The Cork News 02/01/2015 by The Cork News

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Action on Cork Airport a priority in 2015, says Mayor By Maria Tracey maria@thecorknews.ie

The Mayor of County Cork has called on the county and the entire region to “galvanise itself ” in 2015 to counter declining passenger numbers and reductions of routes at Cork Airport. Speaking to The Cork News, Councillor Alan Coleman said that action to restore competitiveness is needed immediately. In recent months, concern has mounted for the airport’s future due to debt and the axing of a number of routes. In November a “Save Cork Airport” Facebook page was established to lobby politicians as a “matter of urgency” to save flights from Cork. “It must become a major political issue in 2015, that we

get action on it the way the same way that Shannon got action,” said Cllr Coleman. “It is very clear Fáilte Ireland is doing a very good job in marketing Ireland internationally but we need routes into Cork to get our share of that growth. “With the number of routes lost in 2014, we’d be very concerned about 2015, and that Cork is not getting the international numbers in. We got a lot of ‘stayactions’ last year in Cork, but we’re not getting enough of the international market. People want to land relatively close to where they are going to holiday, that’s just the feature of tourism nowadays. As a region, we need to be driving the airport issue and getting political action.” Head of communications at

Cork Airport Kevin Cullinane told The Cork News: “Every effort must be made by our key stakeholders to work with us to grow inbound tourism and enhance connectivity to the south of Ireland via Cork Airport for business and leisure tourism. It’s vital that everyone with a genuine interest in the future of Cork Airport works with us to open up new markets and routes from Germany, central Europe and Scandinavia which are underserved or unserved currently”. “If airlines are to sustain routes at Cork Airport they need their customers to fly from Cork,” he emphasised. Conor Healy, Chief executive of Cork Chamber, outlined there’s “no doubt there is a lot of concern around the future of the airport”. continued on page 2

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thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

Index

Shalom

Editor’s letter Well, the festive season is drawing to a close and the new year stretches out before us, full of hope, optimism and possibilities. 2014 was a contentious year in Cork and, of course, some of the close–to–the–bone issues from last year will continue to cause controversy as we move full steam ahead into 2015. Issues such as the ongoing displeasure of Corkonians with the new water charges signed into law by President Higgins over the Christmas period, or continuing problems with the provision of social housing and tackling Cork’s homeless crisis. More will remain, but we’ve inherited a city and a county to steward for the coming 12 months which are, in many ways, in better shape than they were this time last year. More of us are returning to work, more of us can have a glimmer of hope for employment here at home after we finish our education, Cork’s high–tech jobs market especially has had glad tidings, and the city and county are cleaner and greener than they have been in a long time. A bumper Christmas season for our traders, publicans and hoteliers has buoyed up not only the local economy but our spirits too, renewing our faith in our ability to put our heads down and drive on through even the toughest of times which, assuredly, the last six years have been. Between pre–Christmas sales and revelry, the post–Christmas sales rush, and all the parties, dinners, lunches and good old–fashioned “meeting up with the lads for a drink and a laugh” up to and including our New Year’s celebrations, we may have lightened our pockets a tad (and given Cork’s economy a boost it hasn’t seen for six years) but it’s fair to say that, for most of us, our hearts are lighter too as we now hunker down for a January full of new year’s resolutions (whether they’ll be kept or not is a different matter, though you can see some great tips for sticking to the most common ones — “I am going to lose weight, eat better, and get fit and healthy” — in our Fitness section on page 58), plans, and recouperation. There’s no denying, however, that Cork had its fair share of misfortune and tragedy at the end of 2014 too, not only with well–publicised Christmas thefts in the city centre but with a profound tragedy in Cobh which has touched us all deeply. Our thoughts are with, and will remain with, everyone who has been affected by a deeply, deeply sad occurrence on Great Island. The enormous outpouring of grief and the huge swell of support for a family and their friends and neighbours has reminded us that even at the happiest of times great tragedy can befall us, and even in the darkest of times and in the bleakness of utter despair we come together and rally around to cherish and to protect and to do our best to help. None of us can think on such a dichotomy without a pang of grief, nor without wanting to join hand and heart to do whatever we can to try to ease the suffering. This week’s edition of The Cork News, then, is not only a prospective looking ahead to the year that awaits us but, here and there, a look back at some aspects of the year just gone, which has shown us just how well and how quickly we Corkonians can grasp the tiller as soon as we’re out of the doldrums. The new events centre, lots of new jobs with more on the way, continued foreign investment in Cork, a year more packed with festivals and events than ever before, newly refurbished areas of the city and Cork’s towns and countryside with works ongoing in others, continued sporting triumphs to build upon, joy, elation, controversy and, inevitably, contention and grief all lie ahead of us through another year. We may not know what 2015 will bring, but we can promise you that The Cork News will be here with you for all of it. Happy new year, everyone! Acting Editor

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Miriam and Michael Logan at Shalom Park for the last night of Hanukkah seeing ‘the ninth lamp’ alight for the last time until next year. As is customary, the lamp remained lit for 30 minutes after sunset. Picture by Claire Keogh

Additional Park & Rides sought for Cork City Three additional Park & Ride facilities for Cork City need to be operational once the much–touted new events centre is opened at the site of the Beamish and Crawford brewery, says Cork’s Lord Mayor, who stated there will be “chaos” without the facilities. Councillor Mary Shields

outlined that Park & Rides to the west, east and north of the city are now “long overdue”. She stated that with Heineken/BAM’s plan to build a €53m, 6,000–seat arena at the former Beamish & Crawford Brewery site there will be “chaos” if parking and traffic measures are not implement-

ed: “In my view, we cannot possibly cater for the four or five thousand people coming for concerts,” said Cllr Shields. “We have to provide a facility for bussing people in,” she continued: “We have done it successfully in the Black Ash site, which is also great for

people working in the city. “Now we need three more Park & Rides immediately. We are pussyfooting around too long, talking about them in the other three areas on the city, but it’s not happening. We need to tackle that, and tackle it quickly,” she said.

Action on Cork Airport a priority in 2015, says Mayor continued from page 1 “There is significant need for government to engage seriously in discussions around the future of Cork Airport,” said Mr Healy. “We’re awaiting the revised National Aviation Policy, where we called for in our submission a greater focus on the strategies for the future of Cork Airport from a government policy

perspective. It will need investment and direct financial support from government to ensure that Cork Airport has the ability to compete with other airports for new business.” Mr Healy added that emphasis also needs to be placed on people of the region to lend their support for the south east’s primary airport: “The future of Cork Airport, to some extent, is in both the

hands of the business community and wider community, combined with significant support from government to ensure the airport has a strong future.” The argument for further investment at Cork Airport is bolstered by high tourism figures for 2014, indicating that the lucrative tourism industry is on the verge of returning to its previous levels. 2014 saw more than seven million

visitors bring over €3.6 billion into Ireland. West Cork features as part of a major incentive by Tourism Ireland in the United Kingdom, where photographs of Eyries formed a wrap of the Daily Telegraph newspaper and have been seen by more than 1.2 million people. The same campaign, which also highlights the Wild Atlantic Way in west Cork, will continue in Europe and the United States.

To contact the editor: editor@thecorknews.ie 4 Carey’s Lane, Cork • t: 021 4252255 • e: info@thecorknews.ie • w: thecorknews.ie

thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

He’s got Bette Davis eyes!

Don’t get smished in 2015 A new campaign has been launched to help consumers stay safe as bargain hunters go into overdrive online in the post–Christmas frenzy, buying and selling unwanted gifts or newly–replaced items. Most popular at this time of year are cars, clothes, mobile phones, furniture and bikes. Crimestoppers, An Garda Síochána and Ireland’s main online classified websites; Adverts.ie, BuyandSell, CarBuyersGuide, Carzone and DoneDeal have collaborated to produce guidelines which will lower your risk of being scammed or cheated or — potentially even more damaging — having your data phished from your computer or even smished from your smartphone via text or instant message. The best tip is to be on your guard and never trust unsolicited texts, e–mails or messages but, if you can’t resist the January buying bug then the following guidelines will help keep you, your cash and your information secure:

1. If possible, insist on face– to–face contact with the person you are buying from or selling to; this can reduce the likelihood of dealing with someone involved in illegal activity. 2. When carrying out a transaction, make sure you meet people in a public area; preferably somewhere that has CCTV cameras. 3. If someone wishes to pay by bank draft, meet them at the bank so that you can verify its authenticity before handing over the item for sale. 4. Make sure you get to meet the person selling or buying the item themselves, and not a person acting on their behalf. Take their photo if possible. 5. If you have any concern about the bona fides of a buyer or seller — a “something’s not quite right” feeling — do not go through with the transaction. 6. If you suspect that a buyer or seller is engaging in illegal activity, call your local Garda station as soon as you can.

The Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation in conjunction with the Banking & Payments Federation of Ireland offers the following advice to prevent these types of crimes:

of sensitive information or makes payment instructions should be treated as potentially suspect. • If you receive payment instructions via e–mail, enhanced checking procedures should be implemented. • Ensure that all calls/e– mails from strangers seeking potentially sensitive information of any kind are handled with appropriate caution.

• Always ensure your Antivirus software is up to date and capable of scanning for malware and all known virsuses, trojans and worms. • All inbound calls/e– mails that seek any kind

A Cork yoga instructor aims to be The Voice of Ireland as the show returns for a fourth season this weekend. John Sheehy (28), originally from Carrignavar but now living in Cork, will be standing in front of the trademark red revolving chairs this Sunday, January 4th at 6.30pm in the hope

that stalwarts Kian Egan and Bressie or one of the new coaches, The Saturdays’ Una Foden and S Club 7’s Rachel Stevens, will spin around for him. The winner of this year’s competition will secure a recording contract with Universal. “I sang Bette Davis Eyes by

Kim Carens in the blind audition and it was the most amazing experience of my life,” John told The Cork News. “All four coaches were shocked at my appearance and didn’t place the voice with the image. “The reason I entered was to have experiences like that. I have always loved performing and being in The Voice has

allowed me to perform again.” John stated that shows like The Voice of Ireland are “what you make of them”: “I think some people have very unrealistic expectations from these competitions, personally I take it as it comes and regardless of the final outcome, it has been an incredible experience,” he said. “It has rekindled a love and passion for music and performing in me, and that seems to be a consensus from speaking to others at the blind audition. “That makes a positive impact on the music scene in my opinion a great avenue for musicians.”

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2 January 2015

New schools for Cork in 2015 Four of the five new secondary schools which will be built in Ireland this year will be in Cork, alongside a new special school and half a dozen new primary schools. One of the new Cork secondary schools will be located in Carrigtwohill, two in Carrigaline, and a fourth in a city south–suburb location which is still to be announced. Construction is also scheduled to start in 2015 on Sonus Special School in Carrigaline as well as six new primary schools across the county. Last year saw the completion of two new primary schools in Mayfield and Kinsale. There is also ongoing construction at new post–primary schools in Buttevant and Skibbereen, as well as three primary schools

in Glenville in north Cork. “We have a pressing need to provide new schools and major extensions so as to continue to meet the accommodation requirements of our growing school–going population” said education and skills minister Jan O’Sullivan. 2015 may even see construction projects earmarked for the next few years for Cork brought forward, as projects scheduled to begin building in the future will be assessed to see if they are ready to go to construction earlier than planned, and if there is financial scope to do so. Details of the progress of all major projects listed will continue to be maintained and updated on the Department of Education’s website, education.ie

“We have a pressing need to provide new schools and major extensions.” including Douglas BNS, Kanturk BNS and Gaelscoil An Ghort Álainn, while a replacement school is currently being built for Scoile Mhuire

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2 January 2015

Waste not want not Householders and businesses across County Cork are being asked to “Do One More Thing” in 2015 to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, to boost recycling rates and to prevent food waste. The call has been made as part of a public consultation on a new plan that sets out a framework for waste management in Cork and nine other counties in Munster and Leinster between now and 2021. The Southern Region Waste Management Plan, which is one of three being developed in Ireland, seeks to assist and support the community and local business sector to develop resource efficiency and waste prevention initiatives. The plan is aiming for just a 1% reduction per annum in the quantity of household waste generated per capita, a recycling/ reuse rate of 50% and the elimination of the direct disposal of unpro-

“As natural resources deplete we will have to reuse, repair and recycle more.”

cessed residual waste to landfill from next year onwards. “What we do with our waste will become increasingly important in years to come. As natural resources deplete we will have to reuse, repair and recycle more,” explained Pauline McDonogh, Regional Waste Prevention Co-ordina-

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tor, Southern Waste Region. “The draft waste management plan aims to move our management of waste from a traditional disposal model to a circular economy model so that waste becomes a future resource or raw material. “Householders, businesses and even schools can kick-start

this process by visiting southernwasteregion.ie and learning how they can directly play a role in boosting household and commercial recycling rates and reducing the level of waste sent to landfill.” By doing one more thing, householders all over Cork can make a huge difference to the

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2 January 2015

New homeless group for Cork The local story of a homeless man’s donation of a euro coin to Pieta House has spurred the setting up of a voluntary group to donate and deliver food and clothing to homeless people across the city, having gone viral on the Web at the end of last year. Majella Cremin and John Murphy have established Croí, which they say will expand and grow throughout 2015. The group was established after Majella’s father was collecting for the suicide and self–harm prevention charity Pieta House on Patrick’s Street. He noticed a homeless man begging in the doorway close by, and, conscious about not intruding on his patch, her father moved a few metres up the street. After a half hour, the man approached Majella’s dad and asked which charity he was collecting for. He then reached into his paper cup and donated a euro that he had been given. Majella had previously cooked for a food run which was organised by John and his friends, and she decided to contact John on the back of her father’s story to organ-

ise another food run. “It really touched me,” she said. The intention was to “leave it as a once-off ”, however, after Red FM uploaded Majella’s story to their Facebook page in December she told The Cork News the “reaction was phenomenal”. “We thought ‘this is something that could take off ’,” she said. Majella explained that Croí is still in its “infancy stage”, but she has consulted with assistant director of Cork Simon, Aaron O’Connell. She stated that the “main requirements” at present for those homeless on the streets of Cork are still warm clothing and sleeping blankets. “We are overwhelmed by the offers of volunteers,” said Majella. “So our intention is to go forward in the new year, to grow and continue assistance throughout the year and not just for Christmas. It just seems many people were touched with the homeless crisis and wanted to help and donate, but just weren’t sure where to start or who to contact. Croí was the answer.” For more details see “Croí” on Facebook.

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thecorknews

2 January 2015

The Green, Midleton, Co. Cork T: 086 8471747 30 Doughcloyne Court Ind. Est., Sarsfield Rd., Wilton, Cork T: 086 4466804

thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

Hook uncorked The admonition to play fair doesn't just apply to players and officials, says George Hook: what sort of example does it set for young members of sports teams when adults freely hurl abuse at not only the referee and the linesmen, but at them too? george@thecorknews.ie In the run up to Christmas, the GAA launched a recruitment campaign to try and attract more referees into hurling and football across the country. During December, GAA President Liam O’Neill rallied the troops and issued a public plea aimed at boosting the numbers of volunteers in refereeing at all levels within the association. The push to recruit new faces came amid increasing concerns at the dwindling numbers of referees in certain counties across the country, where the GAA had been struggling to replace retiring officials with younger volunteers. The declining numbers must have been a cause for serious concern in the GAA, such was the enthusiasm which greeted their recruitment campaign. “It is fair to say that there is an ongoing requirement for new referees in our counties and this campaign should see an immediate swelling in referee numbers”, O’Neill said at the launch. The ‘Think You Can Do Better’ campaign was cleverly marketed, appealing to the have–a–go heroes you often come across at matches; loud, boisterous types, generally fond of roaring advice at referees, or the armchair fans sitting at home and screaming at the goggle box in frustration. Former inter–county players were also highlighted as a major target. Under the terms of the campaign, the new recruits were promised a place on a revitalised Club Referee Training Course starting in February, with ongoing training and mentoring thereafter. The GAA said it was confident that volunteers would not be in short supply. Initially, I could see how the idea might have appealed. The prospect of getting hands–on experience within the GAA, coupled with the

“I have heard stories of children refusing to play on the wing in a soccer match for fear of getting shouted and roared at by adults on the sideline.” opportunity to oversee the development of the game at local level and the potential to climb the ladder to inter– county standing is not something to be sniffed at. Throw in the added personal benefits that come with training to the required standard of fitness, as well as the social aspect of engaging with the community in one of Ireland’s treasured pastimes, and you might well ask: where is the down side? But dig a little deeper and the negatives soon become clear. Any sense of fun that might be had from getting involved in a local club and the goodwill from volunteering one’s own spare time is far outweighed by the levels of vitriol and intimidation that

come with the job. The shocking reality of refereeing at any level in Ireland in 2015 has to be seen to be believed. Referees need skins like rhinoceros hides to ignore the frequent abuse and anger from the sidelines. In reality, it is of little surprise to me that the GAA is struggling to attract new faces into the game. This problem does not confine itself exclusively to the GAA, of course. Abuse of referees and indeed players is a problem in almost every team sport across the country and parents at underage matches are among the worst offenders. The shouting and roaring that goes on at some of the under–10 games around the country would not be out of

Elegance in

ThE ciTy

place in a gladiator battle at the Colosseum. I’m talking about grown adults abusing referees at a kids match on a Saturday morning. Thankfully, many referees have the good sense to ignore it all, but the screaming and shouting is as just bad for the kids themselves. What does it say to a bunch of young children that grown adults are incapable of restraining themselves from hurling insults at an underage match? Is that any kind of example to set for kids? Personally I have heard stories of children refusing to play on the wing in a soccer match for fear of getting shouted and roared at by adults on the sideline. Or little boys who are too afraid

to seek out the ball during a game of mini rugby because of the abuse they might get if they make a mistake. If the GAA or any other sporting organisation wants to attract new faces into their games, they might start with offering more protection for the current crop of officials. How does any sporting group expect to persuade young men and women to give up their time and volunteer if all they see is abuse and intimidation towards the ones that are already in place? The message must come from the top. The scenes at last years All Ireland football semi–final where a grown man was allowed onto the pitch at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick to remonstrate

with the referee during Kerry’s win against Mayo was nothing short of a disgrace. The man in question, far from being vilified and reprimanded afterwards, was held up as some sort of local hero for his actions. Again, what kind of message does this send out? Competition in all forms is very healthy, but the rules and controls that come with it must be respected. It says little of Irish society in 2015 that grown men and women would shy away from volunteering their time for an extremely worthy cause because of the levels of intimidation and abuse they would expect to receive for it. There is nothing fair or sporting in that.

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thecorknews

2 January 2015

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thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

A Vision of loveliness

A one–off documentary exploring the musical tradition of shape note singing, which originated in the deep south of the US and has found its way to Cork in recent years, will be aired early next year. The Sacred Harp Singers, who gather in the city every Thursday to sing from the book known as The Sacred Harp, will feature in the documentary on RTÉ Lyric FM’s The Lyric Feature today, January 2nd, at 7pm. Based on notation that does not require any previous musical experience or knowl-

edge, the Cork group has grown since its inception as a class in UCC in 2009. One by one, each singer goes to the middle of the room and leads a song from the book. In the 50-minute radio documentary, The Lyric Feature producer Ciarán Ryan will meet Sacred Harp singers from Cork to find out what attracts them to this type of singing, and also encounters the international singers who visit the city annually to sing and socialise with their Corkonian counterparts.

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Shaping up for a song in Cork

A ray of light will shine in the Cork Vision Centre @ St Peter’s next week, as it begins its 2015 Capital of Culture 10th anniversary exhibition programme with LUSHÈ – Evolution of Light. LUSHÈ - Evolution of Light is the striking combination of the vision of Neil Murphy and the driving force of Ariadna Vallcorba Belsa, who between them have fused their life passions into various creations. Based in Cork, Neil Murphy works on transforming space, to create tactile experiences by fusing light, design and ancient wood. Ariadna Vallcorba Belsa is Catalan, bringing with her a unique sense of self and feel for quality typical of people from her part of Spain. LUSHÈ - Evolution of Light will be launched by Minister for European Affairs and Data Protection, Dara Murphy TD, next Friday (January 9th) at 6pm in the Cork Vision Centre @ St Peter’s, North Main Street, Cork.

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thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

Reddy, steady, go... 2014 was a big year for Neil Prendeville. He made the move from 96FM, where he had been a presenter since the 1980s, to rivals Red FM, sharing the morning line–up with a returning KC, who left the midday slot at Today FM to move back to Cork. Neil’s stalwart production team of Emer O’Hea–Martín and Colm Moore also made the switch to Red FM, as did a large portion of Neil’s enormous listenership; the presenter regularly attracted well over 100,000

Presen Be B

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listeners each morning while with 96FM. “To an extent it’s like going back years,” Mr Prendeville told The Cork News. “We have to build an audience again. It’s been very exciting, as has working with new people and adapting to a new environment. But we’ve done what we set out to do, tenfold. We hit the ground running with some amazing stories, both heartbreaking and heartwarming. We’ve managed to pull in a much broader listener profile, which has given

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us a much wider breadth of a potential audience.” When asked if he has any particular stand–out memories of his first nine months at Red FM, Neil identifies the campaign to fix the Shandon Clock as “a big one” but, he says, there’s been “lots of sadness too; lots of people suffering because of health cutbacks and unemployment. Radio is great to tell a story and to get it out there, and then the greater public just comes to someone’s aid. I love that. It’s reaching out, almost becoming a conduit.” The presenter singled out Emer and Colm for particular praise, noting that it wasn’t an easy decision for them to make the move from 96FM to Red FM either. “Emer and Colm have been brilliant” he said: “They put in ridiculously long hours and they do incredible work. It’s like anything that’s new that you’re building; it’s a lot of hard work. What I do on air may seem easy and it may

“We hit the ground running with some amazing stories, both heartbreaking and heartwarming.” Neil Prendeville

seem seamless but they put it together and make it seem smooth and I run with it.” Also speaking to The Cork

News, Red FM’s CEO Diarmuid O’Leary said everyone at the station is “delighted that Neil joined” and noted that

the process of improvement which began with Neil’s arrival and the return of KC is ongoing: “We were pretty confident in advance that his arrival would result in a big listenership increase,” said Mr O’Leary, “and his first six months have proven very successful across the board. We’re also delighted that a large number of Neil’s loyal audience came with him, as well as that the station continues to gain a new audience across the county. We’re trying to get new angles on stories that that excite the people of Cork.” “As the public continue to ‘vote’ for us by listening and engaging and acknowledge all that good work, we’re going to continue working for them. We’re very pleased by the reaction, but it’s early doors yet and we’re committed to sustaining that quality. 2015, for us, is about delivering on that, and to continue to have fun, entertain and inform,” concluded Mr O’Leary.

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thecorknews 2 January 2015

thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

The Cork News photo of 2014

By Lorcan Mac Muiris editor@thecorknews.ie

As always we’ve had some outstanding photography gracing the pages of The Cork News in the past 12 months, whether it was of

great sporting achievements or great sportspeople or new and beautiful perspectives on Cork, both county and city. We’ve had shots full of action such as those covering the water protests, or those which documented the perpetual human drama

of the Rebel County such as our cover shot on September 19th, which was taken at the height of the protests at the Kinsale Road Accommodation Centre. I very nearly chose that particular shot — which of course you can see online at thecorknews.ie —

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to fill this page but in the end it was just pipped to the post by Darren Forde’s brilliant image featuring comet 67P/ Churyumov–Gerasimenko and our own beautiful city by the Lee. November saw the world’s interest in the comet, and the

tiny probe which travelled hundreds of millions of miles to land upon its surface, overake even Kim Kardashain’s bottom in internet popularity. Rosetta, the washing machine–sized box of sensors we launched into the heavens to make first contact with the

surface of one of these ancient denizens of the solar system, took its place as one of humanity’s premier scientific achievements, even though it only functioned for a short time as it came to rest in shadows too deep to power its sunlight–dependent systems.

thecorknews 2 January 2015

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Same old story for Cork’s renters The main issues facing renters in Cork are illegal retention of deposits by landlords, rising rent levels, and the increasing risk of homelessness says Threshold, the national housing charity. Niall Horgan, Services Manager for Threshold in Cork, said: “Over the past decade, Threshold has helped over 209,000 people across the country with their housing problems. One of the key issues affecting those contacting Threshold in Cork has been deposit retention, and this remains a persistent problem for tenants. The most common reason for landlords retaining deposits was alleged damage above normal wear and tear to rented properties. Where cases for deposit retention were taken to the Private Residential Tenancies Board, however, all or part of the deposit was returned in the majority of cases. Threshold strongly believes that there is an urgent need for the introduction of a deposit protection scheme.” There has been a steady increase in rent levels in the southern region, particularly in Cork city. Average rents rose by 6% last year (Daft report 2014), but tenants also

“One of the key issues affecting those contacting Threshold in Cork has been deposit retention, and this remains a persistent problem for tenants.” approached Threshold in situations where their landlords were seeking an increase of over 10%, and in some cases as high as 20%. “The increases in rent and the shortage in rental accommodation

more generally have made the situation even more acute for people in receipt of rent supplement. It is proving almost impossible to find properties that fall under the maximum rent limits set by the Department of Social Protection,” said Mr Horgan. As reported in The Cork News last month, the numbers of homeless people in Cork continued to rise through 2014. In 2012, Threshold opened the Access Housing Unit, a new service aimed at combating homelessness in Cork. In conjunction with the Cork Access Housing Unit, Threshold supported tenants, who for a number of reasons including illegal eviction, invalid notice, and rent arrears, were faced with losing their homes. Threshold advisors intervened with landlords and letting agents to resolve problems and to find solutions that allowed tenants to remain in their homes, directly supporting a total of 353 individuals. Threshold’s Cork office is based at 22 South Mall and can be contacted by telephone on 021 4278848, or you can send an email to advicecork@ threshold.ie.

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thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

Playing with matches Professional matchmakers and dating agencies say they noted a surge in demand for their services in Cork over Christmas, as thousands of the county’s singletons searched for romance for the festive season. Lonely hearts turned to introduction sites in their droves in a bid to find the perfect partner, bumping up figures to round out a year where matchmakers were already busier than ever before. Feargal Harrington, who runs Intro Matchmaking, a personalised nationwide service, said enquires from Cork were up 40% from the norm over December and remain high. However, he warned would–be clients that they would be turned down if they were unrealistic both about themselves and in their expectations from a partner. He said: “We’ve been in operation since 2011 and December was probably

“Nobody will be interested in a bloke who’s had a few too many and becomes sleazy.”

the busiest we’ve been. The phones were hopping, with people leaving messages

through the night. “The Christmas period heightens the emotions and

it’s because of the added sense of loneliness people feel if they are single and the

increased pressure they’re under to meet someone that we got so many calls.

“But we only take people who are genuine and who are looking for a long-term partner. We’ve turned away a lot of people in the past whose expectations are too high. “Some guys can be a bit delusional and think they look like Brad Pitt. And likewise if we hear from women who only want to meet a doctor or a lawyer or someone who has a flashy car, we run a mile from them.” Harrington, whose service boasts a one-in-four success rate in terms of lasting relationships and arranges 100 introductions every week, says the key to success is for singletons to be honest, level-headed and have a grounded opinion of themselves. A piece of stock advice is always to go easy on the booze. “The social scene is still very drink-fuelled in Ireland, but nobody will be interested in a bloke who’s had a few too many and becomes sleazy,” warned Feargal.

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2 January 2015

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thecorknews

News

2 January 2015

Daytripper We caught up with some of our favourite Daytrippers from 2014 and asked them what their plans are for the year ahead. “We’re setting up a new ‘Fresh from West Cork’ pod in Bradleys on North Main Street in early January, and then doing the same in several more shops during 2015. I’m also building the ‘Independent Ireland’ political movement, which is developing real solutions to overcome the challenges Ireland faces. I’m hoping everybody will get behind rebuilding Ireland, producing more food and energy, developing community co-operatives, funding indigenous businesses, becoming much more self-sufficient, and strengthening our nation with a shift from old style politics to one of truly democratic, independent thinking, common sense policies which help every person, and one that supports the land, water, and air that supports us. One of our sons starts secondary school. Hopefully they both continue to enjoy their wonderful friends, sports, school, and their idyllic life that is west Cork!” Farmer and Alone in Cork City Facebook blogger Walter Ryan-Purcell “I’ve street painting trips to Colombia and Madagascar in the spring and an extended stay in the summer in the States, preparing for my first ever solo show at CAVE Gallery in Venice Beach, California. There’s nothing else planned but lots more travelling and painting are guaranteed!” Urban artist Finbarr Notte aka Fin Dac “2015 for me will represent a time of reflection, to reflect on the year gone by and to grow as a person. With 2014 being the toughest and most challenging year by far for me, I’m looking forward and hoping for brighter

Interviews by Maria Tracey Picture by Rob Lamb system like perhaps an online voting pass where the entire nation vote on everything. If we mess it up at least we did it. Well, until the apes take over.” Comedian Ross Browne

“If we want, we can all achieve anything despite the obstacles.”

days… and continuing to complete wishes on the bucket list I composed when I was diagnosed (with EhlersDanlos Syndrome). As I have ceased my public campaign I am looking forward to focusing on my health, wellbeing and spending time with family and close friends. I am also hoping to secure employment. Despite the illness I suffer, I’m as motivated as ever to return to work. 2015 will also be the year I finish my Diploma in Social Science and I am looking forward to receiving it. It will remind me that if we want, we can all achieve anything despite the obstacles.” Motivational speaker Aimee Foley (pictured)

The main thing that I’m looking forward to in 2015 is getting married to my fiancée SarahJane. We’re getting married in September in Kenmare so hopefully the weather will be good! I’m also aiming to retain the Irish National Duathlon Championship title in 2015 for the third year in a row. In relation to my running, I’m hoping to break 31 minutes for 10km along with breaking 15 minutes for 5km. Duathlete Cathal O’Donovan

“After a demanding 2014, I am starting the year as I mean to continue: with a holiday! There are lots of exciting projects lined up so it looks like I’ll be kept busy for most of the year but I’m not allowed to say what they are yet. I am looking forward to getting back into the gym, at the moment I am googling new fitness regimes but most of them involve getting off the couch, so I’m not sure about those ones. So, 2015, I’ll see you an intense detox and raise you many ridiculous new years resolutions. It’s on!” Comedy writer and actor Hilary Rose

What I am most looking forward to in 2015 is competing in the Wheelchair rugby European B Championships, which are being held in Prague in April. Hopefully after finishing in the top two, it’ll be onto the A Championships in Finland in September. This means plenty of travels to Dublin for squad training, but it’s all for a good cause! Also, of course, I hope to stay fit and healthy, and most of all, fracture free!” Cork sportsman Alan Dineen represents Ireland in wheelchair rugby

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“I’m getting married next year, so I don’t have much looking forward to do. I think my life now will remain happily in the past tense! I’m looking forward to the new series of The Fear starting in the early new year and I may also be popping up on a few other things. I’m touring nationally throughout all of 2015 so that’s going to be a good bit of craic. Also there’s the overthrowing of the government and the rise of the people! However, unfortunately it’s just going to be another equally corrupt and hapless bunch that take their place. I would love to see the entire system we have now collapse. Then we could rebuild using a new

“2015 is certainly gonna be a good year for music. Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Kanye West and more will release highly anticipated albums, while locally this may be the time that bands such as Altered Hours make a big breakthrough. On a personal note, I’m writing a lot, and I’m excited about my Soul Jamz label and music from Christiana amongst others, while I’ve got some good DJ gigs and radio documentaries coming too. Cork is an exciting place to be as there is a great energy here, and as I write this the long awaited events centre looks like it is becoming a reality at last too. There is a lot of talent here in the arts, and a lot more people are releasing music, putting on nights, doing exhibitions, producing theatre, film and video and I’m most definitely looking forward to what the next few months bring.” Radio presenter and DJ Stephen Grainger, aka Stevie G

thecorknews 2 January 2015

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In Association with... Every week, Cork's animal shelters are called upon to take care of our city's injured, abandoned and unwanted animals. After veterinary treatment and plenty of TLC, these rescued cats and dogs are ready to start a new life with a loving owner. If you have the budget, time, space and commitment to welcome an animal into your home, adopting a rescue animal might be the right option for you. Meet this week's furry friends of The Cork News...

2 January 2015

Talk to us We want to hear from you! Email your thoughts, comments, reactions and announcements to editor@thecorknews.ie

The big deal for 2014...and 2015?

Phyats

Phyats is a beautiful five– year–old golden labrador neutered and vaccinated and in need of a loving home where she will be part of the family and given the love and care she deserves. If you would like to meet this lovely girl please contact Margaret at 085 1251929.

Basil Basil is big good–natured boxer cross with a heart full of love who’s looking for a family to call his own. He would love the fun and excitement of being part of a family. If you would like to make Basil’s wish for a home where he’ll be loved and played with come true please contact Margaret at 085 1251929.

Rio

Rio is a beautiful three–year– old black Labrador who has been spayed and vaccinated. She is very playful and loves long walks, and will run for hours — especially if she’s chasing a ball! She loves playing with other dogs, although she doesn’t like cats. More than anything Rio would love a family to call her own. If you would like to meet Rio please contact Margaret at 085 1251929.

For more information call Pauline’s Rescue on 087 9172474 or find us on Facebook.

FREE PUPPY / KITTEN HEALTH CHECK We are offering a FREE full clinical examination & advice on how to set them off on the right path to a healthy life. Call 021 4893033 to book your FREE appointment. Merry Christmas! animalcarehospital.ie

The issue which got Cork people riled up and motived like no other in 2014 was, of course, water! Picture by Billy MacGIll.

Anam Cara Dear Editor, Anam Cara support groups are situated throughout Ireland and provide parents with a safe, comfortable environment where they have the opportunity to connect with other bereaved parents. Anam Cara is an inclusive organisation where parents do not identify themselves by their children’s age, how they died, or if their death was recent or many years ago. What Anam Cara provides is a safe place for bereaved parents to connect with others who understand the intensity of the grief and loss.

Anam Cara is holding its monthly Parent Evening on Wednesday 7th of January 2015 from 19:30 to 21:00 at the Silver Springs Hotel, Tivoli, Cork. Anam Cara Services are available free of charge to all bereaved parents. For further information please see our website at anamcara.ie, email us at info@anamcara.ie or call 01 4045378.

GROOM... @ the village veterinary clinic

Take Care Kind Regards, Clodagh Curley On Behalf of Anam Cara

Have a Happy Little Christmas Dear Lorcan, Due to popular demand, the Women’s Little Christmas fashion show will be returning to Kinsale with a range of antique, stylish and never before seen items. The event is taking place on Saturday, January 3rd at 6.30pm at the Trident Hotel, Kinsale with a wine reception at the Trident Bar, and four– course meal in the Trident Hotel. Our lace fashion show will be showcasing lace from past 200

years and of course there will be a sing–song and music in the bar afterwards. The meal and fashion show is €40.00 per person and tickets are available from Cork Craft Supplies. The hotel will also offer an overnight package for the night that’s in it, including all the above and one night’s B&B in the hotel for €90.00 per person sharing or a single room at €115. Thank you, Veronica Stuart

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thecorknews 2 January 2015

thecorknews

News

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2014 was “the year of the affair” By Nick Bramhill Therapists at leading charity Relationships Ireland have labelled 2014 “the year of the affair”, after noting a surge in the number of couples seeking help after their marriages have been rocked by a straying partner. More and more cheating partners in Cork are getting caught out by evidence left on their smartphones. Nine out of ten extra-marital affairs that come to light are uncovered by a suspicious partner trawling through their adulterous husband’s or wife’s Facebook account or text message and email history. Marriage counsellors said suggestive correspondence and photos found on an errant partner’s mobile phone or laptop account for at least 90% of flings discovered by the innocent party in a relationship, and cheats are now more likely to get found out than ever before because they are increasingly using social media and texting to arrange secret flings, thereby leaving damning evidence on their phones and computers. Tony Moore, therapist with Relationships Ireland, told The Cork News “We’re very busy at the moment, more so

than last year and affairs are the big thing that keep cropping up lately. “Clients generally seem to have slightly less financial worries this year, but the number of couples whose relationship is in trouble because of an affair has shot up. “There’s more dating sites and more avenues now to seek out an affair than ever before. It’s much easier now than it ever was. “In at least 90% of cases which involve cheating that I’ve dealt with, the evidence of the affair has been found on social media sites like Facebook, emails or the phone. “If, for example, a woman is suspicious, she will be inclined to trawl through her husband’s

mobile to find evidence.” Infidelity appears to be on the rise right across the country, if recently released figures from a secretive global site for extra–marital affairs are anything to go by. As we reported at the end of last year Ashley Madison, the world’s biggest website for love cheats, said tens of thousands of Corkonians have signed up to their service over the past five years. Over the course of 2014, an average of 75 Irish people a day added their profiles to the site in the search of a discreet relationship outside their marriage, and the service’s chiefs said they now rank Ireland as their biggest ‘success story’ per capita.

Christmas debt advice from Cork MABS By Nick Bramhill

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Struggling parents in Cork could still be paying off their Christmas bills by next summer, spending watchdogs have warned. Financial experts said it took until last July for some of the country’s hardest–hit householders to pay off their festive debts last year, and they expect history to repeat itself following a report that Ireland is still the world’s most generous nation over the Christmas period. Budget advisers said our seasonal spending is likely to lead to a mountain of debt for many families this month — particularly those who chose to borrow or miss a mortgage payment to pay for Christmas. Michael Culloty, spokesman for Cork Money Advice and Budgeting Service, said: “It’s late January and early February when we expect to hear from a lot of people who have got into financial difficulty, when all the bills start rolling in. I’ve had experiences of people still paying off Christmas six or seven months later,

and if you’re unemployed or on welfare and facing bills for your mortgage, utilities, as well as property tax and water charges, and Christmas expenses on top of that, it’s a desperate situation.” Despite the warnings, Mr. Culloty said the financial difficulties for some families appear to have eased for Christmas 2014, compared to the worst periods of the recession. “Our waiting lists are down and our client list has slightly decreased due to the pick-up in the economy and the fall in unemployment figures” he

told The Cork News, before imploring families not to turn to money lenders to help them our of the January debt trap: “There are a lot of people out there with poor credit ratings, no bank accounts, no access to credit and who are not in a position to ask their families to help them out. It’s in those situations when they may turn to money lenders because they feel they have nowhere else to go. I would urge people to avoid turning to illegal money lenders at all costs, because there is no control on what you will be made to pay back.”

thecorknews 2 January 2015

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thecorknews

Menu 2 January 2015

A sup of the craytur

Skeaghanore duck, parsnip textures and pear Executive head chef of Greene’s Bryan McCarthy was acclaimed in McKenna’s 2013 guide as one of Ireland’s top 10 hot chefs. His cuisine is a contemporary take on Irish cuisine, using local ingredients from some of Cork’s finest producers and wild ingredients foraged from land and sea.

Ingredients: • 4 Skeaghanore duck breasts, trimmed and scored • 100ml red wine • 100ml chicken stock • 4 parsnips, peeled but with skins reserved • 100g butter • 50ml milk • 50ml cream • Salt and pepper • 4 pears, peeled • 50g sugar • 1l. water • 1 cinnamon stick • 1 slice of orange • 1 slice of lemon Method Heat water over medium heat

and add the sugar, cinnamon, orange and lemon. When the sugar has dissolved add the pears and poach gently for 1520 minutes until tender. Remove and allow to cool, then using a melon baller scoop 20 balls and set aside. Purée any remainin flesh for later. Cut the parsnips in half and pan–fry the narrow ends in 1/4 of the butter over a medium heat until lightly coloured. Transfer to a pre–heated oven at 150º C to roast for 15 minutes until tender. Chop the thicker ends into small chunks and cook over medium heat in the milk, cream and remaining butter until

soft, then purée. Season well and keep warm until ready to serve. Deep fry the peel in oil at 180º C until crispy, then drain and season with salt. Place the duck breasts, skin down, in an oven–proof frying pan over medium heat and sear until the fat starts to come from the duck. Flip over then move pan to pre–heated oven at 200º C for four minutes or until cooked to your liking. Rest on a warm plate for five minutes. Drain most of the fat and replace pan on hob. Deglaze with red wine over medium heat and reduce by 2/3. Add stock and reduce by half. Season and serve.

County Cork is the epicentre of the world’s trade in Irish whiskey, with the distillery in Midleton producing the vast majority of the rich, golden liquid with which we as a nation are so often associated. As with beer and coffee before it, whiskey is enjoying a renaissance as a ‘craft’ product, and the subtle differences between its varieties — and there are many — provide hours of enjoyment for avid whiskeyphiles. Whiskey deserves its nascent craft status: the techniques used to produce it and the immense skill and experience it takes to shepherd the clear, harsh distillate through different woods for different amounts of time and then blend it with complementary liquors haven’t changed in centuries. Considering that a good whiskey can take over 20 years to reach perfection, it’s certainly not a career choice for impatient people. Gaining in popularity and reputation around the world

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are Midleton’s outstanding single pot still whiskies, which range from the light, citric Green Spot through the perfectly rounded, rich, honey and smoke of the archetypal Redbreast whiskies; the woody, earthy, deep peppery flavours of Powers John’s Lane Releases and, of course, the grandaddy of them all and arguably the finest whiskey on the planet, Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy, named for the legendary former master distiller. The latter is delicate, subtle and intensely complex, and lingers on the palate for an age, breaking down slowly into a vast spectrum of flavours. Single pot still whiskies are made nowhere else but in Ireland, and the vast majority in Midleton. To those in the know they’re “the quintessential style of Irish whiskey” and even if you’re not in the know there’s no better place to start your journey through the wonderful world of uisce beatha, the water of life.

thecorknews

2 January 2015

Have we reached peak chocolate? By Nick Bramhill

Cork’s chocoholics should take heed - the world may be running out of chocolate. Leading confectioners have warned that a global shortage of cocoa is likely by 2020, meaning that the price of a chocolate bar could soon become unsustainable. Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest chocolate manufacturer, has become the latest company to voice its concerns that there will be a global cocoa shortage by the end of this decade. In its annual results, the Zurich–based confectioner revealed it sold 1.72m tonnes of chocolate in 2014, marking an 11.8% increase on the previous year. Growing demand, and a combination of poor weather, international problems such as epidemics (think Ebola), political instability and crop disease have driven cocoa prices up by 25% from €2,000 per tonne to more than €2,500 per tonne. The International Cocoa Organisation also re-

A cocoa pod and beans and inset, the chocolate we know and love.

cently estimated that this year could see a 115,000–tonne deficit of cocoa beans, which are ground and processed into cocoa butter and powder to produce the main ingredients in chocolate. Prices are also surging because of huge demand from emerging Asian markets, particularly chocolate–loving China, which now has a chocolate market worth a staggering €8.7 billion. About 70% of the world’s cocoa is grown in Africa, with many already–impoverished farmers in the western part of the continent facing threats from black pod disease and capsid bug infestations. Barbara Crowther, policy and public affairs director at the Fairtrade Foundation, recently said: “We need to look behind the causes of this low supply. If you go to the cocoa farms [in West Africa] farmers are still living on less than €2 a day. Many communities still don’t have electricity or clean pumped water. Life is hard and young people are thinking ‘I don’t want to be a cocoa farmer. I would rather move to the city for a better life.’”

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thecorknews

Cork Biz 2 January 2015

A picture of success An effective blend of the old and the new and one of Ireland’s most recognised and respected photography houses, Kinsale– based Giles Norman Photography has been a family concern for more than a quarter of a century.

hile she m i g h t not have the same n a m e recognition her husband has, Catherine Norman is one half of the renowned Cork photography brand “Giles Norman”. Catherine is probably best described as the manager of the business end of the Norman brand: the talent she leaves to her other half, Giles, the wellrespected Kinsale-based photographer best known for his distinctive black and white landscapes. “Well, I started off working for our business part time over 25 years ago as I was employed by a company in the city at the time, but that gradually developed into full time” says Norman, a mother of three, speaking to me from the Kinsale gallery she runs with her husband. Originally Giles sold his early photographic work in various craft shops throughout the country, quickly gar-

nering a steady stream of customers. This prompted him to rent a darkroom space in Kinsale, however demand was such that the couple decided a dedicated space to showcase the photographs was needed and opened the doors to their first gallery in 1992, selling work from Giles’ earliest portfolios of Kinsale, Dublin, Kerry and west Cork. Initially renting just the lower floors of the Georgian building for gallery space from the original owners, the success of the early collections allowed the couple to purchase the building outright after a few years and Giles Norman Photography remains in the same spot today. While the location remains the same, the business itself has changed in quite a few ways. The Normans have embraced diversification and many different avenues to sell their products. Their most recent product, Framed

& Delivered, came about in something of a “light bulb” moment, explains Catherine: “Our son was about to finish secondary school and I was scrolling through my phone and noticed that I had photos of him dating back to first year that I never got around to printing. Six years of photos just sitting on my phone. That sowed the seeds for the idea of Framed and Delivered.” This innovative app allows iPhone users to upload a photo from their phone, caption it, choose a frame and have it delivered to anywhere in the world for just €19.95. The app was developed by Mobanode, the Limerick based, award winning, bespoke mobile interface designers who to date have shipped over 100 apps to millions of users in over 90 countries. With the average Irish person storing almost 1,500 unprinted photos on their phones and with only two thirds of peo-

Photographer Giles Norman

THINKING OF STARTING A NEW BUSINESS? SME START-UPS. Call for your initial consultation on (021)4774500 or visit www.fitzgeraldandpartners.com Follow us on

At Fitzgerald & Partners Accountants we welcome people who are about to start in business, or those with new businesses, to come and talk to us so we can help them in the process. We can help you from day one by looking at your business plan and projections by helping you to find the best book-keeping system for your business so we can add value. We have worked with a lot of entrepreneurs and start-ups to help them become successful SMEs.

thecorknews

Cork Biz

2 January 2015

The Monte Carlo version of Skoda’s agile little Citigo has lots of personality and is great for city life, writes Seán Creedon ple backing these images up, this app, the only one of its kind in the world, certainly has enormous potential. This unique service was officially launched on December 1st by Marian Carroll, the C.E.O of Ronald McDonald House, with €1 of every purchase of Framed and Delivered between the 1st and 8th of December donated by the Normans to the charity, which provides accommodation to families of sick children attending Our Lady’s Hospital in Crumlin. The money raised will go towards funding a new 50– bedroom Ronald McDonald House, which is due to open alongside the new National Children’s Hospital. While 2014 has seen a definite upturn in the Kinsale gallery’s fortunes, Catherine readily admits that the last few years have been hard for the business. “Walls are the last things to get done in a house, people were still buying our products as gifts so that side of the business wasn’t too affected, but people weren’t spending what they used to on products for their own home” she says. In 2010 the Normans made the difficult decision to close their second gallery in Dublin: “it just didn’t make financial sense to keep it open, it was a very hard decision to make. We were fortunate though that there were fewer overheads as such in Kinsale, so thankfully we were able to keep our main gallery open.” Keeping the Kinsale gallery open during the tough economic climate of the last few years saw the business diversify its products and create new services; however, it was something Catherine and her husband had to put a lot of thought into. “Giles is very focussed on the work and we really didn’t want to damage the brand in the long term. I think we were right to stick to our guns and not change

Page 48

Drive

Catherine Norman, Framed & Delivered with Finn and Sharon O’Mahony, Kinsale. Picture by: Emma Jervis

“I think we were right to stick to our guns and not change the business beyond recognition.”

THINKING OF STARTING A NEW BUSINESS? SME START-UPS. Call for your initial consultation on (021)4774500 or visit www.fitzgeraldandpartners.com Follow us on

the business beyond recognition,” she says. Giles Norman Photography has worked in the area of interior design in the past, assisting architects, project managers and private clients to achieve the perfect finish for interior walls in hotels, restaurants, spas and private residences. However a new departure for Giles and Catherine in recent times was teaming up with Arlene McIntyre, owner of Ventura Design, the highlight of which was the working with her on the Great Gatsby Showhouse, at the Autumn Ideal Home Exhibition in 2013, which showcased work from Giles’ photographic collections of Paris, Venice and New York. However, Giles’ photographs are by a wide margin still most synonymous with Ireland, and his book Ireland - Timeless Images was launched last year, celebrating more than 25 years of his most enduring images. It features scenes of desolate headlands, windswept oceans, fragile flora and austere skies gathered from over a quarter of a century dedicated to capturing the raw essence and sheer beauty of Ireland. On the strength of the book launch and the recent economic upturn - “people are starting to come back into the gallery telling us they have walls to fill” says Catherine with satisfaction - last month saw the Normans launch two pop-up shops just in time for what would prove to be the busiest Christmas season in years; one in Nash 19 in Cork and the other in Wicklow Street in Dublin. The Kinsale gallery was also voted one of Hot Press’ Best Gifts Shops in their Best of Ireland 2014 awards in June. To find out more or to see some of the famed - and vast - Norman portfolio, visit gilesnorman. com.

thecorknews

Cork Homes 2 January 2015

Indulge in a healthy salad with a wooden bowl by Irish craftsman Glenn Lucas. It’s €75 from makersandbrothers. com

Cake Boss measuring spoons, Debenhams, €18

Always think healthy with this fun Healthy Snacks Lunchbox by Posh Totty Designs Interiors at notonthehighstreet.com, €9.87

Eat healthily but make it fun with these Paul Thurlby plates from Kinsale’s Darling Violets. They’re €25.95 for a set of four from darlingviolets.com

Stock up on some loose tea leaves, like Sencha Japanese Green Tea from Mahers on Oliver Plunkett Street.

Swan whole fruit juicer, Soundstore, €69.99

A Healthy Home It’s that time of year again where we all pledge to get fit and healthy. Make sure you don’t break that New Year’s resolution with a selection of kitchenware that ensures healthy eating with minimum fuss

You’ll adore drinking H2O with a Culinary Concepts olive water pitcher, Kilkenny, €89.95

Raymond Blanc soft grip six-piece knife block, Meadows & Byrne, €150

Prestige Cook Stir-fry, Co-Op stores, €19.99

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Family 2 January 2015

Moral fibre As the cosy decadance of Christmas starts to wear off and we all look with a small degree of alarm (or a large degree, for some people!) at our newly–expanded waistlines, it’s only natural for thoughts to turn to getting back into shape at this time of year. Whether or not you’ve overdone it at Christmas — and most of us have — eating healthily is always a good idea. We’ve had our weeks of heavy, rich, seasonal food, but as 2015 stretches out before us it’s important to get ourselves and our families away from the puddings and sauces and back into the habit of looking after ourselves. Di-

etary fibre is one of the most effective ways to do that, as is cutting back on refined sugar and, of course, limiting our intake of saturated fat. A recent survey has shown that 90% of us don’t know our RDA of fibre. It’s 25g, which doesn’t sound like much, so perhaps it’s even more surprising to learn that only 20% of us get enough of this vital stuff. A quarter of us don’t know how to keep our blood sugar at a healthy level, and half of Irish adults have never had their cholesterol tested. Fibre comes from fresh fruit and vegetables as well as wholegrains and nuts.

Pouches of seeds and berries, such as linseed, to add to your breakfast or snacks, whether whole or powdered, are becoming common and cheap and are a great way to add more fibre to your day– to–day diet. Pulses like beans and lentils are also a great source. Fibre is indigestible, but vital to help you to digest other foods properly. Keeping your blood sugar down can be tricky, but remember, highly processed food like breads and cakes can raise it even if they’re not sweet themselves, as your body will convert the refined starch into sugars too. Eating more fibre will help here

too, as it can help to lower sugar levels. Of course, avoiding sweets and fizzy drinks is your main weapon in your fight against sugar! Cholesterol is best controlled with a diet incorporating lean meat, vegetables, fish and fruit and by avoiding butter, cream, cheeses, milk and of course fried food. Yet again, fibre is a great way to combat high cholesterol but physical activity is just as vital. Heredity is very important here: if high cholesterol runs in your family, you ought to get checked and remember, you can have through–the–roof cholesterol without being overweight.

Who cares for the carers? Family Carers throughout Cork are being invited to put pen to paper and compose a poem as part of Caring for Carers Ireland’s annual nationwide poetry competition. The organiser says the purpose of the competition is to highlight the significant

contribution made by thousands of Family Carers to Irish society. The theme of this year’s competition is “The Caring Journey...Who Knows”. The competition, the closing date for which is Friday, February 13th, will be independently judged and fea-

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tures a first prize of a weekend away for two. “Recognising the role of family carers in the home is crucial. This form of care is the foundation of formal health and social care systems. Family carers are a distinct group who provide care and also, very impor-

tantly, require care themselves,” said Brigid Barron, Innovation and Programme Manager with Caring for Carers Ireland. Competition entries must be no longer than 30 lines and should be emailed to bbarron@caringforcarers. org.

More results say phone ‘radiation’ is a myth By Nick Bramhill The magnetic fields created by mobile phones and power lines are harmless, a new study has indicated. There has been speculation in the past that electromagnetic fields from mobile phones and power cables could trigger physical problems like infertility or even cancer but now yet another study has confirmed that there is no link between the gadgets or power lines and physical effects. Experts from the University of Manchester said new findings indicate that magnetic fields have no detectable impact on key proteins in the human body. The study probed the effects of magnetic fields on proteins which control the nervous

system and repair DNA. Professor Nigel Scrutton, co-lead author of the research, said: “The study definitely takes us nearer to the the point where we can say that power lines, mobile phones and other similar devices are likely to be safe for humans.” Meanwhile, another study has found that the mere sight of your mobile phone can distract you - even if it is switched off. Researchers at the University of Maine in the United States found that when participants were asked to do a complex task, they were less successful if their mobile was still visible. However, their tests found that those who put their phones out of sight were 20% more successful because they were more focused.

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thecorknews

Family

2 January 2015

DIY magic in Cork with Woodies

Children’s book illustrator Alan Nolan was joined by a mischievous mini Michelangelo, his six-year-old son Sam, to launch the sixth annual Sightsavers Junior Painter of the Year Awards. Picture by: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

What do you see? Illustrator Alan Nolan and visually impaired artist Pádraig Naughton have teamed up with Sightsavers Ireland to call on primary school students across Cork to let their inner artists loose and get their paintings ready for the sixth annual Junior Painter of the Year Awards. The closing date is only two weeks away, on January 16th. Sightsavers Ireland is asking students to create an imaginative painting inspired by the theme “I Want You to See…” and show others how the world looks through their eyes. The awards are open to all primary school students and winners will earn prizes not just for themselves but for their classmates too, as well

as substantial cash prizes for their schools. Every child who enters will receive a certificate of participation.

Parents and children can get involved by speaking to their school’s art teacher or via sightsavers.ie/juniorpainter or facebook.com/SightsaversIreland.

Key facts on visual impairment among young people from the World Health Organisation and Vision 2020

• An estimated 19 million children under the age of 15 are visually impaired. Of these, 12 million children are visually impaired due to refractive errors, a condition that could be easily diagnosed and corrected. • It is estimated that there are 1.4 million children worldwide who are blind and millions more who are visually impaired. • A child goes blind every minute, and the children most at risk are those below five years old. Up to 60% die within one year of becoming blind and those that survive can expect to spend on average 40 years without sight. • Over 90% of blind children receive no schooling and the great majority will be unable to realize their full potential. • Blindness in children accounts for nearly one third of the economic cost of blindness, even though it represents less than 4% of the overall magnitude of blindness.

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Woodies’ passion for kitchens and bathrooms means the store is continually develop its ranges to reflect changing trends and lifestyles. Their kitchen styles combine the best of Irish and European design with well–informed teams to provide you with what you want most: rooms that are well planned and stylish, product that is reliable, guaranteed and value for money. And, up until January 25th , you can enjoy your dream kitchen and bathroom for 25% less. In addition, when you spend over €4,000 on a Woodies kitchen you will receive a €500 Woodies gift card. Woodies has everything you need to bring your dream kitchen to life. Choose from over 20 styles of kitchen, from classic to contemporary, and with a free in–store design service Woodies can offer you guidance and direction on what will work best for you. In the bathroom section, this season sees the introduction of some fantastic new furniture lines in great new colours, alongside a brand– new range of waterproof

flooring, all of which will add warmth to your bathroom creating a comfortable, relaxing environment to help you unwind. Woodies has over 30 different bathroom suites to choose from. This, combined with the addition of two luxurious new freestanding baths, will provide you with the ultimate bathing experience. Woodies’ experienced teams

are there to support you with in–depth knowledge, flair, innovation, fresh ideas and friendly humour…just some of the reasons why their customers return and a worthy testament to the quality of product and services on offer. Call into Woodies in Cork or visit woodies.ie to get a flavour of what their have to offer, now for 25% less.

Cosmic Christmas Workshop This Sunday, January 4th, will see 2015’s first Junior Space Camp, suited to children between five and seven years old, taking place at Cork’s Blackrock Observatory. Budding astronomers can explore Christmas on other planets, make a crystal snowflake and their own out–of– this–world snow globe Jolly Junior Space Campers pay €10 for their space adventure and can bring their parents for free, but booking and pre-payment are essential. One parent per child or group of children is required. The stellar fun begins at noon and continues until half past one.

If you suffer from Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis, Sinus Problems, Hayfever or Coughs & Colds our natural, drug free treatment is for you.

“

I suffered asthma attacks daily, especially at night, after my 3rd session of 10 sessions , I have not had any attacks since, I will definitely be back.

John- Chronic Asthmatic

“

Introductory Offer

Now €25 (1 session normally €35)

saltlifetherapy.ie Unit 9a Hazelwood Centre, Glanmire, Cork T: 021 482 0587 Grange Road, Grange, Douglas, Cork T: 021 4360060 / 021 4365852

thecorknews

Style 2 January 2015

Sneak peek

Penneys has gone big and bold for Spring 2015 and already has us dreaming of sipping cocktails by the beach. We’re loving the vibrant prints and bright colours with this top €7; trousers €15; necklace €8; ring €3; and sandals €19.

Lovin’ it! This Dyrberg Kern Alexiana necklace from Azure is the perfect start-of-the-year buy, taking you from season-to-season. It’s €269 from Azure on Carey’s Lane.

City Style

Fitness fashion

Nike Trail Kiger capri green, The Edge, €60.95

Pictured: Ashley Cooke What I’m wearing: Scarf: Was a present Jacket: Pull & Bear Skirt: A-Wear Boots: Penneys Bag: Jack Murphy Gloves: Blarney Woollen Mills

Nike cold weather reflective beanie, John Buckley Sports, €18

Long sleeve compression top, Penneys, €9

thecorknews

Style

2 January 2015

Accessorise the look

Style your Sapley suede leather biker jacket with weekend looks, or try layering it over a relaxed evening outfit. It’s €520 from Ted Baker.

Visimpla jacket in sandshell, Vila, €64.95

Suede persuasion

Suede is making a comeback and is on-trend for S/S 15. And it’s time to think modern with that 70s signature fabric.

Leather and suede bow cuff glove, Accessorize, €34

Seamed faux suede leggings, Zara, €39.95

Faith cobalt suede and black leather envelope clutch, asos.com, €70

Molly heeled long boot, €224, French Connection

Joseph’s Megan suede mini dress, €895, net-a-porter.com

Suede front top, (£46), Topshop

Todd Lynn suede front zip skirt, Debenhams, €231

thecorknews

Beauty 2 January 2015

Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream is a super-protective, portable stick for lips and is enriched with protective sunscreen and vitamin E. Debenhams, €23

Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser. Debenhams, €25

Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains for Face. Brown Thomas, €38

New Year, New You It’s 2015, and time to resolve to look after your skin. Put your best face forward and commit to a mantra of cleansing, toning and moisturising every day. You’ll thank us later!

The Immortelle Precious Night Cream. L’Occitane on Oliver Plunkett Street, €68.50

Clarins Super Restorative Day Cream. Boots, €89.50

Consider having an Oxygen Lift, a five–step facial administered with zero downtime afterwards. The luxurious treatment from Therapie (located on Opera Lane, see therapieclinic.com) infuses the skin with oxygen, plantderived stem cells, peptides and high concentrations of enzymatic botanicals; perfect for tired or ageing skin.

Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion hydrates, protects and comforts the skin with an oilfree, lightweight formula. Sam McCauley Chemists, €32.50

Crème de la Mer Illuminating Eye Gel. Brown Thomas, €125

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum leaves the skin replenished with water, as if continuously hydrated by misting micro-sprays. Boots, €22.49

thecorknews

Beauty

2 January 2015

A classic trend continues in 2015, with the ‘flick’ set to be part of every girl’s make–up regime. It’s all about being edgy with this look.

For an effortless on-trend look, consider an “undone” hair style.

Trends for ’15

Adho Mukha Svanasana & Paschimotanasana

( Sequence for the end of each day of the festive season)

For foundation, the “I’m not wearing any” is the look to go for this year. Think dewy and barely there by using a product like Clinque’s Age Defense BB Cream for €35 from Brown Thomas.

Amazing Artichokes Want to detox after the festive season? Then consider adding artichokes to your diet. Along with improving the health of your liver, they are also packed with vitamins and minerals.

YOGA POSE OF THE WEEK

*Benefits: Adho Mukha Svanasana Open the shoulders, strengthens the arms, opens the chest, strengthens the upper back, lengthens the spine, opens the pelvis, strengthens and lengthens the legs. Opens the sinuses, calms the mind, improves digestion.* *Paschimotanasana - Lengthens the Calv's, hamstrings, opens the pelvis releases the lumbar part of the spine,lengthens the posterior muscles of the upper body. Improves digestion, calms the mind, improves sleeping patterns.*

Yoga Republic is now taking bookings for its January beginners courses Yoga Republic will be teaching a Yoga Alliance Registered Power Vinyasa 200 hr Teacher Training course in August 2015. The studio is now open for applications for this course. Sackies Skalkos is the founder of Yoga Republic, Corks oldest and leading yoga studio (est 2004 ). If you would like to join Sackies in a personal interpretation of his teaching, please contact the studio at www.yogarepublic.com or phone 0876560254

thecorknews

2 January 2015

thecorknews

Going Places 2 January 2015

¡Vamos a Fuerteventura! Holiday sa vin

gs!

Check out T opfl great Winte ight’s r Sale: up to €260 off cruises, ski holiday s and more! See topflig ht.ie o 01 2401 70 r call 0 before Janu ary 8th

The beach at Corralejo

Short breaks By Lizann Peppard In association with Hotels.com I have recently retired and my wife and I want to celebrate with a trip abroad early in the New Year. We’d love to escape the Irish rain and visit somewhere with warm weather, where we can relax, explore and play some golf. Is there anywhere you can recommend?

hat better way to beat the Januar y blues than with a winter escape to the sun to kick off the New Year in style? Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands, can be found off the west coast of Northern Africa and with temperatures rarely dropping

below 20 degrees and negligible rain, this is one of the best European destinations for almost guaranteed warm weather, even at this time of year. Fuerteventura is one of the lesser–known Canary Islands and so attracts fewer holidaymakers, which makes for

Where to Stay: Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real G.L. (*****) Prices start from €184 per room per night on hotels. com. The luxurious Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real G.L. is a beautiful five-star hotel based in Fuerteventura’s popular town, Corralejo. The luxurious property is impeccably designed and is located directly on the beach. There are several

a tranquil ambience and an ideal destination for ultimate relaxation. The island’s rocky terrain creates a beautiful barren backdrop for the fine golden drifts of sand that line the unspoilt coast. Corralejo, Caletta de Fuste and Jandia are the most popular seaside resorts and, while these dining options among the hotel’s five restaurants and a full spa is available to guests. Barceló Corralejo Bay (****) Prices start from €94 per room per night on hotels. com. Barceló Corralejo Bay is located in the seaside town of Corralejo. The hotel is ideally situated just 50 metres from the beach and there are beautiful views

towns have been modernised to accommodate tourism, the development has been restrained and many original vestiges of the old fishing villages still remain. Rent a car to discover the full extent of what Fuerteventura has to offer. A mere 100 kilometres in length, a ciroverlooking the Atlantic Ocean from the rooftop terrace. The bedrooms are spacious, designed with ultimate comfort in mind, and the resort is equipped with an outdoor pool and pool bar. Barceló Castillo Club Premium (***) Prices start from €94 per room per night on hotels. com. Barceló Castillo Club Premium is located in the

cuit of the entire island takes just three hours. For some great golf travel to the easily reached Fuerteventura Golf Course which can be found at the centre point of the east coast in Caletta de Fuste. It is the perfect spot for golf lovers, who relish the opportunity to take to the greens over beautiful Caleta de Fuste. There are two restaurants in the beachfront hotel and resort is equipped with a full–service spa and outdoor pool for guests. There is a mini golf course on site and Fuertaventura Golf Course can also be found nearby. For more information and travel tips on planning your holiday visit hotels.com or call 1800 55 3338 to wake up happy on your holiday!

the winter months in balmy weather. Testament to the island’s title as a biosphere reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is a wealth of extraordinary natural sites to be explored on the island. The island’s most famous sand dunes can be found in the Parque Natural de Corralejo just two kilometres from the town and the long sandy beach offers a great opportunity for a relaxing walk, accompanied by breathtaking views of the island’s landscape stretching as far as the eye can see. A strong fishing heritage is alive and well in Fuerteventura. Visit one of Corralejo’s harbour restaurants to sample some of the locally sourced seafood and authentic Canarian cuisine, and soak up the laidback culture of Fuerteventura overlooking the sparkling Atlantic Ocean.

thecorknews

Drive 2 January 2015

Let’s go to Monte Carlo

Small and sporty, the Monte Carlo version of Skoda’s agile little Citigo has lots of personality and is great for city life, writes Seán Creedon

wo years ago the VW group introduced three small cars which were very similar: the Skoda Citigo, VW Up! and Seat Mii. Now Skoda has introduced a sporty version of the Citigo with the Monte Carlo. This is the second Skoda to

get the Monte Carlo treatment: in 2011 the company introduced a sporty version of the Fabia to celebrate 100 years of the famous Monte Carlo Rally. I remember the Fabia well and at the time said that while the Tipperary hurlers and footballers were sponsored by Skoda, you were unlikely to

LEXUS CORK THE NEW NX. NOW AVAILABLE

see any Tipp players driving around in a Fabia as it came in the Cork colours. It’s more or les the same with the cute little Citigo: red with a few touches of black on the grille, at the side and at the back. There is also a Monte Carlo logo on the rear windows which, incidentally, don’t roll down: they just pop out.

Red is the external colour and there is also a nice touch of red inside which really brightens the decor. You get a very neat Sat Nav on the dash. The test model was a four door; always a plus in our house. And it’s also frugal motor, which should be a plus with all families. The Monte Carlo sits some 15 millimetres lower than the regular Citigo, which is not a lot, but noticeable. You get 15–inch auriga–designed alloys and they also come in 16–inch if required. It could carry five people at a push, but three adults in the back seat would be a bit of a squeeze. Make no mistake; this is a city car, ideal

for the school runs or for transporting the children to sporting events or piano lessons, as many parents have to do on a Saturday morning. I didn’t do much motorway driving, so I cannot honestly say what it would be like on a long journey. Most of my driving was in an urban setting where the frugal 1.0-litre petrol engine showed what it can do. Parking was easy, as the small Citigo doesn’t fully take up the space allocated for a car on street parking. The boot is small but deep, and the good news is that there is still room for a space– saver spare wheel. Now that’s something to think about

when you go tyre kicking some Saturday morning in your local garage. Prices start at €12,995. The only downside was that as the driver I couldn’t open the passenger window from my side. If you are into Skoda and sports cars the good news is that it seems as if the Yeti and the Rapid could be the next to get the Monte Carlo treatment. The Rapid, certainly, could do with a boost. There are four Skoda dealers in the Cork area: Blackwater Motors in Fermoy, Cork and Skibbereen; Finbarr Galvin, Bandon; Noel Deasy, New Mallow Road and Tarrant’s in Banteer.

South Douglas Road, Cork.

T: 021 4817750

www.lexuscork.ie

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

It’s as easy as NCT This January, as usual, will see thousands of cars brought under the NCT net for the first time, as well as the annual return to the test centres of thousands more. There’s more hinging on your test this year than previously, too, as drivers can now expect penalty points if they’re stopped by gardaí and don’t have a valid NCT certificate. The new penalty is part of an ongoing drive towards improving safety on our roads for everyone. There’s no substitute for having regular servicing and having your car properly checked by a competent mechanic before your test, but if you’ve been taking good care of your vehicle all along then you shouldn’t have too much to worry about. There are a few simple steps you can take to improve your car’s chances of getting through the test centre with flying colours too. Firstly — and you’d be surprised how many people overlook this — make sure your car is clean, inside and out. Not only will your test engineers be grateful for

an unobstructed cabin that doesn’t assault the nostrils, but a clean car lets them know it’s well looked after, making your engineers more positively disposed towards you, which never hurts. Remove wheel covers and hubcaps too. Secondly, make sure all of your car’s fluid levels are where they should be. Not just oil and brake fluid (be certain not to overfill these either!) but also another typical stumbling block which is easy to rememdy: your windscreen washer fluid. Likewise, replace your wipers before you go for the test as a worn set could be a black mark against you. Check all your bulbs — not forgetting your sidelights — and replace any that are blown. In fact it’s no harm to get into the habit of replacing all your bulbs on a regular basis anyway, if you can. This is easy in older cars, though more modern cars may have to be taken to a specialist garage as their lamps might only be accessible with special tools. Also,

don’t forget how expensive xenon lamps can be, and plan your finances accordingly! Pay close attention to the mechanical “feel” of your car as well, and be aware of any feeling of ‘give’ in your breaks or handbrake, or any sensation of ‘sponginess’. Bring this to your mechanic’s attention when you visit the garage, as your handbrake could need adjustment or your pads may need to be replaced. Check the wear on your tyres and remember that it’s best to replace the full set if you can. Finally, check and clean all your mirrors, consider using fuel additives to give your engine a little clean, and don’t forget one of the commonest pitfalls: if your license plates aren’t regulation, you might not pass. The rules about plates are very clear, and no matter how much you like your fancy, swirly numbers your test engineers won’t. Replacing your plates is five minutes’ work and could make a big difference.

Our range is within yOur range

Drive a new ŠKODA from as little as €129† per month including servicing. From the luxurious Superb to the fuel efficient Octavia, the city-smart Citigo to the rugged Yeti, with ŠKODA PCP Solutions, our versatile ŠKODA range is always within your range. Our competitive finance rates start from just 3.9%APR with repayments from €129† per month, including the cost of routine servicing. In addition to excellent trade-in allowances, you can also avail of product upgrades such as Free Leather interior and Satellite Navigation with selected models*. To find out more, call into your local ŠKODA Dealer during our Open Event from 8th November.

ŠKODA OpEn EvEnT from november 8th.

E Tarrant & Sons, The Square, Banteer, Co. Cork. T. 029 56014. W. www.etarrant.ie Terms and conditions apply. *Available with Superb Ambition and Elegance models only. Images used for illustrative purposes only. †Finance example quoted is not model shown. Finance example: Typical Finance example: Citigo OTRP €11,365. Deposit / Part Exchange €3,389.33. 36 monthly payments of €129 (including Service Plan). Optional Final Payment €4,306. Total hire purchase price €12,093.69 including acceptance fee (€75) and completion fee (€75). Minimum deposit is 10%. Subject to lending criteria. This offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. ŠKODA Finance is a trading style of Volkswagen Bank GmbH Branch Ireland, authorised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules.

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

ŠKODA OCTAVIA

In a class of its own from €209 per month at Noel Deasy Cars. One of Ireland’s best selling cars, with over 40,000 happy customers to its name, the ŠKODA Octavia needs no introduction. Available in a variety of petrol and diesel engines, the Octavia is in a class of its own with class leading fuel economy, class leading leg room and class leading specifications. Order your new 151 Octavia from Noel Deasy Cars today with the new Octavia Sport Pack. Available with Ambition and Elegance models for a limited time, this new Sport Pack includes rear LED lights, sports steering wheel, exterior chrome detailing and rear tinted windows for only an additional €295. Call in to Noel Deasy Cars today for more information.

Chrome Pack and Privacy Windows

LED Rear Lights

Sports Steering Wheel

Noel Deasy Cars, New Mallow Road, Blackpool, Cork. T. 021 4395024. W. www.noeldeasy.com Terms and conditions apply. Prices displayed are recommended retail prices with 3 years warranty and exclude the recommended retail delivery charge and related fees. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy, however errors may occur and specifications may change without prior notice. Metallic paint is an optional extra and due to the nature of VRT varies from model to model. Typical Finance example: Octavia OTRP €19,595. Deposit / Part Exchange €5,978.16. 36 monthly payments of €209 (including Service Plan). Optional Final Payment €7,598. Total hire purchase price €20,854.52 including acceptance fee (€75) and completion fee (€75). Minimum deposit is 10%. Subject to lending criteria. This offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. ŠKODA Finance is a trading style of Volkswagen Bank GmbH Branch Ireland, authorised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules.

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

It’s electrifying! 2015 will be watershed year on Cork’s roads

Deals of the week We asked some of Cork's most trusted car dealers to recommend their top picks in three price brackets:

Under €15,000

Jaguar X-Type Price: €2, 950 Engine: 2.1 Petrol Transmission: Manual Year: 2004 Mileage: 89,000 miles Colour: Blue

Nissan Murano Price: €4,950 Engine: 3.5 Petrol Transmission: Automatic Year: 2005 Mileage: 49,711 miles Colour: Bronze

BMW 5 Series 520D Price: €14,900 Engine: 2.0 Diesel Transmission: Manual Year: 2007 Mileage: 89,000 miles Colour: Black

Dealer: Blackrock Motor Company, Monaghan Road, Cork Tel: 021 496 8555

Dealer: Finbarr Galvin Cork, Victoria Cross, Cork City Tel: 021 434 0304

Dealer: Kearys BMW, Eastgate Business Park, Little Island Tel: 021 500 3600

€15,000 to €20,000

This year is set to be the year of the electric car, with eco– friendly vehicles planned for launch within the next 12 months by many of the country’s favourite marques, including heavy–hitters in the luxury and exclusive market such as Audi, Mercedes and BMW. Cork has led the country in the drive towards electrification — most recently with a free recharge scheme over Christmas, for instance — and we’ll continue to stay one step ahead of the game throughout the coming year as more and more hybrid and fully–electric cars take to our roads. Some of the county’s perennial favourites, such as the Mondeo and Passat, will get the full electric makeover and you can expect to see ultra modern, ultra clean versions of the top–selling saloons whirring their way past you from this week onwards, if pre–sales and booking figures are anything to go by. Improvements in battery and engine technology, as well as a huge proliferation of recharge points and excellent incentivisation both from

the State and manufacturers have lent a keenly competitive edge to the next–generation vehicles. The increased power and range available from newer technology have seen the electric car graduate from a quirky, eco–conscious alternative to a serious player in the market. Taking a cue from industry giants Volkswagen, who reportedly have plans to roll out 40 electric alternatives to their best sellers over the coming months, it’s not beyond reason to say that we will look back on 2015 in future years as the beginning of the end for petrol and diesel vehicles on our streets. In the interim, more and more cars will also go down the hybrid route, marrying conventional engines with electric engines in a compromise which, manufacturers say, will provide the best of both worlds as we gradually wean ourselves off fossil fuels for the majority of our driving needs. Freight movements, by truck and train, will of course continue to rely on diesel for now and it will be a long time before our streets are clear of fossil–fuel powered cars — in

the case of some performance and vintage cars it may yet be decades — but the change is here to stay, and it’s gathering momentum. As we reported in December, the lower harbour is set to become one of Europe’s most advanced energy hubs, which will keep Cork to the fore as we make the swap en masse to powering our vehicles with cleanly– produced electricity. Here at The Cork News we’re most excited by BMW’s phenomenally good looking i8, a hybrid which looks like a stealth fighter without wings, though its dinky little sister the i3 is much more likely to be seen making its way up and down Pana (BMW customers in Cork can contact Keary’s in Little Island to find out more). However, fans of just about ever major brand, from Audi through Ford to Volkswagen, can look forward to a new option this year. The city and county, already peppered with dedicated recharge points, will also see a proliferation of new public and private plug– in locations. See ESB.ie/electric-cars for more.

Ford Focus TCDi Price: €15,450 Engine: 1.6 Diesel Transmission: Manual Year: 2013 (131) Mileage: 36,648 miles Colour: Metallic Silver

Volkswagen Passat Price: €17, 950 Engine: 2.0 Diesel Transmission: Manual Year: 2011 Mileage: 80,050 miles Colour: Black

Renault Grand Scenic Price: €18,500 Engine: 1.5 Diesel Transmission: Manual Year: 2012 Mileage: 53, 999 miles Colour: Grey

Dealer: Great Island Motors, Rushbrooke, Cobh, Co. Cork Tel: 021 481 1609

Dealer: Donal O Brien Cars, Unit 1, Kinsale Road Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork Tel: 021 432 0625

Dealer: C.A.B Motor Company, Monaghan Road, Ballintemple, Cork Tel: 021 429 0600

€20,000 to €25,000

Kia Soul Price: €23, 900 Engine: 1.6 Diesel Transmission: Manual Year: 2014 (141) Mileage: 4,971 miles Colour: Metallic Red

Audi A4 Quattro Sport Price: €23,995 Engine: 2.0 Diesel Transmission: Manual Year: 2010 Mileage: 36,577 miles Colour: Brilliant Red

VW Golf TDI Price: €24,950 Engine: 1.6 Diesel Transmission: Manual Year: 2014 (142) Mileage: 3,800 miles Colour: Beige

Dealer: Johnson & Perrott Motor Group, Douglas Road, Cork, Tel: 021 491 6300

Dealer: Audi Cork, Bandon Road Roundabout, Bishopstown, Cork Tel: 021 491 8400

Dealer: Noel Deasy Cars, New Mallow Road, Blackpool, Cork Tel: 021 439 5024

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

TOYOTA IN THE CITY

Treat yourself in the New Year...

YOUR NEW

TOYOTA AWAITS at Lehane Motors

Call in to our showrooms on South Douglas Road to view the complete range of 2015 Toyotas or for an excellent deal on your winter service.

SALES - SERVICE - PARTS - BODYSHOP

South Douglas Road, Cork. Tel 021 4817700. www.lehanemotors.ie

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

kia.com

Finance available

0%* Finance on Kia cee’d range at Mallow Road Motors Kia are offering as low as you can get 0%* Finance on our cee’d range. And as if that wasn’t enough, you’ll have total peace-of-mind with our unbeatable 7 year warranty. Drop into our showroom or visit our website anytownkia.ie

Mallow Road Kia Mallow Road Motors, Cork City. Tel: 021-4392066 www.mallowroadmotors.com Kia cee’d 1.4 T Petrol RRP (ex. works) €19,650†, Deposit/Part Exchange €9,825, Finance Advance €11,600, 48 monthly payments of €204.69. Total cost of credit €0. †Excludes delivery & related charges. Models are shown for illustrative purposes only. *Lending criteria and terms and conditions apply. Finance is provided by way of a hire purchase agreement. Finance example is based on a fixed rate APR of 0% and is inclusive of a once off purchase instalment of €10. To qualify for this Finance Offer; a minimum deposit of 50% of the retail price applies and a maximum term of 48 months applies. Rate quoted is correct as at 20th October 2014 and is subject to change. This offer is available on all new selected Kia Rio, Soul and cee’d range models registered from 20th October 2014 to 31st December 2014 at participating dealers only. The credit provider is Bank of Ireland Finance which is a registered trading name of Bank of Ireland. The official fuel consumption figures in l/100km for the Kia range of vehicles are between Urban: 9.7 – 3.5, Extra-Urban: 6.1 – 3.0 and Combined: 7.4 – 3.2. The official CO2 emissions for the Kia range of vehicles are between 189-85g/km. Warranty is 7 years/150,000km full warranty. Terms and conditions available in warranty and service handbook. www.kia.com

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

KEARYS RENAULT IT ALL ADDS UP

151

FINANCE

SAVINGS OF UP TO

€1800

BOOK A TEST DRIVE TODAY ORDER YOUR 151 RENAULT NOW TO AVAIL OF 0% APR FINANCE WHICH CAN SAVE YOU €1800 OVER THE COURSE OF THE LOAN

KEARYS RENAULT CORK KINSALE ROAD ROUNDABOUT, CORK TEL 021 4910700

KEARYS RENAULT MIDLETON CORK ROAD, MIDLETON TEL 021 4621300

WWW.KEARYS.IE Models shown Clio R-Link 1.2 with optional 17” alloy wheels RRP from €18,830 and Captur Intense TCe 90 S&S with optional 17” black alloy wheels and two-tone metallic paint RRP from €21,630. Prices exclude delivery and dealer-related charges. Maximum recommended dealer delivery charge €700. *FREE accessories upgrade to the value of €500 (Retail price inclusive of VAT and fitting.) **10,000km of free fuel based on a Clio dCi 90 up to a maximum value of €500. Finance Example: CLIO Expression 1.2 16V 75 RRP €15,190. Deposit €4,786. 36 monthly payments of €289. APR 0%. Total cost of credit €0, no doc or completion fees apply. Offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. Subject to lending criteria. Terms & conditions apply, see www.renault.ie [Warning: You will not own these goods until the final payment is made.]

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

RELAX

We can ﬁx most minor repairs for less than the cost of your INSURANCE EXCESS

NO FUSS. NO HASSLE. NO PROBLEM. Prices start from as little as €150

BEFORE

AFTER

For Minor scuﬀs, dents and scratches. We’ll restore your car to a ‘like-new’ ﬁnish.

MINI VALET AVAILABLE Why not let us clean your car while we repair it - ask when booking! SEND US A PIC OF THE DAMAGE AND WE’LL SEND YOU BACK A NO-OBLIGATION QUOTE!

We’ve worked hard to become one of the country’s most trusted repair specialists - we won’t let you down.

SEND TO DENIS:

087 2628728

NOW OPEN IN POULADUFF Unit 1C, Sitecast Industrial Estate, Pouladuﬀ, Cork. Tel: 021 5005026 Unit J1, Marina Commercial Park, Centre Park Road, Cork. Tel: 021 4317673 | Mob: 087 2628728

Email: info@dineencrashrepairs.ie | www.dineencrashrepairs.ie

thecorknews

Drive

2 January 2015

Great news for Cork City

All Q-Park parking charges reduced in Cork! Q-Park have now introduced fairer pricing for customers by significantly reducing parking tariffs in the 4 Q-Park car parks in Cork City. There is also an option to save even more money if you park on the roof.

For more information on the new prices visit www.q-park.ie/cork www.q-park.ie

thecorknews

Sport & Fitness 2 January 2015

Cork represented in Ireland’s U18 team Four Cork players have been confirmed as part of the 20– man squad to train ahead of the U18 European Championships in Austria this summer. Jordan Blount of Neptune/Canarias Basketball Academy; Owen Connolly of Fr Mathews; Liam Harris

of Fr Mathews/Kent Harris High School, CT, USA and Ryan Leonard of Fr Mathews were named on the squad by head coach Joey Boylan and assistant coach Colin O’Reilly. Ireland’s U18 men head to Austria in July and have will play the hosts in Oberwart.

Penalty puck trial One of the proposals of the Hurling 2020 Review Committee is to be trialled in the forthcoming pre-season provincial hurling competitions. The Munster and Leinster Councils have agreed to trial a proposal on the penalty puck in which only the keeper may stand on the goal-line. The full report of the Hurling 2020 Review Committee, which is chaired by former Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy, will be published in early January.

Meanwhile, basketball action in the Men’s Premier League kicks off for 2015 with C&S UCC Demons taking on BFG Neptune at the Mardyke Arena tonight (Friday) at 8pm. C&S UCC Demons guard Adrian O’Sullivan outlined it is “great

to have the majority of league games after Christmas in front of our home crowd”. “We are where we need to be, but the most important part of our season is yet to come,” he said. “They do not hand out trophies before Christmas and it’s a matter of finishing

what we’ve started and taking it week by week. We’ve a great opportunity to have a fantastic season, but it is all yet to play for. We are looking forward to the challenge ahead and we hope to give the fans something to cheer about come 2015.”

BFG Neptune will play Dublin Inter at Neptune Stadium at 7pm tomorrow (Saturday) while in the Women’s Premier League, Team Montenotte Hotel play UL Huskies at Upper Glanmire Sports Centre, Cork at 5pm.

Racing gets underway Cork Racecourse Mallow kickstarts the racing season for 2015 with the National Hunt Card. The McCarthy In-

surance Group race day will take place tomorrow, Saturday, from 12.35pm to 4.30pm.

Cork set to defend cup title Cork will begin the defence of their McGrath Cup title this Sunday, January 4th. The Rebels will play Mary Immaculate College Limerick in the preliminary round of the football competition at 2pm in Mallow.

thecorknews

Sport & Fitness

2 January 2015

Everyone is guilty of it: we make resolutions for the New Year and then swiftly break them. However, that does not always have to be the case, especially in terms of fitness goals. Maria Tracey chats with personal trainer Christina Cronin about how to keep motivated in 2015.

Keeping on the fitness track The key before embarking on a new journey with fitness or rekindling a romance with exercise is to remember that feeling of satisfaction. That’s according to Christina Cronin of Ultimate Burn on Washington Street, who outlines that “the minute you hop off a machine, as you drag your legs to the changing room and no matter how beaten up you feel” it’s important to remember ‘you did it’. You are making the change and that feeling will help get you stuck back in the next day no matter how stiff and sore you feel,” she says. Christina states that for many, exercise is not enjoyable and, in her opinion, it’s “not meant to be”: “It gets more manageable but it is still no walk in the park and you should never walk away feeling like it was easy.

“It is the aftermath, that sense of achievement, that boost in self– esteem that comes from you not throwing in the towel, no matter how many times you battled it out with yourself to run away and hide and how it has an immediate affect on your body and mind, not to mention mood,” she says. Christina adds: “As this is the time of year for resolutions galore, where you dedicate yourself to building a better you, make this the year where you follow through. As a fitness trainer, I know first–hand how important it is to reinvent the wheel to help stay on track. Remember; health is your wealth and a strong, fit body can be your secret weapon to staying youthful, rehabbing from an injury or maintaining a positive,

upbeat attitude.” She outlines that it is important to start slow: “You don’t become out of shape and de-conditioned overnight so don’t expect to become in tip top shape overnight! It is easy to say you want to do it and pick the picture perfect body, but you got to be prepared to put the work in to get where you want to go,” states Christina. “It’s not an easy road but it is one of the most satisfying and rewarding roads I have ever embarked on. Small steps with gradual progressions. Too much too soon could leave you disheartened and jumping off the fitness bandwagon and heading straight back for the burger wagon”.

Christina’s top tips *Be Realistic: The ‘hell for leather’ approach does not work here. Think two to three days per week initially for 30– 40mins and gradually build up.

*The pros and cons: Make a list of all the advantages and disadvantages of your new regime so when you lose motivation the facts are there to keep you focused.

*Plan Ahead: Have your gym bag in your car or office and set days for working out.

*Talk about it: Tell your friends and family so you have a network of support that can help pick you up when you feel like giving up, or better still, guilt you back into it.

*Reward yourself: Not with food but with new workout gear, healthy meals out and massages etc. *Track Progress: Don’t rely on the scales, and instead judge by how loose your clothes are starting to feel, how much weight you lifted, how fast you ran, how many extra minutes/reps you did.

*Don’t beat yourself up: If you miss a workout, get a takeaway or have a few extra beers, don’t throw in the towel. *Stick to it: It takes 21 days for a new activity to become a habit and six months for it to become part of your personality. Be patient, be persistent and results will follow. *Think variety: Although we are all creatures of habit, your body gets used to the same old thing so keep your workouts fresh.

thecorknews

Play 2 January 2015 Picture by Emma Jervis Photography

‘There’s no sign of slowing down’

A new album, a new musical project, and a new baby: it’s all about the ‘new’ for Cork’s own Niamh Murphy, aka Foxglove, as she starts 2015. Play’s Maria Tracey catches up with the artist ahead of an exciting 12 months.

Unbeatable Room Sale

Picture by Emma Jervis Photography

he term “whirlwind year” can often sound clichéd, however for local star Niamh Murphy (aka Foxglove) 2014 was just that. The Cork–based artist turned the judges’ heads and scooped the bronze in the performance category at last year’s International Songwriting Competition for her song Shields of Fire, which was picked from over 20,000 entries. She has also been recording the new Foxglove album and started crowd funding for it on Fund It, commenced a new musical project with a bandmate and has just had a little baby girl. “I like to keep myself under constant pressure,” she laughs. In 2012, Murphy released her debut EP Crazy at the Helm to critical acclaim from Hot Press — who dubbed her the “créme de la créme of Ireland’s hottest emerging music talent” — and, more recently, has had Steve Lillywhite, Dave Fanning, Paul McLoone

and Cormac Battle sing her praises. 2014 was also productive for Foxglove, with an RTÉ One appearance performing another of her songs; Land’s End, chosen personally by five–time Grammy winner Steve Lillywhite. She also proved herself to be a notable stage presence, with her song Shields of Fire selected as one of the top sub-

missions in the performance category of the International Songwriting Competition. Past category winners include Gotye, The Band Perry, Amanda Palmer, Passenger, and Andrew Bird. Her latest album — due out in March — is a collection of songs and accompanying visuals that have been crafted over the last few years and

features collaborations from a host of musicians, producers, photographers, videographers and visual artists. “There were a lot of collaborations with the album, and a lot of different musicians appearing on different songs. I wrote the songs, but don’t see them as just mine, as they were shaped by whoever worked on them.

“I wrote the songs, but don’t see them as just mine, as they were shaped by whoever worked on them.” “They are a bunch of collaborations really, so to get it off the ground by bringing the community in would be fab,” she enthuses. “I like pushing the boundaries, and the album is like the ideal gig for me really. It’s a bit of everything from the fast and furious to the slow and melancholy.” She aims to finish recording,

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mixing and mastering, along with creating the artwork, manufacturing physical copies and then promoting the album through the online crowdfunding site, Fund It at fundit.ie/ project/foxglove-album-fundit. There’s €4,000 to be raised. “As the making of the album draws to a close there is a whole new beginning of other things that come into play to get an album out to the public. Fund It is basically pre–buying an album and is a great way of supporting artists to get their music out there,” outlines Murphy. However it doesn’t end there for the musician, who is also planning a new creative musical project with Foxglove bandmate Melissa Power. “There’s no sign of slowing down,” she laughs: “With Melissa, it’s more contemporary Irish songs, a bit folky, and the project is yet nameless until we arrive with a name! As Melissa is in Foxglove, this is kind of a hybrid band. I’ve gone back to my roots and I’m writing in two different styles at the moment, which is cool.”

thecorknews

Play

2 January 2015

Feeling Green A Handsome act Wild animals, tall tales, and folklore from American history define New Mexico’s Handsome Family. Based in Albuquerque, husband and wife duo Brett and Rennie Sparks blend

Appalachian hollering and psych-rock to conjure up a world where David Attenborough meets David Lynch in a Honky-Tonk bar at midnight. Catch the act that provides

Irish acoustic folk rock band Hermitage Green are set to play Cyprus Avenue later this month. The group has spent the last couple of years touring relentlessly, and will take to the stage in Cork on Satur-

day, January 17th. Incendiary live performances and a curious arrangement of instruments help give Hermitage Green their distinctive live sound, and a local audience can expect hard–hitting rhythm sections driven

by the tribal combination of bodhrán and djembe, rhythmic guitar lines with dobro melodies and soaring four– part vocal harmonies. Doors are at 8pm and tickets are €15 from the Old Oak or cyprusavenue.ie.

the opening theme for the hit TV crime drama True Detective at the Crane Lane Theatre on Saturday, March 28th at 7.30pm with tickets €25, available from Plugd Records, Tobin Street.

CORK ARTS THEATRE Tuesday 6th January @ 8.00pm - Returning by popular demand!! Dramarama presents

THE MOMOLOGUES

The original comedy about motherhood DIRECTED BY ANN MARIE LEWIS

An honest and very funny look at motherhood that follows four women through − attempts at conception, pregnancy, labour and delivery, and adjusting to life with a newborn. Tickets: €15. Early booking is advised!

Saturday 10th January @ 3.00pm ‘Famous Seamus’ and ‘Sean-tastic’ present

THE LORDS OF STRUT FAMILY SHOW

Tickets: Adults: €10 - Children €5, Family ticket €25 (2 adults + 2 children)

Ireland’s most lovable idiots bring their mischief and mayhem on tour; a show for the whole family, you can even bring your granny! Satire, surrealism and silly comedy with flashes of surprising acrobatic skill makes ‘Lords of Strut’, bright, tight and incredibly funny live entertainment!

Wednesday 14th - Saturday 24th January @ 8.00pm Cork Arts Theatre Youth Project presents

COLUMBINUS

DIRECTED BY EOGHAN MOLONEY

(Excl. Sunday 18th)

A powerful play sparked by the infamous massacre at Columbine High School that probes the psychological warfare of alienation, hostility and social pressure that can go on in all schools. Tickets: Opening week €10 / €8 conc.

Byrne: “Name the Show” A totally original stand-up concept, which is either an act of extreme daring or supreme laziness, sees comedian Jason Byrne letting the

audience choose the topics discussed as they are invited to spin the wheel of random nonsense. You Name the Show at the Opera House on

Thursday, January 22nd sees Byrne rip up the comedy rule book, with doors at 8pm and tickets priced €26/ €27.50/ €29 from corkoperahouse.ie.

It’s panto time in Fermoy Booking - Tel. 021 450 5624 Full details of our exciting Winter programme at...

www.corkartstheatre.com

Rep

Fee Fi Fo Fum! This month, Jack and the Beanstalk is being staged at the Fermoy Community Youth Centre’s very own Palace Theatre. Director Killian Collins brings

to life the magical tale of Jack and his adventures in the land above the clouds. Shows will run from Friday, January 16th to Sunday, January 25th (exclud-

ing Tuesday, January 20th and Wednesday, January 21st) with a total of 12 shows taking place. Tickets are €15 from the Box Office on 025 32042.

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Play

2 January 2015

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Playtime 2 January 2015

2 Friday

Pop along to The Oliver Plunkett to catch singer– songwriter Hank Wedel with his eclectic mix of folk, country, jazz and rock. Doors are at 9.30pm and admission is free.

Your guid e to what's happenin g in Cork this week ...

Saturday

If you want to keep the Christmas magic alive, the panto continues at The Everyman. Get ready for glass slippers, ugly step–sisters and Prince Charming as Cinderella is staged at 7.30pm, and admission is €26.

4 5 Sunday

It’s a night in on the couch as The Voice of Ireland returns for a fourth season on RTÉ One. The Saturdays’ Una Foden and S Club 7’s Rachel Stevens join Kian Egan and Bressie on the coaching panel, and we’ll wait and see whether they turn for Cork’s own John Sheehy on the night. Tune in at 6.30pm.

Monday

The Winter Show continues at The Triskel with an exhibition of work by a selection of Cork artists. This image, The Starry Messenger, is by Katherine Boucher Beug.

Thursday

Tuesday

It’s Women’s Little Christmas and to celebrate, Finbar Wright is in concert at the Opera House. Performing his greatest hits, Wright will be joined by an impressive line-up of musicians for sparkling performances. Doors are at 8pm and tickets are €33.50/€36 from corkoperahouse.ie.

Wednesday

Starting on the day a long–dormant feud between two local families is brutally reignited, the hotly anticipated Red Rock drama premieres on TV3 tonight and will air every Wednesday and Thursday night at 8.30pm. Will it fill the void left by Love/Hate’s departure?

An illustrated lecture on the families of Blarney Castle — The Jefferyes and the Colthursts — is to be hosted by Blarney & District Historical Society. Margaret Lantry, who has recently completed a study of these families, will speak on the night. It takes place from 8pm at Scoil Mhuire gan Smál.

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Trades & Services

2 January 2015

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2 January 2015

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