background of the 1984/’85 miners’ strike a n d f o l l ow s B i l l y ’s journey from boxing to ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his

life forever.

Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, Billy Elliot the Musical has now been seen by over 10.5 million people across five continents and is the recipient of over 80 awards internationally, including ten Tony Awards and five Olivier Awards. In 2006, Liam Mower, James Lomas and George Maguire, the first three boys to play the title role, became the youngest performers ever to have won the Olivier Award for Best Actor, with the show also picking up the Best Musical prize. In total, 89 boys have now played the iconic title role on stage worldwide.

Billy Elliot the Musical is brought to life by the multiple award-winning creative team behind the film including writer Lee

Hall (book and lyrics), director Stephen Daldry and choreographer, Peter Darling, joined by Elton John who composed the show’s score. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, the associate director is Julian Webber, costume design is by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design

by Rick Fisher and sound design by Paul Arditti.

Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch.

The play has previously been staged on Broadway, in Sydney, Melbourne, Chicago, Toronto and Seoul, South Korea.

Further international productions are planned including the first Japanese production in 2017.

The musical will run from Tuesday July 26 Saturday September 3, 2016. Tickets from €25.00 are on sale now.

In total eighty nine boys have played the iconic title role on stage worldwide

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Dublin Gazette Newspapers for the role of Editor

EXPERIENCE

· The successful candidate must have at least 3 years’ experience editing either a daily or weekly publication. · They must have a proven track record of managing a team in fast paced busy newsroom. · They must have the ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines. · A clear understanding of media/libel laws.

DUTIES/KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

·Must be able to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. ·Must be able to manage one’s own time and the time of others. ·Imposing strict deadlines and sticking to those within the best of your ability. ·Plan the contents of publications according to the publication’s style and editorial policy. ·Meet frequently with staff to discuss issues and resolve problems. ·Organise pictures, galleries, stand alones for all papers, at least a week in advance. ·Be responsible for all HR duties including holidays/sick days/staff grievances. ·Supervise and coordinate work of reporters and other editors.

All elements of this role will be discussed in detail during the interview process

Please send cover letter & CV to mmcgovern@dublingazette.com

18 Gazette 24 March 2016

OUT&ABOUT

STYLE GO n MAN tter t pa Frui €39.95 s dres

PARFOIS Bird Flower hat €19.99

Nivea Creme Care Facial Cleansing Wipes

MAN sof GO t top deni €39 m .95

At least take off the mascara love …  emma nolan

Let’s face it, sometimes the all-important task of removing makeup before bed gets neglected. Whether it’s due to tiredness, laziness, forgetfulness or drunkenness, this crucial aspect of skincare often gets overlooked and sleeping in makeup is not good for your skin, or your pillows.

While there may not always be time to do a full skincare regime before bed, keeping some cleansing wipes and miceller water beside the bed can prevent you from waking up with mascara-glued eyes and clogged pores.

Simple have introduced two new “beauty superheroes” that gently and effectively cleanse the skin.

The Simple micellar Cleansing Water is a non-rinse cleanser, so you can do it when you’re already lying down. The triplepurified water attracts and lifts out impurities and is gentle enough to use for easily removing eye make-make up.

The Micellar Cleansing Wipes are an even easier one-step makeup removal method that leaves skin fresh and hydrated.

Simple dermatologist Sarah Lowe said the Micellar Water and Wipes are “perfect

Simple Kind To Skin Micellat Cleansing Water

for all skin types and contain skin loving ingredients”.

Nivea have also introduced a new facial cleansing range that promises to deliver “complete cleansing with no compromise”.

Daily exposure to hard weather, makeup and touching the face can cause a dull complexion.

The Creme Care Facial range features products that “cleanse the face thoroughly yet mildly, protecting the skin’s natural moisture balance and preventing it drying out”. The experts at Nivea have unveiled the cleansing lotion, cream wash and wipes.

So while it can be easy to forget to remove your make-up after a long day, having a few handy products close to the bed can ensure that, at the very least, you manage to get the mascara off.

Festival fever

Festival season is almost upon us and it’s worth building up the summer wardrobe now rather than having to splurge when it’s time to hit the fields.

Ireland is an absolute mecca for festi-

vals (if the weather behaves that is) and there are so many great festivals to choose from on the continent.

So whether you’re hitting up Electric Picnic, Body and Soul, Life, Longitude,

d Islan River crop yellow 55 top €

PARFOIS Joker handbag €24.99

River Islan d Patte rned pink jacke t €55

Knockanstackan or Forbidden Fruit at home or venturing abroad for Primavera, Melt, Glastonbury or Sziget, check out some top festival picks to get your wardrobe festival ready.

24 March 2016 GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

FOOD&DRINK RECIPECORNER ROAST LAMB WITH MINT SAUCE

THIS week, we have a delicious recipe for Roast Lamb with Mint Sauce, courtesy of top chef Neven Maguire.

Ingredients 100ml olive oil 4 sprigs of rosemary leaves, chopped 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1.5kg leg or shoulder of lamb For The Mint Cream Sauce: 2 tsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 180ml white wine 1 chicken stock cube 400ml Avonmore Cooking Cream A small handful of fresh mint, chopped coarsely M&S Coffee Lovers Egg €11.99

Butlers Chocolates - Extra Large Wrapped Milk Chocolate Egg 640g €22.95

Eggs galore EASTER Sunday memories of getting up early and indulging in chocolate for breakfast don’t have to stay a memory as the selection of ‘grown up’ Easter Eggs available this year are more than just a simple shell and a bar of milk chocolate.

The Lir collection from M&S is the ultimate chocoholic fantasy. The Coffee Lovers Egg is a delightful Easter morning pick me up and the bejewelled Fruit and Nut Lattice Egg and the Butlers Chocolates -Assorted Chocolate Egg Stick 125g €5.50

Gold and Velvet Sculptured Egg are almost too pretty to eat… almost.

M&S also carry a charming range for children (and anyone with taste buds) with the Percy Pig and Alfie Bunny eggs and the half dozen of Cheeky Chick eggs are a novel way to enjoy ‘eggs’ for breakfast for the day that’s in it.

Irish favourite, Butlers Chocolates Easter specialties are always a welcome treat. Their Ber tie Bunny has

become synonymous with the brand at this time of year as well as their plentiful offering of pastel wrapped eggs, mini eggs and variety boxes.

Character eggs are always a popular choice for children and Dealz have them all for €1.49 each. Frozen, comic book characters, Minions and even Star Wars Easter Eggs are available as well as the old classics like Dairy Milk and Milky Bar.

Butlers Bertie Bunny Large €9.95 Medium €6.00 M&S Alfie Bunny €8.99

Dealz Mini Eggs Nest €1.49

Baby Bunny €3.25

Preparation • Combine the oil, rosemary, garlic and mustard in a large shallow dish. Spread over the lamb and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight if possible.

• Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6. Remove the lamb from the marinade and place in a roasting tin. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

• Remove the foil and cook for another 50-60 minutes until cooked to your liking, basting occasionally with the marinade.

• Meanwhile, heat the oil for the sauce in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft.

• Add the wine and simmer, uncovered, until reduced by about half. Add the stock cube and Avonmore Cooking Cream. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

• Remove from the heat and stir in the mint.

Serve the lamb with the sauce poured over.

Gazette

20 Gazette 24 March 2016

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

ReelReviews

eddie the eagle

Wings it with the facts BRITAIN’S worst (but highly popular) athlete, “Eddie the Eagle” (Cert 12A, 106 mins) gets an affectionate big-screen treatment that plays a little hard and fast with the facts, but nonetheless delivers a warm-hearted underdog tale. Forever famous as a rather hopeless but very, very determined ski jumper at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, Eddie Edward’s story is pleasantly told.

Kung Fu Panda 3

Makes impressive moves PO IS back with his latest outing, as Kung Fu Panda 3 (Cert PG, 95 mins) once again sees the very unlikely martial arts expert team up to stop a very bad guy.

This time round, Po has a very unlikely group of would-be martial experts to train up – an entire tribe of pandas. It’s largely more of the same for the franchise, but when it looks this good and has such spirited performances, that’s okay.

london has fallen Bangs for your bucks

AS THE sequel to Olympus Has Fallen, London (Cert 15A, 99 mins) offers more of the same – where the first film saw the US president in mortal danger, this time several world leaders are spectacularly bumped off in London. But did the bad guys think that the American president would be so easy to kill? It’s silly stuff that won’t trouble your braincells much, but is passable enough.

Tense and atmospheric only begins to describe the overall effect of this unusual film

the witch: this is a very different style of horror, the tension is high

Get ready to feel the fear

An age old fable of what is and what should be, The Witch is a haunting debut from American director Robert Eggers.

And since it was revealed on the festival circuit late last year, it has been hard to avoid the buzz that the film has been generating. In a way, it seems an injustice to classify The Witch as a horror film – with all the jumpscares and staid predictability that the label can sometimes imply. This is a very different kind of animal.

Set in New England in the 1630s, the film follows a Puritan family as they try to set up their own farm after being exiled from the local community. We are not privy to the exact set of circumstances that led

 Dave phillips

to them becoming pariahs – save to say that in theological melting pot of the New World, some interpretations of the gospels are more contentious than others.

Game of Thrones’ Ralph Ineson is the formidable patriarch of the group, William. Taut, gravelly, and perennially chopping wood, Ineson’s character is built of equal parts Yorkshire swagger and Protestant zeal, as he leads his family into the depths of the New England wilderness to estab-

lish their new home.

Filmed in one of the most remote parts of Ontario, The Witch plays out against a stunning natural backdrop, and cinematographer Jarin Blaschke is able to capture an untouched Eden that is brimming with menace. The tangled woods, the slowswelling brooks, the mud-brown farmyards, and the ashen skies make Van Gogh’s snow covered fields look colourful in comparison.

The Witch is a film that wants to explore shades of grey in as many ways as possible.

Tragedy strikes the family when their new born infant mysteriously disappears. Katherine, the distraught mother (Kate Dickie, another

familiar face from the Game of Thrones cast) is resistant to the grim resignation that husband advocates. Cowled in despair, she prays fervently for the return of her child, and grows deeply suspicious of her eldest daughter, Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), under whose watch the child disappeared. It is the outstanding performance of greenhorn actor Taylor-Joy on which much of the brilliance of The Witch hangs.

Thomasin’s coming of age - and the change in the family structure that her journey into adulthood brings - is a threat that looms as large as the dank woods and their supernatural secrets. In the bleak Puritan landscape, natural human

desires boil and bubble until the cauldron lid falls aside. In an atmosphere heavy with grief and mounting paranoia, Thomasin remains the one character on screen that we feel we can relate to as the story builds and the family’s struggles continue.

It is a small but extremely strong cast, and while Taylor-Joy and Ineson provide much of the drive, there is also an incredible performance from young actor Harvey Shrimshaw, who provides one of the most memorable scenes in the film; and great support from the even younger actors Lucas Dawson and Ellie Grainger, who play a pair of increasingly creepy fraternal twins.

There is plenty to be horrified about, but here’s where the horror label can fail – because over the course of the film, there are very few moments that will make you jump. Rather, from the opening sequence, The Witch conjures up a feeling of dread and discomfort that persists right up until its close 92 minutes later. At its heart, this is a film about the war between the chaos of nature and the order of human morality.

William may continually chop wood, but he can never fell the forest. An enlightening, chilling, and memorable film, Robert Eggers has created something genuinely spellbinding with The Witch.

Verdict: 9/10

24 March 2016 Gazette 21

luxury: one of ireland’s finest country house hotels

Gazette

Travel fast

TRAVEL NEWS

Sun, rich culture and stunning scenery

Castle Durrow recently named one of the Top 10 Castle hotels in the world by Tripadvisor

Warm 18th century feel in beautiful Castle Durrow  Ian Begley

I recently enjoyed a one night stay at Castle Durrow, Laois – one of Ireland’s finest Irish country house hotels.

Also celebrating its 300th anniversary this year, Castle Durrow was originally built by Capt.

William Flower (later to become Viscount Ashbrook) in 1716 as his family home in the Midlands of Ireland. Peter and Shelly Stokes bought the castle in 1998 and transformed it into the luxurious Castle Hotel it is today.

Upon arriving, my expectations were high as the Blue Book hotel recently named the castle as one of the Top 10 Castle hotels in the world by Tripadvisor and that its rose garden is the only Irish garden to feature in the David Austin Catalogue.

The castle’s interior was like stepping into

The stunning Castle Durrow Restaurant

the manor of a Jane Austin novel, bearing a very genuine 18th century feel to it. I later found out that most of the castle’s artefacts and furniture were authentic dating as far back to the 1700s.

My guest and I stayed in the Lady Hannah Master bedroom and were blown away with the magnificent four poster bed and stunning view of the courtyard. The room was very spacious and lavish and equipped with modern appliances such as a television and aptly

positioned lighting.

Building up a hearty appetite we ate dinner at Castle Durrow’s restaurant in the main dining room, which overlooked its charming gardens.

The decor is bright and comfortable with a mix of Modern and Classical styles and can accommodate up to 50 guests.

For starters, I had the Hoi Braised Belly of Port with Pan Seared Scallop, cauliflower and an orange puree. It was honestly nothing short of perfection as the belly of

pork was one of the most tender cuts of meat I have ever eaten.

As recommended by the daughter of Peter and Shelley Stokes I ordered the Chargrilled 7oz Fillet of Irish Beef as my main, which came alongside of Garlic & Thyme Fondant Potato, Red Onion and Balsamic Marmalade with Honey Glazed Root Vegetables and Red Wine Jus. I was anything but disappointed with my choice as I found my meal to be full of flavour and very appetising.

For dessert I had the Meringue with fruit and vanilla ice-cream, which I ate in its entirety before retiring to the bar for some post-dinner cocktails.

Our waiters’ attentiveness and friendliness also cannot be overlooked as their fine service complemented our overall dining experience.

Up bright and early the next day, my guest

and I enjoyed a full Irish breakfast before touring the fertile grounds of Castle Durrow, relishing in the very first warm day of the year. Along the way we were greeted by two horses, the family cat Malcolm and a Jack Russel who was happy to lead us to the castle’s ornate gardens.

Overall, I had a very nice experience at Castle Durrow. With just over an hour’s drive away from Dublin it is certainly a must for anyone looking for a relaxing break away from the big smoke.

To mark its 300th anniversary Castle Durrow will be hosting a series of events throughout the year, including a lavish garden party to kick off the summer, and a 300th birthday masquerade ball in the autumn.

For more information about this hotel and to book your stay visit www. castledurrow.com.

Are you looking for a last-minute holiday that combines sun, rich culture and stunning scenery? Then look no further than seven nights in the beautiful Lake Garda with Travel Department’s SuperSaver Holiday offering a choice of two departure dates in March.

T he Lake Garda region offers a huge variety of activities for holiday makers – the narrow northern corridor is a Mecca for boating activities and the surrounding Dolomites are a perfect getaway for hill walkers and nature lovers as well as those simply wishing

to relax in beautiful surroundings.

Your base for the week will be the 3 Star Hotel Lago di Garda, which enjoys an enviable position in one of the most picturesque squares in the centre of Malcesine and provides the most up-to-date facilities combined with a very romantic atmosphere.

Prices start from €479pp including flights, transfers and seven nights B&B accommodation with flights departing Dublin on March 29 and March 31.

To book, visit www. traveldepartment.ie.

Magnificent Malta on the Mediterranean Why not make 2016 a year to remember by visiting the Mediterranean island of Malta?

With year round suns h i n e , e ve n t s a n d activities to suit all ages Malta is an ideal holiday destination for those looking for an escape.

Lowcostholidays is offering seven nights departing on April 30 at the 4 Star Hotel Paradise Bay (B&B) from €562pp.

Alternatively you can depart on May 14 and

stay at the 5 Star Excelsior Grand Hotel (B&B) from €652pp.

With Budget Travel you can depart on April 30 and stay at the 3 Star Topaz Hotel Apt, Bugibba (room only) for €523pp. Alternatively, you can depart on the May 19 and stay at the 4 Star Canifor Hotel, Qawra (B&B) for €369pp.

Visit www.visitmalta. com for further information and details of events that will be taking place in Malta.

Gazette

22 Gazette 24 March 2016

OUT&ABOUT

MOTORING

Competition

Skoda is searching for nine lucky couples Ahead of the anniversary of the Marriage Equality referendum, Skoda are undertaking a nationwide search to find soon-to-be-married couples from Dublin and across the country, who deserve to arrive to their weddings in style in complimentary chauffeurdriven Skoda wedding cars.

The campaign was launched with the help of Skoda Ambassador and model Roz Purcell and will see nine lucky couples and their wedding parties making an extra special entrance on their big day in a pair of luxurious Skoda Superb Laurin and Klement (L&K) edition cars worth a combined value of €90,000.

Kia’s new 1-litre C’eed GT line promises to deliver a measure of practical performance and personality in a nifty hatchback package

motors: the kia’s c’eed nifty hatchback delivers on style both inside and out

Mighty Personality  dave philips

Luxurious

Speaking about the new offer, Ray Leddy, head of marketing and Product at Skoda Ireland, said: “The Laurin and Klement edition of the Skoda Superb is extremely luxurious, so perfectly suited to special occasions – and what occasion could be more special than a wedding?

This offer is open to any brides and / or grooms in Dublin and around Ireland with a we d d i n g p l a n n e d b e t we e n A p r i l a n d December 2016. To be in with a chance to win, simply visit www.superbweddings.ie and enter your details before Friday, April 15.

Attempting to shift balance back towards petrol engines, Kia’s new 1-litre C’eed GT line promises to deliver a measure of practical performance and personality in a nifty hatchback package.

It’s personality is evident from first glance – very distinctive ice-cube LEDs and a set of clean 17” alloys give a far more aggressive look to the GT line when placed next to the regular (already fairly beefy) C’eed. A set of twin oval exhausts at the rear add to that sense of muscular sturdiness.

Some extra bits of exterior dazzle – like the kerbside lights that come on underneath the mirrors

as you unlock with the fob – may provide more psychological than practical benefit, but that’s no complaint. It just adds to the fact that the C’eed GT is something you look forward to getting into.

While the C’eed GT looks well from the outside, the interior really shines – and quite literally too. Alloy pedals, and a chrome trim along the dash, doors, and gearstick surround sets a nice tone against the matt black and muted greys of the upholstery.

A heavy grey stitch along the wheel and seats adds to the overall sporty feel.

There are some great touches in here, like the angled dash, that sets all of the instrument panels

and audio controls to subtly face toward the driver. Aside from that mildly annoying Kia trait of having the volume and phone controls on the left side of the wheel, this has to be one of the Korean manufacturer’s classiest cabins.

W hat really earns the tidy GT Line badge on the rear is Kia’s new Ecoboost 1 litre engine.

The three cylinder petrol engine provides a surprising amount of power, while keeping emissions (and road tax) relatively low. There has been a move over the past year back to 1 litre turbo engines, with the Focus and Corsa both showing how they can be used effectively. Here, Kia adds more weight

to the argument – proving that the small petrol engine can provide plenty of power for most road users.

It works well coupled with Kia’s nicely tuned gearbox – there is the sense that there’s always enough for an extra push, so you’ll rarely need to shift down gears to overtake. Even cruising along

the motorway with a full load, in sixth gear, the C’eed GT feels like it still has plenty to give.

With an ample amount of boot space, and plenty of room in the back seats, the C’eed GT can easily undertake most of the day to day chores you’d expect a hatchback to handle. While the C’eed was never the strongest

branch of the Kia tree in terms of sales, there is certainly a niche for this new GT line. Starting at around €22,000, and offering a solid blend of good looks and effective performance, the C’eed GT might make sense for young families who are looking for a very dependable, yet stylish and fun, solution.

24 March 2016 Gazette 23

Gazette

health

mental health: we need to get a balance between physical and mental health

Time to take care of our mental health and tackle the feelings The Irish Rugby Union Players’ Association (IRUPA) in partnership with Zurich today launched Tackle Your Feelings, a new mental wellbeing campaign that will see national and international rugby stars come forward to tell their own personal story of the issues they have faced off the pitch. The first players to tell their personal stories are Ireland and Leinster front-row Jack McGrath who speaks emotively about how he coped with the death of his brother by suicide in 2010 and Irish women’s player, Hannah Tyrrell, who talks about how she overcame her struggles with self-harm and bulimia. Their videos are hosted on the new websitewww.tackleyourfeelings.com.

Research conducted

by IRUPA demonstrated that although 95% of Irish adults think it’s important for them to be proactive in taking care

of their mental wellbeing, almost 1 in 4 (22%) are unaware or have low levels of awareness of the ways they deal with stress or life challenges. Additionally, 71% feel that they would be treated differently if they had a mental health issue and other people knew about it. There is still a large proportion of us who do not tackle our feelings on a regular basis. 1 in 2 (53%) Irish adults have gone through a challenging life event and didn’t discuss their feelings with anyone.

This is significant because 1 in 4 Irish adults will experience mental illness at some point in our lives[1].

Tackle Your Feelings seeks to emphasise the importance of preventative measures in maintaining good mental wellbeing. By asking people to be honest with themselves about how they are feeling and to take appropriate action,

the campaign aims to encourage people to resolve emotional challenges before they escalate into a crisis.

The campaign website, www.tackleyourfeelings. com, will host a number of practical resources to help people develop their emotional self-awareness and proactively work on their mental and emotional wellbeing.

Jack speaks of the anger and anxiety he felt and how he kept his feelings bottled up at first, “It was like a gas valve releasing when I started to speak about how I felt. It can be the smallest thing that you say to somebody that can make you feel better. The longer you keep it bottled up, the worse it’s going to get. Nobody is going to slag you for feeling a certain way. It’s human nature. After what happened to my brother I think it’s really important to be open about mental health.”

Jack McGrath speaks emotively about how he coped with the death of his brother by suicide. The video is hosted on the new website www.tackleyourfeelings.com

In her video Hannah Tyrrell talks about how she overcame her struggles with self-harm and bulimia. The video is hosted on the new website www.tackleyourfeelings.com

Hannah is hoping that her story will give other people the strength to positively deal with their struggles, “I got involved in the tackle your feelings campaign because I have struggled with my mental health in the past. I want people to realise that they are not alone, and that things can and will get better. I wanted to share my story in order to help make it easier for others who are struggling to reach out and ask for help and if even one person does so as a result of this then it will have all been worthwhile.”

Speaking at the launch, Omar Hassanein, CEO, IRUPA said, “Our campaign is intended to be disruptive in challenging people to tackle their feelings on a daily basis. Professional rugby players are seen as strong, robust and are known for how they protect and manage

their physical health but rugby, like everything in life, requires both physical and mental strength.

We want to show people that vulnerability doesn’t need to be considered a weakness.

Rugby players need to work on their mental wellbeing just like everybody else. We hope that Ireland’s rugby players, through the Tackle Your Feelings campaign, can play a role in encouraging people in Ireland to be more proactive and comfortable in looking after their mental wellbeing given it is such a key component in the health of an individual.

I’d ask everyone to visit www.tackleyourfeelings.com to watch Jack McGrath’s and Hannah Tyrrell’s video.

They both have been so courageous in speaking publicly about their own struggles and I hope that

others will take strength from them to tackle their own feelings as a result.”

Dr Eddie Murphy, Clinical Psychologist and Tackle Your Feelings advisor said, “Tackle Your Feelings is a really important campaign as it challenges us to consider how we are feeling on a daily basis so as to prevent a more serious mental health issue from developing.

Just like physical fitness, mental fitness can also be enhanced through practical training. The resources available at tackleyourfeelings.com can help you do this. I’m sure that Jack McGrath’s story will resonate with lots of people in the country as the death by suicide rate in Ireland is the fourth highest in the EU.” Elaine Hayes, Corporate Responsibility spokesperson at Zurich,

commented, “Zurich prides itself on a commitment to making a difference in the local communities in which we operate, and we are delighted to be partnering with IRUPA, with the support of the Zurich Foundation, to encourage greater debate and awareness of mental wellbeing in Ireland.

As an issue which affects such a large proportion of Irish people, mental health is something that needs to be discussed more openly and honestly; be it on the pitch, in the office, or in general day to day life.

The individual player stories which feature in the Tackle Your Feelings campaign should inspire a national conversation amongst both rugby supporters and non-rugby supporters alike and keep mental wellbeing top of mind.”

24 DUBLIN CITY Gazette 24 March 2016

dublin city Gazettegallery | Half a million people line the

Britta Bengtson, Shorecrest Highlanders

Lydia and Audrey Tunney. Pictures: Rossiter Photography

Artane Band members Euan Burke, Tara Murphy, Sarah McGuinness, Alex Connell and Emma Flynn

Ciara Downey and Hannah Rogers of the Clondalkin Youth Band

Rose Silva, Raquel Muniz and Geisa Borges of City Fusion

24 March 2016 DUBLIN CITY GAZETTE 25

STREETS OF DUBLIN TO CELEBRATE THE ST PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL

City celebrates our patron saint Viviana Marin and Anya Valda

Joanne O’Riordan, Grand Marshal of the 2016 National St Patrick’s Festival Parade

Naomi Black, Gillian Hamilton and Katie Binions from Artastic, Kildare

Members of the Atomic Stage School

Inishowen Carnival Group: Clara Gillesbie, Sarah O’Dwyer, Grainne Gallinagh, Jessica Hannigan and Siofra O’Dwyer

26 swords Gazette 24 March 2016

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28 swords gazette 24 March 2016

SPORT KUBS win maiden cup crown

FastSport

basketball: raheny side shine on rough weekend for dublin clubs

fanning steps away from blues set-up:

ST MARY’S winger Darragh Fanning will be released from his contract with Leinster rugby at the end of the month to allow him to concentrate on other opportunities away from the rugby field.

Speaking about the decision, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: “Darragh has made a significant contribution during his time here with Leinster and obviously his contribution to the PRO12 win in 2014 and in helping us reach a Champions Cup semi-final last season will not be forgotten.

“Darragh came from St Mary’s on trial as a 27-year-old and has grabbed that chance with both hands. He has though found an interest outside of rugby that he wishes to now pursue with all his energy and we respect those wishes.”

Fanning has played 34 times for Leinster and scored seven tries, making his debut in September 2013.

div one league cup KUBS Maree  sport@dublingazette.com

89 79

KUBS prevented a clean sweep of men’s Division One trophies by Maree as they claimed the League Cup with an 89-79 win at the Water-

shed, K ilkenny last weekend.

The Raheny side had finished runners’ up in their maiden Division One campaign but a solid weekend at the league finals gave them their first trophy.

Maree had six players on the score sheet in the opening quarter

but KUBS had their eye in from the perimeter and Conor James, Kevin Foley, Jonathan Riles and Sean Ingle all registered three-pointers to go 28-13 clear.

T h e G a l w ay s i d e rallied with an 11-0 run either side of the first break. The KUBS offence had hit a glitch

KUBS celebrate their Division One League Cup success

Killester’s Paul Dick in action in the Champions Trophy Final

and it took a strong drive from Eoin Chubb to get them going in again. They led 44-41 at the half with freethrows pushing them clear af ter Maree equalised through Eoin Rockall’s 62.5% accuracy and Kenneth Hansberry’s first half double-double.

Both sides led by six or more in an undulating third quarter. Cathal Finn stepped up completing his double-double as Maree enjoyed their biggest lead of the game but KUBS were 66-61 to the good by the end of the period.

Eoin Chubb was the game-changer with eight points in a row and an MVP performa n c e t h a t i n cl u d e d

seven assists.

Conor James’ sixth triple of the afternoon came just when Maree threatened to draw level for the fifth time.

The shooting guard finished with a game high 28 points while Player Coach Kevin Foley helped make sure of the win in taking his tally to 21 down the stretch.

It was the brightest performance of the weekend on one which generally did not go the way of the Dublin sides involved.

Te a m Mo n t e n o t t e Hotel fought off DCU Mercy to win 72-69 and secure the 2016 women’s Premier League playoffs. In doing so, t h e G l a n m i r e cl u b moved to the top of the

all-time list with seven wins.

C&S UCC Demons claimed their fourth successive Champions Trophy to round out the Men’s Premier League season with an 82-77 win over Pyrobel Killester. It was a 19-point swing in the middle quarters as the League Champions came from eight points down to take control through Kyle Hosford and Lehmon Colbert.

Colin O’Reilly was pleased with two trophies out of three at the end of a tough campaign: “It’s been a very long season but we always had two or three guys who had the energy to keep pushing the tempo.”

Pembroke expose gap in class to win Mills Cup title  sport@dublingazette.com

Ronan Flannery lifts the Leinster senior Mills Cup on behalf of Pembroke. Picture: Adrian Boehm

THE difference in level between the EY Hockey League and the top of Leinster Division One was ruthlessly exposed as Pembroke eased to the Mills Cup title with a comfortable 4-1 win over provincial champions Corinthian at Grange Road.

A rare David Quinn goal along with efforts from Nick Burns and Harry Spain had the Ballsbridge side flying high with a 3-0 lead at the break. Corinthian rallied late on with Glenn Holmes pulling one back in the last ten minutes

but Andrew Shekleton’s clever finish completed the win.

The reds did start well with Mark Ingram forced into a good stop from Stephen Reid but Pembroke soon found their fluidity with Ronan Flannery pushing forward.

He delivered into the middle where Quinn stole a march on his marker, getting in front and shooting early with a first time sweep that gave Ross Murray no time to settle.

In a game of middling quality at times, it was a very smart piece of work from one of the after-

noon’s strongest performers.

Two minutes later, Burns drag banged the base of the backboard for 2-0 as Pembroke, despite some scrappy touches, asserted their dominance. Corinthian were living on the break and almost had their opening when David Howard cut loose but Ingram raced off his line to clean up the danger.

But another corner in the minutes leading up to half-time all but killed off the game, Spain’s low push an identical to Burns’ earlier effort. It could have been worse in the second half but for

Murray who saved several good chances with Kirk Shimmins twice blocked at close quarters while Eric Foy had a reverse repelled.

Holmes gave his side a lifeline when he picked up the pieces after Ingram had stopped Howard’s initial corner shot.

But any thoughts of a comeback were dashed in the closing minutes when Flannery again raced down the right and while his offload was not the cleanest, Shekleton spun well and potted on the reverse as Pembroke ran up their 21st Mills Cup victory.

24 March 2016 swords gazette 29

Gazette

Boden in dreamland after first half blitz Firhouse Road club produce performance of a lifetime to win their first All-Ireland club senior football championship with a 13-point demolition of Mayo’s Castlebar Mitchels all-ireland final Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-14 Castlebar Mitchels 0-7  james hendicott sport@dublingazette.com

B A L LY B O D E N S T ENDA’S emphatically won their first All-Ireland senior football club title with a stunning performance on St Patrick’s Day, overrunning Castlebar Mitchels in a pulsing opening, and eventually running out 2-14 to 0-7 winners.

With both sides going for their first All-Ireland club title – and the Mayo side having suffered the heartache of final defeat just two years ago – Boden had to do without the experience of midfield man Declan O’Mahony for their big day after he failed in a late bid to have his ban for a semi-final red card overturned.

It didn’t show, though,

with Boden’s very first attack seeing Michael Darragh MacAuley work the ball to Colm Basquel on the edge of the box, leaving the forward to calmly slot into the Mitchels net with less than two minutes on the clock.

Despite having much of the early possession, the Mayo club were caught cold, as Boden’s rhythmic hand passing had them chasing shadows.

A shaky pass back from Shane Clayton forced Paul Durcan into a frantic clearance as the Mitchels forwards closed him down on seven minutes while Andrew Kerin also saw himself through at the other end, only to take too many steps whilst trying to round Mitchels’ keeper Rory Byrne.

MacAuley was next in on goal, breaking down the left from another swift handpassing move

Ballyboden St Enda’s celebrate their All-Ireland glory

to fist over from the left corner of the box. When Boden were awarded a penalty on 15 minutes for a desperate lunge on Aran Waters – which Kerin swiftly dispatched into the bottom left – the Dubs had 2-3 on the board with the Mayo club yet to point.

Wild shooting from the Mayo side didn’t help matters while Durcan was proving a thorn in their side, too, with the goalkeeper pulling off a sharp save to deny Neil Lydon at close range, before Mitchels finally got on the scoreboard from the resulting 45.

The Rathfarnham side struck the post themselves seconds later through Darren O’Reilly’s fisted effort.

Bob Dwan and O’Connor kept the clock ticking over, with Boden going in at half time in

dreamland, holding a 2-5 to 0-3 lead, one that if anything understated their dominance.

The space Boden found in midfield first half fed numerous goal opportunities with MacAuley and O’Reilly the chief protagonists as energetic defence restricted Mitchels down

number six shirt in blood during the first half – lifted the trophy for Boden, saying: “it’s all come to fruition today. We weren’t going to be beaten. We were down an awful lot on the way here, but we’ve managed to put out a fire on every occasion.”

It’s indeed been a rocky

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

‘We were down an awful lot but we’ve managed to put a fire on every occasion’ Daragh Nelson

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

the other end.

Dublin star MacAuley was withdrawn five minutes into the second half after a scrappy start which suited Boden as an imposing Dwan, Keaney and Durkin stretched the lead while Mitchels floundered up top, missing a series of presentable opportunities.

A brief rally saw the Castlebar club close the gap to nine points but the sharper Dublin club never looked under serious pressure, with a half volley chance from full forward Keaney the closest effort of the closing stages.

Classy Kerin’s points took Boden away and the Dublin side had the luxury of giving their bench a run out.

Captain Darragh Nelson – wearing number 39, after soaking his normal

road all the way to Croke Park for Ballyboden, with a much-discussed lastminute equaliser followed by an extra time win in a semi final against Clonmel Commercials and a single point win over reigning champions St Vincent’s in the Dublin final just two edgy moments.

There will be a certain amount of sympathy for Mitchels, who saw a second All-Ireland shot in three years slip through their fingers in a lightning first few minutes from the Dublin side.

The loss leaves Mayo clubs an astonishing five for 34 in senior finals since 1986.

In truth, though, Boden never looked likely to lose their grip, as they emphatically blasted their way to a glorious first victory in 47 years of trying.

FastSport

Nelson and McEntee hail anatomy of SFC victory DARRAGH NELSON, Ballyboden St Enda’s captain, has described the feeling as “unbelievable” and “a huge honour” after leading the Rathfarnham side to a first ever All Ireland title at Croke Park on Saturday.

Boden overcame to lift the Andy Merrigan cup with a powerful first half display, blowing away opposition who were appearing in their second All-Ireland final in three years.

“With respect to Castlebar, we didn’t think it would be so easy,” Nelson told GazetteSport.

“To do it in Croke Park on Paddy’s Day is just a great feeling, and we felt we had something to prove after the Clonmel game. I think we’ve learnt a lot.

“To win the way we did just shows that the games we’ve come through have stood to us.

I think Castlebar were fairly strong favourites going into this game, and we knew that. It kind of suits us.”

Manager Andy McEntee, meanwhile, hit out at the GAA’s decision not to allow midfielder Declan O’Mahony to play in the final, after the Ballyboden man saw red in the closing stages of the semi, also calling the absence of the player a “motivating factor” in the performance.

“We tried to make it a positive, but I did expect him to get off,” McEntee said. “We looked at the video evidence, and we even had a statement from the player he tackled.

“Club players are treated differently to county players. We felt he should have been playing. It’s sad to see.

“We did put two halves together, which is something we’ve struggled to do all season,” McEntee added after the game.

“I wouldn’t say we expected to shut them out to seven points.”

Speaking of Ballyboden’s current status as fourth or fifth favourites to win the Dublin title for a second time this year, McEntee also added “We’re probably sixth favourites after this.

Every game we win, we seem to drift!”

McEntee’s side return to action in the AFL1 on April 2, with a match against fellow Dublin giants St Vincent’s.

Gazette

30 SWORDS gazette 24 March 2016

SPORT

FastSport

mma: chris to launch new top class gym on main street

Shels’ Oguntola shines in EA Sports victory SODIQ Oguntola came back to haunt his former club as he helped Shelbourne sweep to a 5-0 win over Cabinteely in the EA Sports Cup on Monday night.

Oguntola stood out in a low key first half, with the former in particular showing rare bite on the ball, while Brennan displayed his ability to craft spac, testing home keeper Jack Brady from distance on several occasions.

It was an Oguntola ball to find Gavin Boyne in space - the Shels midfielder almost nonchalantly finished - that proved the difference in a poor first half, with Brennan assaulting the home side’s crossbar from 30 yards the other highlight.

The floodgates opened in the second half, though, with Oguntola needing only 20 minutes to add two goals to his assist. The first - a close range header from a clever, dinked cross from Walshe - seemed to take the wind out of Cabo, with the home side making it 3-0 with a moment of class from Oguntola as he placed the ball past Michael Kelly from the edge of the area.

After 65 minutes, 3-0 looked a little harsh on the south Dublin side, but from then on the visitors fell apart, scarcely able to put a foot on the ball as Shelbourne took the chance to assert some authority.

With Oguntola substituted after notching his third, Walshe continued to lead the assault. A host of chances came from Shelbourne moves around the edge of the box, and Cabo goalkeeper Michael Kelly was given plenty to do.

It was two substitutes that were to complete the rout, though the home side’s midfield can take much of the credit for their creative spark.

James English burst into the Cabinteely box down the right hand side, lashing a vicious shot into the net via a deflection that left Kelly with little chance. An emphatic Mark Sandford volley completed a scoreline that only ever looked like growing for the home side late on.

Cabinteely - even more notably youthful than usual - look like they still have a bit to learn at League of Ireland level, and found their more experienced opponents were able to isolate their forwards and stunt any real creativity.

An emphatic win for a previously out-of-form Shelbourne may prove to be a launch pad for a side that sit bottom of the early season League of Ireland Division One table.

Chris Fields says his plan is “to do more for the youth of Swords than FAS ever did!”

Swords’ Fields of Dreams  Peter carroll sport@dublingazette.com

FRESH from his sublime first round finish of Dan Konecke at BAMMA 24 in Dublin’s 02 Arena, former Cage Warriors middleweight champion Chris “The Housewives’ Choice” Fields is set to open the latest Straight Blast Gym facility on Swords’ Main Street.

One of the great mixed martial artists to hail from Ireland, Fields will be opening the facility on April 4 alongside celebrated jiu-jitsu black belt Tom King, who trained alongside him for the guts of a decade at the

home of Conor McGregor, SBG Ireland.

Opening the MMA gym in a building that was once owned by FAS, Fields quipped: “Our plan is to do more for the youth of Swords than FAS ever did!”

“It’s going to be amazing,” said Fields. “I’ve been living in Swords for a long time and we basically set up shop in an old FAS office. We gutted it out and now we have this big spacious area for training.

“There’s going to be teen classes and we’re going to have different things going on throughout the opening week.

dublin 7s festival Donnybrook to host top class rugby carnival donnybrook Stadium will host the inaugural Dublin 7s Festival, where 12 elite international rugby teams will entertain up to 5,000 spectators with a competitive exhibition of 7s rugby Ian Madigan was on hand to launch the event which will feature professional teams from England, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Japan, Germany and France. Tickets start at €15 for general admission with VIP and corporate hospitality packages also available from www.dublin7sfestival.ie.

Our opening day is April 4 and we can’t wait.

I’ve been coaching for so many years and I’m dying to start training up my own fighters now, in my own gym.

“I’ve got a great pedigree from all of the great coaches I’ve worked with. I’ve got Tom King opening this place with me, he’s one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu players Ireland has ever produced.

“He’s an amazing coach. I’ve never stopped learning from him. I’m very lucky to have him as a partner.”

Fields is hoping to have such a high spec

facility that he will be able to able to facilitate his own training camps on the Swords premises.

“I’m going to be doing all of my own fight camps out of this place from now on.

“Obviously, I’ll still have to take visits over to SBG Ireland for my sparring and I’ll try to get in as much as possible.

“Cathal Pendred will be popping in and out of our Swords gym to help me that, as always, so that will be a big help too.”

Fields could be looking at a title fight against BAMMA light-heavyweight champion Paul

Craig when the promotion returns to Dublin in June.

The Scot called Fields out in front of a camera crew backstage immediately after the Dubliner submitted Konecke.

“I like that fight, I’ll fight anyone. I’ve never backed out of fights, I’ve taken a stupid amount of fights on short notice.

I’ve fought the top guys for years.

“I know my skillset and it matches up against anyone’s. I’ll happily fight him and I think that’s a matchup that could be happening soon. Hopefully in June, in Dublin.”

24 March 2016 SWORDS gazette 31

Gazette

bongos on the beach

Fins’ Finnegan enjoys All-Star trip to the US

Club Noticeboard FINGALLIANS 1916 themed Parade: A big thank you

fingallians Sinead Finnegan plays bongo

drums near the beach during a tour of the city of San Diego, California as part of the TG4 Ladies Football All-Star Tour.

She was part of the 2015 All-Stars team on the trip that concluded with a match against the 2014 All-Stars. She was among a group of six Dubliners including Lyndsey Davey, Sorcha Furlong, Noelle Healy, Sinead Aherne and Sinead Goldrick.

Over €1,600 was raised towards the

best and most colourful parade so far.

Feile, which is due to be held in St Per-

This was led by Fran and Annmarie. We

egrine’s on April 2 and 3. The team are

would also like to pass our thanks on to

also looking for a physio that could help

Fingal County Council.

them out over the weekend; contact

The club is delighted to announce

football: title retained in confident fashion

the club on St Patrick’s Day.

to our team for putting together our

Oisin on 086 8516210 if you can help.

that Sam Maguire will be attendance

There will be no football and hurling

this Sunday. The afternoon will have

for the four- to seven-years-old kids

festivities for our younger members

this Easter Saturday.

and the evening will have a ballad ses-

After a semi-final victory on Satur-

sion with Eugene and Frances at 10pm

day evening, the young Dublin Under-

to mark the centenary celebrations.

21s will now face Kildare in the final on

The club dressing rooms & gym will be closed this Friday.

Wednesday, March 30 at 7.30pm. Both Oisin and Cillian were unused subs.

Football championship diary: Junior

New social football players are wel-

A – Tuesday, April 26 at 7pm v Clontarf

come to take part every Friday on the

at home and intermediate – Saturday,

Astro from 8pm. Please contact Mark

April 30 at 6pm v Scoil Ui Chonaill in

on 086 8431200 for further info (off on

Balgriffin.

Good Friday).

The U-14 girls’ parents and mentors

The bar will open at the later time of

very much appreciate the enormous

2pm on Easter Saturday and Sunday.

generosity shown to them by all the

(don’t forget the clock goes forward

club members at their fundraising

this Saturday night).

cake sale, raffle and jersey auction in

ST FINIAN’S

Conor Lennon, right, played an important role in Dublin’s minor league success

Finian’s Lennon to fore in minor league

minor f’ball league Dublin 1-15 Laois 0-9  sport@dublingazette.com

ST FINIAN’S Conor Lennon played an important role as the Dublin minor footballers retained the Leinster minor football league title when defeating Laois in Saturday’s final at Parnell Park.

Paddy Christie’s side put in an encouraging 60 minutes based on hard work to prevail 1-15 to 0-9. Dublin opened brightly with points from wing-back Jack Rowe and corner-forward David Lacey before Diarmuid

Whelan responded for the O’Moore County.

Lennon and Cormac Howley slotted over to extend Dublin’s lead before Laois battled back with points from Alan Kinsella, clipping over after Evan Comerford had initially made a great save, and James Kelly to leave it 0-4 to 0-3 to the Dubs.

David Lacey added a free before Laois enjoyed their best passage of play with scores from Alan Kinsella and Whelan put them ahead 0-6 to 0-5.

In the 25th minute Lacey cannoned a shot off the butt of the post when through on goal follow-

ing a purposeful run by Howley.

However, Dublin finished the half on the up with a fine Kevin Lillis point and a Howley goal which edged Dublin into a 1-6 to 0-6 lead just before half-time.

Five points in-a-row inside the opening 14 minutes of the second half put Dublin 1-11 to 0-6 clear with keeper Evan Comerford converting a ‘45’ before Tom Keane, Dan O’Brien and Conor Hynes pointed. Laois had their moments too but the Dublin defence retained good concentration to hold the O’Moore

County.

It followed the Dublin Under-21 footballers impressive 2-17 to 2-5 win over Laois in the Leinster championship semi-final in the earlier game at Parnell Park.

It set up a provincial decider against Kildare following their strong semi-final showing when outgunning Laois by 12 points.

As part of their win, fresh from their All-Ireland club success with Ballyboden St Enda’s both Colm Basquel and Shane Clayton were introduced off the bench in the second half.

PRIDE of place this week goes to Conor

the weekend. The hurling team would

Lennon and Dublin’s minor footballers

like to thank The Forty Four in Swords

who secured the Leinster league on

Main Street for their ongoing support

Saturday. It was a proud day for the

and for organising a reception for the

club and the Lennon family.

club last week.

Conor’s involvement with the Dublin

We had a camogie blitz for the

minors gives us all extra excitement

Under-12s on Saturday. Our girls had

for the championship summer ahead.

good wins and a draw in their blitz

Well done also to Louise Green who

against Na Fianna and Setanta.

was part of the Dublin premier junior

The executive committee have

camogie squad who had a big win over

commissioned a survey to be issued

Cavan at the weekend.

to members, supporters and friends

The county representation theme

of the club.

continues with the selection of Conor

Our club is growing and has ambi-

Kavanagh for the U-14 Dublin develop-

tious plans for the future and this sur-

ment squad - best of luck to Conor.

vey which takes five minutes to com-

Both our adult hurling teams came out the wrong side of their results at

plete and is a pivotal part of informing those plans.

FINGAL Ravens WELL done to our U-15 girls who beat Craobh Chiarain and our U-9 girls who won against Ballyboughal.

bership played in full.

We have a great selection of club gear including tops, jackets, shorts

The minor team won against Thomas

and socks bags. Any of the gear would

Ashe and the U-16 team won against

make a perfect gift for anyone involved

Ballyboden St Enda’s by one point in

or associated with Fingal Ravens. Any-

a very exciting finish. Well done to all

one looking for club gear, please con-

concerned. 2016 Club Membership

tact Ann Fox on 086 1771027.

is now due; membership forms are

Any enquiries about pitch playabil-

available in the clubhouse or can be

ity and availability, please John McCa-

downloaded from our Facebook page

rthy on 087 6599348. If any teams are

or online on at www.myclubfinances.

looking for a time slot in the school

com.

hall, please contact Alan Manning on

All membership must be paid in full

087 0651219.

by all sections of the club by March 31.

The draw for the two All-Ireland

No player of any age will be permitted

tickets will take place in Kettles on

to play if they do not have their mem-

Easter Sunday.

32 swords gazette 24 March 2016