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WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE SDCC AREA, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED FEBRUARY 15-21, 2018
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ROCKIN’ THEIR STREET STYLE WEARING their finest glad rags, this trio – Nadia Forde, Brian Dowling and Pippa O’Connor – looked dressed to impress at the K Club, where they were among the many well-known faces attending the inaugural Blossom Tree Ball in aid of Temple Street Hospital. Picture: Brian McEvoy
GALLERY P16-17 SPORT SPORT
The LOI The new new LOI seasonlands! lands season
P34-35 P34-35
COUNCILLORS OUSTED OVER CLONBURRIS ISSUES
The severed Alliance MARK O’BRIEN
DEAR MARY More great advice from our favourite X-Factor star! P19
A NUMBER of Independent councillors have been removed from the Progressive Alliance of South Dublin County Council following the debates on the Clonburris SDZ. The Alliance was formed by the Sinn Fein group of councillors and also consisted of Labour, a number of Independents and one Green Party member. The Alliance say that Councillors Paul Gogar ty, Liona O’Toole, Guss O’Connell and Deirdre Donovan have been removed as they have “breached the trust of their Progressive Alliance colleagues and moved away from our agreed agenda”. See full story on Page 4
Paul Gogarty
Guss O’Connell
Deirdre O’Donovan
Liona O’Toole
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PETITION | ‘I THINK THIS IS VITAL FOR OPENNESS, TRANSPARENCY’
Call for council to webcast meetings MARK O’BRIEN
AN online petition is calling for South Dublin County Council to webcast council meetings. The petition was started by Cllr Francis Timmons (Ind), who said he was disappointed that the council had rejected a proposal to broadcast meetings last year. Cllr Timmons said: “I think this is vital for openness and transparency. While the council chamber has a public gallery there are many reasons the public can’t attend. “Online webcasting would allow the public and members of the media/press have full
access to what is really said and goes on at council meetings.” Prior to the previous motion being voted down, councillors were presented with a range of costing options for the installation and running of a webcasting system. These ranged from approximately €53,000 over five years to €169,000 over five years. Dublin Gazette contacted all South Dublin County councillors asking if they would be in favour of webcasting, with some councillors citing the cost as a factor in their decision. Cllr Vicki Casserly said that she previously voted
against the proposal as she would like to see the money used elsewhere. “Webcasting, while in theory is an excellent idea, I just would see the money best spent on alternative projects within our county,” she said. Cllr Conor McMahon said: “I am a new councillor and would support the petition in principle however I would like to see the costings of the proposal before supporting this petition.” Cllr Danny O’Brien (SF) said: “At the recent SDZ meeting the grandstanding was unbelievable and this was holding up the meeting. If webcasting was in place this would be worse.”
Cllr Mark Ward (SF) disagreed with his party colleague and said that following the Clonburris meeting, he would consider supporting webcasting. “It (webcasting) would have allowed the public to see Cllr Timmons and his independent group sabotaging the delivery of much-needed housing in our area,” he said. Cllr Francis Duffy (GP) said that he would also support webcasting, as did Cllr Guss O’Connell (Ind). Cllr O’Connell said: “SDCC is the only one of the four Dublin local authorities not to webcast. I and my community alliance colleagues tried to have it introduced at Budget time, but we were voted down. “Hopefully, we will succeed this time with the backing of the people.” A number of other councillors spoke in favour of the proposal. Cllr Dermot Looney (SD) said: “I think it is
time we joined other local authorities in live streaming and archiving council meeting footage.” Cllr Emma Hendrick (PBP) said: “I would support this and People Before Profit have voted in favour of webcasting in the past.” Cllr Madeleine Johansson (PBP) said: “In my opinion, SDCC is lagging behind other councils in not providing this service for the population.” Cllr Martina Genocky (Lab) said: “I voted in favour of webcasting and would again if there was another vote, however I accept the democratic result of the vote taken on this last year.” Cllr Trevor Gilligan (FF) said he was in favour of webcasting but Cllr Breeda Bonner (Lab) said she was not in favour. Cllr Brendan Ferron (SF) also said he did not support webcasting while Cllr Mick Duff (Lab) said. it was a “vanity project”
New IT Tallaght course launched
MINISTER for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone (left) officially launched the Bachelor of Arts in Digital Marketing (TA 117) at the Institute of Technology Tallaght on Monday. The course is a brand new, career-focussed Level 7 degree beginning full-time in September 2018. Minister Zappone said: “Strategic partnerships are vital to develop Tallaght as a smart city of the future. I welcome the initiative of IT Tallaght in developing a Digital Marketing Degree through cooperation with the Silicon Docklands and the business community.” The BA in Digital Marketing is now open for application on the CAO (TA117) and for part-time applications, both starting in September 2018. For more information on this course, please visit www.tallaghtit.ie. Picture: Brian MacCormaic
FASTNews
The young Colaiste Cois Life singers Sophie de Burca, Mia de Barra and Alannah Hudson were presented with their prize by Sean O Ceallaigh, Gael Linn
Colaiste Cois Life students sing their way to success STAR-STRUCK students from Colaiste Cois Life, Lucan, scooped a top award at the recent All-Ireland Final of Scleip 2018. The popular talent competition is organised annually by Gael Linn for Irish medium secondlevel schools nationwide, and funded by Foras na Gaeilge. The final was held in the Clasach Theatre, Clontarf, on January 31, with almost 300 students , who had qualified through preliminary rounds before Christmas, took part in this celebration of contemporary music, song, dance and drama. The Colaiste Cois Life students sang their way to success in the Contemporary Singing Groups junior against stiff opposition from schools in Limerick, Wexford, Kerry, Dundalk and Dublin.
Curran calls for reversal of cuts in garda numbers FIANNA Fail TD for Dublin Mid-West, John Curran says that the cuts made to Garda numbers in Dublin over recent years must be reversed. There are now 1,000 fewer gardai stationed across Dublin than in 2010. Speaking during a special Dail debate on the matter, Deputy Curran said: “Seven years ago there were close to 270 members of An Garda Siochana dedicated to policing the capital’s roads. “Despite there being more traffic and even more motorists using the roads, this number fell to 182 in 2016 and further declined to 177 in 2017. The city still remains at standstill particularly at peak hours which is deeply affecting commuters. “Furthermore, the increase in level of gangland associated crime and burglaries suggests that more needs to be done to tackle serious criminality in the capital.” Deputy Curran added that while there has been an increase of over 600 in the number of qualified gardai in Ireland, none of these have been stationed in Dublin. “This is causing major concern in my own constituency, where a recent spate of crimes including car thefts have left residents frightened,” he said. 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
15 February 2018 WEST DUBLIN GAZETTE 3
FASTNews €10m Sports Loan Scheme
CLANN Credo has announced the launch of a new €10 million Sports Loan Scheme. Cllr Brian Lawlor (FG) has welcomed the news. “Clann Credo is a not for profit charity which has loaned almost €82m to more than 800 community projects nationwide over the past 20 years,” said Cllr Lawlor. “The new Sports Loan Fund is a great opportunity for Sports Clubs to access finance to develop their facilities with affordable rates and flexible repayment terms.” For more information have a look at the Clann Credo website: http:// www.clanncredo.ie/
KOINS FOR KIDS | AIMING TO BUY LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT FOR CHILDREN
Charity is coining it thanks to generosity MARK O’BRIEN
LUCAN residents dug deep recently to help a charity that is aiming to buy life-saving equipment for children. Koins for Kids Ireland repatriates non-Euro coin, collects out of date and damaged currency, and one and two cent coin accumulations. The charity is hoping to raise enough money to purchase an MRI machine for the new Children’s Hospital. Founder Liam Duggan (pictured) told Dublin Gazette that the people of Lucan have been particularly generous. He said: “St Mary’s in Lucan donated 60kg of the stuff to us
which is the weight of a fullygrown man. “That was probably the biggest donation we had in the non-Euro coin.” Liam spent 22 years as a taxi driver before returning to college to study Business, Economics and Social Studies at Trinity College. He said that he got the idea for Koins for Kids while he was studying. “I was in Trinity when I started it off and I used to do it on a Saturday outside Bewley’s because Bewley’s was closed down at the time for refurbishments,” he said. “The first €500 was the hardest €500 and then as it accu-
mulated, people started taking it more seriously.” The charity have since raised in excess of €50,000 and say they intend to make a big difference to children who suffer for reasons beyond their control. “The goal at the moment is an MRI machine,” said Liam. “It’s a very sophisticated and expensive machine but it’ll save children’s lives decades into the future.” The group say no donation is too small and Liam said that he believes there is a huge amount of non-Euro currency sitting in homes across the country that could be put to good use. “Non-Euro coin is what I’m focusing on at the moment
because there’s statistics from the Central Bank saying that there’s actually 100 million in Punt currency still out there,” he said. “That’s only a fraction of what foreign non-Euro coin is out there in Ireland. I reckon there’s a billion of it out there, which would pay for the hospital.” Locals who wish to donate old coins can do so by dropping the coins into St Mary’s Sacristy or St Mary’s Parish Office. The charity also has drop-off points all over Dublin city and county. See www.koinsforkids. ie for a full list of collection points.
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Sarah takes Silver
Sarah Connolly and Fiona Leamy pictured receiving their Silver Gaisce Award
A LUCAN Guide leader was presented with a Silver Gaisce Award at a special award ceremony in the Mansion House last week. Sarah Connolly (18) who is a Leader with Griffeen Valley Guides, Lucan, and a member of Griffeen Valley Senior Branch (the Irish Girl Guides’ branch for 14-30-year-olds) attended singing lessons, joined a hockey club and helped out with her local Ladybird unit (The Irish Girl Guides’ branch for 5-7 year olds) as part of her Gaisce challenge. Sarah also took part in Irish Girl Guides’ Chief Commissioner’s Award, which saw her hike 60km and complete eight projects over five days. Being an active member of Irish Girl Guides (IGG) helped her achieve the silver Gaisce Award. “IGG has so many resources
to help you with your awards and projects,” she said. “This helped me complete the award with a fun variety of experiences and memories.” Sarah said that achieving the award helped her learn that “when you set goals you won’t achieve them unless you make a plan and continually motivate yourself each day to be better”. She added: “In Guiding we have the chance to become leaders and help girls gain confidence and, while helping out in local units, you can see girls grow and develop.” Achieving the silver Gaisce Award has helped Sarah grow in confidence and she is now working on her Gold Gaisce Award. “I know I have the ability to go onto gold and really achieve anything I want to achieve when I put my mind to it,” she said.
CLONBURRIS ROWS RUMBLE ON | COUNCILLORS ‘BREACHED THE TRUST OF COLLEAGUES’
Independent councillors removed from the Progressive Alliance MARK O’BRIEN A NUMBER of Independent councillors have been removed from the Progressive Alliance of South Dublin County Council following the debates on the Clonburris SDZ. The Alliance was formed by the Sinn Fein group of councillors and also consisted of Labour,
a number of Independents and one Green Party member. The Alliance say that Councillors Paul Gogarty, Liona O’Toole and Guss O’Connell and Deirdre Donovan have been removed as they have “breached the trust of their Progressive Alliance colleagues and moved away from our agreed
agenda”. The move comes after the councillors supported a number of motions that removed 742 houses from the proposed plan. Sinn Fein group leader on South Dublin County Council, Cathal King said a central agreement of the Alliance was the delivery of social and affordable housing. He said the Independent councillors had not backed this agreement during the Clonburris debates. “During the recent past, and specifically during the Clonburris SDZ process, it became abundantly clear that a number of the Independent Cllrs in this Alliance (Paul Gogarty, Guss O’Connell, Deirdre O’Donovan and Liona O’Toole) were not only working against the delivery of social and affordable housing, but were colluding with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to block progress on the delivery of social and affordable housing,” he said. He added that Cllrs Gogarty and O’Connell
stated during the that they did not want to see the lands developed “at all”, a move that would result in SDCC being unable to deliver any meaningful social and affordable housing. Cllr King said that the Alliance wanted to deliver an adequate supply of social and affordable housing, as well as improving transport and public transport infrastructure. “Unfortunately Cllrs Gogar ty, O’Connell, O’Toole and O’Donovan set their face against this balanced approach and used the process to limit the delivery of much needed social and affordable housing,” he said. Cllr Liona O’Toole released a statement to Dublin Gazette in response to Cllr King’s claims. She said: “I have always acted with integrity and honesty with members of the Progressive Alliance and it is regretful that Sinn Fein have attempted to use bully boy tactics for political gains and make
statements to the media without first discussing their concerns or issues they may have had with my approach to the development of the Clonburris SDZ or my interaction with residents and other councillors. “As an Independent
with no consideration for infrastructure, amenities and sustainable development and only repeating the mistakes of the past,” she said. Cllr O’Toole said the process resulted in “horrific attempts to discredit a number of public rep-
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‘It was difficult at times to contribute to such proceedings which was bordering on intimidation at times’
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community councillor, I have been engaging with a large number of Lucan residents and resident groups to allow me to represent their views through various motions on the SDZ development plan.” She added that an agreed approach to housing was never discussed within the Progressive Alliance. “Through the SDZ development meetings, it was clear that Sinn Fein want to stick to their political agenda and steam roll in housing at any cost
resentatives” which overshadowed the discussions. “It was difficult at times to contribute to such proceedings which was bordering on intimidation at times,” she said. “I was at the entire 32 hours of SDZ meetings to plan an SDZ with the best possible outcome for the future of our county which needs to include infrastructure and facilities in conjunction with housing. “The notion that ‘Infrastructure and amenities
will follow’ will only lead to failed housing estates that we have seen over the last 40 years. “As Sinn Fein and Labour could not see beyond their own policies the end result was accusations that Independents were blocking housing. “I am on record supporting all types of housing including social and affordable housing but I want to see it delivered in a correct and sustainable way. “The people of Lucan and Clondalkin deserve better than the repeat of past mistakes. “I will not apologise for fighting for that and doing what’s in the best interests of the people I represent and not the political mantra of a political party. “I certainly don’t feel intimidated by Sinn Fein and others, but I could not possibly consider staying in an Alliance with them any further after witnessing their attempts to intimidate and bully myself and other councillors directly in the chamber and through social media.”
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LETTERS | MINISTERS FAILING TO REPLY TO QUESTIONS SAYS TD
FASTNews
accused of Nimbyism Reply rates from Ministers to Councillors over social housing needs council issues ‘unacceptable’ MARK O’BRIEN
GOVERNMENT Ministers have yet to respond to half of the letters sent on the back of motions by South Dublin County Council. A freedom of information request by Cllr Ed O’Brien (FF) has revealed that the number of letters issued to ministers following motions at council meetings from the period September 2016 to December 2017 was 87 but the council has only received 43 replies to date.
Overdue Fianna Fail TD for Dublin Mid-West John Curran has said that replies from Government Ministers to issues raised directly by South Dublin County Council have been long overdue. Deputy Curran was speaking
in the Dail during questions on Promised Legislation; where he raised this issue with the Taoiseach and the Minister responsible for Local Government, Eoghan Murphy. He said: “The programme for Government refers to greater openness and improved accountability. “It was recently brought to my attention that the response from Ministers and their departments on issues raised directly by South Dublin County Council has been very poor.” Deputy Curran said that it was “unacceptable and very disappointing” that Ministers and their Departments were taking so long to respond to local authorities. “As a significant number of replies have not been issued and because transparency is very important when it comes
John Curran TD
to the work of local authorities and ensuring that the questions they put to Departments are answered efficiently, I am calling on the Taoiseach and Minister to arrange with colleagues
to deal with this effectively,” he said. “It is not just one Minister, but many who are failing to reply to written questions put to them. “I am sure that if it applies to South Dublin County Council, it also applies to other local authorities across the country.” A spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government said: “The role of the Minister in relation to local authorities is primarily to ensure an appropriate framework of policy and legislation in relation to the local government system, including its structures, functions, human resources, financing and broad oversight. “The Minister has no function with regard to engagement between other Departments and local authorities.”
SINN Fein Cllr Sarah Holland has condemned what she describes as “scheming against the provision of social housing” in the Knocklyon and Firhouse areas. Following the tense exchanges during the planning process for the Clonburris development, a series of residents’ associations have begun campaigning against the provision of social housing. Cllr Holland said: “I submitted some questions to area committee last month which show just 41 houses being provided in Rathfarnham or Terenure/ Templeogue through PART V or council properties, with nearly 9,000 on the list for the South Dublin County area. “During the SDZ process, it became apparent that a bloc of councillors was conspiring to limit the provision of social housing. “This has now spread from the Clonburris planning process to the Rathfarnham and Terenure/ Templeogue areas. “It is blatant Nimbyism. Scaremongering over social housing is a cynical move in the run up to the local elections in 2019. “The fact is that we need housing. It should be spread all over this county in sustainable, mixed tenure developments, and not crowded into urban centres. “Councillors have a duty of care to all residents of this county, and cynical scaremongering is irresponsible.”
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EVENTS Local students reach the Junk Kouture regional finals
Pictured are Avril Lambert from Bank of Ireland with one of the dress designers, Leah Dunne, wearing a creation called Jetsam Jester by her and fellow designers, Shannon Prince and Kaitlin McLoughlin and teacher Sarah King from Phobailscoil Iosolde in Palmerstown. Pictures: Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography
Incredible creations
B Dress designer Leah Dunne. Pictures: Chris Bellew /Fennell Photography
ANK of Ireland has announced the regional finalists for Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture 2018. Among the finalists were students from Holy Family Community School in Rathcoole and Phobailscoil Iosolde in Palmerstown. Now in its eighth year, Ireland’s leading fashion and art competition for secondary schools challenges students to create unique, original and innovative outfits from recycled materials and junk. The Dublin regional final of the competition takes place on March 6 in the Helix.
Orla Keane, designer, Jessica Dunne, model and Nicole Siobhan Connaughton, TY Coordinator, Orla Keane, designer, Jessica Dunne, model, Avril Lambert, Bank of Ireland and Nicole Cusack,
Cusack, designer from Holy Family Community School
designer from Holy Family Community School Rathcoole. Pictures: MAXWELLS DUBLIN
Rathcoole. Pictures: MAXWELLS DUBLIN
15 February 2018 WEST DUBLIN GAZETTE 7
FASTNews Council rejects a proposal to accept Bitcoin as a digital currency SOUTH Dublin County Council have rejected a proposal to accept Bitcoin as a digital currency. Cllr Trevor Gilligan (FF) had brought forward a motion requesting that the council accept the cryptocurrency. In response to Cllr Gilligan’s motion, the council said: “It is not recommended that the council accepts bitcoins from third parties until the Central Bank acknowledges the currency as a secure and financially reliable means of transacting cash.” Cllr Gilligan said he was disappointed that the council had rejected his proposal. “If you ask anyone today, they would have accepted bitcoin in payment five years ago,” he said. “The same applies to this council. This is money that could have gone towards local services for residents. “Yes, bitcoin fluctuates, but no more than any other currency, USD, EUR, GBP, etc... Blockchain and digital currencies are not going away. I feel that this is only the start. “Currencies come and go. Like smart phones and like the internet, I feel digital currencies will play a huge part in our lives. I feel we shouldn’t just disregard outright, accepting bitcoin payments.”
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LOCAL AUTHORITY | €22.1 MILLION PAID OUT BY THE COUNCIL IN HAPS IN 2017
Council is top of Housing Assistance Payments list MARK O’BRIEN SOUTH Dublin County Council paid out more in Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) than any other local authority in the country last year. A recent report showed that South Dublin County Council had
paid out €22.1 million in HAPs in 2017. Cllr Dermot Looney (SD) has brought forward a motion calling on the Chief Executive to liaise with the Government to to ensure a ramped-up building and purchase programme for social housing across
Bill seeks to tackle vacant houses figure MARK O’BRIEN
THE Green Party has launched a bill aimed at tackling vacancy and dereliction rates across the city. Living Cities Bill 2017 is aimed at bringing life back to city and town centres, discourage land hoarding, and tackle dereliction and vacancy. Speaking about the bill, Peter Kavanagh, Green Party general election candidate for Dublin Mid-West said: “We have 3,495 empty houses here in South Dublin County, with 198,358 empty nationwide, according to the CSO. “This number doesn’t include derelict buildings, and doesn’t measure the potential housing units that could be developed on vacant land in city and town centres, such as behind Aylmer Road in Newcastle or on Monastery Road in Clondalkin village.” Liam Sinclair, Green Party area rep for Tallaght Central, added: “We need to start bringing life back into the centre of our towns and cities. “Through installing units above shops, refurbishing derelict buildings,
and tackling land hoarding. “That’s what we’re trying to do with the Living Cities Bill. “Only 10 minutes from the centre of Tallaght Village, beside Castle Park, there are vacant sites, identified by the council, ready to go. “The aim of this Bill are simple, and have the potential to instigate meaningful change. “The bill aims to remove the minimum site size from the current vacancy legislation, which is currently set at larger than a basketball court, which rules out a huge number of sites. “This would bring far more vacant and derelict sites under the scope of the legislation. “There is a real opportunity here. The country is full of empty buildings and vacant sites. “These dwellings are pre-existing infrastructure and returning them back to a usable condition would go a long way not just towards providing more cost effective solutions to tackle the crisis, but would also be of benefit in terms of reinvigorating communities.”
the county. Cllr Looney’s motion states: “This council notes that, even if there is no increase in the net HAP paid out over the next five years, the amount will be equivalent to the building of almost 600 council homes. “This council notes that while HAP is an important emergency inter vention to keep people in homes, it is not a long-term solution to the housing crisis in this county and amounts to the subsidisation of private landlords rather than the provision of social housing.” Figures revealed at the county council meeting on Monday show that South Dublin County
Cllr Dermot Looney
Council did not complete construction on a single home in 2017. The housing waiting list stood at 8,172 applicants in December 2017, an increase of 277 in 2017. Cllr Madeleine Johansson (PBP) also called for the council to build more social houses. “The housing crisis is the most important issue facing South Dub-
lin County Council right now and it is very disappointing to see that not a single unit was completed in 2017,” she said. “This reflects the fact that the Government policy of ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ is not working, and is continuing to rely on the private market which has failed to solve the crisis. “While it is positive that construction has started on 1,148 units in 2017, this number is not near enough to begin solving the crisis that families and individuals are facing. “People Before Profit and Solidarity councillors in South Dublin County are currently looking at options for large scale council hous-
ing, including affordable housing, and will make proposals for this in the coming months.” Dublin Gazette contacted South Dublin County Council for comment on Cllr Looney’s motion but a spokesperson said that as the motion was not reached on the agenda at the council meeting, they would not comment until the debate happens.
Cllr Madeleine Johansson
Warriors' work honoured
Tony Rooney, Linda Byrne, Craig Smith, Liz Callery, Gary Desmond (Gala CEO) Mary Fagan, Stephen Fagan, Caroline Smith and Paul Ahearne
RATHCOOLE-BASED Special Olympics Club, United Warriors Football Club, became the first Special Olympics Club to be inducted into the Gala Hall of Fame. Set up in recognition of the work and effort from athletes, coaches and volunteers in Special Olympics Clubs across the country, the Gala Hall of Fame aims to highlight the good work of these clubs.
The United Warriors Football Club was welcomed into the Gala Hall of Fame by Gala CEO Gary Desmond who gave the club a ‘Gala Hall of Fame’ certificate and a gift hamper during the presentation at Gala Retail’s head office in Kill. Speaking at the presentation, Desmond said: “Through Gala’s ongoing partnership with Special Olympics and our attendance
at various regional activities and events, we have constantly been impressed with the level of commitment and effort from the athletes, volunteers and coaches from each Special Olympics Club. “Gala created the ‘Gala Hall of Fame’ as a recognition of this hard work, providing clubs with a token of our admiration for the work they do in communities.”
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OPINION | ‘CHANGES TO OUR LAWS ARE NOT AN ATTACK ON RURAL IRELAND, BUT A NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO STOP THE DEVASTATION THAT EVEN A SINGLE DEATH CAN WREAK’
‘Drink driving changes are to save lives’
“HOW much alcohol can I consume before getting behind the wheel of a car – legally?” is a question I am repeatedly asked these days. It started when I dared to suggest that people who are caught driving with more than the allowed limit of alcohol in their blood should get a mandatory three-month ban for this dangerous – sometimes fatally dangerous – offence. It didn’t seem to be a draconian suggestion. I wasn’t even changing the amount of alcohol you can legally consume before getting behind the wheel of a car. But you’d think I’d decided to outlaw Guinness or impose mandatory abstention every holy day of obligation from the reaction I got in some quarters. Somehow, a desire to save lives and reduce road traffic casualties turned into an “an attack on rural life”. It was argued that people in rural Ireland are unable to socialise unless they are allowed to break the law and drive home with a few pints on board. This, despite the fact that eight out of ten alcohol-related collisions occur in rural areas. Seemingly they weren’t the only ones to have their lives ruined by a simple change of penalty in our drink-driving laws. Priests, I was told, would no longer be able to say mass for fear of being breathalysed
on their way home. There was talk of hedges jumping out at people, fairy forts and large dinners being as much of a threat to road safety as drink driving, but the gist of the warning was clear: Ross was attempting to ride roughshod over rural life. He must be stopped! Why can’t he concentrate on the real culprits; speeding, enforcement and fixing those blasted potholes? Why can’t he just focus on people who have ten or 20 pints and leave the rest of us to enjoy our one or two – sure, what harm are we doing? The answer, of course, is “plenty”. People who are just marginally over the drink driving limit are causing huge hurt, injury and even death to others. Multiply that by all the families, friends and extended communities who are also affected and you’ll see the amount of harm that people just over the drink driving limit are doing.
Research shows us that approximately 7-8 people are killed per year at the lower alcohol levels [20082012]. The culpable party was not a pedestrian or passenger, but the driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at lower alcohol levels. That’s a lot of harm, to a lot of people. It’s hard to imagine that a sociable few drinks could cause so much devastation to people’s lives. What’s even harder to imagine is if it happened to you. How would you feel if your loved one was struck down and killed by a driver who was just over the BAC limit? How would you look at yourself in the mirror if you were the one who did the killing? Sometimes we need to hear the reality at the coalface– not from the politicians or the lobby groups – but from the experts in the field and the people whose lives have been hugely affected by these issues. ------------------------
‘Being over the limit can vary from person to person depending on many factors, including weight, food intake, tiredness etc’
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Minister Ross
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Next week I am delighted to share a space with Ray d’Arcy – who has proven a great advocate for road safety – and Donna Price, founder of Irish Road Victims Association, recently appointed to the board of the RSA and the mother of a child who was killed by a drink driver. They will be joined by Brian Farrell of the RSA and, I hope, as many of you who can come and contribute to this valuable discussion. We want to hear your concerns, your ideas and recommendations as we all work together to make our roads safer for all our families and our communities. And, getting back to the original question – how much alcohol can I consume before getting behind the wheel of a car – legally? I’m afraid there’s no hard and fast answer to that. The current law – which I am NOT changing, all I am changing is the penalty – says that you are over the limit with a BAC of 50mg. But this can vary from person to person depending on many factors, including weight, food intake, tiredness etc. Ultimately, the best guideline is: if you’re going to be drinking, get someone else to drive you home. You won’t regret it. SHANE ROSS
Minister for Tourism, Transport and Sport
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EVENTS No matter what’s happening in your area, Dublin Gazette’s
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Paul and Jenny McGann
Lisa Tuite, Alan McCarthy and Penny Delmar
Paul and Bernie Kelly
Peter and Maire Flannery
William and Deirdre Irwin, Denise and Alan Gallagher
Paul Smith, Patricia Graham, Catriona Graham, Mary Smith, John Dalton and Jack Butler. Pictures: Rob Kennedy
Dinner Dance
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UCAN Sarsfields GAA clubhouse looked fantastic last week as it was transformed to host the Annual Dinner Dance. There was a full house for the event and a great night was had by all.
Following a fantastic meal they had the obligatory raffle with a prize fund of over €500. The music for the night was provided by N&M and they had everyone on the dance floor for the night.
Michael and Elaine Wisdom, Michael Bowler
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far-ranging photographers have all the events and angles covered
N
AGARHOPE hosted a Spinathon in Supervalu, Lucan last week. Nagarhope is an independent NGO that caters for the needs of disadvantaged children in Nepal. It was founded by Lucan man Fachtna ‘Doc’ Clandillon in 2007. Doc recently completed the 20-day, 1,170km Tour de Nepal with three friends and the Spinathon aimed to parallel this. All proceeds will go to the rebuilding of Nagarhope’s school in Satikurya, north east of Kathmandu, which was destroyed by the Nepali earthquakes almost three years ago. Pictures: Simon Peare
1
Going for a spin 1. Mary McLoughlin, Trisha Dunne and Bride Ormond
2 2. Cara Clandillon 3. Tom Coppinger and Loretto Kirwan 4. Marie Fitzgerald
Top marks for ambition SOPHIE Osborne (right) from Maynooth is pictured with Ruby Clancy and Darragh Barber at the launch of the new, free, mobile messaging service Komeer, which is saving each school using Komeer an average of €5,000 per year. Once downloaded, alert messaging is unlimited and it allows the schools to send multiple messaging with no SMS costs to an unlimited number of users. Pictures: Andres Poveda
3
5
4
5. Pat Rochford and Joe Whyte
GAZETTE
12 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
DUBLINBUSINESS
ENTERPRISE | DEPARTMENT TRYING TO ENCOURAGE GREATER PARTICIPATION RATES
Engaging SMEs with the public procurement process PAT Breen – Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection – has welcomed the recent launch by Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan of a new range of materials from the Office of Government
Procurement (OGP) aiming to promote SME participation in the public procurement process. The initiative, developed in response to industry feedback, includes a series of introductory breakfast briefings, organised by InterTradeIreland, and
a range of videos explaining the procurement process. The innovation in providing additional encouragement to Irish businesses, comes at the suggestion of an SME advisory group chaired by Minister O’Donovan.
The group, containing representatives from the public sector and business representative bodies, has been working to further promote SME participation in the public procurement process. Welcoming the initiative, Minister
Breen said: “I am delighted that the OGP, with the support of this department and its agencies and key business representative bodies, has developed a suite of materials to make the public procurement process for SMEs clearer.”
Minister of State for Mental Health Jim Daly (centre) Member First Credit Union’s school liaison officer, Marie Kane, and chief marketing officer Darren O’Reilly
EDUCATION | TRAINING FOR STUDENTS
Initiative is a real credit MEMBER First Credit Union, in partnership with UnPlug, have launched a new digital education initiative with Minister of State Jim Daly, targeting ten primary schools in North Dublin. Designed to raise awareness of the impact that technology and social media have on the lives of young people, and to promote positive tech habits for children in the school setting, the initiative aims to provide them with the skills and coping strategies to have a more balanced relationship with technology and social media. Its workshops are designed to be fun, evidence-based and focused on practical steps for positive change.
The initiative is being uniquely delivered in two workshops in each school. One workshop is delivered to primary school children in 5th and 6th class, but the other is for their parents and guardians. Darren O’Reilly, chief marketing officer at Member First Credit Union, said: “We want young people to manage their technology and empower them with digital literacy skills.” Echoing his words, Member First Credit Union’s chief executive, Fiona Cunningham, said: “Modern life and the ‘always-on’ mentality is stressful and can impact on young people’s wellbeing, so we hope to see the programme adopted
across the local communities we serve in North Dublin.” As one of the largest community-based credit unions in the country, ser ving communities across north Dublin, Member First Credit Union has recently rebranded as a next-generation credit union. As a technically capable, remotely accessible credit union with a visible local presence, Member First Credit Union sees the withdrawal of banks from the main streets as an opportunity. By filling the void and offering its services across multiple platforms, it aims to become the numberone loan provider in north Dublin.
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 13
STYLE P22
TRAVEL P25
DUBLINLIFE Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week
MARVELLOUS MARTIN IS A BRAINY BOY DUBLIN Gazette has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for lost and abandoned dogs. Martin is a handsome two-year-old German Shepard that’s not just a pretty face, as he has proven himself to be a very bright spark with brains to burn. He still requires some additional training, but with his clever brain and love for food this should be an easy task. With his love for people, he’s looking to be the only dog in an adult-only home so that he can get the attention he deserves, but his potential adopters will need to be used to owning a dog of his size, and he is looking for someone that will be home during the day. If you think you can offer Martin a loving home, contact Dogs Trust at 01 879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or over on Twitter @ DogsTrust_IE.
GAZETTE
DIARY P14
A FUN FAMILY TREAT FOR MID-TERMS
It’s Butlers to the rescue to help entertain ‘chocaholics’ WITH midterm breaks looming, lots of parents will be scrambling for activities to keep the kiddies occupied. The Butlers Chocolate Experience could be a pretty sweet solution to help fill some time, as well as proving a perfect day out for chocolate lovers of all ages. On arrival at the centre at Clonshaugh Business Park, close to the M50/M1
junction (or a hop away from the No 27 bus route), visitors will dress like a real-life Butlers chocolatier and gather to watch a chocolate movie, learning about the fascinating origins of the cocoa bean and the history of Butlers, accompanied by delicious chocolate treats. With an expert guide in tow, the budding chocolatiers will explore the interactive museum and step
out on the Chocolate Gallery to see the Butlers factory, savouring the sweet aroma as they discover the secrets of how Butlers Chocolates are created. Finally, everyone gets to unleash their inner chocolatier in the Chocolate Experience room, where they can decorate their own chocolate masterpiece to bring home as a treasured souvenir (or as a tasty treat after they’ve fin-
ished admiring their own handiwork). The Butlers Chocolate Experience entry must be booked in advance, priced €13.50 per person, with tours running daily at 10am, noon and 3.30pm, Monday to Saturday (subject to change and availability) You can save 5% by booking online at www. butlerschocolates.com/ book, or call 01 671 0599.
Steady, steady ... applying the finishing tasty touch
14 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
GAZETTE
DUBLINLIFE Karen gets her teeth stuck into children’s oral hygiene initiative
DIARY
CAMPAIGN: RAISING AWARENESS OF DENTAL HEALTH
TV broadcaster Karen Koster was joined by Kate O’Riordan (age 2) to launch Dental Care Ireland’s “First Dental Visit” campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of establishing a good dental health routine from an early age. Throughout the month of March, Dental Care Ireland’s Dublin practices in Knocklyon, Cabinteely and Swords will be offering a free first dental visit to all patients under five. Speaking at the launch, Karen said: “We all know about teething and tooth fairies when it comes to our children’s dental health, but otherwise I think there can be a tendency to wait until a problem arises before
seeking advice. “At the baby and toddler stage in particular, it is so helpful to speak to a dentist and find out what you should or shouldn’t be doing to prevent potential issues from the outset.”
MACBETH TO TAKE TO THE BORD GAIS STAGE SHAKESPEARE’S legendary Macbeth will take to the Bord Gais stage for a limited run next week. The fear-filled tragedy will run for six shows, in what is promised to be a ‘kinetic and blood-thirsty’ production. Macbeth revolves around a murderous individual, his mind clouded by demons as his lust for power ignites a passion
within him to seize the throne. The show will run from February 20 until 24. Tickets are on sale now from bordgaisenergytheatre.ie, with prices from €15 to €30.
AN AMAZING COLLECTION OF ART THE Bernard Shaw, renowned as a legendary pub and flea market, will be hosting The Shaw Art Market on February 17. The art market will take place as part of the bimonthly flea market. A hipster haven on the border of the city and Rathmines, a collection of art will be available from stall holders for purchase. Running two markers a
month, the Bernard Shaw hold a vintage and flea market on the first Saturday of each month. For more information, check out thebernardshaw.com/flea.
COMPLEX TO HOST WORLD PREMIERE THE Complex will host the world premiere of Anthony Goulding’s new play F.A.T. D.A.D. from Thursday, February 15 to Sunday, February 25. The play tells the story of the profound impact a teacher and hunger striker had on his pupils in the Smithfield area during the 1980s and 1990s. Inspired by true events FA.T. D.A.D., an acronym for the six counties under British rule, depicts the
TV broadcaster and mum Karen Koster is pictured with Kate O’Riordan (age 2) at the launch of Dental Care Ireland’s ‘First Dental Visit’ campaign. Picture: JULIEN BEHAL PHOTOGRAPHY
life of a teacher, Fiachra Martin. His classroom acts as a symbol of a divided Ireland and the conflicting lives of his students. Mr Martin goes on hunger strike with Bobby Sands, and while his beliefs deepen, he finds himself unemployed and homeless. His bond with his former students however holds strong. Tickets for the show can be purchased online at a cost of €18 / €15 concession / €12 for groups of 10 or more at www.tickets. ie or by emailing bernadette@thecomplex.ie.
ROMEO AND JULIET COMES TO DUNDRUM MILL Productions will
bring their production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the Dundrum stage next week Directed by Geoff O’Keeffe this abridged version of the play is the ideal opportunity for all Junior Cert students to see one of Shakespeare’s most popular tragedies performed. The play stars Tom Moran, Laura O’Leary, Neill Fleming, Jennifer Laverty, Matthew O’Brien, Paul Eliott, Claire O’Donovan, Jack Mullarkey The play lasts one hour and 30 minutes with tickets priced at €12.50 per student (1 Teacher per 20 goes free) For bookings please see www.milltheatre.ie / ph. 01-2969340.
EVENT BOASTS DIVERSE LINEUP FOLLOWING a successful debut in 2017, the innovative SPECTRUM festival will return this coming March for a second year. S PE C T RU M 2 018 , presented by IMC, is fuelled by a diverse programme of music, encompassing jazz and creative music. From “free” jazz to electro-folk, the festival will take place across three Dublin venues – The Grand Social, the Fumbally Stables and DBD (under The Mess) - from March 9 until 11. Tickets are priced from €16, and are on sale from improvisedmusic.ie now.
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15
ARTS: CLASSIC 1950S PLAY SEES IMAGINATIVE REBOOT
This take on Anger should delight fans JORDAN UPSHAW YOUNG Irish director Annabelle Comyn has breathed new life into the 1950s John Osborne classic, Look Back in Anger. The production debuted at the Gate Theatre on February 7 and features a stellar cast who share an easy chemistry. Ian Toner is Jimmy Porter, the original “angry young man” of theatre. Tooner brings just enough charm to offset his character’s self-aggrandising speeches and malice. As Alison Porter, Clare Dunne gives a believable performance as a victim of spousal abuse while bringing a refreshing new strength to the role. Lloyd Cooney and Vanessa Emme round off Cliff and Helena, the couple’s respective best friends. Cooney brings a surprising yet welcome amount of likability and comic relief to the serious subject matter, while Emme successfully disrupts the entire plot when she arrives on the scene. However, Comyn’s fresh reinterpretation of the source material is what stands out most. Even those familiar with the
play will be surprised by this production. Through well-chosen directorial decisions, Comyn gives the female characters an agency they were previously denied. Nearly all of the stage directions from the script are narrated by whichever actor happens to be offstage. This provides a sense of Osborne’s influence; the audience can almost see him using his words to yank the characters around, often against their will. Beyond that, the characters sometimes resist their orders, waiting for them to be repeated before complying. Sometimes they ignore them completely. However, the young female director wrests power from the author and puts it in the hands of the female characters instead. Comy n has pulled off the daunting feat of changing the narrative without changing the script and staying faithful to Osborne’s story while making it her own. Look Back in Anger runs at the Gate until March 24. Tickets can be bought at www.gatetheatre.ie, or directly at its box office on 01 874 4045.
The women at the heart of this take on the well-worn play successfully bring it in a bold new direction
GAZETTE
FEATURE
16 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
EVENTS No matter what’s happening around the city, The Gazette’s
Nadia Forde, Brian Dowling and Pippa O’Connor
Lisa and Keith Duffy. Pictures: Brian McEvoy Photography
Having a ball at a fundraising event P
IPPA O’Connor Ormond welcomed a host of famous faces for the inaugural Blossom Tree Ball in aid of Temple Street Hospital at The K Club in Straffan, County Kildare. Pippa’s husband Brian Ormond was the MC for the evening with Barry Murphy on hand to conduct the auction and Brian Dowling did an impromptu blind date ahead of St Valentine’s Day. The event raised a huge amount of money to help purchase vital pieces of equipment for the children’s hospital, and many well-known faces stepped out to support the cause.
Jenny Nolan, Colin O’Shea and Rachel O’Shea
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 17
far-ranging photographers have all the events and angles covered
Ellen Jones and Conrad Jones
John and Emma O’Sullivan
Sinead Beggan and Julie Husman
Oonagh and Joanne O’Hagan
Laura Jayne Halton, Umit Kutluk and Laura Mullet
Carol Byrne
GAZETTE
18 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
DUBLINLIFE
PUZZLE PAGE SUDOKU
CODEWORDS EASY
TOUGH
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS
HOW TO SOLVE
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
WORD SEARCH
Codewords are like crossword puzzles - but have no clues! Instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number! To start you off, we reveal the codes for two or three letters. As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list. SCRIBBLE BOX
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK BACK NEXT WEEK FOR THE SOLUTIONS TO THIS WEEK’S PUZZLES
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
FIND THE FOLLOWING HIDDEN WORDS abode
location
accost
lodging
direct
pad
domicile
place
dwelling
speak to
greet
venue
hail
whereabouts
hold forth house lecture locale
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 19
How could I become more confident, like you always are? I HAVE been a big fan of yours since you appeared on X-Factor and I love your sense of positivity and zest for life. I wish I had your confidence, and I wonder have you always been so outgoing, or is it the result of your success on X-Factor? Martin, Skerries
MARY SAYS: I’M A firm believer that life is all about choices and that we all have to make choices in our lives. Sometimes the choices are straightforward and sometimes they are tough and sometimes, in hindsight, the choices we make might not be the best choices – but remember we all make mistakes in life, the trick is to learn from our mistakes. One of the biggest choices I had to make in my life was entering the X-Factor. Believe you me, I had little or no self-confidence before I chose to enter. The truth is, my family and friends had to practically drag me to the auditions and push me out in front of the judges for that initial audition! However, having overcome that fear, and having made the choice to enter, my confidence grew over the weeks that followed and I think that showed in my performances in those weeks. Conf idence breeds confidence; once you can overcome that initial fear you will be surprised how quickly confidence can grow. Take a deep breath and go for it – what do you have to lose?
My panic attacks are ruining my life – should I tell my friends the truth? I HAVE agoraphobia and suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, meaning that it’s very difficult and almost impossible for me to go out.
GAZETTE
ADVICE I keep making excuses to my friends not to go out with them, and I’m afraid they’ll think I’m a bit odd. So far I’ve kept it a secret from even my closest friends, and only my husband knows the truth. I’ve given him strict instructions not to tell anyone about this! Do you think I’m right to keep it secret, or should I confide in my cl o s e s t f r i e n d s ? I’m afraid they won’t understand, but it is ruining my life. Stephanie, Lucan
MARY SAYS: I CAN empathise with your situation, having suffered similar symptoms at different periods during my life. Firstly, I can understand you wanting to keep this a secret. None of us wants to feel odd or to admit to something that might cause people to look at us in a negative light. Confiding in your husband is a brave thing to do, but I suspect he will feel helpless in this situation. Can I reassure you that you are not alone. Tens of thousands of men and women will suffer the same symptoms at some stage in their lives. More than likely the symptoms will have been triggered by some incident or incidents in your life that you may not be able to relate to. It’s time to be brave and to face your fears. Please confide in your GP; they will understand and will no doubt refer you for specialist counselling to tease out the root cause of your fears. Once you face your fears they will lose their power over you, and you will be able to return to a happy life with your loving husband and friends. Trust me, and be brave.
I’ve been doing great with my weight loss – but how can I stick to my plan? I HAD my last child at
Is there something on your mind? Mary Byrne is delighted to offer her advice to Dublin Gazette readers; email her today at marybyrne@dublingazette.com 37, and he’s a real bundle of joy! However, I’ve piled on the weight since and I decided to follow you on Operation Transformation. I was doing really well and was sticking to the plan, but I’ve started to slip. My greatest weakness is that I’m ‘a picker’, even straight after my dinner. I love to have a biscuit or two with a cup of tea, and then I
regret it immediately! What advice could you give me to help overcome this and get back on track? Joan, Finglas
MARY SAYS: OPERATION Transformation was one of the biggest
challenges of my life. I had to face some of my biggest fears and make some life-changing decisions and break some of the habits that I had learned over a lifetime. This takes a lot of selfdiscipline and, from experience, your priorities af ter hav-
ing a child are with the baby and not with yourself. First of all – well done in sticking to the plan; this shows you do have the self discipline! As for slipping, well, I think we all like to treat ourselves, as a little reward, from time to time and let me reassure you there is nothing wrong with that. Like you, I’m a picker as well. My trick is to have something to hand to pick on that is relatively healthy. I stopped buying the chocolate and the biscuits and made sure I had sliced fruit (apples, strawberries, grapes) or vegetables (celery
or sliced carrots) to hand to nibble on. These are delicious with one of the low-fat dips you can pick up in the supermarket. In this way you can feel both rewarded and healthy. You’re doing so well to stay on track, particularly with the demands of a new baby, so don’t be too hard on yourself. The odd slip is allowed – just don’t make a habit of it!
REMINDER Mary needs you to contact her by noon on Monday, so don’t delay – send your problem to Dear Mary at Dublin Gazette today!
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 21
DUBLINLIFE
MUSIC
LET’S GO OUT MUSIC
GAZETTE
GAZETTE
20 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
O Emperor return Ready, Eddi, go! Waterford group’s new single, Make It Rain, may be a
crowning glory
PICKWEEK OF THE
FEBRUARY 16 (Friday) Eddi Reader @ The Pavillions Theatre, €22 The former Fairground Attraction vocalist has never quite reached the same heights as her early days solo. That’s through no fault of the songwriting: if anything she’s better now than in the vocalled love ditty, Perfect, that helped to make her name.
BEST OF THE REST JAMES HENDICOTT RETURNING to the scene after a break of a couple of years, O Emperor leave behind their hang-ups, delving into a free-spirited, avant garde, industryignoring new phase. The Waterford act are back, but not as you know them... When they burst onto the Irish music scene with major-label debut Hither Thither, O Emperor were a band known for their meticulous attention to detail. They wrote beautiful, haunting indie-pop songs that meandered wonderfully, every note carefully adjusted in agonised-over studio recordings. That startling attention to detail was a blessing and a curse: at times a constraint on the release of the band’s music, but creating a distinctive and much-loved sound that propelled them to national attention. In hindsight, frontman Paul Savage admits: “We needed to let that perfec-
The lads in O Emperor admit they’re slow at getting things done, preferring to wait until the music is right
tionism go and accept that at a certain point what we’ve done is actually fine. “We used to obsess over things like the exact level of reverb. Looking back, I don’t think other people really notice or care about things like that.” A f ter a couple of years away, O Emperor returned having done a
full 180. New single, Make It Rain, is the first offering from an as yet untitled new album, and the first of a series of pre-album singles set to come out over the course of a year. The band also completed their live return with first show in some time last week at Cork’s Quarter Block Party.
Savage says: “We did most of the recording two years ago, but we’ve only got to mixing now. We’re very bad at taking our time with things. “We got a notion to go ahead with it now, though, so we’ve gone ahead. We’ve gone really rough and ready with stuff. It’s actually written live; it’s just live jams. “We recorded two to three hours of us jamming and picked out bits we liked, and chopped up and constructed some bits in the edit. Then we added the vocals later, but even the vocals were kind of made up on the spot in some cases. “It’s inf luenced by things like Sun Ra, Can, and krautrock stuff, and really concentrates on atmosphere. It can actually be quite difficult to reproduce live, and it’s really radically different to anything we’ve done before.
Evolved “It’s already evolved quite a lot from the record in rehearsal and in the live
show, as it’s very difficult to actually reproduce what you did before. There are clashed notes, odd chords, stuff like that. “We’re trying to base the live show in a framework and jam around that,” he continues, “which can be hard to do, especially where you’re nervous. It’s easy to mess up on the spot, but it’s really exciting to do.” In the early days, O Emperor were signed to Universal, and looked like a serious prospect for the kind of overblown music industry success that the likes of Hozier and Walking On Cars went on to achieve. The difficulty, as Savage recalls it, was that even back then the band weren’t particularly suited to radioplay. Even when second album Vitreous was the hot favourite for the 2013 Choice Music Prize (Ireland’s national music award, eventually won by Villagers, with Awayland), O Emperor were never quite a household name. Savage says: “Being with
Universal was a long time ago, and important in the development of the band. It was short-lived but it taught us what we needed to know about the music industry and how to exist within it. “We weren’t as avant garde back then, but we were never the type for daytime radio. Daytime radio is very limited, unfortunately, and it doesn’t suit 99% of Irish bands. “It would be difficult if you really wanted to pursue things full time, but we’ve never really been at that level.” These days, it’s more about having fun, though it’s easy to get the sense that the more relaxed approach might bring about the band’s very best days. Savage sees the falseness and tepidness of the music industry for what it is, and prefers the more stress-free approach the band are taking now. He says: “We’re just enjoying playing, enjoying making music. We’ve played in Germany and the UK before, and I hope
we’ll be able to do that again, but it’s different doing it for the enjoyment.
Stressful “We found the PR stuff to be a lot of work, and quite stressful, especially when you’re spending money and feeling like you should be getting better results; that it’s not really helping you that much. “There’s an obsession with things being new, and you end up doing things like launches for international tours that are fictitious, really, as everything that’s online is available everywhere already, so you’re not really doing anything new. But from a PR point of view you need a ‘new release’. “We’re less and less interested in stuff like that, and far more focused on the music this time. If people discover our music in four years’ time and listen to it then, that’s great. That’s a nice thing.” O Emperor make their Dublin return in playing the Bello Bar on February 17. Single, Make It Rain, is out now.
FEBRUARY 15 (Thursday) Jake Bugg @ Whelan’s, €28 Brit-pop style vocalist Jake Bugg might have an air of 90s throwback, but when he gets pounding on that guitar he hammers through the fast-flowing melodies and hooky riffs. Get a close-up on this rare small-venue acoustic tour. Finbar Furey @ Vicar Street, €36.50 Wild Beasts @ Olympia Theatre, €28.50 FEBRUARY 16 (Friday) Loney Dear @ The Workman’s Club, €16 Sharon Shannon @ Draiocht, €20 Fehdah @ The Sugar Club €10 Alestorm @Tivoli Theatre, €25 Anna Mitchell + Patrick Freeman @ Whelan’s Upstairs, €12 FEBRUARY 17 (Saturday) X Factor Live @ 3 Arena, €46 Donal Dineen @ Hang Hai My Tribe Your Tribe + Cat Turner @ Whelan’s Upstairs (late show), free
Clara Rose @ The Underground, €10 The Kerbs @ MB Slattery’s, €8 FEBRUARY 18 (Sunday) Smokie @ Vicar Street, €36.50 Call Girl @ Toner’s, €6 Malojian @ Whelan’s, €13 FEBRUARY 19 (Monday) Galantis @ Olympia Theatre, €28 FEBRUARY 20 (Tuesday) Wiley @ Olympia Theatre, €26 One of the men at the absolute heart of the current thriving UK Grime scene, Wiley is a bonafide superstar set for big, big things. This isn’t quite in at the ground floor, but you won’t see him somewhere this small again in a hurry. T he Ruby Sessions @ Doyle’s, €6 FEBRUARY 21 (Wednesday) Christian Loffler @ Sugar Club, €12.50 Paradise Lose @ Tivoli Theatre, €25 Katie Gallagher @ Cat and Cage, €5
22 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
DUBLINLIFE Dune Chorizo €95
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FOR HIM River Islan d B
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WARMER… IT’S GETTING
HERE COMES THE
SUN?
River Island Bright blue Jimmy tapered leg jeans €55
River Island Stone wool blend overcoat €120
nds Isla r e Riv Round r Clea lasses g Sun €22 B G P
WINTER is (hopefully) almost over and Spring is just around the corner. As the weather gets warmer and we spend just a bit more time outside, it’s important to make sure your skin is protected from the sun’s rays. La Roche Posay have a wide range of sun products to keep you protected and moisturised. After all, a well-dressed man should have healthy, happy skin, too! La Roche-Posay is available in pharmacies nationwide.
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Cicaplast Levres (7.5ml RRP €6.50) A protective and replenishing treatment in a custom-tailored texture especially for lips. Cicaplast lips is a replenishing lip balm that creates a protective layer on lips to immediately fill cracks and prevent them from reoccurring.
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River Island Black gingham button-down shirt €33
Dune Patch in black €145
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 23
GAZETTE
STYLE
EASING INTO SPRING
and
Celebrate stripes in any which direction. The Spring/ Summer 18 Collection from River Island
Jessica Maile, Style Editor
Muted colours in relaxed styles for warmer weather. The Spring/ Summer 18 Collection from River Island
Ahhhhhh, spring... That time of year when you have no idea what to wear because the weather is so changable. It’s not unheard of to go through all four seasons in one day. Transitioning your wardrobe is easy if you just switch it up to lighter fabrics and lighter colours until River Island you work cream your way to Headquarters summer’s stamp baseball more relaxed styles. cap €17 Original Penguin T-Shirt €45
egas €75 don Fabr
Dune Lon
24 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
COMMERCIAL FEATURE
GIVEAWAY
EZ’s Melissa Casserly presents Noirin Ui Ghoill with her €2,000 voucher
A helping hand for a golden moment ... Lisa Dundon is presented with her €2,500 voucher by Lisa Halley, EZ Living Furniture
PRIZES: LEADING FURNITURE RETAILER ANNOUNCES THE OVERALL WINNER, RUNNERS-UP IN GIANT GIVEAWAY
Tipp-top triumph for one lucky customer in EZ Living’s €8,000 Golden Ticket contest THE EZ Living Furniture Biggest Sale Ever ended on a high last week with customer Lisa Dundon from Tipperary scooping the €2,500 prize as part of the €8,000 Golden Ticket giveaway. The overall Golden Ticket winner was chosen in the Clonmel, Tip-
perary Store. Lisa was awarded the €2,500 prize as part of the EZ Living Golden Ticket competition, in conjunction with the final week of the leading furniture retailer’s Biggest Sale Ever. For the entire month of January, EZ Living Fur-
niture offered customers the chance to win their furniture for free – with more than €8,000 in prizes given away. All customers had to do was simply make a purchase during the Biggest Sale Ever in-store or online to be in with a chance of winning their
furniture or accessories for free in the weekly draws. As well as receiving €50 vouchers, the winners from each store were entered into a draw to win a grand prize from €500 to €2,500 in EZ Living Furniture vouchers every week.
EZ’s Anthony Leneghan presents Ruth
EZ’s Marius presents Bobby Luiz with
Brehany with her €1,000 voucher
his €500 voucher
EZ’s Niall McMahon presents Sebastian Billioud with his €1,500 voucher
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 25
TRAVEL
GAZETTE
DUBLINLIFE TravelExtra How to keep up with the Head East for the Kardashian – by using holiday of a lifetime an SUV to zip around LA SYLVIA POWNALL THE number of people choosing to spend their holidays in LA is rising. Data from Rentalcars. com shows holidaymakers are flocking to the City of Angels to explore all the top celebrity haunts – and they want the perfect car to give them the all-American experience. Episodes of hit reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians often show Kim and her clan whizzing around LA in their SUV cars, and it seems Irish car renters want a slice of the action. Research shows 42% choose to hire SUV trucks such as range rovers and jeeps, when they’re in LA, compared with just 8% in other locations. Hiring an SUV or convertible is one way you can holiday like a Kardashian in LA, but there are a number of stops you can make on the way...
1. Carousel Restaurant – Hollywood The Kardashian sisters regularly celebrate their Armenian heritage at this old-school Middle Eastern joint. “We go once a month, and it reminds us of our dad because he used to take us here once a week for dinner,” Khloe said in an interview with Food and Wine magazine. 2. Hansen Cakes Anyone who follows the KardashianJenner sisters on Instagram knows no birthday
party is complete without a cake from Hansen Cakes. The bakery designs ornate celebration cakes for all the sisters’ big events.
3. Barry’s Bootcamp Rumour has it that Kim and Kanye head to Barry’s Bootcamp for couples’ training sessions. According to reports, the pair have been seen sweating away in the 6:30am class, so if you really want to holiday like a Kardashian, you need to be up early!
Thai’s the limit for an unforgettable break Feel like you’ve wandering into a Hollywood set as you explore some of Petchaburi’s charms
4. Bel Bambini North and Saint are the trendiest kids in celebland, and Kim has been spotted on a number of occasions shopping at this bespoke kids shop. The shop stocks designer Versace baby changing bags – for a cool $600. (Gulp.) 5. Lancer Dermatology Kim (below) has Dr Harold Lancer to thank for her unbelievably flawless skin. She hails him as her skincare guru, and he is Hollywood’s go-to expert when it comes to looking younger. The Lancer Method reverses the usual order of skin care – beginning with polishing, or exfoliation, followed by cleansing, and then nourishing. He believes that by polishing first, the result is a deeper cleanse, a more efficient d e l i ve r y of active ingredients and m o r e robust c e l l renewal.
SYLVIA POWNALL Travel Editor
IF YOU’RE planning a bespoke trip to Thailand and want to take in the best of what it has to offer, then here are a few must-see recommendations
See for yourself why Maya Bay cove is world famous
Jungle trails and waterfalls also await
Try snorkelling in Mu Ko Surin’s crystal-clear waters
1 Train from Hua Hin to Petchaburi Hua Hin is the charming coastal town where the king has his summer palace, with one of the best-loved street markets in Thailand. A stay here is highly recommended (cheap and cheerful downtown, or blow the budget at the five-star Sheraton resort on the outskirts). The one-hour train ride north to Petchaburi is a magical experience and will take you off the tourist track. Once there, the temple and architecture are worth the trip, but the journey itself is the most memorable part. The train returns at sunset and costs less than a euro. 2 Discover Chiang Kham T h i s l i t t l e - k n ow n
northern district offers scenic countryside on the border of Laos far from the madding crowd and queuing of Bangkok. Phu Sang national park is a wonderland of limestone caves, waterfalls and natural plunge pools – not to mention the rare flora and fauna, and the hidden temples such as Wat Saen Mueang Ma. A double room in the Chiang Kham Grand Villa will set you back €20 a night.
3 Trek through the jungle Less than an hour from the Myanmar border lies Pai, a hotspot for tourists keen to see Mae Yen waterfall. Wildlife will abound on the threehour walk with farmers selling fruit at stalls along the route. Your shoes might get a bit wet on the river crossings, but the views are spectacular and it’s well worth it. 4 Snorkelling at Mu Ko Surin The Surin islands in the Andaman Sea are surrounded by coral
reefs and are rated the number-one snorkelling destination in Thailand. Day trips abound, but to fully immerse yourself in the experience a stay at the campsite at Mai Ngam bay is recommended. A tr ue must-see is Suthep Bay – the country’s first underwater signposted snorkelling trail. A two -person tent costs €15 a night (nps. dnp.go.th).
5 The Island(s) The notorious Maya Bay cove was made famous in Danny Boyle’s The Beach. You can spend a night on the Maya Bay Sleep Aboard boat in Kho Phi Phi after an opportunity to explore the caves and jungle before watching the sunset with a cold beer. Snorkels are provided after dark and fresh local cuisine is served. Bedding is provided on the sand to sleep under the stars, or aboard the boat if you prefer. T he entire experience costs around €100 (mayabaytours.com).
GAZETTE
26 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
DUBLINLIFE
FEATURES
PYEONGCHANG: ATHLETES DOING THEIR BEST FOR US
Bubba and co – giving their all for Ireland QUINN KANNER DESPITE our general lack of snow and winter sports, Ireland has five athletes representing us in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang – and one of them even grew up in Ireland! Team Ireland’s secondyoungest member and only snowboarder is also the only Olympic vet on the team. Seamus O’Connor made history as the first snowboarder to ever represent Ireland at the Olympics (in Sochi, 2014) and was the flagbearer for the team this year. The Californian currently lives in Utah, but he’s eligible to compete for Ireland due to his Irish paternal grandparents. Seamus finished the Men’s Halfpipe Qualifiers in 18th place, but unfortunately only the top 12 moved forward. Our team’s four skiers include athletes living in the United States, France, Norway and Austria. Tess Arbez grew up in the French Alps and has an Irish mother; she’s competing in the Ladies’ Slalom and Ladies’ Giant Slalom events.
Thomas Maloney Westgaard also has an Irish mother and is a duel citizen of Ireland and Norway. He’s been competing for Ireland since 2016, and his Twitter bio roughly translates to “Norwegian. Competes for Ireland. Confused?” He finished in 60th place for the Men’s’ 15km + 15km Skiathlon, and in 62nd for the Men’s Sprint Classic Qualifiers. Donegal-born Patrick McMillan grew up in County Clare and went to Kings Hospital Secondary School here in Dublin. He started skiing seriously after a clerical error meant he couldn’t continue to play for the U19 Leinster Rugby team. He splits his time between Ireland and Austria, where he trains, and is competing in the Men’s Super-G, Men’s Downhill and Men’s Alpine combined. Rounding out the team is Brendan ‘Bubba’ Newby, who was born in Cork, but grew up in Utah where he still lives and works. He’ll be competing in the Men’s Ski Halfpipe, starting February 20.
Patrick McMillan getting a feel for the conditions during his downhill training for the Games
ARTS: AN EXCITING LINE-UP OF PLAYS FOR ST PATRICK’S FESTIVAL
An exploration of living in Dublin in Where We Live MARK O’BRIEN A T WO-WEEK pro gramme of theatre productions, work-in progress showings, music events and live art is coming to The Complex in Smithfield as part of the upcoming St Patrick’s Festival. Where We Live is a kaleidoscope of stories about what it feels like to live in Dublin and Ireland today, told by some of the best storytellers on the island. It investigates ideas around money, housing, migration, gender, community, the city and sex. Jenny Jennings and Phillip McMahon, codirectors of event organisers THISISPOPBABY, said: “Where We Live aims to challenge the prevailing narratives fed to us by the media, the Government and increasingly, the algorithms and echo chambers of social media. “We’re creating a kind of ‘town hall’, where discussion should be heated,
performance will be redhot, and where opposing views are encouraged. “We want to tell funny, devastating, exhilarating and joyous stories that imagine and re-imagine what our city and country could be.” Plays from Oonagh Murphy, Tara Flynn, Peter Daly (above) and Veronica Dyas, an immersive exhibition from Eamonn Doyle, Niall Sweeney and David Donohoe and a one-off concert from The High Hopes Community Choir are just some of the events to look forward to during this creative fortnight. The consequences of the financial crash of 2008 are a theme that features in several works. Veronica Dyas’ play, Here & Now (I live here now), tells the story of how ridding herself of her possessions has made her a happier person. In November 2011, Veronica travelled to the Camino de Santiago – a trip that she said changed
her life. When she returned, she came back to a house that was €100,000 in negative equity with mortgage arrears. One year to the day later, she handed her keys to an estate agent and become an unlikely and nomadic landlord, living with friends and family and slowly shedding herself all but the most basic of possessions – something she called Project Downsize.
‘Fear’ She tells Dublin Gazette: “When I came back I was just surrounded by all this stuff and what I realised was that I’d bought the house out of fear. “I’d bought the house out of shame because people were saying ‘You have to get on the property ladder, you’ll never get a house if you don’t buy now’, all that kind of stuff.” After renting out her house, Veronica contin-
ued to get rid of what she viewed as unnecessary possessions. “I started giving away my clothes. I gave all the stuff from the house to St Vincent de Paul, to charity shops, to Oxfam. I gifted specific books to specific people.” With the house currently up for sale, Veronica said that, once she pays the bank what she owes she may only have enough to “maybe buy a van to live in” and says that Here & Now aims to highlight the social policies that have impacted on generations of Irish people. Actor and chartered accountant Peter Daly’s play, Money, tries to get to grips with what actually happened on the path to, and beyond, that fateful day in 2008 when the country was plunged into recession. The play also has an autobiographical element, with Peter unafraid to reveal some of his own financial missteps. He says: “It’s me as me,
talking about money and and talking about the wider Irish economy but also my own relationship with money.” Money also explores deeper themes, asking whether success equates to monetary wealth or something deeper. “I try and cover how crazy we went during the boom and then the bubble and then the bust. “I look into what was driving us and how could we be so blind to what was almost an inevitable collapse that was coming down the line, and most of the reasons were that there was huge money to be made. “And where there’s huge money to be made, people will take big risks and when people take risks, the money gets bigger and when the money gets bigger, even more people pile in.” We Live Here runs from March 6-18, with tickets for Where We Live events on sale now from www.thisispopbaby.com.
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 27
GAZETTE
CINEMA
An iconic shot from Get Out – but will the film get the top win at the Oscars?
OSCAR LEADERS GET EVEN MORE AWARDS AHEAD OF THE BIG SHOW NEXT MONTH WITH the Oscars looming next month, the last few ceremonies by lesser known but also highly prestigious awards bodies are wrapping things up, with the Writers Guild of America just the latest to give some unsurprising nods to the clear frontrunners. Twin juggernauts Get Out, and Call me by Your Name scooped Original Screenplay and Adapted Screenplay respectively, with the biting satire on racism, and the gay coming of age tale, continuing to steamroll the opposition despite some superb competition. At this stage, it’s beginning to feel that nothing than stop the films’ total domination of the planet’s film awards – and deservedly so, as they’re both terrific – but even though the Writers awards tend to be echoed by the Oscars soon afterwards, nothing is certain. There’s a chance that the critics’ darling The Shape of Water – the film about a cleaner falling in love with a sea monster – will sweep away the top Oscars, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Television Things were less open and shut with the Writers’ television awards, with many critics still convinced that we’re in the golden age of television, such has been the remarkable calibre of shows that have popped up in recent years. From new dramas to westerns, sci-fi to documentaries, the past year has seen some remarkable work on the small screen. Dystopian but timely drama The Handmaid’s Tale nabbed Drama Series and New Series awards, while a plethora of old favourites, ranging from Curb Your Enthusiasm to Better Call Saul at least garnered awards nods in their categories.
“What you lookin’ at?” If you’ve any sense, it won’t be Cloverfield Paradox, just added in a surprise move to Netflix. Despite its high-profile cast – and Chris O’Dowd (right) seemingly playing his role purely for laughs – the film is a disappointing addition to the smash-hit Cloverfield legacy.
CLOVERFIELD PARADOX: INTERESTING GAIN FOR NETFLIX ULTIMATELY DISAPPOINTS
A monster of a mess
SHANE DILLON
REMEMBER Cloverfield? The found-footage monster film that conquered the world back in 2008, followed by an indirect but decent sequel of sorts in 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)? Well, how the mighty have fallen, because the latest addition to the Cloverfield oeuvre – Cloverfield Paradox (102 mins) – is an oeuvre-cooked monstrous mess – so much so that it’s been dumped straight onto Netflix by Paramount, rather than stink up cinemas. It’s an interesting move for Netflix, which is no stranger to original programming, of course, but has a comparatively light record when it comes to
screening original big-name films. Speaking of light, an exception came late last year with Bright, an underwhelming high-concept Will Smith vehicle starring him as a rather unpleasant cop in the ’hood teaming up with an orc partner to safeguard a powerful wand while some bad elves – oh, don’t ask, as it was anything but a magical experience. However, Paradox goes a step further, leaving viewers scratching their heads and wondering what on earth Netflix took ownership of such a troubled production for. Earth is central to the film, which largely follows a group of orbiting astronauts attempting
to fire up a McGuffin machine to create infinite energy for the planet, which is slipping into chaos below as our resources run out. Tensions are running high both on terra-firma and terraspace-stationah, with the international crew at their wits end in trying to get their science project to work, watching war break out and adding to the pressure on their spinning station. Perhaps they should have relied more on asking The IT Crowd’s Chris O’Dowd for tech support, as he’s also on board, but seemingly treating his role and the entire film as a flat-out comedy, despite the (admittedly impressive) earnestness on show from some of his fellow
cast members. So far, so ... odd, given that the first two films in the Cloverfield universe were very much set in the ‘now’, whereas this tale just feels like some near-future offshoot that, frankly, is pretty hard to relate to the giant-monster flicks that its predecessors ultimately proved to be. It’s not long before terrible things start happening on board the station, the crew start meeting grisly or unexpected deaths, and the film starts turning into some kind of mish-mash between Gravity, Sliders, Life, and Doctor Who. Believe me, that would be a better production to watch, as Paradox’s muddled tale of desperate astronauts and parallel
universes (spoiler alert there) fails to line up the easy shots that such a diverse sci-film should be able to take. It’s almost worth watching for Chris’s funny turn (there’s an unintentionally absolutely hilarious scene where his neatly-severed-yet-still-alive arm wants to write the crew a warning, with Chris playing the scene like it’s a Red Dwarf offshoot), but the end result is just awful. As such, Paradox is an early candidate for the worst-of-2018 film lists that you’ll see appearing near the year’s end. If you’re looking for a great stompy-monster show, Netflix is still home to Stranger Things, but this thing is just strange... Verdict: 3/10
MiniReviews... PHANTOM THREAD
THE 15:17 TO PARIS
50 SHADES FREED
SUPPOSEDLY Daniel Day Lewis’s final film, Phantom Thread (Cert 15A, 130 mins) would be a terrific swansong to bow out on. It’s the type of role that Lewis can do in his sleep – playing a driven character who’s far from perfect, playing a dressmaker sewing and snipping his way through one muse after another (not literally) until one woman proves more
QUIETLY slinking into cinemas comes Clint Eastwood’s latest, The 15:17 to Paris (Cert 15A, 94 mins). It’s hard to know what to make of Clint’s latest, which tells the true-life tale of how three ordinary guys leapt into action to thwart a terrorist attack on their train – with the three guys playing themselves in the roles! While their act was undeniably heroic, the
ITS two stars may have all the charisma and chemistry of a concrete breeze block and a lonely hamster, but that hasn’t stopped 50 Shades Freed (Cert 18, 105 mins) becoming a financial smash-hit. Not so much a standard film as a loosely edited collection of property and luxury porn shots with two mismatched leads stumbling through its and-then-this-happened plot,
It’s definitely sew good
It’s rail-ly an odd film
than his match. Part period drama, and part sly comedy, director Paul Thomas Anderson stitches together a sumptuous-looking film that could also see it stitching up some Oscars in March.
A hundred ways awful
trio aren’t exactly the world’s greatest actors, let’s say, and in the current climate the film’s subject matter may rankle a little. At least Clint’s latest is an interesting move by the grizzled director.
the film is an utter mess – but its fans and viewers aren’t bothered about such matters as plot, dialogue, character development, and so on. As a plus point, at least Freed is the final film in the series ...
GAZETTE
28 DUBLIN GAZETTE 15 February 2018
DUBLINLIFE
FASTNews
The Skoda Vision X urban crossover
Skoda has new crossover Vision
SKODA will present a further development of its model range, with the hybrid Skoda Vision X model, due to be released at the Geneva Motor Show in March. This is a compact hybrid SUV, which Skoda claim has been designed for an active, urban lifestyle.
Ibiza delivers fresh style with connectivity
Compact cars, now often called superminis, are all moving to petrol fuel and for good reason, especially for low mileage city drivers. The Seat Ibiza is one of the new generation city car options that have enough space for a family in a stylish fresh design, as MICHAEL MORONEY found out during his recent test drive.
The car will come with distinctive bumpers, sporty side sills, a large panoramic glass roof and 20-inch alloy wheels create a powerful look. The sharp design is claimed to be inspired by traditional Czech glasswork. The interior of the Skoda Vision X has a new wide, ergonomically contoured dashboard with freestanding colour display dominates the visual impression in the interior. The infotainment and connectivity services can be accessed quickly and intuitively via the screen. Illuminated elements made of cut crystal glass in conjunction with the colour display are designed to create atmospheric lighting effects. The new Skoda Vision X Skoda’s vision of a modern crossover. By adding a third model to the SUV family, Skoda will be expanding their range of models with a focus on the fast-growing SUV segment. By 2025, Skoda will have brought out plug-in hybrid vehicles in addition to all-electric cars. Then, every fourth vehicle the brand delivers worldwide will have a plug-in hybrid or purely electric powertrain.
Promising start for Renault Group in 2018
RENAULT Group Ireland has claimed a promising start to 2018, taking fourth place in the combined new car and van market with a 10.1% share with almost 4,500 units sold in January. The Renault Group finished the month
THE Seat Ibiza has been a pillar model of the Seat car brand in Ireland with more than 30,000 sold over the five generations of the compact car. During 2017, Seat launched their fifth incarnation of the Ibiza with claims to bring a higher quality feel to the driving experience along with refreshed design while retaining the value for money image. I’ve driven the Ibiza in the past and this new version is sharper to look at, smoother to drive and comes with new lower levels of economy. The Ibiza is in the smaller compact car market where there’s lots of competition. Despite this, it retains its distinctive look and brings together the best of the Volkswagen Group technology in a design that individual to the Spanish
Seat Ibiza Xcellence Engine 1.0 litre Engine power 115hp 0 – 100km/hr 9.3 seconds Economy 21km/litre (4.71/100km or 60mpg) Fuel Tank Capacity 40 litres CO2 emissions 108g/km Road Tax Band A3 €190 Main Service 20,000km/12 months Euro NCAP Rating 5 star (2017) Warranty 2 years Entry Price €18,745 origin brand. What’s very noticeable in the design is the Seat design full LED triangular headlights. This Ibiza design is sharper as well as being significantly more modern. The new car has higher levels of connectivity than in the past with three options of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror
Link. This brings the Ibiza into the same connectivity league of some of the bigger cars in a compact and affordable package. I found the system quick to set up and easy to use with my Apple iPhone package. I took the Xcellence version of the Seat Ibiza for a recent test drive. The Xcel-
as the bestseller in counties Carlow, Louth, Waterford,
lence is one of four trim levels in the Ibiza range, second from the top which is the FR model, so I expected to get some useful specification in the car. I was keen to evaluate the Ibiza’s compact threecylinder petrol engine in the new design. This engine is widely available in cars from across the Volkswagen Group, such as the Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo, so the Seat offer has to be at least as good. The engine is smooth and lively and rated at 115bhp and delivers good acceleration across the range of gears in the sixspeed manual gearbox. The gear change mechanism is easy with a light feel clutch in support. This is just one of three compact engine options for
the Ibiza Xcellence, there are two smaller engine power options using the same engine design, that are programmed differently in terms of ability while the price difference is not that significant and the performance value far better as you go up the power offering. Out on the road, the Ibiza Xcellence can deliver some pace, with the car achieving 100km/hr in just 9.3 seconds. You will have to work through the gears to get the most economical speed as with all modern petrol engines, so cruising at top motorway speeds can be less economical.
Mercedes-
Westmeath and Wexford. Renault Group Ireland enjoyed its most successful year so far in 2017, achieving third position in the combined new car and van market with a combined market share of 9.8% and 15,226 vehicles sold. In January, Renault achieved a 6.2% share of the car market, while Dacia took 2.6%. January saw a good start to the year for Renault Bank with €25.5 million lent to new car customers. Lending to business customers purchasing vans increased by 34% versus January 2017, indicating that the low rate of 3% APR across the Renault range is attractive to LCV customers. Dublin’s Renault dealers have attractive offers on models registered by 31 March 2018 across its Renault and Dacia PC and LCV ranges. The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March
MERCEDES-BENZ has lifted the covers off its all-new A-Class which will be unveiled to the public at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The new A-Class claims to be more ‘grown up’ and more comfortable than before. There are numerous body changes to give the new A-Class a larger appearance, noticeably a more sloping bonnet and lower, more angular headlights and grille with inset star. The car claims to have more front headroom, more rear elbow and shoulder room than the cur-
15 February 2018 DUBLIN GAZETTE 29
GAZETTE
MOTORING Fiat opens the order doors for stylish Tipo S-Design FIAT has expanded the Tipo range to include the new S-Design, a car with claims of more style and substance. The new Tipo S-Design is only available in hatchback with entry prices starting from €22,995 for the 1.4 T-Jet 120hp petrol version. This new version is immediately recognisable thanks to its distinctive wide grille with glossy black trim, which continue around the
The new Fiat Tipo S-Design
edges of the fog lights and on the
hatchback is now in Fiat Dublin
mirror caps. It also encases the Bi-
showrooms and is available to
Xenon headlights, which make their
order now
first appearance in the Tipo family. New diamond-cut 18-inch alloy
The new Seat Ibiza Xcellence model comes with three engine power options and entry prices starting from €18,745. The new models are more stylish and are underpinned by the latest in Volkswagen Group car technology.
Sticking to the 2000rpm engine speed will bring fuel savings and achieve the rated figure of 21km/litre (4.71/100km or 60mpg), in reality, the feel of the car tends to force you to drive on and that economy level will be difficult to achieve on longer drives or in city traffic. The car comes with the usual start-stop facility and although it’s lighter than some of the competition, including the Volkswagen Polo, it doesn’t achieve any better in terms of overall economy. The fuel tank capacity at 40 litres matches that of the competition, and I found that I was getting a range of almost 650km from
the full tank, which is very acceptable for a car of this size. There are more specification features in the new Seat Ibiza. The standard kit includes Front Assist safety system as standard, while Adaptive Cruise Control, Wireless Charger and GSM signal amplifier are all available as options. The new Ibiza rightly claims to have the largest boot in the segment with a capacity of 365 litres. That’s significantly bigger than the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo boots and that’s before the rear seats are folded. Usefully, the Ibiza came with a space-saver spare wheel,
which for me is always a bonus. On the safety front, this Ibiza comes with the impressive accolade of achieving a five star rating in the 2017 Euro NCAP testing programme. That’s a high rating and is based on the standard car specification across Europe, which includes Ireland. There are two ISO fix couplings in the rear and the driver protection rating of the car has improved with the new model, while the child protection rating has remained the same. The front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow an additional rearward-facing child restraint to be used in
that seating position. Entry prices for the Ibiza Xcellence models start at €20,180, which is very price competitive in the supermini league, making the car more competitive than the likes of the new Ford Fiesta, while Nissan’s new grown up Micra is keener priced for an equivalent entry model. Seat has still some useful new car incentives that might help to add to the value that’s underpinned in a car that’s firmly based around the latest in the Volkswagen Group chassis and technology. That’s what adds the extra Xcellence factor to the Ibiza new generation deal.
Benz prepares for A-Class arrival rent model. The boot capacity is also 29 litres greater than before. The car has a new dashboard design that is divided into two sections, one set above the other. The lower section separated from the other by appearing to ‘float’ before it in a three-dimensional way. The new A-Class comes with what is claimed to be an ultra-modern multimedia and infotainment system, one of whose characteristics is a capacity to ‘learn’ thanks to its use
of artificial intelligence. Branded the Mercedes-Benz User Experience, MBUX, for short, this intuitive operating experience is claimed to significantly reduce driver distraction. The new A-Class will be available with a range of new engines, including two four-cylinder petrol options of 1.4-litre and 2.0-litre capacity and a new 1.5-litre diesel with power outputs in the 116bhp to 224bhp range initially. higher performance AMG versions will follow. Transmission
options include a six-speed manual (on A220 version) and seven-speed automatic (on A250 and A180d versions). The new car comes with advanced safety systems including see-ahead camera and radar with up to 500 metres range plus many ‘active’ features now common in MercedesBenz models, including Lane Keeping, Adaptive Braking, and various Distance Control and Driver Assist systems.
tainment system, fitted with high-
wheels, tinted rear windows and
resolution seven-inch touchscreen,
body coloured handles complete
and Apple CarPlay and Android
the look. It is available in a choice of
Auto to allow drivers to access
five colours, including the exclusive
their phone’s functionality while in
new Street Grey.
the car. The new looks and equipment,
The interior has been restyled with new Techno leather and fabric
are underpinned by the nimble
seats. Double stitching on the
1.4-litre T-Jet 120hp petrol engine.
Techno leather and Airtex seats
Combined with a manual trans-
is replicated on the gear knob and
mission, it produces 139g/km CO2
steering wheel, while glossy black
while returning 6. l/100km on the
accents highlight the dashboard
combined cycle and travelling from
and Tecnico Grey fascia, which
zero to 100kph in 9.6 seconds. The 1.6 M-Jet 120hp diesel with a
spans the entire width of the pas-
manual transmission, it produces
senger compartment. The Fiat Tipo S-Design includes
98g/km CO2 while returning 3.7
some new technology as standard,
l/100km on the combined cycle and
including the next-generation
travelling from zero to 100kph in 9.8
Uconnectseven-inch HD LIVE info-
seconds.
Renault continues support for partner Pieta House RENAULT Group Ireland and its network of 28 dealerships around the country raised €5,000 for charity partner Pieta House during its recent Open Week. During this period, dealerships donated €5 for every test drive taken across the Renault and Dacia ranges, with the total amount raised matched by Renault Ireland. Renault Ireland has also provided Pieta House with a brand-new 181 Renault KADJAR for its fleet. Patrick Magee, Country Operations Director Renault Group Ireland: “We are delighted to be in a position to support Pieta House’s incredible mission, and we hope this donation will make a positive difference in the charity’s everyday work.” Brian Higgins, CEO Pieta House: “We deeply appreciate all the support from Renault Ireland over the years. We are very thankful to accept this generous donation from Renault Ireland, and all the dealers nation-
Renault Ireland recently raised €5,000 for
wide. These funds will go
its charity partner Pieta House, which was
directly to the delivery of
presented during the handover of a brand-new
our free service across the 181 Renault Kadjar by Liz O’Gorman, marketing country, helping people all manager at Renault Ireland to Brian Higgins of over Ireland.”
Pieta House
30 DUBLIN GAZETTE WEST 15 February 2018
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34 DUBLIN GAZETTE WEST 15 February 2018
SPORT
FastSport HOOLAHAN CALLS TIME ON IRISH CAREER: FORMER Shelbourne star Wes Hoolahan retired from international football this week after 43 caps for the Republic of Ireland. The Dubliner etched his name into Irish footballing history with his exquisite finish against Sweden in Ireland’s opening game of EURO 2016, while he also provided memorable assists for Robbie Brady’s goal against Italy in Lille and James McClean’s strike against Austria in Vienna. Since making his senior debut in 2008, Hoolahan had to wait another four years before earning his second cap but went on to become the third most used player under Martin O’Neill with 35 of his appearances coming within the current manager’s era. Twenty-four of his caps came in the starting team.
SOCCER: TALLAGHT CLUB AIMING TO AVOID SIMILAR SLOW START TO LAST TERM
Rovers chase sun in bid to start season in sunny style
DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com
SHAMROCK Rovers boss Stephen Bradley says his squad’s pre-season trip to the Algarve has given them an edge in their preparation for the new League of Ireland season. The Hoops were invited to take part in the week-long Atlantic Cup in Portugal, where they faced Swedish sides Dalkurd FF, Hammarby IF and IFK Norrkoping on their way to a fourth-place finish. And Bradley feels that, added to the quality of the opposition in all three games, the warm-weather training has allowed them to focus more on the tactical side of the game. “It helped us training,” Bradley told the Dublin Gazette. “We could do a lot of tactical stuff we wanted to do and not have to worry about the snow or the rain or the wind. That was a big part of why we went, that and the games. “Yeah, the standard over there was good – really
Shamrock Rovers celebrating a late cup goal against Dundalk last season. Picture: Martin Doherty
intense games, really good games. I think the lads are ready to go, but it’s always different when it’s a league game, always.” An up-and-down start to the 2017 season, which saw the Hoops lose six of their first ten matches, meant Bradley’s side were never really in
the title race as Cork City raced clear. Gelling The Tallaght native had stressed all along that his squad – which was muchchanged from the one inherited from Pat Fenlon – would take time to gel.
That showed with wins over Cork and Dundalk in the final series of games, though they lost out to the Lilywhites in both the EA Sports Cup final and FAI Cup semi-final on their own turf. With an away Dublin derby at Bohemians followed by Dundalk at home in the sec-
ond round, Bradley feels the pressure to perform early-on will create the ideal environment for his side. “I think it’s perfect. Other than Bohs at home, [games] don’t come much bigger for us. A sell-out, it’s going to be a rough and ready game. “It mightn’t be a great spectacle but we know what type of games it’s going to be and we’ll be ready for it. “In these games, it all goes out the window. It’s about the rivalry of us and them. You get out there and it’s intense and it’s hostile and it’s a strange one. “Any derby is like that around the world – they’re all the same. Very rarely is it pretty to look at.” Bradley confirmed the signing of striker Dan Carr earlier in the week, while ex-Leeds Un i t e d a t t a c ke r E o g h a n Stokes may still earn a contract. However, he was beaten to the signing of the former Liver pool defender Daniel Cleary – who spent the entirety of pre-season with his squad – when Dundalk made a late bit for the Dubliner.
Method in Liam Buckey’s ‘madness’ at St Pat’s DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com
St Patrick’s Athletic’s I an Bermingham at the Aviva Stadium this week at the League of Ireland launch
LIAM Buckley has called on his St Patrick’s Athletic side to find that little bit of “madness”’ to take them back to the top table of Irish football. Speaking to the Dublin Gazette at the launch of the SSE Airtricity League at Lansdowne Road on Tuesday, the Dubliner was in optimistic mood. A disappointing campaign last year saw Buckley’s young side battle relegation to the
very last day, when a draw away to Derry City was enough to see them to safety by the slimmest margin. Experience Experienced players like Killian Brennan and Owen Gar van, both recr uited in the summer, were key to the great escape and they’ve been retained this year. And ‘Bucko’ feels there is enough talent in his squad this year to challenge at the right end of the table and possibly for European football.
“I want my team to play as well as they can,” Buckley said. “I want them to play with desire, a bit of madness, a bit of passion – they have the ability. They need to just get on the pitch and play. “We have enough players in the squad to do well and I’m excited about where we’ll go at this moment in time.” Pat’s beat Shamrock Rovers to the signing of the defender Kevin Toner – who signs after making four Premier League appearances for Aston Villa. Along with former Rov-
ers wingers James Doona and Dean Clarke, there’s a healthier balance of youth and experience this time around. Enough for Buckley to sound a note of cautious optimism ahead of the league opener as double winners Cork City come to Richmond Park for the first time since a dramatic 4-2 defeat in October. “Bring on Cork on Friday night – they’ll be a good test for us. They are league and cup champions” he said. The tie gets underway in Inchicore at 7.45pm.
15 February 2018 WEST DUBLIN GAZETTE 35
GAZETTE
FIRSTDivision
UCD consistent picture amid a flurry of change DAVE DONNELLY
AMID all the change in the First Division with the introduction of three new teams and the shift to a ten-team league, UCD have been a picture of consistency. Having fought off interest from Drogheda United for manager Collie O’Neill, the only real change has been Under-19 league-winning coach Ian Ryan replacing Evan McMillan as his assistant. Winger Simon Power – a peripheral figure last year – has moved on to Norwich City but captain Gary O’Neill has opted to stay, as have the bulk of last year’s squad. And Dubliner Ryan feels that consistency will serve them well as they chase promotion back to the top tier for the first time since 2014. “It’s probably the best squad I’ve seen there with the strength of the 20-22 players we have,” he told the Dublin Gazette. “It’s all scholarships this year. Everyone in the first-team squad is on a scholarship – we don’t have any outside players. “Ideally, we’d like to win the league, yes, but we’re there to develop the players and for them to realise their potential.” A short trip down the N11 in Cabinteely, there’s been much change as senior figures Jason Byrne and Daire Doyle have left for coaching posts. Strikers Ryan Swan and Gareth McCaffrey have moved on to Bohemians and Drogheda respectively, while former captain Victor Ekanem has also joined the Drogs. Last year’s First Division player of the year, Marty Waters, remains with his local club, however, and Pat Devlin’s side will look to kick on from last season’s best-ever sixth-place finish. Ireland Colleges & Universities star Joe Doyle and Dean Casey will provide competition up front, while Conor Earley scored twice as Cabo pushed Dundalk all the way in a 4-2 pre-season defeat. The club have announced they’ve allocated season tickets to all of their schoolboy players and managers. The total value of season tickets being given away exceeds €50,000. All tickets are packaged and ready to be collected by the manager to distribute to their players ahead of the start of the 2018 season on Friday, February 23 ahead of Wexford at Stradbrook.
Bohs playing Long game on eve of new campaign Gypsies boss taking different approach with the hope of reaping rewards in 2018 despite a tight budget with evening trainings with a squad willing to take some leaps of faith DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com
KEITH Long believes his Bohemians squad for the forthcoming League of Ireland season is stronger than at the same point last year – when the Gypsies went on to finish fifth. Bohs kick off their Premier Division campaign on Friday with the biggest game of them all – the Dublin Derby against fierce rivals Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park. And the Dubliner says he’s got more strength in depth at his disposal than he did 12 months ago – despite losing firstteamers Fuad Sule and Warren O’Hora to league football in England. Combative mid-
fielder Sule has moved to London to join up with League Two Barnet while the classy defender O’Hora signed a threeand-a-half-year deal with Premier League Brighton. Speaking at the launch of Bohemians’ underage partnership with schoolboy nursery St Kevin’s Boys – former club of internationals Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick – Long said he will continue to have faith in young players. “I think I’m happier than I was last year,” he said. “There’s more strength and depth to the squad than this time last year and the reason why is we’ve got a lot of games midweek and that will take its toll over the course of the season.
“Whether we’re stronger than last year... a lot of people would have had misgivings about us coming into the start of the season, but things evolve, things change. “We brought a lot of young players into the squad and we’ve got some young players into the squad again this year, so who knows? We’ll see. Pre-season can be phoney.” Long has looked both inside and outside the league to strengthen with Kevin Devaney returning having starred despite Galway United’s relegation and JJ Lunney moving from St Patrick’s Athletic. Irish under-19 internationals Darragh Leahy and Dylan Watts are also in situ at Dalymount,
Leahy signing from Coventry City and ex-UCD midfielder Watts on loan from Leicester City. After new signing Ryan Swan was struck down with a pre-season knee ligament injury, Long says signing another striker would be nice but, with a tight budget, it’s unlikely. “It’s ver y difficult to find a striker at this moment in time. We’ve got restrictions in terms of what we can bring in budget-wise, so we’re looking for a striker but it’s easier said than done. “ L o a n m ove s a r e options but it’s easier said than done, particularly when they’re coming from full-time clubs, because we’re part-time, albeit that we’re training as some of the full-time
All the League of Ireland teams gather for the new season which start on Friday evening. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
clubs. “We train at night and that can be difficult to try and persuade fellas that are coming from a fulltime set-up to take a leap of faith coming with us. “We believe what we’re trying to do with the players is as good as anything that’s around the league but trying to convince them to take what they perceive as a step backwards is difficult.” Midfielder Ian Morris – who is also the club’s youth development officer – believes Bohs can kick on from last season and challenge for Europe in the reduced ten-team league. “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. Obviously with 12 teams, the player pool is bigger. “Going down to ten teams, you’re nearly getting all the top players, the better players, into ten teams. I think the league is going to be a hell of a lot stronger this year. “The tempo in our training is extremely high, the standards we set, and any of the players that come back into us now, that’s the first thing they say. “Sometimes the socalled top clubs in the league don’t like playing against us because we’re so intense and we like to get on with the game. “We’re hard to play against, and that’s what we’ll be looking to do again this year, upset teams and if we want to play, we can play.”
GAZETTE
36 DUBLIN GAZETTE WEST 15 February 2018
SPORT
MEN’SHockey
ATHLETICS: LUCAN CLUB RECORD SERIES OF DUBLIN INDOOR TITLES
Glens grab yet another late point to stay clear SHANE O’Donoghue’s late penalty corner earned Glenanne another late point as he fired home a rocket of a penalty corner for a 2-2 draw against Cork C of I that sees them end the weekend with their seven-point lead at the top of the men’s EY Hockey League intact. It was a rip-roaring affair from start to finish with both sides committing to aggressive counterattacks that saw the game swing from end-to-end. A couple of minutes into the second quarter, the Glens were in front when Joe Brennan’s long ball picked out Shannon Boucher who arced his run and passed to Gary Shaw whose reverse found its way into the goal. C of I argued forlornly for a back-stick decision with Andy Gray shown a green card for his protests. The lead lasted just 60 seconds, however, as Mark Gallagher slapped over Walker’s shoulder from the right baseline, a cracking finish for 1-1. C of I went close to taking the lead when O’Donoghue was serving a yellow card suspension with Brennan having to save off the line. The Dubliners did run up three more corners in the first half but found no way through, keeping the scoreboard level at half-time. Cork started to notch corners of their own in the second half and from their fourth one, John Jermyn showed serious power to plant the ball into the bottom corner. He tried again soon after but Walker saved well as C of I kept coming. When Walker was beaten, David Keogh covered superbly to take another effort off the line to keep the scoreline within range. They took full advantage of that reprieve when they won yet another penalty corner which O’Donoghue fired home for a share of the spoils.
The Lucan Harriers, Under-15 girls relay team, left; Colm Munnelly, right, at the Donadea 50k
Harriers relay success sport@dublingazette.com
LUCAN Harriers’ juveniles put in a series of gre at pe r form ances, landing many medals at the Dublin indoor championships held at the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown over the weekend. On Friday night, there was success in the relays star ting with bronze m ed al s i n th e b oy s Under-11 relay with three teams competing in this category and two reaching the final. The success continued with the Under-13 and Under-15 girls relays who both took gold in their races with the 15s providing one of the most thrilling wins of the weekend, coming from
fourth to first on the third leg. On Saturday on the individual front, Hannah Moriarity won gold and Christvie Lunganga won the silver medal in the Under-14 sprints. Kate O’Connell won bronze in the Under-15 60m while Maggie Jez brought home the silver in the 600m. On Sunday, Saoirse Fitzgerald won gold in the Under-12 600m, Ella McGrath took silver in the Under-10 60m, Alison Bracken took bronze in the Uner-11 600m and Killian O’Connor bronze in the Under-12 long jump. There was further success in the shot putt with Saoirse Fitzgerald taking gold in the Under-12,
Eoghan O’Connor taking gold at Under-13 level, Hannah Moriarty taking silver in the Under-14 and Cian Gavin winning silver in the Under-12 boys contest. Elsewhere, two Lucan Harriers headed to Donadea Forest for the annu-
al 50k. James Nealon ran sub four hours to come home in 3.59.36 in 27th place and Colm Munnelly finished in 4.48.43. Up north on Sunday, Helen McGinnity travelled to Newry to take part in the Dune Cross Border Half Marathon.
The Lucan Harriers Under-11 boys team
This Marathon starts in Newry and ends in Dundalk and, this year, took place in very cold weather conditions with sleet and snow adding to the challenging conditions. She completed the Half Marathon in 2.04.50.
15 February 2018 WEST DUBLIN GAZETTE 37
GAZETTE
SOCCER: ANDY NOONAN’S SIDE GO CLEAR AT THE TOP
Bluebell United’s Tony Griffith battles for possession. Picture: Deryck Vincent
Bell ring up big win in Killester goalfest LSL SUNDAY SENIOR Killester United Bluebell United DAVE DONNELLY
2 5
sport@dublingazette.com
BLUEBELL United move four points clear at the top of LSL Sunday Senior with a thrilling 5-2 win over second-place Killester United at Hadden Park on Sunday morning. Goals from Gary Seary, Shane Stritch, Sean Byrne, Gareth Cooney and a first for the club for Ireland international Jason Byrne saw the Red Cow side to victory. John Brophy and Josh Mullen scored for the home side, who battled throughout but were exposed on the counterattack time and again by the ruthless visitors. It was Killester – who would have gone top with a win on their home patch – who took the lead after 20 minutes when Brophy nodded home from a setpiece delivery. Bluebell could have equalised within two minutes when Sean Byrne – who recently returned
from Newbridge Town following Dean Ebbe’s departure for Wales – missed from close range. The Bell did level on the half-hour when interplay between the front three saw the ball sit up for Gary Seary, who slotted past the keeper from ten yards. Five minutes before the break, the visitors took the lead as Stritch showed strength to hold up the ball centrally and worked himself a shooting opportunity. Killester started the second half strongly and put the Bell goal under siege, but another break saw Stritch square for Sean Byrne to tap in his second since returning in January. Referee Daniel Murphy – who was excellent – awarded the home side a penalty but keeper Andy McNulty got down brilliantly to his left to deny Stephen Chambers. The hosts did bring it back to 3-2 with ten minutes remaining when Mullen converted following a goalmouth scramble. The Bell remained lethal on the counter, however, and Cooney
stuck home a fourth after his initial volley was saved before Jason Byrne added the gloss from three yards in injury time. “The scoreline definitely flattered us,” Bluebell manager Andy Noonan told the Dublin Gazette. “It was a 50/50 game but, on chances created, it could have finished 8-3. Killester went for it and we shut up shop as best we could. “When we broke, we had pace and a bit of guile as well. We looked like we were going to score every
time we went into the Killester half.” The result leaves Bluebell four points clear of Killester and eight clear of champions St Mochta’s with 12 games left. “Nobody wins anything in February. It’s looking well but I’ve been there the last three years where we’ve won two in a row and lost the last on goal difference. “Killester, Mochta’s, Crumlin, Pats CY – a lot of teams are capable of catching us. You have to just stay focused.”
IRISHU-17s
Clarke and Corcoran in Irish U-17 panel with European ticket target SHAMROCK Rovers’ Kian Clarke and Cherry Orchard’s Jimmy Corcoran have both been named in Colin O’Brien’s Republic of Ireland Under17 side in Turkey this week for a pair of international matches. The double header will act as the final preparation for March’s UEFA European Under 17 Championship Elite Round. O’Brien’s side will travel to Poland for games against the hosts along with ties with Georgia and Macedonia. The top two sides will then qualify for May’s Finals which will take place in England. Turkey come into the games off the back of Elite Round qualification while they also impressed in 2017, making the semi finals of the European Championships and qualifying for last October’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in India. Ireland Head Coach O’Brien feels the games this week will be the perfect preparation ahead of the crucial Elite Round. “This is a big opportunity for the players. This is our last camp before the Elite Round next month and they are two important games for our development,” he said. “Turkey are always formidable, they bring a high tempo game and will be a big test for us. The two games will be a challenge for everyone. There are places in the team up for grabs. We have had a home based event and a UK based event in preparation and watched plenty of players so competition for places is very high.” Prior to the move to an Under-17 age bracket, the competition O’Brien’s team compete in was known as the Under-16 European Championship. 2018 marks the 20th anniversary of Ireland’s famous win in that tournament, a squad that Liam Miller was a key member of. With the sad news of his passing this week, O’Brien paid tribute to his fellow Corkman. “The past week has put everything in perspective,” O’Brien lamented. “Liam Miller was an inspiration to many players, he won the Under-16 European Championship with Ireland, and if the current crop of players can go on to have half the career Liam did they will be doing very well. “On behalf of the squad and management team I would like to pass on my very sincere condolences to Liam’s family and friends at this very sad time,” he added.
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GAZETTE
38 DUBLIN GAZETTE WEST 15 February 2018
SPORT
FASTGAA
FOOTBALL: AFTER SERIES OF NARROW MISSES, SILVERWARE THE CLEAR AIM
Boden’s footballers open year with goals galore GOALS galore lit up the opening rounds of the boys football season for 2018 at Ballyboden St Enda’s with the Under-13 fourth team, pictured above, netting a massive 11-4 against Na Fianna’s 6-4 in their grading league at Collinstown. The Under-16A side started their season with a win over arch rivals Kilmacud Crokes, nicking a one-point win 1-14 to 3-7 at Sancta Maria. They Under-14 Division 4 crew came unstuck in another southside battle, playing out a lively 5-8 to 8-7 scoreline with Cuala in Cherryfield but the Under-15 Division 1 side were comprehensive 6-10 to 4-5 winners over Skerries Harps, again on home turf. The Division 4 Under-15 side were narrowly defeated in a close run derby at St Anne’s, missing out on a 1-7 to 2-3 result. The biggest scorers were the Under-13 Division 6 side, scoring 14-13 against St Anne’s, conceding just a single point.
Jude’s to lose nearly men tag AFL1 PREVIEW JAMES HENDICOTT
sport@dublingazette.com
ST JUDE’S have been the nearly men of Dublin football in recent years, and going into this year’s season, the message coming out of the club is a simple one: they want to be the nearly men no more. “The mantra for this year is ‘something has to change’,” coach Gerry Carty tells the Dublin Gazette ahead of the AFL 1 opener, citing last year’s semi-final defeat against Vincent’s as a particularly harrowing moment. “It’s hard to play well in the championship if you don’t play well in the
league, you can’t just flick a switch,” Carty says. “It’s a chance to bring in some minor players who get an opportunity to play. Ciaran Doherty has been attracting the interest of the Dublin management, and played in the O’Byrne Cup, as did Seamie Ryan. They’re ready.” “We all have the impact of losing players,” Carty says of star man Kevin McManamon’s regular outings with the county. “I remember in the past Kevin, who’s an integral part of our squad, coming back from playing in Kerry on Saturday night to play for us in Rush on a Sunday morning, so he’ll do everything he can for
St Jude’s Kevin McManamon . Picture: Niall O’Connell
the club. If he’s allowed to play, he’ll be there. But obviously that’s not every time. Every club has the same problem. “The schedule is a big challenge,” he continues. “I think it’s a positive move to have the group stage in the championship that guarantees if you can win one game early in the season, you’ll still have competitive football into September. The players give it all to get ready for the championship so it being over with a single off game isn’t right. This
rewards them with at least three games in the championship.” Jude’s will be all about strategy this year, though, with Carty focused on ways to turn around those ‘just short of glory’ recent seasons. Carty – who has a background in basketball – is looking at kick outs in particular. “Let’s say there are 23 of them in a game,” he explains. “They’re critical to possession and to the final score. If you can turn over 25% of the other
teams, and keep your own, you’re very likely to win. “Our thing will be going that bit further, and our key is just hard work. We’ll treat every game the same, work hard, and then the skills will come in thereafter.” Jude’s open their season against impressive opposition in Na Fianna, a club Carty is convinced are on the up due to their strong record at minor and age group levels. The pair get underway at Tymon North at 10.15am on Sunday morning.
CLUB NOTICEBOARD
BALLYBODEN ST ENDA’S
WELL done to Ballyboden St Enda’s players Michael Darragh Macauley and Colm Basquel and the Dublin football team on their win over Donegal in the National League. This year’s signature fundraiser is the very popular and tremendously enjoyable Broadway Challenge which will take place on May 18 in Citywest Hotel. This is a superb opportunity to be involved in a truly enjoyable experience, meet new friends, learn a new skill but most of all have great craic. If you’re interested, please contact any of the people on the poster below and get your name in early. Congratulations to our very own Olivia Meagher on her Dublin U-16 player of the year award. On Saturday, Febraury 24 the senior hurlers are having a Breakfast Morning in the club from 8.30am to 12.30pm. The Boden News Annual 2017 is now available in the club, it’s a great look back on the year with reports, pictures, stories and much, much more! Pick up your
copy today - it’s free!
GARDA/ WESTMANSTOWN
LEAGUE season is upon us with both intermediates and juniors in action next Sunday, February 18 both in away fixtures. Inters travel to Donabate to take on St Patrick’s in Division 3 with a 10.15am throw in and juniors go to Bushy Park to play Rathgar Gaels with a 12pm. Midday start. Training continues this week at Westmanstown on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm. Minors preseason continued with a challenge against Ballyboden St Enda’s. First league fixture on February 25 at home to St Anthony’s. Ladies train on Mondays and Wednesday at 7.30pm and on Saturday morning at 8am in the Garda Grounds in the Phoenix Park. Minors had run out against Erin Go Bragh on Sunday and the U-14s play Scoil Ui Chonaill away next Sunday starting at 3.15pm. Juvenile season starts on the weekend of February 24/25. All club members are reminded
membership is now due and may be paid online at payments. gardawestmanstowngaels.com. Registrar Marco will be available on Saturday mornings to take cash or cheques and Garda members can sign the weekly deduction form. First fundraiser of the year takes place on Friday, February 23 when the ladies section holds a table quiz at Westmanstown starting at 8pm. Table of four costs €40. Why not put a team together to support our ladies teams and have a fun night out as well? To enter, contact Julie Kavanagh. The National Club Draw is now closed and thanks to all who supported it and especially Paul Curtis for organising. Hopefully, we’ll have a few winners when draw takes place. Looking a little further ahead the annual golf classic is pencilled in for Thursday, June 7 at Westmanstown; a bit away but never too early to think about teams, tee boxes, sponsors etc. Willie McGee and his team have already declared their intention to defend last year’s title! Davy Cryan continues to fade away on Operation
Transformation and Walk For Davy continues every Monday night at 7.30pm in Westmanstown where young and not so young can burn off the last of the Christmas excess. Despite the poor weather, lots of juvenile action last week with several teams in action. U-16 Boys lost narrowly to Fingal Ravens in their league opener, the U-12As had a great 5-7 to 0-2 win over St Mary’s Saggart; the U-15 boys won against St Peter’s by a point, 2-4 to 0-7; the U-14 boys beat St Sylvester’s and the U-14 girls beat St Brigid’s by 5-8 to 2-9. Well done to all our juvenile players, their coaches and mentors. Congratulations to Ethan Kenny, Eoghan Healy and Luke Fagan who represented their school in the Go Games in Croke Park during the interval of the Dublin v Donegal National League game. Well done boys.
LUCAN SARSFIELDS MEMBERSHIP is now due for 2018. All details on website. The U-15A footballers backed up last week’s away win with another great win away from home vs St
Pat’s Donabate. That’s two from two. Some good results across CCC2 with U-13A+B and U-14B all recording wins. Well done to Liam Garrigan, Joey Dunne and Jack Behan who played for the Dublin Colleges teams recently. Also, Lucan players Matthew Dunne, Colm Walsh, Evan Dowling and Colin Behan who togged out for Dublin Minor hurlers down in Cork. Congratulations to our club members Garry Beagan (Cathaoirleach Minor) and Martina McGilloway (PRO) on the ratification of their positions on the new Dublin camogie executive; we wish them and the new chairperson Jenny Byrne all the best for the year ahead. A Supreme Day of Supreme Racing: The club formally launched the Lucan Sarsfields annual Race Day in conjunction with Leopardstown Racecourse; we are delighted to offer a super afternoon of Supreme National Hunt Racing with the best seats in the house, a four course meal with wine in the 1888 suite, a professional tipster, a Prosecco reception in the club, a return bus, and a chance to meet and greet
some of our Dublin Stars both past and present. All proceeds go towards club development; to book your place today, contact Joe (086 815 4635), Jim (086 238 7585) or Ronan (087 699 8572). Golf Society: The golfing season starts in a few weeks on Saturday, April 21. The outings for the year are below. The society’s AGM for 2018 is Monday, March 12 at 9pm in the clubhouse. We invite all golfers to attend. 2018 Outings: Saturday, April 21 Kilcock Golf Club; Saturday, May 19 - Moyvalley Golf Club; Friday, June 15 - Annual Classic Lucan Golf Club; Saturday, July 21 - Castleknock Golf Club; Saturday, August 18 - St Margarets Golf & Country Club; Saturday, September 8 - Captain’s Day Tulfarris Golf Club. Our Captain for 2018 is Seamus Fagan. If you would like to play in any of the outings or know someone who does then please contact Seamus at 086 8168984. New members are always very welcome. The club bar is looking for volunteers to assist with the rota; it might be good for students looking to gain experience, or
15 February 2018 WEST DUBLIN GAZETTE 39
GAZETTE
LADIES FOOTBALL: FIRST CROKER WIN OVER CORK
FastSport
Carey inspires Dubs
NATIONAL LEAGUE DIV 1 Dublin 3-9 Cork 1-14 JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com
THOMAS Davis’s Olwen Carey made another impressive performance in Croke Park as Dublin’s ladies footballers their third successive league win, their first success against the Munster county at the venue. Like Dublin, Cork went into the contest unbeaten with two league wins from two, and the Rebelettes made a powerful start, with Eimear Scally putting away a penalty just two minutes in. The tide turned quickly and, after ten minutes of rapid points exchanged, Carey smashed home after she got onto a pass from Noelle Healy, making it 1-3 a piece. Healy was playing a starring role, in fact, with much of the Jackies best play rout-
ed through the marauding forward. She was again at the heart of the second three-pointer for the Dubs, as she charged through the Cork defence, before teeing up Carla Rowe on 16 minutes to complete the early turnaround, and put Dublin in front 2-3 to 1-4. The game calmed a little going into the break, with the consistent Orla Finn and Healy doing the damage at either end, and the Dubs going in two points up at 2-5 to 1-6. Clinical Carey was back into the action straight after halftime, grabbing her second goal and Dublin’s third, this time with Sinead Goldrick a key architect as Dublin looked to have put the contest to bed early. Cork can never be taken for granted, though, having won ten of the past 12 All Ireland titles, and while Healy and Rowe briefly extended Dublin’s lead to a
substantial eight points midway through the half, it was Cork who would end the game on top. Finn and Ciara O’Sullivan, plus a series of kickable frees for the visitors had the home side on the defensive, and with Dublin having failed to score for the final 15 minutes, Melissa Duggan’s chip over the bar very nearly dipped the other side of the crossbar and had it done so - would most likely have handed Cork the win. Frees from Finn and Scally brought about an exciting end to the contest, and Dublin will have some ‘saved by the bell’ concerns as a period of being overrun was put to and end with the home side still holding the narrowest of leads. Cork are a big scalp, however, and a 3-9 to 1-14 win in their first league game at Croke Park is another step on what’s becoming an impressive streak.
BODEN’S BASQUEL BRILLIANT IN BLUE: BALLYBODEN St Enda’s Colm Basquel scored 0-4 as Dublin’s senior footballers continued their perfect start to the national league campaign. Templeogue Synge Street’s Eoghan O’Gara also weighed in with a point in the 0-20 to 0-15 win over Donegal at Croke Park, making it three wins from three. Jim Gavin’s side led by six points at halftime before Donegal made a big comeback in the second half. But two Colm Basquel points, one a free, steadied the Dubs and they duly pulled clear with O’Gara’s late point augmented by Ciaran Reddin and Paddy Small, younger brother of John. Leah Caffrey in possession . Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
CLUB NOTICEBOARD
maybe to meet more members, full training provided. Anyone interested can leave details behind the bar. Club shop is scheduled to open Thursdays 7.30-8.30pm and Saturdays from 10.30am to 1pm. 25 Card Drive continues every Friday at 9pm. Caters for all levels, beginners welcome. The Cúpla Focal club is on Mondays from 7.30pm to 9pm. Bingo is on Wednesdays at 8.30pm Lucan District Credit Union Academy is on Saturdays, 9.30am for girls and 10am for boys (5+). Last week, there was no winner of the €19,000 lotto where the numbers were 6, 13, 19 and 24. This week’s €19,400 lotto draw will be managed by Cormac Gordon and is sponsored by Feargal McCarthy, Painter and Decorator. Tickets can be purchased online, at the club, in Carey’s Newsagents, in Vesey Arms or Kenny’s Bar.
ROUND TOWER, CLONDALKIN
THE inaugural Eugene Garrigan Memorial Tournament will be played on Thursday, February 22, with a Round Tower football
selection playing the Irish Prison Service at Monastery Road at 8pm. It will be followed by a benefit night in the club in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation with live music from Billy Sullivan. Round Tower golf society outings for 2018 are now listed on our website. New members welcome for the year ahead. The club disco is this Friday, February 16, 7.30pm to 9pm, for fourth, fifth and sixth class pupils. Admission €5. Bingo every Tuesday night in the club. First call at 8.30pm with the jackpot being €1,000 for a full house if checked within 54 numbers. Otherwise, €20 for a full house. All-in €2 to buy in. Game usually €90 to €150. Round Tower lotto (February 5): jackpot - €2,000. Numbers drawn were 1, 10, 14 and 21; bonus ball was 25. No overall winner and no bonus ball winner. Three €100 winners: Doreen Brunkard, Gaa 4 Ma’s, Kathleen Delaney. Thank you to all who support our lotto.
ST MARY’S
ADULT leagues return for 2018 next weekend, weather and pitches
permitting, Seniors play St Anne’s in Saggart on Sunday, 10.15am throw in and the juniors play St Margaret’s in St Margarets ,also on Sunday, 12 noon throw in. Membership for 2018 is now due. Rates are adult player €130, third level student player/non-playing/ associate €70, juvenile €50, senior citizen €20, family membership €175. Membership can be paid on-line at https://www.myclubfinances. com/memberships_cart_m.asp… or by clicking on the Blue “Shop Now” button on the Facebook Page or contact Siobhan Moran in the clubhouse beat every Monday evening 7-8pm. Lotto numbers drawn this week were 11, 21, 23 and 24. There was no winner so next week’s jackpot remains capped at €8,000 with a €2,000 Roll-over. There were two Match 3 winners of €50 each, Nancy Andrews, C/O Colly Andrews and Ellen Drewitt, Verschoyle, Saggart. Next week’s Match 3 will be worth €100 win/share. You can now follow the LocalLotto link on our Facebook page to play Lotto online.
ST PAT’S PALMERSTOWN
OUR juvenile presentation is on this Sunday afternoon, February 18, in the Pobalscoil at 1pm. Sam Maguire will be there and all are welcome. Congratulations to Grace Conlon on her selection for the Dublin academy camogie squad, and Rachel Walsh who was selected for the U-14 development squad. Well done to our U-16 footballers who had a good win over Kilmacud Crokes on Saturday. Membership is now due for 2018 and can be paid on-line at https:// www.stpatricksgaa.ie/onlinememberships The Peil Óg programme for girls aged eight to 13 years continues in the Kings Hospital on Monday evenings at 6.30pm. All welcome. Operation Transformation, in partnership with Waterstown Warriors and sponsored by SuperValu Palmerstown, continues in Glenaulin Park on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7pm. Our junior academy train on Monday nights from 6-7pm in the Pobalscoil Sports Hall. Training
on Saturday is from 10-11am on the all-weather pitch at the clubhouse. The academy caters for girls and boys four years and over or who will be starting “big school” in September. Contact James on 087 6821582 or Denise on 086 1591268. Our U-7s girls and boys teams train on Monday evenings from 6-7pm in the Ballyfermot Sports Hall (behind the St Patrick’s GAA clubhouse). New members always welcome. Contact Denise on 086 1591268 (girls) or David on 087 7422646 (boys). Our lotto numbers this week were 6, 15, 20 and 29. There was no winner. There were four Match 3 winners – Denise Mullins, M Staunton, Noel Brady and Susan Ward. The jackpot next week will be €8,200.
THOMAS DAVIS
THE weekend saw the start of our juvenile leagues take place. Well done to the U-16, U-15,U-14 and both U-13 football teams who all won their games and are off to a great start. Well done to all the other teams who comepted over the weekend from U-8 to U-12.
Adult football league gets back into action this weekend with the senior footballers home to Ballinteer Sunday morning at 10.15am. The intermediates travel to St Fininians of Swords, throw in at 10.15am, the junior A team travel to St Vincent’s for a 12pm throw in while the junior B team host Ballyboden at 2.30pm. The minor hurlers start their league at home Sunday morning at 11am against Castleknock, best of luck to all the teams competing. The 2018 training schedule is now available from your section head or from Kevin Lydon; please accomodate all teams on the Astro when grass areas are off. Membership is now being collected in the club and can be paid in the clubhouse or to Philip Kavanagh, Noel Blanchfield; they will be in the club between 7 and 9pm, Tuesday and Thursdays. Club lotto was not won, numbers were 3, 13, 15 and 18. The jackpot is €2,250. The club would like to offer it condolences to the Taylor Family on the passing of Des, The Carroll Family on the passing of Aidan and the Murray Family on the passing of Trisha.
GAZETTESPORT
ALL OF YOUR WEST DUBLIN SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 34-39
TOP OF THE TABLE: Bluebell produce the goods at Killester to put the pressure on in Sunday Senior P37
FEBRUARY 15-21, 2018
LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: GazetteSport previews the Dublin club’s LOI hopes P34-35
Thomas Davis’s Ciaran Farrelly shoots under pressure from St Brigid’s Sean Egan in last year’s championship. Picture: Niall O’Connell
Davis’s faith in youth Kiltipper club continuing to put trust in local talent as they look to take on the big boys in AFL Division One which gets up and running on Sunday
AFL DIVISION 1 PREVIEW JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com
A YOUNG Thomas Davis side are raring to get stuck into this season’s AFL1, with the expectation of once again building on a young side by blooding players that have been around the Dublin development squads, and targeting a strong start. Senior football manager Paul Kelly told the Dublin Gazette he believes his side are well prepared for the trials of Dublin’s competitive top tier, having had an extended break since late August. And that while the Tallaght club have struggled to draw in the same influx of out-of-coun-
ty players as some of their rivals, they have plenty to offer. “The quality in Division One of the Dublin league speaks for itself,” Kelly told us ahead of the opening game. “The quality standard overall is fantastic and, as Skerries Harps going down last year showed, there really are no easy games. The top teams in the league could probably play at Divisions 3 or Division 4 of the National League. It’s usually a very tight margin between finishing in the top six and being at risk of relegation.” Thomas Davis started extremely strong last time around, sitting in the top four of AFL1 into June before fading due to problems around young players that would be familiar
to plenty of clubs. “We have a young panel, and we lost a few players to the States over the summer, so we really struggled with the last seven or eight games,” Kelly recalls. “We don’t have quite the draw of players from outside of Dublin that some other clubs in the area have, which is surprising given our facilities. “In the 80s and 90s, we had a lot of players from outside Dublin joining us, but now we’re almost entirely local. “But we have a great juvenile section that’s producing a lot of young players,” he explains. “Of our panel of 30, maybe 18 have come through in the last three of four years, and we’ll be adding more from the age groups to that this time around.
“When it comes to playing the biggest Dublin clubs who you actually come up against, a lot is just luck of the draw, who is released from county duty and all that. You never really know what to expect. But we’ve been back since early January and we’re ready. “We’ve been working away quietly, getting rid of some niggly injuries and taking a bit of time out. It’s a long season, especially with the early fixtures brought forward a couple of weeks, but with the addition of two or three minors and under-18s to the panel, we should be strong.” Thomas Davis get their AFL 1 campaign underway with a game against newly promoted Ballinteer Saint John’s at Kiltipper Road, at 10.15am this Sunday morning.