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New Year new strike as school row rumbles on •Teachers vow to fight on over Junior Cycle after Christmas •New figures show 73% of Wicklow pupils go to third-level By Michelle McGlynn
Teachers in Wicklow could picket again when students return after Christmas as unions warned that they were in this for the long haul in a row over Junior Cycle reforms. This week saw approximately 12,000 Wicklow post-primary students staying at home due to strike action taken by almost 1,000 teachers in the county represented by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland and the Teachers Union of Ireland. This controversy has taken place in the same week as the figures for where students enrolled in third-level in September 2014 were released, showing that 73% of Wicklow graduates continued on to higher education in September 2014. General Secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Pat King, said that,
Lea Smyth and Ruby Hannon at the Civic Plaza in Bray last Saturday, where Santa turned on the Christmas lights followed by a fireworks display. » Lots more pictures from around the county inside as it stands, a second day of strike action will take place in January. Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan said the strike action by teachers “hasn’t gotten us anywhere” and she is hoping
that a further one-day stoppage will not go ahead. She urged teachers to return to negotiations and to call off a second day of action planned for next month. Speaking to the Wicklow
Voice, former special advisor to former Education Minister Ruairí Quinn, and Wicklow resident, John Walshe said, “Every effort should be made to avoid a second strike which will only damage the education system. “However, it looks like we are heading towards another strike in January unless the two sides are willing to sit down and talk.” Meanwhile, writing in the Wicklow Voice this week, Raymond St John, Honorary Treasurer for ASTI, who lives and teaches in Wicklow, said the reforms “could lead to inconsistency between schools, thereby undermining education standards nationally”. The decision to strike came after talks between the teachers unions and Minister O’Sullivan two weeks ago failed to resolve the impasse over the Framework for Junior Cycle. Continued on page 16
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4 | NEWS
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
news in brief Christmas Gift Fair Christmas Gift Fair this year at the Brockagh Centre will be held on December 6 and 7. Santa will be making his usual trip to the Centre and will be here from 1pm to 3 pm both days arriving at 1 pm on Saturday by horse and carriage. Phone Michelle on 0404-45600 or email laraghit@eircom.net.
Greystones orchestra Greystones Orchestra Winter Concert is on December 7 at 7 pm in St.Patrick’ s Church Greystones. Special guests include The Major Minors Junior Orchestra. Tickets €15 and family tickets €30.
Older People network Co Wicklow Network for Older People held a seminar entitled “Human Rights and Older People” at the Glendalough Hotel on November 28. Fine Gael TD for Wicklow and Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Simon Harris attended and delivered the opening remarks at the seminar.
Tom, Dan (6), Jack (7), Will (2), Tom (2) and Helen McConnell enjoy a picnic in Mount Usher recently
Teen filmmakers win top Fleadh award By Peter Murphy
Wicklow filmmakers walked away from the 20th Junior Galway Film Fleadh with the award for Best Animation. The junior filmmakers won the coveted award for their short animation, Bog Standard. Bog Standard, a Pure Wicked animation, has previously won accolades from the Blackrock Animation Film Festival, the Fresh Film Festival and the Up To 21 Festival in Poland.
The Junior Galway Film Fleadh is a highly respected festival as it boasts an international reputation for creativity and excellence. Galway recently beat out 63 other cities to become an official City of Film, as announced by the DirectorGeneral of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The Wicklow teens responsible for the short animation are Aoife Duffy, Dylan Cuffe, Ardan Cunningham, Conor
Ryan and Joshua Hanrahan all from Tinahely. They were commended on both the short films important environmental message and the animation techniques used in the production. Bog Standard tells the story of a businessman, Shady Tony who discovers an ancient bog body on a landfill site, the bog man then wreaks havoc after being disturbed. The film was made during a two week training programme run by the Pure Project.
Christmas cracker of a schedule By Michelle McGlynn
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The Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray have a jam packed schedule lined up for the Christmas season. Weighing In is a hilarious play about attending weekly Easi-Slim weight loss meetings and the unlikely friendship that grows between two of the women. The Mermaid and Ocean Bar and Grill, Bray are teaming up to offer this as part of their dinner and show package. Weighing In is on December 17 and 18 with tickets available from €14. Swan Lake, one of the most famous ballets, will be arriving on December 20 and 21. A group of 25 leading dancers will perform this enduring tale of love and tragedy, good and evil. Tickets for the ballet are €22/€20 concession or €75 for a family of four. They will also be screening a host of Christmas films for all the family including Scrooged, Polar Express and White Christmas for €5. For more information on these events, see www. mermaidartscentre.ie.
Property tax set to double if rates are not ‘frozen’ By Cianan Brennan
Wicklow residents may be expected to pay almost twice as much property tax should house prices continue to rise at their current rate - and if the Government fails to ‘freeze’ the rates in 2016. The controversial local property tax, which became law in July 2013, is currently charged annually based on the market value of a residential property as at May 2013. Under current rules a house worth €250,000 is liable for €405 in property tax while a property worth more than €400,000 is expected to pay €765. The valuations put in place initially are due to be reviewed in 2016 and any revised tax rate is to be charged from that time. However 2014 has seen a marked upturn in property values across Ireland with prices in Dublin increasing by 42% since the tax became law. Price hikes seen in Wicklow’s commuter belt have been no less dramatic. In Bray, the average value of a three-bed semi detached house has jumped by €70,000 to €289,000 since the beginning of 2013, while a three-bed detached property has risen by €85,000 to €330,000 in the same timeframe. Figures are set to spiral even further before the end of the year as first time buyers scramble to secure a mortgage for their property before the Central Bank’s new buying rules come into play at the beginning of the new year. There has been much criticism of the state’s governing financial
body as it seeks to incorporate rules that would mean new buyers stumping up a minimum of 20% of a property’s value as a deposit. The Central Bank is also aiming to cap mortgages at three and a half times a buyer’s salary in order to ease the new property bubble that has emerged so rapidly. With the panic these rules are set to spark and given the already severe rate of increase in valuations it is very probable that houses in North Wicklow could double in value by 2016. However it has emerged that the Government is in discussions to ‘freeze’ the property tax further until 2018 while at the same time decoupling the tax charged from house price valuations. The tax will instead be linked to the consume price index (CPI), a measure of the rate of inflation in the country. The Government, already under tremendous pressure due to the fiasco over water charges, is desperate to bring calm to the housing market before the next general election. According to a Government source the proposal, put forward by the Labour Party, has met no resistance from Fine Gael, with the inflation index seen as a move that will give reassurance to homeowners and buyers alike that future increases in the tax will be less extreme than the movements seen in house prices. Any such moves are unlikely to be formally announced before the unveiling of the next budget in October however, meaning a further prolonged period of uncertainty for the housing market.
Buy a piece of Ireland By Michelle McGlynn
A new business in Wicklow Town is offering a unique Irish gift that would be an ideal Christmas gift. Irish Landowner offers you the opportunity to own a piece of Ireland. For €20 you will receive a certificate of Irish
Land Ownership with its unique plot number, a stunning photograph of your plot and all of it is presented in a premium high quality gift box. The land is located at the foothills of Muckish Mountains, Falcarragh in County Donegal. This is a wonderful gift idea for those who have emigrated.
NEWS |5
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
wicklow people in pictures
Teacher Hannah Bridgeman with students of St Cronans at turning on of the Christmas lights in Bray last Saturday
Caoimhe, Alan and Oisin Brown at the turning on of the Christmas lights in Wicklow
Melissa and Lucy O’Faherty (8) out and about in Greystones
Steven Nolan, Richie Redmond and Romas Konstantinovas from Get Fresh in Bray. Pic Oisin MacFarland Smith
Erica Ravenscroft sporting Reindeer antlers at the Christmas Fair held in St Marys school Arklow (pic Yvette O Beirne)
Tyler and Christopher Watters at the turning on of the Christmas lights in Wicklow
6| NEWS
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
Argument between warring neighbours ends up in court AN argument between neighbours over a hedge row and a right of way in a scenic part of the county has ended up in the High Court. And now the President of the High Court assigned to the case has urged the warring locals to sort out their differences - or face legal costs of hundreds of thousands. The typical blackthorn and whitethorn hedgerow has lined the lane at Askintinny, near Clogga Beach, Arklow, for about a century but is now subject of a legal row which already took a number of days to hear in the Circuit Court. That court awarded James and Anne Madigan €5,000 for trespass and nuisance against their neighbour Kathleen Maureen Reuter and her children Marian and Sean who run a caravan park near the beach. The court said the Madigans were entitled to a right of way on to the laneway for the purpose of maintaining their hedge-
James Madigan leaving court grow. The Reuters appealed that decision to the High Court, which has heard the appeal is scheduled to last five days. Before the appeal began, the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, urged both sides to take “an 11th-hour opportunity ” to resolve the case and put their differences aside. He warned the parties costs in the High Court could be hundreds of thousands of euro. While he knew there were en-
trenched positions here, people have to co-exist and live side by side, the judge said. He hoped if they settled the matter, they would look back in time on the outcome and see they had done the right thing. The court heard an open offer has been made by the Reuters side to settle the case, which includes a €20,000 contribution towards legal costs previously incurred. At the centre of the case is the alleged widening of the entrance to the laneway where it meets the public road and which the Madigans claim encroaches on their property. When Mr Justice Kearns asked Mr Madigan if it was too late for common sense to prevail, he replied: “Afraid so” and said 20sq metres of the corner of his property was gone. The Reuters deny all claims and have lodged a counter claim seeking a declaration they are entitled to exclusive ownership of the laneway and hedge.
Charles Lambert and Alex Carey from Greystones at the turning on of the Christmas lights in Bray
news in brief Art competition The winners of the 2014 Newgrange Winter Solstice Children’s Art Competition were announced by Simon Harris Fine Gael TD for Wicklow and Minister of State with special responsibility for Public Works. Twelve-year-old Amber Hogan (12) from Hollywood National Scool in County Wicklow was one one of the
six winners.
Food appeal On December 5 and 6 Wicklow and District Lions Club in conjunction with Tesco will hold their annual Christmas Food Appeal in the Tesco Store in Wicklow Town.
Speed limits A public consultation is being conducted on speed limits in housing estates in County Wicklow. Independent Councillor
Jennifer Whitmore is asking for people to get in touch if they have speeding problems.
Pensions conference
The Irish Association of Pension Funds in Dublin Castle was held last week. Stephen Donnelly, Independent TD for Wicklow and East Carlow spoke at the conference discussing how improved governance in politics and the public sector can lead to better outcomes across Ireland, in areas like education, healthcare and support for enterprise.
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
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54%: gap between rent allowance and cost of a home By Peter Murphy
The maximum rent supplement in Wicklow is 54% less than the average price of renting a home in the county. The gap in Wicklow is the largest nationwide - the maximum average amount of rent supplement people can claim is €463 while the average rent stands at €998. The average gap nationwide is now 44% less than the average price of renting a home. Wicklow is also the most expensive county after Dublin to rent, with prices up 12.9% since last year. This is due to the significant decline in the number of rented properties available and has been a substantial factor in keeping prices high. The Government’s new Social Housing strategy has promised to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2020 but Focus Ireland warned that homelessness will rise unless rent
supplement rates are increased immediately. Writing in the Wicklow Voice this week (see page 12), Annette Kennedy of Bray Homeless Forum says: “The Bray Homeless Forum welcomes the recent Social Housing Strategy giving €3.8bn to fund the implementation of the Strategy and the Goverment’s willingness to tackle homelessness. “However, Wicklow has major challenges in terms of Social Housing and will need to obtain its fair share of these houses. Bray alone has 924 applicants on the housing waiting list .” Dublin City and South County and Kildare are next on the list, with a 45% gap between rent allowance and average rent costs. Meath is third with a 44% gap. The gap is lowest in Leitrim, with average rents 28% higher than the amount people can claim in benefits. The news comes as a recent report by Focus Ireland revealed
that 800 children and their families became homeless in the first 10 months of 2014. Meanwhile, homelessness in the capital has increased by 21% over the past year, according to Dublin City Council figures. Two hundred people gathered outside Leinster House on Tuesday for a vigil in memory of John Corrie, who was found dead in a nearby doorway on Molesworth Street on Monday morning. Dublin’s homeless authority says repeated offers of accommodation were made to Jonathan Corrie, the rough sleeper who died just yards from Leinster House. The organisation said statefunded services made a significant number of interventions with the 43-year-old homeless man, including what it described as “holistic and assertive” on-street assistance. Tackling homelessness: P12
Alex Milton, Year of Irish Design 2015, Brian Stephens, Design Partners, George Barrett, Design Partners. Bray-headquartered consultancy Design Partners has won an IDI Design Award in the Consumer Products category for its Cricut Explore Cutting Machine and Accessories
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December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
The Hibernia Inn 1 Royal Marine Terrace, Bray, 01 2862183 The Hibernia Inn have announced a fantastic December line-up of music to top off your festive season. Enjoy some ceoil, caint agus craic as Tuesdays and Thursdays feature traditional Irish music sessions. Ger and Joe Doyle will perform on Tuesdays while Seadin will play Thursdays. Do your best X Factor impression with live karaoke on Friday nights with Ger Fitz. Your Saturdays will be all booked up for December as they have booked some wonderful acts: Sonny Condell and Robbie Overson (Dec 6), Leo O’Kelly (Dec 13), Johnny and Caoimhe Music Session (Dec 20). Meanwhile Joe Bollard will be performing on December 10 and 17. The Hibernia Inn also offers scrumptious food with a picturesque view of the sea. The staff are as friendly as they are helpful. They have a fully stocked bar for you to choose from. The menu caters for vegetarians as well as those looking for gluten free options. Dishes are created with carefully selected and locally produced ingredients.
Harbour Trading The Harbour, Bray, Co Wicklow, 01-2860254 / 2867711 www.braygas.ie We are a family business that has been trading from the Harbour in Bray for the past 30 years. Primarily we are a Distributor of LPG Gas, Butane, Propane, both domestic and commercial. We have a wide Dealer Network throughout the East Coast of Ireland. We are suppliers of LPG Products including cookers/heaters, patio heating and barbecuing and commercial products such as roofing torches, hose etc. We can fill most gas cylinders from outside Ireland, we fill bottles from boats, camper vans, forklift bottles and the like. We also supply coal and briquettes and we can deliver to your door.
DERMAGLO 51a Main Street, Bray, Co Wicklow, info@dermaglo.ie, 01-2768858 www.dermaglo.ie/ Pamper yourself this December with DermaGlo Laser Clinic and Beauty Salon. They offer a wide range of beauty treatments from HD brows to professional make-up they will have you looking absolutely beautiful for all of your fabulous Christmas events and parties. They are highly skilled in the creation of beautiful nails using gel nail treatments. You can book a three week Everlasting manicure to take you from Christmas through to New Year without having to worry about getting your nails done. The expert team approach skin care through the combination of the latest medical study of beauty, advanced laser technologies and luxurious beauty treatments. Book your IPL treatment or laser hair removal treatment and start the new year with beautiful, glowing skin. Schedule your appointment today by calling 01 2768858.
10 | NEWS wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
They’re back Vikings to shoot its fourth season
By Michelle McGlynn
NO sooner had Vikings packed up their longboats and headed for home than the news emerges that they are set to reinvade Wicklow next year. The History Channel drama had been tipped for a fourth season before the third season has even aired – it doesn’t hit screens till next year - and now it has been confirmed that it will return to film in the county in 2015. This is a real vote of confidence in the show and its continually growing audience and a huge boost to the county. Season three recently wrapped filming and the first teaser has already been released. The production, which is filmed mainly in Ashford Studios, has grown in size and scale in comparison to previous seasons. Morgan O’Sullivan, producer
of the Canadian-Irish co-production, has said that they had to construct a build of Paris as the Vikings attack the French capital during the course of the season. “This shoot went exceedingly well,” he stated, “We are all very chuffed with it.” The success of the show highlights Wicklow as an ideal location to film. Productions such as Vikings not only highlight the top quality studios on offer in the Garden County but also the potential location shoots nearby. Vikings has done some outdoor filming at Luggala and the Poulaphouca Reservoir, meanwhile Penny Dreadful has done some filming on Bray Head in recent weeks. The Victorian ‘psychosexual’ horror series films at Ardmore Studios and is also enjoying impressive ratings. Ardmore has had some excit-
ing news as they announced plans to work in partnership with Limerick City and County Council to lay the provision of a major film production facilities hub in Limerick. The move comes following a call from the Irish Film Board and others – including Ardmore Studios – for the provision of dedicated audio visual content studio facilities including sound stages and related structures. It was revealed that Ireland have been missing out on potential foreign productions due to this lack of facilites. Hundreds of jobs and millions of euro in potential revenue are currently being lost each year. Research pointed to the success of cities like Belfast where the phenomenally successful HBO series Game of Thrones is filmed. Stuntman Peter Dillon: P13
news in brief Enniskerry history society On December 11, James Scannell will present his lecture ‘Christmas 1914 in County Wicklow’ at 8.30pm to the Enniskerry History Society in the Powerscourt Arms Hotel, Enniskerry. Admission is €3.
Tesco Extra Arklow Tesco Extra Arklow celebrates its third €1,000 donation between three local good causes as part of the ‘Tesco Community Fund’ initiative, which will see €1m donated annually to good causes across Ireland. Voted for by Tesco Arklow customers, the three charities and organisations to receive their share of the fund are The Men’s Shed, Arklow Celtic F.C. and Arklow Springboard Family Support Service.
Delgany market
Pictured at the annual Christmas fair in St Marys School Arklow are Erin Connoly, Elizabeth Byrne, and school principal Adam Ward (pic Yvette O Beirne)
There will be a market in the old school house Delgany national school. On December 6 from 10.30 -2.00 pm. Check out www.facebook.com/ delgany parish for more information.
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12 | OPINION
opinion&comment
Together we must tackle homelessness
I
learned with distress that a 43 year old man, Jonathan Corry died alone, homeless in a doorway in Dublin on Sunday night. He is not unknown; he is a son, a brother and a father. Can you imagine how distressing that news is for his family, death of a young man is a tragedy but that this could happen today in Ireland is inconceivable. Could this happen in Wicklow? Yes, it could and has happened, but the question is what are we prepared to do to prevent this happening in our community this winter?. The Bray Homeless Forum welcomes the recent Social Housing Strategy giving €3.8bn to fund the implementation of the Strategy and the Goverment’s willingness to tackle homelessness. This Strategy is committed to the provision of 35,000 houses over a six-year period. However, Wicklow has major challenges in terms of Social Housing and will need to obtain its fair share of these houses. Bray alone has 924 applicants on the housing waiting list . The Government has also committed to provision 75,000 families with homes in the private rental sector through schemes like the Housing Assistance Payment and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (Rent Supplement by another name I would think). However, the strategy does not address the need to negotiate with landlords in relation to the provision of this accommodation for social housing. Wicklow currently has 2,227 people on rent supplement. Issues in relation to both levels of rent supplement and acceptance of same could be addressed by the government examining the provision of other incentives (in addition to HAP & RAS). These could include tax breaks, negotiation on property tax or assistance with renovation to comply with the new legislation in return for agreement by the landlord to provide a certain number of units for social housing for an agreed time period (during the Celtic tiger days investors were allowed rental income for 10 years tax free under Section 23) perhaps something similar could be introduced. The ideal would be for Wicklow to be a pilot site for creative, innovative cost effective solutions in order to access reasonable funding from the €3.8bn fund. The Bray Homeless Forum hosted a very productive Round Table Multi Stakeholders meeting on social housing last week. Participants included local TDs, council-
lors, housing agencies, builders, council representatives, Lions Club and Rotary Club representatives and other interested parties. The objective was to seek new ideas for social housing and to see if there was a willingness by the stakeholders to work together towards solving the problem of supply and demand. Some of the ideas brought forward included, co-operative housing initiatives between the council and housing agencies, public private partnerships, build to lease, flat pack houses which can be constructed in a number of days in small sites, finding houses that could be purchased with renovation being undertaken by local clubs at a minimum cost. Exploring the idea of purchasing houses from people who have availed of the Fair Deal and providing information to the community about the allowance of €12,000 income for renting a room from January 2015. Bray Homeless Forum is currently working on a cold weather initiative and our immediate concern in terms of homelessness are those people sleeping on our streets in Bray or Wicklow during the cold weather. We are seeking a building to provide a shelter for the night and also funding for good quality sleeping bags during the cold weather. There are a small number of people who perhaps for one reason or another fall asleep on the street not realising that they are in danger of hypothermia and death. As a community, we need to work together to resolve the issue of homelessness.
If you think you can assist in relation to the Cold Weather Initiative, please contact Annette Kennedy, Bray Homeless Forum, c/o Bray Area Partnership Office, Quinsboro Rd, Bray. Annette Kennedy is Chairperson of the Bray Homeless Forum. ( BHF agencies include, Bray Municipal District, Community Garda, Bray Area Partnership, Women’s Refuge , Bray local drugs Task Force, Sa Baile, Five Loaves, Simon, INOU, Bray Travellers CDG, Citizens Information Centre, Bray Community Addiction Team) also Vice President of the International Council of Nurses and a member of Maynooth University Governing Body.
“B
Whatever will they bring us next, I wonder. Research into the defecatory habits of bears in woods? A comparative study of the difficulty experienced by birds trying to fly on one wing? Perhaps a survey of the number of popes who turn out not to have been Catholics?
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 Annette Kennedy with Michael Wolsey
100% of this column has its doubts
londe waitresses get more tips than brunettes. Women with tattoos are considered more promiscuous than those without. Men ask more intimate questions of women wearing red. And hitchhiking women with big breasts get lifts from men more frequently than their flatter-chested sisters. How do I know these significant facts? Well, it could be because they are blindingly obvious. But in fact I have them all courtesy of research conducted, at taxpayers’ expense no doubt, by universities around the world. Ah yes, where would we be without the research departments of state-funded universities? Whatever will they bring us next, I wonder. Research into the defecatory habits of bears in woods? A comparative study of the difficulty experienced by birds trying to fly on one wing? Perhaps a survey of the number of popes who turn out not to have been Catholics? They’ll have to wait in line, though. For an even better survey has got in ahead of them. Researchers at a French university have come up with the amazing discovery that men pay more attention to women wearing high-heels than to those in flat shoes. If a woman in high-heels were to drop something in the street - a glove, suggest the ever-helpful researchers of Université de Bretagne-Sud - it would be retrieved much quicker by men than by female passers-by. The return rate from other women was around 50%, regardless of what type of shoes the glovedropper was wearing. But in men the rate went up from 60% if the women was wearing flats, to 95% for a woman in high heels. I can think of other items of clothing a woman might drop in the street and get an even bigger response. I wonder if I could get some financial assistance for research into that? But I digress. And I should not get distracted from this major research by the scholarly chaps of Bretagne-Sud. Well, I assume they are chaps. The women were too busy trying on high-heels to get involved in a heavylifting project like this. But there you go, I’m digressing again. Thing is, these researchers were really working for their money. They also looked at the affect heel-height might have on the success-rate of a woman conducting a survey in the street. It would be nice to think it was a survey into how high-heels turn men’s heads. But I guess that might be a bit sexist, so the researchers at Bretagne-Sud decided
to make it a short survey into gender equality. Honestly. I’m not making this up. Well you couldn’t, really, could you? They found that 40% of men responded to a woman wearing flat shoes. The figure went up to 60% when the questioner was wearing medium heels and 80% for a woman in proper high heels of the skyscrapper variety. They also found - and here’s the bit that will really astound you - that the male response was even better if the woman in high heels was wearing a tight top. I know you’ll scarcely believe that researchers could be so diligent but, as I say, I’m not making this up. It’s published in a journal called the Archives of Sexual Behaviour. As publishers of scholarly research go, it falls a little short of the Lancet or the Harvard Review but if you are going to secure funding you need to have a publisher. So, voila. As they say in Bretagne-Sud. In a third ground -breaking experiment - unequalled in impact since Newton got hit on the head by an apple - the university researchers instructed a 19-year-old woman wearing a skirt and an off-theshoulder tight-fitting top to sit in a bar on her own wearing either flat shoes or high-heels. In Waterford, she might have been molested. Or arrested. Or neither, if there was a match on the television. But in France she was approached by men uttering statements which were pretty inane and very un-French, such as ‘Hello’ (now there’s a winning chat up line if ever I heard one). Or, ‘Hello. I’ve never seen you here before’. And, ‘Hello. Who are you waiting for?’ If the woman was wearing flats it took an average of 14 minutes for the first of these silver-tongued Lotharios to offer their bon mot. In high heels, it took a mere seven minutes. Interestingly - and possibly to prevent allegations of pimping - the Archives of Sexual Behaviour published the response the woman was instructed to give. “Hello. I’m waiting for someone who will probably arrive in one or two minutes.” Quelle disaster! And what did the rebuffed man do next? Turn to drink? Try his luck with a woman in carpet slippers? Go home to his wife? I feel a research project coming on. Now, where do I apply for funding? Michael Wolsey is a former deputy editor of the Irish Independent, and sat on the judging panel for the National Newspaper of Ireland Journalism Awards.
OPINION| 13
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
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‘I read Lord Of The Rings - six months later I got my very first stunt job on it!’ focus on faces
Peter Dillion, stuntman on The Hobbit, The Vikings and Penny Dreadful
How’s life? Pretty good thanks, I always love the build up to Christmas. Tell us about what it’s like to be a stunt man. It’s physically and mentally demanding, and you have to stay in shape, but I guess it suits my personality type. When you’re at work, you work hard, but when you’re done, you’re done. You rarely have to take your work home with you! How did you first become interested in stunts? I always loved adventure, even the notion of adventure. I actually started out as a secondary school teacher, but I also taught martial arts and scuba diving, was a horse rider and into archery and adventure travel … But it wasn’t until I arrived in New Zealand on what was supposed to be a one year career break, 15 years ago, that I actually got into stunt work. Have you ever seriously injured yourself? No, not badly, thank God. I’ve been hurt, but you can generally sleep that off and get on with it. I’ve had close friends who’ve taken more serious knocks, though, and it always serves to remind you, not to take any stunt for granted. What is the most interesting film/tv show you have ever worked on? Every job has it’s challenges, and I suppose challenge is what keeps me interested. The main challenge on The
Peter Dillon (left, stunt double) with Ken Stott (Balin) on the set of The Hobbit, the final installment of which is released this month. Above right, Peter in action in The Hobbit and, below, in Avatar Penny Dreadful, in Ardmore, and I have to say it is one of my favourite jobs to date. It’s a powerful show, in terms of writing, directing and acting. While perhaps less actionheavy than some other series, the action is, however, intense, more intimate perhaps, as befits the nature of the show, so long may it run … Having said that, it’s always about the next job! I’m a Star Wars nerd, so Mr Abrams, if you’re reading this …
Hobbit, for example, was having to perform action sequences in prosthetic head gear and a 30kg costume. It’s damn hot, never mind cumbersome, but you get it done. Something like Vikings is good fun, because there tends to be bigger numbers of stunties on board, sharing the chaos. But I loved Avatar, probably because it was all guns and spaceships! Who have you met that you were really starstruck by? That’s not really the Irish ‘way’, I don’t think … Having said that, I was round at Ken Stott’s (Balin from The Hobbit) house one evening, to watch the Scottish cup final, in Wellington. The door-bell rang and he asked me to get it. It was Billy Connolly. Billy’s a legend and long-time hero of mine, so it was great to meet him, especially in that kind of context. You worked on the Lord of the Rings franchise and The Hobbit - the latest installment will be released later this month - are you a fan of the series and how was it to film? Yeah, like so many other I ‘discovered’ The Hobbit in primary school and loved it. I must admit I struggled with
Rings, as an immediate followup, and it wasn’t until Christmas of 2000, that I actually read it through. And loved it. Coincidentally, six months later I had my first stunt job - on The Lord of the Rings! They, together with The Hobbit Trilogy 10 years later, were an incredible set of movies to be involved in. An epic journey for sure, almost as life changing as that endured by the protagonists of Middle Earth. The most treasured outcome, of course, has to be the friendships, forged in the sharing of that journey. Bumps, bruises and even
memories fade, but not the friendships. You’ve worked on numerous productions that are filmed in Wicklow - Penny Dreadful, Vikings etc. What do you think it is that draws productions to Wicklow? Well, Wicklow is the home of that icon of Irish film, Ardmore Studios, and now we also have the newer studios down in Ashford, which service the Vikings series. Apart from a good film infrastructure, County Wicklow also provides an epic physical backdrop, within a stones throw of the capital.
Film making isn’t a local industry, though, it’s a global one, and we are always in competition with every other film producing nation. Therefore we must stay competitive and keep the political environment supportive. Finally, and most importantly, Irish TV and Film-making talent, regardless of department, is recognised for it’s excellence around the world, and this is something to be celebrated. Do you have any upcoming jobs that you’re excited about? I’m currently working on
Having spent several years working as a secondary school teacher in Ireland, Peter took a career break in 1998, which saw him variously trek the Himalayas to an altitude of 18,000 feet, teach scuba diving in the South China Sea, and further his study of Chinese Martial Arts in Malaysia and China. Arriving in New Zealand he made the transition into stunt acting in 2001, on the pick-ups for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”. He has since worked in six different countries, and his credits include “The Chronicles of Narnia Trilogy”, “Underworld”, “Vikings”, James Cameron’s “Avatar” and “The Hobbit Trilogy”. Peter Dillon now lives in Bray and is happy to once again call Ireland home.
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14 | WHAT’S HOT
with Michelle McGlynn info@wicklowvoice.ie
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
Christmas fair of the week St. Andrew’s Christmas Fair St. Andrew’s N.S., Newcourt Road, Bray, December 6, 11am-3pm At the wonderful St. Andrew’s Christmas Fair there will be beautiful gifts, artisan food stalls and cakes on sale. There will be plenty to do with a games room and a styling station where children can get face painting and other things done. The Martello’s chef, Karl Clarke, will be doing food demonstrations and they will be selling pesto, chutney,s, spiced nuts and other festive treats. Santa is really excited for all the children to come and visit him in his grotto. The Voices of Bray Community Choir will lead the carol singing. The aim of the choir is to provide a means for adults to get involved in singing. There are no auditions and the emphasis is to have fun. They aim to give back to the local community in terms of charity fundraising. The choir is delighted to support local events. The choir will be split into two sub-choirs of 50 singers, which each sub-choir singing a 35-minute programme during the fair. Chris Lang and Paul Pascoe from Squirrel Scramble, Killruddery will be on hand for some archery fun. It’s open to children and adults, full instruction is provided. They have also donated four family passes to the raffle.
christmas gift idea of the week Portrait Rooms Delgany, Co. Wicklow, 087 764 4403 At the Portrait Room photography studio, professional photographer Roger Kenny specialises in weddings, newborn baby and family portraits, makeovers and headshots (see example, right). Roger has over 10 years experience capturing treasured moments from couples on their wedding day to the first tentative step of your child. He has been featured on some of Ireland’s top wedding websites including Mrs2be.ie and One Fab Day. His unique style, pleasant disposition, impeccable service and attention to detail make him one of the country’s most sought after photographers. Portrait Rooms are offering you a family portrait gift voucher valued at €250 for just €99, available from now until the end of 2014. Vouchers valid for 6 months.
book of the week An Education: How an outsider became an insider - and learned what really goes on in irish government John Walshe Local author John Walshe recently released his tell-all book about working as a special advisor to former Education Minister Ruairi Quinn. The former Irish Independent Education Editor spent three-and-a-half years working in the current coalition and has written about his experiences in the book. Walshe kept a daily diary during his time with Quinn who encouraged him to write the book and even allowed Walshe access to his own diary while he was writing the book. “I thought it would be useful to give people an insight into how policies are worked out. I had a bird’s-eye view of what it’s like from the inside. I wanted to share that view in the interests of helping people understand how democracy works,” Walshe explained. The book has been widely praised since its release last month.
TV SHOW of the week Holding Out for a Hero
RTÉ2, Mondays, 9pm
One of Ireland’s best loved comedians is returning to our screens with his new show, Holding Out for a Hero. The fourpart series will see Delamere fill viewers in on the true stories behind four of his favourite Irish heroes. He will learn to fight like Cúchulainn, recreate Red Hugh O’Donnell’s daring escape by abseiling off the roof of Dublin Castle and taste some 16th Century delicacies enjoyed
Art idea of the week Dominika Stec www.dominika-stec.fineartamrica.com Artist Dominika Stec was born in Debica, Poland. She came over to Ireland seven years ago. Dominika began painting in 2010 and is self taught. She mostly works with landscapes, nature and cityscapes. Her technique does not involve any sketching rather it goes right on the canvas, doing many layers. All paintings are in oils and acrylics and she often paints by fingers. If you like to check out her work you can find it on her website, see above.
by Gráinne Mhaol. He will also attempt to pass the ancient warrior tests endured by Fionn Mac Cumhaill and the Fianna. As well as travelling the country meeting historians and experts who explain the various battles that earned Cú Chulainn his heroic status, Delamere takes to the stage to regale an audience about the hero in question. Holding Out For A Hero follows the award-winning success of his previous historical shows There’s Something About Patrick and The Only Viking in the Village.
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December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
MOVIE of the week The Penguins of Madagascar Gaiety Cinema, Arklow Meet Skipper, Kowalski, Private and Roci who are voiced by Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights and John DiMaggio respectively. You may remember them as the lovable penguin breakout stars of the Madagascar franchise. But the flightless quartet lead double lives as secret agents. Their old foe, Dave the Octopus (John Malkovich) has always hated the penguins for being cuter than he is. When he returns, he poses as Dr, Octavius Brine and he has vowed take revenge on the gang and everyone else from his Venice lair. Luckily, our heroes have joined forces with North Wind, an elite undercover inter-species task force led by a very serious wolf named Classified (Benedict Cumberbatch). In addition to this all-star cast, you may be surprised to hear the voice of director Werner Herzog as the narrator of a wildlife documentary. Take the kids along and enjoy this rib-tickling espionage yarn.
HOROSCOPES with Siobhan Moore Whelan
For a detailed live psychic reading call Siobhan on the number below Aries-14,24,28,36,39,46 Aries be assured good times are coming as the rough seas finally calm down bringing you greater peace of mind.
career idea of the week Sprint College The Plaza, Pearse Street, Gorey, Co. Wexford, 087 3843132, info@sprinthealthandfitnesscollege. com Sprint Health and Fitness College, now open in Gorey, is a centre of excellence offering internationally recognised I.T.E.C health and fitness qualifications. I.T.E.C qualifications are regarded within the fitness industry as the gold standard in terms of quality and being the most recognized both here in Ireland and internationally. Become a leading fitness professional as a Personal Trainer, Gym Instructor,
Indoor Cycling Instructor and Group Fitness Instructor. Once qualified, the Personal Trainer and Gym Instructor Combined courses provide students with all the necessary skills and qualifications needed to be instantly employable within the fitness industry. In order to ensure you are at your most employable, this course includes the I.T.E.C. Indoor Studio Cycling qualification and the I.T.E.C. Group Fitness Class qualification. You also have the option to undertake the RLSS National Pool Life Guard qualification. Full time courses run over 12 weeks (Mon –Fri) or part time at the weekends. Easy payments plans are available for course fees. Enrolling now for January 2015, places limited.
Taurus-10,15,18,25,38,44 Pull up your socks time and take risks. Be open minded to any new propositions or opportunities coming your way. Gemini- 2,9,28,36,40,46 Good luck surrounds you as well as new admirers. A month of festivity and confidence; enjoy every moment Cancer-1,14,18,21,43,46 Stop allowing life to pass you by and take time to work out your next move. The sky is the limit right now. Leo-2,4,26,36,37,38 Any effort you put in will be returned to you thrice. Remain focused however, let your hair down and have fun.
christmas fun of the week Wicklow Choral Society concert Fatima Hall, Dominican Convent, Wicklow Town, December 14, 3.30pm
Virgo-7,19,25,23,27,33 Watch your finances and you will have a brilliant Christmas. If you feel zapped by the moon then take a day off as it will pass.
Wicklow Choral Society have annouced their Christmas concert which will be directed by Mr. Frank Kelly. This is a free, family friendly event with a delightful mixture of Christmas carols and readings, accompanied by Cormuin O’Raghallaigh and a guest appearance by the Kelly Family Ensemble. Treat yourself to a break and enjoy their concert and you never know you might win something in the raffle. All who attend will be offered mulled wine and mince pies after the concert. As this is the St. Vincent de Paul’s weekend for the national in-church collection, the Wicklow Choral Society would like to continue this. All proceeds from the day will go to the local conference of St. Vincent de Paul who do wonderful work in the community. Head along and get into the true Christmas spirit. Donations for the Lions Christmas appeal fund welcomed at door.
Libra-19,21,35,38,42 Be open-hearted and positive as like attracts like. Trust your gut feeling and wait for your karmatic reward.
GIG of the week Classics by Candlelight Christ Church, Church Road, Bray, December 7, 7pm, €10 For the fifth year, Christ Church, Bray are bringing an evening of beautiful classical music to the parish. All the musicians involved are local, the parish is fortunate to have two members of of the RTE Symphony Orchestra, Francis and Sheelagh
fundraiser of the week Christmas Fair for Luca Nazarene Church, Burnaby Lawns, Greystones, December 5, 10.30am-noon Here is a chance to get some of that all-important Christmas shopping done and help a really good cause at the same time. This fair will have craft stalls, tea and coffee with some delicious home baking, lots of toys for the children to play with and plenty of places to sit down and relax. There will be an entrty fee of €2 which will go towards Luca Keogh (3) from Newtownmountkennedy who is learning to cope with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. Luca has been attending First Step Therapy Centre in Limerick for just under a year and since attending has learned to walk with the aid of KAFO splints and a Kaye Walker. Recently he has been able to walk if someone is holding his hands. Luca’s mother Sarah has been dependent on fundraising to pay for his therapy and the people at the Nazarene Church have put on this fair to provide some assistance. To keep up with Luca’s journey and fundraising events see Super Luca Adventures on Facebook. Pictured is Luca, age 3.
Harte who put on the concert each year with two friends. The string quartet will play for around an hour. Ticket price also includes mince pies and a glass of mulled wine. Homemade Christmas fare will also be available for purchase. Tickets are available from The Travel Boutique, Main Street, Bray or from the parish office at Christ Church, Bray.
Scorpio-7,9,13,26,39,42 No time-wasting Scorpio. Give yourself a break by avoiding harsh negative people, relationships or situations. Sagittarius-10,15,18,25,38 Your wit and fun will bring great joy to others during this festive season. A meeting with a stranger brings new opportunities. Capricorn-3,6,13,22,26,39 Challenges are surmounted and you can finally breathe a sigh of relief. This month is for your family and social life which brings you happiness. Aquarius-6,24,28,36,38,40 A whirlwind and great festivities. Preserve your energy as you will be a social butterfly during the holiday period. Fun and games. Pisces-6,15,16,29,32,40 Clarity at last. Forward moving towards love, life and good health. Time for you to avoid inner criticism and go with the flow. Personal live psychic readings with Siobhan ring 1580997207 18+ Bill payers permission. Calls cost €2.44 per minute; may vary from other networks. Calls are for entertainment purposes -customer care 0851558613.
16 | NEWS
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
with Raymond St. John
This dispute is about protecting standards
O
n Tuesday, teachers represented by the ASTI and TUI teacher unions picketed outside their schools to show their serious concerns over aspects of the proposals for the Framework for Junior Cycle. This one day strike followed the breakdown of the talks process between the teacher unions and the Department of Education and Skills due to the Department’s refusal to discuss further issues relating to the Framework for Junior Cycle until teachers agreed that they would mark their own students for the Junior Certificate exam. The teacher unions are willing to engage with the Minister on many of the proposals for the Framework for Junior Cycle. We support the introduction of new methods of assessment such as portfolios, practicals, group work and other projects. We support the move to continuous assessment, rather than one terminal writing exam. However, we want all of these components, which make up a student’s final Junior Certificate grade, to be externally assessed in order to ensure the objectivity and credibility of the exams process. This issue of teachers’ assessing their own students for 40% of the Junior Certificate exam is a key concern for teachers. Although the Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan has moved away from initial proposals, including abolishing the Junior Certificate and 100 per cent teacher assessment, we still believe that teachers assessing 40% of their own students work for the Junior Certificate could lead to inconsistency between schools, thereby undermining education standards nationally. At present, all Junior Certificate students sit the same exam and are assessed externally. There is a rigorous model of external assessment which ensures that there is consistency of standards between schools. An ‘A’ grade from a school in Greystones is equivalent to an ‘A’ grade from a school in Wicklow Town. This process of external assessment is organised by the State Exams Commission, which appoints examin-
ers, hosts marking conferences, provides guidance from subject chief examiners and ensures that the marking of exam papers is anonymous to the examiner. The current offer from the Department of Education and Skills means that 40% of a student’s Junior Cert grade would not be assessed under this practice of external examination. Teachers would be assessing their own students without any of these processes in place. Without these standards, no one can know for sure if an A or B or C in one school is the same as an A or B or C in a school down the road. Teachers are also concerned that assessing their own students for a State Exam could affect their relationship with their students. At present, teachers see themselves as advocates for their students, encouraging them to reach their full potential in order to achieve the best grade possible in the State Exams. This may not be possible when both the student and teacher know that the teacher will be the one assessing 40 per cent of the student’s Junior Cert exam. Finland, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia have been raised by the Minister as countries that have high performing education systems where teachers assess their own students at lower secondary levels. However, Ireland has a higher average score than three of four of these countries in reading, maths and science. The most recent OECD PISA rankings – which are based on the performance of 15-year-olds – place Ireland 7th in the world (2nd in Europe) in reading and literacy, 15th in the world (4th in Europe) in science, and our performance in maths is also above average. Ireland has also been identified as one of 16 countries out of 63 worldwide which score well in terms of equity in education as well as academic performance. In other words, students in Ireland can access a quality education regardless of their socio-economic status. This dispute is about protecting education standards and ensuring equity and fairness for students. Raymond St. John is the Honorary Treasurer for the ASTI. He lives and teaches in Wicklow.
Wicklow schoo
The figures in this table do not include graduates who went on to post-leaving certificate courses and to apprenticeships. It does not inclu on figures provided by the State Examinations Commission.
As teacher row rumbles, figures Continued from page 1
The debate over the proposed reform began in 2012 when then-Education Minister, Ruairí Quinn first published, A Framework for Junior Cycle. The main point of contention for teachers are plans to replace the traditional examinations with continuous assessment where teachers would grade their own pupils. Minister O’Sullivan has offered a compromise where the State exams would continue to make up 60% of pupils grades while teachers’ assessment would count for 40%. The State certificate would be
retained as opposed to replacing it with a school-based award as had been proposed. Meanwhile, the majority of Wicklow students who sat the Leaving Cert in June of this year went on to enrol in third level education. The figures revealed that 73% of Wicklow graduates continued on to higher education in September 2014. The county’s two Gaelscoileanna - Coláiste Raithín in Bray and Gaelcholáiste Na Mara in Arklow - topped the tables as the two boasted 100% of their graduates went on to third level this September. It should be noted that the Gaelscoilenna had the lowest
number of students sitting State Examinations this year, 33 and 13 respectively. The Dominican Convent in Wicklow Town, an all-girls school, was next in line with 97%. Meanwhile, Wicklow’s only fee-paying school St Gerard’s in Bray, had 91% of their pupils continue on to third level institutions. In order to attend St. Gerard’s one must pay €6, 800 per child per year. In addition to the Dominican Convent’s impressive figures, Wicklow’s other girls’ schools performed quite well. St. Mary’s College in Arklow has 80% enrolling at third level
while Loreto Seco had 77%. In comparison, b had a wider discr Presentation Coll 82%, East Glenda Comprehensive, W 79%, Arklow CBS Brendan’s Colleg The school whic lowest was Arklow College with 43% among the lowest 2013. St. Thomas’ Com College, Bray whi phased out ahead had 48% of stude studies at third le In West Wicklow that had the highe
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December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
ols in numbers
s show 73% attend third-level
boys’ schools repancy: lege, Bray alough Wicklow Town S 69% and St. ge, Bray 51%. ch ranked the w Community % who were t ranked in
mmunity ich is being d of its closure, ents continuing evel. w, the school est number of
Strike action is always a sorry state of affairs
T
ude smaller, private institutions such as Griffith College and Dublin Business School. Figures for Leaving Cert students column is based
ondary, Bray
with Brian Quigley
students entering college in 2014 was St. Kevin’s Community College Dunlavin (72%). They were followed by Blessington Community College (63%) and finally Scoil Chonglais, Baltinglass (58%). Towns which have only one secondary school appear to fare well in comparison with other towns. Coláiste Bhríde in Carnew was fifth in the county with 88%. St. David’s Holy Faith were the only second level institution in Greystones in June 2014 prior to the opening of Temple Carrig in September. St. David’s had 74% of their pupils pursue higher education, followed by Coláiste Chraobh Abhann,
Kilcoole (66%) and Avondale CC, Rathdrum (54%). St. Joseph’s Abbey had the lowest number of students enroll in third level in Wicklow Town (71%). St. Kilian’s Community School (57%) improved on the 2013 figures as the number of students sitting examinations fell by 10. UCD remains the most popular choice among Wicklow pupils (14%) which is not surprising considering it is reasonably easy for students to commute and it offers a wide range of courses. DIT was the only other thirdlevel institute to have at least one student from each Wicklow school enroll in September. DIT had over double the
number of Wicklow pupils enroll than the third most popular college - Waterford IT. Approximately 30% of Wicklow’s graduates progressed on to one of Ireland’s seven universities. Four students have chosen to pursue a career in medicine, attending the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Thirty students are now studying in the field of education with St. Patrick’s, Drumcondra the favourite choice among Wicklow graduates. Only one student - from East Glendalough Comprehensive chose to continue their education in Northern Ireland, enrolling in the University of Ulster.
he strike action on December 2 affected upwards of 350,000 secondlevel students nationwide and almost 12,000 in Wicklow alone. Whether another strike goes ahead or will be averted by the New Year is somewhat irrelevant. Damage has already been done in the minds of a lot of people, myself included. Strike action is always a sorry state of affairs. An impasse has been reached that can’t be worked through. It usually hurts the innocent. A teachers strike is a bad message to send out to students, and their parents whose taxes are funding the system. In the run-up to December 2 not all teachers supported the stance of the unions (the ASTI and the TUI), and there was growing disquiet among teachers and school principals over the negotiating strategy of the unions. They mandated for strike action before Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan announced a compromise plan for Junior Cycle Student Award (JCSA) assessment that would see teachers assessing 40% of JCSA marks, not 100%. The strike notice wasn’t withdrawn after the compromise was announced. It should have been. Teachers and politicians are all reasonable people with the best interests of the students at heart, and the dispute should be able to be settled offline without impacting on the student and parent body. This is how it happens in other industries and workplaces. Some teachers feel union leaders have gone beyond members wishes in opposing all forms of school-based assessment. The ASTI and NUT have been challenged to justify their dispute, with the question being asked as to why teachers should continue to prop up a system that does such injustice to learning and engagement. The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals have also complained, and quite rightly, that the reform debate has been hijacked by the issue of school-based assessment. Obviously it is a big change for teachers to be assessing their own students for their actual Junior Cycle marks, but the education system needs to change. Personally I think the Leaving Certificate should ultimately be the only standardised, independently-assessed examination students should sit at second-level. I’m with the government in this dispute. I’m not a fan overall of this administration but one thing I’ve consistently admired them for is their reforming approach to education. Ruairi Quinn and
now Jan O’Sullivan have been impressive in the education brief, looking to modernise the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate, to bring them into line with, and point them towards, third level education where students need to be more engaged in their own learning. The government aren’t changing things for the sake of it. It is costing them money to change (they already pump €8.8bn annually into the education system). The changes are necessary because we need to keep our education system fresh and in line with international best practice so that we can remain competitive in attracting firms to locate here based on the quality of education our graduates and school-leavers possess. There is a proven correlation between how quickly countries can recover from economic downturns and the quality of their education systems. We wouldn’t have turned things around as quickly as we have here if we didn’t have the graduates in the right disciplines to allow export-led recovery take place. We have an excellent education system here. It ranks in the top 10 of the Pearson, the global league table of educational systems based on international test results and data such as graduation rates, ahead of countries like Germany, France and the US. Our children can avail of an almost-free education right through primary and secondary school. But we can’t rest on our laurels. The industry I have worked in has been revolutionised many times over. You have to change and adapt and get on with it. Finland regularly come in the top five of the Pearson and are generally recognised as having the best educaton system in the Western World. The US in particular is extremely envious of Finland’s education system, which produces a 93% high-school graduation rate and 66% university participation rate. The gap between the weakest and strongest students in Finland is the smallest in the world. Clearly they are doing something right. I’ve never taught at second level but I teach at third level occasionally and my children are at all stages of the educational system, from primary school to through to third level. My opinion has evolved over time to realise that the most important thing in any educational system is ongoing change and reform. One thing that stands out for me in the Finnish system is the preference for inschool assessment and the absence of standardised examinations until late in second-level. By moving towards this kind of model with our Junior Cycle assessment-based system we are following good leaders.
18 | WINTER WEDDINGS
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
weddings
Summerhill House Hotel Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, 01 2867928, www. summerhillhousehotel.com
Experience the elegance of a bygone era at the Summerhill House Hotel. Let your wedding party enjoy the arrival reception of tea/coffee accompanied by homemade scones. Mingle in the drawing room prior to dinner. In Winter enjoy the real log fires and candle light ambience. Adjourn to the Avondale Suite which can seat up to 250 guests. Enjoy your beautiful wedding meal designed by you from their select menu. Enjoy an evening of dancing completed with an overnight stay in the Bridal Suite. They cater for civil ceremonies. Have a look at their amazing value winter packages from €45.00. Visit us anytime and remember every Sunday is a Wedding Open Day. Druids Glen Resort Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow, 01 2870800, www. druidsglenresort.com Planning your Big Day is an exciting time and with so much to consider, the help and advice of an expert wed-
ding co-ordinator can make life a lot easier. At Druids Glen Resort, our wedding expert Nessa Kearney knows that each wedding is unique and her team are absolutely dedicated to ensuring that the lead up to your wedding is as stress-free as possible so that your special day is a perfect one. Whether you choose an extravagant celebration, an intimate civil ceremony or partnership, there is something to suit everyone with those magical touches that set Druids Glen Resort apart. For an appointment, please call Nessa on 01 287 0811.
Amber Springs Hotel and Health Spa Wexford Road, Gorey, Co. Wexford, 053 9483403, www. amberspringshotel.ie The Amber Springs Hotel is a magical setting for your special day. The impressive chandelier, magnificent stairway and grande piano in our exclusive wedding entrance offer a fabulous setting to your arrival where family and friends will gather in honour of your wedding day. Overlooking our manicured gardens and
quaint bridge and surrounded by beauty in a secluded area, it is the perfect place to start your new life together and marks the first taste of the style that is evident throughout the hotel. For more information on our packages or to arrange a private viewing please call our team on 053 9483403 or email dstewart@amberspringshotel.ie. O’Kelly’s Jewellers Unit 29, Southern Cross Business Park, Boghall Road, Bray, 01 2829921 Patrick O’Kelly Jewellers is a family run business that was established in 1948. It is still ran by the same family. Sean is their fourth generation jeweller, following in the footsteps of his great grandad, Harry O’Kelly. They offer a huge selection of engagement rings for that special someone, along with wedding bands and gifts for your special day. Being the “youngster” of the family, Sean has the skills of both modern day technology and the “old school” traditional family way to create the perfect piece for you!
Visit on Saturday 17th January to view the Resort set up for your big day.
~ Idyllic Wicklow Setting ~ ~ Dedicated & Experienced Wedding Team ~ ~ Recently Refurbished Ballroom & Guest Rooms ~
Wedding Packages from €75 ~ Newtownmountkennedy, Co.Wicklow ~ T. + 353 1 287 0811 ~ E. weddings@druidsglenresort.com ~ www.druidsglenresort.com ~
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
in winter
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20 | WINTER WEDDINGS
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
my favourite things As one of the busiest months of the year kicks off, there will likely be one or two seasonal events coming up for each of us. Alongside the usual gift finding frenzy and general shopping mania, the current craze for winter time nuptials means you may also have the added task of finding the perfect guest outfit for a particularly special day. But before you rush out on a wing and a prayer, check out my top picks from this season’s collections and get to grips with the dress code terms you need to know…
White Tie
The most formal of all wedding dress codes, this calls for an ornate, elegant ensemble. Go for a full-length ball gown in a dark neutral colour like deep navy or black. Choose glamorous hair and makeup with dramatic jewellery to complete the look. Jewelled gown Badgley Mischka €225 for 3 days rental www.covet.ie
Black Tie
The next most formal code, this time you’re looking for a chic cocktail dress or a long evening gown, again sticking with deeper, neutral shades. The bride, wedding party, or friends can help answer questions about the appropriate dress length, but if in doubt, go full length. Embellished dress M&S COLLECTION €120
Formal or Black Tie Optional
The wording here suggests something slightly less formal than black tie. This means that a full length gown and tuxedo aren’t required but the event is still formal enough to be appropriate. Opt for a long dress, a dressy suit, or a formal cocktail-length dress in a dark, neutral tone. Midi dress Asos €82.86
Semiformal or Dressy Casual
Depending on the time of the event, you’ll want to dress somewhere between formal and casual. Choose darker, more formal hues for an evening event; opt for light colours and fabrics for a daytime do. Keep it classic in a chic cocktail dress or a go for a modern twist in a dressy skirt and top combination. Plum jacquard jacket & skirt Fran & Jane both €179
Casual
Generally, casual means anything goes. However, for the purposes of wedding wear, it’s best to assume business casual to be on the safe side. Choose a simple, understated dress, or go for separates like a skirt or pants with a corresponding top and jacket. Coast A/W 2014
WHAT’s HOT
with Mairead Vickers info@wicklowvoice.ie Guy Code:
Gentlemen, crack the codes and remember the details… White Tie:
Requires a tuxedo; a long black jacket with tails, a white pique vest, gloves and bow tie and formal, black shoes. Black Tie: The semi-formal version of White Tie, the obligatory tuxedo is paired with a black bow tie, cummerbund, and patent leather shoes. Formal or Black Tie Optional: A tux is optional, go for a formal dark suit and tie as an alternative. Semiformal or Dressy Casual: A suit and tie is still appropriate. Opt for dark tones for winter time weddings. Casual: Choose dress pants with a button-down or polo shirt and loafers.
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
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22 | LIFESTYLE
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
Banter at Broadlough Wildlife
with Justin Ivory
(info@wicklowvoice.ie) Recently I had the pleasure of joining the Wicklow and Carlow branches of BirdWatch Ireland on their joint outing to Broadlough and what a fantastic day out it turned out to be! Between 30 to 40 wildlife enthusiasts, ranging in age from 7 to 70, gathered on a bright, calm, sunny winter morning at Broadlough. Broadlough, is a large tidal lagoon fed by the River Vartry just north of Wicklow town. Shortly after 10am the chirpy, chatty bunch headed off with outing leader for the day, Niall Keogh. Wellies were the order of the day as water levels were extremely high, so much so the normal track around the lagoon could not be followed. Instead we stopped at three points where access to the water’s edge could be had. Almost immediately at stop one we were treated to brilliant views of a juvenile Marsh Harrier as it hunted over the reedbed. A creamy head on a dark brown body looking stunning in the gorgeous winter sunlight. This beautiful bird
of prey is being seen more and more often on the coastal stretch between Kilcoole and Wicklow town. Other bops (birds of prey) seen on the day were a ringtail Hen Harrier, Buzzard and Kestrel. Our second stop yielded the gorgeous turquoise of a Kingfisher as it perched on a branch beside a stone bridge. A short stop to scan the sea turned up a grand total of 70 Red Throated Divers before heading on to our final viewing point of the day. A chorus of Wigeon whistles punctuated now and then by the tell-tale pig squeal of the secretive Water Rail was the soundtrack to our sojourn at stop three. A small group of common Snipe gave a fly-
by every now and then but were upstaged by two Jack Snipe, their shorter billed, less common cousins. It wasn’t all about the birds though as we were, here, treated to brilliant, uninterrupted views of an Otter feeding in the middle of the lagoon for an hour. As we happily and chattily sauntered back down the coast towards our cars a group of three Grey Seals were spied interacting with each other close to shore. A nice end to a wonderful day of wildlife watching. To find out more about upcoming events check out the BirdWatch Ireland Wicklow Branch facebook page. All events are free and are open to non-members.
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December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
recipes
Peter Byrne
Apple Tarte Tatin
wine choice Barossa Bush Vine Grenache 2009 €19.99 Btl (was €25.99) La Touche Wines At Yalumba, they make Grenache that has a perfumed and aromatic bouquet, a silky smooth texture and a savoury finish. Bursting with savoury berry and spice, a slightly higher alcohol level is wellbalanced with fruit and oak, resulting in a unique red wine experience. Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache – where elegance and harmony are more important than colour and boldness.
Ingredients 6 Pink lady apples 100g unsalted butter 100g caster sugar 300g Puff pastry
method Peel the apples, quarter then core them. In the bottom of a non-stick frying pan or copper pan, smooth out the butter then cover with caster sugar. In a neat way place the apples
Head Chef at Sika Restaurant in The Powerscourt Hotel
on top in the shape of a circle with one in the middle. Roll out the pastry and chill in the fridge for ten minutes. Cut out the pastry in the shape of the pan, but make a little bigger. Fold over the apples and press tightly in. Put the pan onto a high heat and keep there until you see the sugar and butter bubbling then place in the oven @ 180oc for 45 minutes. Being very careful turn the pan onto a plate Serve with vanilla ice cream
Monday Bray The Wilton Hotel, Southern Cross, Bray 7.30pm Call Rob 086 0251100 Tuesday Greystones Greystones Lawn Tennis Club, Mill Road (Beside Aldi) 9.30am; 5.30 & 7.30pm Call Lesley 086 2337984 Wednesday Bray The Wilton Hotel Southern Cross, Bray 9.30am; 3.30; 5.30 & 7.30pm Call Gráinne 086 4661566 Thursday Bray, Marino School, Church Road, Bray 5.30 & 7.30pm Call Lesley 086 2337984
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wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
ADVERTISING | 25
26 | NEWS wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014 news in brief
Local Enterprise Office Seminar for SMEs
Carmel McCreagh Trio Carmel McCreagh, Fiachra Trench and Keith Donald play soulful interpretations of songs from the Great American Songbook as well as contemporary and original songs in Hotspots Greystones on December 6, doors 8pm and tickets €8/€10.
Glendalough fair This year’s Gift Fair will take place on December 6 and 7, Santa will be arriving in a carriage at 1pm on December 6 and will stay until 3pm. Santa is back again on December 7 from 1pm to 3pm in his Grotto at Brockagh Resource Centre, Laragh, Glendalough. www. brockaghresourcecentre.com. or 0404 45600
Pictured at the Local Enterprise Office Wicklow’s information seminar on “Public Procurement for SMEs in the Parkview Hotel, Newtownmountkennedy was; Fiona Flynn, Procurement Officer, Wicklow County Council and Fearghal Reidy, Director, Local Government Strategic Procurement Office. Pix: Joe Keogh
Brenda Eager, Dublin Decor and Noel Mulvaney, Garden Maintenance Dublin
Greystones gallery
A Greystones Art gallery and Studio launches on Main Street, Greystones, on December 6 where artist Tom Byrne will exhibit his new show Making Waves. Tom is an award-winning artist and collectors of his work include Gerald Keane, Louis Walsh and Bono. All welcome, contact email tomfrancisbyrne@gmail.com.
Clive Williams and Sandra Fernandez from Stoneleigh Developments Ltd.
Louise Fleming, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, and Vibeke Delahunt, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, Local Enterprise Office Wicklow
Gordon O’Neill and Sean Kelly from Gold Fish Telecom
Join us for SMALL BUSINESS
S AT U R D AY D E C E M B E R 6 TH
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most of whom work in SMALL LO C A L STO R E S EVERY
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#SmallBizSaturday
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
ADVERTISING | 27
Hazel Grove Esplanade Bray 4 Bed Semi Detached Home In need of Refurbishment Stunning Views over Bray Seafront and Bray Head Approx 1427 Sq Ft 132.57 Sq Metres Plot Size 520 Sq Metres
Guide €400k On the Instruction of the Court Appointed Administrator
Chrysanthemum Cottage Blacklion Greystones 2 Bed Cottage on 0.76 Acres Development opportunity site Zoning: RE - Existing Residential
Guide €300k PSRA Licence No 002916
Bray Delgany Greystones 20 10 300
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wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
Buying? Selling? Contact one of our team today
e: info@ wicklowvoice.ie w: www. wicklowvoice.ie t: 01 901 5556 or 01 901 5557
December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
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30| SPORT
wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014
Vote for Steph as she battles for goal gong By Cianan Brennan
WICKLOW is being urged to vote for Stephanie Roche after the Shankill native was shortlisted for Fifa’s goal of the year earlier this week. Stephanie’s strike for club Peamount United in October 2013, which has had almost three million views on YouTube, helped earn her a professional contract with French club ASPTT Albi. She is shortlisted alongside Colombia’s James Rodriguez and Robin van Persie, of the Netherlands. Both of their goals came at the 2014 World Cup. To vote for Stephanie, who grew playing styreet football against boys on the streets of Shankill, just simply log onto Fifa.com and francefootball.fr. If Stephanie wins the vote, she
sport in brief Allianz Cumann na mBunscol
There were indoor blitzes held recently for indoor hurling and camogie. Scoil Chualann won both the hurling and the camogie and qualified for the finals in Aughrim. Comhghairdeas and well done to all who participated. Cumann na mBunscol Cornmarket Annual Awards Information: Schools that promote Gaelic games in their schools are asked to submit entries to this section. Your work should show how you promote and participate in Gaelic games in your school. Each school that submits a project to this category will receive an O’Neill’s jersey in their county colours and a certificate of participation. The Merit Award for Individual Schools will be continued with the co-operation of County Committees. Pat Trainor Hall of Fame Award was instigated to remember a friend and colleague Pat Trainor.
will become the first female to earn Fifa’s Puskas award. The winner will be announced at the world governing body’s annual awards in Zurich on 12 January. “I’ve been inundated with phone calls since it was announced,” Stephanie said earlier this week. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. “I’m happy my goal is getting recognition, it’s brilliant for me and brilliant for women’s football.” The goal, watched by an estimated 95 spectators, would have remained only a talked about phenomenon but for the fact the Wexford Youths team manager had arranged to have the game videoed. “Most of our games aren’t filmed so I was lucky enough in that respect,” Stephanie added. “My manager Eileen Gleeson
got the DVD off the Wexford Youths manager, then edited the clip and put it up on YouTube and it all went from there.” Former Republic of Ireland great Paul McGrath and exEngland stars Rio Ferdinand, Gary Lineker and Matthew Le Tissier were among those who marvelled at her skill. Stephanie (25) represented the Republic of Ireland Under-17 team as a 14-year-old and since making her senior international debut in 2008, has gone on to accumulate 28 caps. She is up against Real Madrid’s Rodriguez, who netted a sensational volley from outside the area for his country against Uruguay at the World Cup. Manchester United’s Van Persie also makes the shortlist for his diving header for the Dutch in their World Cup opener against Spain.
The object of the award is to honour a fellow teacher who has given years of service to Gaelic Games promotion. Coistí are asked to submit their PR work for the current year in the PR category. Simply submit your Annual Publication for inclusion in the publication award. Committees/schools are asked to show their innovative work in promoting Gaelic games and culture for the award in the promotion category. Closing date for all entries: 31st December 2014.
score taking and goalkeeping. It was quite clear that these players have progressed well under the Garden County Academy. Overall it was a very interesting and informative day, which everyone enjoyed.
Garden County Academy
The Wicklow U16 squad traveled to Dublin City University. Here Dublin footballers, Dean Rock and Davey Byrne outlined the opportunities afforded to them by their careers in the GAA. The squad had a training session coached by Dean and Davey where there was a strong emphasis on the basic football skills albeit done under pressure and at speed. The players gave an extremely good account of themselves with some extremely impressive
Shoreline Leisure Greystones
Shoreline Leisure Greystones were voted overall best leisure centre in Ireland by Active Ireland at the recent Ireland Active ILAM awards in Galway recently. The White Flag National Standard is a Leisure Centre and Hotel Leisure award encompassing safety, hygiene, maintenance and environment and customer care. Shoreline Leisure Greystones are the first leisure centre ever to win this prestigious award.
Bray Emmets GAA The 1st and 2nd year disco will take place on December 21. Tickets are on sale in the club shop on December 4 from 6.45pm to 7.30pm. The Larry Walsh Tournament will be held on December 13 starting at 1.30pm.
Want to give your club a voice? email your notes to info@wicklowvoice.ie
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December 4 2014 wicklowvoice.ie
insideback When sport and tragedy go hand-in-hand with Brian Quigley
After the high of Katie Taylor’s win on November 24, the following day marked a sad day for sport. Australian lefthanded opening batsman Philip Hughes (right) was knocked unconscious after being hit in the neck by a bounced delivery during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, causing a vertebral artery dissection that led to a brain haemorrhage. Sadly Philip died from his injury on November 27. Although he was wearing a cricket helmet, Hughes was hit in an unprotected area. It seems a shocking aberration for a young life to end while playing his national sport. At only 25, Philip Hughes had already achieved a lot in cricket. He was the youngest cricketer in Test history to score centuries in both innings of a test match (in 2009, in Durban, versus South Africa, aged only 20) and was also the youngest Australian centurion since Doug Walters in 1965.
As a county we have produced some outstanding cricketers such as Cecelia, Isobel and Ed Joyce and can appreciate the magnitude of this loss to the game of cricket and the sporting world in general. Unfortunately, tragedy and sport go hand-in-hand every so often. Ireland’s Barry McGuigan fought Nigerian Young Ali in 1982 and knocked him out in round six. Ali went into a coma and stayed in it until his death six months later. McGuigan still thinks of Ali every day. British cyclist Tommy Simpson rode himself to death live on race television in
stage 13 of the 1967 Tour de France on Mount Ventoux, his judgement and ability to feel pain impaired by a lethal intake of amphetamine during the stage. We will all be familiar with Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton Wanderers striker who suffered a cardiac arrest live on television in March 2012 during an FA Cup match against Totenham Hotspur. Despite being dead for over an hour, this incident had a happy ending. Muamba was revived by the medical team treating him and although he had to retire from soccer he is forging a successful career as a sports journalist. The saddest incident of this type for me was the death of Joey Dunlop, the Irish motorcycling champion in Tallinn, Estonia in 2000. Joey was leading a 125cc race when he lost control of his bike on a wet road and was killed instantly after colliding with some trees. Sometimes sport, like life, can be cruel.
Pictured are organisers of a new initiative by Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Cill Mhantáin in conjunction with the County GDA coaches, whereby €5000 was spent on 90 hurleys and 90 helmets with the aim of promoting and developing hurling and camogie in the county. It is hoped that this equipment will be used in a minimum of 3 schools at a time culminating in a local blitz and will be rotated from the north/east to the south and to the west of the county.
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wicklowvoice.ie December 4 2014