Wicklow Voice November 19 2015

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Father Aidan tells of Paris gun horror

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By Jake Maxwell

“Paris has suffered a profound wound.”

Those are the poignant words of Wicklow’s Father Aidan Troy who put his own safety aside following the horrifying attacks in the French capital so he could offer shelter and comfort to the Parisian people.

Fr Aidan, who is the parish priest in St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Paris, braved the streets to open the doors as news of the terrorist attacks broke last Friday night.

Fr Aidan was enjoying a quiet meal with three French families when details of the atrocities began to come through.

“When the news started to come in, phones began to ping and I got back to the Church as quickly as I could to try and help,” Father Aidan, who is from Bray, told the Wicklow Voice by phone from Paris.

He opened the doors of the church for those who needed to find shelter in the intense hours

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after the attacks took place and offered comfort to those seeking solace.

“I am in Paris eight years and I have never seen it like this. It is a different city now.”

This is the second time that Fr Aidan has experienced violence inspired by religion - he became known around the world in 2001 as the Belfast Holy Cross school made headlines when loyalists protested against Catholic schoolgirls walking through the area.

Fr Aidan hails from beside St Patrick’s School on the Vevay Road in Bray, attended Loreto Junior School and St Brendan’s before joining the Passionist Order 50 years ago.

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04| NEWS news in brief Coral Leisure Following the extreme weather of Storm Barney, Coral Leisure Centre in Wicklow Town suffered serious damage to its roof.

For health and safety reasons, the centre will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

Keep an eye on their Facebook page, Coral Leisure Wicklow, for updates.

wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

Deer-oh-deer: councillor suggests feeding culled animals to the poor

Volunteer award Arklow resident Jennifer Kavanagh has been shortlisted for an award in the Volunteer Ireland Awards for her work at the Old Kilbride Cemetery.

Jennifer will attend the gala Volunteer of the Year awards ceremony in Dublin’s City Hall on December 2.

Candlelight service Purple House cancer support will hold a Christmas candlelight service and party to celebrate 25 years in the community in Holy Redeemer Church, Bray on December 4 at 8pm.

There will be representatives from all local churches and music provided by the Holy Redeemer Folk Group.

Deer on the Wicklow Mountains - an announcement is expected soon on proposed cull

By Michelle McGlynn It might sound like a bad Kerry joke but Dan McCarthy, an independent member of the County Council there, has suggested an unorthodox solution to the rising deer population.

Ahead of a planned cull of deer in Killarney National Park, Mr McCarthy has proposed that the meat from the culled deer be donated to feed the homeless as it is a valuable source of protein.

“I’m always being told I come up with some

hairy ideas but to me this is common sense,” Mr McCarthy has said.

With an announcement expected shortly on a proposed controlled cull in Wicklow, it is unlikely that Mr McCarthy’s ‘common sense’ approach will hold up in the Garden County.

The Wicklow cull has been suggested to combat the high incidents of TB in the areas populated by wild deer.

Cases of TB on Wicklow farms are estimated to be approximately four times the national average.

A new survey of TB infection in deer conducted by the department is expected to reveal infection at 24% in low lying areas, compared to 16% recorded in the initial survey carried out in mountain and forest areas.

Traffic accidents, damage to farmland and crops have all been blamed on the rising deer population in the county.

A controlled cull is a controversial decision as animal rights groups believe this is not the right way to deal with the problems arising from our deer.

Fr Aidan’s Paris terror

Continued from previous page Having been in Paris when the Charlie Hebdo attack occurred in January of this year, he says that last week’s citywide assault brought with it a different type of terror.

“This was a football stadium, restaurant, a rock concert, so you didn’t know where the next shot was going to be fired.”

President François Hollande announced three days of national mourning but as the city’s schools and businesses reopen Paris remains quiet.

“I cycled over to a school earlier in the week to give a talk to some pupils and it was a strange atmosphere,” he explained. Describing the atmosphere as “very subdued”, he spoke of “underlying fear”.

Several masses have been held in St Joseph’s as many brave individuals visited the church rather than hide themselves indoors. Despite putting the needs of his parish above his own fears, Father Aidan says that he was in fear for his safety that night as the city was gripped by violence.

“I was scared because I have been through a little bit in my time and I realise I’m not that brave about it.”

17 schools to benefit as building scheme announced

By Michelle McGlynn

A total of 17 Wicklow schools are set to benefit from a new programme of capital investment announced by Minister for Education, Jan O’Sullivan.

The upgrade and extension works will provide high quality school accommodation throughout the county and eliminate the need for any school to use pre-fabs as a longterm solution.

As Wicklow schools have struggled in recent years to cope with the increasing demand for places, it is hoped that this announcement will help to create enough places for the growing school population.

The plan will also address issues relating to upgrading and refurbishment in schools that may not be experiencing the same demand for places but require improved facilities in order to provide students with a suitable environment.

The works will be carried out between 2016 and 2021 and will create an additional 62,000 permanent school places nationwide.

Five projects in the county will commence next year, a further eight will begin in 2018 and the remainder will get underway between 2019 and 2021.

The six primary schools who will benefit under the scheme are: Scoil Philomena, Bray; Gaelscoil Chill Mhantain, Rathnew; Kilcoole primary school; Newtownmoutnkennedy

primary school, Kilcoole; Greystones Community NS and Gaelscoil na Lochanna, Blessington.

The post-primary schools included in the programme are: St David’s Holy Faith, Greystones; Coláiste Raithin, Bray; Blessington Community College; Coláiste Bhride, Carnew; St Kevin’s Community College, Dunlavin; Coláiste Chraoibh Abhainn, Kilcoole; Gaelcholáiste na Mara, Arklow; Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, Bray; Arklow CBS; Loreto Secondary School, Bray and Avondale Community College, Rathdrum.

When construction begins on the 17 schools, it is hoped that it will create employment in the local area.

Over the course of the six years, the Government will invest approximately €2.8 billion in the capital investment plan.

“The number of children attending both primary and postprimary schools is continuing to grow and taking a long-term, planned approach now is the best interests of our future students and their parents,” said Minister O’Sullivan at the launch.

As the demographic demand is monitored it appears that in the period following 2018, new schools may be needed in additional areas.

The data will be updated in conjunction with the overall midterm review of the Government’s capital plan.

Switch on of lights Let there be light - Christmas lights that is.

The Christmas lights in Bray town will officially be switched on at a ceremony on November 28 at 4.30pm.

One lucky child will have the honour of flipping the switch to illuminate the town.

Every child in attendance will be given a raffle ticket and when the time comes, none other than Santa Claus will choose the

winning ticket and that young boy or girl will go on stage to turn on the twinkling lights with the man in red. They will also win a family meal in Eddie Rockets.

The ceremony will be hosted

by East Coast FM’s Declan Meehan and will feature performances by local choirs.

The fireworks display will return due to popular demand as will the Christmas DJ.

NEWS |05

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

wicklow people in pictures

Pictured at the 2015 Excellence in Local Government Awards where Arklow’s Duck Pond, Nature Walk and Leisure Area won a top award are L-R: Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, Chambers Ireland; Linda McDonald, Arklow Municipal District; Bryan Doyle, Chief Executive, Wicklow County Council; Sylvester Bourke, Cathaoirleach of Arklow Municipal District; Kate O’Flaherty, Director Health and Wellbeing Programme, Department of Health; John Ryan, Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council; , Alan Kelly TD, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and Corey Bateman, Arklow Municipal District.

Wicklow Town Chamber President Pascal Burke and Sean O’Kelly at the opening of Patrick O’Kelly’s Jewellers on Main Street, Wicklow Town

Calvin Doyle (4) from CNS school is all smiles in Greystones.

Pic: Oisin McFarland Smith

Cecilia Smith and Agnes Bravender out and about on Bray Seafront. Pic: Oisin McFarland Smith

Katie and Jenny Power at Butlers Chemist Wicklow Town. Pic: Ceaneacht O Hoctun

Under 11A Arklow Town Footballer Aaron O Brien celebrated his 10th birthday recently by scoring twice during his team’s 8-0 victory over Greystones United. Pic: Yvette O Beirne

Representatives from Tiglin and Wicklow County Council with Tom Dowling, Chairman Pride of Place Committee; Ronan Foley, CEO, IPB Insurance; George Jones, Chairman IPB Insurance; Cllr Mary Howard, Leas Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council; Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister of State for the Diaspora; Tom Coughlan, County Manager, Clare County Council; John Bruton, former Taoiseach and Deputy Chairman Co-operation Ireland and Peter Sheridan at the 13th Annual IPB Pride of Place Awards in association with Co-operation Ireland at Tracey’s West County Hotel Ennis.

06| NEWS

wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

Rents rocket as landlords up rates ahead of new rule

news in brief Asthma care The Asthma Society of Ireland will deliver a free parent/ carer information evening in the Royal Hotel, Bray on November 25 from 7pm.

There will be an asthma nurse specialist to give advice, interactive educational sessions, peer support and you will receive a free asthma management pack.

By Michelle McGlynn

Festive concert A Christmas concert featuring vocals by Ahmed accompanied by the Vintage Hothouse Jazz Band will take place in the Luisne Centre, Kilcoole on November 28 at 7.30pm.

The suggested donation for tickets is €15 and must be booked by mailing office@ luisne.ie

Simon Easterby, Richie Murphy, Joe Schmidt and Greg Feek in the Royal Hotel last week where they helped raise €15,000

Joe pitches up to help raise €15k

By Michelle McGlynn

Irish Rugby coach Joe Schmidt helped to raise over St Anne’s fair €15,500 in aid of Irish charity, St. Anne’s Christmas Fair CRY at an event in Bray last will take place in St. Anne’s week.

Resource Centre, Shankill on Schmidt was the guest of November 29 from 10am to honour at an event held in the 3pm.

Royal Hotel where the New This is the annual fundraising Zealander shared insights event for St. Anne’s Parish into life as head coach of the and the organising committee national team and managing are accepting good quality at the recent World Cup. donations which can be left in The sold out room was the Resource Centre. treated to a Q&A session with

the man who has coached Ireland to victory in the past two Six Nations tournaments.

Joining Schmidt on the night was his backroom team Richie Murphy, Greg Feek and fellow Irish rugby legend Simon Easterby while Risteárd Cooper from Aprés Match entertained.

The special event was organised in aid of CRY, the Irish charity that supports those affected by Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), by Kevin Lewis and

his family. The Lewis family tragically lost their 19 year old daughter Jackie to SADS on March 7 of this year.

“It was a hugely emotional night for us,” Kevin told the Wicklow Voice.

“The night was a mixture of laughter, rugby talk, music, dance and comedy but was also marked by special words from Dr Ward as she explained about SADS to the audience and Professor John Ryan from St Vincent’s University Hospital.”

Government plans to introduce rent control have caused a surge in rents as landlords push through increases ahead of the new measures.

Rents in the county have jumped by 8% as the average rent currently stands at €1,002.

Excluding Dublin, Wicklow is the only county to have an average rent in excess of €1,000.

The national average rent is €964 compared to €882 in 2014.

This, coupled with the rapid growth of rents in the county, signify once again that people are looking to Wicklow as an alternative to Dublin.

In the three months to September, rents in the Garden County increased more than rents in Dublin city centre, North and South Dublin city, South County Dublin and West County Dublin.

The only area of the capital to experience higher levels of growth than County Wicklow was North County Dublin which was just .3% greater.

When figures are compared, the growth rate of Wicklow rents far exceeds those of five counties of a similar size.

Tipperary (6%), Kerry (5%), Wexford (5%) and Mayo (5%) rents have seen significantly slower growth in this quarter while Clare (7%) is just 1% lower than Wicklow.

The latest figures released

by Daft.ie show that in the third quarter of this year rents experienced the greatest rise since the 2007 bust.

Economists had warned that landlords would push through huge increases ahead of the new Government measures being brought into effect.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly have introduced a housing package saying that tenants will not face rent increases until 2017 under the new rent controls. Dublin and Wicklow along with other parts of the country are seeing a huge decline in the number of properties available to rent.

There are just over 4,000 rental properties available nationwide.

just under €1m.

The pair have purchased the masterpieces under a tax relief measure which enables them to set off 80% of the price against their tax liabilities.

This is on the basis that the paintings are donated back to the State for public exhibition.

A third painting has already been bought under the same scheme by art collector Loughlin Quinn who then encouraged other affluent individuals to join him in the effort to keep the paintings in the State.

The works have been a source of major controversy since the Alfred Beit Foundation who own the paintings announced that they would be put up for sale in London back in May of this year.

The Foundation claimed the sale of the Old Masters paint-

ings was necessary to raise €10m in funds for the upkeep of Russborough House.

It was claimed that the sale was essential to safeguard the long-term future of the Georgian estate.

The paintings were due to be sold at Christie’s in London in July.

However, following public outrage the Foundation agreed to defer the sale of some of the paintings to allow for the exploration of alternative means of raising the required finances.

Earlier this year, the Russborough Foundation privately sold another painting from the Beit collection.

Le Cabinet de Physique de Bonnier de La Mosson was sold for an estimated €500,000 to Len Blavatnik, Britain’s richest man.

Denis O’Brien snaps up €2m Beit painting

By Michelle McGlynn

It has been revealed that prominent businessman Denis O’Brien has purchased one of the Alfred Beit paintings that have been the centre of controversy since their sale was announced.

O’Brien has reportedly snapped up the 17th century painting Head of a Bearded Man by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens for over €2m.

The masterpiece had been valued at approximately €2.7m.

The two Rubens works that had been put up for sale were the most valuable paintings in the collection/ Meanwhile, John Gallagher who is an investor in the Bord Gais Energy Theatre has purchased Adriaen Van Ostade’s Adoration of the Shepards for

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

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N O S I T A N I M U CHRISTMAS ILL The official Switch-on of the Christmas Lights and Fireworks Display

SATURDAY 28TH NOVEMBER, BRAY CIVIC PLAZA, MAIN STREET From 4.30pm / Admission FREE • MC Declan Meehan, East Coast FM • Christmas DJ • Bray Musical Society • St. Cronan’s Boy’s Choir • Bray Community Choir

Ceantar Bardasach Bhré Municipal District of Bray Comhairle Contae Chill Mhantáin Wicklow County Council

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08| NEWS news in brief Hot spot divas Wicklow singer, performer and songwriter Denise Brennan will be performing at the Hot Spot Music Club, Greystones on November 20.

She’ll be performing songs from divas through the ages – from Streisand and Houston to Beyoncé and Winehouse.

Tickets €8 in advance or €10 on the door.

wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

Happy days at calendar launch

Festive flowers Friends of Merlin are hosting an evening of festive flower arranging with Sheila Cleary on November 19 at 8pm in Glenview Hotel, Glen of the Downs.

The evening will be in aid of Dogs Trust, tickets are €10.

Tree planting On November 21, a volunteer tree planting day will be taking place on the Native Woodland Trust’s site in Laragh.

The meeting point for this event will be at noon at Trooperstown Forest car park.

For more details please contact Rebecca at r e b e c c a . d o y l e @ nativewoodlandtrust.ie.

By Michelle McGlynn Despite Storm Abigail sweeping across the county, there was a fantastic turnout for the launch of The Wicklow Calendar.

The team behind its creation and representatives from the county’s cancer support centres and Wicklow Hospice Foundation who will benefit from the money raised from sales were delighted with the turnout and support shown from the community.

“I want to say thanks to those who braved the bad weather,

the Harbour Bar for having us, Marlena Murphy and Richie Kelly for coming up with such a great idea and all of those who submitted photos,” Claire Darmody, East Coast FM Coffee Morning Founder and Organiser and MC on the night, told the Wicklow Voice.

The limited edition run is selling rapidly with over a third of the 1,000 copies already sold.

Orders have come in from as far away as Africa, New Zealand, Canada and Poland. For more details see p13.

Clockwise from top left: Cllr Tom Fortune Wicklow Hospice Foundation, Luan Parle, Bill Porter Rathdrum Cancer Support Centre; Vincent Horan and Yvonne Cahill, Wicklow Hospice Foundation; Declan Meehan East Coast FM and Amanda Emmet-Booth Greystones Cancer Support; Marlena Murphy founder of The Wicklow Calendar and photographer Aoife Hester.

Pics: Michael Kelly.

Cheers! Whiskey distillery to open new visitor centre

By Michelle McGlynn

Glendalough Irish Whiskey are set to deliver new jobs as well as a boost to Wicklow’s tourism industry.

The company have plans to open a craft distillery and visitor centre at Glendalough national park next year.

Currently employing eight people, it is hoped that when the distillery and centre open this will more than double.

It is the second major development in the county in the same sector - in September, Powerscourt Estate also announced a new distillery on the Enniskerry estate.

“As well as creating more jobs for the local area, we are hoping that the project will benefit the wider community,” Barry Gallagher, managing director of Glendalough Irish Whiskey, told the Wicklow Voice.

“The visitor and interpretive centre will give people the

chance to see how we create our craft gin using local ingredients as well as providing a history of whiskey in Ireland.

“By creating another attraction for tourists visiting Glendalough, it will increase their dwell time and this should benefit surrounding businesses such as shops and restaurants.”

In building the small distillery and centre, great care will be taken not to impact the surrounding environment.

Meanwhile the centre will

showcase the local eco system and how local ingredients are used to create the gin which now sells in 21 countries around the world.

“We have the still and the barrels for aging the whiskey, and then Glendalough itself is the showcase.”

Barry, along with four friends, set up Glendalough Irish Whiskey in 2011 and the company has been growing steadily.

Backed by rugby legend, Brian O’Driscoll and with support from Wicklow Local Enterprise Office, the distillery saw its revenue double this year.

With their new location set to open and as the Irish Whiskey Association continues to invest heavily in promoting the industry, Glendalough Irish Whiskey expect growth to continue into 2016. Gallagher is optimistic that the Glendalough visitor centre will feature prominently in plans to grow the whiskey tourism industry.

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

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10 | OPINION

opinion&comment

Parents need education on premature birth

E

ach year approximately 4,500 babies are born prematurely in Ireland.

A baby is classified as premature if they are born after less than 37 weeks of pregnancy. Until we had our own premature baby I had never really given it much thought. Our first daughter Grace was born in 2011 at one week past full term weighing a normal 7lbs 5oz. When we decided to try for a second baby I naively assumed things would go the same way but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

When I was 22 weeks pregnant my waters broke while I was in bed without any warning or reason. I was admitted to Wexford General and was told there would be a very high chance of going into labour at some time within the following 72 hours so the waiting game began.

We learned that if the baby was delivered at such an early stage it wouldn’t survive.

72 hours came and went and I stayed in Wexford General right up until I reached the crucial 24 week stage. This is the point at which the chances of survival for the baby start to increase. I was transferred to the National Maternity hospital in Holles Street at 24 weeks to be near to their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

At 25 weeks and four days, I did go into labour. My labour lasted less than 20 minutes and Sophia was born weighing 1lb 14oz and so our journey through the world of prematurity began! I had done a fair bit of research in the three weeks since my waters had broken into survival rates of a premature baby and what issues a baby born extremely early might face.

Even armed with this information and a scary briefing from hospital staff, we were completely unprepared for the reality of having our own premature baby and how literally in those few minutes when Sophia was born our lives would change in every way.

Although she was born more than three months early and was tiny, Sophia was classed a reasonably “healthy” premature baby. She avoided many of the common complications of premature birth, so much of what we feared for her thankfully never happened.

Having said this, she needed a ventilator to breathe for her for a week, then a pressure mask feeding her oxygen and preventing her immature lungs from collapsing. She graduated from this onto a simple supplementary oxygen supply when she was strong enough to breathe for herself and because of her time spent on oxygen, she’s classified as having chronic lung disease.

She began to feed on breastmilk through a tube that went into her stomach as she

was too young to suck. Feeding had to be introduced very gradually as the digestive system isn’t ready for it. Feeding can cause life threatening complications in premature babies if it doesn’t go well, but Sophia seemed to take it in her stride.

She suffered with jaundice and needed phototherapy where she was placed under UV lamps. She required three blood transfusions and underwent numerous chest x-rays to monitor how her lungs were doing and ultrasound scans of her heart and brain to check for problems.

Her vital statistics were checked and recorded every hour of every day and night. She had regular blood tests and it wasn’t unusual for her to be receiving medication through two or three drips at the same time.

After seven weeks in Holles Street Sophia was healthy enough to be transferred back to the special care unit in Wexford were we spent the next 10 weeks. During this time Sophia had to visit Holles St once more for laser eye surgery to correct a complication of prematurity called retinopathy that can result in blindness.

Her first big setback when she started feeding from a bottle. After feeding her heart rate would drop and her breathing would slow right down causing a lack of oxygen and making her turn blue. No one could find anything obviously wrong with Sophia, different milk was tried, different feeding positons and medications but with no improvement it was decided to transfer Sophia back to Dublin this time to Crumlin.

Very quickly once admitted to Crumlin they discovered she was suffering from silent aspiration where fluid was entering her lungs during feeding which in turn was causing her “blue episodes”. Her feeding tube was put back in and the problem went away. She finally came home after 139 days in four hospitals.

Sophia is now three years old. She’s had many return visits to A&E in Crumlin because of chest infections and a requirement to spend a few days on oxygen to recover. These visits are becoming fewer though. She no longer has a feeding tube but requires any runny drinks like water or milk to be thickened so she can swallow them properly.

She’s small for her age, but a strong, healthy, very determined, a little mischievous, affectionate and very happy little lady.

Anne Ryan is a childcare worker originally from Scotland who now lives in Rathdrum with her husband and two daughters.

with Anne Ryan with Martina Durac

“W

During the making of the film, more parts of the jigsaw puzzle fell into place

Tweets of the week

David O’Gorman @davidogorman “Who knew that fog could be nominated as man of the match. He has all areas covered and is the only talking point so far #IreVBos” Donal O’Keeffe @Donal_Okeeffe “To those commenting on Mickey Rooney’s death, welcome here from April 2014. Your next Euromillions numbers are 11, 18, 29, 42, 49, 4 and 11.”

Grainne Maguire @GrainneMaguire “Twitter is so grim at the moment. I’ve never been so grateful for sponsored pop up tweets” Stacy @PenneysFiveEuro “Watching the order that the buses are due changing around on the Real Time indicator and thinking, ‘the cosmic ballet goes on.’”

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

Searching for answers in Bolivia murder hen Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia, came to Dublin recently on a State trip there was one family that had more reason than most to take note of his visit. And when his foreign minister met with Caroline Dwyer to talk with her I wondered what would come out of that meeting.

Why did they meet and why did it matter to me? It mattered because in April 2009 a young Irishman was shot dead and killed by a secret police unit in Santa Cruz in Bolivia. Two other men were killed in the incident and two were arrested and taken into custody. The Bolivian authorities said that Michael Dwyer had been part of a group plotting to kill Morales, the President of Bolivia.

I wondered why a young man from rural Tipperary with no connections to South America, no apparent political affiliations, no Spanish language skills, would take it upon himself to go to Bolivia to try to assassinate the President there? These questions eventually led myself and the co-director on the film, Julien Behal, to make a documentary exploring this, called Death of a Son – The Killing of Michael Dwyer.

It took us from Tipperary to Dublin, Brussels, Washington, Bolivia and Brazil as we accompanied his mother Caroline. We wanted to make a personal, observational film with this woman who had suffered incredible grief and the film is as much about a family’s loss as it is about the injustice of State summary execution.

Santa Cruz is the richest region in Bolivia and was seeking independence from the central government in 2009. Morales, the country’s first openly left-wing President, had begun major reforms and nationalization of various industries, an unpopular move in Santa Cruz. Michael told his family he was going to Bolivia for a security-training course; he’d met Hungarian men when he worked on security at the Corrib pipeline who had told him about it. A few weeks later this course still had not come to pass. Then he was introduced to a man called Rozsa Flores and began to work for him in January 2009.

Michael wrote to his family saying Flores, who was in his late forties, had more money than sense and for some reason called Michael his bodyguard though all he did was hang around with him all day. However, Rozsa Flores had a complex past; he’d fought in the Balkans wars, was a poet, a journalist and had links to Santa Cruz. It seems now

that as soon as Michael linked up with Flores his fate was sealed for Flores was one of the men killed that night and appears to have been the focus of the police action.

By the time we started filming, parts of the official story were unravelling. We knew there hadn’t been a shootout; the trial of the men arrested made no mention of a plot to assassinate Evo Morales; they were now accused of plotting terrorist acts.

As the years passed over thirty other men were charged and put on trial also.

When we travelled to Santa Cruz we attended the trial and filmed parts of it, a surreal and disturbing experience. The Bolivian authorities claimed the group had a terrorist training camp but this was, in fact, a public shooting range.

We filmed there with Caroline. The public prosecutor on the case, Marcelo Soza, fled to Brazil when the government was planning to move against him.

We flew there to meet him and he told Caroline he found no evidence to link Michael to a terrorist plot. Caroline travelled to Washington to meet Raffaela, the young Brazilian woman who was Michael’s girlfriend in Santa Cruz. During the making of the film, more parts of the jigsaw puzzle fell into place but of course, we could never put it all together.

This story is deeply complex and fractured with some of its key players now dead or in hiding, Through it all remained the shadow of a young man who can no longer speak for himself or offer explanations. Whatever about the people Michael spent time with in Santa Cruz there is no doubt that he was executed by the State there; he had no chance to defend himself in any way at all. This is central to what his mother seeks to establish with an international enquiry into his killing and why she met the Bolivian foreign minister recently.

There has been much vivid speculation over the years about “what he was up to in Bolivia” with some people who never knew Michael eager to offer damning verdicts on what kind of person he was.

It seems to be human nature to look for simple explanations when the messy, nuanced, complex nature of existence would suggest life does not work that way.

Martina Durac is a film-maker living in Wicklow who has been making documentaries since the mid 1990s. With her colleague, Julien Behal, she runs Phoenix Films

OPINION| 11

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

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We must not lose sight of liberté, égalité, fraternité

Asia (Pre University Science HK) and mum Tilly Jordan from Arklow at BIFE 2015 Graduation Ceremony which was held in the Druids Glen (main pic); Music Production Graduates Sheila Wilson and Patrick Fitzpatrick from Gorey (top right); Sport and Gym Instruction Graduates Jessica Hurley from Arklow, Ciara Moffat from Bray, Hannah Burke from Cabinteely. Pic: Ann Egan

Don’t turn Wicklow into a theme park

T

he world would be a very bland place if everywhere became too similar.

What makes the planet fascinating are the differences between countries.

Different scenery, different customs and cultures, a unique experience for the tourist and visitor when they travel to a different place.

Sometimes it feels like this is being threatened. That our country, and by extension our beautiful county of Wicklow, is being homogenised and losing its character.

Coffee shop chains and other big brands opening up at an ever-increasing rate on the streets of our towns in place of familyrun businesses of infinite variety, charm and curiosity for the visitor.

Perhaps it’s a sign of the times.

Family-run businesses are unable to compete with corporations and franchises, and you end up with less of the former and more of the latter. It’s an equilibrium that has shifted in tandem with modern economics. We complain about the loss of character but at the end of the day jobs are being provided and the population of any town or

Brian Quigley county needs steady, paid employment for its citizens. It’s a two-edged sword.

When I was growing up in Bray there were very few retail chains in the town. Familyrun businesses abounded and the town, like any other in the county and beyond, had a distinct character that reflected the talents, interests and produce of the locality.

The seafront was a popular holiday destination still for visitors from Northern Ireland and Scotland. A visit to any town in the county or the country as a whole was a unique experience back then. You couldn’t say the same now.

The establishment of tourist initiatives like The Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East (which Wicklow forms part of) are symptomatic of the

problem. We want to get tourist numbers up to drive our economic recovery. In order to do that we need to offer them the type of product that we think the modern tourist wants. Unfortunately the answer we have come up with is to offer the tourist a semi-homogenised package, a tick-off list of household-name places with generic visitor centres (complete with the ubiquitous coffee shop) and over-priced souvenir huts. The tourist is deprived of a more real, organic experience as a trade-off for jobs being provided and tax revenues collected.

Why would we not consider or countenance the opposite approach, where we have the confidence to realise that tourists will come to visit us in large numbers anyway because the scenery in our county and country is breathtaking. Our historical sites and monuments would be stop-off points for the visitors anyway, regardless of whether they are number two or number six on a tick-off list, and regardless of whether there is a visitor centre attached. The tick-off list approach straightjackets the tourist. The more organic approach would be infinitely more rewarding for the visitor who is therefore more

likely to recommend the county and country to family and friends when they return home than if it was just another packaged-up, homogenised jaunt.

A few people I know have visited Cuba in recent years. To a person they stressed the importance of seeing the country before it becomes too Americanised, too commercial (which is Cuba’s ultimate fate).

If you are going to see the Great Wall of China or to climb Mount Everest you are going to see the real thing – you aren’t bothered whether they have a recognised pub chain or hamburger franchise dotted along the route at regular intervals.

To see things in their unspoilt state is sometimes exactly what the discerning tourist wants.

I’m not a particulalrly welltravelled person but I’ve spent some time in Morocco and have fond memories of travelling through the Atlas mountains and happening upon a traditional Berber village where a family offered me a plate of traditional stew.

It was infinitely tastier than anything that could be served up claiming to be the same meal in the restaurant room of a franchised hotel in Agadir or Marrak

Last Saturday was a day when the world woke up to sickening news, unless people had seen the early reports the night before of what was happening in Paris. A total of 129 innocent people slaughtered at multiple locations by terrorists.

The locations included a rock concert; frightening when you realise U2 were due to play Paris the following night. Dozens more were injured and are still in hospital. The victims were of many nationalities. Yet the attacks last weekend make me more sure, not less, that terrorists will never, can never or should ever win.

The taking of any human life is a crime against nature. We can in some ways get our heads around the concept of war, where two nations or groups of nations or even two factions within a nation battle over territory or other conflicts. Human casualties mount up on both sides. It’s an awful way to settle differences but it is a tragedy that has been played out since the dawn of time.

The kind of atrocity perpetrated in Paris last week, like the one in Kenya in April (when 147 were killed in a terrorist attack on a college in Garissa) or a number of other black days in recent history, show that some people are prepared to kill indiscriminately in an unprovoked and brutal fashion.

Prepared to execute the innocent and then die themselves by their own hands. For what gain? To what end? How can this achieve anything except misery? How can anybody support such actions?

Terrorists will not win because too many people stand against them. Everyone around the world who was outraged last weekend. Everyone who changed their social media profile to France’s colours. Everyone who helped France mourn. Everyone who marched in solidarity in their town or city. Everyone who believes in freedom for all to enjoy life and move freely around the world. Everyone who wants to make the world a better place for the sake of their children and the next generation.

There is no other way. We have to put more into the world than we take out, and depart when our time is up having made progress in the evolution of humankind. Having helped make the world a kinder, more caring and more equitable place.

Easier said than done. Injustice, prejudice and cruelty still abound but we need to be whittling away at tackling them, bit by bit, and showing the next generation that change can be brought about by peaceful means. By education. By tolerance.

We know ourselves that terrorism doesn’t win. Terrorist acts were perpetrated against our nearest neighbours for a generation yet few in that neighbouring country believed that the attacks were representative of how the majority here felt.

The organisations behind these attacks have moved on and are thankfully involved in peaceful and political structures now.

Because the terrorist approach was never going to win.

The attacks in Paris last weekend will have consequences for us all. Extra vigilance, extra security when travelling, an extra awareness that humankind is far from perfect and that nothing in life is to be taken for granted. But it should instil in us an extra determination to continue on the paths of justice, fairness, tolerance and freedom. We must not stoop to the level of the terrorists and become hateful of people who are different to us. That way the terrorists won’t win. .

- BQ

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12 | WHAT’S HOT WILDLIFE

with Justin Ivory

Starling. Pics: John Fox

Mesmerising Murmurations Picture the scene.

It is dusk on a winters’ evening. As the last light begins to fade in an otherwise featureless and lifeless skyline a strange phenomenon starts to unfold. Wave upon wave of black shapes arrive from all directions to coalesce into one huge, living, breathing entity. And so one of the most breath taking and awe inspiring performances you are ever likely to witness begins.

The gigantic shadow creature begins an aerial, shape-shifting ballet.

Constantly twisting and turning, ebbing and flowing so the dance continues. But look closer and you will see that the creature is not a single entity but consists of thousands, even millions of black specks moving in unison, for all the world like iron filings on a sheet of paper being controlled from beneath by a magnet.

Suddenly as if a switch has been flicked they drop from the sky and the performance is over for another day.

What you have just witnessed is a flock of starlings, or a murmuration, arriving at their evening, winter communal roost. The Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a highly sociable bird and they roost communally throughout the year.

During the breeding season these roosts are relatively small and mainly consist of non-breeding birds.

It is in late autumn and winter that these roosts can reach an incredible size, some in excess of a million individuals. Typically the roosts are in small woods, reed beds or suitable manmade structures, although in recent years urban roosts have been in decline.

While a murmuration is the collective noun for a group/flock of starlings it is particularly associated with the large winter groups and their pre-roost aerial stunts and acrobatics.

Next week we shall explore the phenomenon of murmurations further.

wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

night out of the week The Neil Diamond Story Parkview Hotel, Newtownmountkennedy, December 3 The UK’s best Neil Diamond tribute artist, Bob Drury will take time out from his 50 date UK tour to play a very special gig in Wicklow. Bob will be performing as part of a cabaret and dinner evening in the Parkview Hotel. If you’re a fan of Neil Diamond then Bob is the next best thing. His performance of The Neil Diamond Story will trace Diamond’s career from his early days as a struggling songwriter in New York right up to his most recent albums. Covering hits from the past five decades you can look forward to hearing Love on the Rocks, Forever in Blue Jeans, Hello Again and many more. All profits from the evening will go towards The Leprosy Mission to facilitate services provided at the leprosy hospital Karigiri Hospital in Tamil Nadu, India. The evening includes a three course meal and tickets are €40, available at leprosy.ie.

Event of the week Ladies Night Out Greystones Greystones village, December 3 Get ready, get set, get shopping - Ladies Night Out Greystones is back!

The evening, which is exclusive to women, will be filled with fun, frolics and of course, shopping. Take some time out from the hectic festive season and treat yourself - and your loved ones if you’re feeling generous - to some fantastic items at even better prices. First class fashion, exquisite gifts, discerning home interiors, glamorous hair and beauty salons and more await you in Greystones so there is no shortage of places to peruse. Set to the backdrop of live music, Greystones will be transformed into a shopping Mecca with lots of entertainment, fashion shows, demonstrations and in-store promotions to boot. Grab your best girlfriends and take advantage of this fun-filled evening because this is an event you would be a fool to miss.

book of the week Beatlebone

By Kevin Barry Limerick writer Kevin Barry recently won the Goldsmiths Prize for his second novel, Beatlebone. A searing, surreal novel that bleeds fantasy and reality - and Beatles fandom. It is 1978, and John Lennon has escaped New York City to try and find the island off the west coast of Ireland he bought nine years prior. Leaving behind domesticity, his approaching forties, his inability to create, and his memories of his parents, he sets off to find calm in the comfortable silence of isolation.

But when he puts himself in the hands of a shape-shifting driver full of Irish charm and dark whimsy, what ensues can only be termed a magical mystery tour. Beatlebone is a tour de force of language and literary imagination that marries the most improbable element to the most striking effect.

TV SHOW of the week Jessica Jones Netflix, November 20 The latest Marvel superhero to take on the small screen is the one and only, Jessica Jones. Following the success of their Daredevil series, Netflix have decided to add to their superhero gang. Often underrated, Krysten Ritter is in the title role.

Jessica is a former superhero who opens a detective agency when her brief superhero career comes to a tragic end. Former Dr Who,

Gallery of the week The Boat Yard Gallery Greystones Harbour, Greystones, 083 4274077 The Boat Yard Gallery recently opened its doors in Greystones and if you haven’t paid them a visit yet then you’re missing out. A welcome addition to the community, The Boat Yard consists of a gallery downstairs and an artist’s workshop upstairs. The workshop will be home to silversmith, jeweller and sculptor Jason Mac Gabhann and designer Swarovski crystal costume jewellery from Melanie Hand. There will be picture framing and printing on the upper floor as well. Downstairs in the gallery, The Boat Yard will host a range of guest artists and is currently exhibiting the works of Hairy Fruit Art and The Word Bird.

They are also hosting Christmas markets on November 28 and 29 from 11am4pm. Browse the special collection of stalls, sip some mulled wine and join in some carol singing in aid of St Vincent de Paul. Keep up with all the latest news on their Facebook page, The Boat Yard Gallery.

David Tennant gets to play the big bad villain, Kilgrave. Critics have compared Tennant’s villainous performance to Tom Hiddleston’s Loki in the first Avengers film.

All 13 hour-long episodes will be released at once so you can bingewatch to your heart’s content. The opening episode will have you hooked as it is fast-paced and filled with surprises. The series has the potential to take the best of the recent Marvel series and combine them into one epic series.

6 7 8 9 10

WHAT’S HOT| 13

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

MOVIE of the week The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Gaiety Cinema, Arklow It’s time for the final battle against the Capitol in the epic conclusion to the Hunger Games franchise. In this final chapter, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) realises that the stakes are no longer just survival - they are for the future. With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with her closest friends - Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and Finnick (Sam Claflin) -Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lvies to liberate the citizens of Panem. They stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying Katniss. The moral traps, enemies and choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in the Hunger Games.

HOROSCOPES

Fundraiser of the week The Wicklow Calendar East Coast FM Radio Centre, Killarney Road, Bray, Facebook. com/wicklowcalendar A calendar of stunning images donated by Wicklow photographers is being sold across the county to raise funds for the five cancer support centres in the county and the Wicklow Hospice Foundation.

The project is the brainchild of Marlena Murphy in partnership with Richie Kelly and the project

will be added to the East Coast FM Wicklow Wide Coffee Morning fund for 2016. The calendar is available for pre-order and can be reserved for collection from the East Coast FM radio centre. You can purchase the calendar from the support centres, from local businesses and at many Christmas fairs. Buy online from the Facebook page and the East Coast FM website. For a full list of purchase points see The Wicklow Calendar on Facebook. Calendars are €9.99.

business of the week KeyFast Unit 14, Egans Complex, Dargle Road, Bray, 1850 766666

Aries- This week is a 9 Partner with a gracious person to take advantage. Buy tickets, or make reservations. Let joy and abundance win.

Taurus- This week is an 8 Make your life more comfortable. Travel for pleasure.

You’re gaining maturity and knowledge. Follow your passion Gemini- This week is a 7 Communications channels are wide open. Accept more responsibilities. Create and appreciate works of beauty.

Trust old love.

Cancer- This week is a 9 Look to the future. Keep family first. Look at what needs to change. Home investments pay off. Find an excellent deal in a fixer-upper.

Leo- This week is a 5 The more you learn, the more confident you become. Listen to your dreams. Use what you’re discovering. Apply discipline and nothing can stop you.

Have you felt the panic of losing your car key? Not to mention the shock when you realise just how much a replacement will cost you. Don’t find yourself caught out - be sure to have a spare key on hand. You can save yourself a lot of hassle and a lot of money. Head down to KeyFast in Bray and get a duplicate made today. Peace of mind and a saving of up to 60%. You would be crazy not to. With fast and reliable service guaranteed, you can be sure that KeyFast will look after you. As an added bonus, you can avail of a 10% discount when you mention the Wicklow Voice. So what are you waiting for? Drive home today knowing that you have a spare key in case you accidentally lose yours.

Virgo- This week is a 7 Your connections have wisdom and experience. Reach out and let people know what you need.

An older person comes up with the answer.

GIG of the week Jupe Whelans, Wexford Street, Dublin, November 24 Dublin band Jupe will take to the stage in Whelans this week. Having released their latest single, Rocket, last month the band are excited to get back to the live circuit. 2015 has already been a massively successful year for Jupe. Not only have they signed with US label Perfection Records and shared a stage with Mumford

Musical of the week Oklahoma!

Mermaid Arts Centre, Main Street, Bray, November 25-28, 8pm Loreto Secondary School Bray and Presentation College Bray will be staging a performance of Oklahoma! at the Mermaid. Set in Indian western territory in the early part of the twentieth century, the high spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the background against which a love story is played out. Laurey is a headstrong farm girl and the woman with whom both cowboy Curly and farm hand Jud have fallen in love. When she plays hard-to-get with earnest Curly and instead accepts dangerous Jud’s invitation to the upcoming box social, tensions rise between the men and capture the interest of the whole town. With such timeless classics as Oh What a Beautiful Morning, People Say We Are in Love and of course, the unforgettable title number Oklahoma, this is a must-see show for all the family.

and Sons and Toto, they were also named as the Most Played Independent Act on Irish Radio in 2014 by UTV. Jupe are setting the music scene on fire with their once in a lifetime sound and their mesmerising live shows, helping to etch their name into the global music scene.

Their latest track offers an explosion of modern pop, under which lies a fusion of soaring harmonies, anthemic pop melodies, and thunder boom verse synths.

Libra- This week is an 8 Share your discoveries generously. Provide substance, not just symbolism. Listen to a female’s advice. Clean up and lend a helping hand.

Scorpio- This week is an 8 Good things come through communicating with your social networks. Encourage feedback to see your blind spots. Back up your words of love with action.

Sagittarius- This week is a 6 Friends open unseen doors. Your team is especially hot. Keep everyone in communication to harness flourishing creativity.

Party later.

Capricorn- This week is an 8 Provide excellent work, and ask for what you need. Maintain discretion. Devote energy toward a matter of the heart for abundant reward.

Aquarius- This week is a 6 Friends share options. Go farther than ever before. Travels, transportation and shipping flow with ease. Hold yourself to high standards.

Pisces- This week is a 9 You’re gaining skills and confidence. Creative breakthroughs spark when you mix love into your work. Learn and teach.

14 | lifestyle

wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

my favourite things

That’s a wrap Throughout the upcoming months, the preparation for Christmas craziness will have you emptying your wallets, and buying presents for everyone else. We say treat yourself!

With the bitter weather, the temptations to stay wrapped up in your dressing gown growing every day, there’s no better excuse to update your outerwear wardrobe.

I’ve hand-picked my favourite styles, from high-street heroes to high-end heaven in price ranges to fit everyone’s budget.

This Jasper Conran coat from Debenhams (above left, €118.50) is sure to see you through the winter months. This piece is incredibly wearable and a flattering fit, lengthening legs

and cinching waist lines creating a streamlined silhouette.

This gorgeous waterfall belted coat from New Look (above centre, €35) is style wise and price wise for an incredible buy. Wear cinched at the waist for a dramatic hourglass silhouette or leave it to flow open for a look that oozes effortless elegance This Next belted wrap coat (above right, €228) combines the comfort and warmth of a with the streamlined design of a sleek winter coat resulting in a cosy cover-up that can take you from day to night to early morning emergency shop runs. Main pic: Wrap collar coat, Heatons, €49.50.

WHAT’s HOT

with Aoife Connolly info@wicklowvoice.ie

lifestyle | 15

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

Peter Byrne

Head Chef at Sika Restaurant in The Powerscourt Hotel

food in wicklow

Pear bread and butter pudding

FOR THE CUSTARD 250g Double cream 250g Whole milk 125g Caster sugar 150g Whole eggs 2g Table salt 2 star anise to infuse METHOD Place the eggs and sugar into a bowl and whisk together and whisk. Then add the salt Now add the cream and the milk onto the egg mix and whisk together until smooth Infuse for 12 hours with star anise Strain through a chinois, and warm slowly on the stove until 40°c TO BUILD Build the pudding using the slices of poached pear and brioche lightly buttered Then cover with the custard and leave to soak for 20 minutes top up where necessary TO COOK 1.

Place in a bain-marie, and cook at 140°c for approx 40 minutes 2.

Check, if ready remove from the oven and cool

LAWLESS HOTEL AUGHRIM WEDDING FAIR Sunday Nov 29th 2-5pm

Lawless Hotel will host their Wedding Fair on Sunday November 29th 2-5pm.

We are calling on all Couples who are planning, thinking of planning or just looking to come along to view our top class venue boasting a magnificent Function Room and Gardens with views of the river that would enhance any couples memories.

We will have all our local Wedding experts present to advice and discuss their prices & packages. With many years of Wedding experience, their good advice and guidance will help you decide what you require and what best suits your Special Day. We are trilled to have this opportunity to showcase Lawless Hotel to you. This our first Wedding Fair in 10 years and we are endeavoring to make it a huge success. We are also fully licensed for Civil Ceremonies and would be delighted to have the opportunity to discuss our Wedding Packages which can be tailored to suit all your needs.

Our unique riverside setting is ideal for photographs in our won-

derfully manicured gardens – a priceless keepsake for your Wedding Album. We are very competitively priced and all your dietary requirements can be catered for. We will also cater for parties the day after the Wedding should you wish to entertain and make it a weekend celebration. From BBQ’s to Pig on the Spit – all is accommodated.

Lawless Hotel has a long tradition for excellent food and with many year of Wedding Expertise in the past, we are now ready to help you make your Special Day all you dreamed of. You can relax and be assured that everything possible will be done to achieve the most memorable and enjoyable day for you both. Our Chefs and their team will ensure that you and your guests will enjoy a magnificent feast, our mouth watering menus will be sure to satisfy all your guests.

We would like in advance to acknowledge all our Wedding Experts who will showcase to you all that is available from the traditional to the extravagant for all couples planning to tie the knot in the next few years.

At Lawless Hotel our aim is to ensure that your day is everything that you wished for. Our staff will be on hand to discuss any queries you may have. We look forward to welcoming you on Sunday November 29th.

For further information please contact 0402-36146 or email: reservations@lawlesshotel.ie

16 | ADVERTISING wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

ADVERTISING | 17

18 | SPECIAL REPORT wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

New Meridian Point store

CyclePlus have opened their doors at their brand new location in the Meridian Point Shopping Centre.

Now there will be no need for Santa to panic when looking for somewhere to pick up presents for all the good boys and girls.

The shop is fully stocked with over 70 children’s bikes available so there is no shortage of cool models to suit every child.

There are also plenty of choices for the grown-ups who are hoping for a shiny new bike under the tree.

If you see something you like, and want anything changed or upgraded the team are only too happy to swap components in and out to meet your requirements.

Alternatively, we can start with a bare frameset and build you a bike from scratch to your exact specification.

The team at CyclePlus are happy to help you with any queries you may have and you can rest assured that they only stock the best quality

manufacturers. To help ease the stress of the festive season, you can now avail of the CyclePlus Christmas Club.

Customers can choose the bike of their dreams and secure it with a 50% deposit.

The remaining 50% can be paid in either one instalment or several smaller ones between now and Christmas.

Once it has been paid off, the bike will be built and waiting for you to pick it up in the store at your convenience.

Be sure to get in early though as these bikes are sure to fly out the door as December approaches.

After all, nothing says Christmas morning like whizzing up and down the road on your brand new bike.

Cycleplus, Meridian Point, Shopping Centre, Greystones, T 01-2871504/ 086 8181573, info@Cycleplus.ie.

well done to CyclePlus and best of luck with the new store

ADVERTISING | 19

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

Christmas is a time for giving (yourself a Gingerbread & Cream Latte). #MerryChristmasToMe

Gingerbread & Cream Latte

NEW STORE NOW OPEN at Tesco Shopping Centre, Bray

20| ADVERTISING wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015

SPECIAL REPORT| 21

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

Manage waste responsibly this Christmas With Christmas rapidly approaching, many people have begun to think about sprucing up their homes.

As always the place to begin is to get rid of any waste and unused items that clutter up the house.

When doing this it is important to ensure that you clear out your home in a responsible manner.

A good tip is to pay a visit to one of Wicklow’s five recycling centres, based in Arklow, Avoca, Baltinglass, Bray and Wicklow.

These are open throughout the year including Saturdays offering free recycling services.

Wicklow County Council are reminding people not to give their waste to unauthorised waste collectors who may approach them as they do not hold

a waste collection permit and it is likely to be discarded as litter elsewhere.

Don’t forget to pay another visit in the New Year to recycle all the Christmas wrapping.

The charity shops in the recycling centres in Bray, Arklow and Wicklow will be happy to take unwanted gifts or clothes.

When shopping for presents for loved ones this Christmas, consider the gift of a service rather than a physical item.

A nice meal out or a weekend away may be more valued than something that will sit unused in a drawer until thrown away.

Other activities and services can also be gifted such as spa treatments, tickets for a concert or a sports game.

Money spent on services is money that stays in the Irish economy so everyone wins

while waste is prevented.

Irish householders produce significantly more waste during the Christmas period.

Food waste also increases significantly at this time of year creating a strain on our wallets as well as filling the bin with unnecessary waste.

This year why not resolve to buy less and buy smarter when it comes to food.

With pay by weight charges for bin collections’ coming in 2016 this free recycling offers a great way to slim your bin.

Be sure to take note of the Recycling Centres Christmas opening days which are December 23, December 29, December 30 and January 2.

Remember that householders are responsible for the proper disposal of their waste and recycling will save you money too.

Dublin - Green Isle Hotel, Dublin 12 Saturday 5th December

22 | SPORT

wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015 The annual Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Tráth na gCeist will take place on November 19 at 7.30pm in Lynhams of Laragh.

sport in brief An Tochar Well done to the U14 Boys on winning the Cullen Cup final vs St Kevins on November11 at Pairc an Tochar. The players and management capped off an enjoyable year with a trip to Castleblayney at the weekend where the local Faughs club were the perfect hosts.

The annual presentation evening will take place on November 22 at 5pm.

Medal presentations will take place upstairs, in three separate groups: U18/U16/U14 players and parents at 5pm, U12/U10 players and parents at 5.45pm, U8 players and parents at 6.30pm. Rumour has it a celebrity guest will be in attendance to help with the presentations. Should be a great evening, not to be missed.

Congrats to Donal Marah as he starts a new job at GAA HQ in Croke Park. Donal has promised free Garth Brooks tickets to all club members when he gets around to rescheduling the concerts.

Arklow Geraldines The U16 Adult Ladies’ and Mens’ Presentation will be held on November 21 at 8pm upstairs in Christy’s.

The Annual Table Quiz with a

Shankill GAA

The AGB Juvenile Ladies celebrated another successful season in the Arklow Rocks GAA club on November 15. Pictured is Terry Canavan presenting the U14 Division 3 Shield to Captain Hannah Lee. Twist is on December 3 at 8pm in the Olde Ship, Arklow. Come have a great night, start your December in style with AGB. Prizes on the night for the best effort. €20 per table.

The Presentation Day for the U8-U14 Girls was held on November 15 with a large crowd in attendance.

There were medals for all the age groups and also special Rising Star and Player of the Year awards. Paul and Sarah O’Sullivan had a special presentation for the U14 Div1 girls, with personalised Gear Bags.

Goodies and refreshments were then served and a good

time had by all.

A group of AGB girls have set up a St. Mary’s TY Mini Company selling personalised GAA gloves.

For more info see them on Facebook at Gloves Going Global or Twitter @clubgaagloves

Bray Wanderers There was no jackpot winner on November 8. Numbers drawn were 1, 3, 24 and 30. €30 lucky dip winners were; Ryan and Nicole Keddy c/o John Keating, Katie Mason c/o Shamrock Bhoys, J.C. Doyle c/o V. Walsh, Paul McKeever

c/o Shamrock Bhoys, Marie, Jemma and Veronica c/o V. Walsh. Next week’s jackpot is €10,925.

The supporters Club Player of the year award were held last Saturday. Award winners were: Senior Player of the Year 2015 winner Hugh Douglas, Young Player of the Year 2015 winner Hugh Douglas, Under 19 Player of the year 2014/15 Paul Murphy, Under 17 Player of the year 2015 Jack Whelan, Top Goalscorer 2015 season was David Cassidy, Player of the month for July and September was Peter Cherrie, Player of the month for August and October was Hugh Douglas.

Cumann na mBunscol All outdoor blitzes will be played at the Wicklow GAA Centre of Excellence in Ballinakill Rathdrum. Indoor camogie and hurling blitzes will take place at Aughrim Community Hall the weeks of November 16 and 23.

If you are interested contact Leighton Glynn at 083 3645136 or leighton.glynn.gda. wicklow@gaa.ie.

Games are small sided and will be provided to accommodate large and small schools and can be graded according to ability and size.

Training for the boys U12 and girls U9 and 11 years is in the Castle on Saturday morning at 10am when there is no match.

The midweek evening training is in the process of moving indoors so please check with your team manager for details.

Men’s adult football team is taking a short break before training resumes in preparation for the new season.

New players always welcome contact Kevin 086 8449902.

Hurls together with hoodies, fleece tops and beanie hats in our club colours and in both children’s and adult sizes are available to order for delivery before Christmas.

Get your order and cash in now.

Juvenile Academy is in action this Saturday morning at 10am (check the venue with your team manager) catering for 4-8 year old boys and girls.

Learn the skills of Gaelic football, Hurling and Camogie in a safe and fun environment.

If you would like your child to join the Academy or any of our teams, there are no trials, no selection processes and no annual subscription. The cost is only €2 for each child.

sport| 23

November 19 2015 wicklowvoice.ie

insideback

with Brian Quigley

Douglas the big winner at awards Hugh Douglas was the big winner at the Bray Wanderers Supporters Club Player of the Year awards night on November 14, which was held in the Barracuda restaurant on Bray Seafront.

Douglas has become a fans favourite and cult figure at the club over the course of the season, epitomising the grit and effort in the face of advertisity that underpinned Wanderers’ 2015 campaign.

As well as walking away with the Senior Player of the Year award, Hugh also won the Young Player of the Year award and was presented with two Player of the Month awards (for August and October).

This impressive haul was well earned and well deserved and the good news is that Hugh has committed his future to the club for the 2016 campaign.

Other award winners on the night were David Cassidy who received the top goalscorer award, and Peter Cherrie who

received two player of the month awards (for June and September).

Goalkeeper Cherrie has also committed his future to the club, having signed for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Jack Whelan won the Under 17 Player of the Year award and Paul Murphy won the Under 19 Player of the Year award.

John Ryan, who scored the hat-trick that won Wanderers the FAI Cup in 1990 during the first Pat Devlin era, became the second inductee into the Wanderers Hall of Fame (Colm Tresson was the inaugural inductee last year).

David Cassidy, as well as picking up the top-scorer gong, was presented with a Special Player Contribution Award for his efforts during the season.

David twice had to act as manager during turbulent periods of the season when the club were between appointments.

His efforts on these occasions

Hugh Douglas Bray Wanderers S/C Player of the Year with his parents at the Awards night were above and beyond the call of duty, and rarely in football have I seen someone contribute so much to their club. Well done David.

The night was a very wellattended and enjoyable

Don runs into record books

By Michelle McGlynn A man has made history by becoming the first person to run the the Wicklow Way beginning at Dublin’s Marley Park to Clonegal and then back again.

Don Hannon, from Sandyford, braved heavy rain to run 161.1 miles over the course of 37 hours and 51 minutes.

Setting off from Marley Park at 5.30am, Don was ready to get going along with his team of supporters.

The rainfall made the mountain terrain even more difficult for Don especially when navigating the terrain in darkness.

As he began his return trip, it was the thought of some scrambled egg on toast that motivated him but when he reached the lodge at Glenmalure his hopes were dashed when he saw the shutters down.

“I’m not sore, I’m not sore,” Don assured himself as the hours wore on and the run took a physical toll.

It was all worth it for Don when he made it back to the finish line in Marley Park almost 38 hours later having made history.

Don takes break along the Wicklow Way

evening, with supporters, team coaches and management from all the clubs’ teams, players and family members all in attendance.

Speeches on the night, from club Chairman Denis

O’Connor, senior team manager Mick Cooke and Supporters Club Chairman Terry O’Neill were positive and focused on the opportunity the club has to continue to progress as a football family if all

branches of the wider club pull together.

Apart from Peter Cherrie and Hugh Douglas, Mick Cooke has announced several other signings recently as he starts to assemble his 2016 squad.

Mick Daly and Alan Byrne have signed from Drogheda United and Mark Salmon has signed from Longford Town.

More new signings are to be announced as they occur.

On a sad note Adam Mitchell has decided to retire from League of Ireland football.

The combative defender, who played 111 times for the Seagulls since arriving from Bangor Celtic in 2010, is a former Ireland amateur international and was twice voted by the club’s supporters as Player of the Month (June 2011 and July 2014).

We wish Adam every success for the future and thank him for the happy memories he leaves us with.

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wicklowvoice.ie November 19 2015