Fusion Magazine November 2014

FUS

Nov. 2014

€2 l ime r i c k ’ s

ION M A G A Z I N E

f r es h es t mon t h l y magazine

11 / 14

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Editor’s Note

Welcome to Fusion Magazine Limerick’s Freshest Monthly Publication

Welcome to November’s Edition of Fusion Magazine, This month we talk topics that people normally shy away from. Firstly men’s health where we are aiming to turn taboos into talking points. The last decade has brought men’s health issues into the spotlight with much needed media coverage. Is this enough for the ever yday man though? We sit down with a founding member of the “Movember movement” Travis Garone, to get the ball rolling (pun intended) on addressing this issue.

November is also National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. One Limerick woman tells us the affect this had on their family as she writes openly on this topic to raise awareness. Our fashion journalist Laura opens up the debate about fur and gives a brutally honest perspective, while our fashion spread shows what fun you can have mixing clothing from charity shops and quirky accessories from local stores. The stylish spread once again focuses on the talent we have right here on our doorstep as ever yone involved from hair, photography, models, stores and location are all Limerick based.

We still have all of our favourites such as our expanding Enter tainment section. The People Profile and our Food and Drinks section is now full of recipes and showcases some of the great restaurants in Limerick.

Fusion Magazine is a publication for the people of Limerick by the people of Limerick. We hope you enjoy this issue and if you want to get involved do send us an email.

Until Next Month, Michelle Costello Editor & Founder

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contents

3 Editor’s Note 6 Contributors 8 Opinion 12 People Profile 16 Arts & Culture 18 Student Life 20 Cover Story Movember 26 Well Being 30 Fashion The Fur Debate 32 Beauty 34 Fashion Sho ot 42 21st Century Shopper 44 Business 46 Travel 48 Fo od & Drink 56 Limerick Life 58 Charity Living With Dementia 60 Home 63 Entertainment 72 Events Guide

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Model - Jane Lyons Photographer - Tarmo Tullit MUA - Annette Smyth Hair - Stephen O’Driscoll Clothing - Gleesons Sportswear

Printed by - Davis Printers, Limerick Graphic Designer - Keith Aherne Special Thanks - Patricia Lindsey - Dave Ryan - Tyran Cruse - James Lennon FUSION MAGAZINE | 5

The man behind the lens, it is his job to keep us all looking good. From Estonia but living in Limerick for over a decade, Tarmo is the perfect fit for Fusion Magazine as he can tackle any photography challenge and it is his love of the people of Limerick that keeps him here...literally.

From the wilds of Mayo, Mairéad has adopted Limerick as her second home. Her love of people and nature makes her the perfect fit for the human interest stories as she always wants to get to the core of the person she engages with and if she had her way, she would talk to everyone in Limerick.

The man behind the infamous TRX in Limerick, when he isn’t putting people through their paces, Eric writes for us.

Operating on a philosophy of each person needing a fitness programme that suits the individual, expect his articles to dispel the myths behind health and fitness.

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The fashionista of the group, bubbly, bright and full of joy, Laura is from Limerick but lives in London. Her background is in fashion journalism and being in the heart of the London fashion scene, will keep us in the loop on all the latest trends.

COM EDY

D a n n y R ya n

FA S HI O N

L a u r a H ast i n g s

h ea lth & fitness

Eric Johnson

Human Inter est

Mairéad Collins

P h otog r ap h y

Ta r m o T u l i t

CON T R I B U T O R S

Keeping us chuckling all day long, Danny is a comedian full of sharp wit and funny stories. His clever commentary knows no limits and prepare for his monthly pieces to keep on surprising us.

We adore Stephen here at Fusion Magazine, his talent is incredible. When he is not working for Hugh Campbell, Stephen spends his time being creative. Not only does he work on our fashion and beauty shoots he will now give you a guide to upcoming trends and how to keep your locks in the best condition and above all looking your best.

Valerie is our favourite foodie. She is quirky, cool and knows the Limerick food scene inside out. Expect scrumptious recipes that can be made at home and up to date news on Limerick’s food producers.

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A warm and friendly guy, Kaur knows his stuff when it comes to beverages. After fifteen years in the industry, he’s not afraid to experiment so we can definitely trust his taste buds when it comes to his refreshing recipes and topics.

A RTS & CULTUR E

R ebe c c a e g a n

Be v e r ages

K a u r E l l er m a e

FOOD

Va l er i e O ’ C o n n er

H A IR

Ste p h e n O ’ dr i s c o l l

MU S I C

Olivia Chau

Olivia’s second home is the music scene in Limerick. A DJ, writer, festival hopper and all around lovely person, she’ll have everything you need to know about the music world of Limerick and most importantly, before the gig happens so no fear of missing out.

With a passion for the arts, Rebecca is a theatre hopper who always makes time to see shows. She’s full of life and energy and loves art as much as plays, dance, music and drama so she’s the perfect fit for her section.

OPINION

Limerick As A Venue

On Sunday August 24th 2014, the final whistle blew and reality hit for many. Mayo and Kerry drew in the All Ireland Senior football semifinal and before discussion could break out about the replay, it was announced firmly by Micheal Lyster that it would take place the next week in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Such surprise at this news left a bitter taste in many a person’s mouth. Not because of the location but for the immediate shuffle about of rural county players and general GAA politics.

Leaving their opinions at home, supporters did what they do best and packed their bags, decked themselves out in their county attire, accepted there would be no HawkEye, a slightly smaller pitch and no big screens and set out with hopeful hearts to the Treaty city.

That Saturday, the Dock road filled with green and gold and the Ennis road with red and green as the crowds shuffled in. A sea of supporters from the anxious counties, it was head to head once again. For supporters who could call Croker their holiday home, a sense of uncertainty but politeness filled the air on this newfound ground. People were unsure of their limitations.

Where exactly that place was the bus was collecting them? Could they cheer in the street on the walk up to the match? Or where they might get a sandwich? Naturally enough, they figured it out and despite the long road home for some, Limerick was

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spoken about as a venue with high esteem.

I sat in Clohessy’s bar on that replay day and it was buzzing with new faces to our city that admired the new river walk and enjoyed their pint while seeing Limerick with fresh eyes. The unfortunate news of its closure just a couple of weeks later sent a shockwave through the city and really made me stop and think. With the romance of the City of Culture, weaving so many spectacular and home grown events throughout our year, news of economic loss or close of business remind us of the tough reality that still exist for many. It is fair to say that it’s not all roses for anyone but everyone is really trying and that’s bound to pay off. If anything, the City of Culture is showing us how many people we can bring, accommodate, feed, put up and entertain in our city and county. It’s all right here and we need that to sustain ourselves. If we take it one step further though, what do we need to do to achieve that? After a surge of people taking to the streets for the game, for the Great Limerick Run or those that hit Thomond for matches and indeed concerts alike, it appears we are certainly able to cater for large crowds.

To get a better idea on the ground where Limerick is presently and where it is going, I spoke with Karen Brosnahan from the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau.

By be i n g t h e f i r s t N at i o n a l C i t y o f C u lt u re , L i m er i c k “ h a s s e n t a ver y s tr o n g m e s sa g e ”

It appears that “our biggest challenge is getting the message out there” that we are what we are.

It appears to come down to branding. When Cork was the European City of Culture as well as other Corkonian campaigns, it really helped their branding on being a venue city. By being the first National City of Culture, Limerick “has sent a very strong message”. In conjunction with that, it appears that the Wild Atlantic Way has helped put us on the map by association. We are “the gateway city to picture postcard Ireland.” You can live it up in our urban hub and experience the city and then embark on day trips to explore rural Ireland.

We are also a massive sporting city. The value of sporting events must not be overlooked and it turns out that you don’t need a sell out event for economic impact. This is also a time to utilise social media to our branding benefit when bums on seats start to eat and tweet. It’s a way for the customer to help us sell ourselves so it’s important that we ensure they have a good time.

Our infrastructure can be underestimated but let us not forget the World Gay Games decision last year. We, Limerick, were one of the top three finalists. We were up there with London and Paris as we have already in place the facilities to hold such an enormous event – two capital cities and we Limerick, knocked out places like Rio, Amsterdam and Florida. That’s some serious competition and

shows we really have what it takes. Staying with the international scene, conferences and events that have already done the capital city circuit are now looking to the secondary cities for new destinations. One of the positive factors of us not being the default city for events nationally is that we are actually one of the best value cities out there. So in these times and with those looking for fresh locations, what more could we be for the visitor, tourist or consumer. Surely we are a no brainer for conference goers.

The year is not over yet but it will be soon and I feel Limerick has got the boost it needed to be displayed on a national and international stage.

Even outside of City of Culture events, we’ve seen such innovation and drive on the part of the Limerick people to build, create and make more out of our community. I know it’s not all good news but we have seen many of the empty shop windows being reopened or used for artistic displays and if nothing more, gives hope that we are still a living, breathing, moving city that stands as much of a chance as any of the others.

We have some serious venues if we stop to think.

Sporting places like Thomond Park, the Gaelic Grounds and UL Arena. The Culture Factory is an incredible place as is the Crescent Hall and indeed the Milk Market. We are stepped in historic venues like King John’s Castle, our Cathedrals and the list continues with places like

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Dagda, Lime Tree, UCH, we have multiple choices when it comes to our evenings or weekends. We are also no longer confining ourselves to being inside four walls and this new understanding of using this space was embodied in letting a Giant stroll through our streets.

In recent times, we have witnessed people bursting through walls, giant flowers and benches, daring wall art, dancing in the streets, thrilling sporting events and acrobats hanging from cranes. It shows we aren’t afraid to experiment with space by filling it with sound, movement and body. Not only have we the venues and know how to use them but we have the people too. Businesses are working hard to adapt to the customer, the customers are making the effort, the adventurous spirit of the entrepreneurs who have resisted getting the boat but instead used their skills here to grow around us and build. We do in a lot of ways actually punch above our weight but we are hungry for growth and progression and we do go the extra mile with the welcome for those coming in. What we are capable of, what Limerick is capable of as a city, is no longer the hidden gem of the South West but emerging as a contender to the usual city competition.

Article by Mairéad Collins Illustration by Ken Coleman

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John Collins

people profile

DANT VULNERA VITAM The Wounds Give Life One of my favourite Ted talks is by Brené Brown called ‘The Power of Vulnerability.’ In it Brown discusses how “vulnerability is essential to wholehearted living”. We live in a world where we are conditioned to distance or protect ourselves from vulnerability but sadly, that only keeps us further from ourselves. It is a place where I believe real artists go and real art is born. John Collins is a man who fearlessly embraces vulnerability, creativity, growth and most importantly truth. His certainty in the uncertain and his comfort in the uncomfortable is something I’ve never met in a person before and his approach to life is truly inspirational.

Glasgow born but grew up in Cappamore, John “always ran around with a pencil in (his) hand even when (he) was going to school.” He took to art and technical graphics but without an art teacher, couldn’t take it as a Leaving Cert subject. As a result, John’s dream of going to the art college ended up as a carpentry reality on building sites in England. His creative blood drew him into the tattoo world over there and on return, John opened the first professional tattoo shop in Limerick in 1991 known as ‘The Black Rose’.

Unfortunately for John, a tragic incident struck and within an instant, the course of John’s life as he knew it was about to change forever. “I crashed my motorbike and I lost the use of my left arm. I only have the use of my right arm so that meant that I couldn’t be a carpenter, I couldn’t be a tattooist, I couldn’t be a lot of things that I used to do.

I used to play bass, my whole social structure changed, everything about my job as a tattooist, everything.

The whole thing changed overnight.

(Clicks fingers) I was up in Beaumont hospital for two months on the flat of my back...a spinal injury that caused it.”

According to Brown, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change“. And this is exactly what happened to John.

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In a bizarre twist of events, this is when he first started painting. “After a while I was looking around for stuff to do while I recovered. It took a long time to recover as I had a lot of operations on my left leg to save it as well...so in the recovery process I went out and bought a paintbrush for the first time in my life and done a painting...and from there to now is that journey.“ John finally got that portfolio together in Limerick Senior College and after a brief stint in Clare Street; he made the bold decision to be a painter rather than a student and continued on his primarily self taught artistic path.

John’s paintings are always a part of a series. He is known by many for the ‘Kearney’s Circus’ series he did a few years ago which tell a lot about the painter that is John Collins. The series was based on pain and was inspired by John’s recovery process.

“People didn’t get it because I didn’t explain it because I didn’t want to...I like the interpretation thing because that’s what I do. I don’t like paintings to be explained to me...You need to be able to take it all away and look at the painting, appreciate the painting for what it is, get something from it, interpretation might be right or wrong it doesn’t matter. It’s your painting while you are looking at it, you don’t need the stuff in the corner.

If it’s a good painting it doesn’t“. It was a very popular series and many people requested more work in that style from John but he declined.

“Once they’re done they’re done... because I need to allow myself to move on and that’s what I do.”

It is fascinating to meet an artist whose work may not be recognisable from one year to the next, no signature style or stroke, constantly delivering and surprising.

I imagine that is more difficult than it sounds and wondered why or how John can keep creating in that way.

“It constantly evolves is what it does.

If you are an artist, that’s what you need to do. I get sick of seeing the same art from an artist year after year...so I’ll always be conscious of that but it’s in you, you have to evolve as an artist and you do and I

do. That’s why my style changes and I do it deliberately and I’ll allow it to happen very deliberately...I won’t stay the same.”

Suffering from chronic pain, John needed a distraction during his recovery and that is the role painting assumed in his life. Years later, he is still committed to this work ethic as he was then. “I’m still driven, I still need to achieve and I still need to evolve...from that recovery is a foundation...restitution is a word I use as well, there has to be a certain amount of restitution in the artist as there is the work and I think it comes out.”

At the moment, John is knee deep in paint for his exhibition in December.

He will be closing the University of Limerick’s, City of Culture at the Bourn Vincent Gallery with Pigtown - ‘The Wild Watery Heart Of The City’. It is a response to the play ‘Pigtown’ by playwright Mike Finn who will be opening the exhibition on December 11th at 5.30pm. John starred in its production a few years ago and the script has had a lasting effect long after the final curtain. “The words were so strong in it and the lines. It’s about Limerick. Its Limerick through and through, the nuances and the lines are very Limerick so (my work) is a pattern, a patchwork quilt of Limerick over a 100 years...

The Mike Finn script is a gorgeous piece of work...I thought there was another dynamic I could add to it so why not do some painting on it and I did.” For this particular set of works, he is using mainly just paint and has the canvas on the floor. “I use those lines to title the paintings.

I’ll start the paintings and then the paintings will kind of take control of the situation and then the canvas will work after that. So it’s a long process because its abstract work. So it’s not a case of being very particular to the title, it’s just my understanding of the line or the backdrop of the piece and painting it that way. Without title, paintings should be able to stand on their own...but with these titles, they will add.“ From initially not getting to pursue his chosen career to his world

shattering accident that strangely got him back on that path to exhibiting at this important event, there is no denying John has been down an interesting road. “For someone like me with a history through painting as I have, I wouldn’t be I imagine, considered an academic but at the same time to finish the University of Limerick’s Bourn Vincent Gallery’s City of Culture year is a huge honour because I was once a tattooist with a shop on the corner of Thomas Street so to get from there to here, it’s a big leap for me and it’s a big leap for them (UL) as well and I hope I respond to that.“ Tattooed over John’s Adams apple is his namesake’s motto: DANT VULNERA VITAM which is Latin for ‘The Wounds Give Life’. Clearly John has had his fair share of struggle but it’s what he has done with this pain which has given him new life. To get up every day and go to that place of creativity and treat it like an ever evolving part of him that sees no end, is the real challenge which John

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takes on everyday and wins.

Not only that but he is a genuine soul who is warming, willing and welcoming to people. It will be interesting to see what’s next for such an innovative and powerful painter who has come down a long, interesting and unique path.

Interview by Mairéad Collins Images by Tarmo Tullit

Art s & C u l t u re City Light Moves - International Festival of Screendance Our city has indeed become a hub of excitement and its calendar has been sprinkled with glittering festivals throughout the year. This November season is no different. Light Moves - International Festival of Screendance is an exploration and celebration of the ever expanding lively field of audio-visual dance pieces. It celebrates Screendance and filmmaking. Screendance, the growing form of capturing dance for the screen is a strong impacting medium making us question art forms and our perception of life. It is often identified as a new “visual language” for our generation.

This event is in the wonderful Daghda Dance centre. It is the first international festival of this sort in Ireland. Daghda shall be transformed into an exhilarating surround sound cinema presenting 30+ films. There will be a host of events, workshops and master-classes and international guest speakers.

Curation of this event is by the accomplished director/choreographer Mary Wycherley and composer Jürgen Simpson. University of Limerick’s Digital Media & Arts Research Centre collaborated with Dance Limerick for this new, exciting, innovative event.

Thursday November 6th to Sunday November 9th

The Irish Chamber Orchestra’s Autumn/Winter season The ICO have a partnership with Gábor Tákacs Nagy (Principal Artistic Partner) and Jörg Widmann (Principal Guest Conductor/Artistic Partner). Widmann explores Mendelssohn and other prodigious works. With inspiring Sinfonies by Mendelssohn incorporating tastes of other works and sprightly spirits a marvelous musical experience will be had. Mendelssohn works were inspired by various sources, one of which his own circus ballet Trapeze. An affluent experience and sound will be knitted nicely with a first time collaboration with Fidget Feet, aerial dance specialists who will enhance this cultural event even further.

Friday November 21st, 8pm in UCH.

Limerick; My City My Home All cultural experiences are educational experiences and this piece is a prime example of that.

The Hunt Museum invites people from far and wide to explore the rich history Limerick city has to offer. Historic maps and paintings will be on display over the winter months to show the wealth of history in our city. These artifacts and displays will guide you from the 1600’s to the modern day Limerick as we now know it. You never know what you may discover - maybe your ancestors had royal lineage? It’s a perfect adventure for any rainy day, a solo gander or a family event, this is definitely worth a peak.

Monday November 24th - Wednesday February 18th 2015

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County World Acclaimed Solo Cellist in Castleconnell Limerick’s Arts Council has a fantastic event organised for Thursday 20th November at 8pm in All Saints’ Church Castleconnell as part of the Castleconnell Autumn Concert Series 2014. The performance is by a New Generation Cellist, 29 year old Leonard Elschenbroich who will perform solo on the night. The cello Leonard plays is on private loan, named “Leonard Rose” and made by Matteo Goffriller (Venice, 1693).

A world renowned cellist, Leonard prides himself on playing native German pieces but finds he is more inclined to perform Russian compositions. What will he have in store for us? See below. If you are lucky enough to make it, don’t forget to raise a glass to Limerick Arts Office for getting such an accomplished performer to Castleconnell.

On the night he shall perform: Bach: Suite No.1 in G major, BWV 1007 Hindemith: Solo Sonata, Op.25, No.3 Piatti: 12 Caprices, Op. 25 (No.7 Maestoso, No.11.

Adagio-Allegro) Tavener: Threnos Lombardi: Essay 3 Kevin Volans: Short Walk in the Gardens of Solitude Thursday 20th November at 8pm

Newcastle West Film Club Screening: The Lunchbox Founded in 2008 and run on a volunteer basis it appears that the NCW Film Club have settled upon an inviting and relaxed plan of action for film screenings. On the first Friday of select months one and all are welcomed to a movie screening at the Desmond Complex. The committee hand pick movies tailored to previous audience reactions.

Avoiding mainstream cinematic productions they have a fantastic selection of various ethnic productions which offers insight into other cultures. As the nights are getting colder and darker why not head there for a friendly atmosphere, where people are invited to come along early to chat and if you wish to stay for a discussion on the screening afterwards. This months movie won Critics Week Viewers Choice Award in Cannes, 2013. It is a wonderful heartwarming story based in India and noted as one not to be missed. So, I believe that means you simply must see it!

All films start at 8pm. Films are for people over 18. The venue is wheelchair accessible and there is an audio loop.

Friday November 7th, 8pm

By Rebecca Egan

student life

accommodation Your gaff, the pad, your humble abode...many a term will be used for your nest throughout your College experience and indeed further afield. If you are one of the many students who are renting whether it be student accommodation or private letting, it’s imperative that you familiarise yourself with your rights and responsibilities. We have all heard the horror stories of some student getting a fast one pulled on them with their deposit but equally stories like the Irish J1’ers who wrecked a house in San Francisco that made international news. So the pendulum swings in both directions.

Often you are so happy to just ‘get sorted’ that the basic things like checking the condition of the appliances, the lease and the infrastructure for dampness can all slip the mind. It’s also a time when everyone is finding their groove with their new housemates so it’s generally not until a problem arises that hindsight is a great thing.

There are a couple of things you can keep in mind that will have you prepared in the event of a disaster.

• Inventory – We all love a good list. Make sure you fill this out with what’s in your house and what’s not so you don’t get caught covering someone else’s mistake. It’s also there for the landlord at the end of the year to make sure everything is there for the next person.

• Receipts – Always get receipts for rent and bills. That way, everything has a paper trail.

So whether it’s a landlord querying rent or housemate questioning the gas/electricity bill, you have it covered.

• Lease – Make sure you have a copy of the lease so if something comes up, it will probably say in it who is responsible for it.

• Know who to call – There are great organisations out there like Threshold who can answer accommodation queries but the Students’ Union is a great starting point for students.

• Your landlord isn’t a monster – Don’t be afraid to call or ask your landlord if you have any problems or need anything clarified. Remember you both have rights and responsibilities and one of them is to engage with you if you have an issue and you in turn must respect their property.

• Money and your Housemates – There are a ton of apps out there for housemates who share bills. They show who owes what and when. That way, you can generally avoid those awkward talks if someone hasn’t coughed up for their part of a household bill.

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TEXMAS STEAKOUT RESTAURANT

We have made just for you Christmas in Texas

student profile Name – Natalie Katilis Course: Applied Social Studies in Social Care L.I.T Best thing about being a student?

The best thing for me about being a student is the buzz you get from… the surge of knowledge you’re absorbing. Being able to start over as a mature student helps as it gives you that extra incentive to achieve your goals and you have better insight as to what you’re most passionate about.

Best event you were at as a student?

I think I have become less sociable as a student! In fairness we have had some great break up nights before and after exams. I’m lucky to have some very fun and influential classmates (Laughs) Why did you go back to college?

My reasons for going back to college were on both a personal and professional level. I had worked my way up and plateaued in a job that I hadn’t enjoyed for a long time.

Deciding to go to college to pursue a career I had dreamed about was one of the biggest decisions I have ever made, with lots of sacrifices, but proving to be worth it.

Highlight of your college life so far?

I have lots of highlights! That feeling coming out of exams knowing you probably didn’t do that bad, the rare occasion of skipping afternoon lectures to go to Nancy’s (not recommended), but really my highlight is my current second year

work placement with GOSHH. some of the hardest work I have done but far more gratifying fulfilling then I could ever put words.

It is ever and into

Favourite student dinner?

A chocolate muffin and a chicken roll from the shop keeps me going for the day.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH MENU €21 served from 1st Dec. to 19th Dec.

CHRISTMAS DINNER MENU €35 served from 1st Dec. to 23rd Dec.

Favourite Limerick phrase?

Well kiiiiiiid Favourite place for a quiet pint?

Flannery’s, Catherine St. Favourite place to grab lunch?

Too hard to choose! I’ll go with Kaya Thai restaurant or a spicy chicken roll from Gleesons Spar.

Favourite place to take someone special out for dinner?

The Hamptons What nightclub would you inevitably end up in on a night out?

It’s certainly been awhile, but if I had to choose it would be The Icon.

One piece of advice that you would give to students?

Unless you truly hate your course, stay with it! The work load can be immensely stressful, especially when you have a ton of other things going on in your life, but always seek out support made available from your college and your classmates as there is a good chance they are going through the same roller coaster of emotions that you are.

116 O’ Connell Street, Limerick. T: 061-410350 www.texassteakout.com

THE MO’S ARE BACK IN TOWN Movember is back for its seventh annual campaign in Ireland and men across the country are getting ready to let it flow for Movember 2014. This year Mo Bros and Sistas nationwide will be celebrating MADE IN MOVEMBER, a homage to the makers and doers of Ireland.

Irish Mo Bros simply register at Movember. com, start the month clean shaven then have the remainder of the month to grow and flow some man made moustaces, all to raise awareness and funds for men’s health. The money raised in Ireland goes to the Irish Cancer Society and the Movember Foundation’s global research initiative GAP. Girls can get involved by supporting their local moustaches. Mo Sistas organise events, fundraise or simply support the men in their life by encouraging them to cultivate some upper lip foliage for the month. Remember, behind every great Mo is an even greater Mo Sista.

KEY MOVEMBER FACTS • • • • • •

Once registered at movember.com each Mo Bro must begin his hairy journey on the 1st of Movember with a smooth, clean shaven face.

There is strength in numbers, start a team and don’t Mo alone The moustache is Movember’s ribbon; it’s the vehicle men use to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer initiatives.

At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their mighty Movember journey by throwing their own Movember parties.

Over 2,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Ireland each year.

1 in 8 Irish men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Movember’s Global Action Plan (GAP) aims to accelerate prostate cancer outcomes by bringing together the best researchers from around the world. GAP facilitates a new and unprecedented level of global research collaboration, not previously seen within the prostate cancer community.

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i n t e r v i e w It’s Mo time! That time of year when Hulk Hogan and Burt Renolds are back in fashion. We were lucky enough this month to talk to one of the head honcho’s of this amazing international campaign to draw attention to men’s health.

Travis Garone is a real gent and here is what he had to say about Movember, men’s health and the men of Limerick.

Did you ever imagine the Movember campaign would be as successful as it has become?

“No and especially not in the initial two or three years, I had no expectations. We would get to the end of every November and sort of contemplate whether we would do it again. Then you would get these people who would send you these heartfelt emails about how it had changed their lives and we had to dig deep and sort of get the energy to go again. I had no expectations until about 2006, ‘07, ’08 with the overwhelming response and I knew this thing was going to get bigger than our wildest dreams but I had never planned for this.”

Why do you think it’s so popular?

“There are a bunch of success factors I think to Movember. We really wanted to start something men’s health related and something we could relate to, something that was for us at that time in our late twenties and early thirties.

The breast cancer campaign was such an inspiration and when that happened, we thought about how we could we have something that’s fun, that we could laugh in the face of danger and something that we could relate to and feel like we were part of. I think just having that as a very simple idea...guys are simple at the end of the day. (Laughs) We wanted something that was fun and irreverent and disruptive, we wanted something that people had never seen before.”

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Tell me more about this year’s ‘Made in Movember’ campaign?

“Well what’s been happening of late, people no matter where they are in the world think Movember started in their country. And I love it. It’s very fortunate for us that Movember feels like it’s at a local level in so many countries. With that in mind, I wanted to pay homage to that and to things that are home grown - especially moustaches. Last year we had a very fun campaign.

It was all loud, it was all rock n roll and so this year I wanted to just remind everyone just why we do Movember and have an emotional connection back to the cause and if we could do that and harness this home grown mentality then we can start to really embrace from local communities to cities, to states or provinces, to countries all over the movement that is Movember and it’s the first time we have really localised the campaign so maybe we will see Movember Limerick, Movember Cork, Movember Dublin, Movember Ireland, England, LA, Sydney and so forth. “ What advice would you have for a guy in Limerick thinking of doing Movember or indeed when it comes to addressing his health?

“For Movember, the first thing you have got to do is get on to Movember.com and register there.

Then we start to send you the tools you need...and become privy to all the wonderful things that go on in the Mo community. Once registered, you rally the troops and you start clean shaven on 1st Nov and throughout the entire 30 days you grow and groom your moustache. For the gentlemen out there, no beards, no goatees, this is about growing a moustache for 30 days and along the way you can raise some funds and plenty of awareness. All of our fundraising is done through Movember.com and you basically get all the information once you sign up.

And as far as health goes, then for guys it’s the perfect opportunity or perfect excuse to start to talk to their mates or their loved ones about what’s going on in their life. It doesn’t have to be this doom and gloom conversation. It might even be that annual time you go and visit your doctor and see what’s going on and get your tests...and know your family history. That’s one of the biggest things at the moment. What you have been born into is going to be half the battle for sure. That moustache is a catalyst for conversation. When you have your moustache it’s like a walking billboard for men’s health so it’s your perfect opportunity to talk to your mates about what’s going on in your life.”

Do you find it really works and actually gets men talking?

“Most definitely. Now, this was really really difficult back in the early days when no one knew about Movember. We were still forging this path for men to feel comfortable – (a) with having a moustache and (b) opening up and chatting a little bit more. Movember is the excuse now if you like to talk to your mates about all the weird and wonderful things that go on in your life. It’s definitely much easier now that Movember has spread, in the early days it was just creepy. “(Laughs) Do you grow a Mo every year or do you have one all year round?

“Oh yes, yes, I grow one every year...it’s easier for me when talking about Movember to actually have a moustache and practice what you preach so I do have a moustache for the majority of the year. There’s a fine line between people that think you look weird with a moustache as opposed to you look weird without a moustache so I make sure my

moustache comes and goes...I didn’t want to have one for 12 odd years but I shave down on the 1st like everybody else and grow my moustache for 30 days.”

Have you a favourite style of Mo? “You know, I like change...I’m quite slow in the moustache making world.

It takes me about a good two to two and half weeks to get something

decent going. I suppose at the moment it’s a bit of a Tom Selleck.

There is a love/hate relationship with moustaches I think.”

What about those that can’t grow a Mo? “You know it’s never been about who can grow the best moustache so even the littlest, tiniest moustaches throughout the month is a really good and positive thing. We have a big campaign in Hong Kong and Singapore because we thought that

there would be guys who couldn’t grow the biggest moustaches but you would be really surprised. I do feel for the guys with blonde or fair hair...I have seen some absolutely tiny moustaches and the guys are super proud of them and so am I. So stick with it, they will appear over the four weeks.”

What about those partners that have difficulty adjusting to their loved ones new Mo? “Ya, I’ve had some angry ladies over the years. (Laughs) It’s a bit easier now when the money we have raised is so big towards men’s health but to the partners out there, please just bare with us because its only 30 days and it’s for a good cause and thank you so much. One of the biggest reasons that a guy will eventually grow a moustache is because his partner or loved one

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actually gives him the kick or nod to do so. So without the support of the women in our lives, Movember just wouldn’t happen. So thank you to all the women in Ireland!”

Is that what encouraged the Mo Sista element to the campaign?

“Ya, you know the biggest support the guys throughout the month can have, is that wink and a smile from a girl in the street to really encourage the guys with the mo to keep going and without the support of our loved ones, we wouldn’t be where we are today. So the girls in our lives, they are the ones that organise, rally the troops, make sure we are fundraising, keep us in check as well. One of the most important things is to have the support of Mo Sistas around the world. They can also register online and raise funds and awareness on Movemeber.com, it’s a really important point for us.”

What is the future of Movember?

“We sort of do take it one year at a time, but the future for us now is definitely in the men’s health space, making sure that the funds and awareness we raise are being used efficiently and effectively. We are spending a lot of money here in Ireland with the Irish Cancer Society.

We have just launched a mental health initiative as well so we love to have fun and that’s what Movember is all about, but the serious side of Movember is really the future for us and making sure we have a significant impact on men’s health around the world.”

Interview with Travis Garone

By Mairead Collins Images of Jerry Fish, Duncan McGuire & Travis Garone

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we l l

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be i n g

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1 0 0 D AY S ?

We live in times when super-busy schedules have become something to boast about. While the speed of life increases, there is less and less time to enjoy the moment that you are in. The ability to appreciate the moment, the environment and yourself in it is the base for the bridge towards the long term happiness of any human being. Taking this challenge is not as easy as it sounds because we do not seem to give ourselves time to enjoy the little things in life. 71% of the people who tried to complete this challenge failed, quoting “lack of time” as the main reason. These people simply did not have time to be happy. How in anyone’s world does that make sense?

How do you take this #100HappyDays Challenge?

Choose your favourite platform for submitting pictures:

It is plain and simple, every day take a picture of what made you happy! That is it, no tricks to it.

It can be anything from a meet-up with a friend to a very tasty cake in the nearby coffee place, from a feeling of being at home after a hard day to a favour you did for a stranger.

•

The key thing to realise is that the #100happyday challenge is for you - not for anyone else.

People successfully completing the challenge claimed to: • Start noticing what makes them happy every day • Be in a better mood every day • Start receiving more compliments from other people • Realise how lucky they are to have the life they have • Become more optimistic

It is not a happiness competition or a showing off contest. If you try to please/make others jealous via your pictures - you lose without even starting. The same goes for cheating.

•

Share your picture via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with a public hashtag#100happydays Or come up with your own hashtag to share your pictures to limit publicity. And you’re ready to go!

Why would I want to do this challenge?

Even when the challenge is over the collected 100 happy moments can always remind you about the beauty of your life.

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#100HappyDays

#Day64

“Several of my friends including myself have just completed the challenge posting our #100HappyDays picture on Instagram daily as we went along. To start it was easy, snapping a picture of a glass of wine after a long day or selfies. As time went on my pictures turned into snaps of my feet in the grass, enjoying little moments and work projects that made me feel good about my career choice. I never noticed this change until I came to the end of the challenge. It is very simple to start the challenge, it is tough to do but it is so rewarding when you complete it and best of all it is completely free.�

Visit www.100happydays.com

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W h y i s E v e ry o n e Ta l k i n g A b o u t T R X ?

If you look around in most gyms you will see machines everywhere. These encourage us to be seated in nearly every exercise regardless of what muscle group we look to work on. Training while in a seated position provides us with fewer opportunities to train the postural and stabilizing muscles that are required for everyday movement. I have seen every shape, size and aliment training with me using TRX. Each workout is individual to the person’s needs. If it is weight loss you are looking for then TRX has you covered as it can be used with metabolic workouts to make sure you burn calories for hours. If it is sports performance you are after then just look at teams such as Liverpool FC, Manchester City and AC Milan - they are all using the TRX to make their players faster, stronger and better than the competition. Even senior citizens are using the TRX for fall prevention and balance training.

The TRX suspension training system refers to an approach to strength training that uses a system of ropes and webbing called a “suspension trainer” to allow the user to work against their own body weight.

The TRX is very easy to use as you are in control of how much you want to challenge yourself on each exercise because you can simply adjust your body position to add or decrease resistance. Standing at a greater angle will increase resistance while stepping away will make the exercise easier. This means the difference between an advanced workout or beginner workout as it is determined by where you stand.

TRX Suspension Training would be classed as functional training, more and more people are now turning to functional training over the traditional machine based strength training system. The hectic world we live in means we are getting increasingly less time to train and reach our full potential. As humans were designed to work as a single coordinated system rather the having one muscle group stronger or weaker than other, TRX encourages using the body as one fully functioning system.

Here are only some of the positives to training with a tool as universal as the TRX. • • • • • •

Delivers a fast, effective total-body workout Helps build a rock-solid core Weight Loss Increases muscular endurance Benefits people of all fitness levels (pro athletes to seniors) Can be set-up anywhere (gym, home, hotel or outside)

TRX is the way forward and it is time we break away from traditional training methods seen in gyms all over the country. It’s time we realise we were all designed to train like athletes regardless of ability and get the results we crave.

Article by Eric Johnson Image by Tarmo Tulit

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t h e

Nothing embodies the winter season quite like luxurious furs, but considering all we know about the fur trade, is it morally okay to wear it in 2014?

From Roberto Cavalli to Alexander McQueen, fur held its usual place of prestige on the Autumn/ Winter 2014 catwalks. In an age when the fashion world is trying harder than ever to be eco-friendly and socially aware, one has to wonder why this controversial trend is still so ubiquitous.

T​ he wearing of fur is one of the most talked about topics in fashion. Is it morally wrong to wear an animal that has been bred to be slaughtered for fashion? The obvious answer is yes, but then why is the fur trade still thriving? Is it hypocritical to shun the wearing of fur if you eat meat? These and many other questions to which there are no clear answers arise again and again, making the fur debate a deeply divided issue.

T​he release of a PETA video a few months ago, which showed the horrifying ordeal of an angora rabbit in China being plucked, sent shockwaves through the world and resulted in UK and Irish high street shops pulling all garments containing angora from

f u r

deb a te

the shelves. I made it through twenty seconds of the video before I had to turn it off in abject horror. The cruelty was intolerable and prompted me to vow never to buy anything containing the animal’s wool. The high street’s reaction was quick, and showed a positive step forward in animal rights.

I​ do still, however, own bags and shoes made of leather and I eat meat. Also, I don’t always recycle and sometimes I forget to reply to my parent’s e-mails but this isn’t meant to be a confession on my personal failings. I’m pointing out that it’s hard to ascertain where to draw the line when it comes to the treatment of animals. I consider myself to be a reasonably socially aware and wouldn’t personally buy real fur, but should my grandmother’s mink coat get passed down to me someday, I’d find it pretty hard to not wear it.

There is little transparency on how the animals that we consume in one way or another are treated. Generally speaking, the fur trade is known to be cruel. PETA have been conducting their “I’d rather go naked than wear fur” campaign since 1991, and have gotten some of the world’s best-known people, such as Naomi Campbell and Pamela Anderson, to bare all for

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animal rights. So why in an age when the cruelty of the trade is well known, are people ignoring the information in favour of fashion?

Fur has long been a status symbol for the ultra-wealthy, although thanks to the efforts of Kim Kardashian it’s now certainly taking on trashy connotations.

Mrs Kanye West herself was the “victim” of a PETA flour bombing in 2012, in recognition of her sizeable fur collection.

It’s time to address the usage of fur in fashion. While I don’t think it’s realistic that the fur trade will ever be banned, it should certainly be better regulated to ensure animals have a decent quality of life, and are not hunted to extinction. Fantastic faux fur pieces are currently available all over the high street shops. Cossack-style hats call to mind ‘Doctor Zhivago’, and a leopard print coat is a fun way to brighten up a simple outfit. If you’re determined to buy real fur, at least consider going vintage.

Article by Laura Hastings Image by Tarmo Tulit

be a u t y TOP CHOICE

Billion Dollar Brows - Brow Boost - €29.95 This deep conditioning treatment is designed to help repair and restore thin, over-plucked, and undernourished eyebrows. Having eyebrows that suit your face is known to take years off a person. This unique blend of proteins and vitamins works overnight to help stimulate brow growth, leaving them looking fuller and thicker. After 30 days of use brows should begin to fill in, creating a beautiful brow line.

Start now and keep using for catwalk-style brows in time for the Christmas party season.

Our products this month are Unisex and produced in Ireland. Ireland is home to a strong and growing community of beauty product producers. This month we have tried a tested some of these products, picked our favourite with the aim to show you that you can buy local and have great results.

ÓGRA – Moisturising Facial Cleanser €29.95 100ml

Voya Body Moisturiser Softly Does It - €30 200ml

Conceptualised, conceived, cultured and cultivated on the rich bogs of Ireland, ÓGRA is a revolutionary new skincare range that combines the best that nature has to offer. Using scientifically proven ingredients, ÓGRA harnesses the natural power of peat by using this nutrient rich formula to fight ageing at a cellular level. This unique peat based cleanser is gentle yet effective. It is suitable for all skin types. Contains seed oil, beeswax and peat extract to cleanse and nourish.

It comes in a pump action bottle for easy use.

VOYA’s ‘Softly Does It’ body moisturiser is a silky blend of wild seaweed extracts and organic essential oils that provide the skin with a completely natural deep moisturising experience as well as getting to work on the skin’s elasticity (and helps to banish cellulite). Blended with basil and lime, patchouli, clove, mandarin and lemon essential oils, this hero product from luxury organic seaweed brand VOYA also has anti-ageing properties which leave the skin looking and feeling nourished, soft and silky smooth.

VOYA has grown out of a very successful family-run seaweed baths business in Strandhill, Co. Sligo. They have been able to carry some of the unique qualities and effects of seaweed into a unique beauty and skincare range - so VOYA was born – organic beauty from the sea.

Oil Arganic – Moisturising Multi-Use Dry Oil €24.99 100ml Oil Arganic is from the makers of Tan Organic, the Dragon’s Den success story.

This is the next phase in the brand’s development and is marketed as a multipurpose oil that you can use on body, face, nails and hair. Oil Arganic is packed with active moisturizing ingredients. It is a unique cocktail of 8 plant oils with subtle fragrances of roses and orange.

Oil Arganic ensures velvety smooth skin, silky hair, healthy nails, and an improved overall appearance of scars and stretch marks. The nourishing oils found within Oil Arganic include Argain, Borage, Rosehip, Macadamia, Orange Peel, Avocado, Jojoba Seed, Hemp Seed and Sweet Almond whose unique properties offer intense hydration and nourishment. Using Oil Arganic can be more beneficial for your skin then cream based lotions as oil is instantly absorbed into the skin unlike lotions.

Lotions and creams contain water so they evaporate off the skin whereas the oil penetrates much deeper into the skin and is less greasy.

Nia Intensive Body Balm - €12.95 150ml Nia specialise in the manufacture of multi-tasking beauty balms which are unique in that they are formulated like a cream but without the addition of water and therefore also without the need for emulsifiers, preservatives or chemicals of any kind. The Nia Intensive range is all about moisturising. Rich and nourishing oils and butters with delicate notes of seductive rose, jasmine, neroli, and skin balancing sandalwood and frankincense. Intensive body balm is a concentrated mix of 100% natural butters and oils, pure, natural, nourishing, healing and soothing, ideal for parched skin or extra dry, chapped, irritated or rough areas of skin.

Apply all over, for skin that need a little extra attention. Very concentrated, a little goes a long way.

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h a i r From Boudoir to the Ball.

This look demonstrates how a good hair style can work perfectly to be a seductive end to your night. It is the perfect look to turn you into full glamour princess on upcoming nights out. Lots of hairdressers throw around words like texture, undone, dishevelled and it can be confusing. This look demonstrates all of the above confluencing in a perfect look for any party and looks as good going home as it does going out. We can almost guarantee all eyes on you and make any man come undone!

Article & Hair by Stephen O Driscoll Model - Shauna Lindsay MUA - Annette Smyth

be a u t y Forget Your Lips - Let Your Eyes Do The Talking It has been all about the lips during the colder months over the last few years, but this Autumn/Winter is set to make and big change and shift all the beauty attention to the eyes – yes it’s the new “Eye Deal”. Seen on all the runway shows like Kenzo, Lanvan, Jean Paul Gualtier and many more, all their emphasis has been on the impact your eyes can make. From Dramatic Multi-Coloured Liners to the go-too Winged Liner Look, you want everyone to be talking about your eyes this Autumn/Winter.

While there is so many options out their to choose from, Estee Lauders Creative Director has this to say recently at the Anthony Vaccarello A/W Show at Paris Fashion Week about the look her created “I created a look in the style of graphic fashion illustrations with ultrafine lines of black and red to accent the eye. The key is to keep the look sophisticated and arty”.

Now while all of us wouldn’t be brave enough to rock looks as crazy as the runway, there is no reason we still can’t hop on to this trend but by putting our own twist on it. Keeping it simple with a winged liner or adding a bit of colour, there is so many ways to make your eyes pop this Autumn/Winter.

Even if you don’t want to go too crazy with the liner, why not try a Coloured Eye shadow you have never tried before? It is all about your influence on this Autumn/Winter trend. Go wild or Stay calm but keep your main focus on your eye, and remember the only thing to stay Nude this Season are your lips!

Article by Niamh Webb O’Rourke

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Photographer: Tarmo Tulit Stylist: Michelle Costello Hair: Stephen O’Driscoll

MUA:: Mary Kiely Models: Shauna Lindsay, Jessica Lyons & Cian Frawley

Clothing & Accessories: No. 15 “Le Maison de Curio” 15 Anne St. Various Charity Shops in Limerick

2 1

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Ce n t u r y

In an age where almost anything can happen at the click of a button, why go anywhere else? With advances in technology, it’s the ongoing debate and with everything having an app and payable by plastic, it’s a wonder we leave the house at all.

The flip side is, is this what we want long term? Do we want to live in a world where shops cease trade and we purchase everything online from large warehouses and delivered to our door? Either way, we are definitely in the thick of change regarding how we buy and sell.

I have to say that I’m usually abhorred to see a stack of selection boxes in my face at a checkout while I’m still thinking about my Halloween costume. I can only imagine that some people are probably ready and waiting for them to come out and there are some consumers who take pride in the fact that they have their Christmas shopping done already.

The way I see it, if they hate the hustle and bustle of the Christmas week rush then more power to them. I however relish the madness of Christmas shopping in the thick of December, the bustle of the city under the twinkly lights, shopping bags at my feet, a hot chocolate in hand after a hard day of present buying and Christmas songs filling the air while I mull over gifts for loved ones. Maybe I’m just a bit of a dreamer who ignores the amount of times I’ve been elbowed or pushed about by stressed shoppers, haven’t noticed that I’ve probably heard the same three Christmas songs on loop throughout the stores in the last two hours or that the present I had picked out has just been sold out.

Maybe then, online is the way to go.

The advantages of online shopping are pretty obvious. If I really wanted, I could spend the time picking out and purchasing all my gifts in one fowl swoop. If you live a hectic lifestyle then a couple of clicks and credit card details later and it will be delivered to your

s h o p p er

door. Bada bing, bada boom.

Who could argue with that? You also have the added perk of sitting in your sweat pants with a mug of tea while perusing online store catalogues at your ease. Not to mention the choice. You have more options and products available to you then you would see in a lifetime of in store shopping. If you are a brand buyer too, chances are what you are looking for isn’t in the local stores and this is the case with many presents, they might only be available online. Timing is another convenience; you can do this at any hour of the day or night, no limitations or restrictions and pricing is a positive too. Quiet often the product is a bit cheaper online.

The downsides do exist however.

You have to be patient and wait so ordering in advance is essential.

There is always the window of postal error where your package ends up anywhere but where it should be. You could get hit with unexpected delivery or tax charges that might dilute the very fact it was a deal in the first place. The purchase might not be what you thought. That dress might be too short or jacket to big or the phone cover doesn’t fit your phone. These are all the big risks that go with purchasing without being able to see the product or have a shop assistant. That brings us to the returns policy. I don’t know about you but that for me is the worst bit.

Getting it together, returning it and checking the time frame with your under the tree present in the hope you won’t be giving that special someone that Christmas gift on New Year’s day. It all depends on where you shop of course but this can land anywhere on the gage of a quick and painless experience to return item ping pong. Also, despite the positive aspect of time being on your side, if you don’t know what you are looking for, you could easily fall into the black hole of internet shopping.

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That’s where shopping in store can have many distinct advantages.

The most obvious is the fact that the product is there in front of you so you can see it before purchase. The same goes with the human element.

You have shop assistants at the ready to give you a hand or find another size for you or an item in another store if they are sold out. If you are an impulsive shopper too, online is a dangerous place. At least in store, you can only carry so many items to the dressing room

stores, we really don’t need to look elsewhere. Perhaps the Christmas Eve rush might be too much for some or your chosen gift is only available online but why not split it and do a little of both. That way we won’t see that niche artistic store closing down and being replaced by a chain store or worse still, not replaced at all. I’m probably still going to be in the thick of the Christmas rush but I enjoy it. It’s worth embracing and all part of the fun for me but most of all; it’s what

and that physical reminder that having a lot in your basket might save you from breaking the bank.

It’s very easy to get carried away with that weightless online basket.

Not only is there the obvious importance of shopping local to create jobs but there are tons of places in the city and county where you can personally select the best gifts for your friends and family and within the same price range. From crafts in the markets and county boutiques, tech shops and sports

keeps us all in circulation. When it comes down to it, if pocket and time allows, buying from the local brings with it a unique experience, often a more interesting product and the obvious growth for Limerick and that is invaluable.

Article by Mairéad Collins

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b u s i n e s s

business profile

ParkMagic was conceived and created right here in Limerick in 2005 as part of their ambition to build Ireland’s friendliest and most convenient system for paying all of those little charges such as parking and tolls. Today, employing 9 people in a city centre location, ParkMagic has evolved to provide automated payment systems for a variety of transport applications in locations across Ireland and the UK. Beginning in 2006 ParkMagic, supported by Limerick City Council as a Pilot customer, pioneered their first product – an award winning pay by phone parking payment system which Limerick City drivers adopted in their droves. ParkMagic customers quickly realised, for example, that parking cost as little as 50c with ParkMagic in Limerick City whereas the equivalent stay using Parking Discs cost €2.00, four times as

expensive – an instant saving that even at a few parking sessions a week can and does add up to a substantial amount.

Naturally a saving like this did much to retain the value savvy driver during the depths of the downturn. The popular pay by phone parking system expanded to Cork, Ennis and Kilkenny and remains the defacto means of cashless payment in those areas today.

In 2008, ParkMagic launched the brand ‘TollTag.ie’, Irelands first nationwide pay-as-you go toll payment system based on RFID transponder technology coupled with ParkMagic’s own automated payment systems.

Today thousands of drivers nationwide use TollTag.ie on a daily basis across the Irish motorway network to zip through toll plazas and enjoy faster more fuel efficient journeys.

2008 also witnessed the emergence of the ParkMagic

reservations platform, a solution for car park operators to presell spaces over the internet and a solution that is today seen as indispensable for managing heavy demand car parking for venues such as concerts, sports fixtures and similar.

They integrated their systems and became adept at cross selling new services to existing customers providing better value and convenience for these customers while at the same time benefitting from dramatically reduced customer acquisition costs.

ParkMagic has grown steadily from a standing start through turbulent economic times to where it is today. It is an example of an indigenous business grown from a concept to a successful high skill city centre employer based not only on the enthusiasm of its creators but also, in equal measure, the support of local resources such as Chambers

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and Limerick City Council. There is no question, without these supports, ParkMagic could not have established business in the Midwest.

ParkMagic is also a creator.

Their research and development is Limerick City based and all of the products were conceived and developed in the city. The business generated as a result is also entirely supported from within Limerick, proof positive that a keenly priced, accessible, pleasant city centre environment is an ideal location for building and maintaining a tech business.

ParkMagic continues to innovate and evolve their solutions with new features and user benefits helping them to stay at the forefront of the industry, connect with their customers and consistently deliver better value and a better user experience.

Visit your app store to download their easy way to pay for parking and tolling.

1 0 SEO E s s e n t i a l s f o r B u s i n e s s

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) has been changed a lot since last year. Google algorithm updates have crippled many websites rankings that are using unnatural methods to create or buy links. Many webmasters are not sure what to do about SEO anymore and some even contemplate if SEO is dead. SEO certainly is not dead rather the rules have changed for the better to improve search and the Internet as a whole.

One thing that still remains unchanged is content – content has and always will be King. If you have unique and interesting content you have little to worry about in regards to Google’s algorithm updates. On the other hand, if you write only for search engines, then you may have reason to be worried. In place of creating text that is designed around getting targeted keywords onto the page you should content in relation to your products and services that your write for visitors or users.

It is important to take a step back and put ourselves in your visitors’ shoes. Ask yourself this question: Why do most people search?

The answer is pretty simple - they are seeking information or answers to their questions.

As Head of Google’s Webspam team Matt Cutts says: “If you keep the mental model of what is Google trying to do – we’re trying to return a great search result for users – then that helps you figure out how to align yourself with those goals, because if you’re aligned with those goals, then we’re going to want return the high-quality pages that you’re making.”

You need to create a website with useful information for visitors or users.

The following are top 10 essentials for getting the foundations correct for your SEO Campaign.

1. Keyword Phrase Before starting a website or post, you need to do keyword research, and find out which keyword phrase is the best for your website. One tool that can utilize is Google’s keyword planner.

2. Title Title is still very important. Ensure that you create a naturally written Title that includes your targeted keywords but do avoid keyword stuffing.

3. Meta description Just like your web page title, it is still important to have naturally written meta descriptions on your site.

4. Permalink You should always to have permalink (or web page url) that includes your targeted keyword phrase.

7. Image Optimization It is important that each image on your targeted page should have ALT tags.

5. Content As discussed above content is the king. Having unique content is the key. You also need to make sure that you have at least 500 - 600 words per targeted page.

8. Sitemap You should have the sitemap installed on your website and frequently submit your sitemap to google webmaster tools as new important pages on your website are created.

6. Keyword density You should keep your keyword density under 4%. In other words less than 4% of your page content should make up your targeted keywords or key phrases – keyword stuffing is bad news.

9. Backlinks Only build backlinks (links that point back to your website) from relevant high quality websites. Avoid guest posting or any unnatural ways of creating back links. Again, quality

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counts, not quantity. Good quality links to your website are like votes for a Politician.

10. Social Media Social media is still widely misunderstood by business. Instead of throwing information at your followers, you should engage with your audiences. Remember the number of followers does not count but those that engage do.

Article by: Kevin Meaney - IDF Marketing

I R R E SISI T B L E

I R E LAN D

LUSTY BEG, COUNTY FERMANAGH Lusty Beg Island Resort is a private lakeside paradise which remains as nature intended it, one of the most stunning locations for serious relaxation. This island getaway nestles in the heart of County Fermanagh’s remarkable lake lands and is a perfect place to get away from it all. The 75-acre estate is a great place to enjoy either an action-packed holiday, with activities including clay pigeon shooting, archery, water sports and canoeing, or if you just want to take it easy and pamper yourself in the luxurious Island Spa. Lusty Beg has been host to guests for almost 25 years being the place to escape to for everything from romantic weekends away to family holidays, and is now also one of the country’s most popular choices for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Activities can fill your agenda here for a full weekend if you choose - with boating trips, barbeques and hikes guests always have plenty to do. While a night there is highly recommended, it would be best to stay for a long weekend as it is quite a long drive from Limerick but worth it for the beautiful scenery driving through the West of Ireland.

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ACCOMMODATION Lusty Beg has several options for accommodation. You can choose from 6 beautifully finished cabins with open plan living rooms and a mini kitchen.

These are perfect for a couple’s getaway. A variety of cabins are also available including one with a private deckside hot tub. There are 4 chalets which are ideal for family groups and there are also 10 lakeside lodges with a secluded position amongst the trees for privacy.

FOOD Tapa’s by the lake at sunset provides a romantic setting for the weekend but The Island Restaurant is the main spot where they serve locally sourced delicious breakfasts, lunch and dinner. The interior is rustic and warm and is known to be the spot to have some mighty fun, often with great live music and tasty cocktails thrown into the mix. Other options include a glorious big BBQ, with sausages, famous big lusty beg burgers, baked potatoes and all the sauces and salads imaginable.

ACTIVITIES Lusty Beg also has something for the adrenaline junkies out there. Activities include – off road driving, canoeing, power boating, clay pigeon shooting and archery, making this a great destination for stag parties.

For relaxation and pampering The Island Spa has you covered. Enjoy a warm spiced seaweed bath followed by an ocean essence wrap. While you wait for your treatments, platters of fresh fruit and juices are served so you can just lounge around in your robes and slippers – ultimate bliss.

Bring your swimwear to enjoy the outdoor hot tub and the swimming pool.

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f

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c o c k ta i l o f t h e m o n t h Irish coffee is a classic winter drink that will warm you inside and out on a blustery afternoon. If you love the idea but are more cutting-edge than classic, try this updated version.

Bailey’s Afternoon Delight Caramel vodka is added to Baileys and coffee to create a chocolate truffle in drinkable form. The splash of Kahlua just adds an extra punch of coffee flavour.

1 serving Ingredients 1 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream 1/2 ounce caramel vodka 1/2 ounce Kahlua 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup 4 ounces strongly brewed Italian roast coffee 2 tablespoons lightly sweetened whipped cream Grated chocolate for garnish Instructions: 1.

2.

3.

Mix the Baileys, vodka and Kahlua in the bottom of a glass.

Add the coffee, chocolate and sugar. Stir well.

Top with whipped cream, a sprinkle of grated chocolate and enjoy.

Image by Tarmo Tullit

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ch e f p r o f i l e So when did you first start cooking?

“When I was 11...I started cooking onions. (Laughs) Seriously, and prawns...I was helping my dad.”

Did you ever thing about doing anything else?

“I did factory work for a few weeks and I didn’t like it so I went back to cooking then.”

When did you first come to Limerick and does it differ much today than it was then?

“I arrived in 1980 so I’m here 34 years. It’s a bit more modern now today I think...not too much though.” (Laughs) So the Jasmine layout and menus have been changed, where do you get your ideas?

“Travelling, looking around and learning. From the Internet, going to eat, going to other people’s kitchens and going to talk to other head chefs.”

How important is it to keep updating things do you think?

“Oh it’s very important. You have to keep on top of it all the time. Change your menus...quite a bit, well not quite a bit but you need to consistently update it, how you cook it, how you present it...big time.”

Has this menu changed much from the older menus?

“This is more authentic but has quite a bit of difference...you couldn’t change too much, you have to go gradually... I think it’s quite different.”

What would you recommend someone try?

“The lobster is good...the seafood is good.”

Have you noticed a change in customer tastes?

“Young people change a lot. They tend to go for the new, different kind of dishes. The older generations like to stick to what they know. “(Laughs) What’s your favourite dish to eat?

“Oh loads...I don’t have a favourite, it goes day by day. Chinese people tend to eat a different dinner every day. We don’t repeat the same thing we had yesterday so we try different things every day. We would get bored after one dinner, we do seriously. You repeat after a while but not every day.”

Paul Tsang The next time you walk up those stairs and into one of Limerick’s most popular establishments, expect to feel transported from the familiarity of O’Connoll Street to an urban chic restaurant that belongs in the heart of every city.

After some luxurious interior renovations, The Jasmine Palace is the perfect place for your Christmas party, private booth dinner or that romantic date for two. Expect the scent from the kitchen to invade your senses and with their exceptional new tasting menu on offer as well as a revamp of the old one, you can enjoy a fresh, modern dining experience. And for those buffet veterans, it’s got a first class makeover too.

The man behind all those delicious dishes and satisfied appetites is Paul Tsang. The owner and Head Chef of The Jasmine Palace, Paul is one of the most energetic, enigmatic and impressive people we have in Limerick.

Employing a couple of hundred people with his many restaurants; The Jasmine Palace, Marco Polo, Chocolat, Zweton, The Wokking, Paul is a dynamic and generous individual who just wants to cook for us all and the rest is details.

Best advice you have got about cooking?

“Let me think about that one now...you have to learn, practice, lots of hand skills. Cooking with the wok is a different story. You have to start pretty young and feel what you cook. Not a lot of people have it. I’ve been through a lot of chefs in the restaurant. I don’t cook in every restaurant. I do in the Jasmine.

I moved away from it for a while but I always came back. I like cooking Jasmine food.”

Where do you get your energy?

“I know...it’s tiring. You have to take it easy, you don’t overdo it. Sometimes I don’t go into a restaurant for a couple of months and go back then back and see what it’s like.”

Do you cook at home or ever get a takeaway?

“Ya, I cook at home but cooking in the house different than restaurant, its home cooking. No to the takeaway...well the odd McDonald’s or Supermacs for a Smoky Bacon Burger.” (Laughs) Is there any celeb chef you follow?

“No, not even Gordon Ramsey.” (Laughs) What’s your favourite thing about your job?

“Cooking. I love cooking. I like cooking food that people like to eat. That’s my favourite. If I cook somebody a table and they loved it, I love it. It’s as simple as that. I get pride out of it you know. I do honestly.”

The new tasting menu at The Jasmine Palace is on a whole other level. Expect a first rate dining experience with remarkable service, good quality food and a menu that is full of delicious surprises. Each dish is explained as it is served and each diner will get to try everything. It is a real Chinese cuisine experience right in the city centre for the foodie and friends alike. Paul is clearly an expert in his field so long may he, his cooking and his many restaurants continue to thrive in our city and treat our tummies.

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Recipe by Chef Paul Tsang

Jasmine Palace Chicken Wings A Cantonese take on a restaurant favourite, crunchy cucumber makes a lovely contrast to these sticky soy and honey wings.

INGREDIENTS:

Method:

CRUNCHY CUCUMBER

1.

1 4 2 2 1

2.

Cucumber tblsp light soya sauce tblsp Chinese vinegar tblsp sesame oil fresh chili, finely chopped

Pinch of salt CHICKEN WINGS 500g/1lb Chicken wings 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic - minced 6tblsp Light soya sauce 2 tblsp Oyster sauce – optional 2 tblsp Honey FOR THE DIP 100g Gorgonzola cheese 2 tblsp natural yogurt 2 tblsp mayonnaise

3.

4.

5.

To make the crunchy cucumber, leave the cucumber in its plastic wrapper and smash it with the back of a heavy knife or cleaver. This will result in a better texture and all the flavours of the marinade will be soaked up.

Mix the remaining ingredients for the cucumber and leave it to soak for at least 2 hours.

Cut the wing tips from the wings and discard these, cut each wing into two pieces. Boil the chicken wings in a large pot of water for 10 minutes, drain and set them aside.

Make the sauce by combining the remaining wings ingredients in a small pot and simmer gently until you have a sticky sauce, coat the wings with this.

Make the dip by mixing the gorgonzola, yogurt and mayo together in a bowl until smooth and creamy.

Serve the wings by placing 6 on each plate with a little stack of marinated cucumber and a dish of dip.

smashing pumpkins Recipes, Article & Images by Valarie O’Connor

Squash, Curcurbitae, Pumpkins. These bright and cheerful veggies are easy to grow and much more useful and delicious than just a jack-lantern at Halloween. With quirky names like Ichi-Kuri, Baby Bear, Hooligan, Hundredweight and Patty Pan, pumpkins are fun and colourful additions to your veggie basket and look great just sitting on your kitchen table. They are a versatile food and have so many uses in the kitchen from breads to pie to curry to soup. Pumpkin is low in calories and bursting with vitamins A, C and E which make it great for your skin, it is also helpful in controlling cholesterol. Ichi Kuri and Butternut make great roasted wedges, simply drizzled with olive oil, a little honey and lemon juice. Hooligans have a delicious sweet flesh and can be simply prepared by scooping out the seeds and filling with cream and grated cheese and baking for half an hour. Pumpkin is a slow release carbohydrate and makes a great replacement for potatoes and ticks all the paleo and clean eating boxes. For interesting varieties of pumpkins that are all grown organically in Limerick, check out Limerick Community Grocery Store is probably one of the most important food shops in Limerick, run by volunteers and providing an important service for people who really care about where their food comes from. To become a member for the princely sum of €1 go to www.limerickcommunitygrocery.com and get some gorgeous pumpkins to make these easy, yummy recipes.

Baked Butternut Squash A great squash that can be bought year round is the butternut. Don’t be fooled by the slouchy appearance of this dish, the rich flavours and richness of the ingredients will leave you more than satisfied. This makes an excellent vegetarian main course and goes really well as part of a Sunday roast chicken too.

Ingredients 1 medium sized butternut squash 1 carton creme fraiche 100g grated parmesan cheese 1 tsp cumin seeds Olive oil for baking 1 tblsp fresh sage leaves - finely chopped Preheat the oven to 180C/350F Method 1.

2.

3.

4.

Cut the squash in 2 lengthways, scoop out the seeds and score the flesh with a knife in a crisscross pattern. This helps it cook through faster.

Place it on a baking tray and drizzle over a little olive oil, rubbing it in, and sprinkle over the cumin seeds. Bake in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes until it is soft enough for a knife to go through it easily.

Remove it from the oven and, with a desert spoon, carefully scoop out most of the flesh into a large bowl, taking care not to cut the skin, you want the shell to remain intact.

Add the contents of the créme fraiche carton, the grated cheese, chopped sage and some sea salt and ground black pepper, mix this all together and spoon it back into the cases. Sprinkle on some extra cheese Return the squash to the oven and bake for a further 20-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling, the more brown crispy bits the better.

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Thai Coconut Milk Curry Soup with Pumpkin, Peas and Chicken The very first time I tasted a Thai curry was in Thailand - no surprise there. As I marveled at the spices and flavours, I wondered what lengthy process would be needed to make such an invigorating and lively sauce. The chef nipped off to the kitchen and came back with a packet and showed it enthusiastically to me. It was a yellow curry paste with all the hard work done. If it’s authentic enough for Thailand, it’s good enough for me. The chunks of pumpkin soak up all the delicious flavours and don’t fall apart. Use Baby Bear or Butternut squash here.

Ingredients 1/2 a butternut or Baby Bear squash, peeled and cut into chunks of 1inch, 3cm square(ish) about 250g peeled weight 1 can full-fat coconut milk (low fat is just yuk) 2 tblsp oil - vegetable or sunflower 2tblsp Thai yellow curry paste - available from Asian food shops 200g cooked leftover chicken or 2 chicken breasts, raw and sliced 60g frozen petit pois or regular frozen peas, allowed to defrost 500ml chicken or vegetable stock 1 lime - cut into wedges 2 tblsp Thai fish sauce 1 hand-full coriander to serve Method 1.

2.

3.

4.

Heat the oil in a medium sized pan and fry the curry paste for 2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and the stock and bring to a simmer Add the chunks of pumpkin and allow them to cook for 15-20 minutes, if using raw chicken, add it after 15 minutes and add the peas too.

Cooked chicken can be added after the peas. Simmer everything for a further 5 minutes. Do not let it boil or the soup will split.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with fish sauce, this is essential for that really authentic flavour. Squeeze over some lime juice and sprinkle with fresh coriander and mint.

To make a more robust meal, serve the soup with some steamed Thai Jasmine Rice.

Pumpkin, Maple and Pecan Loaf I used an Ichi-Kuri pumpkin for this, which you will find at the Community Grocery Store or organic stalls at the Milk Market. They have a lovely dense texture and the most beautiful burnt orange colour.

Ingredients 250g raw pumpkin, peeled and grated 120ml maple syrup 1 egg 175g butter - melted 350g white flour or white spelt 1 tblsp baking powder 100g chopped pecans nuts with a few extra for decorating 2 tblsp brown sugar Preheat the oven to 180C/350F Method 1.

2.

3.

4.

Butter and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment Mix the butter, maple syrup, egg and squash together in a large bowl, stir in the flour and chopped nuts Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and press some pecans into the top of the cake, sprinkle the top with brown sugar and bake the loaf for 1 hour 20 minutes Allow to cool and slice thickly, butter thickly or drizzle on some extra maple syrup

You can use the same mixture to make muffins which will bake in the faster time of 20-25 minutes.

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Gin There is a New Hit in Town and it is Called Gin. In the not too-distant past, there were few options for the gin drinker. Your local bar would have Cork Dry Gin and maybe Gordons, and that was it. Now, we live in a time and place where there are literally hundreds of different gins that all taste different and they are all accessible with a few strokes of your keyboard.

The 20 and 30 something generation are really getting into Gin and obviously the classic Gin drinkers of the older generations are still drinking it too, so it is spanning a range of ages. Each craft Gin that emerges on the scene has its own distinct flavour and there is always a fascinating story behind each one too.

A surge in the juniper based spirits popularity has seen dramatic rise in the number of craft Gin makers setting up businesses all over the world, especially in the UK. Only five micro distilleries opened between 2008 and 2011.

The same number opened in 2012 while 11 started production last year and a projected 15 distilleries will be up and running by the end of 2014.

Ireland itself is home to a rich and lively Gin drinking scene and the country is hardly inexperienced when it comes to distilling Irish Gin. Cork Dry Gin would be by far and away the most popular choice. As it is not London Dry Gin, Cork Dry leans less towards punchy juniper flavours and more towards smooth subtly sweet notes. Exiles Irish Gin is another defiantly Irish style, distilled with locally sourced botanicals -

ranging from red clover flowers to honey suckle blossoms and even shamrocks. But that is not where Irish Gin ends.

Though it is base is in England, distiller Knockeen Hills produces an Irish Heather Gin and Dingle Distillery, one of Ireland’s newest distilleries is a Kerry based producer that turns out a Gin dashed with local botanicals ranging from rowan berries and fuchsia to bog myrtle and hawthorn.

But where did it all start? Italian monks in the eleventh century produced an elixir of juniper berries steeped in alcohol to combat Black Death (while not particularly effective, one would think that sipping a Martini while dealing with the plague might have at least taken the edge off a little).

The Dutch were distilling genever by the mid 1600-s and shared it with their British comrades, who then brought their taste for the Dutch Gin back home with them, where it soon caught on like wildfire. Low prices and widespread availability (more than half the drinking establishments in 1730-s where Gin joints) coupled with lax oversight, meant that London’s poor were in a perpetual stupor.

Fast forward a couple of centuries and Gin is still going strong. It is perhaps the most versatile of the distilled spirits, it has a wonderfully complex flavour profile that is unrivaled by any other spirit. At its core, Gin is a neutral spirit that has been flavoured with juniper, variety of herbs,

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spices, flowers, citrus and other flavours. Right from the get go Gin is gifted with an almost infinite range of possible flavours and profiles.

With so many varieties out there, which is the best brand? The simple answer is, there is NO right answer: It is all a matter of preference.

Everyone has their own take.

Before you invest in a craft Gin bottle, you could go out and have tasting night first. Limerick’s Gin scene is pretty good. Tom Collins pub on Cecil street has the best choice of craft Gins in my opinion and they pair different Gins with different garnishes to bring out the best from the drink.

If you want to enjoy your Gin at home, keep it simple. Buy your favorite Gin, if you are using tonic water, try to use good quality ones (Fever, Schweppes), it will make a big difference.

You could also try different glassware, use a Bordeaux red wine glass instead of a highball as it will bring out the flavours of the Gin. If you like bright, punchy flavours, substitude lemon with lime, I also add juniper berries. Depending on the gin you could also use grapefruit peel, orange peel, cucumber peel, lavender, rosemary stalk, thyme, cardamon pods to enhance the flavour. It is your drink so don’t be afraid to experiment, it will be well worth it. So give it a gentle stir and a big ol’ hunk of citrus and enjoy a new flavour sensation!

Article by Kaur Ellermae Image by Tarmo Tullit

L i m er i c k

l i f e

Being a teenager these days looks tough. When I was 16 one of the biggest disasters that could befall me was running out of hair gel on a school day. I’d have to make do with my mother’s Elnette mousse or if there wasn’t any hair products of any kind around I’d sometimes use toothpaste, which had good holding properties but was a little tricky to wash out or cooking oil which gave the “wet look” I was after but made me smell like a battered sausage.

Luckily for me I wasn’t that popular in school so the only people who’d come close enough to notice were my four friends who were doing a pretty bad job of faking coolness themselves and so weren’t very judgemental.

Nowadays with the rise of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, there isn’t a moment of our lives that goes undocumented. This creates a problem for teenagers because at every moment someone is moving the goalposts on what’s cool. Today you could be told that you might as well be dead if you’re not making your own shoes out of old fruit rinds but by the time you’ve cobbled together some banana skin flip-flops and sent everyone a Snapchat of them they’ve already moved on to the next big thing.

And what’s worse, you have absolutely thousands of online friends whom you’ve never met. If there’s a meaner group than teenagers it’s anonymous internet users. Combine the two and you’ve got a recipe for some seriously harsh words at a time when you’re most sensitive to other people’s opinions of you.

I’ve seen Twitter conversations about Miley Cyrus songs turn from banter into death threats in less than 140 characters. That’s a lot to take on when you only got into the conversation to feel like you were part of something that everyone else told you that you had to care about.

So next time a teenager seems moody around you or gives cheek, remember that while you were under pressure to be cool from maybe 30 people in school, they’ve got thousands of other moody teenagers breathing down their necks from all over the world and maybe be a little more understanding of their smart-arsery. Except for that one kid who tripped me outside Debenhams in front of everyone knowing that I couldn’t do anything about it. That kid is just a brat.

By Danny Ryan

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c h a r i t y

#

l i v i n g w i t h de m e n t i a

It was the little things at first, the kind you brush off because you’ve done it yourself. Walking into a room and not remembering what you came in for. Turning on the kettle and never making that cuppa. Sticking a bill in a drawer thinking you’d sort it later in the week. With Alzheimer’s inevitably these little things happen.

Then it gets worse.

With my father it was his judgement and short term memory. It went from not being able to make a coffee to not being able to tell the time. Then not being able to change the channel and looking unkempt to forgetting to pay bills. Then even more extreme such as driving on the wrong side of the road. And we didn’t know what was wrong. Each sign would worry my mother and I, as we had no sense of what was happening. Then it went from worrying to being downright frightening. We never thought for a second he had Alzheimer’s.

I couldn’t take the credit. It was Dr. Google that suggested Dad had Alzheimer’s but he was so young at 58 working seven days a week. He was strong and healthy. “Your father was never sick” my Mum used to say. In those early days he looked and sounded totally normal, in fact the weekend after the diagnosis he looked like he hadn’t a care in the world as he sipped a glass of wine with Dean Martin playing in the background.

There was an agreement that Dad was never to know what he had

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because he was a man who took pride in his knowledge and the very idea of losing his memory, losing his self...I can’t begin to imagine how he would have felt.

My mother always says memory is not necessarily the first thing that goes - judgement and perspective can go too and my father was an example of that. This went from odd to being frightening. You never knew what to expect. Dad was a sturdy, reliable, meticulous man. Suddenly that was gone.

It was a hard and horrible secret to keep in the early days. The first step was accepting it. The next step was getting used to it. Little did Mum and I know of the long journey ahead or what would become the norm for us.

Nor did we know what would be left at the end…

My mother became “His Voice.”

Anything he needed she found.

When deterioration would occur it was she who would order me to Google and then make a doctor’s appointment. While I helped in any way I could she was the primary caregiver. Everything he needed, she provided. Any time he was sick we’d run to the Regional.

At one point while he was still at home we realised we could no longer care for Dad, that none of us had any quality of life. So eventually we brought him to St Camillus Hospital. After losing his ability to walk, he would lie in his special chair in front of the TV not talking

(although he did say “chalk it down” to me once out of the blue). Over time he got thin, then emaciated.

A quivering tone replaced his strong recognisable voice when he mumbled. There was so little left of the person we knew and loved so much.

The night before he died my mother prayed with the nurses over him, while I tried to get sleep after spending countless days and hours at his bedside. In his last hours we were together, we spent the time with him listening to the music he loved because that’s all we could do. His favourite song was Frank Sinatra’s Summer Wind. Once he was gone the lyrics, though somewhat out of season resonated with me: “Than softer than a piper man, one day it called to you. And I lost you, I lost you to the Summer Wind.”

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month so please visit www.alzheimer.ie to see how you can educate yourself or help. We would like to thank the family involved in this article for sharing their personal story to raise awareness in the Limerick community.

h o m e BE QUIRKY & HAVE FUN WITH THESE DIY TIPS The closest many of us have ever come to making our own furniture is piecing together the contents of an Ikea flatpack. But no matter how many mass-produced Grundtals and Dagstorps you’ve “built” in your lifetime, it’s never too late to try your hand at actually making furniture from scratch. A book by Indiana-based industrial designer Christopher Stuart, DIY Furniture 2, features 30 chic designs by makers, designers, and artisans around the world, many cobbled together from unlikely, upcycled materials. There are step-by-step instructions on making chairs from PVC tubes and suction cups to overhead lights from cardboard and electrical wire. These won’t make your home look like a crunchy hippie pad though, they are as sleek and functional as pieces you might find at any furniture store. So pop into O’Mahony’s a pick up a copy and get your DIY on.

Here are a few cool DIY furniture and home accessory designs that you could make at home:

David Taylor’s Portland candle holder is made of broken sticks of concrete in various lengths. Each stick has a different fracture pattern and a different set of imperfections from casting so each version is impossible to replicate exactly. Making them requires mixing cement and casting it in PVC tubes, breaking the sticks up and hot gluing them together around a candleholder in Giant’s Causeway-like clusters. These are then tied off with a copper band.

Love Aesthetics used basic plumbing parts to make this clothing rack, and kept the design as easy and uncomplicated as possible. To make it, you’ll need four plumbing tubes, all 7/8-inch in diameter (two 80 inches long and two 40 inches long), four three-way joints for plumbing tubes, and some tape. Easy!

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Glass bottles can be re-cycled in so many ways. It doesn’t matter if it’s wine bottles, beer bottles or spirit bottles. With a little bit of imagination, bottles can be turned into a number of things that we can actually use: Turn wine bottles into drinking glasses or Beaded Glass Votice Candle Holders. Flat-bottomed bottles of certain white wine varieties or Bordeaux wines are best for making drinking glasses. You can even add etched monograms for that extra-classy touch.

Give your old wine bottles an unexpected look. The fancy bottle can be used to store homemade oils or vinegars, or you can display it as a decorative vase. If you’re looking for things to do with old wine bottles, this is the perfect project.

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e n tert a i n m e n t

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t h e

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nubus (aka Paddy Mulcahy) is a musician/composer/producer from Limerick. Although he is a classically trained musician, he soon sought out his own styles and his own ways of learning. By his early teens he fell in love with electronic music after discovering a number of different artists. He experimented with software and the newly digitised music world and was soon signed to a record label. At sixteen he had signed with Canadian label Limbic Records, and soon found his support both at home and abroad widening ensuing a number of digital releases. In the following years, the Limerick Underground Electronic music scene took off and Pad became a familiar face around Limerick City as part of Macronite, D.I.E and the Pigtown Fling. Today, Paddy can be found either working in the studio or playing live shows, including tracks from his recent EP “Memory Season”, with breakout performances at festivals and events.

How long have you been playing music for?

I have been playing music since the age of 5. I went to Limerick School of Music a couple days a week and took a few classes there. Music Theory included.

What instruments can you play and how long have you been playing them?

I can play piano, guitar, bass and some drums. I first picked up a Fender Strat at the age of 9. I still kinda mess around with that. I’m not a very good drummer but I can play a mean techno beat!

When did you start writing music?

I started writing my own music at the age of 14. I downloaded Fruity Loops and Virtual DJ. I made a myspace page and pretty much put everything on there. I wasn’t really sure how well all of that would go, so I treated it as a hobby on the side of my schoolwork.

You have a number of EP’s out under the name nubus. Tell me a bit about composing and putting these EP’s together.

After discovering Ableton Live and having learned more about music

o f

n u b u s

production, I decided to start taking it a little bit more seriously. I began to spend most of my time in the studio and just keep writing music.

My older stuff is a little more jungle/ drum & bass orientated but after putting out 3 jungle-ish EP’s I felt that I couldn’t fully express myself musically. My 2013 self-release “Enter Morning” was my first step away from this style of music and I think it worked. I have taken a huge interest in beat orientated electronic music, as opposed to music with only beats, so I think I’ve found my place. More recently, I’ve started to compose music for film and video; and lately, I have a feeling I’m going to disappear down that rabbit hole!

Who’s your favourite artist?

There’s never just one. The first names that come to mind are Aphex Twin, and Nils Frahm and anyone on Erased Tapes. I listen to a good bit of classical - Chopin, Tchaicovsky and Bach. When I was 12 I discovered metal. Artists like Lamb Of God, Machine Head, Slayer and Pantera.

I love lots of Jazz - stuff like Bill Evans & Miles Davis. I was recently introduced to Joanna Newsom too.

Her stuff is amazing.

You are a big part of Macronite and of D.I.E, a major student night in Limerick. How did you get involved in both of these big club nights?

Around 2011, I used go down to Dolan’s early to watch the guys set up the stage etc. I was so eager to become part of the electronic music scene that I kind of just sat in the corner and observed everything that goes into setting up a club night.

Around a year later, I was invited to join the team. While studying for the Leaving Cert, I entered a competition to DJ at DIE. I got an email in class one day saying that I had been chosen to play. My phone was taken off me as a result but it was worth it.

When you’re playing, do you prefer, vinyl, cd’s or using a Serato, Traktor, or Ableton and why?

Ableton. I’m a terrible DJ. I played a few gigs that were nothing special performance wise, but these days everything is Ableton. I write, mix and record everything in Ableton.

You won’t be surprised to hear that

I use it live with a few synthesizers too.

You were part of the Pigtown Fling.

Tell us more...

The Pigtown Fling was fun. I recorded and played with my dad.

It was a cool experience to see something of that magnitude come together so well. This city has some amazing talent.

You played the Oxjam Tent at Electric Picnic this year, how did it go?

It was great. The crowds were amazing and seemed to really like my stuff. They wanted an encore but it was passed 4am. It probably would have been a jungle track - to wake everyone up after the ambient vibes!

You were flown to London to play at the opening of Nils Frahms ‘Sheets’, how unreal was that experience?

I’m very thankful that that happened.

I made some amazing connections over there and drank some lovely wine. It was nice to fly to London for a night JUST to play piano.

You’re in college right now, what are you studying?

Video & Sound Engineering in Limerick Institute of Technology.

Will you continue under the name nubus or do you think you might change this?

Funny you should ask…. I’ve been thinking about this. I score music for short films and commercials under my real name. Maybe it’s nice to have the 2. I’m not sure.

What are your plans for the future?

I’ll be writing a lot more music for ads and short films for sure. I am really enjoying that. I just bought a new synthesizer and have plenty of piano sketches on tape. So I feel like a new nubus album will be in the works shortly.

Where can we find your music?

Everything is on my website. www.nubus.me

Interview by Olivia Chau Image by Tarmo Tulit

dj

p r o f i l e Name: DJ Eric From: Clare / Limerick Image by Tarmo Tullit

How long have you been a DJ? Since the 90’s What first got you interested?

Listening to BBC Radio 1, Dave Fanning and John Peel and sharing new music mixtapes with friends got me interested in DJing.

First gig?

Baker Place (which closed down a couple of years ago) in 1991.

Type of music you play?

Indie/Disco, tunes with loud guitars and tunes with funky bass-lines.

Preferred weapon of choice?

CDJs and a Macbook Pro Where have you gigged?

Local radio stations such as XLR, TouchFM and at after parties for Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, Mumford & Sons, and Editors.

Where can we catch you next?

Playing occasionally at The Kasbah Social Club and The Red Hen Bar in Limerick

ALb u m

o f

The Young Folk -The Little Battle The Young Folk released debut ablum “The Little Battle” on Pixie Race Records. The album has ten tracks on it including “Way Down South” which is featured on the Transport Ireland TV ad.

Nine of the songs have were written and composed by Anthony Furey who is the vocalist/guitarist in the band, with the 10th track written by the keyboardist Paul Butler. The band has been getting some great exposure in the Irish music scene and has been touring the festival circuit all summer.

The band describe their sound as pop/folk but I think their selling themselves short here. Yes, there is pop/folk in their songs but some of the songs have a country vibe to them. At first when I listened to the album, I thought early Mumford & Son’s. However, having listened to the album a few times over now, I think they

t h e

m o n t h

have more to them than that. With their feel good harmonies and catchy tunes, it’s hard not to get swept up in this album. Stand out tracks for me are ‘Biscuits’, with it’s sweeping melodies, it has a strong blend of old and new muscial influences. ‘Drunken Head/ The Little Battle’, which is the last track on the album, is the other song that stood out for me. I think we hear an angrier vibe to the boys which is a nice turn from the upbeat sound of the other tracks.

I could see people singing a long to this song at a gig or on the radio. It’s infectious without being annoying like mamy songs we hear today. Overall, the album flows extremely well and it blends folk, pop and country with a bit of traditional Irish music laying in the undercurrents of each song.

You can listen to the album on Spotify, buy it on iTunes or pick up a hardcopy in all good records stores.

Articles & Interview by Olivia Chau

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Te e n a g e K i c k s

The 90’s. I lived through them the first time as a spotty, skinny teenager. I was there and all I have to show for it is my very worn Nirvana t-shirt.

To me growing up in the 90’s was an extremely exciting time. Music got angry & pop music took a massive step back. We had grunge, dance, and hip-hop for the defunct masses. No longer were our senses bombarded by bright colours, big hair, too much make up and synths.

Everything was grey, dirty and messy and we liked it.

Now in my, ahem, 30’s, the 90’s have reimerged not just in music but fashion too. I think we started running out of decades to emmulate so the 90’s, which lets face it was 20 years ago, seems to be the one to go to.

First came the fashion of course.

With crop tops, tight skirts, high waisted jeans, plaid, layering and Doc Martin boots coming back on to the market. It is no wonder the music that we all danced around to or well swayed to, has been making it back on to our playlists over the last couple of years. The 90’s were a rebellious time and a time when money wasn’t the most important thing.

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When the recession hit people got back into the DIY of it all, clothes, music and growing their own food.

Small business’s, buying local, bands releasing their own music and starting their own label’s is just part and parcel of what the 90’s were like. Now I know some of you reading this will have just been born in the 90’s and wonder what all the big hoopla is about. But it was a time I think, where people still had some originality and when reality TV was so new it was actually exciting to watch and oh my god - A time before the iPhone and Facebook!

You still had to get your pictures developed and there was no retakes.

Once a bad picture was out, it was out for good. A selfie didn’t even exist or duckface. I’d give anything for the duckface to swiftly disappear down a deep dark hole. Now with shows like Mooneboy we can all relive our 90’s Ireland childhoods.

I think one of the main reasons it’s doing so well is that it speaks to a generation of people who lived through Italia 90’, and of course lets not forget Mary Robinson our first female President. We were brought the age of the Boybands, Girlbands, the Internet, Nelson Mandela being freed from prison, Brit-pop, Seinfeld

and Quentin Tarantino movies.

Of course we don’t just have to sit around drinking our Barry’s Tea and daydreaming about how baggy our jeans were (which to me now seems ludacris in Ireland) to relive the 90’s. We can now go once a month to Dolan’s which host’s Saved By the 90’s - a club night dedicated to everything we loved. DJ Screech will bring you all the very best of the music from the decade that gave you the Prodigy, Oasis, 2 Pac, The Vengaboys, Snap, The Backstreet Boys and The Spice Girls.

Now if like me in the 90’s you aren’t the swayin’ kind, you could always lock yourself away in your room listening to your Nirvana CD on repeat while writing notes to your friends to pass in class the next day.

Although I doubt your co-workers would appreciate pieces of paper folded up and you asking them to pass it along. Right, I’m off to reminisce about my plaid shirts and Doc Martin boots, oh wait…I still dress like that.

Check out Saved By the 90’s on their Facebook page for all up coming nights.

Article by Olivia Chau

T h e

U n l u c k y

C a b i n

B o y

Who’s involved?

“So far most of our work has been done around a table just like this” James Blake proclaims when welcomed to Fusion headquarters.

When his brother David and sister Ann arrive an amazing energy bounces about the room as if millions of minute electrons came through the door with them. This wonderfully humoursome and exuberant trio are not only talented siblings but some of the founders and the core of well known Limerick Band The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra.

In what?

With vast experience in arts scenes, they had a lot to bring to the table of this project of creating a piece around an old story which David’s’ wife discovered while researching post-colonial literature. The tale of a boy from Thomondgate started as an idea and snowballed into a massive production. Ann laughs, holding her hands in the air, professing; “it just came to the point where we had a play with music…but so much music we had to just stop and say ‘it’s a musical’!” The group had been trying to come up with a concept of something they would all be interested in doing for Limericks’ City of Culture, something different, “beyond gigging, something that would push us beyond our comfort zone” Ann and James include.

How? The biggest moment for the trio, was “getting the green light from City of Culture to fund the production” and without the support it would not have been possible to create a show of such calibre. The funding has allowed their vision to turn into a reality which shall excite the stage of the Lime Tree Theatre for its world debut. The group were delighted to work on a project they would have a love for, something that would work for the City of Culture, a Limerick story with which people could relate. The chance to work with new people they wouldn’t get the chance to otherwise inspired and energised David, James and Ann greatly while the different disciplined elements prevented the work from ever being anything near monotonous.

Work started in 2012 on the deeply pulsing story. From cannibalism and law cases to injustices against the poverty stricken, this drama, where the boy makes his maiden voyage aged 15 in 1835, puts unrecognised realities of the mid 1800s to the fore. The boy’s mother was left looking for answers and the only legal action to rise from the incidences was a restraining order against the mother from her haunting of those responsible.

The injustice of the tale leaped out “with a vengeance” to David as something that had to be developed into an art piece. The Limerick Merchants boat hosts a timeless, amazing

story that echoes’ the immigration and poverty stories of today. With the advantage of time, the production has had great justice dealt to it with the revising and layering of song, lyrics, scenes and dialogue. The atmosphere of the piece was dealt with in full consciousness with David considering the moods “It was jocular at times, it was also quite sombre at other times”. For David “the writing part…and just the reaction of people when you bring stuff to the group” is the highlight.

For Who? The Limerick centred narrative will appeal to a universal audience. Ann believes “it will resonate with Limerick people but it is for a national and international level. If it’s a good show, it’s a good show that anybody can appreciate”.

With who?

The Blake siblings are fast to warrant their gratitude to many parties that made the musical possible. Mike Finn, one of Limericks’ most renowned playwrights spent a lot of time writing the story with David, the composer of music and lyrics. They attribute Mike as “an amazing playwright who can bring history to life and create something really exciting that people can connect with”. David notes how easy it was to work with Mike, that their shared vision helped in the writing process and his musical understanding never inhibited upon music developments. Gúna Nua Productions, originally from Limerick (currently Dublin based) are commended highly as they take charge of crew, cast, costumes, producer, external music director, lighting, stage managers, stage designer. The Blakes and other core creators could focus on the development of the end product from a sound, script and narrative perspective. In the true spirit of City of Culture Ann admits “It’s wonderful to bring people into the city who maybe don’t always get to work here.

The treasured moments so far seem to occur as moments of eureka, when the Blakes notice “this is gone beyond a small conversation, a spark of an idea” or while watching rehearsals and a scene “moves and emotionally drains you… realising the buzz and the cathartic feeling from just being there...it was shocking to have that because we had talked the story to death but it still moved me” said Ann. This Made in Limerick production is definitely worth the investment of your time.

The Unlucky Cabin Boy - Lime Tree Theatre November 5th -8th

Article by Rebecca Egan Image by Tarmo Tullit

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eve n t s

Week 1 BRIAN O’DRISCOLL BOOK SIGNING Saturday 1st November @ 2pm O’Mahony’s Booksellers, 120 O’Connell Street, Limerick FROM LIMERICK WITH LOVE Running until Monday 1st December 2014 City Hall, Merchant’s Quay, Limerick City DES BISHOP LIVE IN LIMERICK Saturday 1st November @ 7.30pm Dolans SEODA SHOWS PRESENTS THE LOST BROTHERS Saturday 1st November @ 8pm Dolans SIMON CALLOW IN THE MAN JESUS Saturday 1st November @ 8pm Lime Tree Theatre SUNDAY KIDS CLUB Sunday 2nd November 2.30pm 4.30pm Hunt Museum JAKE CLEMONS Sunday 2nd November @ 8pm Dolans ST MUNCHINS PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB Monday 3rd November @ 7.30pm St Munchin’s Community Centre ON THE NAIL LITERARY GATHERING Tuesday 4th November 2014 @ 8pm The Loft Venue TENDERING FOR PUBLIC/PRIVATE SECTOR Wednesday 5th - Friday 7th November 9.30am Knockanes Adare County Limerick

TWO DAY START YOUR OWN FOOD BUSINESS Wednesday 5th November 10am 4.30pm Castletroy Park Hotel, Dublin Road, Limerick LUNCHTIME CONCERT WITH PETER BARLEY Wednesday 5th November @ 1.15pm St Mary’s Cathedral, Bridge Street Limerick City MUSICAL: THE UNLUCKY CABIN BOY Wednesday 5th - Saturday 8th November @ 8pm Lime Tree Theatre THE SIMON AND GARFUNKEL STORY Wednesday 5th November @ 8pm University Concert Hall, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick LIGHT MOVES - INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF SCREENDANCE Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th November Daghda Space, John’s Square, Limerick EXHIBITION: TELL ME A STORY LIMERICK Thursday 6th - Tuesday 18th November The Hunt Museum, Custom House, Rutland Street, Limerick City

g u i de

FMC TOUR 2014 Thursday 6th November @ 8pm Dolans THE RIPTIDE MOVEMENT LIVE Friday 7th November @ 8pm Dolans THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN Friday 7th November @ 8pm Dolans THE LOCKE BAR PRESENTS JOHN COLLEARY Friday 7th November from 9pm 3 Georges Quay, Limerick WEEK 2 ABSOLUTELY APRON SEWING COURSE Saturday 8th November -Saturday 13th December @ 10am The Hunt Museum DROP IN ARTS AND CRAFTS Saturday 8th November @ 10.15am The Hunt Museum PAUL WILLIAMS BOOK SIGNING Saturday 8th November @ 1pm O’Mahony’s Booksellers, 120 O’Connell Street, Limerick LIMERICK PIPE ORGAN FESTIVAL FEATURING BERNADETTE KIELY Sunday 9th November @ 5pm St John’s Cathedral, Cathedral Place, Limerick

PANTI’S HIGH HEELS IN LOW PLACES Thursday 6th November @ 8pm Dolans Pub and Warehouse, Dock Road, Limerick

A TERRIBLE BEAUTY IS BORN THE ARTISTIC VISION OF PAUL NASH (1889-1946) WITH DAVID MCBURNIE Tuesday 11th November @ 1pm The Hunt Museum

DARA O’BRIAIN - CROWD TICKLER Thursday 6th November @ 8pm University Concert Hall, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick

THE GREASE AND DIRTY DANCING SHOW Tuesday 11th November @ 8pm University Concert Hall

51 SHADES OF MAGGIE Thursday 13th & Friday 14th November @ 8pm University Concert Hall, University of Limerick, JIMMY MCCARTHY Thursday 13th November @ 8pm Dolans WEEK 3 21ST CENTURY CHEER DANCE SPECTACULAR Friday 14th to Sunday November University of Limerick

AND 16th

FRENCH TOUR OF THE HUNT MUSEUM Friday 14th November @ 1pm The Hunt Museum GAVIN JAMES LIVE Friday 14th November @ 8pm Dolans Pub THE TELESCOPES Friday 14th October @ 9pm Dolans CELEBRATE SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2014 Saturday 15th November Various locations THE RAINBOW BALL Saturday 15th November Castletroy Park Hotel INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS DAY AT THE HUNT MUSEUM Monday 17th November 9am - 5pm The Hunt Museum THE LADY BOYS OF BANGKOK Wednesday 19th November @ 8pm University Concert Hall

C o b B l e s t o n e J oe ’ s WEEK 4

WEEK 3

WEEK 2

WEEK 1

November 22nd

Trees Fall Down

November 23rd

The Lemon Suckers

The Flag Listeners

November 24th

Real Talk

November 17th

Flakey Jacob

November 25th

Zara Walsh

November 18th

Maeve O’Donovan

November 26th

Drea

New Blue Sioux

November 27th

The Statics

November 20th

Parliement Square

November 28th

Bad For Lazarus

November 21st

Mrs. Henry

November 29th

Trees Fall Down

November 30th

The Lemon Suckers

November 1st

Trees Fall Down

November 8th

Trees Fall Down

November 15th

November 2nd

We Shot JR

November 9th

We Shot JR

Last Vinci

November 3rd

Flakey Jacob

November 10th

Real Talk

November 16th

November 4th

Maeve O’Donovan

November 11th

Zara Walsh

November 5th

Moonshiners

November 12th

Jet Sol

Novermber 6th

Men Of Twenty

November 13th

Silent Noise Parade

November 7th

Mrs. Henry

November 14th

Steven Sharpe &

The Broke Straight Boys support Dylan

November 19th

Murphy Band

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Fox Jaw support The

CASTLECONNELL AUTUMN CONCERT SERIES 2014 Thursday 20th November @ 8pm All Saints’ Church, Castleconnell WALLIS BIRD Thursday 20th November @ 8pm Dolans

RTÉ CONTEMPO QUARTET PRESENTS FATHER & SONS CONCERT SERIES Friday 28th November @ 1pm The Granary, Michael Street, Limerick City

PHIL COULTER Thursday 20th November @ 8pm Lime Tree Theatre

MUNSTER RUGBY V ULSTER RUGBY (GUINNESS PRO12) Friday 28th November @ 7.35pm Thomond Park Stadium, Limerick City

THE ACOUSTIC CLUB Thursday 20th November @ 9pm 52 O’ Connell Street, Limerick

RAGLANS Friday 28th November @ 9pm Dolans

WEEK 4 IRISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA – WUNDERKIND Friday 21st November @ 8pm University Concert Hall PORTRAIT DRAWING WORKSHOP Saturday 22nd November @ 10am The Hunt Museum SECOND HAND BABY MARKET Sunday 23rd November @ 2pm 4pm Castletroy Park Hotel THE ROUND HOUSE O’MALLEYS – THE POWER OF ONE WOMAN! WITH GRACE O’MALLEY CANTILLON Tuesday 25th November @ 1pm The Hunt Museum JAPANESE TOUR OF THE HUNT MUSEUM Thursday 27th November @ 12pm The Hunt Museum SANTA EXPERIENCE 2014 Friday 28th November to Tuesday 23rd December Jetland Shopping Centre, Ennis Road

DAVID O’ DOHERTY Saturday 29th November @ 7.30pm Dolans VOICES OF LIMERICK CLASSICS FOR CULTURE Saturday 29th November @ 9pm University Concert Hall MAD PROFESSOR Saturday 29th November @ 10pm Dolans FESTIVE FAVOURITES Sunday 30th November @ 3pm University Concert Hall

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Have you squeezed yours?

Do it now.

Gently though.

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