EFM Winter 2010

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» TALK LIKE A PRO (UFC & RALLYCROSS) » CARVE LIKE A PRO (THE SUNDAY ROAST) » LOOK LIKE A PRO (SMART COATS)

WINTER 2010

MAGAZ I N E

MY PAD

MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE: RESTAURATEUR JOHN FARRELL MID-LIFE MOTORBIKES TAKE YOUR CRISIS ON THE ROAD

GADGETS ON THE GO

BECOMING COMMUTE COMPATIBLE

TRAVEL

CITY BREAKS BEST OF ITALY SLOPING OFF

ONE THING ON MY MIND OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOUR A

GLOSS PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION

Men swear

Aquascutum

Farhi

by Nicole Farhi

by Arnotts

Barbour

Sand

www.arnotts.ie

56

Mid-life Bikes

EFM MAGAZINE

Contents 13

The Read 13 38 52

54 55

ONE THING ON MY MIND Four men and their fixations MY STORY SO FAR Real-life paths to success TALK LIKE A PRO ABOUT RALLYCROSS The Dublin-born European champion gives us the lowdown TALK LIKE A PRO ABOUT UFC The latest combat craze THE QUIET MAN The rise and rise of Graeme McDowell

The Stuff 10

12 20 56

COMMUTECOMPATIBLE COMPUTING Technology on the go A TO B AS EASY AS 1,2,3 Meet the new generation of SatNavs ALL UP FRONT Stateof-the-art dashboards MID-LIFE MOTORBIKING Get on your bike

The Look 24 25 26 34

WINTER WARDROBE UPDATE Find the perfect winter coat BEST FOOT FORWARD If the shoe fits, wear it WORKING IT Smart accessories TIME LORDS Up-tothe-minute news on watches

IN THE KNOW

One-track Minds

24

Great Coats

54 Lords of the Ring

36 43

FACE VALUE Timeless timepieces ON THE PISTE Hit the slopes in style

42

Ski Bunnies

The Body 28 30

32 33 58

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS Which scent are you?

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW? One man’s crusade against hair loss GREAT WHITES Dental SOS THE INSIDERS Experts advice on grooming dilemmas LOSE THE BABY WEIGHT Workouts to shift that ‘sympathy’ bulge

The Life 42

SLOPING OFF The best European ski resorts

36

Face Time

44 46

48

MUST VISIT: ITALY The insider’s guide, from Milan to Sicily CITY BREAK From lads’ weekends to romantic getaways: four great destinations GRUB’S UP A gastronomic tour of Ireland

50

60 62

THE PERFECT SUNDAY ROAST A foolproof recipe for success LOFTY PURSUITS Restaurateur John Farrell’s hip home WHAT MEN REALLY WANT Get working on that Santa list

A SPECIAL MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT PRODUCED BY GLOSS PUBLICATIONS LTD FOR MODERN TIMES PUBLISHING LTD. EDITORIAL, 01 275 5130. DESIGN BY JANE MATTHEWS. ADVERTISING, DUBLIN, CIARA TONER, 01 893 0000.

ADVERTISING, LONDON, SUSAN DALY, 00 44 (0) 208 9562718. COLOUR REPRO BY TYPEFORM. PRINTED BY BOYLANS.

EDITORIAL | What Irish Men Want

efm

EVERYTHING FOR MEN ... A SINGULAR OBSESSION

W

hen does an interest that develops into a passion, finally cross the line into an obsession? It’s a question we asked in this issue when we talked to four guys about the one thing they do that makes life really worth living. It may be that painting naked women is a necessary and welcome break from the intense concentration needed to paint official state portraits, as with James Hanley. Or it may be why the smell of new sneakers that takes comedian Jarlath Regan back to Christmases past, is what he needs to de-stress his day. You can judge for yourself where that line is drawn or even if it exists at all.

It’s fair to say that men are driven by passion. It usually starts with sport, moves on to sex, includes cars, gadgets and motorbikes along the way, and returns to gentler sports like golf. It is the intensity of that passion that defines how obsessive we are.

However, it is that same intensity that can determine how successful we become at certain pursuits. No one who has watched Roy Keane play soccer would have called him the most gifted player in the Premiership and yet he dominated a league of far more talented footballers. Similarly,

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Pádraig Harrington had the drive to practise, practise and then practise again to beat the rest of the world at three of golf’s majors.

We are encouraged, at a young age, to broaden our horizons and explore what our educators christened ‘extracurricular activities’, a phrase that has now been completely abandoned to aficionados of the double entendre.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Outside interests are a great distraction from the stress in our work or private life. So when Declan Leavy

DRIVEN Intensity can determine success

starts worrying about his receding hairline he heads off to Verbier in Switzerland for a bit of extreme skiing. And Conor Twomey forgets about advancing years by buying a Harley Davidson, although most bikers believe a Harley doesn’t let you forget you’re growing old – it just confirms it.

We obsess in little ways; wiping down the fascia of our new car with baby wipes so that it has that showroom look.

Now, downloading every free app possible onto our iPad lest we come across another obsessive with a few hundred more. These little things keep us going until it’s time LEFT: Roy Keane dominated the major leagues BELOW: Padraig Harrington practised again and again

for another distraction from our routine to take over.

Our passion gets us to do things that we would never do for anyone else. If the boss asked us to get up on a freezing cold Saturday morning, run around a muddy field getting hit by hirsute Neanderthal strangers, we would call it inhuman and degrading work practices. When it’s in our own time, we call it Rugby. The mindset of someone like Tommy Egan – who wants to get into an octagonal cage with a guy whose only thought is to inflict enough bodily harm on him to get him to scream in submission – is peculiar to our gender. We are able to drive ourselves through pain when we commit totally to the mission we have set ourselves. Many times, that mission is purely to win. We focus. We obsess.

Though the girls applaud themselves for their ability to multi-task, they will never understand the level of attention we tend to give to the singular tasks we set ourselves. It blocks out all other irrelevant interference such as pain, tiredness and casual conversation. That is why a man’s hand put a flag on Mount Everest, a stake on both Poles and a golf ball on the moon.

Call it obsession. Call it fanaticism. Call it anything you like as long as you remember it is that singularity of purpose that has driven us to horizons new.

GADGetS | news REVENGE OF THE DROIDS

///// Staying connected while on the go.

Adam Maguire reports /////

commutecompAtible computinG UNTIl RECENTlY, the laptop was the only way to get a digital fix while on the go.

Today, all manner of devices are portable and practical options for trips, holidays and even long commutes.

The netbook was a hit but has recently fallen out of favour as many proved too small and underpowered to be useful. There are still some decent netbooks out there, however, as well as some small but powerful laptops that can be carried around with ease should users want to work properly on the go.

The tablet format is enjoying a resurgence lately thanks to the Apple iPad. Great for watching videos or

even doing work, it may give the best laptop a run for its money. Other manufacturers are still playing catch-up with Apple, however, so there is not much competition in this area yet. That will change in the coming months.

Of course some just want something that is more than a phone but not quite a laptop. What they are looking for is an ‘ultra mobile PC’, a niche category with a very limited choice of devices, increasingly so as phones become more powerful in their own right.

Read on for a guide to the best devices in each portable category, all with a price tag that should not break the bank ...

Nokia’s N900 is ideal for someone on the go. Technically a portable computer that incorporates smartphone functions, the N900 is more PC than mobile. Featuring a large touchscreen and slide-out QWERTY keyboard, this device also boasts plenty of storage space and power inside. Ideal for short bursts of web-browsing, this will keep users on top of things as they travel.

From €319, on O2.

The Dell Inspiron M101z is more than a netbook. Its 11.6” screen is bigger than most in the category for a start. Its slim body, good-sized hard drive and powerful processor all make it more of a super-portable laptop. From €499, at www.dell.ie.

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iPad therefore iam The iPad is the only show in town at the moment when it comes to tablet devices.

When rivals do make their way to market, Apple’s device will still come out on top for some time.

Why? The device is flawed, sure.

It has no USB ports or camera but none of this compares to the stunning screen and great apps, which make the iPad what it is.

From €499, at store.apple.com/ie.

WhIlE APPlE’S iPhone has been taking the lion’s share of media coverage, its rival Android has been capturing the most customers. Developed by Google, the Android operating system is not tied to a single phone, nor is it as restricted in terms of features or design. It can run on many phones, from cutting edge to bargain basement, and can be tweaked to suit each one. Its system also ties in a number of the search giant’s services like Google Maps, Gmail and Google Talk. For anything extra, customers can use its increasingly well-stocked ‘Market’ app store.

ShARP SCREEN A razor-sharp screen makes the Galaxy S an eyeful. Samsung’s Galaxy S is the first Android phone to sport a Super AMOlED screen, which in layman’s terms means a stunningly vivid display without a major drain on the battery. Besides that there is your usual array of handy phone features, from mp3 playback to addictive games. On Vodafone, O2, Meteor and 3.

ShORT ORDER Sony Ericsson’s Xperia X10 Mini is less than a handful. Most touchscreen phones to date have been quite bulky (for obvious reasons) but this ‘mini’ phone bucks the trend, packing a lot of power into a petite body. Weighing just 88gms and measuring 8.3cm at its longest point, this is the phone for those who want something neat and natty. The small screen may make it hard to text on, however. On Vodafone, O2 and Meteor.

GADGETS | News

Nokia lead the way on free SatNav

form and function are combined in garmin’s Nuvi 3790t. The garmin Nuvi 3790t is expensive but the extra cost is put to good use; its sleeker and more discreet body being the first benefit. The 4.3” touchscreen makes it easy to see instructions while driving, and the device even suggests ‘points of interest’ should you want something else to look at. besides that there is lane assist, built-in bluetooth and a feature that plots routes based purely on their fuel efficiency. €329, at www.pixmania.ie.

A To B AS EASy AS 1,2,3

Nokia’s ovi Maps was the first proper SatNav service for phones to go free to users earlier this year. Users with most modern Nokia phones can now download the software and get navigating through the streets and cities to their heart’s content. Interestingly, with the option available to record your own instructions to replace the standard voice, users can even give themselves the directions.

Available as a free download on most Nokia smartphones.

///// Adam Maguire on how to navigate the SatNav market ///// SATNAvS HAvE come a long way in the last few years, transforming from unreliable bulky boxes into smart and sleek devices that can take pride of place in the flashiest of cars.

A very interesting trend began this year, however, with the arrival of full, free SatNav software on standard mobile phones. It was only a matter of time before it

happened as an increasing number of phones carry gpS chips but the speed with which numerous options became available has been startling.

Where that leaves the dedicated SatNav makers is unclear – after all, if a phone can do the navigating, why fork out on a stand-alone device? Many will hope that even with the right

software, the phone-based SatNav experience will fall short of the one courtesy of a specifically-designed and dedicated device. both types have their advantages and disadvantages, of course, but dedicated devices tend to have more complimentary features tacked on.

Like many such choices, in the end it comes down to user preference.

TomTom uses its grey matter to plot a better route The TomTom XL QI Routes Edition SatNav may not be free but it is laden with handy features for a good price. It allows users to personalise maps to keep them accurate and relevant and can also calculate journeys based on the average and most likely speed, and offers tips on which lane to take for your destination. €179, at www.mysatnav.ie.

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ANdRoId NAvIgATIoN bRINgS googLE MApS To LIfE Much like Nokia’s version, the Android navigation software can be downloaded for free and installed on a compatible phone, meaning drivers will be on the road with it in no time. However, the automated voice used on this software is robotic, making it a little hard to understand at times. Available as an update to Google Maps on Android phones.

first person | obsessions

one thing No, it’s not what you think ...

four men and their almost pure obsessions

James Hanley, Painter arrying home on my lap a wet oil painting of a female nude one night nearly caused my taxi driver to have a conniption, and drive us both into the Liffey. I told him I painted from life all day every Thursday (in the RHA studios with a group of friends and colleagues). “Man,” he said, looking at the image of one of our beautiful Israeli models, and thinking of the concentrated hours we spent scrutinising her, “you have the best job in the world.” As an antidote to long hours spent solitary in my own studio, the weekly life drawing session, with its camaraderie and the fresh spontaneous results, and the pints after, are like my fix – I’m addicted to the practice, affirmation, solidarity, study, laughs. Yep, it’s the best job in the world, painting pictures.

My second guilty pleasure, unfortunately, is collecting knick-knacks, which a strand in my DNA makes me incapable of leaving behind in whatever flea market, junk shop or auction room I am mooching around. Curios, kitsch and memorabilia fill two studios and our house – medals, hats, stamps, toys, statues, postcards, photographs and more or less everything I’ve ever owned, from my brown Communion jacket (the height of 1973 fashion) to the fountain pen I did my Leaving Cert with. Sad, really, I know, but the child in me has never left the building. Orla Dukes

PHotoGRAPH By CoNoR HoRGAN

C

Biog Born in 1965, James Hanley is a Dublin-based portrait artist. In addition to painting official and state portraits and private commissions, he has work in significant public, corporate and private collections in Ireland and abroad. A Member of the Royal Hibernian Academy, James was elected to Aosdána in 2008 and recently elected to the Board of Governors of the National Gallery of Ireland.

Winter 2010 EFM 13

FIRsT pERsoN | obsessions

peek sNEak

Jarlath regan, Comedian rowing up, I wasn’t allowed wear the supercool sneaker brands. Be careful what you deny your kids – they will grow up wanting it. I blame my parents for my sneaker obsession. I own approximately 100 pairs many of which are box fresh – never worn. I smell them and put them back in their box. The smell of new sneakers is like Christmas morning, Sunday lunch and the candles blown out on your birthday cake all rolled into one.

It is fresh and new.

I’ve wanted most of the shoes I buy since I was 13 years old.

I bought my first pair of Nike Air Max with the cheque from my first part-time job. I’m still hankering after a pair of Nike Air Yeezys, which were designed

by Kanye West last year. I would love to design a shoe for Nike.

I’m embarrassed by my compulsion; eBay fuels my obsession. As a comedian I buy sneakers when something bad happens – after a really bad gig for example. Shows in England can be really tough. It’s late at night and you’re alone in a hotel room. It’s so easy. And I deserve it. It’s a reward of sorts.

Being on TV is a great excuse to wear sneakers. I’ve convinced myself that they’re my stage shoes – that I’ll only wear them at big events. That way they never get dirty and I can write them off as an expense.

A lot of comedians are into

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sneakers, Jim Jeffries, Jarred Christmas, Rory O’Hanlon and Willie White to name a few. Many comedians are overweight so maybe it’s a comfort factor. I was too. I’ve lost 17 kilos since 2008.

My wife Tina and I have a baby on the way (due in December). A baby will teach me to forget about such obsessions. Comedy is a selfish career. So is collecting

sneakers. It’s all about you and your feet.

Sneakerheads dress for other sneakerheads in the same way women dress for other women. I’ve hidden new purchases from Tina in the boot of the car. We have four wardrobes at home. My wife has one. I have three.

When is it going to end, she asks. Alanna Gallagher

Biog While working as an advertising account executive Jarlath Regan decided to try his hand at comedy. He had plenty of material. A finalist in the 2004 BBC New Comedy Awards and So You Think You’re Funny?, he began gigging around Ireland and supported Ardal O’Hanlon and David O’Doherty.

He now co-presents The Rumour Room, on RTE 2, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 5pm. For gig details www.jigser.com.

PHOTOgRAPH By CONOR HORgAN

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SHOP ONLINE @ TOPMAN.COM

FIRST PERSON | Obsessions

lane FaST

Simon Redden, Engineer ’ve always been very keen on speed. My first sense of acceleration was in an aeroplane coming home to Ireland from Bahrain, where my father was stationed as a pilot. I was about five when I first had that feeling you get when the plane leaves the ground – the light-headedness, the rush, the buzz you feel afterwards as the adrenaline courses through your system.

It’s an addiction and all the time you try and push yourself to go faster and faster.

As a kid, my dad and I tinkered about with all sorts of machinery. The first thing I recall building with him was a souped-up lawnmower that we hooked up to a cart and then tore around the back garden.

I build cars and bikes to race. I built my ‘fixie’ bike from scratch. It has a 25-year-old frame and is uncluttered by brakes. It is as streamlined as possible and has a pearlised finish. On a bike I’ve ‘drafted’ a truck at 46 miles per hour. You get to within five metres of the truck and ride its downdraft. At the time you don’t know how fast you’re going, but it’s fast.

The lure of an electric bike is, again, acceleration. You feel the wind rushing over you as the ground disappears beneath. You can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour; add pedal power and you’re motoring at 45 miles per hour. My bamboo bike is the first electric bamboo design in the world – you carry the battery pack in a backpack.

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I’ve raced a car at 180 miles per hour – the bold and exhilarating silence you get at that speed is hard to describe properly; it has to be experienced. You only take a breath when it’s all over and the adrenaline pumps through you. You’re never 100 per cent satisfied with your

performance. I use my Xbox to help with training. Forza Motorsport features Mondello Park so I can practice virtually.

And in summer I race boats.

I’ve sustained loads of injuries; I’ve broken my leg twice, my wrist, my arm, my collar bone, knocked out my front teeth and cracked my head

open. Eighty per cent of my injuries happen on my bike.

Is speed better than sex? No, but it’s a close second.

Alanna Gallagher

Simon Redden is chief electronic engineer at GreenAer. His electrical bamboo bike costs from €2,500; www.greenaer.ie.

PhotograPh by Conor horgan

I

FIRST PERSON | Obsessions

TalkINg

chop

Pat Whelan, Butcher eing a butcher is part of my DNA. It goes back five generations on my mother’s side. My mother was a butcher and she taught my father. We lived above the shop. There is a sense of belonging to it. You could say I eat, sleep and drink the business of meat.

I can tell how good a piece of beef is just by looking at the animal. It should have perfectly rounded hind quarters and a level back. Aberdeen Angus and Hereford are the most flavoursome breeds. It is the fat within their muscle, the marbling and they way it melts during cooking that makes for a great steak or rib of beef.

I’m now bringing in the first Wagyu cattle into Ireland. The genetic level of marbling in Wagyu is higher than in other breeds. It’s considered the foie gras of beef. I even went to Kobe in Japan to see the cattle first hand.

Contrary to popular belief, they’re not fed beer – rather the spent hops from making sake. They are massaged but this is because there is a lack of room to manoeuvre. In Ireland the rolling fields of Co Tipperary will provide my cattle with a natural massage.

I find eating meat very fulfilling. I eat it twice a day. They say the best things in life are illegal, immoral or fattening. Mindful of the so-called health hazards, my wife got me a medical MOT for my last birthday. I’m 45 and have cholesterol of four and my heart is in great order. I put this down to loving what I do to the point of obsession. For me, the animal husbandry is as important as the processing and the dry ageing.

My wife Lina is Lithuanian. They have no beef culture. She came to work for us as an accountant. I can’t say I wooed her with my beef but we now have three children, two boys and a girl: Tom, aged five; Ben, four, and Isobel, three. Already Tom is interested in the meat hanging in the cold room.

In beef circles the greatest compliment you can pay an animal is to say she is beef to the heels like a Mullingar heifer. It means a well-finished animal. I’m not sure my wife would appreciate the same compliment.

Alanna Gallagher

An Irish Butcher Shop by Pat Whelan is published by Collins Press; www.jameswhelanbutchers.com.

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PhotograPh by john d woods

B

Even the most precious things in life should be experienced. Cherished. Enjoyed. Yes, our reserve whiskeys are produced with a total disregard for both time and cost. Yes, they are carefully triple distilled and matured in oak casks for years and years in the Jameson single distillery. Yes, we sincerely hope you’ll value them. But lock them away?

We’d rather you didn’t. The Jameson reserves, are after all, too special to reserve.

Enjoy JamEson sensibly

front ALL UP

Head-Up Display An optional extra, the display is able to project important information from assistance systems, warning messages or even phone displays onto the windscreen in the driver’s direct field of vision.

You can also use it for navigation – a real bonus if you’ve ever been distracted by looking down at your Tom-Tom, so to speak.

Bang & Olufsen sound system As cars become quieter, their music systems become more suspect.

Audi have nailed this one with Surround Sound reproduction and 15 loudspeakers (including subwoofer and centre speaker), each with its own amplifier channel. Total sound output of over 1200 watts!

MMI Navigation An excellent use of new technology, this feature links to the A7’s navigation systems enabling you to access the internet via wireless LAN hotspots. Log on to Google Earth or Google Street View – not even Mark Thatcher would get lost using this.

S -Tronic transmission The most simple, easy and yet sophisticated drive system.

The controls link to an S-tronic dual-clutch transmission – one for the evennumbered gears plus reverse and one for the odd-numbered gears. The result is a very smooth drive with intelligent use of power.

MMI (Multi Media Interface) Touch pad This is nice little feature, more akin to an iPad than a car phone. It allows you to draw a letter or number on it and quickly scrolls to that phone or navigation menu. Simple, but very effective. Unique to the Audi at the moment but expect it as standard very soon.

Petrol heads love to talk about the inner workings but it’s the cockpit where you spend all your time. Rory Egan gets behind the wheel to inspect 20 EFM WINTER 2010

Bluetooth Interface with integrated controls Your mobile phone connects to the car via this Bluetooth feature.

A bit more than the usual bells and whistles, it ensures a hands-free operation via the microphone and a comprehensive, but simple, voice activation system.

Sporty-Ride Audi A7 Sportback, STARTING PRICE: €62,010 As the most expensive of the models featured, we expected a lot more from this Audi and we were not disappointed. The makers of this car have thought of everything and each feature, when used, makes it a pleasure to drive.

The most impressive is the Head-Up Display which projects all the key information onto your windscreen to allow you keep your eyes on the road. The most innovative is the MMI Touch, a scroll pad that recognises any letter you draw on it and scrolls to that menu.

CARS | Up Front

Nice-Response BMW 520d, STARTING PRICE: €42,600 BMW produced the first car to angle everything towards the driver and even the centre console in this model leans towards you, giving it that ‘cockpit’ feel. Although it is the least expensive of the three cars it doesn’t skimp on features. The Night Vision heat sensors are a nice safety feature that many Irish pedestrians will be grateful for, but the cameras linked to the central display are the most remarkable use of technology.

Few cars are as much fun to park as to drive but this one seems to be.

Centre display and cameras Apart from showing all relevant information it also gives a bird’s eye view of the area around the car when in a tight spot. Two cameras integrated in the side mirrors enable 270º visibility. Two more cameras on the vehicle front also give you a side view, particularly helpful when exiting a driveway or joining a main road from a narrow side street.

Dynamic Driving Control This allows you to adjust the vehicle’s set-up – engine, gearshift, steering and damper responses – at the press of a button and while driving. The driver can select between ‘Comfort’, ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Sport +’.

Head-Up Display Like the Audi, this projects important information directly into the driver’s field of vision.

iDrive operating system The heart of all BMWs. This has direct menu buttons that make it quick and easy to control the navigation system, entertainment, the on-board computer and phone.

Driver Assistance Systems Night Vision detects pedestrians or animals in poor light and Lane Departure Warning wakes you when you drift.

Speed Limit Info reads speed signs and warns you, while Lane Change Warning stops you pulling out when a car is in your blind spot.

Park Assist The BMW 5 Series is the only model in its class that can parallel-park itself.

Hardly necessary for any man but it opens up a new way of life for the girls.

WINTER 2010 EFM 21

CARS | Up Front

Safe-as-Houses MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS 220 CDI, STARTING PRICE: €43,425.

The E class is the quintessential Mercedes and has always been the one to beat in its class. From the driving seat, you get a feeling of perfect functionality more than luxury. That’s not to say that the simplicity of the engineering doesn’t add to the elegance of the car. Like all well-designed products, everything seems to be where it should be. The five-dial analogue display is very stylish but, surprisingly, it’s the hidden safety features like the Attention Assist and comprehensive airbags that are the most impressive things about this car.

Airbags Mercedes have fitted no fewer than nine airbags to protect all occupants: front airbags, which are deployed in two stages, side-bags and window-bags, as well as pelvis-bags for the driver and front passenger. The knee-bag can further reduce the forces exerted on the driver during an accident.

22 EFM WINTER 2010

Attention Assist A novel feature is the drowsiness detection system which would be especially useful on long trips. At a speed of 80-180km/h, Attention Assist warns the driver as soon as it detects signs of drowsiness or inattention. Sensors linked to an inboard computer analyse driving behaviour and can detect any changes.

CD/Radio and Mp3 player This is a six-changer system that combines the key functions of an entertainment system – radio, CD and MP3 player, plus a Bluetooth interface with the now virtually mandatory hands-free function for mobile phone.

Leather Steering Wheel and Shift Lever Mercedes have always tried to make their steering wheel area as multifunctional as possible and with twelve push buttons this is no exception. The leather steering wheel combined with the leather shift lever add an extra touch of class to the interior.

Thermatic Climate Control The Thermatic climate control uses sensors to automatically control the temperature for the driver and front passenger. A nice feature is the solar sensor on the windscreen which records the intensity and direction of the sun’s rays. They have also included a cooled glove box and a combination filter which improves air quality.

StYLe | Coats Tops Tips from Those in The know

Valerie o’neill, Head of Menswear, Arnotts

“For men in suits, a classic wool singlebreasted coat in black or camel is timeless. If you’re lucky enough to be able to dress down for work, a double-breasted pea coat always looks on trend.” alan kelly WaLk in the Park Camel wool duffel coat, €380, available online at eu.tommy.com

Owner, Gentlemen Please, Blackrock, Co Dublin

“For me a coat is all about the fit. Too many Irish men make the mistake of buying a coat too big. A coat need only be bought every three years so ideally there should be one to go over a suit and a more fitted style for regular clothes.” ken Dempsey Reiss, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin and branches

“A classic overcoat in a luxury natural fabric should be a staple in any fashionable man’s wardrobe. Contemporary styling with stitching or button detailing creates a look that crosses from formal to casual.”

Winter Wardrobe

Update

on-trend MiLitary detaiLing Taupe wool zip-up coat, €405, at Reiss

sMart Weekends Black wool pea-coat, Ted Baker, €315, at Arnotts

A coat is the single most important purchase for the season ahead – and it should last for the next three years.

It has to work with the rest of your wardrobe and in variety of situations. So what to buy?

Lauren McCreery asked the top menswear insiders for the key secrets ...

CLassiC aLL-rounder Navy wool trench coat, €97, available online at topman.com

24 EFM Winter 2010

desk to drinks Charcoal wool crombie coat, €245, at M&S

StYLe | Shoes Chelsea Boots Black leather boots, €88, at M&S

penny loafer Wine leather loafer, €110, available online at frenchconnection.com

Blue suede shoes Blue suede loafers, €110, available online at eu.tommy.com

ClassiC Brogue Black leather lace-up brogue, Loake, €134, available online at littlewoodsireland.ie

ClassiC tan wingtip Tan leather wingtip shoe, Grenson, €180, at Brown Thomas

GeTTy

laCe-up Black leather lace-up boots, €189, available online at reissonline.com

shoes

BuCkle up Chocolate leather buckle shoe, €185, available online at reissonline.com

offiCe smart Grey and black leather lace-ups, €100, available online at frenchconnection.com

dress shoe Black patent lace-up, Stemar, €410, at Brown Thomas

BeSt foot forWard

The old adage that you can tell a lot about man by his shoes has never rung more true than in recent times. If your soles are wearing thin, beware – cutting back on this aspect of your wardrobe will do you no favours. Invest in some quality shoes from this current crop to instantly update your look.

By lauren mcCreery

Winter 2010 EFM 25

STYLE | Accessories Horn-rim glasses, €189, available online at hackett.com

WRAP UP Navy wool scarf, €50, at Reiss

KEEP TIGHT Sterling silver money clip, Tiffany & Co, €125, at Brown Thomas

Waistcoat, Paul Costelloe, € €660 (for three-piece suit), at Arnotts

FINER DETAILS Sterling silver cufflinks, Hugo Boss, €50, at Harvey Nichols RIGHT: Tan leather gloves, €86.95, at Paula Rowan, Westbury Mall, Dublin 2

Navy knitted bow-tie, €60, available online at hackett.com

BELT IT Brown leather belt, €27, at M&S

ACCESSORIES

WORKING IT

No outfit is complete without coordinating accessories – look to the smart set and match blue with tan for an effortlessly luxe look

///// L2R COACH CLASS Brown leather satchel, €38, at Topman. BUSINESS CLASS Tan leather holdall, €525, available online at hackett.com.

FIRST CLASS Brown leather satchel, €2,860, at Louis Vuitton ///// 26 EFM WINTER 2010

Compiled by Lauren McCreery

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GroominG | Sniff it Up

frAgrAnces

Sweet Smell of SUcceSS What kind of a man smells like this? We match the man to the fragrance he might wear … young gun Tommy Loud, €27

Air of mysTery Bleu de Chanel, €54.40

fresH & fiT Ralph Lauren Big Pony No.3, €49

28 EFM winter 2010

RESERVED A quiet sophistication: Clive Owen

You like to think you channel a bit of the dishevelled rock-star vibe with your casual weekend wardrobe but you don’t actually want to whiff like one. A sniff of hippie-style patchouli, with an undertone of tobacco: Tommy Loud, eau de toilette, 25ml, €27.

reserved Bvlgari Man, €42

cooL geek Penhaligon’s Sartorial, €65

YOUNG GUN The new face of irish rock: Danny O’Donoghue, from The Script

mr goTiT-ALL From the Tom Ford Private Blend Tuscan Leather Collection, €800

You’re a serious, manly man but understand that scent is an integral part of a proper grooming routine.

That said, you don’t want your scent to enter the room before you do … Try this oriental fragrance, with an intense woody accord: Bvlgari Man, 30ml, eau de toilette, €42, at House of Fraser.

AIR OF MYSTERY

FRESH & FIT

silent, yet deadly: Robert Pattinson

Ladies love him: Rugby player Rob Kearney

You want a scent that twists and turns throughout the day and doesn’t pigeonhole you as a certain age, or type. A complex, sexy scent: Bleu de Chanel, eau de toilette, 50ml, €54.40.

You want to smell young but not too cool. Hints of mint and ginger make for a clean-smelling post-shower spritz.

Ralph Lauren Big Pony, No.3, 75ml, €49.

v

MR GOT-IT-ALL

COOL GEEK

He owns hip hotels, builds chic private residences and dates beautiful women: André Balazs

The self-confessed nerd with a penchant for smart tailoring: Mark Ronson

Taking the fragrance aficionado’s obsession with all things Tom Ford to a whole other level, this limited edition set includes a decanter, 100ml atomiser and candle, presented on a Macassar-style tray. Tom Ford Private Blend Tuscan Leather, €800, at Brown Thomas.

You like the traditional scent of a classic fougère – notes of oak moss and Tonka bean – and are intrigued by modern threads of leather, honey and beeswax, woven together to evoke the smells of a traditional tailor’s workroom. Penhaligon’s Sartorial, 50ml, eau de toilette, €65.

Compiled by Caroline Scott

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GROOMING | Hair

M

y name is Declan Leavy, and I am a man obsessed.

Where anorexics see themselves as overweight, I see myself as going bald. I am constantly reading up on new anti-hair-loss techniques, frequently checking my hair in the mirror, and I spend hours every day making sure it is styled to perfection so that my receding hairline is, visually, non-existent.

I have recurring dreams about hair loss, brought on by an eternal dread that one day it really will be hair today and gone tomorrow. One regular, vivid dream involves me waking up to discover that all of my hair has fallen out. To make matters worse, I’m surrounded by male friends who are all sporting immaculately-styled weaves of thick, dark hair. Hair rage kicks in but it’s at this point that I usually wake up – sweating and shaking.

So where does this irrational fear and dread stem from? My dad and my brother both lost their hair in their early twenties.

My dad opted for a comb-over, but my brother rocks the Ross Kemp look and it really suits him. However, I have studied my face and head shape extensively enough over the years to know, without a shadow of doubt, that I would look positively hideous with no hair.

Funnily enough, I believe a shaved or balding head can look very well on some guys, but I know that it just wouldn’t suit me. So this is why I am a guinea pig for many of the hair-loss and hair re-growth formulas on the market today.

But are there any remedies that actually work? Can you really rub a lotion in to your hair and expect to see new hair growth? My personal opinion is that you can’t. I have no scientific proof to back this up, I have not carried out any tests or surveys,

30 EFM WINTER 2010

LOSING IT

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW? The debate about treatment options for male pattern baldness continues.

Declan Leavy is a bit of an expert ...

Stop-the-rot Direct Hair Implantation My case study Niall Hughes opted for the popular AHI technique, which is available at the Ailesbury Clinic in Dublin and Cork. The AHI method doesn’t use any scalpels, stitches or donor strips for preparing follicular hair transplants. The follicular units are instead directly extracted one by one from the lower back and sides of the head using precise micro-surgical tools. The procedure is relatively painless, with the donor area healing within 2-4 days. Most patients start to see a difference within a couple of months but full re-growth can take up to twelve months. The cost per follicle is around €5. Most patients require at least 1,500 follicles to begin with, so expect to pay upwards of €7,500 for your first treatment. Niall Hughes now has a full head of hair, but it didn’t come cheap. His procedures so far have cost him nearly €30,000 and he’s not finished yet!

For more information, log on to www.ailesburyclinic.ie.

Lotions & Potions I’ve tried various topical remedies to prevent hair loss and the only one I have found to be effective is Bioxsine Anti-Hair Loss Herbal Shampoo, which can be used daily and doesn’t dry out the hair or leave it with an unpleasant odour. Clinical tests have proven that the 100 per cent natural ingredients found in Bioxsine can prevent hair loss while increasing the amount of hair and strengthening hair follicles. €15.95, at selected pharmacies.

Tablets I religiously take a twice-aday supplement called Viviscal Man, which boasts scientific proof to back up the efficacy of its supplements.

They have countless case studies from their many customers worldwide, including yours truly.

Viviscal Man contains AminoMar C marine complex, which provides the essential proteins needed to nourish thinning hair and support natural hair growth. Amino acids are the basic structural building blocks of proteins and are essential in the formation of the hair structure. The inclusion

but what I do have is firsthand experience. I have tried countless potions, all promising to “strengthen hair follicles” and “encourage new hair growth”, and all most succeed in doing is making my hair smell particularly unpleasant.

However, I do believe that some tablets and supplements can prevent hair loss, because they provide the body with the essential vitamins and proteins needed to keep the hair follicles strong and healthy.

Supplements may not work for everyone but it’s so far so good where my hair is concerned. Should the time come when I can no longer strategically style my hair to within an inch of its life, I will opt for whatever surgical procedure is on offer, including direct hair implantation, which has worked for some of my friends. See below for other less drastic measures too.

of zinc and flax seed is believed to keep the hair follicles healthy. €49.95, at selected pharmacies and online at www.lifes2good.ie.

Gadgets Therapie clinics in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick exclusively sell the HairMax LaserComb. This hand-held device works via the principle of photo-bio stimulation; a process by which laser energy is delivered to the hair follicle, causing a revitalisation of the individual follicle, and a general strengthening of the hair. The jury is still out on this one. My thinking is that if all it takes to prevent hair loss is a €600 laser comb, wouldn’t every balding guy in the world be using one? It is, however, FDA approved. For more information, log on to www.therapieclinic.com Old Wives Tales Don’t believe everything you read! Hanging upside down while rubbing curry paste into your hair will not cause hair to re-grow. Nor will massaging the scalp with honey and egg yolks.

Sorry.

GroominG | Teeth

Mr Impatient: LASER Teeth are covered with a hydrogen peroxide gel that is activated by a light/laser.

The results are instantaneous and can last up to four years.

Zoom! Teeth Whitening is one of the most popular procedures in the world and can whiten teeth by up to twelve shades. An appointment takes approximately 90 minutes.

Seapoint Dental Clinic in south Dublin is offering a ‘Just for Men’ package from now until the end of December, which includes a 10 per cent discount on all tooth whitening treatments – prices range from €250 to €395 – plus €50 off facial rejuvenation and antiwrinkle treatments. www.seapointclinic.ie 32 EFM winTer 2010

dental practice

GreaT whiTes

Is your smile more Hobbit than Hollywood? From switching your toothpaste, to splashing out on pearly-white veneers, how will you upgrade yours? caroline Scott reports happy to discuss the treatment at length, or suggest alternatives.

Our prices start from €750.” www.portobellodental.com.

Male Bonding: VENEERS

These days, thin porcelain veneers, held in place by a strong bonding substance, should last 15-20 years and are a good choice if you have chipped or crooked teeth.

Individually handcrafted to fit your teeth, they can successfully cover small gaps or completely transform your entire mouth.

They are often the only choice for patients with tetracycline (antibiotic) staining. Many

DIY Guy: HomE wHITENINg It’s best to buy a home whitening kit in a reputable pharmacy, as opposed to taking a gamble with something you’ve found online. The iWhite O2 Professional Oxygen Activated Teeth Whitening system recently arrived in Ireland and consists of one single tray – you treat upper and lower teeth simultaneously – and foam strips, instead of gel, which are designed to speed up the process. Used for 20 minutes every day, for seven days, it claims to leave teeth 3-4 THE wHoLE TooTH shades lighter. €29.99, at Regular dental check-ups pharmacies, including and trips to the hygienist are Unicare and Sam the easiest way to keep your teeth McCauley. Vani-T looking good. Use whitening toothpaste Pure White Tooth between visits to remove surface stains; try Colgate Max Fresh (€2.99), Colgate Whitening Gloss Sensitive Pro Relief (€2.39) or dentist comes in a brushrecommended RetarDex Toothpaste, on pen and doesn’t which eliminates bad breath and require any fussing helps remove everyday staining around with trays. It (€11.94, at Boots). does have to be applied people 2-3 times daily, for a week, are put off but you can converse and carry by horror stories on with your day straight away. about teeth being ground It claims to change the colour down to stumps but it needn’t of your teeth by 4-6 shades. be a traumatic experience: The packaging looks a little “Porcelain veneers are the girlie but it contains 35 per cent perfect choice for patients who carbamide peroxide, which feel uncomfortable about dental is equivalent to 12.2 per cent work as they require little or hydrogen peroxide, more than no drilling of the teeth,” says many similar over the counter Dr Nick Beirne, of Portobello products. Available nationwide, Dental Clinic. “For nervous mostly in salons, €49.99 clients, we offer IV sedation (call 059 91 80477 for stockists). for extra comfort and we are

GeTTy

Cool Head: THE DENTIST If considering teeth whitening, or even veneers, your regular dentist should be your first port of call. “Before tooth whitening is carried out, a dentist must establish the cause of the discolouration and if it is amenable to bleaching, complete a comprehensive medical history and establish that there is no impediment to bleaching and also complete a full oral examination to establish that bleaching is appropriate in any particular case,” explains Dr Tom Feeney, a dentist based in Blackrock, Co Dublin. Your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and create customised trays for you to whiten your teeth at home, using a bleaching agent. The trays are worn overnight for ten days, or more, depending on your particular progress, and your dentist will schedule a follow-up appointment, which is crucial.

Expect the results to last up to three years. “We charge €300 in total, which would be similar to many family dentists”. www.mydentist.ie. Prices for teeth whitening vary between dentists.

GROOMING | Q&A

THE

INSIDERS

///// Quick Fixes /////

I’m having problems sleeping but don’t want to go down the sleeping pills route. Are there any supplements I could take that might help?

“Having a lot on your mind can cause sleep problems. Rescue Night Liquid Melts (€9.75), from the Rescue Remedy range, are a great solution; they’re safe and non-habit forming.”

Daryl Morrison, Pharmacist, Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy (15 Duke Street, Dublin

SEA BREEZE Squeaky Clean Body Wash, €16

I like the idea of soaking in the bath after a workout but I hit the gym in the mornings so I’ve only got time for a quick shower. What can I use to soothe achy muscles?

“I’d recommend Voya’s Squeaky Clean body wash (€16). It contains organic seaweed extracts, sourced from Ireland’s Atlantic coastline, which can help relieve muscle stress and fatigue. When you do have the time, though, I recommend soaking in our Lazy Days Seaweed Bath (€16).”

Mark Walton, CEO, Voya (for

BIG COVER UP Abd el Kader candle, €55

A PINCH OF SALT Dead Sea Bath Salts, €4.50

stockists, 071 916 8956).

GETTY

2, 01 679 0451).

They spend all day every day creating and selling products to make us look, smell and feel better. We posed some tricky dilemmas to men working in the grooming, health and lifestyle industries. Here’s what they had to say …

My flat smells a bit damp.

How can I cover it up when my girlfriend comes over? I don’t want anything too girly – what would you suggest?

Can a man reasonably deploy a scented candle?

“Of course, but if you’re serving a meal, make sure that the scent you burn isn’t going to conflict with it.

I personally like the scent of our Abd el Kader candle (€55) – a delicious mix of mint and basil, which smells clean and green. If you’re in a rush, use a room spray instead.” Ramdane Touhami, Creative

66/67 Aungier Street, Dublin 2,

I’ve been getting a few rashes recently. I’ve changed my detergent and I was thinking of changing to more natural products.

Which are good?

“The first thing I would suggest is switching to a crystal deodorant. There are many different types and most pharmacists will stock at least one. After suffering something similar, I swapped to using Dead Sea Spa Magik Bath Salts and Shower Gel, which are parabens free. I haven’t had any irritation since.” Declan Kerin,

01 478 9633).

owner of Kerin’s Pharmacy group.

Brown Thomas).

While training for the marathon I started getting spots on my back. What can I do about them?

“This a common problem for men who are keen gym goers and who sweat a lot. I would recommend booking in for an md formulations facial for the back (from €60), using glycolic acid. md formulations is recommended by a number of dermatologists and people see fantastic results.” Leonard Daly, professional make-up artist (this treatment is available at Queen,

Director, Cire Trudon Candles (at

WINTER 2010 EFM 33

STYLE | Watches TO BOLDLY GO In 1947, France instigated a series of exploratory missions to the Arctic and Antarctica under the leadership of renowned scientist, Paul-Émile Victor. Bringing together geologists, meteorologists, physicists, biologists, geographers and glaciologists, the aim of these expeditions was to explore, study and understand the North and South Poles. In honour of these exploratory missions, Swiss watchmaker Longines has re-issued the timepiece used by the scientists on these missions to explore Greenland and the Adélie Coast. The Expéditions Polaires Françaises Missions Paul-Émile Victor watch, Longines, €990, from Weir & Sons and selected jewellers nationwide.

ULTRA FINE HERITAGE The trend for slimline, discreet and classic watches for men is more popular then ever, particularly in the collections of luxury brands. Vacheron Constantin, one of the world’s oldest watch manufacturers, has added two models to its Historiques collection. The Historique UltraFine 1955 features the slimmest hand-wound mechanical movement in the world – the same size as the 20c Swiss franc coin at only 1.64mm thick. The Historique Ultra-fine 1968 is equipped with the famous selfwinding 1120 movement and features a decorated oscillating weight. Both watches at Paul Sheeran Jewellers, price on application.

SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC IN 1882, Ariste Calame founded a workshop in Le Locle, Switzerland, which would later become Zodiac. The son of a watchmaker, Calame was obsessed with creating the most precise watch of all time. The result of his careful work became the first Zodiac – a pocket watch with a unique design. Now, nearly 130 years later, the Zodiac brand is still going strong and the new Smokescreen collection has just arrived in Ireland. The standout model is the 8522, a sporty, high-performance chronograph that boasts a titanium 47mm case, screwed-in crown and anti-reflective sapphire glass. It’s also waterresistant up to 10 ATM (or about 50 metres, to the non-diver). €679, at select jewellers nationwide.

34 EFM WINTER 2010

gear

TIME LORD

Get your hands on the latest classic, fashion and sports watches.

Declan Leavy reports

CLASSIC SPORT The iconic Ebel wave design bracelet is given a sportier edge and a more affordable price tag, with models from the new men’s collection starting at €1,460.

The entire collection is aimed at those starting their luxury watch collection with a piece that can be worn every day. As with all Ebel’s creations, the watch sits perfectly on the wrist and the ergonomic sporty bracelet is smooth, light and very comfortable.

At Paul Sheeran Jewellers.

STYLE | Watches MODERN TIMES The epitome of contemporary style, the new Fossil ceramic collection boasts enduringly classic designs that are ideal for everyday wear. Made from shock-proof materials, each watch in the collection is scratchresistant and crafted to last for years. With a sleek and polished look, each timepiece is waterresistant. Channel your inner Kanye West with the white CE1002 model. White is one of the most popular watch colours this season but it may be a little on the brave side for the average (pale) Irish male. Play it safe with the black CE1003 model, a classic design and colour that will most certainly stand the test of time. Both €220, at Genius and selected department stores.

DESIGNER TIME When it comes to watches, the round dial with Roman numerals has been the face of time for around 800 years, while the rectangular case, launched almost a century ago, made the new-fangled wristwatch popular among men as the perfect complement to a well-cut suit. These classic formats endure because, in the hands of a talented designer, they are always contemporary. The new Hugo Boss Black watches collection illustrates this flair for bringing a fresh and modern look to ancient standards.

The HB-2001.1 chronograph is an updated interpretation of the classic HB-136 that has evolved into a larger model and features Arabic numerals, six-hand chronograph quartz movement, Sunray dial, a stainless steel case and a calfskin leather strap. €455, at selected jewellers nationwide.

PLAY TIME Tapping in to the affordable-luxury market, American watch brand Toy Watch does not have the heavy price tags one often finds on prestige brand accessories.

With their signature rainbow colour schemes, the timepieces recall watches found on the wrists of teenagers in the 1980s. As the firm’s CEO Randy Gordon put it, “if we play this right, we could be the next Swatch”. Available in a variety of shades from neon green to fluorescent pink, the most popular colours for men are, unsurprisingly, blue and black. Famous wearers include Clive Owen, Lenny Kravitz, Chris Martin and, er, Al Gore. From €140, at Brown Thomas.

VINTAGE TIME From a small workshop in the Swiss Jura Mountains, TAG Heuer transformed into a watch-making legend. Recognised throughout the world for luxury sports watches and pioneering work in chronographs, TAG watches epitomise prestige and performance, brilliantly fusing technology with design. From heroes of the past to the stars of the future, the list of TAG ambassadors reads like a who’s who of modern sports and showbiz: Steve McQueen, Ayrton Senna, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lewis Hamilton, Shah Rukh Khan, Tiger Woods and, yes, Maria Sharapova. To celebrate its 150th anniversary, TAG Heuer has created the special edition Monaco Vintage Calibre 11 Chronograph. The brushed and polished steel case emphasises the sporty design details like the racing red on the hands. To mark the company’s birthday in the year 1860, only one thousand eight hundred and sixty watches have been made. Order yours from Weir & Sons and selected jewellers for a cool €5,355.

WINTER 2010 EFM 35

STYLE | Watches

winter warDrobe

facE vaLuE

In an ideal world, a man should have a watch for every occasion. Investing in a quality sport and dress watch should see you through years of events in style

DreSS watcheS L2R 18-carat yellow gold watch set with a sapphire cabochon, Cartier, price on request, at Brown Thomas. Steel watch with black alligator strap, Raymond Weil, €525, at Field’s. Flagship Heritage collection watch with brown alligator strap, €1,130, by Longines. Gold La Grande Classique watch with champagne dial and black leather strap, €720, by Longines. Stainless steel link dress watch, Raymond Weil, €780, at Field’s.

Sport watcheS L2R White gold Ballon Bleu de Cartier chronograph watch set with diamonds, Cartier, price on request, at Brown Thomas. Grey sporty watch, €140, at Tommy Hilfiger. Stainless steel chronograph watch, €380 by Tissot. R5.5 black ceramic chronograph designed by Jasper Morrison, Rado, €2,260, at Field’s. Stainless steel Seamaster co-axial chronometer watch, Omega, €3,900, at Brown Thomas.

36 EFM WINTER 2010

IT’S THE REAL THING WITHOUT SUGAR

GREAT

TASTE ZERO SUGAR IT’S POSSIBLE.

QA My story so far

&

Careers in business, broadcasting and sports management are only part of the story ... rory Egan reports

Donal-Lawless-&-Stuart-Kelly Telecoms whizzes Donal (left) and Stuart are two schoolfriends from Dublin who went their separate ways, both leaving to work abroad – one in financial management, the other in telecoms. When they returned they got together and decided to start their own mobile phone company called Just Mobile, which launched last month.

Did you always want to be in the mobile networks business?

Donal No, I wanted to be a pilot or a Formula One racing driver. I didn’t have the 20/20 vision for the first and wasn’t good enough for the second so I became an accountant. stuart And I’ve always been in the telecoms business. I did have a choice of becoming a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus but joined a big American telecom software company instead.

Does Ireland need another mobile phone company? Donal Ireland needs an Irish mobile phone company, run by Irish people for the Irish market. I can’t believe the profits these companies are making on higher charges, with none of the profits remaining in this country. stuart That was our starting point. Then we realised we could make our company different, a bit more fun and a lot more interested in our own community.

What has been the highlight of your career so far? Donal

I suppose being a CFO on Wall Street. It was just like the movies – vibrant, busy, and involving. I even had a top floor office overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. As a young Irish guy it was exciting. stuart Launching Just Mobile. I’ve been involved in other businesses but this one I’ve put my heart and soul into.

What next? Donal Growing the business will be our number one priority over the next few years. Because we are new, we can try to do things differently and we have found that some of our ideas are working already. We have incredibly loyal customers who follow us on Facebook and Twitter and really get involved. stuart Following up on our promise to give to local communities and charities is really important also. I believe in that part of the business just as much as making it successful and I know that the two can go hand in hand.

38 EFM WINTER 2010

PROFILE | Q&A

Brent=Pope Journalist and broadcaster Brent Pope came over here from New Zealand to play a little rugby and watch the Rugby World Cup that we co-hosted in 1991.

He stayed on because of the craic, the people and because he just “fitted in”.

Did you always want to be a rugby player? Rugby is in the DNA in New Zealand and playing for the All Blacks was my birthright but I always had a great love of writing – of any kind, and the creative side of me was very strong when I was at school. I suppose I’ve had the best of both worlds.

Were you interested in any other sports? I came from a

strong horse racing family on my mother’s side – her family were originally from Ballingarry, Tipperary. We bred horses and I did a lot of riding, mainly eventing, which involves show jumping, cross country and even dressage.

What has been the highlight of your career so far? I suppose pulling on the black jersey at any level is a highlight, but

the one match I think of the most was winning the National Championship 1st Division with Otago in 1991 and when we beat Auckland in the final.

What next? A lot of people don’t realise that I have written seven children’s books. My latest is called Bones and it’s in aid of osteoporosis and has that as its theme. I enjoy writing them and they have

been very well received. I’ve also just finished a film script – a comedy based around rugby, and I’m in negotiations about that with three different companies. I’m also opening an art fallery in Spencer Dock that will concentrate on art that has been created by mental health patients who would not have the means or confidence to bring their work to market.

WINTER 2010 EFM 39

Profile | Q&A

Did you always want to be in the sports and media management business?

I was originally in the commodities business but sport was always a huge part of my life. When Eric Miller’s father asked me to help him with his first contract, I didn’t know then that it would lead to this, but one player after another came to me. They trusted me and I always got what I thought was the best deal for them and it just grew and grew from that.

With Wayne Rooney’s wages now a matter of record why not get into soccer? My ambition is to

have a spread of every sport and I’m a huge Manchester United fan.

I think the Rooney saga was unfortunate and could have been handled much better. If you are going to do business with someone again then a good deal is when both parties are happy, not just one.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

John-Baker Baker Sports Management John Baker is CEO of the Baker Sports Management group which represents rugby stars like Paul O’Connell, Denis Leamy, Keith Earls, Peter Stringer and also Brian Cody, Henry McKean, George Hook and many other media personalities.

40 EFM WiNTer 2010

Funnily enough, it was watching my then sevenyear-old son running out at Anfield with Steven Gerrard beside him last year. That was a very special moment for both of us.

What next? We’re on the verge of a very important deal with an American group that will take the company global. I see the area of events and branding rights really taking off in the next few years, not just here, but in Europe as it has done in the US.

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trAVeL | Ski Livigno

and breakfast accommodation at the Hotel Ayma costs from €419 per person sharing, including return flights and transfers. For more information, log on to www. directski.com.

Best for Romance Val d’Isère, France

Best for Extreme Skiing Verbier, Switzerland Verbier is a Mecca for ski and snowboard fanatics. With over 410km of piste, 95 lifts and a huge amount of runs, the Swiss resort is the ideal place for extreme skiing.

In the shadow of Mont Blanc and the Grand Combin, Verbier is located at the heart of one of the biggest ski areas in the Alps, Les 4 Vallées. The resort offers a wide range of accommodation in a protected setting, with all the charm of a traditional village and its wooden chalets. Après-ski is an institution here and you will be spoilt for choice of places to end your day on the slopes. Be sure to visit the hamlet of Verbier, a harmonious blend of contemporary architecture and traditional construction methods. Topflight features Switzerland for the first time this winter ski season; prices start at €1,249 for seven nights four-star accommodation and charter flights to Geneva. Log on to www.topflight.ie for further details.

Best for Snowboarding Livigno, Italy Located high in the Italian Alps, close to the Swiss border, the bustling resort of Livigno boasts an excellent snow record, sunny climate and lively après-ski, all set against the backdrop of breathtaking mountain scenery.

While it’s not a vast resort for advanced skiers, it has over 110km of piste, including 26 red slopes and 25 blue slopes, making it ideal for snowboarders and intermediate

42 EFM Winter 2010

sloping off

Whether with the lads or en famille, a ski holiday is the perfect winter lift.

Declan Leavy picks five top spots skiers. Livigno is a long village made up of three hamlets, including a pedestrianised zone lined with shops, bars and restaurants. The popular resort has always been particularly attractive to groups of guys due to its great value accommodation and duty-free prices. A typical holiday in Livigno, staying at the Casa Isola Apartments in the centre of the resort, costs from €599 per person, based on six sharing. Prices include flights, transfers, accommodation and full luggage allowance. A ‘Learn to Board’ package for six days’ boot and board hire, six days tuition and a lift pass costs €319 all season. Log on to www.topflight. ie for further details.

Best for Après-ski Arinsal, Andorra The prize for best après-ski has to go Andorra for its duty-free pricing, happy hours, discos and lively cafés and restaurants.

Arinsal is located on the western side of Andorra and boasts a reputation as one of the liveliest resorts in the district. If you

Verbier

Swap the winter blues for a romantic break for two in Val d’Isère. The popular French destination has earned the reputation of being one of the greatest ski resorts in the world as a result of its sensational highaltitude skiing and chic village setting. Dating back to the 11th century, Val d’Isère still retains much of its traditional Savoyarde architecture and authentic village atmosphere. You’ll be spoilt for choice by the town’s range of upmarket boutiques, traditional French pâtisseries, restaurants and après-ski bars. Up the romance factor by taking a ride on a dogsled, or head out on a snowmobile together. There’s also a weekly street festival which includes ice sculptures and fireworks.

Highlife offers packages from €970 per person for seven nights, including coach transfers to and from your chalet, ski guiding, luxury accommodation, all meals and a complimentary bar. Highlife can also organise your flights from any point of departure. For further details, log on to www.highlife.ie.

Best for Families Morzine, France

have the energy for it, you can party well into the early hours.

Beginners in Arinsal are well taken care of, thanks to a mix of green and blue slopes, while intermediate and advanced skiers are kept busy with a selection of more challenging runs. For boarders there is an activity park area and half pipe that are well worth a visit. Duty-free prices mean you’ll find plenty of Arinsal ski deals that offer great value for money. A week’s skiing with bed

The French resort of Morzine is a friendly and picturesque market town in the heart of the worldrenowned Portes du Soleil ski area.

Situated an hour from Geneva airport, it is one of the most accessible ski resorts in Europe.

The huge variety of runs was a big factor in the resort being chosen as the French nomination for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Morzine offers a wide range of familyoriented activities including an ice-rink, bowling alley and a weekly market. Out on the slopes, children can join ski schools with Englishspeaking instructors and families can take advantage of the Highlife Kids’ Club, exclusive to Morzine.

Chalets are packed with sledges, board games, a DVD player and library and a personal chef will prepare children’s menus. Highlife offers packages from €805 for an adult and €658 for children under twelve. For further details, log on to www.highlife.ie.

TRAVEL | Ski GOGGLe HeAd Goggles, Oakley, €99, at 53 Degrees North

Chris down gilet, €160, at Hilfiger Denim

Double-layer jacket, Superdry, €200, at Arnotts

True Gore ski pants, €70, at Quiksilver

Mathieu Crepel ski gloves, €49, at Quiksilver

Key Pieces

ON ThE pISTE Take to the slopes in style with our selection of designer and high street ski essentials WHiTe OUT Ski goggles, €39, at Tog 24, Kildare Village

Nordica ski boots, €200, at 53 Degrees North

Inca-style trapper hat, €20, at Next

sOcK iT Ski socks two-pack, Bench, €27, available online at littlewoodsireland.ie

WINTER 2010 EFM 43

TRAVEL | Favourites MUST VISIT

ITALY

Football, fashion and food to die for – Italy has it all.

Paddy Aubrey has an insider’s guide to its best bits

The Colosseum

Bar Vitelli, Sicily

E

ver played that game where you guess what a country has given to the world? Without our literary heroes we might just be known for booze and a rock band. Population matters little, empire matters more, but there are a handful of titans that have affected all of us. The Roman Empire and the Vatican aside – and that’s no small aside – look at what Europe’s boot has done for us: the world’s most travelled food, opera, defensive football, politicians that make ours look good, Armani, Ferrari, Da Vinci, Puccini and Bellucci.

At the end of this month and into next is the best time to go. Italy, like Germany, is a relatively recent notion made up of ancient kingdoms, states and empires, and it shows. There is no such thing as one Italian culture – there’s a whole world of them shoehorned into one very eclectic holiday destination that has everything a guy could want.

Fabio Cannavaro

Monica Bellucci 44 EFM WINTER 2010

MILAN Cultural capital, yes, design and fashion hub, for sure, but football? Not this year.

Serie A’s residual damage from match fixing, Inter winning the Champions League without a single Italian, and the lamest of World Cup efforts means that Italian football isn’t what it used to be, and the San Siro is short one Portuguese genius and any appeal this year. Northern Italy and Milan have little in common with the south but, if you have serious means and want to get suited and booted before you head south for the real fun, then stay and shop at the ostentatious Seven Stars Galleria.

ROME A world away from Milan but, done right, as much sensory overload as you’re likely to get from a European capital.

Don’t drive – it’s normal for others to nudge you with their car if you’re holding things up. There are plenty of hotels but, as in any warm city, find one with a rooftop pool. Then make a beeline for the Colosseum, but hire a decent tour guide, and spend the day tripping over ancient architecture, occasionally looking back and getting winded by the views. Try to avoid tomato-based dishes, they’re the culinary newbies to this ancient cuisine. Instead, head out to Testaccio and sample some authentic nose-to-tail Roman food in Perilli. After all, when in Rome …

SARDINIA I love Sardinia.

Wilder mountains and better beaches than Sicily and it’s one big adult adventure park: full throttle windsurfing at Porto Polo, hiking, biking and climbing just about everywhere else. But if you couldn’t be arsed with all that, just hang around the lovely walled town of Alghero and limit your sport to wine tasting out at the superb Sella & Mosca winery and spearing dopey mullet. If you fancy a Bond moment, dine at Villa Las Tronas: my sometimes mother and her partner-in-crime/sherpa/ husband travel for fun more than most, they know their food and adore this tiny five-star gem.

SICILY For me, Sicily is a series of dos and don’ts. Boys may want to go to Savoca, the village near Taormina that doubled for Corleone in The Godfather. This once quaint mountaintop village has that music playing from every shop front. I’m a fan, but this is Tacksville. Bar Vitelli is where Michael first meets his doomed Sicilian wife, it’s kippy and they seem to have traded props with the makers of Trainspotting. I’m not sure what Danny Boyle got but Bar Vitelli got the jacks. Don’t stay in Taormina – it’s overpriced with poor beaches and anyway, you can see Mount Etna and the Greek amphitheatre in a day. Do go west, do stay in Palermo, do the islands and do real Sicily.

The Amalfi coastline

AMALFI, NAPLES AND THE BAY OF CAPRI Two couples in a convertible Punto – that was my first mistake; driving from Salerno to Sorrento via 6 Flags Costiera Amalfitana – nearly my last. If you are considering a Top Gear moment on this famous stretch of road, don’t.

What started out with four happy campers singing along to Sinatra ended in silence, sunburn and eight very white sets of knuckles.

The Costiera Amalfitana is Italian for blind hairpin. One never gets above 30km and you’re perpetually sandwiched between coaches of scarified pensioners.

Instead, day-trip from the Romeo Hotel in heady Naples, skip Pompeii, see Herculaneum, and view that coast road safely over a Peroni in Positano.

a blend of

TASTE and

DISTINCTION

www.hennessy.ie

TRAVEL | Weekends

cITy

break Finding the perfect destination for a weekend away isn’t always easy, especially when trying to please everyone. Take a break from it all with Declan Leavy’s top city destinations for couples, friends and families

adventure destinations. Cork is a bustling city with a European feel and features a heaving nightlife, stylish bars and restaurants and a wealth of activity options. Things to do: The Cork City Kayaking Trip travels down the River Lee and takes in many of the sights of Cork City. Not for the nervous, this trip is far from laidback but well worth a try. www.atlanticseakayaking. com. Venture outside the city for a spot of relaxed angling at Cork Harbour, one of the most popular small-boat centres in the country, with over 22 different species on offer. Shark fishing is a very popular attraction here. Where to sleep: The new River Lee Hotel is ideally located in the centre of Cork City and offers sleek interiors and very competitive rates. www. doylecollection.com. Where to eat: Amicus has it all; great food, excellent surroundings, a killer wine menu and attractive prices.

021 427 6455. Where to party: The Bodega in St Peter’s Market is Cork’s hottest nightspot. Walls are adorned with pieces by local and international artists and the club has a groovy atmosphere with a mix of dance, chart and house music. www.bodegacork.ie.

Best for sightseeing new York It doesn’t get much

Best for lads’ weekends

edinburgh One of the UK’s most popular stag party destinations, the historic city of Edinburgh is the perfect place for a weekend away with the boys.

Aside from the countless bars and clubs, there’s usually a festival or two taking place around the city, so there’s always a great party atmosphere and a lively buzz.

Things to do: A stone’s throw from the iconic Edinburgh Castle is the Scotch Whisky Experience, where you will get an insight into the world of Scotch whisky through a tutored tasting and a barrel ride through whisky history. www. whisky-heritage.co.uk. Established in 1995, the Stand Comedy Club is open seven nights a week with a varied programme of contemporary comedy featuring the best Scottish and international comedians. www.thestand.co.uk.

Where to sleep: The Scotsman is a five-star boutique hotel housed

46 EFM WINTER 2010

within the former Scotsman newspaper building. The awardwinning hotel boasts a woodpanelled bar and brasserie, which regularly serves Edinburgh’s elite. www.theetoncollection. com. Where to eat: Michelinstarred chef Paul Kitching’s new restaurant 21212 features contemporary French cuisine in laid-back surroundings. www.21212restaurant.co.uk.

Where to party: The Opal Lounge is a favourite of Justin Timberlake and Prince William.

Top DJs, quality surroundings and exclusive drinks offers place it firmly at the cutting edge of the city’s late-night scene. www. opallounge.co.uk.

To plan a weekend break to Edinburgh, check out www. visitscotland.com.

Best for adventure

Cork You don’t have to travel far to enjoy an adventure city break – Ireland offers a wealth of

better than the Big Apple for endless sightseeing opportunities.

Lose yourself in scenic tours, iconic landmarks and the best stage shows in the world. At this time of year, New York is lit up even more for the festive season and you can enjoy ice-skating in Central Park, a trip to the world-famous Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree or take in an ice hockey game at Madison Square Garden. Attractions: You’ll never be short of things to do in NYC. Tickets to a Broadway show, an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a trip to the top of the Empire State Building and shopping in Macy’s should be top of your to-do list. Show your passport in any of the major stores and avail of a ten per cent international traveller discount. Where to sleep: Crosby Street Hotel is situated on a quiet cobbled street in the heart of New York’s vibrant SoHo neighbourhood. The Kit Kempdesigned interior reflects a fresh, contemporary vibe. www.firmdale. com. Where to eat: Asia de Cuba

on Madison Avenue combines Asian flavours and cooking techniques with home-style Cuban cuisine. www.chinagrillmgt.com.

Where to party: Head to SoHo, which is packed with bars and clubs offering everything from traditional Irish watering holes to the latest hip celebrity hangout.

Be warned however, most venues have strict door policies. Carry your passport to prove your age, as you will be asked, no matter how old you are!

Best for families

Copenhagen Copenhagen, one of Europe’s oldest capitals, is an undiscovered gem for family breaks. The city itself is filled with historical architecture – such as the Amalienborg Palace and the Church of Our Saviour – and is home to the oldest monarchy in the world. Take a walk towards the Gefion Fountain and pay a visit to the award-winning Louisiana, Arken and Glyptoteket art museums. Kids will love the Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s famous amusement park in the centre of the city. Sample a local lager in one of the many beer cafés on the canal or visit the Carlsberg Brewery to learn about the origins of the world famous Danish beer.

Things to do: A family break to Copenhagen isn’t complete without a trip to Legoland, one of the largest tourist attractions in Denmark. Legoland is divided into four parks, which all feature worldfamous scenes and landmarks made entirely out of Lego bricks.

Other highlights include the Lego Mindstorms centre for fun-based learning, Duplo Gardens for smaller children, a children’s driving area, Wild Woods and Knight’s Kingdom. The rides are all Lego-themed and many look as if they’re built entirely out of Lego. www.legoland.com.

Where to sleep: The Tivoli Hotel is Copenhagen’s newest hotel and markets itself to families, due to its close proximity to the Tivoli Gardens amusement park. There are a number of family-friendly facilities in the hotel and all guests can avail of free admission to Tivoli Gardens. www.tivolihotel. com. Where to eat: Restaurant Sult is located in the Danish Film Institute (Filmhuset), and has a friendly, informal atmosphere that is perfect for kids – brunch is very popular. www.sult.no/restaurant.

mY vErY OwN H O l lY w O O D m O v i E S E T

picTUrE pErfEcTiON iN fUll HD, frOm THE OpENiNg ScENE UNTil THE crEDiTS rOll

l E T S m E S aY ‘acTiON’ Or ‘cUT’ wHENEvEr i waNT

mY OwN cOSY DirEcTOr’S cHair

SOUND SO rEal i HEar EvErY gallOp

SEE YOU ON THE SET. BeoVision 10’s LED backlit 46’’ and 40’’ screens and high-speed frame rate create an image so real you’d think you were part of it. Distortion free sound from the integrated loudspeakers brings the action to life. Visit www.bang-olufsen.com/storelocator to find your nearest Bang & Olufsen dedicated showroom and find out more.

TrAVEL | Eating Out

Grub’s up In terms of great dining destinations around the country, we’ve never had it so good, says Paddy Aubrey

M

y childhood was spent living in, under or above a pub or restaurant. An illegal worker at twelve “doing the bottles” and, very slightly later, “doing the glasses”, always trying to move up to that grand day when I turned 14 and would be allowed to pull pints for actual customers. The thing was, then, the Irish were really good at this, with the staff taking four, six, eight orders at once, and having your pint on before you made it to the counter.

There are still tradesmen around with this very Irish skill but the Celtic Tiger ate most of them – I hope we see them return. On the dining side, the boom years were a good thing. We’ve a taste for better food now and regardless how shallow our pockets are, this won’t change. This list would have been easier ten years ago when there was little choice, but, thankfully, dining options have improved more in the last two years than in the previous 20.

Guerin’s, Castleconnell People have been trying to recreate the Irish pub for decades: temples of repro and tat selling Oirishness, here and abroad. You can’t recreate a proper Irish pub, they just happen. It’s a magical combination of people and place, and Guerin’s on the banks of the Shannon has that combination. Part fishing shop, no two chairs or tables here are alike, and year-round Christmas lights and a roaring fire make it perennially welcoming. Home to serious trad, candle-lit record launches and stand-up, but most importantly it is home to Paddy and Mary Guerin – warm but affectionate, a little eccentric and definitely Irish. Recreate that.

Deanes, Belfast Deanes (above) has held a Michelin star for 13 years but don’t let that put you off. This is the most affordable starred restaurant on the island. It also has the

48 EFM WINTEr 2010

Frenchman – Alain Kerloc’h is the best restaurant manager we have. Only there when you need him, Alain moves from three-star formalities to casual barman with a flick of a vowel. Deanes is always busy and always great. If you can’t get a reservation, just drop into the seafood bar at the front of house and order some sardines on toast with a glass of wine. The bill? £7.

Rustic Stone, Dublin It sounds like a posh tile shop and the concept belongs on a South African golf resort but, despite Dylan McGrath’s pitch, Rustic Stone isn’t about gimmickry, healthy food or recessionary dining. It’s about why he won his star at Mint – flavour. Flavour is Dylan’s muse, and his palate and creativity make it worth trampling over the hot stone preconceptions.

The tables are a tad tight and the menu commentary is awful but this urban diamond has the tastiest food in Dublin, and will only get better.

The Tannery, Dungarvan The chef’s chef, the man’s man, his woman’s man, the everyman: Paul Flynn hasn’t Kevin Thornton’s technical ability or Dylan McGrath’s palate but he is incredibly knowledgeable, down

to earth and original, and it shows in the dishes at The Tannery (above). Dedicated, funny and very talented, he is our own Rowley Leigh, and should be the bestknown chef we have.

La Fougère, Knockranny House Hotel, Westport Seamus Commons, the flamehaired Mayo man with the touch of an angel, is the chef in form at the moment. Collecting samphire, shooting game and raising his own pigs, he takes sourcing in that beautiful part of the country to a new level. Back on the plate, unusual compositions of local produce compete with the view of the crazy skies over Croagh Patrick.

take the Pepsi challenge with the best of Connemara, Kerry or Cork. As West Clare is also home to Doonbeg, Wild Honey and Gregan’s Castle, our Grand Canyon is no longer just a pretty face. At Gregan’s Castle, Finnish chef Michael Viljanen’s creations are as pretty as they are delicious.

The dishes sound crowded and overambitious on paper, but are dynamite. Along with Seamus Commons in Knockranny he is the high-water mark for destination dining in Ireland.

O’Grady’s, Barna The people of Barna should put gates around the village and turn it into an all-inclusive resort.

It has everything you need for a holiday: the beach, a decent hotel, bar, trad music, shopping, a chippy and pizzeria, even pet grooming – and it has O’Grady’s on the Pier. As cute on the outside as it is cosy inside with draught pints, super fresh seafood and jaw-dropping views. Now that the kids are back in lockdown and oysters are back on the menu, book a window table downstairs, dress it with a perfectly poured pint of stout, oysters and the best mussels and chips, and thank God for November.

Chop House, Lismore

The Merchant, Belfast We have a national architectural and design deficit that has created a bungalow nation replete with eagles on gate pillars. That same national defect means that most of our refurbished bars and hotels look like they’ve been decorated

by Trotter’s Independent Trading Company. Not The Merchant (above). This Belfast beauty shows what you can do with the old.

Dramatic, sexy and full of treats, it’s the perfect one night stand.

The Merchant’s dining room makes Dublin’s Balzac look like a parish hall, and it has the coolest billiards room I’ve seen – but don’t go for any of those reasons, go because it has best cocktail bar on earth.

Gregan’s Castle, Ballyvaughan The coastal road in West Clare is in my top one of Irish drives.

With the ocean and the Burren competing with each other for your attention at every turn it can

Why are we are coming down with bistro and brasserie retrofits? It’s inspired by London pub grub from the noughties. Crispy hen’s eggs, confited everything and the ubiquitous fish and chips.

Tread carefully, these menus usually read well but are often missing that essential ingredient, flavour. Not so The Chop House in our prettiest of villages, Lismore, which, along with Balloo House in the North, is what we should be emulating. Great produce with gold-plated recipes that owe more to the better parts of our own tradition than to restaurant consultancy.

Tynan’s Bridge House Bar, Kilkenny We all have havens that we go to when we visit a city. Metropolis or not, your first stop is usually the familiar, a moment of grounding before heading off on adventures.

In New York, for me, it’s Balthazar, in Kilkenny it’s Tynan’s. Tucked in beside the Nore, candle-lit, with great staff and proper pints, it is hen and stag free and a thirtysomething paradise.

here has been an increased emphasis on the importance of investing in a private pension fund in recent months, partly due to the current economic difficulties but also due to the fact that not only are we all living longer - the average person retiring tomorrow aged 65 years has a life expectancy of a further 20 – 23 years, but there also has been a marked increase in our standard of living. This means that retirement will be a significant time for the majority of us and with only 56% of men having made private pension provisions, many of us should be asking ourselves the most important questions-what type of lifestyle do we want in retirement and how are we going to finance that lifestyle?

RETIREMENT PLANNING Pensions, by their nature, are long-term investments and during the life time of a pension, approximately 30 to 40 years, as with any investment there will be periods of highs and lows. And although a pension is a long term investment, this doesn’t mean you should start contributing to it and never properly consider it again until you reach retirement. Quite the opposite in fact, you should make sure that you understand the basic investment strategy being applied to your pension as you would with any investment, and you should also understand how the plan for your pension will help to meet your expectations in retirement. A Pensions Calculator is one of the services provided by the Pensions Board, and is a tool that will help you approximate the amount you should be saving to meet your expectations in retirement.

Within eight to ten years of retirement your funds should be moved to what are seen as less

risky investments such as cash and bonds. Prior to retirement you should explore the different options available to you once you reach retirement and you should look around for the best product to suit your needs.

By law employers must provide all employees with access to a Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA) if there is no company pension scheme or where there is a company scheme but not all members can fully access it. This applies to all employers and employees regardless of whether the employee is in full-time, part-time, temporary, contract or casual employment.

Once a PRSA provider has been decided upon, the relevant employees must be provided with the contact details for the PRSA provider and allowed time to contact the provider to access the information. Where an employee decides that they want to contribute to a pension with the designated PRSA provider the employer must facilitate the pension contributions through payroll. Remember you are legally entitled to information about your employer’s pension scheme or a Personal Retirement Savings Account (PRSA).

Saving for a pension allows you to prepare for retirement and you can receive tax relief on your pension contributions currently at your highest rate of tax. Where your employer facilitates your pension contributions to be deducted directly from your salary or wages the pension contribution is deducted immediately before you pay tax and to encourage people to make their own private pension provision - the Government offer tax relief on pension savings, pension returns

and most pension schemes allow for a tax free lump sum on retirement.

If you were less than two years in your company pension or occupational pension scheme, you may be able to get back any contributions you made to the scheme, although you will have to pay income tax on the refund. If you are a member of a company pension scheme, including public sector schemes, and have been making contributions to that scheme then you are entitled to receive full information about your rights and options on leaving the relevant employment. In the case of a PRSA, the contract is between you and the pension

provider and therefore changing job does not need to affect your PRSA. PRSAs are flexible saving products in that you can increase, decrease or cease contributions depending on your situation. A Statement of Account detailing your contributions (and your employer’s if they make any) and the transfer value of your PRSA at the date of the statement should be sent to you every six months.

Remember to continue to regularly track your pension as you contribute to it over time.

The Pensions Board provides a wide range of information for consumers, employers and trustees (including free online trustee training) at www.pensionsboard.ie

perfect SuNday RoaST ThE

Every man should know how to do it; Rory O’Connell advises on the perfect roast The ambrosial aroma of roasting meat wafting from the kitchen on a sunday morning is enough to gladden the hearts of all in the house. Tender and succulent roast meat, rich gravy, crispy roast potatoes and lots of vegetables make for a delicious celebration of the day of rest. but who is supposed to be resting?

Traditionally in irish homes, mother cooked every day and the “day of rest” thing didn’t really have much relevance to her existence. Now of course it is different, isn’t it guys?

Well, if yours is a home where a female still looks after most of the weekly sustenance, then it is not too much to ask for a male to take over that role for one meal at the weekend. a little pre-planning, shopping and following a few simple recipes should do the trick. so guys, read the recipes, make a list, grab the shopping bags and get cracking. beef, pork, chicken and lamb all roast beautifully and are easily and widely available. as with any meal, the first really important step is the sourcing of the ingredients. if you want to get really good meat, the first stop should be your local butcher. he will know what is best, give you advice about the cooking of the meat and generally set you in the right direction.

For this sunday roast we will concentrate on lamb. lamb is the easiest of all meats to roast. a sprinkle of sea salt and a twist of the pepper mill is often enough in the way of seasoning to make the flavour of the meat ring out. There are dozens of other flavourings that can be added – herbs, spices, marinades and so on – but for that traditional sunday lunch flavour, it is the salt and pepper route that i will take here. We can always add freshly chopped herbs to the gravy. i am suggesting that you ask your butcher to butterfly the lamb for you (removing the bone). it cooks beautifully this way and makes the carving much easier. You don’t want to spend the morning in the kitchen and then fall at the last hurdle by not being able to carve the lamb into neat slices. roast potatoes are another vital element of the sunday roast. irish potatoes are a must and they are fantastic at the moment. if possible, buy unwashed potatoes with the earth still on. The flavour is streets ahead of the prewashed ones.

The same rule in fact goes for all root vegetables. With your spuds, you are aiming for a richly coloured and crisp exterior and a steaming floury interior in which to melt butter into little golden rivers. heaven.

Carrots and cabbage complete the vegetable picture. The carrots bought in a similar state of untidiness as the potatoes, the cabbage fresh, crisp and racing green. and finally a fresh mint sauce to accompany the lamb will surely cement your position as the most domesticated of gods. sit down and enjoy the adulation.

50 EFM WINTER 2010

Carve Like A Pro ...

In the Saddle Room at The Shelbourne, Sunday lunch is served in an oakwalled dining area lined with gold, the oyster bar adorned with fresh fish, and a view into the huge open kitchen abuzz with chefs intent on getting lunch to you in tip-top condition – probably as far from your own kitchen as you are going to get, in other words. Head chef Garry Hughes insists simple chef skills, like carving, are translatable to our own more modest kitchen set-ups. Firstly, Hughes insists on a good brand of knife (he recommends Global and Arcos). When sharpening, always sharpen from the butt to the very tip at a 90-degree angle, sharpening away from you for safety. He recommends washing the knife after sharpening to cleanse it of any resin before carving. Use the whole length of the knife, he says, in a slow, sawing motion, and carve only after the meat has rested, out of the oven, for 10-15 minutes, which makes it easier to carve.

The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne, 01 663 4500.

COOKING | Sunday Roast Roast Butterflied Leg of Lamb Serves 10 (so plenty for lunch the next day) Ask your butcher to butterfly the leg of lamb, leaving some fat on the meat which will render out during the cooking but add essential flavour.

1 leg of lamb, butterflied, 8-9lbs/3.4-4kg olive oil salt and pepper ½ pint / 300ml chicken stock 2 tbsp chopped herbs; parsley, chives, rosemary (optional) 1oz/25g butter Preheat your oven to 180°c/ 350°f /gas mark 4. Rub the lamb all over with a little olive oil. Heat a roasting tray and add the lamb, skin side down and seal and brown the meat.

Turn and seal the other side.

Turn the lamb again so it sits skin side up in the tray. Pour off any excess fat that may have rendered out of the lamb.

Season with salt and pepper and place the tray in the preheated oven. Cook the lamb for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

When the lamb is cooked, remove from the roasting tray and allow to rest and keep warm in low oven at 110°c/225°f/gas mark¼. The lamb will sit quite happily for at least 30 minutes and will benefit from this resting period.

Degrease the roasting tray by pouring off the excess fat.

Add the stock to the pan and place on a medium heat. Whisk the bottom of the tray to loosen any caramelised meat. Bring to a boil and strain through a sieve into a small saucepan.

Taste and correct seasoning. If you find the flavour a bit weak, allow the liquid to continue to cook. It will reduce in volume but become more concentrated in flavour. At this point, chopped fresh herbs and a little butter can be added to the gravy to freshen up the taste and appearance. Serve the lamb in neat slices with a little gravy and some mint sauce or apple and mint chutney.

Cabbage Serves 4 I am crazy about cabbage, a fondness, I know, not shared by all. If it is carefully cooked it can be just as good as some of the more glamorous members of the brassica family. Cabbage is grown all over the country and is exceptional value for money. It will certainly be far superior to anything that has flown halfway around the world before landing on your table. When buying a cabbage, the outer leaves should look fresh and alive, and if you turn it over and look at the stalk where it was cut, it should be white and creamy looking.

Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the tough core in the centre. Cut the cabbage into fine shreds, against the

grain. Put the water into a wide saucepan with the butter.

Bring to a simmer and add the shredded cabbage. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook rapidly for 5-6 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning. Serve immediately.

Roast Potatoes Serves 4

Glazed Carrots Serves 4

Talk to an Irish person abroad and mention potatoes and they will become dewy-eyed and start muttering incoherently about their mother and home and the kitchen and “oh god, I miss the spuds”. Potatoes and the love of them is in our blood, mixed up in a tangle of happy and tragic emotions.

The important thing here is the amount of water that is used to boil down to a rich syrup that glazes the vegetable. The quantity of water will seem too little, but it is correct. Just keep a good eye on the pan to prevent the water from evaporating before the carrots are cooked. If this happens, add a little more water.

1lb/450g fresh green cabbage 25g /1oz butter 6 tbsp water salt and pepper

12 decent-sized spuds, to allow 3 per person (I like Golden Wonders or Kerrs Pinks) olive oil, sunflower oil, duck or goose fat, pork fat or beef dripping can all be used for tossing the potatoes Preheat oven to 230°c/450°f/ gas mark 8. Peel the potatoes and place in a saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 minute.

Drain and leave sitting in a colander to dry off. Score the surface of each potato several times with a fork. Toss the scored potatoes in the hot fat of choice (allowing a teaspoon of fat for each potato). Cook in a single layer in a heavy roasting pan for about an hour until the potatoes are well coloured and crispy. Season with sea salt and serve as soon as possible.

1lb/450g carrots, peeled and thickly sliced if large, or left whole if small 4floz/100ml cold water large pinch of sugar pinch of salt ½ oz/15g of butter 2 tbsp of chopped parsley or mint or coriander Place the carrots, water, butter, salt and sugar in a small pot and bring to the boil. Cover and cook on a gentle heat until tender. If all the water has not evaporated by the time the carrots are cooked, remove the lid and boil further to achieve a buttery glaze. Shake the pan to coat the vegetables in the glaze. Slide into a hot serving dish and sprinkle with chopped parsley (or mint or coriander if you prefer).

For details of Rory O’Connell’s cooking courses, log on to www.rgoconnell.com.

WINTER 2010 EFM 51

ANORAK | Racing

TAlK lIKE A pRO AbOuT

rallycross A form of sprint-style car racing, rallycross is gaining popularity.

Conor Twomey puts Derek Toohill, Dublin-born European Rallycross Champion, through his paces in a modified Ford Fiesta What is Rallycross?

Rallycross was “invented” in England in the late 1960s by an ITV producer looking for a cheap form of TV-friendly motorsport. It started off as a one-off event to which professional drivers were invited but it was so successful that other races were quickly arranged with non-professional drivers getting involved. Races are run over combined asphalt and loose-surface tracks and the races themselves comprise heats and finals, making for fast and furious action. Moreover, races can be staged practically anywhere which makes it ideal for regions with few traditional race circuits. Holland, Belgium, France and Ireland are all rallycross strongholds. The regulations also ensure that the cars are simple and tough, and therefore very affordable, further fuelling its popularity.

How popular is Rallycross today? It’s huge in Scandinavia and western Europe, where race days will often attract hundreds of thousands of spectators, although it’s not as popular in the UK as it once was. In Ireland it remains a major attraction and top Irish drivers generally tend to do well in Europe. Rallycross is now starting to make inroads in America thanks to the spectacular Gymkhana videos 52 EFM WINTER 2010

produced by American rally driver Ken Block. The TVfriendly format of rallycross (tight tracks, short fast races) is ideally suited to American viewers so major TV networks like ESPN are now becoming interested.

What are the regulations like?

In 2009 the FIA changed the European Championship rules to cut costs and make the racing more entertaining. There are just three classes now, Division

Vroom Vroom: Toohill and Twomey take to the track

ANORAK | Racing 1, 2 and 1A, and all the cars have to be based on road-going models. Division 1A uses front-wheel drive, 1.6-litre cars; Division 2 cars have 2.0-litre engines and rear-wheel drive and Division 1 cars use allwheel drive and more powerful engines. All are normally aspirated (no turbos) and are bound by a set of rules which dictate the size, minimum weight and engine capacity.

As for the races, light contact is allowed but dangerous driving isn’t tolerated. There are heats and finals and rounds are grouped together to cut down on transport and accommodation costs.

WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY: Rebuilding the humble Ford Fiesta to a 250km/h champion

Tell us about this car then ...

This is the championshipwinning Ford Fiesta which was built and developed over a seven-month period by renowned Swedish car builder Ingvar Gunnarsson.

Certain elements of the original chassis had to be retained but most of the car has been replaced, rebuilt or reinforced.

The suspension bears little

resemblance to the original Fiesta’s, with competitionspecification Ohlin struts front and rear, while the 2.0-litre Ford engine was completely rebuilt by respected engine builder Julian Godfree and now produces around 300hp.

It feeds a solid rear axle (from a Volvo 240) via a five-speed Tractive flat-shift (no need to lift off or use a clutch) sequential gearbox. It runs on standard 17inch rally wheels with special rallycross tyres – full slicks are not allowed.

What’s it really like?

Fast but not terrifyingly so.

300hp on a damp track means it doesn’t get off the line as fiercely as you’d think, but when the corners come it’s a different story. The short, wide, rear-wheel drive Fiesta is a naturally twitchy car and is set up to change direction as aggressively as possible. Skill and delicacy are required to balance the car in a drift and even Derek Toohill struggles initially on the unfamiliar surface. He quickly gets into his stride, however, and is soon slithering around Mondello like a man possessed. It’s loud and hot in there and the driver has to work hard to keep the car on track, but it’s more about intense concentration and reaction time than physical strength or stamina. In short, it’s immense fun but I wouldn’t fancy being sandwiched in the middle of a packed ground as the first corner approaches.

DEREK TOOHILL

Who is this chap then?

Derek Toohill is the 2010 European Division 2 Rallycross Champion. Like Lewis Hamilton, his first victories came with radio-controlled cars (Irish and European Champion, UK Grand Prix winner). He later graduated to karts but despite showing promise, a lack of funds saw him switch to more affordable Rallycross Stock Hatches (1,600cc front-wheel drive) in the early 2000s. Having won his division championship an amazing five times, in 2008 Toohill bought a Group N (Division 1A) Honda Civic Type R to complete in some European events. Having placed 4th in his first race and winning in Poland at the end of the year, Toohill decided to take a year out and prepare for an all-out attack in 2010. The tactic paid off and the Dubliner clinched the championship at the last race meeting of the year in the Czech Republic.

Ford Fiesta - ERC Division 2 Winner 2010

Original Car .......................................................... Ford Fiesta (M-Sport) Chassis Prep .................................................... Gunnarsson Motorsport Bodywork ............................................. Olsbergs MSE, Brendan Coyne Suspension .................................................. Ohlin struts front and rear Engine ........................................................ 300hp 2.0-litre Ford Duratec Transmission ................................. Tractive 5-sp sequential, RWD, LSD Wheels, Tyres ............................. 17”x 8” Braid Wheels, Avon RC tyres Brakes .................................. Alcon 4-pistons callipers (front and rear) Steering ......................................................... Power Assisted Quickrack Weight ........................................... 1,100kg minimum, including driver Performance ...................................... 0-100km/h 3.5 seconds, 250km/h Value ......................................................................€100,000 (estimated)

WINTER 2010 EFM 53

ANORAK | UFC

TAlK lIKE A pRO AbOUT

Ufc

The civilised Western World still has an appetite for gladiatorial combat, which is why Ulitmate Fighting Championship has such a following, says Rory Egan In January 2009, UFC 93 came to the O2 in Dublin. The gate receipts were close to €2 million on the night.

I

t’s exhilarating, adrenalinpumping and carnal. It has the showbiz excitement of World Wide Wrestling with none of the phoniness. It is UFC – or the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It is becoming one of the most followed sports in this country and yet the media here are less than enthusiastic about talking about it.

Originating in Brazil, UFC is really the ‘Premiership’ of what is commonly known as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). For many years it was run by a pay-perview event company called SEG in the US and became popular on cable channels because it was as near to raw street fighting as it was possible to go. The rules were few and simple: fighters could not eye-gouge or bite and fights could only end with a knockout or submission. There were no weight classes and in one memorable fight in the World Championship, a 30-stone Sumo wrestler fought a 15-stone Dutch kickboxer.

However, back in the 1970s, the sport effectively shot itself in 54 EFM WINTER 2010

the foot when it tried to market itself as ‘Cage Fighting’, a noholds-barred fight club that was so unregulated that a fight could even end in death. It focused completely on the blood and gore aspect of the contests in an effort to create some ‘shock and awe’ publicity.

Because of this, it became an easy target for the proselytising politicians on the campaign trail.

In 1998, Senator John McCain, who would subsequently run against Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, started a campaign to have it banned from television.

McCain branded UFC as “human cockfighting” and it was eventually deemed barbaric and barred from pay-per-view TV. It only re-emerged as a mass spectator sport after 2001 when a former aerobics instructor, Dana White, persuaded his friends, the Fertitta brothers, to buy the franchise from SEG. White, a larger than life personality with a vision for the sport and an endless capacity for publicity, set about legitimising

UFC. He introduced stricter rules without losing the raw appeal that the sport had in its glory days. He concentrated on promoting the fighters on television rather than in newspapers, capitalising on its visual appeal, much like Vince McMahon did with World Wide Wrestling. He brought the fights to more upmarket venues, courted sponsorship and glamourised the sport wherever possible.

In 2006, UFC brought in over $222 million dollars in pay-per-view revenue alone, beating wrestling and boxing to this all time record. In 2007, it surpassed boxing in gambling revenues. The popularity of UFC is now a matter of record and TV fights are currently broadcast in 130 countries around the world.

In January 2009, UFC 93 came to the O2 in Dublin and featured a main event of two world class light-heavyweight fighters – Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin. The arena was packed out with over 10,000 fans and seats cost as much as €250 each. The gate receipts were close to €2 million on the night. Is there any other indoor sporting event outside of a world heavyweight boxing title fight that could bring that sort of money into an Irish venue?

Fighting on the undercard that night was the then unbeaten Irish welterweight hopeful Tommy “The Tank” Egan who took on veteran English Cage Rage fighter Jon Hathaway.

Although Egan lost that fight to an ‘elbow’, as they say in the business, he went on to train in the US for a much more important match. This time, he met another established British fighter called Rob Mills who took just two and a half minutes to put a guillotine choke hold on Egan and force a submission.

Although that sounds like a short space of time, it was a lot more than all of the other nine opponents managed against Mills in his professional and semi-professional career.

It is this brutality and directness that is the appeal of

the sport. All or nothing. No dancing around, waiting for the referee to break the clinch. This is mano a mano. A cage with no corners has no hiding place.

UFC is regarded as one of the toughest sports to compete in. There is no ‘beaten on points’. It’s winner takes all and the loser is rarely allowed even to hang on to his dignity as the crowd bay for his blood. It is this visceral experience that drives fighters on to win at all costs, as losing cannot even be contemplated. The Olympic ideal of peaceful competition would sit uncomfortably with the contestants in this sport.

It transcends the civilised society we like to think we have become and takes us right back to a Darwinesque fight for survival. Dana White’s concession of separating weight divisions and making one or two techniques illegal has taken little of the brutality out of the sport. The contest between two seemingly equal individuals prepared to fight each other, armed with nothing more than their own strength and guile, has a sense of raw fairness about it that is not common to many other sports these days.

That is why there was so much disappointment when White didn’t keep his promise to bring UFC back to Ireland this year. The Fertitta brothers hinted that St Patrick’s Day was going to be the date but that came and went without an official explanation.

Perhaps it is because we, the Irish media, do not give the sport the recognition it deserves.

Perhaps it is seen too much as a vulgar contest, or viewed as being in the same ‘American show business but not really a sport’ category as Pro Wrestling and Tractor Pulling.

Whatever it is, the fans keep coming just the same and its appeal in Ireland, and the rest of the world, is growing at an impressive pace. That it is a sport is unquestionable. Whether it will ever be accepted as such by the journalistic elite remains to be seen.

W

e may not feel like world beaters at the moment but when it comes to the game of golf, lately – bring it on. When Pádraig Harrington won his first open, then another and then the US PGA we thought that we had seen the pinnacle of Irish golf. Then along came Rory McIlroy, who has many golfing commentators hailing him, justifiably, as the new Tiger Woods. While all this was happening, quietly in the background, another golfer who may not be as experienced and methodical as Harrington or who some say doesn’t have the brilliance and flair of McIlroy, has recently come to dominate the golfing headlines. That golfer is Graeme McDowell from Portrush in Northern Ireland and having won the Andalucían Masters last week, and now ranked 10th in the world, his status as a world champion is no longer in doubt.

To the members of Rathmore Golf Club in Co Antrim, McDowell’s rise to glory has been no mystery. George Collins, who bartended at the club for thirty years, remembers Graeme playing up there every day after school. “His demeanour was always quiet and he always had lovely manners. Where the other boys would be running around, Graeme would sit quietly in the corner. When it came to golf, he could always think his way through a round. His brother Gary has a more fluid swing and if you watched them both, even today, you’d say Gary was the pro.” George maintains you only have to look at his amateur record to realise McDowell’s destiny.

He won nearly everything that came his way on the Irish amateur circuit and when he was accepted into Alabama University on a golfing scholarship his record there was outstanding. Nationally, he had a lower scoring average than Tiger Woods had when he took the college scene by storm.

“He’s a very bright lad, full of brains and always sailed through his exams. He’s a qualified engineer, you know” George continued. “There were three boys in the family – George, Graeme

Quiet ThE

MaN

With wins at the 2010 US Open and 2010 Ryder Cup, pro-golfer Graeme McDowell divides his time between Portrush and the US. Rory Egan reports

and Gary. His parents are the nicest people and Graham has looked after his whole family very well. They all have houses and cars thanks to him.” His mother has suffered from multiple sclerosis for the last ten years and Graham has been very active fund raising for this particular cause.

Regardless of her condition, she still can’t watch him play because she’s too nervous.

To anyone who doesn’t play golf; it may seem like a sport where the word ‘excitement’ gets a rare enough outing. However, those that do will appreciate that this word seems to follow Graham McDowell around when it comes to the final day of any major tournament he happens to be playing in. His last day of the US Open in Pebble Beach this year was one of the most nail biting of climaxes to a major competition. Having been three strokes behind his playing partner, American Dustin Johnson, at the start of the final day McDowell showed courage

and unbelievable nerve when Johnson lost his.

Having taken the lead off Johnson he managed to hold off such golfing greats as Woods, Mickelson and Els to finish level par on a great golf course that defeated the rest of the field. It was his coolness under pressure in the last three holes that marked McDowell out as a true champion. With his father in the crowd surrounding the eighteenth green, McDowell had left himself two putts from twenty feet to win.

Ordinarily, you would bet your house on any pro to get down from there but, when millions of people around the world are watching and you have two putts that will define your career, many good pros are found wanting.

McDowell was not.

Similarly, when this year’s Ryder Cup seemed to be going down to the last match in the last singles, it was no coincidence that Colin Mongomerie had picked Graham McDowell to play in that position. He was not

SPORTS | Golf disappointed. McDowell sank a twenty foot putt on the sixteenth green to all but seal the match.

“I was never so nervous in my life” he said afterwards but it was Hunter Mahan who’s nerve broke and McDowell beamed to chants of “Hero, hero” from the crowd in Celtic Manor in Wales.

What is it about the Irish and the Ryder Cup these days?

Eamonn Darcy beating Ben Crenshaw at the 18th in Muirfield in 1987, Christy O’Connor Jnr’s two-iron at the Belfry in 1989, Paul McGinley’s putt to win again in the Belfry in 2002 , Philip Walton at Oak Hill in 2004, Darren Clarke so nearly at the K Club in 2004 and now add to that list the man from Portrush in 2010.

Added to the professionalism and courteousness of Harrington and the raw talent and youth of McIlroy, McDowell has that other quality so desired in golfing terms – quiet determination.

And, yes, though we mock our nearest neighbours when they dared to call Roy Keane or Paul McGrath great “British” footballers, we are quite happy to call all our Northern Irish golfers Irish. This, of course, can be a contentious issue for McDowell and McIlroy and Clarke. When this point was put to McDowell he replied -”Mum’s a Catholic, Dad’s a Protestant, I was brought up Presbyterian but ... I’m Irish.”

And when pushed further he continued - “Yes, I sit on the fence but why not? There’s no right or wrong answer. I’m always going to upset someone, so why not sit on the fence?” McDowell showing that he answers tough questions the way he drives a golf ball – straight down the middle.

There is no doubt that we have more to see from our latest major winner. He is only 31 and the extra confidence that being part of golf’s greatest club will undoubtedly help him in a game that feeds on confidence as a fuel.

And he is Irish. If he is happy to call himself Irish, who are we to disagree? He has made Irishness fashionable when we are crying out for favourable publicity.

He’s ‘The Quiet Man’ and you can’t get more Irish than that.

WINTER 2010 EFM 55

BOYS TOYS | Motorbikes

MId-LIfE

motorbiking Forget soft-top sports cars – men on the brink of a mid-life crisis plan to turn back time and have some fun on just two wheels. Conor Twomey reports

M

attending my first motorcycle launch as a journalist, riding down one of the world’s finest roads, Highway 1 in California, on board a 1,000cc Yamaha FZ1.

It was heaven.

But it wasn’t until Bridgestone invited me to a tyre launch that I got my first taste of the racetrack and after that, riding was never the same again. It’s an exhilarating experience to take a bike onto a piece of asphalt and ride it as hard as you possible can but unless you’re out there alone, it’s also pretty humbling. When another rider slips underneath you and power-slides his way from corner to corner in front of you, you soon realise just how much you don’t yet know. But that’s the beauty of biking: there’s always something to learn and improve upon, whether it’s finding an extra second a lap or finally wobbling your way around your driveway without putting a foot down. And unlike cars, which have become so sedate and safe you need at least 500hp to have any kind of fun anymore, there’s no such thing as a boring motorbike.

They’re all immensely fun and exhilarating to ride. And, yes, they’re dangerous too but it’s the act of taking your life in your own hands that makes them so liberating. There is no better distraction than biking.

otorcycling for me was simply an itch I had to scratch. I had resisted the lure for years because I already have an unhealthy addiction to speed and danger, and motorbikes seemed to offer too much of both for a junkie like me.

Besides, the prospect of farting around on something with a restricted engine for two years after passing my test appealed even less than the inevitable accidents I would have – so I stuck to cars.

When my 30th birthday rolled around, however, I suddenly realised that I would not, as I had previously suspected, be young forever.

If the ten years preceding my 30th were anything to go by, the next 20 would fly by

incredibly quickly so it was time to seize the day. In the space of one year, I emigrated to America and got married and, because I could get an unrestricted motorbike licence in the space of weekend, I set about learning how to ride a motorbike too.

Despite having a licence to ride anything I wanted (in a state that didn’t mandate helmet usage), I was hopelessly unprepared to take to the roads.

I had never travelled faster than 40mph, had never been out on a public road and yet I was a fully licenced rider. Madness.

Quite how I survived those first few rides I’m still not sure, particularly as Texan highways are notoriously unforgiving places, but survive them I did. Within two years I was

Get-the right-bike

The Cruiser Harley Davidson 883 Sportster: 33hp isn’t the only way to skin a newly-licenced cat. As long as the power-to-weight ratio is below a certain level it’s legal. The Harley suits more mature bikers as it’s kinda heavy, costly to insure and best enjoyed at a leisurely pace. It’s also cheaper than you might think, at €8,600, but resist the temptation to overload on leather gear or get rude tattoos.

The temptation is there to get a restricted big bike as they look less poncy than most of learner-legal machines you see chugging around, but if you think about it, restricted bikes come with all the disadvantages of a large machine (harder to manoeuvre, expensive to run and insure etc) but without the power. Instead, here are five bikes that were designed specifically for new riders and are all the better for it.

56 EFM WINTER 2010

The Supermoto Yamaha WR125X: Think all learnerlegal bikes are small and pokey? The WR125X appears to have been designed for basketball players.

Classic supermoto handling and great visibility make it ridiculously good fun around town. It’s also got a fine new four-stroke engine, is beautifully built and finished, and it’s quite the looker, too. Yours for €4,300.

BOYS TOYS | Motorbikes

Getting=back-in-the-saddle Get The Right Gear

Get Lessons

Don’t cut corners when it comes to safety gear. High-quality gear will last whereas budget stuff tends to disintegrate after a season or two. For helmet advice go to sharp.direct.gov.uk to find out which lids they rate best. Good gloves and boots are also very important, as is a back brace and chest protector. Many riders get seriously hurt when a stray handlebar hits them in the chest or abdomen. Leather offers better protection than textiles but, no matter what you wear, it needs to fit properly and if you take a spill replace anything that’s badly worn or torn.

The examiner basically wants to make sure you at least know what you’re supposed to do to avoid getting yourself killed.

Much of it common sense stuff – mirror, signal, shoulder-check, mirror etc – but there are lots of ways to fail if you’re not aware of the rules. To give yourself the best possible chance of passing, get lessons and not just a quick brush-up the morning of the test.

Get some instruction a week or two ahead of the test so you can practise. Then get one final lesson on or just before the big day.

Get Your Licence

Once you get your full licence, the world is a different place.

You can ride on any type of road, you can carry pillions and you no longer have to wear a yellow L bib. You can also start researching your first “big bike”.

However, that won’t happen until you apply for the test, so don’t put it off. Remember, the examiner won’t be impressed that you can get the knee down or pull a wheelie. All he wants to see is that you can ride safely from A to B so you’re better off to take lessons and learn some good habits early on rather than having to try and fix bad ones later on.

As of December 16th all new licence holders will have to do 20 hours of compulsory basic training which is a good thing but also expensive and time consuming.

Get a provisional before then, however, and you avoid it. You can apply for your test and select a suitable time and date by logging on to www.theorytest.ie but you will need to bone up on the rules of the road (also available to order on the same website).

Once you get a provisional, go to www.drivingtest.ie/drivingtest so you can book your test. To pass, though, you will probably need lessons.

The Track bike Yamaha YZF-R125: Looks and rides like a proper track took, with a smooth four-stroke engine and fine Brembo brakes. It’s designed for real-sized people, too – it’s bigger than the 600cc version! A great way to learn about maximising corner speed and a snip at €3,500, new. You can even ride this bike at Mondello on a provisional licence if you take a special course with www.bike2bike.ie.

The Sportsbike Kawasaki Ninja 250R: The Ninja is a fabulous way of easing yourself into sportsbike ownership. Fast enough to be serious fun with grown-up handling and a 14,000rpm redline (bikes with restrictors usually have no top end). Well made and good-looking, too, with a comfortable riding position and surprising touring capabilities.

Around €4,200.

Get Your Test

The Commuter Piaggio MP3 125/250: Novel three-wheel design means the MP3 feels incredibly safe, ideal for people sick of the daily commute but fearful of bikes. You lean it into corners so it still rides like a bike. At €5,300 it’s not cheap, either, but on the plus side, there’s heaps of storage and parking’s a doddle.

WINTER 2010 EFM 57

HEALTH | Trainer

LosE THE

-baby WEIgHT

Admit it: you’ve used your partner’s pregnancy as an excuse for piling on the pounds. As well as regular cardio sessions, try these exercises at home, says Declan Leavy

Y

es guys, you read it correctly, this article will furnish you with advice on how to lose the post-baby blubber that may have developed during her gestation period. Okay, so you didn’t actually carry the baby inside you for nine months, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t forsake those thrice-weekly gym sessions in favour of keeping her company and scoffing packets of biscuits in order to make her feel better about doing the same. Let’s face it; if you’re not going to make the most of your gym membership then you’re wasting your time and, more importantly, your money. Some of us love to pound the treadmill for hours, or work up a sweat in the free weights area, and a gym is the perfect place to get motivated and meet like-minded people intent on getting in shape. But for many, the gym simply isn’t for them and there are plenty of exercises and workouts you can do at home that cost little, or nothing at all. Keep it simple and focus on the three main areas of concern: pecs, guns and tums. The rest will fall into place through healthy eating and regular cardiovascular exercise like brisk walking, running and cycling.

chest-perfection Press-ups are a great way to tone and shape the upper body without the need for exercise equipment.

They can be performed anywhere and cover a majority of the upper body musculature, particularly targeting the pectoral muscles and triceps. The pectoral muscles are the chest muscles that stretch across the breast plate, while the triceps are the muscles that run along the back of the upper arm.

The PerfecT Press-UP Lie face-down on a mat with your hands shoulder-width apart 58 EFM WINTER 2010

and about six to eight inches from your body. Keeping your back straight and your hands directly under your shoulders, exhale and lift your body off the floor. Keep your feet together and do not bend your knees. Maintain soft elbows at the top of the movement.

Now inhale and lower your body until your chest is slightly touching the floor. Then repeat the exercise.

Do 10 reps in the beginning until you develop strength and stamina for more. Do not lock your elbows at the top of the movement as this could damage the joint.

a-pack-of-six Every guy desires washboard abs; unfortunately for us Irish men, our love of beer and carb-heavy grub means the elusive six-pack is rarely in sight. You reap what you sow and if you put in the time on abdominal exercises, then the spare tyre will eventually disappear to reveal rock-hard abs. The beauty of situps is that they can be performed anywhere.

The PerfecT siT-UP Lie flat on your back with your legs bent so that your knees are bent 90 degrees. Your feet should

be flat on the floor near your bum, or up on a raised platform like a bench or chair. Do not hold your feet down as this acts to promote other muscle groups such as the hip flexor muscles.

Bring your hands together behind your neck to support your head’s weight.

Never use your neck muscles to perform this exercise as doing so can cause damage. Those new to this exercise should avoid jolting or twisting movements.

Keeping straight is essential.

HEALTH | Trainer

CORBIS

put-on-a-gun-show

Comfortably exhale on the upward movement towards the knees, inhale on the way down. Each curl should be initiated at the shoulders, then the upper back, followed lastly by the lower back region. Raise your torso to a maximum of 45 degrees, hold the highest position for a short moment, and then move downwards to the starting position. Do not let your chin touch your chest; try to maintain a straight spine.

Keep going until you can do no more, take a 30 second break and repeat.

We all have them, but some biceps are more ‘insulated’ than others. The good news is that arm exercises are some of the easiest to do. Bring out the big guns by investing in a set of dumbbells, which can be bought from Argos and most sports stores for a few euro. The most effective exercise for bulging biceps is the concentration curl.

The concenTraTion curl Sit on a bench with

one dumbbell in your hand.

Lean over and rest your elbow on the inside of the knee. Curl the dumbbell upwards until the weights are close to the shoulders.

Pause momentarily at the top, squeezing the bicep, and then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position and repeat.

Don’t just drop the weights back down. Make sure you push yourself by using a heavy weight and increasing the weight as often as possible.

squatter’s-rights

Slowly, and with control, bend your

knees and lower yourself down The squat is one of the “big as far as you can without lifting three” important functional your heels off the floor (as if you’re resistance exercises – the other sitting into a seat) and then, after two being the push-up and a brief pause at the bottom, push deadlift. This exercise works your weight back up until you’re major muscles in the legs, core back at the starting position. Do and back. David Howard and 10 reps, which is considered a Stephen Wade, personal trainers ‘set’ – initially aim for three sets at The Cedar Club at The Ritzand aim to increase this over time Carlton, Powerscourt, advise on as your strength and fitness builds getting the most from your squat: up. Do not perform this exercise The PerfecT squaT if you have any knee, hip or Position your feet With ankle injuries or any other slightly wider then your child: ailments that can cause hip-width apart If you have an infant, discomfort without with your toes hold them out by the first consulting a slightly turned armpits (can be tough on the doctor or fitness out. Hold your shoulders with older infants) professional. hands out in or cradle them. Don’t www.ritzcarlton.com/ front of you at drop the baby! powerscourt. shoulder height.

food-glorious-food As a nation, we love our grub and in the colder months we like nothing more than sitting down to hearty, calorific meals laden with sugar, salt and carbs. A few simple adjustments to meals and snacks can make all the difference in aiding a healthy eating lifestyle and putting you on track to the body beautiful. Here are a few handy hints to get you started.

Replace 300g serving of white rice (425 calories), with 300g of brown rice (390 calories) Replace one tablespoon of mayonnaise (100 calories) with one tablespoon of low-fat mayonnaise (50 calories) or a tablespoon of mustard (15 calories) Replace 300g of roast potatoes (420 calories), with 300g of boiled potatoes (210 calories) Replace two cream crackers (70 calories) with two slices of crackerbread (34 calories) Replace two boring digestive biscuits (172 calories) with two tasty Jaffa cakes (96 calories)

///// Disclaimer This article does not constitute actual medical advice. Always consult your doctor before embarking on a diet and fitness regime. Don’t blame us if you find it all to be one big struggle, no one said the quest to perfection was an easy one. Now step away from the biscuit tin, take your eyes of that bottle of lager, drop and give me 50! /////

WINTER 2010 EFM 59

CRIBS | The Pad

LOFTY

pursuits Restaurateur John Farrell at home ...

By Eoin Lyons

I import wine from Italy and have collected special vintage bottles along the way but this one is a house wine from Dillinger’s.

It’s one of three from a boutique Italian vineyard and we’ve labelled them 1, 2 and 3 as a fun way to differentiate. House wines should be good but priced well because the restaurateur reduces the mark-up to make them accessible. These are all around €20.

60 EFM WINTER 2010

PHOTOGRAPH BY RENATO GHIAZZA

R

estaurateur John Farrell of Dillinger’s in Ranelagh lives in a loft space near O’Connell Street in Dublin that he shares with his wife Jill, whom he married last June in Tuscany. They have done major work to the apartment – ceilings were raised, beams exposed and carpets taken out so that the floors could be painted grey. They have filled it with objects packed with personal history. Farrell is passionate about interiors and his aesthetic has an industrial edge, evident at Dillinger’s – a cool new restaurant, formerly Dylan McGrath’s Mint – as well as his home. His next venture, a restaurant called The Butcher Grill set to open in Ranelagh this month, will have walls tiled by the makers of the original subway tiles in New York and wall lights made by specialist metalworkers.

At Dillinger’s he searched the flea markets of Paris for special pieces.

A move to be nearer his burgeoning empire may be on the cards but in either case Farrell likes to keep things local. “Neighbourhoods rock!” he says. www.dillingers.ie

CRIBS | The Pad Metal and glass wall lights like this prototype will be a fixture at The Butcher Grill. I like it here at home because it fits with the other metal touches we have, and the loft vibe.

This painting by Mark Francis is one that used to hang in Il Primo (Farrell owned the Montague Street Italian restaurant for two years). It took me forever to pay for it, but I love his work. I think it’s important to have art in a restaurant.

Good wine, food and art – combine all three and you can’t go wrong.

My wife is a sculptor and this reclining figure is one of her bronze pieces. I’m her biggest fan, needless to say, and this is a real attention grabber.

Her work is always very dynamic.

These two wooden colonial men are from Cape Town. I was born in Botswana but after my father died there we came home and I grew up in Ballymun. We left for Africa again when I was 12 years old and I returned to Dublin about ten years ago. We have about a half a dozen of these figures dotted around the apartment. They remind me of South Africa.

One of my favourite cookery books is The Silver Spoon, the famous Italian cook book. I’m not a chef, but love to try dishes from this book at home.

The dining table and benches are from Cape Town too. I love their metal trims.

We use cowskin cushions and a Missoni throw to soften the benches but they’re actually very comfortable to sit on and allow us entertain large groups.

We supplement the benches with cool seating like this Zanotta Mezzadro stool.

WINTER 2010 EFM 61

LAST WORD | Christmas

WhAT mEN

really WANT

It’s the middle of November. Tell us now what you really want for Christmas, or risk getting a box set of ... briefs what-you’d-really-like Flying lessons, from €99, at www. giftsdirect.com. Classic Fred Perry bag, €60, at House of Fraser.

Superslim BeoVision 10-32 32-inch television, Bang & Olufsen, €5,200. iPad, €499, at store.apple.com/ie.

Hang the DJ: An Alternative Book of Music Lists edited by Angus Cargill (Faber, £12.99stg).

m

aybe if you men were all a little bit more practical, it’d be easier to get you the perfect present. But somehow we often end up buying the things you need, rather than the things you actually want. We buy the things we wish you were craving. We don’t want to be boring, but you really do need some new sweaters and you’ve had that awful towelling robe since, well, we don’t really want to know, but it’s been far too long – wouldn’t you like this stylish, striped Howick dressing gown (€54)? Or these nice Ted Baker pyjamas (€52)? And the less said about your underwear drawer the better. You might yearn for a new flatscreen TV, but wouldn’t you really prefer the Philips radio alarm clock with a digital photo screen (€49.99)? It’d get you up in the morning, and it can do so while displaying lovely photos of your nearest and dearest.

Even when we’re not buying practical things, we sometimes project our taste on to you. We’ll save up and splash out and get the gorgeous Mulberry shoulder bag (€470) rather than the laidback classic retro Fred Perry one (€60) you really want. If you’re a film buff, we’ll get the Cary Grant box set (€29.99) instead of the Shane Meadows one (€19.99). We love the idea of you zooming around on an elegant, old-fashioned Pashley bicycle (from €649) with a basket full of groceries you’ve just purchased from a farmer’s market (without us having to ask, of course), so we ignore the fact that you might prefer the Felt QX.85 (€799), a lightweight modern bike suitable for off-road rambling as well as commuting.

And unless we’re feeling very noble, we’re never going to get you something that will actively make our lives worse. Yes, we’re sure you’d love those amazing Bose noise-cancelling headphones (from €475), but you can buy them yourself, because we’re not going to voluntarily give you something that will allow you to shut out the madness of noisy family life while we’re run ragged from trying to get the kids to stop hitting each other.

But, you know, we do still love you. We don’t want to get you purely practical things, or stuff we secretly want ourselves. So in the end, we’ll get you something you really do want. We’ll carefully wrap up several volumes of old 2000AD stories like Judge Dredd and Nemesis The Warlock (£13.99stg). We’ll let you fulfill a boyhood fantasy and get you an hour-long flying lesson (€99). We’ll get you that gorgeous Paul Smith leather wallet (€220), with its lining of brightly coloured stripes that are tattooed into the leather so that they’ll never fade. We’ll even get you the new Halo Reach computer game (€49.99), even though we know you’ll stay up playing it until 3am and the noise will drive us mad.

We just might give you a nice pair of pants and a dressing gown as well.

ANNA CAREY

62 EFM WINTER 2010

nice-but-sensible-presentswe-want-to-give-you Gift set of two Calvin Klein briefs, €39, at House of Fraser. Howick dressing gown, €54, at House of Fraser. Everyday Brown Twill Jacket, £99, at boden.co.uk.

Pashley bicycle, from €649, at Eurocycles, South William Street, Dublin 2. The Cary Grant Collection DVD box set, €29.99, at Tower Records, Wicklow Street, Dublin 2.

I ARRIVES SPRING 2011

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