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wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
wicklowvoice NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS! NOW EVERY TWO WEEKS!
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August 21, 2014, t: 01 901 5556/7, e: info@wicklowvoice.ie
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20,000 COPIES
FREE
Unit 8, Radio Centre , Killarney Road, Bray
Top of the class
Probe shows 68% of Wicklow students go on to third-level By Michelle McGlynn
SIXTY-eight per cent of Wicklow students went on to pursue third-level education last year. A study of all the secondary schools in the county conducted by the Wicklow Voice has shown that 955 students who sat their Leaving Cert in 2013 went on to college. St Gerard’s private school in Bray saw 100% of their pupils attending college. This impressive statistic comes with a hefty price tag as this fee paying establishment will cost you €6,800 per child per year. Among the non-fee paying schools in Wicklow, Presentation College Bray leads the pack with 90.2%. The all-boys school is marginally ahead of East
EDUCATION WITH A DIFFERENCE EIGHT PAGES INSIDE 13-20 Glendalough school in Wicklow Town which came in at 90.1% last year. Of the three all-girls schools in the county, 76% of Loreto, Bray students attend thirdlevel compared to Dominican College in Wicklow Town 70% and St Mary’s College in Arklow with 62%. This marks a 14% difference between the number of students from all-boys schools and those graduating from all-girls schools who go on to study at third-level. On the other hand, the boys school which ranks the lowest is Arklow CBS with 40% going
on to attend third-level. St Brendan’s College in Bray, another boys school had 74% of their student continue to thirdlevel. The school that ranked lowest in terms of students attending college was St Killian’s Community School in Bray. Of the 63 St Killian’s students who sat the Leaving Cert in 2013, 38% of them went in to third-level education that year. In West Wicklow, the school that had the highest number of students entering college in 2013 was Blessington Community College with 70%. They were followed closely by Scoil Chlonglais in Baltinglass who had 68%. Finally in the West, was St Kevin’s Community College in Dunlavin with 62%. Continued on page 13
BRIGHT SPARK: Sports fanatic Nicole Evans from Arklow was one of the lucky students across Ireland who got the offer she was hoping for from the CAO. Nicole has been offered a place with Waterford Institute of Technology to study Sports coaching and performance. » Lots more pictures from around the county inside
4 | NEWS news in brief SKY is the limit for county matters WICKLOW County Matters is a half-hour weekly TV programme broadcast every Sunday at 6pm and again on Tuesday at 1pm on Ireland’s first international channel, Irish TV. Producers are looking for Wicklow people with a story to tell for the show which can be seen across Ireland, the UK, and Europe on Sky Channel 191, Freesat 400, Eircom’s eVision, free-to-air boxes and online at Irishtv.ie. If people have an event they would like to see featured on Sky and other platforms contact wicklow@irishtv.ie
Roysch! Ross is on his way PAUL Howard, the man behind Ross O’Carroll Kelly, is coming to Bray. The D4 has-been rugby jock, is the protagonist of 14 books and a weekly column in the Irish Times. Paul will be on stage for an evening at Mermaid Arts Centre on Thursday, September 4 at 8pm. Tickets €10/€8
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
Miriam lends a hand
Pictured with Miriam O’Callaghan launching ‘Gala Up the Hill for Jack & Jill’ are Marek (7) and Alicja (5) Doyle By Michelle McGlynn THE Jack & Jill Foundation recently launched the inaugural Gala Up the Hill for Jack & Jill. The campaign will take place throughout September and is an effort to help fill the €200, 000 funding shortfall facing the children’s charity in 2014. Jack & Jill have supported 36 sick children in Wicklow since 1997. The charity is urging the public to put on their walking
shoes and climb a hill, big or small. If the physical hill is too much to tackle, the ambassadors are calling on people to take on a hill of washing up or ironing or even overcome an emotional hill. People can take part individually or in groups and the location and type of hill is up to you. To register for the event go to www.jackandjill.ie and then drop in to your local Gala stores to pick up a registration pack.
Registration costs €16 and this will go towards funding one whole hour of nursing care for one of the 300 Jack & Jill children with life limiting or life threatening conditions. Founder and CEO of the Foundation, Jonathan Irwin said, “An initiative like this reminds our families that they do not walk alone and they have friends in their community willing to step up and help.” Jack & Jill have supported 36 sick children in Wicklow since 1997.
news in brief
AUGUST EVENTS AT THE HARBOUR BAR THUR 21 EAST COAST JAZZ BAND FRI 22
HALF OF ME
[Dixieland Jazz]
[Rock]
SAT 23 CREATED BY COMETS
[Funk]
SUN 24 LEE MEHAN & HUGH BUCKLEY THUR 28 AMA EMERGING ARTISTS:
SAMPLE ANSWER THE BRIAN MEAKIN BAND
SAT 30 GAVIN GLASS
[Americana]
SUN 31 MARY COUGHLAN
[Jazz Blues]
Wicklow Cancer Support have moved to a new, bigger premises at Unit 2, First Floor, Abbey Street, Wicklow Town. They are a drop-in centre and are happy to explain more about their work and services. Opening hours are as follows: Mon 2pm-5pm, Wed 10am1pm and 2pm-5pm, Fri 10am1pm.
Charity bridge night
CHILDREN OF THE SUN / FRI 29
[Jazz & Soul Duo]
Wicklow Cancer have moved
[Blues]
A CHARITY bridge night will be held in aid of the Niall Mellon Township Trust on September 2 at East Glendalough School, Wicklow Town at 7.30pm. Entry is €10 with all proceeds going to the charity.
Mother hits out at ‘callous’ TV3 over death doc A MOTHER whose son killed a young man before taking his own life has accused TV3 of being ‘callous’ after it showed a documentary about the tragedy. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) says TV3 “did not show due care” to Leonie Fennell in a documentary about the night in 2009 when her son, Shane Clancy, killed Sebastian Creane in Bray, Co Wicklow, before taking his own life. Fennell had brought a complaint against TV3, claiming – among other things – that the producers of “A Search for Justice: Death in Bray” had been “callous and uncaring” in including particularly sensitive footage in the documentary, which aired on 10 March. She also told the BAI that she had been misled about her freedom to withdraw her participation from the programme. The BAI rejected complaints that the documentary had made a correlation between a criminal act and Shane Clancy’s mental health. The decision also concluded that the makers of the documentary did not properly inform Fennell about the contents of the programme, in advance of its broadcast. Fennell had raised particular concerns about CCTV footage of her son in Dunnes Stores and a chip shop on the night of the
murder-suicide, as well as shots of the garden in which he had taken his own life. Fennell had said that that footage of the back garden where her son died was “traumatic for her” as she hadn’t until then actually seen the place where he died. She also alleged that the producers had assured her that this footage would be removed from the programme, which it was not. Fennell said that TV3′s decision to include video of her son Shane in Dunnes Stores, where he bought knives, and in a chip shop, was “a callous, uncaring act,” allowing her and her family to view the last hour of her son’s life on a TV programme for what she describes as the amusement of TV3 viewers. The report did point out, however, that TV3 had shown sensitivity in deliberately avoiding “actor reconstructions with knives and blood” and not using 999 calls or crime scene photographs, despite such features being common in crime documentaries. On 16 August, 2009, university student Shane Clancy murdered 22-year-old Sebastian Creane in Bray Co Wicklow, as well as injuring his ex-girlfriend Jennifer Hennigan and Creane’s brother Dylan, before taking his own life.
1,800 shops nominated
Class act
By Michelle McGlynn
SHANKILL Classical Music Club begins their new season on Wednesday, September 3 and there are sessions on the first Wednesday of every month until June. Sessions take place in the Old Folks Centre on Lower Road, Shankill from 7.45pm-10pm. See www.shankillclassical.org for more.
OVER 1, 800 Wicklow businesses have been nominated in the Irish Times Best Shops in Ireland 2014 competition. Wicklow is well represented in the nationwide competition with a huge range of businesses nominated across all ten categories.
This is a positive sign for the local economy and displays the strong community spirit found in the Garden County. From the list of nearly 28, 000 establishments, a shortlist of 100 will be decided and feature in the Saturday Magazine on August 23. The winners will be announced on September 6 in the same publication.
NEWS |5
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
wicklow people in pictures
Arklow Rowing Club, ready for the finals in the All Ireland Coastal Rowing Championships at the weekend at Lough Courane, Waterville, Co Kerry. Pic: Valerie O’Sullivan
Rob, George (3), Áine (2) and Emer O’Shea out and about in Greystones
Done Luminita and Bridgette Matthews out and about in Mount Usher
Adam Ralph (9), Rebecca Doyle and Scott Ralph (9 months) at Wicklow Swimming Club at the harbour in Wicklow Town
Tommy Hanratty and Ken Hind of Everest Cycles who have reopened their shop beside Lidl in Bray following the recent fire. See their ad on page 31
Smiling with pride are Patrick Bracken and Dave Thomas pictured at the first ever LGBT Arklow pride event. With such a great turnout Patrick says plans are already underway to make next years event even bigger and better. (pic Yvette O Beirne)
6| ADVERTISING
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
NEWS|7
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
Boffins battle beetles
Celebrating Sammy’s birthday
Scientists hope wasp will save Wicklow’s trees IRISH boffins are hoping a pestkilling wasp from New Zealand will wipe out a beetle which is destroying Wicklow forests. The eucalyptus leaf beetle pest is normally found in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia but has now been found in Wicklow after spreading from Cork, Kerry and Wexford. Scientists at Teagasc and University College Dublin are investigating if the enogerra nassaui wasp from New Zealand is safe to release into Ireland to kill off beetle pest which first arrived in Ireland in 2007. The beetle, latin name parop-
news in brief Maximise options A GROUP of unemployed men from the Bray area were recently presented with certificates from the Mandate General Secretary, John Douglas, upon completion of the ‘Maximise Your Options’ programme. The Wicklow Trade Union Centre for the Unemployed
sisterna selmani, poses a significant threat to our commercial foliage, biomass and forestry industries, say researchers. Dorothy Hayden, a Lecturer at the Teagasc College of Amenity Horticulture, National Botanic Gardens, who is currently undertaking a PhD as a Teagasc Walsh Fellow, is investigating the suitability of this egg parasitoid as a bio-control agent for the leaf beetle in Ireland. “Our research is investigating whether it is safe to release the biological control agent into Ireland,” said Dr Hayden. “We are investigating its re-
sponse to Irish weather conditions, its success in attacking the pest species and the extent to which it will only attack the pest species,” she added. The wasp has been used as a biocontrol agent of similar leaf beetles in New Zealand by attacking their eggs. It has been imported into a special quarantine insectary in UCD for further study. “The research will provide the necessary information to fulfil the requirements of a risk assessment required, if a field release application is considered safe,” said Hayden.
“This is the first paropsine leaf beetle to become established in Europe and it was initially discovered damaging foliage crops in Kerry in 2007. It is now commonly found in areas of Cork. “Predictions of the patterns of spread, suggest that it is only a matter of time before it is established throughout the island and this poses a bio-security risk to the UK and mainland Europe.” She said pesticides can be used to take on the colourful beetle but this was found to disrupt the fight against another pest - a sap-sucking psyllid or plant louse.
delivered the programme, which enhances the employability skills of the under-25 age group.
and joins 40 finalists who will now battle it out at the 8th annual Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer Awards on September 12.
make his first appearance at the Harbour Bar, Bray on Saturday, August 30.
Retailer shortlisted Keith Ennis of Applegreen MSA, Wicklow, has made it through to the final of Ireland’s Forecourt & Convenience Retailer Awards (IFCR) 2014. Keith has been shortlisted for Store Manager of the Year
Raise a Glass GAVIN Glass has 3 selfproduced albums under his belt and is about to release his fourth, Sunday Songs. He has grown to be a force to be reckoned with in Ireland’s Americana scene and will
Michaela Kennedy, Ciara Delany, Aoife and Ciara Walsh at the Wicklow Seafood Festival organised by The Fishman to celebrate Sammy The Seal’s birthday on the quay in Wicklow Town
Rathdrum station Residents are outraged after they learned that not only has the proposed upgrade of Rathdrum Rail Station been abandoned but the station may close altogether. The station has been shortlisted along with 30 others for closure.
Keith Symes of Wicklow Rapeseed Oil
8 | ADVERTISING wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
€14.99
NEWS| 9
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
Rural broadband users could face 75% hike in fees
By Michelle McGlynn
THE State-funded National Broadband Scheme (NBS) is set to expire at midnight on August 25 and may result in price hikes of up to 75% in rural areas, according to reports. The scheme was implemented in order to bring broadband to areas where Eircom phone lines were unable to. In April of this year, the Government announced 15 locations in Wicklow who were to benefit from NBS. These locations were: Ackanagap, Ballinglen, Ballyconnell, Ballycoog, Coolboy, Coolkanne, Glencree, Grange Con, Hollywood, Knockananna, Knockanarrigan, Moyne, Rathdangan, Redcross and Stratford. It is unclear how the current situation will affect this plan. At the time of this announcement, Fine Gael TD for Wicklow
and Minister of State, Simon Harris, said, “The Government is committed to investing significantly in our fibre network, to ensure that rural communities are not left behind.” Since 2008, under NBS the State has paid the provider, 3 Ireland, €80m in exchange for bringing broadband services to these ‘broadband blackspots’. At this time there is no contingency in place following the expiry of NBS. The Government has promised to introduce a new National Broadband Plan but this is unlikely to roll out until 2016 as details have not been finalised and it must be submitted to the European Commission. Customers of 3 Ireland recently received letters stating, “The service level agreement including minimum service standards, orders and installation standards, fault restoration times, engineer visits and service rebates
no longer apply.” A spokesperson for 3 Ireland has said that despite running the scheme at a loss they will continue to provide services to areas covered by the scheme. “This will mean virtually no price change for customers who currently don’t use more than 15GB per month. “We are also investing further in our network and will roll out 4G network, bringing high speeds to every part of the country,” she continued. 3 Ireland direct debit customers previously paid €20.32 per month for 40GB, now the same customers will pay €21.99 per month for just 15GB. ESB and Vodafone have announced plans to introduce fibre broadband but the plan does not include rural areas. The situation has left many in rural Ireland questioning whether rural development is a priority for this Government.
10 | OPINION
opinion&comment
We all need to mind our mental health
N
ews of Robin Williams’s untimely death shocked the world. Remembered for both comedic and thought provoking performances it is hard to comprehend how someone so full of energy would want to die. Robin’s life was one of extremes, full of professional highs while personally struggling with internal demons and despair. Though his Hollywood lifestyle seems far from our own ordinary lives, in a way we all ride that rollercoaster. Just living day to day brings many challenges and we all manage the best we can, or the only way we know how but we are rarely shown how to care for our mental health or how to manage our lives in a positive way. Many of us choose to ride the roller coaster and just hold on for dear life hoping it will be OK while others try to control it, but what if from an early age we could develop better ways to the cope with difficulties and bring more balance into our lives. Mental health is usually not considered until it breakdowns, up to then we ignore life’s impact on our emotional health and just push through. In our society it is almost seen as a weakness to express any vulnerability and so each negative experience we have gets hidden. There is always huge media frenzy whenever we learn of another untimely death to suicide and outcry for the government to fix the situation. Though I think this expression of grief and call for change is positive there can be no quick fix with mental health; a steady ongoing response is needed rather than a knee jerk reaction. Just like our physical body’s need frequent exercise to keep us fit, our emotional body needs to be exercised and maintained. We are less likely to incur an injury with a fit body and less likely to have a ‘breakdown’ with a healthy emotional body. Yet we are in a habit of ignoring our emotional body while expecting it to respond well to all situations though we have never trained it to do so. Then when it does breakdown we feel like we have failed somehow and the stigma makes us cover up what is going on and hide away in shame. What makes our body emotionally healthy? Simply paying attention to how we feel and acknowledging it is a start. Slowing down and checking in much like how you would begin a warm up before exercise to see if there are any weak
or sore spots and stretch them out. Monitoring yourself and engaging with how you feel, checking if you need to do something or need to talk to someone. Generally the sooner we express our emotions the less likely they are to have a negative power over us. As a society we are not encouraged to express how we feel or to even know how we feel let alone how to find help if we need it. We need to become more mindful of our mental health, we need to speak about it more and take time to nurture ourselves and each other but this has to be developed at a government level in order for it to have any impact on our society The leaving cert results reminded me of how much our education system is focussed on grades and does little to equip us for our future lives. We are coaxed and trained to pass exams and get a college place but no one guides us to understand how to nurture our mental health so we can feel more empowered to fully engage in our lives. In my experience of working with college students many of them feel lost once they leave school and don’t know what direction to take as there is no one to tell them what to do anymore, our education system has left them powerless and illequipped to deal with the world. I believe personal development should be part of the national curriculum from primary school level so children develop more understanding of their mental health and learn coping strategies. Instead of purely focussing on the economic crisis the government could have more long term positive effect by helping develop a more rounded society, people who care about each other and who have developed coping skills to deal with life’s many ups and downs. Rachel Keogh Psychotherapist & Counsellor Tel: 086 3631195 keoghr@yahoo. ie
‘ROBIN WILLIAMS’S LIFE WAS ONE OF EXTREMES’
“I
THESE TIME LORDS OF LEINSTER HOUSE ARE CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL TO MOVE IRELAND TO CENTRAL EUROPEAN TIME
HAVE YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE ON THIS PAGE, THEN CONTACT US e: info@ wicklowvoice.ie w: www. wicklowvoice.ie
with Rachel Keogh with Michael Wolsey
Too much time on their hands
have always loved that time of year, around late April or early May, when the days begin visibly to lengthen. By the same token, I feel a little downcast in late August when dusk comes creeping in a bit earlier each evening. It’s the first herald of autumn, followed by falling leaves and falling temperatures, leading on to that sorry day in October when the clocks go back an hour. But help is at hand, I see. A group of politicians has plans that would put a halt to this whole time adjustment business. These Time Lords of Leinster House are considering a proposal to move Ireland to Central European time. If it is approved, then, some year soon, clocks will not go back in October but will stay one hour ahead for a three-year trial period. The Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality has been discussing the issue and its chairman, the Cork TD David Stanton, issued a statement outlining some of the benefits: “energy savings; a positive impact on tourism from having an additional hour of daylight; reduction in crime levels; an increase in leisure and sporting activities; and a boost for trade.” Perpetual summer time sounds good. But it won’t make the sun shine or the rain stop and there are drawbacks, I’m afraid. Mr Stanton didn’t mention the drawbacks. In particular, the huge and spectacular downside that the move would put us out of step with the UK, our biggest trading partner, and throw a timezone across our country - one time in Dundalk, another in Newry. So when the good folk of Lifford would knock off work at 5pm, their neighbours a few steps along the road in Strabane, would be coming out of four o’clock meetings and settling down for a further hour of toil. And when the children of Belcoo, in Co Fermanagh, were turning over at seven for another hour’s kip, their cousins just minutes away in Blacklion, Co Cavan, would be up and getting ready for the school bus. Unless of course they go to school in the north. In that case they would be up and twiddling their thumbs because their classrooms would not be open yet. Now you may find this proposal rather odd and think the Oireachtas Timelords should be calling for a sonic screwdriver to fix the screw that’s loose. But there’s always a winner and there could be advantages for some. I can see opportunities for the village of Pettigo which is split in two by the border. It could become the mini-marathon capital of the world, home to the only race that runners can finish earlier than they started.
And punters with different races in mind might dream wishfully of a village where they could back the winner of the 2.30 on the Fermanagh side of the border, having confirmed the result an hour earlier up the street in the Donegal. Good news, too, for Translink and Iarnrod Eireann, joint operators of the cross-border Enterprise express train. If it should be an hour late at Dundalk - not a particularly unusual experience - they can relax in the knowledge it will have made up the time before it reaches Newry. The opportunities for extending licensing hours are endless, or they would be if anyone around the border ever worried about licensing hours in the first place. All this may sound like fun but, in truth, it would be absolute madness to go ahead with this time change unless the British government decided to take the same step. It has been giving the matter some consideration and has even put aside £750,000 for research into the change. But, given the present anti-Europe mood there, and the fact that David Cameron may be faced with a referendum on EU membership, there is virtually no possibility of it happening. And that being so, I can’t understand why a Dail committee- particularly a committee dedicated to justice, defence and equality - is wasting its time discussing the issue. There can hardly be a less pressing matter. That seemed to be the view of the government the last time this idea was raised in a Dail debate. Alan Shatter was a minister then and he suggested that anyone wanting to enjoy longer evenings should try getting out of bed earlier. “I understand it is common practice in Norway and Sweden,” he added caustically. But if you think this matter matters and you’ve time to spare, the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality would like to hear from you. You have until 3pm (Irish time) on Friday September 12 to email comments or suggestions to brightereveningsbill@ oireachtas.ie “Submissions should address that specific matter under consideration, and should not contain any unnecessary or superfluous material that does not relate directly to the subject,” say the committee guidelines. “It is essential that submissions are concise and to the point.” Something like “have youse nothing better to do with your time” might fit the bill.
Michael Wolsey is a former deputy editor of the Irish Independent, and sits on the judging panel for the National Newspaper of Ireland Journalism Awards.
OPINION| 11
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
anyotherbusiness
Have you got a story? Then email thecaptain@wicklowvoice.ie By Captain Louis
Gabriel and the Village people
It’s the story that just won’t go away ... Gabriel Dooley’s accusations surrounding Bray’s Florentine Centre - sold to Bray Town Council for €1.95m in 2013 - have resurfaced in the latest Village magazine under the headline ‘Whistleblower threatens Mulryan’. Gabriel claims that developers Sean Mulryan and bankrupt Sean Dunne ‘manoeuvred’ him out of €4m. While there’s nothing really new in the Village article, it does carry the byline of Frank Connolly whose investigations into Ray Burke contributed to the establishment of the Planning and Payments tribunal and the Morris Tribunal. The Captain is now accepting bets on how many years this will rumble on ...
From buses and bikes to bandwagons With wings like stained glass windows, two flies are silhouetted against the sunset in Arklow recently (Pic Yvette O Beirne)
Do county councillors actually do any work?
T
he local elections in May are well and truly over. The new Municipal Districts have been established. The five Wicklow districts have had their initial meetings. The work begins. Last month, for the first time in 15 years, I was not sitting around the famous council chamber table in Greystones for a monthly meeting. I had stepped down as a public representative and did not run for reelection in May, having served 15 years as a Greystones Town Councillor and five years as a Wicklow County Councillor. I thought of my former colleagues, as well as the newly elected councillors, at their July meeting and wondered how they were doing. I hoped they were settling in well. After all, they were facing big changes. No more town councils and no more town councillors. Those are gone forever to that big count in the sky. Instead, there is now a Municipal District which covers an area similar to the former Local Electoral Areas. No town councillors, but more county councillors, 32 instead of 24, to do the work. Work? What work? What does a Councillor actually do? Most people consider a Councillor as a lesser form of TD. They don’t realise that Local Government can be considered on a par with National Govern-
Kathleen Kelleher ment in terms of importance. The decisions that Councillors take very often have a more immediate impact on your daily life than those taken by TDs. For example, County Councillors are the ones who approve the sale or purchase of our land. Councillors zone land. Not the TDs !! Your Councillors perform a wide variety of functions either through the full Wicklow County Council or through one of the five Municipal Districts. Through these Councils and the Strategic Policy Committees, whose scheme is now open for public consultation, your Councillors are responsible for roads and transportation, sewage, cultural, social and cultural activities, planning and economic development. Councillors decide how many houses can be built, where they can be built and the types of houses that can be built. They organise the roads to the houses. They encourage social development activities. Councillors organise social housing when finances allow.
Under new regulations, Councillors will have the ability to adjust the local property tax. They discuss and approve the county budget. They will initiate the public process for the new County Development Plan this Autumn. Everyone knows that Councillors attend council meetings. They attend meetings at Wicklow County Council in Wicklow Town and also in each of the five Municipal Districts. However, being a Councillor is more than simply attending meetings. The work of the Councillor reaches right to the fabric of the community. Councillors will also serve on Education and Training Boards (formerly VEC) and ETB Boards of School Management. They will be sent to Wicklow Heritage Forum, Wicklow County Tourism, Regional Health Fora, the new Public Participation Network, Joint Policing Committees and more. They will work with the new Local Enterprise Offices. In these external groups, Councillors will partner with local government officials and members of community groups and industry professionals to further the work in their particular sphere of activity. They will aim to hear all the voices, put forward suggestions and policies, and reach a consensus. Councillors are also about and about in their constituencies.
Keep an eye out for them as you are out and about yourself !! Their work is hands on, attending events, supporting local initiatives, responding to enquiries from their constituents, serving on local committees. This part of their work is not behind closed doors. Councillors are out meeting people, watching what is going on, listening, helping, offering suggestions and advice. Councillors are the first rung on the ladder of public representation. If you can’t get to Wicklow Town for the full council meetings, transcripts are now available on the web at www.wicklow.ie. In your Municipal District, you are very welcome to go along to the public gallery of the meetings. It is now 10 years since the abolition of the dual mandate. TDs no longer serve as a Councillor at the same time that they are a TD. But, while TDs continue to have administrative services and office space, Councillors never had such help. Most work out of their homes, take their own telephone calls and do their own secretarial work. After 15 years, my own house is bursting at the seams. As I clear the paperwork and re-visit past events and issues, I also send best wishes to the new Councillors and their forthcoming work. They are public servants and they are here to serve you. Now … I wonder what’s on the Agenda for September ??
It’s hard to keep up with the new Minster of State at the Department of Finance these days ... In our June 12 edition The Captain told how Simon Harris was jumping on his bike for National Bike Week. Now the TD has welcomed the announcement of improved Dublin Bus services for Wickla’ following a meeting held in June between Greystones’ Fine Gael Holy Trinity of Harris and Cllrs Gráinne McLoughlin and Derek Mitchell, and Dublin Bus CEO, Paddy Doherty. Subsequently Dublin Bus has agreed to run more 145 buses during rush hour to ensure that longer distance commuters can get on the 84X. All good news for commuters ... but what next for Simon? Buses, bikes, bandwagons ...
No sign of Nemo in Greystones ...
Former Fianna Fail local election candidate James Doyle has waded into the Greystones Harbour Commercial fishing row, claiming that a Facebook poll suggests 86.76% of the 400 people polled wish to permit commercial fishing, 7.08% don’t, and 6.16% don’t mind. While The Captain salutes James’ endeavours to survey the hoi polloi, he is a little concerned by Facebook’s maths - 86.76% of 400 amounts to 347.04 people, 7.08% to 28.32 and 6.16% to 24.64 respectively! Who are these decimal points and are they registered to vote? Any chance we had of Finding Nemo in Greystones will disappear if the aforementioned Derek Mitchell gets his way saying “we must avoid the stench that comes from fishing boats in and around Wicklow Port.” Meanwhile, the fragrant Gráinne McLoughlin is also preoccupied with the whiff emanating from the area. “No toilet facilities, no dog waste or litter bins ... We cannot expect visitors to come to Greystones and provide them with no facilities,” she thundered at a recent Municipal District Meeting. The Captain always thought Greystones was such a nice place - but he fell for that one hook, line and stinker ...
Brian O’Driscoll hits the bottle
We all know that retirement can leave sports stars a little down after they hang up their boots but hopefully Brian O’Driscoll will steer clear of getting high on his own supply. The former (still doesn’t sound right!) rugby legend has signed up with Glendalough Irish Whiskey to become an investor in the company. Founded in 2011, the distillery will launch its first seven-year-old single malt this month. Barry Gallagher, MD of Glendalough, said the company had been working hard developing a craft spirits portfolio. “Brian’s involvement ... reflects the scale of our ambitions,” he enthused. Well that’s the Christmas presents sorted for Brian and his former team mates ... and don’t forget your Captain, Drico ...
What’s taking so long?
We all waved goodbye to a host of town and county councillors in May following the local elections safe in the knowledge that the recently departed Wickla’ representatives would share in a cool €21m national parachute payment pot. The Irish Times reported recently who got what around the country except for nine councils, including Wickla’. The Old Lady of D’Olier Street nobly informed us that “A further nine councils ... Wicklow County Councils (sic) – are still collating the relevant information.” What’s taking so long? Surely there’s an abacus somewhere in the council offices ...
12 | NEWS news in brief Lugnaquilla climb challenge Climb Lugnaquilla, Leinster’s highest mountain and raise money for Bray Cancer Support Centre. All participants must register in advance at www. braycancersupport.ie
Kilsaran open Ballinclare
Kilsaran International have taken over operations of the Ballinclare quarry in Kilbride. The quarry is now fully functioning again, open for all deliveries and collections, serving the entire south east. The site had been closed since 2012 and news that Kilsaran have taken over is welcome.
Bug walk in Powerscourt
Dale Treadwell will be taking children on a guided nature trail and bio blitz of Powerscourt Gardens where they will hunt for insects. Children will learns about bugs and where they live and there will be Eco games. The walk takes place on Sunday, August 24 at 2pm.
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
Over 100 events taking place for Heritage Week By Michelle McGlynn
NATIONAL Heritage Week 2014 is taking place from Saturday, August 23 until Sunday, August 31. To celebrate there are over 100 events taking place in 50 different venues across Wicklow, the majority of which are free of charge. This year is the UN 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family and in honour of this the theme of Heritage Week 2014 is Family...generations exploring heritage together. Noel Keyes, Chairman of the Wicklow Heritage Forum, commented, “With over 400, 000 people expected to participate in Heritage events nationally, the week offers a great opportunity to benefit local economies and highlight the amazing landscape, history and visitor attractions of Wicklow. “A huge credit is due to all the individuals and communities who have organised events to showcase their local heritage.”
Rici Shortall, Poppy-Bella Shortall (11 months) and Aideen Shortall at Shoreline Greystones The variety of events planned there will be something to interest everyone. Of special interest this year will be the official launch in Tinahely of Our Wicklow Heritage, the online community heritage archive for the county on Sunday, August 24 at 7pm. Our Wicklow Heritage now
has several hundred photos, stories and articles about people and places in Wicklow. The launch is accompanied by the debut screening of Preban: The story of a Wicklow graveyard, a short film charting the conservation, recording and archaeological investigations at this local historic site.
Wicklow Gaol in Wicklow Town are offering discounted entry on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, or a free guided tour as part of your ticket to Mount Usher Gardens on Wednesday. During the centenary of World War I learn more about the impact it had on Wicklow at talks by John Goodman in
Greystones library, in Wicklow Parish church or at a guided walk at Kilmacurragh. Wicklow Parish church, Wicklow Town will host a jazz concert at sunset on Thursday, August 28 at 8pm. Enjoy a rock pool ramble above Cove Beach in Greystones on Friday, August 29 at 9am. Do some whale watching at Bray Head on Sunday, August 24 at 2pm. “No matter where you are in Wicklow there will be an event happening near you. “The biggest dilemma will be deciding which ones to attend,” says Deirdre Burns, Heritage Officer with Wicklow County Council. To help you to make these difficult decisions, The Heritage Office has produced a free pocket sized event guide which is available to pick up in tourist offices and libraries. You can log on to www. heritageweek.ie for more information.
EDUCATION | 13
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
EDUCATION INSIDE:
WITH A DIFFERENCE ...
YOUR EIGHT PAGE GUIDE
UCD tops Wicklow list as 200 students head up N11 By Michelle McGlynn
A STUDY conducted by the Wicklow Voice has revealed that UCD is the most popular college with Wicklow students. In 2013, 21% of students from the county chose to attend nearby UCD. UCD is easily accessible for Wicklow students either by car or public transport. Loreto Secondary School in Bray sent the most students last year with 31 students choosing to continue their education in Belfield. They were followed by Presentation College also based in Bray with 24. Commuting from Bray to UCD is simple with the frequent 145 bus service going from Kilmacanogue through Main Street and stopping at Belfield. Arklow CBS and Arklow Community College were the only schools who failed to send any students to UCD. The majority of students from the two Arklow schools favoured Waterford IT. DIT was the only college to come close to the numbers enrolling in UCD, with 19% of Leaving Cert students studying in DIT. Combined these col-
SCHOOL TABLES PAGES 16-17
leges account for 40% of students who graduated secondary school in Wicklow. The remaining 60% are spread out across the country, although there are strong numbers for colleges where students can commute. This is likely due to the expense of renting in many counties. This September students will find rents raised by up to €90 in some areas. Trinity College, Dublin came in third at 8% along with Waterford IT and Carlow IT. This marks a 13% difference between these three colleges and the top choice, UCD. Five universities placed in the top 10 most popular choices for Wicklow graduates. Three of the five universities featured are based in Dublin as DCU joins UCD and Trinity College with 5%. NUI Maynooth is in the bottom two on the list with 3% of Leaving Cert students attending in 2013. NUI Galway, the furthest away of the ten, en-
rolled 4% of Wicklow students last year. The Institute of Art, Design and Technology Dun Laoghaire placed ninth despite its close proximity to the county. IADT specialises in Art and the Humanities and is home to the National Film School. Meanwhile the National College of Art and Design polled at under 1% in 2013. The IT Tallaght rounds out the top ten alongside Maynooth with 3%. The National College of Ireland in Dublin was not far behind with 2%. Wicklow Town produced two medical students, coming from Dominican College and East Glendalough School. The only other medical student last year came from St. Thomas’ Community College in Bray. Not counting those who may be studying in Maynooth, 14 students pursued a career in primary education with St Patrick’s proving the most popular with 12 students enrolling. The other two colleges offering courses in primary teaching were Marino and Church of Ireland College of Education. These two colleges were the least popular with Wicklow students in 2013.
68% of pupils go to third-level Continued from page 1
There was a 19% difference between Wicklow’s two Gaelscoileanna. Coláiste Raithín in Bray had 84% of their pupils pursue third-level education while Gaelcholáiste Na Mara in Arklow had 65%. St David’s secondary school is currently the only postprimary school in Greystones as Temple Carrig is set to open its doors for the first time this September. St David’s saw 67% of their graduates begin college in
2013. Towns which have only one secondary school appear to fare well in comparison with other towns. For example, Avondale Community College in Rathdrum had 52%, Coláiste Bhríde in Carnew had 64% and Coláiste Chraobh Abhann in Kilcoole had 72%. The amalgamation of De La Salle College and Abbey Community College led to the establishment of Coláiste Chill Mhantain, Wicklow Town in 2011. The recently established school appears to be doing
reasonably well as 60% of their students continued on to college. St. Thomas’ Community College, which is being phased out ahead of its closure, had 67% of their pupils attend college in 2013. Finally, Arklow Community College was among the bottom three with 57% of their students enrolling in college in 2013. These figures relate only to students who began thirdlevel education in Autumn of 2013 and does not include PLC courses.
Why not take the PLC route? The PLC/ further education sector offers a wide variety of courses, which can be taken over one or two years, depending on your choice. These qualifications lead to level 5 and level 6 FETAC awards. They are excellent qualifications that students
can use to entry the world of work or to gain entry to universities and Institutes of Technology. While these colleges have been accepting applicants since January and some of the more popular courses may be filled there will be a
number of places available at this time. Applicants who are interested in applying for a PLC at this time should contact their local PLC college to enquire about availability and dates of interviews.
14 | EDUCATION
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
EDUCATION| 15
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
SALLYNOGGIN COLLEGE of FURTHER EDUCATION WHETHER YOU ARE A SCHOOL-LEAVER OR ARE THINKING ABOUT RETURNING TO EDUCATION WE OFFER UP-TO-DATE INDUSTRY-RELATED QUALIFICATIONS
“The course in SCFE gave me an excellent foundation and knowledge of the industry. Afterwards, I went straight into employment”
Gosia “My time at SCFE Sallynoggin College gave me the confidence and skills to continue my studies and to achieve my degree at University”
Lisa Elaine Cosgrave celebrates her Leaving Certificate results with her mother Helen at St Mary’s College, Arklow
Don’t worry, there are many routes to success BRAY INSTITUTE OF FURTHER EDUCATION Novara Road, Bray, 01 2829668, www.bife.ie BRAY Institute of Further Education proves that the CAO is not the final word when it comes to further education. Further Education offers a learner the opportunity to obtain advanced entry into honours degree programmes, both in Ireland and abroad. Over the past few years, graduates of Bray Institute have achieved honours degrees in Graphic Design, Fashion Design, TV & Film (Moving Image), Performing Arts Theatre, Fine Arts, Psychology, Health & Social Care, Music Production and Construction. This year, the Institute has launched a number of new courses at Level 5 & 6 including Science - Pre-University, Arts Administration and Outdoor Sports and Recreation. Prospective students and parents are invited to an open day on Friday, August 29 from 10am until 4pm. SALLYNOGGIN COLLEGE OF FURTHER EDUCATION Pearse Street, Sallynoggin, 01 2852997, www.scfe.ie Sallynoggin College of Further Education is a recognised centre of excellence in the provision of further education and training (PLC) courses for school-leavers and mature students. The courses offered cover a range of areas including
Creative Studies, Dance and Performing Arts, Hairdressing and Beauty, Sports, Leisure and Fitness, Childcare, Social Studies and Youth Work as well as Travel and Tourism. On completion of a course at SCFE, learners are prepared to enter directly into employment or they may choose to use their QQI/ FETAC results to enable them to apply for progression to third level colleges in Ireland or abroad. Application to courses is open to all regardless of age, experience or previous educational attainment.
STILLORGAN COLLEGE OF FURTHER EDUCATION Old Dublin Road, Stillorgan, 01 2880704, www.stillorgancollege.ie Stillorgan College of Further Education has been a specialist centre for Post Leaving Certificate courses since 1986. During this time it has developed an enviable reputation for its delivery of Further Education and Adult Education programmes. The college offers courses in areas such as Multimedia, Animation, Travel and Tourism, Journalism, Media Production, Art, Photography, Business & Computer Skills and Computer Applications. This year the college is launching a Level 5 course in Animation. All courses are accredited by FETAC and offer a direct pathway to universities and Institutes of Technology. Mature
Just apply online and come in for an interview. We are here to help you reach the decision which is right for you.”
PUZZLED?
students are welcome .
ONE 2 ONE MENTORING 01 2829250, www.one2onementor.ie Tony Bellew has received very positive feedback from all people he has mentored. “Tony really gets to know each individual student and understands their needs, a parent of a Leaving Certificate student recently commented. Triona, a successful candidate for position of principal in a primary school in July 2014 commented, “Tony is highly professional and knowledgeable in the field of mentoring people in preparation for interviews.” NATIONAL LEARNING NETWORK Beechwood Close, Boghall Road, Bray, 01 2829643, www. nln.ie When Mary’s depression was under control, she wanted to go back to work but her confidence was extremely low. When Peter lost his job as a lorry driver because of a work accident, he didn’t sit back and feel sorry for himself. National Learning Network provided the extra support and training to help them get back to work. National Learning Network provides training and support to people who, for a variety of reasons, may find it difficult to get work. The free courses are designed for those who are at the start of their work life or those who need to retrain. All ages are catered for, from 16 to 65.
find your solution at… SALLYNOGGIN COLLEGE of FURTHER EDUCATION
Photo: Margaret Brown
By Michelle McGlynn
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Tel: 01-2852997 Fax: 01-2848437 Email: reception@scfe.ie Website: www.scfe.ie
• Social Studies • Advanced Social Studies • Fashion Design • Fashion Industry Practice • Art Craft & Design Portfolio Preparation • Childcare Studies • Childcare Management • Travel & Tourism Industry Training • Advanced Travel & Tourism Industry Training Hairdressing & Beauty Specialist • Leisure Management & Fitness Instructor • Dance • Photography • Personal Training & Sports Massage Therapy Performing Arts/Theatre, Film & TV Studies • Commercial Floristry • Youth Work
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16 | EDUCATION
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
Parents Wicklow schools spend €428 per month on costs By Michelle McGlynn
PARENTS are paying €428 on average per month to support their children during their studies. A recent study undertaken by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) showed that 51% of students work an average of 19 hours per week while studying. The ILCU study revealed that 72% of family budgets have been adversely affected by the registration fees. It stated that 79% of parents are financially supporting at least one child while they further their education and this support accounts for approximately €428 per month. Unsurprisingly, 64% of parents are struggling to cover the costs associated with third-level education. Parents have begun saving money to put their children through college before they even begin secondary school with most saving for eight years. Financial institutions such as banks and credit unions often offer lower rate loans to for both parents and students for the purpose of third-level education. Bernie Robinson, Manager at Bray Credit Union, told the Wicklow Voice, “Back to school can be a very expensive and stressful time for parents. “The staff and board of directors of Bray Credit Union Limited are cognisant of the monetary demands placed on individuals at this challenging time. “Bray Credit Union Limited is open for business and is lending. “We have recently launched eight new loan products incorporating reduced interest rates to meet the needs of our members through the various milestones they encounter.
“Terms and conditions apply and our friendly staff are more than happy to give information to our members and to our future members,” she added. Heading off to college can be daunting for a number of reasons, the least of which is the financial pressure that comes with third-level education. Registration fees have risen, public transport fares are increasing with every year and for those living away from home rent has skyrocketed. In addition to rent, students living in rented accommodation will soon have water charges to pile on top of existing bills. The financial burden can be hard to cope with when there are academic worries to deal with. Many students find that they need to work during the year to alleviate the financial pressure. Students are stretching themselves trying to balance study, work and their social life. It is education that often suffers in this instance. Working outside of college detracts from study and results in students being too tired to study and absorb information efficiently. Neglecting the social aspect of college life is not ideal either. It helps to reduce stress and the social life is a large part of the college experience. The student grant can provide welcome assistance to those struggling financially. The Student Assistance Fund is available at all publicly funded third level institutions, to students who are facing financial hardship during their time in college. The Fund for Students with Disabilities is available for students who need additional financial support while attending college.
Children of farmers three times mo We all know that Wicklow is a county divided by townies and culchies and it now appears that farmers’ children are three times more likely to attend third-level institutions. They have a better chance of finding themselves in university or other third-level institutions than even the children of professionals such as lawyers, according to a new report by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The report is in preparation for a new national strategy,
focused on boosting third-level enrolments among groups that are under-represented in college, such as mature students and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. For the first time, targets will be set for increased participation by Travellers in third-level education. Despite their proximity to leading universities, there may be some surprise that Dubliners are less likely to go to college than their country cousins. According to figures in the
HEA report, overall, 47pc of 18-20-year-olds in Dublin attend third-level, below the national average of 51pc. According to the report, Wicklow is above the national average with 53% going on to third-level. This figures is at odds with the Wicklow Voice’s findings in the graphic above that shows 68% of Garden County students attended third-level. The HEA study uses the 18-20 popultion as a whole, including those who left school before doing the Leaving, while our
figures apply to Leaving Cert students only. The report offers an at-aglance guide to who goes to college – both by county and by Dublin postcodes. It shows that virtually every 18- to 20-year-old living in affluent Dublin 6 is in higher education. The 99pc college attendance rate in places like Rathgar and Dartry is the highest in the country. Increasing demand from employers for third-level qualifications, coupled with
EDUCATION| 17
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
in numbers
Student rents rocket by 15pc Rents across Dublin have risen by 15% in the last 12 months and 26% since 2011, meaning many students arriving in the capital are struggling to find accommodation due to a severe shortage of affordable housing. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) is reminding students there is now authoritative information available on the actual level of rents for different types of accommodation adjacent to all Universities, ITs and other Third Level colleges. By logging on to www.prtb. ie, prospective renters can establish the monthly rent being paid, for example, for a two-
ore likely to attend college a lack of jobs for schoolleavers, means there has been a significant rise in college enrolments. Nationally, the proportion of 18-20-year-olds in college has risen from 44pc to 52pc in the past five years. Counties sending the highest proportion of school-leavers (60pc) to college are Galway, Mayo and Leitrim, compared with 41pc in Donegal, the lowest. In Dublin, the HEA data shows a glaring social divide when it comes to going on to third-level.
In contrast to the 99pc of 18-20 year-olds from affluent Dublin 6 at college, only 15pc of school-leavers living in Dublin 17, which includes areas of significant social disadvantage, such Clonshaugh, are there with them. Other Dublin suburbs with very high third-level participation rates are Dublin 4, Dublin 6W, including Terenure (82pc), and Dublin 16 (79pc). At the other end of the scale, areas such as Dublin 10, which includes Ballyfermot, has a 16pc participation rate, the
second lowest after Dublin 17, on the northside. When looked at by family background, after farmers, children of the selfemployed are the next most likely to attend college, followed by the higher professional classes. The socio-economic groups with a participation rate below the 52pc national average are the families of manual skilled workers, non-manual workers and lowest of all at 26pc, children of semi-skilled, unskilled and agricultural workers.
bed apartment in Rathmines (€1,194.43), while a three-bed semi in Clonskeagh is renting for €1,642.03. Outside Dublin, rent levels are not as high; a three-bed semi in Maynooth is typically costing €976.94 per month to rent, while a three-bed house in Athlone is costing €596.89. A two-bed apartment close to Tralee Institute of Technology will cost €526.05, while the rent for a similar apartment in Galway city averages €759.53. In Limerick a two-bed apartment is renting for €579.46 per month. Figures released this month reveal that in Dublin rental
prices have jumped by 15% in the past 12 months, with a yearon-year increase of 17.2% in the city centre. Only 2,000 properties were available for rent in Dublin on August 1. The price of rent in Dublin’s commuter counties has also risen by 10%, according to the research by Daft.ie. In Maynooth, a single room costs €314, a double room €387 and a two-bedroom home is €951. In Cork city a single room will cost students €277, up 4 per cent, a double room costs €345 (a 4 per cent increase) and a two-bedroom home is €829. Prices were found to be similar in Galway.
18 | EDUCATION
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EDUCATION| 19
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THERE’S LOTS TO DO THIS AUTUMN By Michelle McGlynn BARBARA DONNELLY SCHOOL OF DANCE Swann Hall, St. Patrick’s Church, Church Road, Greystones, 01 2829817 THE Barbara Donnelly School of Dance, Greystones is a professionally run dance school for students of all ages. They hold classes in Classical Ballet, Modern Theatre Dance and Jazz. Each student is taught personally by Barbara Donnelly TCRAD RTS. Barbara is a Registered Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. Every second year Barbara produces a show which is held in the Mermaid Arts Theatre, Bray to give her students the opportunity to take to the stage and demonstrate their skills. Through dance, students learn co-ordination, discipline and fitness, though most of all, the sheer joy of dance itself. The students work towards Royal Academy of Dance Exams. GREYSTONES SCHOOL OF TAE KWON-DO Kilian Family Centre, Holy Rosary Church, Greystones, 087 2547347 Instructor Ken Wheatley has been teaching the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon-Do in Greystones for more than 30 years. Currently he holds the rank of Seventh Degree Blackbelt which titles him as Master,
is an International Instructor and Referee and was recently awarded a level three coaching accreditation from the Irish Sports Council. With ten classes per week of which senior classes are held two evenings a week and junior classes, the ITF Kids Development Program for late 3s to 8 year olds, also twice a week. Anyone interested in trying out Tae KwonDo is invited to attend a beginners class free of charge. PENSTON VOCAL ACADEMY Studio 55, Main Street, Arklow, 086 8115682 The Penston Vocal Academy is Arklow’s leading school of song. They are currently enrolling with the new term commencing Wednesday, September 10. Find your voice and learn to sing in a fun, friendly and challenging environment. Under the direction of renowned singer and vocal coach, Naoimh Penston, this school of vocal excellence provides fun, challenging training and unique and exciting performance opportunities for the voices of the future. The Penston Vocal Academy is dedicated to confidence-building, friendship making, developing every voice to its potential and nurturing the innate love of singing which we all possess.
20 | ADVERTISING
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
ADVERTISING | 21
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
A NEW BED FROM MICK, WILL DO THE TRICK! OPEN AY
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22 | LIFESTYLE
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
my favourite things Tracksuit bottoms, Penneys, €10
WHAT’S HOT
with Michelle McGlynn info@wicklowvoice.ie
Tshirt, €10, trousers, €15, both Heatons
Shoes, F&F, Tesco, €17
Shoes, Office, €79.99 Jacket, Marks & Spencers, €163 Earrings, Topshop, €18.50
Top, Penneys, €8
F&F, Tesco, €18
Hairband, Penneys, €4
Shoes, New Look, €32 Maine tshirt, Debenhams, €24 Bag, Cath Kidston, €54
LIFESTYLE| 23
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
recipes PEA AND MINT SOUP
INGREDIENTS
• • • • • • •
1 KG frozen peas 1 onion sliced 50 grams thyme 1litre vegetable stock 50 grams bunch mint Sugar to taste Thinly sliced parma ham
PREPARATION
•
Sweat the onions in a little
• • •
butter with thyme until they are soft. Add the green peas & boiling stock. Cook until tender, blend with mint and pass through a fine sieve. Cool directly on ice, finish with knob of crème fraiche, and then thinly sliced parma ham
Peter Byrne
Head Chef at Sika Restaurant in The Powerscourt Hotel wine choice Tesco Finest Tingleup Riesling €13.99 The grapes are machine harvested before slow fermentation at cool temperatures to preserve the varietal fruit characters. It undergoes no oak treatment and is released early to retain its youthful crisp, fresh flavours. The Great Southern is one of Australia’s coolest regions exposed to Antarctic air, allowing the fruit to develop fine citrus and mineral flavours that Great Southern Riesling is famous for.
Another world on our doorstep Wildlife
with Justin Ivory
(info@wicklowvoice.ie) ECNR or East Coast Nature Reserve to give it its full title, is the flagship reserve of BirdWatch Ireland and is based right here in Co Wicklow. This relatively little known gem of a location is located in an area known as Blackditch between Six Mile Point (Newcastle) and Five Mile Point. The entrance can be found on the RHS about one kilometre down the Sea Road (just after the entrance to Newcastle Aerodrome). The reserve is a fantastic
mosaic of reedbeds, wet grassland, wet woodland and fen. A fen is an extremely rare and protected type of bogland. As plants and trees died and fell to the bottom of the lake, due to the lack of oxygen they did not fully decompose but formed calcium rich peat. At this time of year as you walk through sections of the reserve surrounded by head high sedges and reeds and with thousands of years of peat below your feet, you can almost feel you have been thrown back to primeval times! Even the Grey Herons that fly overhead seem almost Pterodactyl like. Under the careful
management of BirdWatch Ireland the reserve has thrived and is not just a fantastic refuge for birds but for all biodiversity. From Kingfishers to Marsh Harriers, Otters, Newts, Frogs, Bats, Lizards, Butterflies and Dragonflies, it has it all. There are different well marked walks that you can follow, as well as three hides if you wish to sit quietly for a while. Just a gentle reminder – bicycles and dogs (except guide dogs) are not allowed. Post your photos and comments to the East Coast Nature Reserve Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ eastcoastnaturereserve
24 | BRAY PROFILE
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF BRAY By Michelle McGlynn KIDD INSURANCES 40 Main Street, Bray, 01 2829730 KIDD Insurances are based on the Main Street in Bray (directly opposite the Specsavers store), they are part of the Alan B. Kidd group and are on course to celebrate 100 years in business in 2019. Their priority is to make sure your policy operates when you need it - when you have a claim. They employ local staff with the Bray team headed up by Stephen Tully who has over 20 year’s experience in the insurance industry. Kidd Insurances can provide solutions to all your Insurance needs at very competitive prices, please give us a call or drop in today for a free consultation with one our team.
JD’S WOODHOUSE BBQ The Village Gate Arcade, Bray, 01 2022001 Tu-Sa 6pm-11pm, Su 1pm-8pm JD’s Woodhouse BBQ is a sensational oakwood bistro located in the heart of Bray. They specialise in BBQ meats with a unique wood flamed flavour. Try their pit smoked pulled pork and you will have tasted something truly delicious. Or you can go with some classics like a full slab of ribs, BBQ chicken or their mouthwatering burgers. If you can’t choose then there’s always the meat combo offer, any three meats and two sides for just €20. If that wasn’t enough, you can now enjoy JD’s BBQ in your own home as they have begun offering take away and home delivery.
MT EVEREST OF KATHMANDU 51 Main Street, Bray, 272 3331 M-Sa 5-11pm; F 12:30-2-30pm; Su 1-9pm
Pampered pooches are top dogs
Mount Everest of Kathmandu specialises in Himalayan cuisine with dishes from India, Nepal and Tibet. The modern interior is the ideal setting for a casual lunch or a romantic meal with a lovely view of the Wicklow Mountains. They use only natural, authentic and fresh ingredients that provides a fresh and healthy approach to dining out. Celiac and glutenfree meals can be provided. There is an extensive range of tantilising dishes to choose from and a range of wines and beers. The flavours of the dishes are skillfully combined and the balance is perfect. Portions are generous and great value. HOLLAND’S OF BRAY Main Street, Bray, (01) 286 2448 M-Th 11.30am-11.30pm, F-Sa 11.30am-12.30am, Su 12pm-11pm
Why use Kidd Insurances? We have been transacting Insurance since 1919 and we do it without cutting corners. We are a local team and part of one of the largest independent insurance brokers in the country. We deal with in excess of 20 insurers to get you a quality product at the best value. Our team are nice to deal with and will answer your questions and offer you professional advice.
Stephen Tully ACII
Our Bray Tea m
!
Kidd Insurances, 40 Main Street (opposite Specsavers), Bray Tel: 01 286 1620, Fax: 01 286 6087, Mob: 086 383 0745, Email: info@kidds.ie Web: www.kidds.ie
Holland’s is the ideal venue to enjoy a mix of traditional atmosphere with friendly, Homely service and right up to the minute products. If you haven’t had a meal in Holland’s before, you’re in for treat. All our ingredients are natural & organic and locally sourced. That means no artificial flavours, colours, sweeteners, preservatives or heart-clogging trans fats. Head Chef, Simon Boland, cares about every process involved before it gets to your plate. The charm and style of this local bar is what makes it such a popular spot. Local customers always extend a warm welcome to visitors, helping to create a unique experience for anyone stopping in.
Kim Gray looks after Olly at Bray Dog Grooming and Daycare in Kilmantain Park, Bray
NEWS| 25
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
Wicklow towns are cleaner than European average By Michelle McGlynn
THE Irish Businesses Against Litter (IBAL) have released their annual litter league which states that Arklow is cleaner than the European average. Arklow is one of 18 towns to have earned this rating in 2014 and entered the league with the highest rating possible and just missed out on the top ten, ranking 11th overall. In recent years, Bray has been the focus for the IBAL survey but has been removed from the list this year as the organiser rotate the towns in different counties. Wicklow Town was similarly removed - its last ranking was moderately littered in 2012, an improvement from litter blackspot it received in 2009. Bray improved its rating over the years it was surveyed and last year accomplished the task of moving from clean to European standard to cleaner
than European standards and was the main reason for its removal this year. Arklow have entered the league with the highest rating possible and just missed out on the top ten, ranking 11th overall. That both Arklow and Bray can now state that they are cleaner than the average European town is wonderful for the Garden County as a whole. This positive news is a result of the hard work by the people of Arklow who take pride in their town and make an effort to keep it clean. Arklow Tidy Town are among those who took steps to achieve this high standard and deserve recognition. Those involved in Arklow Tidy Town are not content to rest on their laurels. They already have their sights set on the top spot which Kilkenny has held for the past three years. Conor Horgan of IBAL recog-
nises the importance of groups such as Arklow Tidy Town saying, “A single tidy towns committee can make an enormous difference to the cleanliness of any given town. “It’s not just the physical work these groups carry out, it’s the sense of responsibilty they create, which rubs off on the whole community. “If people see their neighbours picking up litter, they are less likely to litter themselves,” Horgan concluded. Alongside the need for councils to set up such local groups, IBAL is calling on the Government to show similar initiative by involving businesses through a nationally coordinated Adopt A Road scheme. This survey has revealed that there is a growing urban-rural divide. While towns such as Bray and Arklow continue to get cleaner, Ireland’s main cities remain littered.
26 | SERVICES
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
classifieds
BUYING? SELLING? CONTACT ONE OF OUR TEAM TODAY
e: info@wicklowvoice.ie w: www.wicklowvoice.ie
BUYING? SELLING? CONTACT ONE OF OUR TEAM TODAY e: info@ wicklowvoice.ie w: www. wicklowvoice.ie t: 01 901 5556
PROPERTY| 27
August 21 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE Homes
with Clodagh Doyle (info@wicklowvoice.ie)
Muhammad Ali clowns around with some gardai outside the Kilternan Hotel near Enniskerry in 1972, see story to the right
AS the saying goes “a place for everything and everything in its place” makes perfect sense unless of course you are not particularly organised or feel you lack the space to do so. Storage space can be an ongoing challenge for most homes these days. Without adequate storage a home can easily become untidy, dysfunctional and unorganised, which can have a negative impact on those living there. Having too much of anything or not using your existing storage space effectively will cause problems. Overtime as our needs evolve, we need our homes to work for us and to suit our current lifestyle. To begin with you must scale down with a major de-cluttering exercise as there is little point in creating new storage space to house
stuff you no longer want, use or intend using. With fresh eyes, taking one room at a time, try to find clever storage solutions that will maximise this space, adequately store what you need it to store and that will look great in the process. Taking measurements of the available space and what you need to store will be vital when you consider possible solutions. Before you think of taking that daunting round trip to Ikea, consider some of these storage solutions; • Create storage within storage, by maximising the space within your existing storage for example extra shelving in your wardrobes, hot press or kitchen cabinets. • Flooring your attic will create immediate
inexpensive storage space. • With a vast array of skilled Wicklow cabinet makers, some customised units to suit your specific requirements will look fantastic spray painted in the colour of your choice. • Consider furniture that doubles up as storage for example a coffee table or bay window seat with storage space beneath. • Maximising your wall space alcoves by erecting suitable shelving. • With plenty of sealable storage products to keep item dust free, avail of all under bed and over wardrobe space. • On trend vintage suitcases stacked in a bedroom provide extra storage and will look fab.
• Maximise your under stairs storage by checking out local Wicklow company Smart Storage www.smartstorage.ie. • Altering the direction of door openings can free up valuable space and large decorative door hooks will look great. • The same process should apply to your garage, shed or utility as by placing as much as possible on the walls will result in freeing up valuable floor space. Unfortunately, the easiest part of this entire process is creating “a place for everything” but the real challenge begins when you try to enforce it - getting everyone in your home to keep “everything in its place” – good luck with this aspect! Selling? Letting? Moving? Improving? Let the Professional House Doctors take care of it! Get in touch on 086 8159531, 01 2548070 or e-mail us at info@placelift.ie
Kilternan sold for knockdown €7m By Michelle McGlynn
THE Kilternan Hotel & Country Club, located in South Dublin near Enniskerry, has sold at a 96% discount. The partially built hotel was sold to the Comer Group for €7m. Although based in South Co Dublin, this is great news for the North Wicklow area as the establishment previously provided numerous jobs around Enniskerry and is likely to do so again when building recommences and again when it reopens. It is estimated that the project will require another €20m to complete. The majority of this will be spent on completing the 78 bedroom aparthotel and the 128 bedroom hotel. The hotel will house a spa, a banqueting hall, lounge and service facilities along with a large health centre built around a four-court indoor tennis centre. However, it is unlikely that the golf course will be retained as there are already several successful courses nearby. The grounds of the Kilternan
Hotel is home to Ireland’s first artificial ski slope and the Ski Club of Ireland still operates from there today. The hotel had been owned by hotelier Hugh O’Regan when it went into receivership in 2009. This is not the first time this particular hotel has found itself in financial difficulty. In fact, the hotel has gone bust four times since it first opened in the 1970s as Opperman’s Country Club. In 1972, the hotel welcomed their most famous guest, Mohammad Ali, who was here for a showcase fight in Croke Park. Ali captivated the nation while he was in the country and even joined then Taoiseach Jack Lynch in Dail Eireann for lunch. There was no rest for the legendary boxer who trained daily and jogged around Enniskerry. He met the locals and even stopped for a cup of tea when one Enniskerry woman invited him in as he jogged by. Ali was not the only famous face to grace Kilternan with Sean Connery and Paul Newman frequenting over the years.
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with Michelle McGlynn info@wicklowvoice.ie
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014
THEATRE of the fortnight KILMANT PLAYERS WITH LOOSE CANNONS Wicklow’s Historic Gaol, Wicklow Town, Sat. August 30, 8pm Kilmant Players in association with Wicklow’s Historic Gaol invite you to a night of drama. The Kilmant Players with multi-award winning group Loose Cannon from Wales will perform two one act plays and a sketch. They will perform Passion and Shooting Stars by Breeda Kelly and The Visitor by Allan Williams. The Visitor has won the Anglesey, Wilmslow and Leverhulme festivals as well as awards for best actors and best technical. This is a fantastic chance to see two groups of outstanding performers in the surroundings of Wicklow’s Historic Gaol. Admission on the night is €10 and includes light refreshments.
WORKSHOP of the fortnight SHADOWBOX Mermaid Arts Centre, Main Street, Bray, Aug 25-30 Shadowbox will be running a week long residency in inclusive theatre in association with Mermaid Arts Centre. Everyone is encouraged to apply to spend the week exploring and devising theatre from everyday objects, culminating in a public presentation on Saturday, August 30. The work will focus on the creation of ensemble and how collaborative work can strengthen the creation of vibrant theatre. Shadowbox is a visual theatre company and is perhaps best known for its pioneering work with actors with intellectual disabilities. The workshop will run for 5 days from 10.30am - 3.30pm. The total cost of the course is €150. To book a place call 01 2724030 or email info@mermaidartscentre.ie.
BOOK of the fortnight PERSONAL Lee Child, €16.99 Personal is the 19th book in the incredibly popular Jack Reacher series and this one is a real nail biter. Once he was a go-to hardman in the US military police, now Reacher is a drifter. But the army tracks him down when someone takes a long-range shot at the French president but failed to kill him. The suspected sniper has serious skills and proves to be a hard man to find. But Reacher has tracked him down and put him in jail once before. Now he’s asked to hunt him down again and put him away permanently. Tracking the shooter will take Reacher from France to England chasing a killer with a treacherous vendetta. He’ll need to uncover who did the hiring and what’s behind the assassination attempt before executing his orders. And you’ve guessed it - this time it’s personal.
TV SHOW of the fortnight DOCTOR WHO
BBC 1, August 23
Peter Capaldi’s first outing as the latest incarnation of Doctor Who will be broadcast on BBC 1 on August 23 and fans cannot wait to meet the new doctor. The first feature-length episode is entitled Deep Breath. It will be set in Victorian London and will feature returning characters Madame Vastra
NATURE IDEA of the fortnight BAT WALK Native Woodland Trust Blessington Reserve, Blessington, Sunday, August 24 Would you like to learn more about the bats found in Ireland? Well then join the Native Woodland Trust on their bat walk. On the walk you will learn about bats in Ireland and use bat detectors to find out what bats are flying above you at the NWT Blessington Reserve. The meeting point will be the ESB car park just south of the reserve. Check www.nativewoodlandtrust.ie or the Facebook page for the meeting time. The event is free for members with a suggested donation of €4 for non-members. All are welcome and remember to dress for the cooler evening weather. For more details contact Rebecca on 087 9619083 or rebecca.doyle@nativewoodlandtrust.ie
(Neve McIntosh), Jenny Flint (Catrin Stewart) and Strax the Sontaran (Dan Starkey), in addition to Jenna Coleman as the Doctor’s sidekick, Clara Oswald. Speaking about series 8 Capaldi said, “It’s going to be a bit different from what we’ve seen over recent years. A bit more gravity. Some situations are a bit more sombre and I think there are more rooted dramatic scenes.”
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MOVIE of the fortnight SIN CITY 2: A DAME TO KILL FOR Gaiety Cinema, Arklow Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller’s long-gestatinmg sequel to 2005’s Sin City weaves together four more of Miller’s thrillingly noir-ish stories. The sequel comes with an A-list cast a mix of old and new faces. Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba return and are accompanied by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Juno Temple among others. In the dark underbelly of this lawless metropolis, we catch up with a couple of memorable characters from the first film. The interweaving stories introduce us to a younger Dwight (Josh Brolin) before his facial surgery. Once again, evil and corrupt Senator Roarke (Powers Booth) is the primary villain. Two of these stories came from Miller’s acclaimed graphic novels while two were created especially for the film.
HOROSCOPES with Siobhan Moore Whelan
FUNDRAISER of the fortnight NO LIMITS GYM CHALLENGE Shoreline Leisure Centre, Bray, 20 & 21 September This September, Enable Ireland will embark on its fourth annual ‘No Limits Kite Appeal’. As part of this they will hold a new event, the All Ireland No Limits Gym Challenge, which will take place in Shoreline Leisure, Bray. Teams of four compete taking on the crosstrainer, bike, rower
and treadmill. The team who goes the furthest wins one of 36 places in the All Ireland No Limits Gym Challenge final in Citywest, Dublin on October 19. The Gym Challenge takes place in the weeks leading up to the Enable Ireland No Limits week which takes place September 15-21, 2014. Registration information can be found at www.nolimits. ie. Pictured are former Irish international footballer Damien Duff & Dylan Heffernan (5).
FITNESS IDEA of the fortnight
ARIES-9,11,19,22,33,35 Bargain Power; your energy and tenacity enables you to close that deal. Pay attention to your love life! TAURUS-4,10,14,28,30,36 Love-wise you need to break free from old patterns. Single? Check out a name beginning with S who has their eye on you. GEMINI- 1,6,18,29,34,42 Venus in your house of love will enable you to find love that is right for you. Listen to advice and do not rush in to anything. CANCER-2,4,16,29,36,37 With Saturn in orbit your confidence soars in your house of finance and relationships. Great news coming on the 28th. LEO-5,11,21,28,30,41 With Venus in your orbit for 25 days major relationship decisions present to you. Take time to unwind Leo.
POWER PILATES Shoreline Leisure, Greystones, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7pm Your body was designed to move and Power Pilates is designed to make sure it moves correctly. Power Pilates uses controlled movements, primarily focused in your core. To build body strength, flexibility and endurance. It is a body conditioning routine and it won’t result in bulky muscles. Rather, the movements serve to lengthen the muscles as it strengthens them. Pilates has the power to dramatically transform the way your body looks. It will give you a toned body with a flat abdomen and slender thighs in addition to better posture. New term starts Tuesday, September 9. Contact Lina for more details or to book by calling 083 4420000 or emailing perfecttheatre@gmail.com.
VIRGO-8,20,28,32,36,42 Long term partners read each others minds! Single? You will meet someone with the same initials as you. LIBRA-2,10,18,26,9,40 Venus upgrades your love life and brings balance, trust and harmony. New opportunities present on the 28th.
GIG of the fortnight AMANDA RHEAUME & BAND Arklow Bay Hotel, Sea Road, Tuesday, August 26, 8.30pm The next concert from Arklow Roots Music, features Canadian singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume and band. Amanda has earned comparisons to the likes of Alanis Morrisette. She was nominated for a Juno Award earlier this
year for her album, Keep a Fire. The album was nominated as Aboriginal Album of the Year. This gig is her only gig south of the border. Her accompanying producers include respected Canadian musicians Marie-Josee Dandenau on bass and virtuoso guitarist Fraser Holmes. Tickets are €15 or €12 with concession. You can get pairs in advance for €25.
SCORPIO-10,18,22,24,29,32 If single you fall for someone who has the same ambitions as you. Great time for setting up a new venture. SAGITTARIUS-3,17,25,29,34,36 Venus encourages you to look around perhaps for a new relationship. Luck comes to you on the 30th. CAPRICORN-6,19,24,26,32,34 Mars is on your side and you have a great opportunity to spread your wings. Single? Love is a member of a large family. AQUARIUS-1,11,21,25,40,42 Venus in your marriage zone brings proposals. The money moon in orbit assists you in sorting out your finances.
‘PULLQUOTE HERE– IN THE MAFIA, THOSE WHO GO AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE DONS CAN HAVE A SHORT LIFE’
CHILDREN’S IDEA of the fortnight PÚRÓGA CHILDCARE Charlesland Centre, Charlesland, Greystones, 01 2016106
The team at Púróga childcare view their service as an extension of the home and so they strive to create a home-from-home environment. They understand that finding the right childcare service for your child is an important and challenging decision to make. Púróga childcare strive to provide a happy, caring and secure environment. They aim to provide a childcare programme which promotes optimal development for each child, supports parents, upholds best practices of early childhood education and promote collaborations, which help all children realise their potential. The curriculum provides the perfect combination of fun, friendship and learning. It includes a monthly theme that encourages the children to explore and learn about the natural world around them.
PISCES-7,10,16,28,36,37 Time to give the right blend of respect, romance and commitment which will be returned to you in bucketfuls. Finance issues begin to lighten.
Live Psychic Angel-TarotMedium Siobhan Tel 1580997207- 18+ Bill payers permission-Calls cost €2.44 per minute; calls from other networks may vary. Calls are for entertainment purposes and may be recorded.
30 | SPORT sport in brief Bray Wheelers in the medals Bray Wheelers earned themselves two silver medals and one bronze at the Track Nationals recently. Bray’s women’s sprint team scored a silver medal followed by the men’s sprint team who walked away with bronze. In the junior championships, Edward Clarkejust missed out on the gold but was glad to go away with the silver in his first National Championship. Meanwhile, Geoff Robinson won the hill climb championships and then followed that up at the weekend with a Cross Country MTB marathon masters win in Carlingford.
Kick Fada is back
The Annual All Ireland Kick Fada will take place at Pairc Emmet Bhre on Saturday, September 13. This is the club’s biggest day where the top kickers in the GAA world ascend on Bray to try and get their name in the records. It is also a day where children and parents alike will get to meet with these players. Put the date in your diary
wicklowvoice.ie August 21 2014 and make sure you are part of making it a great day.
Laragh Classic Road Race
The Friends First Laragh Classic Road Race will take place on Sunday, September 14. The Laragh Classic is run on a 25km circuit around the back of the town on rough, winding and hilly roads creating a race akin to those run in Europe during the spring.
Tag Rugby Blitz for Gavin
Greystones RFC and Lucas Promotions are running a tag rugby blitz in aid of Gavin Glynn on Saturday, August 23. This will be a fun day out for all and there are a range of fantastic prizes to be raffled off on the day.
Men’s hockey win Home Nations title
Irish men’s over 40’s hockey team landed the Home Nations title when they defeated England 4-2. This followed a 4-1 win over Scotland and an impressive 7-1 win over Wales. Wicklow man Grattan Evans made his debut at this level during the tournament and managed to score to help the team to victory.
Shoreline Leisure Bray, Southern Cross Road Phone: 01-2765660 www.shorelineleisure.ie
Pictured are Siobhán Hanley (Event Manager), Sinéad Forde (Event Manager), Linda Lucas (Sponsor) and Taragh Hanley (Greystones RFC Marketing Director). Lucas Promotions and Greystones RFC will be running a Tag Rugby Blitz on August 23 to raise much needed funds for Gavin Glynn. A mix of social, mixed and vets tag will take place from 11am with amazing prizes to be won on the day.
International tennis comes to Wicklow IRELAND internationals David O’Hare and Rachael Dillon reigned supreme at the Co Wicklow Lawn Tennis Club Open championships recently, each taking two titles in a fiercely competitive and top quality tournament at the Bray venue. Davis Cup player O’Hare came from a match point down to deny Edward Seator in an enthralling Men’s final. Having overcome number one seed Lazo Kukhalasvili (winner of the Orange Bowl in Florida, 2003) of Georgia in the semi
final, O Hare probably started as favourite, yet struggled to find his rhythm and quickly found himself a set down. A series of flashing back hands enabled O’Hare to clinch the second set in a tie break and the Dubliner, currently on a tennis scholarship at Memphis, Tennessee in America, comfortably closed out the final set 6-1. O’Hare competes on the ATP tour having recently played the world number 1 doubles team Mike & Bob Bryan in the Memphis 250 ATP Event. Federations Cup representative Dillon meanwhile raced into a
4-0 first set lead in the Ladies final only for the very impressive Jenny Claffey to battle her way back into the match, and take the opener to a tie break. Dillon steadied the ship, took the breaker and then got the measure of the strong serving Claffey to win in straight sets. Dillon doubled up with victory in the mixed doubles with Mark Carpenter, the pair getting the better of Seator and Claffey. A miserable afternoon was completed for the luckless Seator as he and Carpenter were beaten by nemesis O’Hare and partner Derek Boland in the
men’s championship doubles final. The Open week tournament in Bray attracted over 300 entries across all grades, with over 1500 spectators walking through the grounds, producing a week long feast of tennis for members and visitors. There were home wins for CWLTC members Cathal McDonnell (class 4/5 singles), Stephen Martin and Kevin Conroy (class 2/3 doubles), Paul Dutton and Emma Lendrum (class 3/4 mixed doubles) and Mary Cruise and Mick Byrne (class 7 mixed doubles).
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insideback
with Brian Quigley
Roll on Rio ... Kilcoole’s Britton well placed for Olympics 2016 KILCOOLE AC’s Fionnuala Britton made her debut in the marathon at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich on August 16. It was a superb debut for Fionnuala, finishing in 10th place in a very fast race and recording the fourth fastest marathon time ever by an Irish woman – only Sonia O’Sullivan, Catherina McKiernan and Carey May from Ireland have run faster. At just 29 Fionnuala (who is a double European Cross Country gold medallist and has represented Ireland at the last two Olympic Games) was the youngest of the top 10 in the Zurich marathon, the distance typically being the preserve of older runners moving up through the distances late in
their careers. Race winner in Zurich Christelle Daunay from France is 39 and Valeria Straneo of Italy, who took silver, is 38. Third placed Jessica Augusto of Portugal is 32. This is a really good signpost for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. If Fionnuala runs the marathon there she will have a great chance of doing well, and will still be young enough to tackle the classic distance in the 2020 Olympics. It was also great to see Fionnuala take part in the 10,000 meters at Zurich 2014 (she finished eighth in the final. Fionnuala is such a great role model for Wicklow and Irish children and adolescents. On top of her athletic talents
her modest personality, hard work ethic and media presence shine through. Going towards Rio 2016 Fionnuala, together with Derval O’Rourke, is at the pinnacle of Irish women’s athletics. Fionnuala has worked really hard to achieve these results in 2014. Last month she was crowned national 5,000 champion in Santry and she also finished as runner-up in the 1,500 meters (an event she entered to improve her speed over short distances). The track season in 2013 was wiped out for Fionnuala with a chest infection and fatigue problems, so it is really thrilling to see her getting back into form, especially with the crosscountry season coming up! It has been a great summer for
athletics in general, with first the Commonwealth Games and then European Championships. My three-year-old son has taken to acting out some of the most memorable snapshots of these championships, most recently the French 3000 meter steeplechase Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad taking off his singlet in the home staright and running with it in his mouth (he was later disqualified and stripped of his gold medal for this idiotic and unsportsmanlike act).
Soccer Bray Wanderers slipped back into the relegation play-off spot after losing 4-1 away to Limerick on August 7. A further reverse at home to Sligo Rovers on August 15
followed by a battling draw against Cork City away on August 18 kept them second from bottom. Wanderers have a break until August 29 (due to their early exit from the FAI Cup) coming up, when they face UCD at the Carlisle Grounds. That game will probably be the most crucial on the runin, if they can beat UCD they will give themselves a superb chance of finishing third from bottom and so out of the playoff spot. A look at Bray Wanderers league record this season (up to and including the Sligo match mentioned above) shows that 42% of games Bray have been involved in have ended in home wins (for either Bray at the Carlisle or their opponents at
venues Bray have visited), 33% have ended in away wins (for either Bray at grounds they have visited or teams visiting the Carlisle) and 25% have ended in draws. This mirrors very closely the findings of a study by the English National Football Archive and shows that home advantage is becoming a thing of the past. Just a couple of decades ago home wins would account for a much higher percentage of overall results, particularly teams facing relegation from leagues. The erosion of home advantage is due to standardisation of pitches and grounds due to league rules and regulations, improved tactics better quality of refereeing.
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