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WELCOME TO THE FIRST EDITION OF
FUSION MAGAZINE LIMERICK’S FRESHEST PUBLICATION. LIMERICK HAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND LOTS TO OFFER THOSE WHO LIVE AND VISIT HERE. WE WANTED TO ENCOMPASS THIS IN OUR FIRST PUBLICATION BY HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF OUR BEST NEWS STORIES, LOCATIONS TO VISIT, BUSINESS, EVENTS AND OF COURSE, THE GREAT PEOPLE WHO MAKE LIMERICK WHAT IT IS. I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE AIR AND IT REALLY FEELS LIKE ITS ALL HAPPENING RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. WE TALK EXCLUSIVELY WITH GRACE SLATTERY, MOM OF THE QUADRUPLETS FROM CAHERCONLISH ABOUT HER ENTIRE JOURNEY, FROM THE FOUR DEVASTATING MISCARRIAGES TO THE PRESENT DAY AND HER FOUR BUNDLES OF JOY. OUR ENTERTAINMENT SECTION IS FULL OF INTERVIEWS AND EVENTS AND AGAIN ALL LOCAL BASED. WITH OUR TRAVEL GUIDE WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING FOR THOSE GOING ON ‘STAYCATION’ AS WELL AS VACATION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE A FORWARD THINKING MAGAZINE SO NO REVIEWS ON THINGS YOU HAVE MISSED OUT ON BUT INSTEAD, ALL THE GREAT THINGS YOU CAN STILL PICK AND CHOOSE FROM. WE ARE VERY PROUD THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS FIRST PUBLICATION FROM THE CONCEPT TO PRINT IS EITHER FROM OR BASED IN LIMERICK. IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO GIVE A PLATFORM TO THE BUBBLING TALENT WE CLEARLY HAVE RIGHT HERE. THE RESPONSE TO FUSION MAGAZINE HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL AND WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UNTIL NEXT MONTH, MICHELLE COSTELLO [EDITOR & FOUNDER OF FUSION MAGAZINE]
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12 People Profile
COV ER
16 Visual Artist
Cover: Grace Slattery Photographer: Tarmo Tulit Hair: Susan Griffin – Marbles Castletroy MUA: Mary Kiely Accessories: No 15. “Le Maison de Curio”
Fusion Magazine 74 O’Connell Stre et Limerick www.fusionmagazine.ie 061-597627 hello@fusionmedia.ie Printed by Davis Printers, Limerick, Ireland.
CO NTENTS ISSUE 1 SEP 14 IN EVERY ISSUE 3 Editor’s Note 6 Contributors 8 Opinion 12 People Profile 14 Art + Culture 16 Visual Artist 18 Student Life 28 Fitness & Health 30 Beauty 31 Fashion 42 Business 43 Travel 49 Fo od + Drink 59 Home + Garden 61 Entertainment
31 Fashion
43 Travel
IN THIS ISSUE 8 Our Time 21 Supermom + her miracle babies 26 Me et the Quadruplets 40 Normcore Fashion 44 Killaloe Ballina 46 Thailand 50 Chef Profile 52 Tea Ro oms 56 Limerick Community Radio 62 Leading Armies 72 Culture Night
63 Music
A blogger who is extremely passionate about all things Limerick, Nigel’s infectious pro Limerick energy is exactly what we need around the place. His contributions won’t be afraid to discuss the goings on between our city streets and make sure we are up to date with the latest happenings.
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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 FOMO.
FA S HI O N
MU S I C
O livia Chau
O pinion
Nigel Dugdale
J O UR N A L IST
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 the city.
Laura Hastings
The man behind the lens, it is his job to keep us all looking good. From Estonia but living in Limerick over a decade, Tarmo is the perfect fit for Fusion Magazine as he can tackle any photography challenge and it’s his love of the people of Limerick that keeps him here...literally.
Mairéad Collins
P hotography
Tarmo Tulit
CO N T R I B U TO R S
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 will all the latest trends.
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F IL M
Eleanor McSherry
health & fitness
E ric J ohnson
G raphic designer
Margarita Bernal
COM EDY
Danny R yan
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.
A lovely warm soul, Margarita is a wonderful addition to Fusion Magazine. Her background in graphic design and creative mind makes a great addition to our team. Colombian born and another to call Limerick her new home, it’s a testament to a great city to have great people like Margarita around.
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.
Eleanor can be found in the thick of all things film both in Limerick and further afield. If it’s a deadline, funding opportunity, festival or great film then Eleanor will be able to keep you in the know. Her passion for film in Limerick knows no bounds and is always ready to roll up her sleeves.
Our Time Limerick’s designation as National City of Culture came at a very good time for the city. A sense of confidence is now exuding from within and for the first time in years people now comment on how good things are happening. The fact that City of Culture was gifted to us has allowed us to harness this newfound confident energy but it is vital that we do not become complacent. The year 2014 will be reflected upon as a year where massive lessons were learned by those working not just in the field of culture but in areas such as marketing, tourism, public relations, community and sport. If we can use these lessons wisely we will find ourselves in a very strong position to continue to energise a city that is seeing a renaissance across all disciplines. From a business perspective the investment of Regeneron has been very welcome. The new vitality of Shannon Airport as demonstrated by the continuous addition of new routes and steadily increasing passenger numbers allows us to position Limerick as the gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way. The successful completion of the re-housing of Limerick City and County Council’s Economic Development unit on Patrick St and the merging of the two local authorities is a very important milestone. There has been a marked increase in tourists walking the streets of Limerick. The official figures will come later in the year but a recent report from online travel giant Expedia highlighted Limerick as the fourth most
popular destination in Ireland for tourism with a 46% increase in visitor numbers over the past year. Hotel operators are seeing a similar trend, with bednights up on previous years and an increase in the corporate hospitality sector particularly. The redesign of King John’s Castle has resulted in this key tourist attraction doubling its visitor numbers. Our new riverfront walkway allows us to showcase our most wonderful asset, The River Shannon. Our year as National City of Culture has put us on the map as a destination of note. What is crucial going forward is that we do not let this momentum slip. New businesses are opening in our city centre once again - The Copper Room, Aroi, Taikichi, Hook and Ladder, Soup Café, The Stormy Teacup, Deco Bake, Lucky Lane, Brimstone Steakhouse and Kaya Noodle Bar, ECCO Shoes, The Buttery, Gasta, The Cellar Door. Retail still experiences many problems but this new investment - often by young, savvy entrepreneurs – must bode well for the future of the city centre. The Limerick 2030 vision places the city as the heartbeat of a thriving region. 2030 seems a long time away but doing things right takes time. It is better to see a plan that is intelligently thought through than a kneejerk reaction that could ultimately result in poor decisions in the long-term. Patience, therefore, is a virtue. For those of us willing to breathe deeply and acknowledge the good things happening under our noses it may just be correct to state that green shoots are finally beginning to blossom in our city.
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Most notable is the fact that a lot of our ex-pats have returned home for summer visits all of whom are remarking on the notable sense of confidence evident in our city at present. They speak of their time leaving Limerick as one of sadness but one of necessity. It was a period where these young people felt they had no other option. Our economy was in tatters, the sense of possibility didn’t exist. Their perception has now changed. They now see a vibrant, cheerful, confident and energetic city.
works can create. An artistic genre once considered taboo can now play a key role in a city’s cultural and tourism sphere.
Having key festivals and events especially during the peak tourism season is particularly vital. The recent introduction of World Club Sevens in Limerick city, an event contracted in Limerick for five years, has the potential to be a massive addition to our annual calendar.
I am no economist but I believe that if people have confidence in a product, share prices will rise and investment increase. If the current inclination continues as to how Limerick is perceived both internally and externally then we really could get to a point where new investment in our city is the trendy thing to do. To quote David McWilliams: “Regular reinforcement of lots of small messages repeated at timely intervals is how we form impressions”.
Earlier in the year we saw Sarsfield’s Day, Culture & Chips, Riverfest, Make a Move, Proms in the Park and the Tomcat Street Festival. These are all very exciting events aimed at a diverse audience but all hold one key similarity – they animate our city, they create a sense of fun and celebration. Learning from our City of Culture experience we need to structure our calendar of key events going forward. We need to manage the great things we offer and package them intelligently. We must recognise that visitors to our city have good experiences.
It does not take a genius to realise Limerick’s current potential in this regard. The Draw Out project has the very real potential to put Limerick city on the map when it comes to us achieving global recognition as a leading player in the up-and-coming world of urban street art.
We are getting there. Limerick City of Culture 2014 will have many legacies. For me the key legacy will be the fact that the year was one where Limerick rose from the ashes of economic depression and re-emerged as a phoenix gliding on the crest of a positive future.
Who could not have noticed the fact that 20 of the world’s leading urban artists have been descending on our city over the past few months as Limerick continues to embrace the fastest growing global art movement of recent years. It may not be to everybody’s taste but the Draw Out Project has literally put Limerick city on the global map. Limerick’s move towards urban art is not unprecedented. Other cities are seeing economic and tourism benefits as a result of global reach these
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- By Nigel Dugdale -
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People Profile | Dr. John Samuel Greenwood The Pigtown Fling is on Saturday 20th of September in the Crescent Hall on O’Connell Street, a place steeped in history and even gigged in by U2 back in the day. Needless to say, it is an exciting venture born out of the ingenuity and talent bubbling up around our city streets as a way to capture what we have and put it out into the world. Absolutely everything in the Pigtown Fling from engineering to photography has been done by Limerick people. The director is a man who in his own words doesn’t “know the meaning of the word bored” and to our good fortune, clearly channels this energy into all things creative in Limerick. On the surface, John Greenwood is a native of Keane Street who first studied mechanical engineering before a stint of travelling. He returned to Limerick for several years of college, helped pioneer a PhD program and was its first graduate in Electroacoustic composition. He has co-founded PLAN (Professional Limerick Artist’s Network) as well as remaining in the artist’s game where he is known as Raw Nerve Noise. As he said himself, he is often mistaken for a serious chap but seems to enjoy a good laugh and has an infectious chuckle. I sat in Dr. John’s bar on a midweek afternoon to meet the man behind the beard. Its tagline “Feel Good Upstairs” really sets the tone for this quirky little space. John wanted to create a “practice based centre” for the creative arts. “It’s more like an artist’s hub (then a bar) where strange things can happen. It’s not run of the mill. We encourage the unknown and we will take chances on the experiment while running a business and meeting the challenges that come with that.” It was only intended as a year project but is now entering its third. Artistically, John is a sound artist, as he explains: “Sound is my thing. I love sound. I love the study of sound. It will never, not be interesting to me, I suppose my own stuff knows no boundaries and it’s always just pushing how I engage with sound and environment. I’m very aesthetically driven a lot of the time... what makes something aesthetically pleasant or interesting or uninteresting or unpleasant - and how you can frame both sides of the camp in a sort of production or installation. I really like working with contrasts; in sound, in environments, sonic art versus sound art, that kind of stuff.”
I asked John Greenwood about the Pigtown Fling and instead of the general marketing plug, I appreciated his refreshing answer which included the concept behind the project and the legacy he hopes it will leave. It appears this production has a magical combination of people who chose an open and fair format for our own Limerick artists. It’s “like a snapshot of quality musicians that were in town, to take them, make a list, thrash out a few ideas with a committee that was put together to say what kind of unusual couplings could we put together here.” The aim is that this year’s production is something that can be expanded on for next year. “We can confidently say that it is going to be a world class production and the whole idea of the Pigtown Fling, from my side, was to show Limerick people first, then Ireland, then internationally that Limerick is a living and breathing music industry from concept to package.” As a city full of hidden talent, I asked John what he thought of Limerick’s potential as a creative city. “Limerick always boxed above its weigh...always fighting to prove something. We are not shy of hard work. Everyone I work with really gives it their best. What stops it from moving? We are trying to unravel that knot. I mean, why isn’t it a young Manhattan? ... I think Limerick has that potential and drives itself to reach that potential. We get our fair share of knocks but if you are living in Limerick, you don’t see it like that. If anything, it adds to your art. It gives it that sort of edginess, that rawness." With all these artistic ventures, I wondered what role John felt the arts played at the moment in the city. “I think the arts are at pivotal point in Limerick and indeed Ireland. We need another national campaign for the arts. It is really misunderstood or misrepresented. Yes we have our shows...but there is something missing on getting it to a bigger audience. Limerick, for me, next year is about creating a new audience for the amazing art and artists we do have.” As I left Dr. John’s, I have to say I felt invigorated by John Greenwoods zeal for the promotion of artists in his native city and I was reminded of the words of William S. Burroughs: “Artists, to my mind, are the real architects of change...” and if that be true, Limerick is fortunate to have people like Greenwood at the helm of such promotion.
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| Dr. John Samuel Greenwood Artist: Raw Nerve Noise Photos by: Tarmo Tulit
| Art & Culture Royal de luxe
Renowned french street theatre company, royal de luxe will not only bring the famous grandmother giant to limerick, it will also bring opportunities to local traders from the city and beyond. For three days, the giant will walk the streets of limerick to greet the young and old, in what promises to be the biggest street event the city has ever hosted. As record-high numbers are expected to take to the streets of limerick, this creates opportunities for local traders to get involved with royal de luxe and to engage with the limerick giant. Friday september 5th to sunday september 7th: limerick city – free event
Roches street festival
Roches street traders have run an art festival for many years in aid of local charities, displaying the works of many talented artists from the region in the windows and premises of local traders. This year, the festival will be expanded to include a number of art installations at key locations on both roches st and catherine st, in addition to arranging a number of cultural events and street performances throughout the fortnight. The tradition of selling art for charity will continue, (25% to charity, 75% to artist) although the space available will be somewhat limited. This years nominated charities are spina bifida mid west, and limerick marine search and rescue. Monday september 8th to saturday september 20th– roches street limerick
Pinhead duffy
It has been 10 years since helena close’s pinhead duffy was first published. In celebration of this classic limerick novel, pillar international publishing is bringing out a special 10th anniversary edition. There will be cake, music, literature and hijinks. Sunday september 14: dolans (upstairs) 8pm free entry
What happened bridgie cleary
Limerick’s bottom dog theatre company returns to the stage this september with what happened bridgie cleary. The story is based on tipperary woman bridget cleary, who was burnt to death by her husband in march 1895. His defence? She was a fairy, replaced by a changeling. Her crime? Being a woman who didn’t conform to what was expected of her. The cast features bottom dog founder myles breen, ensemble member pius mcgrath and joanne ryan in the lead role of bridgie. Joanne was nominated for her extraordinary work in this year’s irish times theatre awards. Thursday september 4th: friars’ gate, kilmallock, 8pm, 063 98727 Wednesday september 24th & thursday 25th: 69 O’connell st., Limerick, 8pm, 061 774774 For further information visit - www.Bottomdogtheatre.Com FUSION MAGAZINE | 14
The Limerick Jazz Festival
September 23rd sees the third annual Limerick Jazz Festival. The four day festival will feature some stellar names both on the Irish and international scene. Thursday kicks off with none other than Van Morrison at the University Concert Hall. A giant in the world of popular jazz from whom audiences can expect a varied set-list of new material tempered with old classics such as ‘Days Like This’ and ‘Brown-eyed Girl. Regarded as the country’s leading blues singer/guitarist, Nigel Mooney plays Dolan’s Warehouse the following night backed by a sextet of musical talent. Also on Friday night The Dublin City Jazz Orchestra will be bringing their host of talented musicians to 69 ‘O Connell Street for a tour de force in big band jazz music. Saturday sees six-time grammy award winner David Sanborn visit the Lime Tree Theatre where the sax player, who in the past has played with the likes of Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, will enthrall audiences with his blend of instrumental pop, R&B and traditional jazz. And if all that wasn’t enough for you Dolan’s Upstairs will be capping off the festival that evening with a bangin’ sextet which includes the talents of Limerick’s own Joe O Callaghan and John Daly while being led by two of the bigger names in the saxophone world in the guises of Richie Buckley and Julien Siegel.
Polish Arts Festival
Embracing the integration of the Polish contingent into Limerick, the Polish Arts Festival aims to promote the different faces of the Pole abroad as a worker, an artist, a member of the local community and a contributor to European cultural heritage. 2014’s festival offers a feast of traditional and modern Polish/Slavic music, theatre and fine arts through a vibrant schedule of interactive events. Informative and colourful performances, lectures and exhibitions will appeal to a wide audience of art and history lovers, parents and their children, and anyone interested in flair, diversity and harmony. Polish Arts Festival, 11th September to 5th October 2014 www.polishartfestival.ie
Visual Artist
| Emma McNamara Photo by: Tarmo Tulit
Emma McNamara “Imagining the post human”
Think 1984. Think Bladerunner. Think The Matrix. Think Emma Mac. A highly creative individual with an exceptional mind, as a kid Emma loved sci-fi and was full of imagination. Despite only dabbling in art growing up, it wasn’t until her early twenties she realised that she had to feed her desire to create. Currently in final year in LSAD studying fine art, sculpture and combined media, Emma’s work features on the concept of imagining the post human experience. As you can see, she explores the idea of what the human experience might be like if science and technology passed us out. How human would we be? Would we even recognise our new life forms and what would this mean for our identities? “Technology is growing faster and faster. New technologies like biogenetics, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and nano technology have immensely in the past few decades grown. They are aiming towards one goal, to overcome human boundaries and create newer, higher forms of life, to create something post human...” states Emma. “By changing our own biology and transforming ourselves, we might stop being purely human and start being part machine or a new species or superhuman. We are going to change colossally, potential for catastrophe.” With this idea, Emma presents her viewer with the potential dystopian result of these advances on the human experience. Her work takes on many forms from performance to multimedia and she has no end to her inspirations from the world of sci-fi and creatives like David Cronenberg and H.R Giger. Emma’s art is in distinct contrast with her warm and genuine persona which makes her and her work all the more interesting. Emma isn’t afraid to push boundaries as an artist and present the viewer with raw content to challenge our thinking and get a reaction. “I just want to awaken people, you know, open their minds to what the future might be like...”she smiled. “I just want a reaction, just freak’ em out a little. Science fiction is not science fiction anymore, it’s becoming a reality.” As far as her future goes, expect Emma’s unique creations to continue to challenge our thinking and one day we will hopefully see her on the movie sets she hopes to work on. - By Mairéad Collins -
A New Year & New Beginning
| Student Life As it is our September edition, it makes all of the sense to focus on you Freshers’. If I could take to the streets with a brass band and Mardi Gras style celebration then I would. Starting College is a fantastic achievement and should be celebrated as such so a hearty congratulations to you all and the warmest of welcomes to our beautiful city which for many of you, is your new home. With great adventure comes great challenge and possibly one the toughest parts of your whole college experience is actually getting started. That’s where ‘Orientation’ comes in and there is one bullet proof rule to ensuring a successful orientation. Take your time. Get registered, grab a Fresher Pack, join a tour and you’ll be just fine. Now take a moment to picture this:
It’s Monday morning, the first day of the semester. Orientation seems like a distant memory. You have checked your timetable. You’re in at 9am. You can just about remember how to get to the college from your accommodation, never mind finding the room ‘CONFUSED 101’ in the ‘LOST Building’. You wade through what seems like the sea of students now on campus who all seem to know exactly where they are going. Then, you finally scramble into what you hope is the correct room. You desperately lunge at the nearest seat so as not to stick out and busily take out a pen and paper. In an attempt to look busy or possibly to avoid awkward small talk with the person nearest to you, you write the module number, title and date on the first page of your crisp A4. This is closely followed by a frantic display of scribbling when the lecture begins- to ensure you document absolutely everything the lecturer is saying due to the fear it will be on an exam. Your thoughts are already jumping to lunchtime, then to tickets for Freshers’ Week, back to this modules first assignment, oh wait...what about getting wireless sorted in the new gaff and needing to make some new friends before the week is out. You seem to have so much to do and already no time. Is this what college is all about? If you find yourself identifying in any way with the above situation, I can assure you it is perfectly normal for a ‘Fresher’. There are never enough hours in the day and always a zillion things to do and you are constantly trying to fit them all in. I say Fresher, but it is in fact these feelings are common for any college student. The only difference between a first-year and a student in any other year, is that the latter are expecting the demand on their time; academically and socially. This is new to a first-year student so don’t let it get to you and remember you are not on your own.
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That seems to be the one thing about being a Fresher that no-one ever seems to tell you. Despite the excitement on your family and friends’ faces when you set off and all those well wishers, starting college or indeed any transition period at any stage in your life can be seriously overwhelming. We have all sat in that registration hall waiting to be registered and felt like everyone else seems to know someone already and felt totally alone. The beauty of it all is that, in actual fact, everyone is feeling the exact same - just no one has the guts to say it. I promise you are not alone if you feel that way. That goes for throughout your entire college experience - you are never alone. You don’t know what life may throw at you so if someday you find yourself smothered by the busy atmosphere, activities and assignments of college, then don’t be a martyr and avail of one of the oodles of support services your college has to offer. Those services are there for a reason and you wouldn’t be the first or last to use them. I was given a piece of advice by a wise final year student when I started first year and it stuck with me throughout college. No matter how much you try, it is impossible to be on top of everything. Once you realise this and realise no student can keep on top of everything academically, socially and everything in between, you will not only start enjoying college so much more, you will begin to be more efficient and productive with your studies too. The token Irish mammy phrase of “Just do your best” springs to mind, but that’s all you can do in college, you’re best and only you know what that is. - By Mairéad Collins -
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Places to Find Love in Limerick
By Danny Ryan
Whether you’re looking for a partner for life or a cheeky shift, these romance hotspots are guaranteed to provide an opportunity to find that special someone.
The Milk Market: How can you improve a sunny Saturday morning spent filling your wicker basket with local fruit and cheeses and filling your belly with some delicious fresh-made stall food? How about a handsome stranger in a woollen jumper reaching for the same old Leonard Cohen record as you? He laughs, you blush, Hallelujah! The Boardwalk: The perfect place to take a stroll by the river on a moonlit evening. Chances are you’ll find a kindred spirit contemplating the world and their place in it. Suggested chat up line: “Did you know that once swans find a partner, they’re together for life?”... That works best when swans are present and clearly in a committed relationship. Costello’s Tavern: Local legend and publican extraordinaire Flan Costello has seen more romance’s blossom in his pub than I’ve had hot dinners. I’m 27 and I eat dinner every day. That’s over 9,855 happy couples. The stats don’t lie. You’ll dance to Love Cats with reckless abandon and look pretty good doing it thanks to Costello’s famously kind lighting. Icon: Affectionately known as D’Icon, there’s no better spot if you’ve got the looks but struggle to get talking to the opposite sex. So what if you’re not the greatest conversationalist in the world? Chances are you can’t hear a thing this gorgeous person is saying to you anyway. This is a place to let your dance moves do the talking. Even if you don’t find love, you may well find a keyring containing a photo of you and three complete strangers in your pocket the next morning. People’s Park: Whether you’re sunning yourself on the hill with a 99 or displaying your athletic prowess in a hastily arranged 5-a-side, there’s no doubting that Cupid’s arrow is never far away in People’s Park. An ideal spot for a first date, the nearby art museum lends itself wonderfully to making yourself appear more cultured than you actually are. Insider tip - During school term there’s a chance you’ll be able to have a go on the swings in the playground without any angry parents chasing you off. Best Date Ever.
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“When you want something bad enough, you never stop trying.”
Photos by: Tarmo Tulit
Grace Slattery | The Supermom and her Miracle Babies
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| Cover Story
Grace Slattery | The Supermom and her Miracle Babies On a regular day in the month of May, the story of ‘The Quadfather’ hit our airwaves, newsstands and newsfeeds overnight. This loving couple living in Caherconlish captured the hearts of so many of us with their amazing story. Thirteen weeks of madness later and the daily reality continues in the Slattery home. The one person in all of this who has quietly remained behind the scenes however - and is the real star of the show - is Grace Slattery, wife to James and doting mother of the babies. Despite us all feeling like we have got a real glimpse into the lives of this wonderful couple by hearing their story, it’s not until you sit in the living room of their house and have four beautiful babies in a row looking back up at you, do you think: ‘Wow. This is their lives now.’ On entering their house, I expected to experience some of the chaos I can only imagine comes with multiple newborns but it was in fact quite the opposite. Their home is beaming with that pure newborn energy and not only that, this house runs like a well oiled machine. Grace has it all under control. She is such a warm, strong woman and this sort of challenge was just made for her. ‘No better woman’ as the saying goes and she is someone who always knew her passion in life was to be a mother.
When you reach a stage in your life that the one thing you want to do is fast becoming out of the realms of possibility, it would test anyone’s ability to power through and can ultimately lead you down a rough path and it did with Grace. “It was soul destroying. It was really, really tough. It kind of changed me I think for awhile. I feel like I’m back to myself now that I’m happy and now have babies but I do think it changed me for awhile. It kind of knocked my confidence, made me not want to talk to people because I didn’t want to talk about anything except babies and everything being hard. I didn’t want to be in normal conversations or go on night outs.” Miscarriages are not new or uncommon. They happen to women all the time. I asked Grace about this and she said once she started talking about it, it seemed every other person had or knew of someone who had suffered a miscarriage. She personally found the most support from online forums but she still felt so alone. “Not everyone gets it. People think things like: ‘At least she didn’t have the baby or at least she didn’t have a bump or maybe that’s just the way it’s meant to be.’ And none of them, none of them help. They are all hard hear when you’ve had a miscarriage. It did matter and it doesn’t matter how far gone you are or whether you were a day or five months pregnant, you still had a baby. You still had that in your head and you still had a loss no matter how far gone you are.”
“I always knew I wanted to be a mom. It was never a question mark for me like it is for other people. It was always what I was going to do when I got older and when I was ready.” The real adventure started a decade ago when Grace and James met in the Icon Nightclub. I very much doubt that their lives today could even have been imagined that night. They married six years later and the plan for children was soon on the cards but like many couples, they faced an unexpected uphill battle.
“I think that’s the hardest thing because people don’t expect you to grieve over a baby you have never had but it really does stay with you. There are still four babies I have lost and a lot of people have said to me since: “Well you got them all back”. In a way I did and I can understand why people say that and it nice to think but at the same time, the four that I lost mattered. I don’t just want to erase them and think they are here with me now because I still lost those four babies. I was just lucky enough to have four. A lot of women have reoccurring miscarriages and they don’t even have one so it doesn’t always mean that you get your baby back.�
“We obviously thought: ‘Get married, have babies.’ But it didn’t work out that way.”
They started trying after six months of marital bliss and Grace got pregnant straight away. At twelve weeks, she had a scare so they went for a check up. Grace was having a miscarriage. “At twelve weeks, anyone who has had a baby and it is their first; you kind of do get carried away. You are picking out cots and this and that. It’s heartbreaking. It’s really hard.� Despite this, Grace and James kept trying. Unfortunately for Grace at the time however, she was completely unaware that she would be a sufferer of reoccurring miscarriages. “The second one, I expected it. It was still awful and still terrible...but when something goes wrong once, you are almost waiting for it to go wrong again...and it did, the second and the third time.” Then the fourth miscarriage happened. Grace could not have predicted her fate so this naturally resulted in a personal crisis point for her.
It’s clear her will power knows no bounds. When I asked how she could possibly keep trying after four miscarriages, Grace just said:
“When you want something bad enough, you never stop trying.�
And she didn’t. Grace and James went for various tests and treatments, everything but IVF and there was no concrete explanation why they could not have a baby. Finally, Grace went with her gut instinct and took a treatment that is only required when pregnant, before she got pregnant. Medically, it would do her no harm and then along came pregnancy number five. This soon to be miracle was still in the unknown so understandably, this pregnancy was greeted with a sense of hopelessness.
“The fourth one was probably the worst of them all because with the fourth one it was like: ‘This is going to keep happening, it’s never going to go right’. I started to question everything in my life and wonder: ‘What am I going to do if I can’t have kids?’” FUSION MAGAZINE | 23
“When we found out...we didn’t even celebrate - no hug or anything. Just step one was done. It was hard to be happy at that stage. It was like you were ticking a box.”
“The first baby came out and I was chatting away to James and he just said: “Look.” and I looked up above the screen and the doctor was holding Amelia and she was screaming her little brains out. (Laughs) I was just gobsmacked, completely shocked. I mean you know you are pregnant and there is a baby in there but you don’t expect it to really be a baby - and then there is this little baby in front of you and it was amazing. I was bawling again and then the next one came out and then the next one and then the next one.�
The pregnancy continued and at five and a half weeks, Grace had a scare. Taking ages to check for a heartbeat at the scan, Grace feared the worst. After a few moments, their worst fears were not only dashed but wildest dreams realised. There were four heartbeats. “I suppose for me the biggest shock was that there was one heartbeat there. It wasn’t that there were four because I never expected it at that stage. I was so low in myself and in such a dark place I just never thought this was going to work. No matter what we do, no matter what meds I went on or what doctors I talked too, there was nothing left to do but IVF - and you can still miscarry on IVF - and they didn’t know what the problem was. I couldn’t believe it was still there. I remember trying to ask a question but no sound was coming out and James was there, as cool as ice.� Bursting into tears out of fear that if she could not carry one, she could never carry four, James had no idea why Grace was not excited. The consultant came down to confirm the presence of quadruplets and after explaining the high level of risk attached with this pregnancy, the couple left the hospital feeling like they had received bad news. They told their parents and waited for about two months before telling friends. With Grace getting a scan every week, they kept reminding everyone that the likelihood of all four surviving and being healthy was incredibly slim. “Each week we kept going for a scan every Monday and each week we were expecting the heartbeats to stop. One or two we were hoping for and just that all four wouldn’t be gone but each week they were all there. We were just amazed and they checked heartbeat after heartbeat after heartbeat and they were all there.” By week nine, Grace was in maternity clothes, indescribably exhausted and just could not do a thing. Nesting was not an option and with her pervious history, she couldn’t face filling the house with baby things that she may not need. With another scare at twenty two weeks, Grace was hospitalised and would not feel the comfort of her own bed again until after all the babies were born. With every week counting and passing by, hope grew (as did the babies) for their health and delivery. On the 6th day of the 32nd week, the day before her scheduled C-section, Grace’s waters broke. She and her 24lb bump had to pack her bags while her husband got a Garda escort up to Dublin from Limerick. She delayed every way she could so no one would miss it. James arrived to an unexpectedly calm wife, straightening her hair and doing her makeup. “Sure they couldn’t start without me.” she joked. As this was a particularly unique delivery, with a risk to her life too, Grace arrived into a sea of scrubs and was fully awake for the procedure.
First into the world came Amelia, followed by Mollie, then Lily Grace and finally Lucas James. After four devastating experiences, arrived four little miracles. “It was like floating on air. It really was. I could have done anything that day...nothing else mattered. It was just like everything was right again and I just felt like it was worth it. All the years of darkness and sadness and heartache, it was just all worth it all of a sudden. That’s the way it was meant to be.” Three weeks later and just days before the anniversary of her first miscarriage, Grace woke up in her own bed with all four babies home too. “I just can’t believe it worked and that we got there. There were so many times that I thought about giving up and I didn’t and now I’m so glad I didn’t. You know you have to hang in there, as bad as it is, there is light at the end of tunnel and you have to keep going� Being home hasn’t been as tough as first thought for this Supermom. The fear of being alone with all four has passed and big brother Josh is a natural with his little siblings. The nights are extremely difficult but the couple have been overwhelmed with people’s generosity, well wishes and support. Grace also loves motherhood, just like she knew she would. “I love it. I really love it. Obviously I never thought I’d have four. It’s so challenging. I have to be consistently organised and regimented about things which is just like my personality - which it great because it means that everyone else has to be too. There is no argument that I am the boss now.” (Laughs) Everything has to run like clockwork in this house and it very clearly does. No world leader has a patch on this woman’s ability. There are colour coded loom bands on bottles, feeding charts and changing charts that must be accurately filled in so everything runs as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Grace is looking forward to watching her four little tots grow and is particularly looking forward to when her house is like the bumper cars with four walkers on the go. James had mentioned on some of the national media that he wasn’t ruling out more children and when I asked Grace about this, she just politely said:
“I knew all of them were going to be there but it was actually terrifying to see them all. The main thing going through my head at that time was: ‘What if I lose another baby? I just can’t go through another loss.’ I was very upset, scared and worried about what would happen because when I was pregnant, they were happy and safe in my tummy and I just wanted them to stay there.� Grace felt pulled from left to right but there was always a doctor there to tell her everything would be alright. James joined her after the surgery and just before the birth. They had been told that they would not even be able to see any of the babies as they would have to be rushed to the neonatal. FUSION MAGAZINE | 24
“Wait until they start school and we’ll talk then.” (Laughs)
- Interview by Mairéad Collins -
Big brother Josh with his siblings
FUSION MAGAZINE | 25
Meet the Slattery Quadruplets
Lily Grace
Amelia Helen
Mollie Rose
Lucas James
Lily was the third born at
Amelia was the first born
Second out after Amelia,
Last but not least is the
3.56 pm weighting 3.4lbs.
at 3.54 pm and was the
Mollie Rose was born at
bouncing baby boy Lucas
This little lady is the
biggest
weighting
3.55 pm and weighted
James, born at 3.57pm
independent woman of the
in at 4.3lbs. Both she
2.15lbs. She is the hungriest
weighting
group and is always full of
and Mollie are called the
of the quads and has put
little cutie is as laid back as
smiles…well except when
twins as it is very hard
on the most weight since
they come. He is described
she is hungry!
to tell them apart. She is
birth, catching up with her
by his Mom and Dad as
described by Mom and Dad
brother and sisters. She is
“Happy out”.
as the loudest and feisty
the rock star of the group
with a bubbly personality.
with spikey hair and a diva
baby
attitude.
FUSION MAGAZINE | 26
3.10lbs
This
| Health & Fitness
Paleo 101 - Eat Right – Live Better The Paleo style of eating seems to be the
of protein is jam packed full of healthy
every day. Most people don’t realise that
hottest trend right now and there is no
omega 3 fatty acids which are essential
fat cells shrink and expand based on your
denying the health benefits that go with it.
for brain function. Paleo focuses massively
diet. Leaner people don’t have less fat cells
In this months issue I’m going to tell you
on animal protein. In meat there is tons of
they just have smaller ones. To keep fat
everything you need to know about Paleo
healthy protein. This is used to build new
cells small you must choose healthy fats
and how to get started on your journey!
cells and muscle mass. The more muscle
and limit your carb intake. Healthy fats are
One of the biggest problems I have faced
you have the better your metabolism
packed together in your cells and are ready
as a trainer is educating my clients about
works. This is because our muscles require
for energy when your body needs them.
eating correctly before and after training.
energy to move. In order to move bigger
Basically the Paleo style of eating provides
We as people use food as an escape goat
muscles, you must store more energy
foods that will aid muscle and keep your
for not achieving our goals. I have heard
in them. This allows your body to send
insulin sensitive which will ensure your fat
the saying “Il start Monday” too many
energy instead of fat cells. Vegetables are
cells stay compact.
times. There is no such thing as the perfect
also a massive part of the Paleo lifestyle.
day or time. That time is now.
This ensures you maximize your intake of
My advice to you is make this style of
vitamins and minerals. Paleo is also low
eating work for you rather than starving
So Paleo, what the hell is it? Paleo is an
carb. Simply by removing processed food
yourself which is the last thing you want
effort to eat like we did thousands of years
intake will hugely reduce your carb intake
to do. Centre all your meals on protein and
ago. Think cave man think, hunter gatherer.
speeding up weight loss. Considering the
veg with some fruit and nuts for snacks.
They were pretty smart, they knew how
human body is still not evolved enough to
Make this style of eating interesting by
to survive, they knew how to live off the
digest most grains anyway, this could prove
trying every variation of meat and veg out
basics and do pretty damn well from it too.
to be the best decision you ever make.
there. Trust me you will be surprised by what you find. Make smoothies and fruit
The basics of a Paleo diet consist of - Meat - Fish - Seeds - Leafy Greens – Veggies.
Sugar, manmade fats and junk food cause
salads as snacks to keep you plugging away
Hold the pasta, cereal and sweets! Paleo
inflammations within our intestinal tract.
between meals. If you really want to be
is not just a diet it’s a way of life. Think
When we have too much junk food in our
successful with your eating habits then you
about it. The average human thousands
stomachs you can get what’s called ‘’leaky
might want to start preparing your food in
of years ago was tall, muscular, agile and
gut syndrome’’. This is when the walls of
advance. This will ensure you don’t make
athletic. The average human now is over
our intestines are breached and things
unhealthy food choices at work or if you’re
weight, out of shape, stressed out, and is
that should stay in get out. The reasons
traveling. Finally with any new eating habit
basically slowing dying from a whole host
sports drinks have become so popular in
make to sure have cheat days every now
of other preventable diseases. How can
recent years is because everyone’s diet’s
and again, if you were to stay away from
Paleo benefit me? Switching to Paleo is not
suck! Most household breakfasts consist
every pleasure known to mankind then life
just good for your body but also your brain.
of high sugar cereals or coffee. Not only
wouldn’t be any fun then would it.
is this a fast track to type 1 diabetes but One of the main staples of the Paleo
it won’t even sustain you throughout your
style of eating is fish. This quality source
day. Paleo ensures you are satisfied all day FUSION MAGAZINE | 28
- By Eric Johnson -
FUSION MAGAZINE | 29
|Beauty Get your Hair Warm, Bold & Beautiful this Fall with Technical Colour Director James O ‘Dwyer of Melo Yelo. With the tail ends of summer still looming behind us, most of our hair loses its tones and our skin colour becomes much cooler. Summer might be gone but we have a brand new season to celebrate. As a creative soul, my artistic palette goes into overdrive in Autumn. Our team at Melo Yelo have an enormous combined knowledge of kaleidoscope colours and tones working with L’Oreal professional products. This fall we are looking at AMBRE IN REVERSE. When thinking of ambre in reverse, think chestnut browns merging into rich auburn tones, intense light to dark and cool mocha browns working through to buttery blondes. Visualise glossy global colouring, using autumn/winter colours personalised for you - giving your hair a glossy conditioned look and feel. If you are thinking of warm rich tones, rich auburns, merlot tones, warm rich berries, intense reds and coppers then DARK AUTUMN is for you. If you are more of a COOL WINTER soul, then cool mocha browns to buttery blondes and more intense icy tones is for you. For a consultation please contact Melo Yelo, Lwr Shannon St, 061 314553.
| Editor’s Choice Rimmel Brow This Way €5.49 – Boots Get perfectly groomed eyebrows in one easy, smooth application. Define, fill and fix your brows all day with a tint of colour. There are four new brow products from Rimmel Brow This Way. You can get Brow - clear, blonde, medium brown and dark brown. The precision brush defines eyebrows evenly for a perfected and defined eyebrow-look. Smudge proof, Fade Proof and best of all stays fixed all day.
Product Review This month’s Product Picks by Gill McElligott As women, the urge to shed our skin and emerge anew comes to us as regularly as buses on O’Connoll Street and here are two products that will do just that. I cannot (and probably will not) ever be able to decide with one I prefer.
A man’s peepers are the first place we see age and often the last to be addressed. Let’s always remember prevention is better than cure so here are two products to help.
Clarins Tonic Body Polisher
Clarins Anti-fatigue Eye Serum
YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!! This polisher will thoroughly blitz your skin from toes to chest. It feels like luxury on the skin. The salt smoothes away dry dull skin while the sugar dissolves into smoothing oil that reveals glowing skin and a lingering scent around your house of essential oils. With all of the lovely essential oils in this product, it both invigorates body and mind, any bad day/bad date can be scrubbed away. Priced €38 for 200ml, a little product goes along way.
To be applied every morning without fail, this ginseng based serum which is packed full of anti oxidants reduces dark circles, smoothes early signs of wrinkles, deflates puffiness and tightens the eye contour area. It is the Holy Grail. This product is non greasy with a matte finish. Priced €36.50 for 20ml.
Laura Mercier Ambre Vanilla Scrub
Clinique skin supplies for men Age Defence for Eyes SPF15
If warm sweet scents are your thing, this scrub is for you. Made from crushed vanilla seeds and hydrogenated jojoba oil it gently exfoliates the skin while the honey and Shea butter conditions. This is fantastic for dry skin as it will hydrate it too. This scrumptious smell from this scrub takes everything not to lick it! It’s a little pricier at €53 and also 200 ml but it is definitely worth it if you wanted to treat yourself.
This eye cream contains a cocktail of ingredients to get the eyes in shape, most of which I cannot pronounce but it promises to do the job. On application the skin looks brighter as it diminishes the appearance of dark circles and visibly reduces puffiness as well as protecting against future signs of aging. Priced €34 for 15m.
FUSION MAGAZINE | 30
The Right Face - The Right Time -
The Right Look - The Right Style -
| Photographer – Tarmo Tulit Hair – Stephen O’Driscoll – Hugh Campbell Hair Group (Marbles, Cruises St) MUA – Mary Kiely Stylist – Michelle Costello Models – Shane Coleman, Shauna Lindsay, Catherine Fagan, Kristine Platace, Sinead Mitchell, Damien Moloney Clothing – The Edge – Milk Market Footwear – Wacky Shoes – O’Connell Street Limerick
| Fashion Normcore The Trend of Dressing Completely and Unashamedly Normal.
As uninspired as that may sound at first, it’s actually an incredibly interesting sartorial answer to a society overcrowded with the outrageous and the forcedly bizarre. We live in a society saturated with visual noise. People are forced to go to new lengths to grab the public’s attention: donning a meat dress (Lady Gaga), riding giant hotdogs (Miley Cyrus) and appropriating the culture of another nation (Gwen Stefani and her Harajuku harem). The obvious antidote to this is to go in the opposite direction - blend in to stand out in a manner of speaking. Today, with the sheer variety and abundance of fast fashion on offer, the normcore look has an emphasis on basics. Think: a classic pair of blue jeans, a fresh polo shirt, and a pair of simple white runners. Note the adjectives used: classic, fresh, and simple. These are the terms missing in so much of fashion today. A culture of try-hards has had the predictable consequence of making a simpler aesthetic seem that much more appealing. Normcore as a term exploded in February 2014 when New York Magazine featured an article on the subject. Debates sprang up; was this an actual trend or just an in-joke gone awry? Can something be considered a “trend” when it is trying to eschew the fashion world? These and other confusing questions on the subject are no longer relevant, as regardless of how legitimate or illegitimate it may have been in the beginning, normcore has now taken off to the extent where it can definitely be considered a subculture.
The past 100 years has seen countless subcultures stroll in and out of vogue; mods and rockers, goths and new romantics, punks and seapunks. All reflect the cultural context of their eras. For example, the emergence of the punk subculture in the mid 1970s was the result of subversive and revolutionary ideals popular at the time, brought about (among other things) by the politics of the Situationist International, whose writers explored theories such as Marx’s writings on alienation in the 1950s and ‘60s. Punks in the U.K responded to a society which was still remarkably conservative with clothing that brought shock value. I applaud anyone who can pull off the more-is-more look, but for the rest of us, normcore is a very chic alternative to so many other “trends”. Walking through London in the ‘70s with safetypin covered clothing and ripped jeans, you made a statement. Today, for too many reasons that can be explored sufficiently in one little article, proclaiming one’s individuality through fashion is more problematic. Having studied and worked in fashion for several years, I can completely understand being overwhelmed by people’s attempts to stand out. At London Fashion Week, for instance, hordes of wannabe bloggers will attempt to pull together the craziest My Little Pony/ futuristic/ Western inspired outfit they can in an attempt to get into a show. The sight of their desperate, glittery faces is enough to send me running for my mom jeans and plain white t-shirt. Fashion is a fickle art, but there’s something about the nonchalance of normcore that makes me think it’s one that might stick around for a while. - By Laura Hastings -
FUSION MAGAZINE | 40
| Model – Shauna Lindsay Photo by: Tarmo Tulit
BUSINESS IDEA – PLAN – ACTION - BUSINESS With a lot of creativity, determination and patience, you can launch your own business and start profiting from your passions. To actually get a pay check from cashing in on your passions is one of the most fulfilling endeavours you can experience as long as the market research has been done and your project is viable! Consider taking your hobbies and monetizing on them. Being an entrepreneur makes life more rewarding and fulfilling. Here is where to start locally if this idea has been playing in your mind.
Local Enterprise Office (LEO) 061-407499 Local Enterprise Office provides advice, information and support to you in starting up or growing your business. The Local Enterprise Office offers a first-stop shop for entrepreneurs. Supports available include: • Start-your-own-business training courses. • Market research information. • Business planning advice and templates. • Access to experienced business mentors. • Feasibility grants and co-investment for your plans.
Start Your Own Business Venue: Woodlands House Hotel Adare Date: 15/09/2014 - Time: 7pm-10pm Six Week Start Your Own Business Course for those thinking about or who have just started their own business. Contact the LEO for more details.
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| T r av e l FUSION MAGAZINE | 43
| IRrESISTIBLE IRELAND | Killaloe Ballina The towns of Killaloe Ballina are amongst Ireland’s most picturesque attractions, linked by a beautiful 13 arch bridge. It is a place that captures a true sense of peace and warmth. Killaloe, on the Clare side of the river, is made up of charming narrow streets, flanked by old shops along the steep hill looking down over the 13th century cathedral. Ballina, on the Tipperary side, offers an excellent riverside park and seasonal outdoor swimming pool. There are plenty of moorings for cruisers to stop off and explore. Mixed in with the interesting heritage of the towns, both Killaloe and Ballina are hosts to boutiques, bakeries, artisan shops, restaurant, pubs and galleries making it the perfect nearby location to explore. On the Water Whether you want to cruise along or plunge yourself into the water sport activities, Killaloe has it all. Explore the River Shannon, its wildlife and its spectacular scenery by stepping on board a River Cruise or you can hire your own boat if you would like to explore. For the more adventurous, you could try hand sailing, windsurfing or kayaking at the University of Limericks Activity Centre. Heritage Killaloe has heritage town status so you are sure to find history around every corner. Immerse yourself in the past by visiting the Brian Ború Heritage Centre which charts the history of Killaloe and Brian Ború.
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Exploring Whether you want a two hour wander or a week long trek, this area offers plenty of variety. Stretch your legs and breathe in the views along the long distance Lough Derg Way and East Clare Way. Bike hire is also available from Planet-Tri to explore off the beaten track. For the more relaxed visitor a simple pleasure is to stroll around the winding streets and absorb the aromas of the blackboard menus enticing you to savour local delicacies.
FUSION MAGAZINE | 44
Places to eat You won’t be disappointed by what Killaloe Ballina has to offer as they are known for the variety of award winning pubs, cafés and restaurants. In fact many come to the area just to eat and watch the Shannon go by. Our top choices are Tuscany Bistro, Flanagan’s and Molly’s Bar & Restaurant. Catch the right day and enjoy a picnic beside the lakeside. Tip: You can pre-order your picnic at many of the shops and delis in the area. At Night As far as the night scene goes, Killaloe Ballina has plenty of trad sessions and dancing alike. Ask locally or the tourist office for the best bars and locations where the craic is to be had. Places to stay There are plenty of self-catering options and The Lakeside Hotel overlooks the river.
The Perfect day In Killaloe Ballina Molly’s Bar and Restaurant serve a delicious breakfast to set you up for the day ahead. Hire a bike and cycle to The Lookout which has one of the most stunning views in Munster (Shown in Image). A stop off for lunch in Tuscany Bistro is a must. The specials board is fantastic and the staff is also very helpful. Try the pollo alla cacciatora or spinach and goats cheese calzone which will warm you up after a cold day. Follow your lunch by taking a stroll around the streets or hopping on the Spirit of Killaoe cruise to take in more of the scenery. Enjoy your evening meal in the lovely Flanagan’s Restaurant or The Cherry Tree followed by enjoying a night of music and dance in one of the many locals. Images from Ballina Killaloe Business Association & Tarmo Tulit. Have your town reviewed by the FUSION team. Email: info@fusionmedia.ie FUSION MAGAZINE | 45
| thailand
| The Land of Smiles People say Thailand offers it all to travellers in a neat, great-value package, whether you’re an independent budget backpacker wanting to explore off the beaten track, or a well-heeled tourist looking for an exclusive slice of paradise. From the food and spas, to the temples and culture, Thailand is a land steeped in fascinating Buddhist history, catapulted into the present through fast-paced economic growth that kicked off in the 1960s. More than 10 million tourists arrive annually. The capital Bangkok offers glittering temples on the Chao Phraya River, with shopping for both bargains and top-range designer items luring the masses as well. Bangkok is famed for its majestic temples, bustling markets, glorious street foods, amazing shopping options and the many nocturnal pursuits. Aside from sights to see, Thailand’s world-renowned fiery cuisine is the perfect antidote to Thailand’s weather and is an attraction in its own right. Savour delicious street food that costs next-to-nothing or splurge on high-end royal cuisine - no matter what you spend, it is always difficult to find a bad authentic Thai meal.
A trip to Bangkok is not complete without two things. Firstly a stay in Lebua State Tower, which has the most breath-taking views of Bangkok and secondly a visit to Khao San Road the epicentre of Southeast Asia’s backpacking universe. Modern Khao San is a hub of somewhat crazed activity that reminds us of a scene at a free-flowing music festival, but with a lot of tuk tuks. Be sure to haggle the price or make sure the meter is on in a taxi. Khao San Road is home to dizzying neon lights, stalls selling everything from tie-dyed tank tops to fake Harvard masters degrees, tattoo parlours that make a mint from people coming from the rowdy bucket bars and the odd Thai granny who sighs at the hippies while reminiscing about when it was just a rice-selling community. Khao San Road is worth a stroll at least once in a lifetime.
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The next must do is Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Here you can take an elephant trek, hike to see the long neck tribes, take a bamboo raft along the river or trek through the mist-shrouded mountains and all in one day. It is a safe bet that you would not regret taking a Thai cooking class so you can show off your new skills to friends on your return home.
FUSION MAGAZINE | 46
| Editor’s Review The most memorable part of Bangkok was our stay at the luxurious Lebua State Tower (Of The Hangover Part 2 fame). It can only be described as pure perfection after the long flights. The friendly staff members at the Tower Club were crisply dressed in white linen while serving us complimentary drinks. We were spoiled with a wonderful atmosphere and unlimited privileges that ensured a luxury stay. While Lebua had plenty of delicious restaurants we dined in the enchanting Breeze with its sumptuous menu of authentic Asian cuisine by one of Thailand’s most famous Chefs, Chef Sam Pang. Sam is renowned for his innovative cooking methods which infuse authentic Asian flavours with stunning artistic presentation. Some of the exquisite dishes included Charcoal Grilled Snow Fish, Braised Wagyu Beef Ribs or for the more brave you could try Shark’s Fin & Watercress-Spinach Clear Soup. My favourite however was the trio of Pan-seared Hokkaido scallop, King crab roll salmon roe – with a sweet & sour mango jus, served with a glazed tiger prawn with honey sauce, all accompanied by beautiful wines and Japanese sake.
The famous Sky Bar overlooking the city of Bangkok hosts the most breath-taking views from 63 stories high and is called by the New York Times the “most stunning rooftop bar you’ll ever see”. If you do not stay at Lebua then a visit to Sky Bar is a must. Reservations must be made in advance but it is worth every moment you spend there. Be sure to drink a cocktail in their open bar, which overlooks the cityscape. You can watch the sunset and enjoy the slightly cooler temperatures as the sun goes down. For the real Thai taste, look out for a cocktail which utilises Thai herbs such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf or galangal. Lebua’s resident master mixologist Ron Ramirez has shaken and stirred his way around the world, dedicating his career to the art of cocktailmaking. He has just unveiled his series of Senses Signature Cocktails for Sky Bar and pioneered an exclusive set of Ice Cocktails at Distil. All drinks are designed to surprise and delight every sense. To book your stay at Lebua visit www.lebua.com and trust me you won’t regret it.
Photos in Page 46 to 48 by: Tarmo Tulit & Lebua Hotel
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A flight down south would land you in Phuket and after a two hour ferry ride to Ko Phi Phi Islands you can sip cocktails on the beach, explore the beautiful aqua water, sunbathe on the coconut-palm fringed southern sands and revel in the amazing beach fire shows at night-time. Alternatively, enjoy the pulsing Full Moon Party on Ko Pha Ngan, or a spot of world-class diving off Ko Tao. You simply cannot beat the beauty of these islands. My favourite of all was the hidden gem that was KoLanta. The word alone conjures daydreams of lazing in a hammock. Long beaches with bars playing great reggae music, you can hire a scooter to discover the Island at a cost of €2 per day, the choice of food, the people and interesting characters to meet and as the sunsets the palm trees light up with what can only be described for Ko Lanto as the Body & Soul of Thailand. Thailand’s southwest coast including Khao Lak and Ko Phi Phi has fully recovered from the 2004 Asian tsunami 10 years ago and has flung open its rebuilt doors to tourists again.
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Call Mike at Holiday Experts to help you find the perfect Thai destination for you. Tel : 061 - 536700 - Mob : 085 – 1016862 mike.shinnors@holidayexperts.ie
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|Food & dRink
| Cocktail of the Month Pop into Chocolat Restaurant on O’Connell Street to find their delicious variety of cocktails. Our top choice is the one especially for the ladies! The Raspberry Chocolate Martini… fresh raspberries, Vanilla vodka, crème de cacao and a dash of cream! Yummy! Photo by: Tarmo Tulit
FUSION MAGAZINE | 49
| Chef Profile Q: If you could cook for anyone dead or alive, who would it be? A: “Angelina Jolie.” (Laughs) Q: What do you make of reality shows about kitchens? A: “TV is saturated with them really at this stage. Some of it is staged, I mean, they might have been different in the olden days but kitchens today are very professional places. I still watch those shows for ideas and that though. I like the Iron Chef.” Q: Which celebrity chefs cooking do you like most? A: “Heston Blumenthal. He’s a chef’s chef.” Q: Finally, have you a kitchen tip for all our readers? A: “Never follow a recipe to the letter. Always leave a little room to put in a little extra and a little less of something.”
Recipe by Chef Stuart Ross Slow Cooked Pork Belly with Braised Red Cabbage Ingredients
| Stuart Ross – Texas Steakhouse Photo by: Tarmo Tulit
Q: What is your earliest memory of cooking? A: “My earlier memory of cooking would have been a summer job that I had in Ted’s restaurant when I was about 14. My father knew the accountant in there, so he got me a summer job, keep me off the street for the summer, and I was on the pot wash in there for the summer. One of the chefs was out sick and I was asked to fill in, in his place so the head chef asked me if I was interested in being a chef and it took off from there. The rest is history.” Q: How long are you in the Texas Steakhouse? A: “Em..A long time. (Laughs) From around ’89 or ‘90 so you can do the math.”
| food & Drink
Q: “What’s the best piece of advice you have ever gotten about cooking? A: “Get the simple things right and the rest will happen from there.” Q: What’s your favourite thing about being a chef? A: “Every day is different, you won’t get bored.” Q: What is the strangest thing you have ever tasted? A: “Strangest? Hmmm...Chef’s taste everything. I had shark once.” Q: What is your favourite dish to eat? A: “At the moment, a good surf and turf.” Q: Favourite Cuisine to cook? A: “All kinds really. I suppose I like cooking Italian, the wife loves Italian food.” Q: Do you ever order a sneaky take away? A: “Sure, we all have the odd kebab after a few beers although we shouldn’t. Chefs are the worst - great for cooking, terrible for eating.” Q: If you weren’t a chef, what profession might you find yourself in? A: “Not sure, I probably would have got into something else creative where I could work with my hands.”
• 2 tbsp fennel seeds • 1 tsp black peppercorns • 1 small bunch thyme, leaves only • 3 garlic cloves • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1.5-2kg/3lb 5oz-4lb 8oz piece boneless pork belly, skin scored • 2 lemons • 3 large white onions, peeled and thinly sliced • 50g butter • 50ml extra virgin olive oil • Salt and pepper • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary • 1 large red cabbage, cored and sliced • 90g light brown sugar • 100ml balsamic vinegar Method Toast the fennel seeds and peppercorns in a dry frying pan for a couple of minutes. Pound them together in a pestle and mortar with some flaked sea salt, the thyme and garlic to make a paste. Mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil and rub all over the flesh of the pork. Cover and chill, leaving to marinate for a few hours or overnight. When ready to cook, rub the skin of the joint with plenty of salt and 1 tablespoon more of olive oil. Sit on a wire rack in a roasting tin, pour a little water in to cover the bottom of the tin, and roast at 160°C/gas mark 3 for 3 hours. After this time, if the crackling needs it, turn the heat up to 180°C/ gas mark 4 and give it a final blast for another 30 minutes or so. Allow to rest somewhere warm for 20 minutes. For the cabbage, take a large saucepan and sweat the onion down in the butter and olive oil. At this point season with salt & pepper but don’t allow to colour. Throw in the sliced Bramley apples and rosemary, stir around to break the apple down. Now add the sliced red cabbage. Cover the pan with a heavy lid to stop the steam from escaping and turn the heat down low. The cabbage will now take anywhere between 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check every now and then, and give it a stir. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar for the last 5-10 minutes and cover again. Don’t let the cabbage stick and burn: if it starts to, then add a splash of water.
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As I sit at my desk and ponder over the content of this article, I cannot help but notice the mandatory cup of tea that’s steaming proudly to the right of my laptop screen. Its role in my creative process has become as important as my pen and paper or my thoughts and ideas. How can something seemingly irrelevant play such an important role in our lives and our culture? Originating in China and brought to Ireland by the British colonies over 300 years ago, I imagine no one could have predicted the habitual role tea would play in the homes of the everyday Irish people. The average Irish person drinks 4 cups of tea per day with some drinking as many as 6. It verges on sacrilege not to ‘take tea’ when visiting another Irish home and unsurprisingly, we drink the most amount of tea per capita in the world as a country. Our branding as ‘a nation of drinkers’ clearly has more meaning than one. But something very interesting has started to happen. The tradition of having tea is spilling beyond our kitchens and into towns and cities across the country. Tea rooms, houses and shops alike are popping up like daisies across our cultural landscape and Limerick is no different. Echoing back to the origins of the marvellous Miss Crumpet’s in Adare Creamery, this culture is spreading like wildfire and we are witnessing a new wave of tea drinking hubs in our city. Built on the philosophy of a simpler time, visiting Miss Marple’s Tea Rooms on the Fr. Russell Road reminds me of my grandparent’s house. It is filled with old photographs, embroidery on the walls, no clocks or Wi-Fi and most importantly, has good wholesome food made in house from scratch. There is something therapeutic about the place yet with that element of refinery you would expect from having tea with Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple in her garden. It really is a special find on the outskirts of the city. Hidden in Foxe’s Bow like the ‘Magic Door’, The Stormy Teacup is the most unique tea house around. This place is built on community spirit and the philosophy of not exporting your gifts and talents but using them in your environment instead and you can feel that good energy every time you walk in its doors. It’s quirky, homely and fun with as much to offer the bookworm as the social butterfly. Each brand of tea has been created especially for this tea house and with medicinal qualities in mind. I have to say, there is something lovely about going for tea after a crazy week and asking for a large mug of ‘Eternal Peace’. It draws clubs of books and baking and plenty of live music too. So if you want a funky chair, a chat and a completely original cup of tea then The Stormy Teacup is like something out of a fairytale waiting to be discovered. After over 50 years of the garden centre, the tea rooms on the Ennis Road emerged as the perfect accompaniment to this slice of nature’s paradise. With a garden and conservatory, it’s got a real high tea feel to it with deliciously decadent dining as the perfect addition to your tasty tea. Sitting in the surrounds of flowers and plants, this peaceful place almost has a holistic feel to it and with the fast pace of city life, it’s like a secret garden just off the beaten path. The Cellar Door is more of a coffee house than tea room but definitely worth a mention. Its hippy meets vintage underground vibe can really make you feel like you have left the corporate world and sneaked below the streets to where the real magic is happening. It’s a funky haven of music and chat with unique decor and tantalising treats. They really follow through on their “Let them eat cake” attitude and I would recommend the Kinder Bueno cheesecake to anyone with a sweet tooth.
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So why have all of these wonderful places emerged all of a sudden? Well we’ve had opportunities to travel and embrace other cultures and taste ‘real tea’ and just like, yoga, meditation and other wonders practiced in the Eastern world, tea is another delight that is pouring into our lives and we are moulding it to fit our practice. The risk of course is damaging its authenticity. I spoke to a woman from rural Ireland who recently returned from her travels and felt the tea room culture in Ireland risked becoming pretentious, rather than embodying the authenticity of its origins. As someone who is quickly turning into the tea equivalent of a foodie – a ‘teaie’ perhaps - I thought her words risked ruining one of the brightest lights in our city that have emerged in recent times but I wondering did she have a point? I mean, it was far from fancy tea we were reared. However, having visited each tea room and sampled their delights, I don’t think the issue is damaging where tea came from but is more about what tea represents for us as a people. These hot mugs of scald have become ingrained in our culture for a reason. Our lives are getting busier but in a very different way. We aren’t outside until dusk with our hands in the soil grounding ourselves like generations gone by. We are living in a much more artificial world and whether we realise it or not, we are desperately clawing our way back to connect with what is natural. From our obsession with organic food to the running culture, we are the generation of gluten free and fancy tea. In the age of technology there is no time to switch off and our souls are crying out for us to do so. I’m not surprised tea, which is a natural plant, is something we crave throughout the day. It symbolises for us a break in the day, a time stop or to reflect. It’s one of our oldest forms of meditation from the methodical practice of its making to the time we take to drink it. So whether it was my grandmother taking a break from the bog or me from writing this article, it’s a pause for thought we have carried through generations because it is a time we need to have in our day. Just like fashion, vehicles and houses, we have brought tea with us into this decade and modernised it to represent our way of living too. I welcome tea rooms or houses, from the earl grey to the 7 wonders of the tea world in a cup. It’s something we hold dear, it’s going through a change and emerging centre stage so I say let’s support it. Even if you are of the coffee contingent or the anti-hot beverage brigade, the next time you hear it mentioned, remember what it really means. It’s our stop sign and we need it, so take it. - By Mairéad Collins Photos by: Tarmo Tulit
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304 I was recently the only passenger on a late night 304 bus from the city centre to Dooradoyle. Whenever I find myself in such a position, I like to imagine that I’m an eccentric millionaire being driven around by chauffeur in my very own public bus. As I was waving to an imaginary crowd of fans and well-wishers, I noticed the bus pulling into a stop. I knew my solitary bubble was about to be burst. Ordinarily I would resent any outside interference in my third favourite fantasy but I was in a good mood that night so I looked up to offer my new travel companion a tight smile and nod, which is the maximum amount of friendliness anyone can reasonably offer in these situations. I expected nothing in return, perhaps a moment of awkward eye contact but I’d obviously given the impression that I was open to meeting new people. I knew I was in trouble when he smiled warmly at me and asked where I was headed as he flashed his Daysaver ticket to the driver. I was prepared for a brief chat as he walked to his seat but I got a lot more than I bargained for. Barry Bus the Big Bus Buddy sat his buns down right next to me. In a vehicle with 54 empty seats, two complete strangers sitting next to each other. I think I am more likely to beat a statue in a staring contest (my Number 2 fantasy as it happens) than I am to take that seat if I was the one getting on. I felt trapped. Maybe I’m an anti-social person but I had less enthusiasm for this conversation than I had for my last dentist appointment and my dentist operates out of a public toilet by Dunnes. I reached for the “Stop” bell even though it would mean getting off three stops early. Unfortunately the button had been adorned with a quite beautiful message “Mark LVS Catriona 4EVA” and I just couldn’t bring myself to smudge this eternal promise of love with my sweaty thumb. So I settled in for what I assumed would be a painful exchange, filled with overly personal questions and unneccessary physical contact. Imagine my surprise when I realised I was sitting next to one of the most charismatic and insightful men I’ve ever met. I can honestly say I’ve never before had such an education while in transit. I can’t reveal exactly what I was told that night but I can give you one piece of advice; Next time you see a crazy eyed man on public transport, go sit beside him and tell him Danny sent you. You won’t regret it.
| non profit Radio stations are wonderful places. Whether commercial or community, they play an important role in the lives of the Irish people with 83% of us tuning into the radio every day. For a nation of talkers, many of us flirt with the idea of being on-air but it can, in a lot of people’s minds, seem unattainable. This is the joy of community radio stations and luckily for us, we have one on our doorstep. Limerick City Community Radio was a dream made reality by the hard graft of the ordinary people of Limerick, just like me and you. It started in a garage and now its studios can be found hidden among the stunning grounds of Tait House on Roxboro Road. The station would warm the cockles of your soul as this place really embodies the essence of community. The most impressive thing about this place is not the idea or the space, it is the people. Their passion for what they are doing knows no bounds and they are determined to reach their goal of a full broadcasting licence in the coming years. If you aren’t familiar with what a community radio station is all about, it is there to reflect community interest and unlike commercial stations, they have a lot more freedom in terms of content variety. Anyone and everyone are invited to join and to have a show about something they are passionate about. It doesn’t matter whether you are a teenager or the other side of 60, originally from Limerick city or now live here, have previous radio experience or don’t even know how to turn on a radio, as a member of the Limerick city community, you too are encouraged to join the ever expanding team.
Volunteers and passion seems to be what keeps this station going and all new volunteers are welcome. No experience is required and all training is provided. You don’t have to be a presenter if it isn’t for you but you can if you like. There are many different roles to try your hand at from researching for shows, producing a show or contributing to shows through vox-pops or interviews. For some unknown reason, there aren’t as many female volunteers as hoped so if there are any ladies out there who would be willing to give it a try, the studio door is already open. The joy of community radio is the freedom to embrace community spirit and put on what the city wants to hear. There is no end to the topics that can be covered from all types of music to comedy, beauty, sports, current affairs, history, technology, film and so on. So whether you have ever fancied your chances at belting out some of your favourite tunes, looking to learn a new skill, brush up the CV, make some new friends and get involved in your community, this is a particularly excellent way to do it. This station is full of hard working community members with a great idea and a lot of positive energy. They even mentioned to me how grateful they are to the people supporting them while they are working on this project – rather than even recognising what they are giving to so many of us in the community. Have a think about joining if it sounds like your cup of tea or if not, be sure to tune on www.limerickcitycommunityradio.org
Limerick City Community Radio
Photos by: Tarmo Tulit
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|Home
| Home Fabulous Furniture Makeovers Not all furniture we find is attractive. It might be picked up from an online listing or passed on from relatives. Over the years we’ve spent a great deal of time focusing on these shabby pieces in efforts to make them chic once again. Thanks to the internet, we can now find fun and creative ways to make them fit in our homes. So now you can uncover the hidden charm of a cast-off piece with just a bit of creative thinking and elbow grease. There’s no denying that there comes a time when second-hand or old and dated furniture needs to be given an instant facelift with paint, and perhaps a few added embellishments.
Here are a Few Ideas to Inspire Drawer-less dresser - Take out all the drawers and you have yourself a new fabric storage area or towel storage for a bathroom. Old Crib - Re-purposed into a vintage bench for the front porch, cut out front panel - Just add cushions or pillows for padded seating. Glue a cheap floor-length mirror to an old door frame and you have for yourself some funky furniture. Don’t be afraid to use wallpaper – It’s an easy way to freshen up dressers, bookshelves, wardrobes, front panels of stairs, hell it even brightens up washing machines. Chalkboard Paint – Leave messages around the house for family or use the frames to write your favourite quotes. Clever seating can be made from old tyres by painting them or adding some padding and material. Pallets of wood are all of the rage – Make outdoor furniture, tables, bed bases, the ideas are endless. Go online for some more inspiration. FUSION MAGAZINE | 59
|entertainment
| Music Interview by Olivia Chau
| Leading Armies On Christmas day, a group of good friends came together for an annual house party and that night, like the rest of us getting toys from Santa, the music scene got one of its shinest new gifts – Leading Armies. The band’s live shows are always high energy which show off their harmonious vocals, funk rock and reggae style. I sit down for a bite to eat and a chat with Mike, Cian, and Glen about their newest single, their three years together and meeting the President of Ireland. So Leading Armies have been together since 2011... Mike: Yeah 3 years but you wouldn’t count the first 8 or 9 months. It was about 8 or 9 months after Christmas before we did anything. You guys have done so much already from Electric Picnic to Canadian Music week, Do you guys sleep at all? Cian: When we get the chance. Glen: We’ve slept on the side of the motorway a couple of times on the way back from gigs. You catch your winks while you can. (laughs) What is your favourite part be about being in a band together?
Mike: Especially with musicians in particular. The extra guys we got in would’ve been the local session heads, and for those guys to happily get on board, to be part of something original was just amazing. And the same with all the crew, it was a huge compliment to us, that they were willing to get on board and help out. That day will never be forgotten. You recently got to play for the President of Ireland.... Glen: He’s pocket sized. Mike: He’s a gorgeous man. It was so much more relaxed than any of us could’ve expected. Even when he’s giving a speach, he has two massive dogs running around the stage. He is so intelligent, yet so laid back. You can see why he’s the President. Cian: It was cool to see the President of your country in a very relaxed atmosphere. A couple of weeks previous to that we were watching the President in England with the Queen. It was so formal, so…everything had to be perfect. And then to see him making everyone laugh and having he craic. There’s a single coming out in October, whats the name of the single, what’s it about? Mike: It’s called B-Side.
Glen: Meeting people, it’s the best thing ever. Getting to all parts of the country and meeting these super sound people who greet us with open arms and having the craic with them.
Glen: It’s about B-side lovin’. And everything that falls under that.
Your gigs are always jam packed, that must feel so good to have that many people loving you guys...
Cian: We will be having a launch for it and do a little tour too.
Cian: What’s cool about it is, it’s a big web of friends, which develops as it goes on and on. But then what starts to get really cool about it is, you start seeing loads of people that you’ve never seen or met before. They’re starting to fill up the gigs as well. It’s a weird one.
Where are you going to have the launch?
You guys shot two music videos in the space of three days, two days?
Any final words for bands out there who are just starting out?
Mike: In the space of one day actually.
Mike: Love what you do. If there’s ever an argument. Nip it in the bud, straight away because if like us... we put our heart and soul into the band and it’s very easy to fall and trip over yourself if there’s an argument. But if you care about the band so much then you care about the people in the band. So trust them.
Cian: It was great fun overall. I think on set their were... well the whole thing, there was 30 people involved. You had 18 people playing, you had all the different people around doing their thing. The place was hoppin’ from the minute we got in there that morning to the minute we left. Glen: It was class cos we literally put out the feelers and started making phone calls. We’re like listen, we don’t have a lot of money but would you like to get involved. And everyone’s reaction was like yeah we’d love to do it.
Mike: Well it’ll have to be Dolans. Home away from Home. Cian: Take a leaf out of Tommy Tiernan’s book and do a world tour of Limerick.
I leave the guys, feeling overwhemlmingly charmed, a little giddy from laughing so much, and very much looking forward to hearing the new single B-Side. Not to sound cliché but watch this space.
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Photo by: Tarmo Tulit
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Reggae Festival Frankie Dread - Roots Factory Records Roots Factory are Limericks first ever reggae record label proving quality roots music on vinyl. They have promoted reggae music and cultural events in Limerick since 2007 at ‘Bakers Place Underground’, ‘Dolans Warehouse’ and ‘The Bling Pig’. ‘Roots Factory’ is now kicking off regular promotions in Limerick with this being the big return. A day and night of roots and culture you will find at Shannon boat club featuring Dom Blood & Fire, Roots Factory Records & MC Brother Culture live on the Firehouse Skank Sound system all hosted by Ras Tinny. It welcomes all people to come together for the menus of music and food on offer. There will be food stalls providing a range of cuisine from Italian to Caribbean - with a vegetarian option available before 6pm. The headline act will be ‘MC BROTHER CULTURE’. Culture has appeared on many massive labels including Mungos Hi-Fi label ‘Scotch Bonnet’, ‘Moonshine Recordings, Black Redemption, as well as the Dublin based label ‘All-city- Records.’ For extra spice, legendary selector Dom outta Blood & Fire Records are going to spin some of super rare vinyl and general top tunes! Dom has been a stalwart in the UK and Jamaican music scene providing quality reggae music through a number of different labels which he is involved in such as ‘B&F’ and ‘King Spinna’. It’s all happening on Saturday October 4th at the Shannon Boat Club from 3pm until very late.
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| Going to D.I.E Every September, Limerick City fills to the brim with third level students from all over the country. Always starting the academic year with great intentions, they toil away, week in, week out, but it slowly results in sleep-ins and missed classes. Trying desperatley to catch up on those missed lectures because of that“broken alarm clock”, these quite strenuos times clearly deserve one unforgettable night out before they head home to Mammy dinners and washed laundry. So once a month, students descend onto Dolan’s Warehouse for one of the best students nights around; D.I.E. A special Thursday night, they wait patiently for the doors to open for dancing, getting that sneaky shift, having a mad laugh with their mates and making memories that will last a lifetime. If you remember them the next day, that is! D.I.E is spread over four areas; the warehouse, the upstairs venue, the terrace and the smoking area
downstairs. Over these four area’s, you will find bands and DJ’s galore. Its like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory of music that suits nearly every person who loves music and wants to shake tacky all night. Some amazing acts have played at D.I.E over the last three years, such as DJ EZ, Girl Unit, Le Galaxie, The Minutes and God Knows & MynameisJOhn. A night to go dance like one one is watching, get up close with the best upcoming bands from all over the country and all the while your resident DJ’s make sure you have an unrivaled night like no other. If you’re new to Limerick and want a great introduction to what a night out is like in our fine metropolis, then D.I.E. is a night where you will be welcomed with open arms and you never know, you might make friends for life there also. To conclude, you’d be mad not to go. So polish off your best brogues, put on your cleanist t-shirt and make merry while those essays wait - with the first night kicking off on September 25th.
|Dj Profile Name: Ali Daly | Resident: D.I.E How long have you been a DJ: Around seven years now or so What first got you interested in becoming a DJ: I’ve always loved dance music although my appreciation for it has massively improved since I started playing and hanging around with others who play/run nights/have a passion for the type of music itself. Having come from a classical piano background I’ve always been really heavily involved in music. I played classical flute and fiddle for years growing up and when I finished school I moved down to Cork to attend a music school. I loved it there, everyone was just so talented and the competition was incredibly high so it crushed me a little bit and for a few years after that I didn’t play any music at all. Then after starting up Flip It TV a few years later, I got really back into music again and decided to give DJing a go. In my head it was a way for me to continue my hobby of music only in a different direction.
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First gig: Mickey Martins (fair play to them)
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Type of music you play: House or techno
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Preferred weapon of choice: Serato all the way
Where have you gigged: Dolans is kinda like my second home really. I’ve played in various places such as Mickeys, The Red Hen, Dr.Johns, Cork, Clare, and most recently at Life Festival which was a nice one to get. Oh yeah and Bosnia oddly enough! Where can we catch you next: DIE on September 25th...and after that then maybe somewhere in South America - who knows! FUSION MAGAZINE | 66
| DJ: Ali Daly Photo by: Tarmo Tulit
| Film Being a local filmmaker and film festival Creative Director, film has become a big part of my life and I’m delighted to see that Limerick city is fast becoming a hub for filmmakers. I will ease you into the mystery that is Film in the Mid-West of Ireland. What I hope to do here is to keep you updated with not only the local filmmaking news but also some of what is happening nationally and internationally on the film front. One of the best things to happen in Limerick film recently was the announcement of the ‘Film Limerick’ project. Limerick City of Culture in partnership with Behind the Scenes filmmakers network, announced in June, the creation of the ‘Film Limerick’ project and Ronan Cassidy as Film Limerick Project Manager. This project presents a fantastic opportunity for new and emerging filmmakers to have their short films produced with both funding and industry support. Film Limerick Project Manager Ronan Cassidy commented: “Limerick City of Culture in partnership with Behind the Scenes has shown extraordinary vision in introducing this ground-breaking scheme. Film Limerick aims to develop creative filmmaking by investing in the production of two short films. These productions will showcase the fantastic resources Limerick has to offer to both established and emerging filmmakers and help to cement Limerick as a film producing hub...This project offers a chance to continue to develop a creative industry that Limerick can be proud of.” So who is Behind the Scenes? Well, established in 2011, they are a network of film professionals from the Mid-West. It was initially created with the intention of bringing together people to study and promote Film, TV and Video Production. They run workshops which are the perfect opportunity to meet and network with creative people and filmmakers who work in the local film industry. Workshops to date include networking, editing, choosing a camera and casting a film. It’s a must for anyone in the Mid-West working in or studying Film/TV/Video production.
If you are looking for something to do on a weekday night and like watching movies, then Movies at the Mezz, in the Red Hen bar, Patrick Street, could be exactly what you’re looking for. The evening is full of tapas, popcorn and some good quality short films. If you want to attend or if you what to send in a short film contact The Red Hen for more information. What’s worth looking out for in September: Gary Shore’s Dracula Untold, David Ayer’s Fury, Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner and Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.
Film Festival Dates: Fingal Film Festival. September 26th - 28th Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival. October 3rd - 5th Kerry Film Festival. October 4th - 11th Offline Film Festival (Offaly). October 8th - 12th
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- Film by Eleanor McSherry -
| Theatre | Elemental Arts and Culture Festival Limerick’s Elemental Arts & Culture Festival which runs from Thursday 11th of September to Sunday September 14th is encouraging festival goers to interact with this year’s programme in a new fun and creative way. Organisers’ of this year’s four-day festival want to highlight the links between technology and art and have discovered a high tech way to bring it to life. “We are very eager to see how the links between technology and art could be used to bring another dimension to the festival,” explained Elemental’s Alan Hogan. “Having encountered augmented technology which is a clever way of bringing a static page to life, we wanted to see if it could feature on the programme. Thanks to a nifty little symbol which turns up on various pages, magic things happen, which means you can really engage with the festival more than ever.” You first need to download a free app called ‘Augment’ which is available on iPhone, iPad or Android devices. Then, wherever you see the Augment symbol in the programme, scan the page and there are little surprises to be found. “Children and adults alike can enjoy seeing the various characters come to life in the programme which is in circulation throughout the city. Mayor Michael Sheahan was genuinely surprised when we showed him its interactive nature, as he had never seen anything like that before. Keeping an innovative edge to the festival is a priority for us, so it’s great to see that reaction.” A wide range of events have been prepared for the third annual Elemental Festival taking place in Limerick this month as part of Limerick City of Culture 2014. This year’s festival promises to provide an engaging experience for the thousands of people expected to participate once again. Elemental Arts & Culture Festival gets underway on Thursday 11th September with the launch of “Much Loved” by award-winning Dublin-based portrait photographer Mark Nixon at 69 O’Connell Street. Hosted in collaboration with The Blue Box Creative Learning Centre, the exhibition features a whimsical, bittersweet collection of photographs of well-worn, but well-loved stuffed animals by one of Ireland’s top portrait photographers. Other highlights of this year’s programme include: The Bookshop Band will be performing in O’Mahony’s Bookshop at 4pm on Saturday, September 13th. They write songs exclusively inspired by books and have travelled all over the world to perform them.. We Bring the Summer With Us is an immersive sound experience specially created, which evokes the feeling of summers past. It also highlights how those recognisable summer sounds are changing as our lifestyles impact on bee habitats. Taking place at the Coach House at No 2 Pery Square on Culture Night, it runs from 10:30 to 5:30, Sat 13th and is supported by City of Culture. There are also a series of performance walking tours, a video display on the history of Limerick’s clocks, a Forgotten Skills expo, giant kangaroos on bouncing stilts, traditional Japanese juggling, bite size theatre performances, pop up cultural events and lots for the young and old alike.
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| CULTURE NIGHT
Explore, Experience, Enjoy! Culture Night September 19th The growing enthusiasm and excitement for all things cultural in Limerick is palpable and this year’s Culture Night promises to offer a free night of fun for all the family with music, dance, theatre, visual arts, literary readings, workshops, talks, walks and tons more. Some of the events taking place include:
Limerick’s Urban Horse will launch at 6pm on Culture Night at Limerick City Gallery of Art, in the People’s Park which consists of 15 life-size horse sculptures developed by artist and educator Angela Connolly (LCAP) and hand painted by children and young people on the theme of ‘Individuality and Identity’. LCAP engaged with 18 different communities and hundreds of Limerick youth in the Urban Horse Project and also collaborated with Limerick’s FabLab. The Urban Horse sculptures have been inspired by the heritage of the horse culture that exists within the city and suburbs of Limerick. Limerick Civic Trust brings to you ‘That’s Limerick City,’ a popup people’s museum. Housed in the historic venue of the Milk Market from 5pm, visitors and stallholders will be surrounded
with images and words that try to answer the question “What is Limerick city’s culture?” Limerick citizens have kindly loaned and donated objects in addition to audio and visual imagery to go on display in the Market House and images for the walls of the courtyard. Music and Entertainment are to follow after.
Hospital Shop Window Festival will be launched on Culture Night and run until Friday September 26, 2014. The Festival takes place on the main street of Hospital, Co. Limerick and utilises dormant and functional shop premises as showcases for visual arts with the aim of bringing art and culture to the street, allowing free and unrestricted access for all.
Macnas present Rumpus! – a wonderful blend of performance and street theatre to Limerick. Music, mayhem and frivolity will fill the air with this part procession, part performance and part visual installation. The Royal Picture Show, will host a free film screening at 69 O’Connell Street and will also launch a film exhibition. As part of the Royal Cinema Project, the Royal Picture Show is a 4 day film festival (Thurs 18th - Sun 21st FUSION MAGAZINE | 72
Sept.) of the best Irish & World cinema, including short films, a film for Culture Night, a tribute to Co. Limerick actor Madeleine Carroll, and much more.
A Country House Writers Weekend will host a Culture Night Fireside Reading at 6pm at Inchirourke, Askeaton, Co. Limerick, as part of their creative writing weekend, the perfect opportunity to visit this historic country house and enjoy a special literary reading in an elegant atmosphere.
The Lime Tree Theatre will also host a free concert No Regrets – the Music of Édith Piaf by Jeannette Byrne. Jeanette is a wonderful interpreter of Piaf’s work and will perform such classics as ‘La Vie en Rose’ and ‘Je ne regrette rien’ as a tribute to the music and legacy of Édith Piaf. For further information on Limerick Culture Night 2014, visit www.culturenight.ie
|events calendar
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|Online & Technology
| WHATS GOING ON ONLINE If you are tired of logging on to Facebook, then checking your email, then on to Twitter, then back to Facebook, then your email… well you get my drift…. There is a big wide web of internet greatness out there ready for you to explore! We have picked our favourite sites that well deserve a click and wander through!
| UPWORTHY.COM At best, things online are usually either awesome or meaningful, but everything on Upworthy. com has a little of both. UPWORTHY is the site where you feel you have learned something new about the world we live in. Described as Sensational and substantial, Entertaining and enlightening, Shocking and significant, UPWORTHY is a thought provoking site that will satisfy your hunger for discussing the world we live in today.
| SOLIMERICK.COM So Limerick is dedicated to the people, businesses, culture, sports and general life throughout Limerick. It can be best described as Limerick’s social media network and most importantly is a locally based business. So all you have to do is set up and profile and off you go.
| STUMBLEUPON.COM StumbleUpon is a discovery engine that finds and recommends web content to its users. Its features allow users to discover and rate Web pages, photos, and videos that are personalized to their tastes. Be prepared to lose track of time wandering through lots of undiscovered sites that relate directly to your interests - but it’s hard not to when it’s so good!
| FUSIONMAGAZINE.IE Last but not least our own Fusion Magazine site. Keep up to date with the behind the scenes photo shoots, videos, interviews and reviews. Only some of what we do can make the final print but there is plenty more to be found online too so log on now to find out more.
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www.fusionmagazine.ie