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Hi Everyone, You’re all very welcome to Edition 33 of InTallaght Magazine.We hope we find you all in great form and that you all enjoy this our 6th edition of 2013. Fingers crossed we are over the worst of the recent cold weather and spring has at last arrived!
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__________________ DIRECTORS Edward Lam edward@intallaght.ie
Riyadh Abdelkader For the main interview in this issue we caught up with local man and Ireland all time goal scorer Robbie Keane prior to last months World Cup Qualifiers. Robbie was in great form; life in LA seems to be suiting him! The secondary interview is with Aisling O Neill who plays Carol in Fair City.As well as playing one of the main characters in the popular soap Aisling has also acted in theatre and film. We recently met up with her in the Civic Theatre, where she was appearing in a play, to discuss her career to date. This edition’s Square Magazine includes a reminder for anyone who’s interested in taking part in the Women’s Mini Marathon that the closing date is the end of this month and news about the Teddy Bear’s Picnic, which was held over the Easter Weekend and was a massive success with a huge turnout on the day. You’ll also find the ever present movie,album and book reviews along with all the other news and features you’ve come to expect from InTallaght Magazine. If any of you want to get in touch with us about anything please don’t hesitate to give us a shout as we love getting feedback from you,our readers.
riyadh@intallaght.ie
DESIGN Edward Lam edward@intallaght.ie
Riyadh Abdelkader riyadh@intallaght.ie
Gwen Taylour gwen@intallaght.ie
PHOTOGRAPHY Fergus McNally (Resident Photographer)
George Kelly ADVERTISING Fergus McNally fergus@intallaght.ie
FEATURE WRITER Padraig Conlon padraig@genesismedia.ie
ASSISTANT WRITERS Rachel Lynch rachel@intallaght.ie
Linn Heldal linn@intallaght.ie
CONTRIBUTORS Gwen Taylour Emer McGillion David Frazer Olivia Ormonde Cathal Jennings Gym Magazine
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08 James Lamumba In Training
A local man has just revealed his latest fundraising event will be in aid of Citywise Education James Lumumba, from Russell Square, has numerous charity events under his belt, like organising the 12 Hour Football Marathon Challenge for Debra in Kiltipper last June, climbing Kilimanjaro in 2010 and running the Chicago Marathon in 2009. James explained all to InTallaght Magazine about his latest project:“I plan to hold a White Collar Boxing night that will take place on Saturday July 1 in The Louis Fitzgerald Hotel in order to raise much needed funds for Citywise Education, a registered charity which provides young people with after school and out of school educational support, often urgently needed by those growing up in difficult or hostile environments. “Our objective is to help young people in disadvantaged areas take their education further and by doing so reduce negative influences like drugs, crime and antisocial behaviour.
“Citywise’s educational programmes raise the sights of young people,give them an enthusiasm for learning and open up possibilities for further education. “Citywise Education has no direct statutory support from the State,and depends on fundraising in the community and a strong volunteering spirit,” he said. For anyone that missed their news feature in our early February edition,Citywise is located in the Durkan Centre in Jobstown and is a not-for-profit organisation which was set up to run education, sporting and personal development programmes. It began in 1991 in Dublin as a response to educational under-achievement of young people living in difficult city backgrounds and was formally established in 1994. If anyone would like to get involved please contact James on 087 413 5537.
The Boxers Are Already Hard At Work Training For The Event
CDI seminar held in Maldron Hotel
education, reduce stigma, and facilitate attendance.” CDI’s findings also highlighted the importance of training on health promotion and effective inter-agency working in teacher training programmes.
Better information sharing between parents, schools and services has been recommended at a Seminar on improving children’s Primary Healthcare services.The recommendation was highlighted as part of a call for greater cross-working between the health and education sectors in providing services to children.
“Health promotion, and information to support greater inter-agency collaboration, is an important part of training and continuous professional development for teachers.This will support education professionals to make evidenceinformed decisions to advance children’s health,” she said.
Speaking at the Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) organised Seminar, CDI CEO Marian Quinn said research, on improving outcomes for children carried out in Tallaght West, has identified numerous steps for improving primary care for children. “We have found that greater support is needed for parents to help them understand and use primary care services for their children. The research highlights a need for better information sharing protocols between parents,schools and service providers. “The research also highlights the importance of providing primary care and special services such as speech and language therapy at where the child spends their time (in the school or preschool) to minimise disruption to their
The role of the Departments of Education and Health was also highlighted:“Face-to-face contact between the two Departments is critical to improve how health and education services work.Effective interdepartmental working requires designated people with responsibilities for leading this,” Ms Quinn said. Since 2007, CDI has implemented and commissioned the independent evaluation of three programmes which are relevant to the provision of primary care.These include CDI’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) service,Healthy Schools Programme (HSP), and Early Years (EY) Programme. The Seminar was opened by the Minister for Primary Care Alex White TD who said:“Early intervention has long been recognised as a vital step in tackling the long-term health and wellbeing of our people.This is particularly evident with children, when lifelong conditions can be identified and
managed.I welcome this initiative by CDI to focus our minds, as policymakers,on proven best practice,and I applaud their innovative work in this arena”. CDI has worked in the community in Tallaght West since 2007 and in that time more than 2,000 children have participated in its eight programmes covering many areas of support for children including health,literacy,speech and language and behaviour. CDI is one of three Prevention and Early Intervention Programme (PEIP) organisations,jointly funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Atlantic Philanthropies.The other programmes are in Ballymun and Dublin 17 and all of the PEIP organisations are exploring new methods for improving outcomes for children in disadvantaged areas
(CDI) Chairman Joe Horan, CDI CEO Marian Quinn with local TD and Minister for Primary Care Alex While
ITT Race Day On the March 22, 13 advertising students from the Institute of Technology Tallaght held a Race Day in aid of Daffodil Day. The Race Day was held in the Metro bar and was organised the event as part of their event management module. The races began at 2.30pm and 6.00pm and they we were lucky enough to have the Fitzafreni play a set before the Ireland football match to get the crowd excited and ready for kickoff.
The Organisers On Race Day
“The Fitzafrenic played the set for free as the event was in aid of Daffodil day and we would really like to thank them for their kind support.” Sarah Carton, one of the organisers told InTallaght. “We were also lucky enough to be sponsored by Paddy Power who provided us with our top prize, €120 worth of vouchers. Other prizes on the day included prizes from Subway, Smyths and Centra.We were also lucky enough to receive two tickets to the Leinster rugby match which we were able to raffle off on the day. “We would like to thank all of our sponsors and everybody who supported and attended our event. In total we raised over €500 for Daffodil Day and the Irish Cancer Society.”
Local GirlToTake On Barnardos Kilimanjaro Summit Challenge Rebecca Byrne has been fundraising on behalf of children's charity Barnardos and plans to take part in the Barnardos Kilimanjaro Summit Challenge in June 2013. Most recently she and two others did bucket collections in The Abberley, The Belgard,The Cuckoos Nest and The Metro which raised a total of €516.46 for the charity. The amazing eleven day itinerary of the Kilimanjaro Summit Challenge includes seven days of trekking on the Machame trail,regarded as the most scenic route to the summit.Seven days on the mountain allows for greater acclimatisation and maximises chances of a successful summit attempt. This route also provides spectacular scenery and a wide variety of landscape to enjoy en route. They will start with scrub-lands thick with African wildlife, then move into lush forests followed by flowering alpine tundra and above
4500m they will encounter snow and rock as they approach the summit. The trekkers will spend seven days sleeping under canvas and scaling heights of 5896 metres on the highest free standing mountain in the world.Integral to the challenge is a fundraising target of €5299. Rebecca will be covering her own travel expenses for the trek but wants to raise as much money as possible before she goes. With this in mind she has organized a benefit night in the Library area of The Abberley in Tallaght on Friday April 26. She says "There'll be a band, DJ and raffle on the night, and tickets are only €5." Music will be provided by Joe Mullins from Legomen and a DJ set by Ste Nutley.There'll be spot prizes galore on the night, some of which she has been posting on the official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/
RebeccaByrneKilimanjaroChallenge
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TallaghtTheatre.com goes online, on demand and on your smart phone Following years of talking, months of planning and construction, Tallaght Theatre's brand new website tallaghttheatre.com was switched on in just 10 seconds by company Chairperson Cass Guinan at the official launch in the theatre on Thursday March 14. Fellow board directors, members, patrons and the public who had all gathered for the big switch on joined Cass in the theatre for the special event. Following a brief introduction to the event, Cass introduced Tallaght Theatre's Technical Director Rob King on stage.Rob is responsible for creating and building the website over the past 6 months and he will also oversee its operations going forward with the help of the newly appointed "Online Team." Rob also outlined what is coming "online" with the new site: “Everything from the latest news, reviews and ticket availability to the hotly anticipated, and technical first, that will be Tallaght Theatre TV,an online media centre of all the latest show teasers,rehearsals and behind the scenes scoops straight from the theatre. "Tallaghttheatre.com is one of many new and exciting technical upgrades introduced to the theatre that have been brought on stream or are yet to be revealed over the next 12 month.s" Rob wanted to emphasise how important the new website will be for taking the theatre to the next level. “Tallaght Theatre Group's incredible and inspirational level of talent has always excelled above the rest, and for talent so great,the theatre group needs equally as high a standard of technical support, and so we took the opportunity to not just step into the 21st century, but to leap! “Our hopes and ambitions are high, but we believe that the launch of this site will rebrand Tallaght's first, and greatest theatre group as it so deserves," he said.
The Brand New Website In All Its Glory Tallaght Theatre Group was formed, as an amateur theatre group, in 1975. The members, who were at the time aged from 16 and upward, came from all over Tallaght and the surrounding areas. The group moved into their current home, the theatre behind the Cuckoo's Nest pub on Greenhills Road in May of 1997.There are 130 seats raked to the stage,which is at floor level, the auditorium is just 7 rows deep for good acoustics.
Theatre Website Awaiting Launch
Rob said the theatre is now fully equipped to meet the demands and expectations of a modern venue. “Although commonly mistaken for the Civic Theatre, the Tallaght Theatre was Tallaght's first theatre and now with its whole new look and technical upgrade, it is not just a community theatre, but one taking on the demands of 21st century Ireland. Fully equipped with as much talent, lights and sounds of four theatres packed together!” he said. Their next production will be From Both Hips which will run from Monday April 15 - Saturday April 20. Their website describes it as an urban comic thriller of violation and vengeance in which a Dublin man is set on revenge afterhe is accidentally shot in the hip by a member of the Drugs Squad.Surrounded by three women (his wife,her sister and his girlfriend), all of whom are determined to advise him - something has got to give.
Theatre Members Await The Big Switch On
The Exterior Of The Theatre Has Received A Colourful New Look
From Both Hips is a cool, fast sweep through the grey Tallaght Theatre Group, are a voluntary organisation made up of local individuals from the greater Tallaght area,who’ve managed to become household names throughout their 38 year history of performing.
no-man’s-land of cops and criminals in contemporary Ireland, and coming to Tallaght Theatre this April.
Following a countdown from the crowd, Cass Guinan then proceeded to officially switch on TallaghtTheatre.com describing it as "a major assest to the entire group" and "a great step forward reaching out to a whole new audience"
www.tallaghttheatre.com
For more information on the group,upcoming shows,events and behind the scenes scoops check out the all new Like on Facebook:facebook.com/tallaghttheatregroup or follow on Twitter: @TallaghtTheatre
Theatre Chairman Cass Guinan (L) And Technical Director Rob King (R) Onstage
Spartan 3 Day Challenge Update As a follow up to a fundraising event we featured in a previous edition, we caught up with Paul Brady to see how his Spartan Three Day Challenge in aid of The National Children’s Hospital,Tallaght. Brave Little TJ During Treatment
Race night in aid of TJ Cunningham We have been following the story of local little boy TJ Cunningham and the fundraising efforts that have been going on to help pay for his lifesaving treatment in America. Among other events The Square FC participated in a five a side football tournament in February.
The Firhouse man succeeded in completing the tough challenge that included a 10k run on Friday March 8, a gruelling workout at Spartan Training Centre which consisted of ten different exercises with 100 reps of each on Saturday March 9, and finally a trek at Glendalough through the miner’s camp up around the part of the hills called The Sphinx on Sunday March 10. The weather was rainy and foggy on the Sunday but Paul powered through and overall he managed to raise €1100 for The Children’s Hospital, where he also works. Congratulations Paul!
Another fundraiser for this cause is taking place on Friday April 27 in The Penny Black in Tymon North. This is a race night arranged by local man and family friend Darren Jones. Darren wants to raise as much money as he can for TJ and the race night will also have a raffle with great prizes including hotel breaks, vouchers and chocolate hampers. If you would like to donate any prizes for the raffle or find out more about this event then please contact Darren on 085 1414992.
Paul Raised Over €1000 For The Hospital
Dublin: One City One Book choice marks centenary of 1913 Lockout Dublin City Council have announced a packed programme of events to celebrate this year’s Dublin: One City One Book initiative.James Plunkett’s Strumpet City, this year’s choice, also commemorates the centenary of the 1913 Dublin Lockout. Many of the events in the programme are free and include music,drama,readings,history,tours,exhibitions and family events. They take place at venues around Dublin from April 1 to April 30 and the full programme is available now on www.dublinonecityonebook.ie A special edition of the book published by Gill & Macmillan can be borrowed from all branches of Dublin City Libraries or bought in bookshops. You can also follow ongoing conversations on Twitter between two of the book’s main characters – Rashers Tierney and Fr. O’Connor. See @RashersTierney1 and @FrOConnor1 “Dublin: One City One Book is now in its eighth year and is one of the most popular literary festivals in the city. The programme has something to interest everyone whether you are a local or a visitor to Dublin. It’s also a great opportunity to read James Plunkett’s Strumpet City an epic both of the 1913 Lockout and of the city itself”,said Dublin’s Deputy Lord Mayor Clare Byrne who officially launched the programme in Liberty Hall, which is the location of several scenes in the book.
Dublin: One City One Book encourages everyone to read a book connected with Dublin during April.The initiative is led by Dublin City Libraries as part of its UNESCO City of Literature Programme.It is supported by publishers Gill & MacMillan, Dept.of Arts,Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the 1913 Commemoration Committee, Dublin City BID and venues and booksellers all over the city. The public will shortly be able to download the first chapter of Strumpet City for free via QR code at 12 Dublin City Council Traffic Light boxes. More details on this will be available throughout April.
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Pieta House calls on the people of Ireland to ‘Mind Our Men’ and reduce male suicide “By this day next week 10 more people will have died by suicide and 8 of these will be men”,says Joan Freeman. With 8 men dying by suicide in Ireland every week, Joan Freeman, founder and CEO of Pieta House, has called on the people of Ireland to educate themselves on the signs and symptoms of suicide as she launched a major new nationwide campaign to reduce the rate of male suicide. The first of its kind, Mind Our Men is a multi-platform training and education campaign that will equip the public with the skills needed to reach out to the men in their lives during times of crisis. Pieta House, a suicide and self-harm crisis centre,has helped over 8,000 people and has been at the forefront of suicide prevention since its establishment in 2006. “Although there’s been a huge increase in awareness over the past number of years it’s clearly not enough as our men are still dying by suicide,”said Joan Freeman.“There are hundreds of organisations doing great work but it’s family and friends who are on the frontline and who need to educate themselves on the warning signs to look out for.Research shows that more suicides are prevented by family and friends than by any organisation or institution. This is why we’re targeting the women and men of Ireland and empowering them to tackle the problem of suicide - spot the signs and save a life,” she said. The public are being asked to pledge their support for the campaign at www.mindourmen.ie where they will be provided with a support pack on suicide prevention and a list of nationwide services and resources. There is also a corporate and organisational element to the campaign called Mind Your Buddy. This is a suicide prevention programme designed by Pieta House where designated contact people within businesses and organisations will be trained in support and referral. It is currently being implemented in male-dominated organisations such as An Garda Síochána, Scouting Ireland, the Defence Forces and the Gaelic Players Association. “We all know that men find it hard to ask for help,” said Joan Freeman.“At Pieta House we’ve noticed that in the vast majority of cases men are referred to us by women - usually their partner or their mother. It’s frightening to think that there are women and men across Ireland today whose loved ones may be contemplating suicide without
Our Last Edition’s Cover Star Peter Coonan Of Love/Hate Fame, Presenter Kathryn Thomas And Dublin Footballer Paul Flynn Who Helped Launch The Campaign their knowledge. It could be your father, your son, your partner, your brother, your friend; this is why it’s so vital that we all take a proactive approach in learning the signs to look out for,” she said. To pledge your support for the campaign and join the growing community of people across Ireland minding their men, log on to www.mindourmen.ie. For more information on Pieta House, visit www.pieta.ie or call 01 601 0000. About Pieta House Pieta House is a suicide and self-harm crisis centre founded by psychologist Joan Freeman. It first opened its doors in Lucan, Co. Dublin in January 2006, and there are now four Pieta House centres throughout Dublin and one in Limerick. Four new centres will open in 2013 in Tuam, Roscrea, Cork and Castleisland.
Pieta House provides a professional, face-to-face, free of charge therapeutic service for people in the acute stages of distress.The unique clinically-based model developed by Pieta House is used across its five centres.Pieta House’s primary aim is to reduce suicide by helping people get through that critical phase when suicide becomes a plan rather than just an idea. The demand for Pieta House’s services continues to grow, and the first half of 2012 saw a 40% increase in the number of people attending Pieta House.As 80% of the organisation’s funding comes from public donations, fundraising is vital to ensure an ability to cope with the increasing numbers seeking help. To date, over 8,000 people have been seen and helped by Pieta House.Pieta House’s vision is that no-one in Ireland should be more than 100 kilometres from a Pieta House centre where they can avail of the clinical services at that time of crisis.
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Robbie Keane is one Tallaght man who needs no introduction. Captain, and all time record goal scorer for the Republic Of Ireland, he has come a long way since he first pulled on boots for Fettercairn under 10’s
Sweden for their World Cup Qualifier. The scheme is aimed at improving grassroots football in Ireland, giving the Ireland players of tomorrow the best possible chance of following in the skipper’s footsteps. InTallaght Magazine was also in attendance and managed to have a few words with Keano
As an ambassador for the new Future Football partnership between the FAI and How are you feeling McDonald’s, Keane at the moment? attended the launch event in Malahide Castle last month prior to the squad’s departure to
I’m feeling good,I’ve scored two goals in my first four games for the Galaxy so I’m happy with that. It’s always good to get off to a good start, obviously last year our start was horrendous so it was important this season to get off to a good one. I had an Achilles’problem before the Germany game and it just got progressively worse and worse towards the end of the season. In the [MLS] Final and the game before that, I
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could hardly run on the pitch. I was really struggling. I was advised to take six weeks off and do absolutely nothing, stay off my feet. For someone who is quite hyper like me it’s very hard to do that — you want to come home and have a five-a-side with your mates. It was fairly tough but at the moment it feels good. So the rest was great and done me the world of good.
Was that the reason why you didn’t make a January move back to the Premiership as you did last year with West Ham?
Yes it is, the Achilles made it impossible to play on loan.Had I carried on playing I probably would have snapped it. It’s nowhere near as bad as it was and the work I have been doing on it has maintained it. It’s fine at the moment. It’s getting managed very well by the club. I have a shoulder injury as well that I eventually need an operation on. It’s not affecting me playing but eventually I will have to get an operation on it. I think I’m feeling the benefits of the rest, I couldn’t have gone on loan because I’d too many injuries.
Are you still in touch with David Beckham?
A little bit yes.I’ve been chatting to him recently and he was telling me what a good player Ibrahimovic is, saying some of the things he does in training are unbelievable.
Are you enjoying being Galaxy’s highest profile player now that David Beckham has moved to PSG?
It doesn’t really bother me too much, I don’t really care that I’m on the back of buses and billboards and stuff like that, to be honest with you. It’s one of those things that comes with being an LA Galaxy player, being in the public eye, living in Hollywood, that’s just the way it is. It’s not something I think about too much. The team has been playing well and I have been scoring, we’re winning so I’m happy.
Certainly it does, it's a lot to ask of a young squad to come in, it probably does take a bit of time yes, but the problem is that we don't have that.We only have seven games left in the campaign. We have to be right on it. We have the game on Friday and then Tuesday (v Austria) and these are the biggest games coming our way -- it's between us and the two other teams fighting for second place.
Do you remember playing against Ibrahimovic before? Do you think an international team needs a nucleus of You did, Steve older players? Staunton’s first game, March 06, you scored in a 3-0 win? No I don’t, I’m sure I have played against him before but I can’t remember off the top of my head.
Oh right yeah! Cheers for that! Was he playing in that game, I don’t remember him? (Laughs)
You must have been proud to be made How are you captain to be made enjoying life in L.A.? after Beckham left? Yeah I’m loving it, I’m enjoying my life there. Although playing at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon, 25 degrees or something, is not good for my Irish skin – that’s why I’m so red! I also go to quite a lot of Lakers games at the Staples Centre, which I really enjoy.
Do you think it takes a while for a new team to gel?
Yes I was but I don’t go to sleep at night thinking about it, I’ve been captain at other clubs and of course my country so it’s not going to change much.
How tough is it going to be for the current crop of young Ireland players to make it to the World Cup in Brazil?
It’s not going to be easy, we certainly know that, when you are missing big players.Richie is injured and Shay and Duffer have retired and they are certainly big players. When the team you are playing against sees these names on the sheet, it kind of worries them a bit. Now at the moment there are a lot of young players that other big players probably would not see too much or hear too much of.
It's always good to have a few senior players in these situations. We don't, so it's an opportunity for a few lads who have been on the verge of or have been desperate to get into the squad to stake their claim.I'm sure they will be desperate to do well as they have not played too many times for their country.
How is the mood in the camp following the Euros and the hammering off Germany last year?
I’ve only been here a couple of days but everything seems fine, the lads seem in good spirits.If they’re like me, you just have to try and switch off from what happened a few months ago. You can’t change it so you just have to move forward and look forward to the two games coming up which will hopefully be our biggest tests so far.
Were you surprised when Kevin Doyle was left out of the squad for the Sweden game?
Yeah, I think probably everybody was, Kevin’s done fantastically for the country. Obviously things aren’t going too well at Wolves, but that’s certainly not down to Kevin that they’re struggling. As a team they’re struggling. As a striker, when the team’s struggling and things are not going well, if you don’t get opportunities, you’re the one that gets pinpointed because you’re the one who should be scoring goals, but certainly it’s not Kevin’s fault.
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But the manager made that decision and you have to respect it. But things can easily change around, Kevin scored at the weekend, so he could be in the next squad. I wouldn’t think that he’s not going to be playing for Ireland again.He’ll definitely be in the squad again I’d imagine.(Doyle was later called up
for the Austria game after Keane himself had to withdraw.)
Who in your opinion is the most skillful player in the Ireland squad?
Aidan McGeady.You wouldn’t want to be one on one with him because he can make an absolute fool out of you.
Do you think you’ll ever come back to play in the League Of Ireland?
I don’t know, I want to eventually become a coach or a manger. It’s very hard to predict the future. I want to play for as long as possible. I’m hoping to start the badges soon. I see Michael Owen retiring from football — us two came through around the same time. I dread the day that I have to finish playing because this is my life and this is what I love doing. I wake up every morning and look forward to going to training and playing games. As soon as I get the feeling where I don’t do that anymore, I’ll quit but I can’t see that happening for a very long time. As long as I’m healthy and fit, I could carry on for another four or five years easily.
Now that you’re getting a little older do you still love football as much?
Yes I do. I’m always enjoying it. Even when things are not going well, you have to enjoy it because I’m very privileged to have the lifestyle that I have and the life that I have. I wake up every day and I get paid for something I love doing. Not many people can say that.
Do you have happy memories of growing up in Tallaght?
Yes I do.Growing up we didn’t have many opportunities for PlayStations and Xboxes, my family did the best they could, it was just that there wasn’t a lot of money around. My playing was all done outside. Once I finished school I’d be outside until my mother called me in at the end of the night. She’d have to call me 20 times before I actually came in though!
Did you get good coaching when you were growing up?
Yes I did. I was very lucky when I was young when I started out with Fettercairn my uncle was the manager, he was a good player himself and a very good coach so I was lucky. Back when I was young we didn’t have the opportunities that are available to young kids today, that’s not to say I didn’t have good coaching because I did,it’s just what’s available to kids today is a lot more than we had.
How can this country encourage children to play football?
As a nation we need to get kids involved in football, it’s so important we get as many young players as possible playing the game. It’s also vital we then get those young players playing in the Premier League as soon as possible. I think a lot of the youth of today have other things to do and I’m as guilty as anyone as a father of spoiling my kid. I think they should be outside as much as possible,everyday I bring my son outside to try and keep him away from the PlayStation! Who knows,maybe in 20 years he might be sitting here answering questions as an Ireland player!
Finally, is it true that you’re really related to Morrissey?
Yes it is, all true! We met up recently and it was the bizarrest situation ever! He told me the whole history of Captain’s Road in Crumlin, where my family is from. He said his granddad and my granddad [Thomas Nolan] were cousins. I had no clue. I asked my mother “How come no one’s ever said anything, it’s not something you don’t tell people!”She said her brother had been saying for years that was the case, “But we didn’t think anything of it.” I went to see his gig a few weeks ago in the Staples Centre. Lovely man, very charming fella. He looks like a Nolan as well. He looks like my granddad!
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Has it been difficult to juggle your theater work with your Fair City work? No it’s been fine. Last year when I was doing Fair City I was driving home to Wexford every evening but because Liz lives beside me she was able to have the rehearsals done there. It was tough but you just do it, you know there’s a time span on it.
Aisling O’Neill is familiar to many as Carol from longrunning Irish soap Fair City As well as starring in the popular soap opera since 1999 Aisling has also done a vast amount of theater, film and documentary work. InTallaght Magazine caught up with her recently when she was appearing in the play The Deal in the Civic Theatre.
So Aisling tells us about the play that brings you here to Tallaght? It’s called The Deal and it was written by Thomas Clare a native of Coolgraney Wexford and directed by Liz Lloyd who I know a really long time. She was a good friend of my father who was also a friend of Gary Walshe’s, who’s also in the play.We’re all friends and we all know each other a long time. Liz approached me and asked me would I be interested,I read it and it’s a great piece of work so I did it. It’s kind of like a cross between Martin McDonagh and Father Ted, that’s how I’d describe it.It’s got a kind of quirky,fun,farcical feel to it and also very over the top, it’s great fun and I think that’s what people need right now.It’s been very well received so far.After this we’ll be taking it to the Draiocht Theatre in May for 2 nights.
Was acting something you always wanted to do? Yes I suppose it was. My father Chris O’Neill was an actor for 30 years; he played Michael on The Riordans. Unfortunately he died, he got very sick very suddenly when he was 50 and he died over the States. My uncle Vincent is an actor as well. My father was absolutely mad about Beckett and he worked in every theatre in Dublin. He put me in Waiting For Godot when I was 12.When I was 13 he went over to the States and stayed there for the rest of his life.So it was always thrown at me but I liked it anyway.
Was your father a big influence on your on your career then? Yes he was a big influence in what I wanted to do. I’d be more of an instinctive actor, like he was. Sometimes you’ll feel like someone else, I’ll think “I’ve done that just like my Dad”, that kind of way. There are lots of things about how he worked that I’d take from him.I’d always say a little prayer to him before I go on stage. He had a lot of superstitions himself, things like twirling around three times, all sorts of mad stuff! And he has me doing it now even though he’s gone! He got a lot of people into the acting profession; he was that kind of character.
Because you’ve played Carol for so long do you feel
she’s a part of you? I hope not.(Laughs) I’ve a different life to her; I’m a different person. I love playing Carol because she’s so complex yet she’s kind and has a huge heart yet she’s ruthless in ways. I’m very lucky that I get to play a lot of drama. She has a range of facets to her, she’s loyal and she’s a survivor.
What storyline involving here have you enjoyed the most? I’ve enjoyed a good few. Obviously the Billy Meehan story, which was my first big one and it, seemed to go down very well. Lorcan’s death and lately the story with Louie where I nearly went down the aisle with him but he was carrying on behind my back with Ingrid his ex wife. So that was yet another awful thing that happened to Carol! She has a really hard time! (Laughs)
If you could write a storyline for her what would you do? I think the scriptwriters do a very good job themselves; I’m always really happy with what they write for her.She’s very into power and prestige, she’s been the mayor of Carrigstown,then she’s back behind the bar,she had money, then CAB took it off her! I’d like to see her get back on top again. It’s payback time for the all the people that dumped on her when she was down!
What has been the highlight of your career so far? Theatre wise it would be doing the Cripple Of Innishman in the Public Theatre in New York, Dancing At Lughnasa at the Gate Theatre. I’ve also done a couple of films, Accelerator, The Ambassador, Gold Fish Memory.
You’ve doneTV,Theatre and film,which is your favourite?
I’M VERY HAPPY TO BE
BACK ON STAGE
I love them all but I’m very happy to be back on stage again getting my fix of theatre.
Do you watch any of the other soaps? Yes sometimes.I try to follow them all but it’s tough because I don’t always get home in time in the evening to see them so I go in and out of them.
Do you watch them with a critical eye? I suppose I do, I have noticed that about myself.Because I’m in soaps myself I defiantly notice things the average punter wouldn’t.But I think you have to give yourself a break from Coronation Street!
Who were your acting heroes growing up? Loads. I love actress like Julie Walters, Pauline Collins, Meryl Streep.
Do you have any funny stories from working on Fair City? Loads! But I can’t think of one there’s been so many! It’s always the way isn’t it! It’s a great place to work; we have a great time out there. It’s a good place to go to work every day. I’ve made some really great friends there, good lifelong friends.
Finally what advice would you have for young aspiring actors? Work hard, be on time and just always be grateful for the work because a working actress is a successful actress.
For anyone who missed The Deal in the Civic Theatre you can catch it in the Draiocht Arts Centre in Blanchardstown on Friday May 3rd and Saturday May 4th.
Hi Everyone, Welcome to the sixth edition of the Square Magazine in 2013 and the first one of official summertime, let’s hope that the clocks going forward heralds some good weather.The sight of snow falling on the Square in Easter week was something I never thought I would see and lets hope I never see it again. This month’s magazine features Tallaght’s most famous son Robbie Keane on the cover as he tells his story of his Journey from Tallaght to Tinseltown, he certainly has had a great career and is a credit to Tallaght. The guys at InTallaght celebrated their 2nd birthday last week and it is a great testament to their hard work that they have managed to produce 33 editions of such a great magazine, well done guys and I am looking forward to the next 33 editions. Well done to little Rachel Forde who won our Cheeky Monkey colouring competition, I hope she spent the €50 wisely.In this magazine we have a new competition so turn to page 29 and get counting the cheeky monkeys for a chance to win. The highlight of the Easter weekend in The Square was the Teddy Bear’s Picnic event that we held on Easter Saturday. It was great to see the kids queuing up to get involved in all the activities that we had laid on. Mr Rabbit told me that he enjoyed his visit to Tallaght and will definitely be coming back next Easter.Keep an eye out in these pages for details of all our upcoming events.
Another way to keep in touch with the goings on in The Square is with our Facebook page.We are closing in on 40,000 likes on our page which I am sure you will agree is a huge number. It really is a great way to keep up to date and of course we have regular competitions where you can win some truly great prizes.It is also a great way for you to get your message out to the people of Tallaght so if you have any charitable or community events on, send us the details and we will publicise them where appropriate. Check out the fashion pages where we feature the sartorial elegance available in Jack & Jones on Level 2.The staff in the shop kindly agreed to model the clothes and I think you will agree they did a great job. Jack & Jones have also teamed up with Shamrock Rovers and are offering a very generous 20% discount to season ticket holders. In the coming weeks we will be upgrading our facilities for toddlers and our baby changing area will be moving to a bigger and better location. This is all part of our commitment to make the Square Towncentre a more family orientated place to shop. And finally big thanks to Andy Chase who organised a raffle within the Square Staff, and raised over €300 for the National Children’s hospital. Until next time…
___________________________ Cathryn McMenamy The Square Town Centre,Commercial Manager
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Easter Eggstravaganza in The Square There were smiles on everybody’s faces when Mr Rabbit hippety hopped into The Square to start the fun at the Teddy Bear’s Picnic! Around 500 excited kids found their way to the summer garden on Level 1 on Easter Saturday where they discovered the garden decorated with daffodils, sunflowers, spotted toadstools, blankets and baskets. In the storytelling corner, Sinead, the Story Telling Bunny, read out exciting stories for the kids on ladybird blankets. There was a sandwich making station where the kids could make their own jelly sandwiches for the picnic plus a balloon modelling station as well. At the arts and craft table kids could decorate their own Easter bear. Cheeky Monkey turned up to join the fun, and the kids could get pictures with him, Mr Rabbit, and all the other characters. Brian Rudd was there with 3-year-old daughter Brooke.“This is fantastic.It’s great that the Square arranges these sorts of events for the kids, and that it’s free. It’s a fantastic initiative for the kids, and this event is very creative. I think Brooke is very exited to get her face painted,” he said. The Easter Egg Hunt was a big success, with the kids being very successful finding the eggs! Face painters were hard at work creating ladybirds, butterflies, bears and bunnies all around Level 1.
For brothers Daniel and Kieran Coade the face painting and the egg hunt were the highlights, both got their faces painted as their favourite characters, Homer and Bart Simpson, while little Cameron was a cute little tiger. Their friend Taidgh Redmond was a cool batman. Mom Laura Spencer said she usually brings the kids down when there is an event on in the Square.“This is a great event, the characters are absolutely fantastic with the kids. The way they are entertaining them, helping them at the arts and crafts table, and give them all attention is great. I’d like to take that teddy bear there with me home!” she said. Ger Walsh of the event company Thinknblink who arranged the event said:“We spent a lot of time interviewing to get the right people for this event. Many of the staff of 15 have Montessori backgrounds, so they are used to working with kids. Some of them are also professional actors or have backgrounds as drama teachers”,she said. “This idea is based around the costumers.It’s a way of giving something back,and say thank you for shopping here at the Square. A picnic is very back to basics, something I can remember from my own childhood. It’s a great way to connect with the kids, and I hope the kids will have good memories of this picnic. “Everything we are doing here is doable at home, so I hope someone will go home and do this with their kids. It’s great to see all the happy faces here, everybody is so grateful and we have been getting great feedback, which we are delighted with!” she said.
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ALICE MACK FROM TERENURE AND PAT QUINN FROM FIRHOUSE
Our Ladies Hospice Annual Spring Raffle Last week on Level Three there was a shiny new Opel Corsa S on display outside the cinema.This was the top prize of Our Ladies Hospice Annual Spring Raffle. The proceeds from the raffle have made important improvements happen in so many departments of their hospice and care services.
THE SQUARE’S ANNE GOLDING MODELSTHIS YEAR’S MINI MARATHONTSHIRT
Get On Board And Do It For The Kids!
PARTICIPANTS MUST REGISTER ONLINE ON THE FLORA MINI MARATHONWEBSITE
Hit the Dublin Streets for this years Flora Women’s Mini Marathon in Aid of the National Children Hospital Tallaght! This year the Square Shopping Centre, along with Dublin Bus,is one of the proud sponsors of the National Children’s Hospital Team for the 31st Flora Women’s Mini Marathon. The marathon takes place on June bank holiday Monday June 3. Kick off is at 2.00pm from Fitzwilliam Square,Dublin 2,and it finishes at St. Stephens Green. The distance of the marathon is 10km,and it’a fun and healthy goal for women of all ages and fitness levels,from the first time runners,to the running pros! Cathryn McMenamy is the Commercial Manager for The Square Town Centre:“We are delighted that the Square have partnered with the National Children’s Hospital, to sponsor their Women’s Mini Marathon Team this year.This is a wonderful cause,and we are very pleased to take part in it”,she said. “Funds submitted by women running in the Women’s Mini Marathon each year enable staff at the National Children’s Hospital to continue to work with the most innovative and up-to-date medical equipment, and also ensure that children in their care are treated in a comfortable child-friendly environment,” said Ciara O’Grady from the Fundraising Department at the NCH. To participate in the Mini Marathon in aid of The National Children’s Hospital, you must register online at www.thenationalchildrenshospital.ie, or alternatively the Fundraising Office phone number is 01 414 2375.Those wishing to fundraise can also complete and return a registration card, which can be picked up at The Square Customer Service Desk on Level 2 or in the main atrium of Tallaght Hospital. You will be sent a full fundraising pack, which will include a free t-shirt (as modelled above by Anne Golding), sponsorship card,details of the free bag drop facility,as well as detailsaboutthereceptionattheRussellCourtHotelforallthose fundraising for the hospital.
They have made the time that residents spend at the Hospice so much more rewarding and comfortable and have helped them reach beyond their walls into communities and homes. If you bought a ticket, best of luck and if not, the Spring Raffle tickets are €5 each or a book of five tickets is €20. The winning tickets will be drawn on April 25.
DUBLIN BUSWILL BE PROVIDING A COMPLIMENTARY BUS FROMTHE SQUARE
The closing date to buy tickets is April 19th 2013. For more information or to get your tickets please call them on 1850 66 06 06 or email fundraising@olh.ie
Dublin Bus will provide a complimentary bus that will run between the Square Shopping Centre and the Russell Court Hotel on the day. Information on how to reserve your free spot on the bus will be included in the registration pack. Participants must register with The Flora Women’s Mini Marathon website before applying for a fundraising pack. You can enter online at www.florawomensminimarathon.ie, and entry forms are also available in the Evening Herald every Wednesday and Saturday. Closing date for entries is Wednesday April 24. The Flora Women’s Mini Marathon is the biggest of all women’s events of this kind in the world, and the largest one day charity event in Ireland.Each year over 40,000 women participate in the event, which is almost 1% of the population! Since its beginnings in 1983 nearly 820,000 women have entered the event, and approximately ¢150 million has been raised for charities since the start. This year the hospital askes women of all ages to run, walk or jog the Women’s Mini Marathon in aid of The National Children’s Hospital Tallaght.Every step makes a difference, so do it for the kids!
Long Live Sustainable Fashion at H&M! H&M are launching a new line called their “Conscious Collection”. Their new sustainable fashion range features100% organic cotton, tops and jackets made from 100% recycled polyester and garments made from 100% recycled tencel, a material which started life as plastic bottles!
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Cheeky Monkey Colouring Comp Winner! OWEN O’GORMAN & AISLING O’NEILL ONSTAGE IN THE DEAL
The Square & Civic Theatre Facebook Competition Another great competition was held on our Facebook page in association with Civic Theatre.We had three sets of tickets to see The Deal, starring Aisling O’Neill of Fair City fame who is interviewed in this edition of InTallaght. The winners were: Michelle Cahill, Brendan O'Reilly and Stuart Roche.Congratulations guys,we hope you enjoyed the show and thanks to The Civic for this great prize! For more information on events in the Civic Theatre, Tallaght, see the Events page toward the back of this magazine or go to www.civictheatre.ie for full listings.
Eagle Eye Esmonde Very well done to Paul Esmonde who is the Senor Supervisor for G4S Security here in The Square.Paul was recently rewarded for his hard work and diligence for his work in the Square’s Security Control Room. Our state of the art Security Control Room keeps the centre safe and secure,24 hours a day,365 days a year.
We would like to congratulate 9-year old Rachel Ford, one of the students at Scoil Chaitlin Maude, in West Tallaght, who won the Cheeky Monkey Colouring Competition in the InTallaght magazine. The prize was a €50 Gift Card from The Square. Rachel doesn’t quite know what she will be spending her money on yet, but she will go shopping at the Square to see what she likes. She spent several hours colouring in the Cheeky Monkey picture, and it certainly paid off. Well done Rachel! Read on for another chance to win with Cheeky Monkey!
Behind the operation are hard working people like Paul who are constantly monitoring the centre to ensure that shoppers continue to have a secure and safe shopping experience. “Security, and the safety of our customers, is of the utmost importance to us here at The Square,” said Jack Martin Director Of Retail.“We were delighted to reward Paul for his professionalism and dedication to his role.”
Carraig Donn Easter Hamper Winner! L2 Congratulations to Joanne Nolan from Killinarden, Tallaght, who won the Easter Hamper from Carraig Donn on Level 2.Joanne was delighted with her prize; she was jumping up and down with joy!
McEaster Family Fun Day
About 250 people signed up for the competition, and Carraig Donn would like to say thank you to everybody who entered. Enjoy the Easter goodies Joanne!
McDonalds on Level 3 celebrated Easter with a Family Fun Day on Holy Thursday. The welcoming staff at McDonalds have been trained to face paint, so all the kids could be painted as they pleased. There were also a colouring competition and balloon modelling on the day. McDonalds also held a competition to win a Dublin Zoo Family Pass.The lucky winner was Abigail Murphy. We hope she and her family will have a great time at the Zoo!
Mobility Scooters Now Available From Beside The Customer Service Desk L2
The manager, Karina, said they are very pleased with the turn out.“More than 500 people hopped in throughout the day to join the fun.We are very happy with the turn out,and to be able to do something fun for the kids”,she said. The next Family Fun Day will be on Thursday April 20, and McDonalds hope that families will come in and join in the fun.
We are pleased to announce that from Monday April 8 mobility scooters will be available for customers from beside the customer service desk. The comfort and mobility of all our customers within the Center is a top priority for The Square.
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www.facebook.com/pages/
The-Square-Tallaght The Square Tallaght a few seconds ago
Keep Up To Date With All The Latest & Greatest From Your Favourite Towncentre! FANTASTIC COMPETITIONS! The Square Tallaght 2013 So far this year we’ve already given away
The Square Prepaid Gift Cards, Valentine’s Hampers, Mother’s Day Pampering Packages, Tickets to see ‘The Deal’ in Civic Theatre, Mrs Brown in The o2 & Beyoncé in The o2! over 39,000 people like us.
Like us to be in
with a chance to win!
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Established in the early sixties, Carraig Donn is Ireland’s premier retailer of fashion, jewellery, gift and homewares With 29 prime locations across Ireland, showcasing the very best of Irish and international labels, they strive to give the customer something special. Their first Tallaght branch opened last September on Level 1. Recently the family owned Irish Company has repositioned its traditional offering to a relevant, high fashion and contemporary collection selling on styling and price.The stores merchandise assortment and high level of customer service reflects the stores new positioning. All collections are handpicked and always feature quality key season trends delivered at exceptional prices. Their buyers travel constantly sourcing whilst attentively listening to the needs and wants of their customers. This winning formula gives their customer base the choice to buy for their personal taste and style and always at great value. In-store, Carraig Donn houses a clever mix of Irish and international brands in all departments. In fashion, customers enjoy labelsVila,Jackpot,Darling,Peruzzi and Cream to namebutafew.CarraigDonnalsohavesuccessfullydesignedtheir own fashion labels J’aime la Vie and Voulez Vous.These French styled labels are aimed at strong,independent women,made to Irish specifications and are worn by ladies who enjoy individual
and unique pieces at ready to wear prices with dresses ranging from just €59! In short, Carraig Donn caters for every occasion at a range of budgets.Whether it’s a race meeting, a wedding or a special dinner date, you'll have plenty of choice. The extensive jewellery collections available from Newbridge Silverware,Knight & Day and Soul adds a perfect, elegant touch to any outfit. Carraig Donn also stock a wide range of prestigious Irish gift brands including Waterford Crystal, Vera Wang, Tipperary Crystal and Delphi Pottery are some of many. These collections are seen alongside novel themed lifestyle collections to suit any budget. From designer furniture to sentimental token gifts the choice is endless in the Gift and Home department at Carraig Donn. So if you are looking for something for someone special,or a personal treat (why not), you'll be spoilt for choice in-store or online. Over the years, Carraig Donn has dedicated itself to excellence and houses an extensive awards portfolio. Carraig Donn was listed as one of Ireland’s Top 30 Stores for 2011 by Retail Excellence Ireland. In recent years, the company has opened new stores in Dublin, Kildare and Carlow. Carraig Donn is 100% Irish owned and operated. Its central warehouse, manufacturing plant, dispatch centre and online store are all operated from their home on the Lodge Rd.,Westport,Co.Mayo,Ireland.
If you have a child under 12, why not get them to count the cheeky monkeys below, ďŹ ll in their answer, their name and age and hand in to the Customer Service Desk on Level 2 before April 30th 2013
And Be In With A Chance To Win An IMC Cinema Pass Worth â‚Ź50! The winner will be announced on May 7th 2013.
Name: Contact Number:
Age:
How Many Cheeky Monkeys Can You Find Hiding Below?
2
cheeky monkeys
5
cheeky monkeys
10
cheeky monkeys
(Tick A Box)
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G.I. Joe Retaliation, which is the sequel to G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra, is exactly what you expect it to be if you have seen the first movie. It’s relentlessly loud and explosive mixed with the usual non-stop parade of fights, bombs, and double-crosses. This installment focuses on a small band of renegade Joes, led by Dwayne The Rock Johnson, who face off against the criminals who framed them. The movie begins with the G.I. Joes being sent on a mission by the President of the United States of America to recover an explosive device believed to be on its way to harm the President and his people.Having dismantled the bomb the G.I.Joes head back to base to work on their many other missions. It is at this point of the movie we witness the great friendship between Duke played by Channing Tatum and Roadblock played by Dwayne The Rock Johnson. The G.I. Joe team realise the day after dismantling the bomb on request of the President that they have been framed by a shape shifting Cobra soldier posing as the U.S. President. They’re later attacked in an explosive ambush, ordered by the fake President, resulting in the deaths of most of the G.I. Joes including Sergeant Duke. The surviving members of the team must go underground to regroup and find out who attacked them and why. It doesn’t take long for Lady Jane the only
surviving female G.I. Joe to twig something strange about the president and his actions leading up to the attack which include his change in stature and also a deterioration in grammar. In order to expose the impostor in the White House and bring the recently freed Cobra Commander to justice,the team gets in touch with the G.I. Joe who started it all, General Joe Colton played by Bruce Willis. As Cobra Commander’s world shaking plans become clear, it’s up to the G.I.Joe team to stop Cobra, save the real President, and clear their names. There are a few returning characters in this second installment, ninja rivals Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow played by Lee Byung Hun receive some of the best attention in both action sequences and story arcs during Retaliation, with Storm Shadow getting as much screen time as his silent G.I. Joe counterpart this time around. There are quite a few impressive set pieces, but the most memorable is a sequence featuring Snake Eyes and Jinx fleeing a mountaintop Cobra stronghold by grappling, swinging, and mid air fighting their way across a cliff while transporting some precious cargo.I must say I was very impressed by this scene which lasts quite a few
minutes.The 3D effects make you feel as though you’re standing alongside the cast as they battle one another. It is often said sometimes a sequel to a movie can do more damage but that is not true in this case. G.I. Joe Retaliation is excellently directed and showcases both the goodies and the baddies equally well.I will certainly be looking forward to the next installment of the franchise. Although I did think killing off Duke played by Channing Tatum at the beginning of the movie was a big risk for the director to take I feel but in all honesty he wasn’t missed much throughout the movie.The rest of the cast all held their own in particular Roadblock.You just know Dwayne The RockJohnson is right at home in this movie. The wrestler turned-actor is a nice fit for the role. Overall this is certainly one movie this month I would recommend you see. Don’t worry too much if you are new to the G.I. Joe franchise, this movie accommodates greatly for those who haven’t seen the first one.Although for someone who hasn’t seen the first it must be slightly complicated trying to understand and differentiate between the good guys and the bad ones. After awhile it becomes obvious, a must see for action movie lovers.
Choose To Believe. Choose To Fight. Choose To Love. The leading character of the movie Melanie is played by our very own Saoirse Ronan. The film is based on the books by Stephanie Meyer who brought us the Twilight franchise. Instead of vampires and werewolves, Meyer and director Andrew Niccol focus on world domination by way of an alien takeover of the planet by way of human possession. This time Meyer opts for a kinder, gentler species. Meet an alien race that can only survive via forming a symbiotic relationship with a native planetary dominate life form.With everything that Meyer changes,one thing remains constant. Love is the cornerstone of her work. The movie begins in the future,earth has been colonized by the "Souls," a parasitic alien race which inhabits human bodies, suppressing the original personality, the only difference in their appearance being that a soul's eyes will reflect light like a mirror. Melanie Stryder, one of the last free humans alive, is hiding with her younger brother Jamie. On a raid to find food, she meets Jared Howe, another human, and the two fall in love. Possibly the largest similarity between The Host and Twilightis the character of Wanderer.She has something of a Bella vibe going on, it is the way that they are both enormously self sacrificing. Wanderer’s alien nature actually makes her even more self sacrificing than Bella which means that she needs others to look out for her and take care of her since she has little instinct for self preservation. Indeed,The Hostisn’t really about saving the planet from alien invaders. It is a story about what it is to be human, about identity and about individualism. Most of all The Host is a story about the nature of love. Romantic love, love of family, love of friends all of these emotions are explored by Wanderer as she first succumbs to Melanie’s
emotional memories then succumbs to the emotions for herself. Is there a way that both Wanderer and Melanie to live happily as separate identities in separate bodies or will the human race be exterminated forever?
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The biggest, and inevitable, problem with Oz the Great and Powerful is that there was already this other Oz movie that was pretty good So you’ve got to give director Sam Raimi points for courage for not shying away from a cultural landmark. No Cowardly Lion, he. Of course, references like that don’t really apply here. Oz the Great and Powerful is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, telling us how the Wizard landed in a strange land with flying monkeys and wicked witches and whatnot. It will be years before Dorothy and her friends make their own, more-memorable journey along the Yellow Brick Road.
also textured. Much like in Avatar, it’s almost too much to take in at first. The first person Oz meets is Theodora (Mila Kunis), who is beautiful and kind and, to his surprise, a witch. She’s elated to see him because she believes him to be the wizard,fulfilling a prophecy that he will save Oz from the wicked witch.She dreams of the two of them ruling Oz as king and queen, happily ever after. But there’s the matter of the wicked witch to be dealt with. Once at the castle in Emerald City, Oz meets Theodora’s sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), who serves as the adviser to the king. She is not as convinced as her sister that Oz is the genuine item. Then there is a third sister and witch, Glinda (Michelle Williams), who bears a striking resemblance to Annie, a woman Oz has a relationship with in Kansas who visited him at the carnival to tell him a man had proposed to her (clearly to try to get him to talk her out of it). There is indeed a wicked witch among them. Figuring out who isn’t particularly difficult, but there is another surprise in store that’s pretty satisfying (though I’m a sucker for origin stories). But if Oz is not who everyone thinks he is,and he isn’t,how can he free the people from the wicked witch’s reign of terror? You’ve just got to believe. That’s the theme here, which we know because Raimi and screenwriters Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire beat us over the head with it.No, he may not be the wizard everyone expected, Oz says at one point, but he may be the wizard they need. Variations of this are also repeated several times,which not only gets old but adds to the two-hours-plus running time.
This trip isn’t so notable. It’s not bad. Some bits are enjoyable. But ultimately, other than some genuinely impressive visuals, it never makes a compelling enough case to justify its existence.The story begins in Kansas in 1905 (and, like the first part of The Wizard of Oz, in blackand-white). An oily carnival magician named Oscar (James Franco) is busily fleecing a crowd and seducing women.Note to Oscar:Leave the strongman’s wife alone. Chased into a hot-air balloon, Oscar escapes, only to be sucked into a twister (sound familiar?) that lands him in Oz, which conveniently happens to be his nickname.
Oz will have to hit the road to save Oz. The yellow-brick road, naturally. He’s accompanied by a loyal flying monkey (voice of Zach Braff) and a china doll (voice of Joey King).He will rely on his skills as a magician as much or more than his burgeoning moral clarity.
Now the film shifts to color. But not just any color. The hues are stunningly vibrant and rich,and,in 3-D,they are
A thing to remember about Oz, though: In The Wizard of Oz he’s a fraud exposed by Dorothy, not a hero.That’s not
meant to give anything away (and it doesn’t), but to explain some of his motives, and to point out the difficulty of shaping the story around him. We’re off to see the wizard,Dorothy once famously sang.It doesn’t dishonor the original,but when it comes to Oz the Great and Powerfulthat same enthusiasm won’t apply.
Inside The Mind. Outside The Law. Trance, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire,127 Hours) and co-written by Oscar-nominated long term collaborator John Hodge (Shallow Grave, Trainspotting) is a seductive and enigmatic thriller starring James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel and Rosario Dawson. Fine art auctioneer Simon (McAvoy), in league with a gang led by underworld boss Franck (Cassel), plots the audacious theft of a masterpiece by Goya from a major public auction.When Simon double-crosses the gang during the robbery, Franck retaliates violently and knocks him unconscious. In the aftermath of the heist, Simon sticks stubbornly and perhaps shrewdly - to his claim that the violent trauma has left him with no memory of where he stashed the artwork. Unable to coerce the painting's location from Simon, Franck and his associates reluctantly join forces with a charismatic hypnotherapist (Dawson) in a bid to get him to talk. But as they journey deeper into Simon's jumbled psyche the boundaries between reality and hypnotic suggestion begin to blur and the stakes rise faster and far more dangerously than any of the players could have anticipated.
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Has Phil found his “rose beneath the weeds”? In the last edition we reported that Tallfornia star Phil Penny had been struggling with the opposite sex due to his time on the show.We may have in fact been wrong. The Kilnamanagh man is believed to be dating Kildare model and poledancing instructor Kimberle Behan who is 22. In The Star, Phil (28) revealed how he and the pole dancing instructor from Newbridge hooked up a couple of months ago.“People keep asking me if I’ve found the rose beneath the weeds,and I finally have.We got together in January. We went on a date and just clicked,” he explained. The aspiring model doesn’t drink or smoke, and Phil admits her good habits have rubbed off on him:“I’m really concentrating on my training at the moment and I’ve been laying off the drink for the past few weeks, which has been an eye-opening experience,” he laughed.
Photobombing leads to legal threats Unfortunately for Phil its not his love life everyone’s attention is focused on at the moment, it’s the backlash over his reaction to a certain photo that went viral. A photo that was uploaded onto a Facebook account shows Phil and a member of the public, posing in what seems to be a harmless photo. On second glance, it's something a little bit funnier the young man in the photo has an explicit word written on his arm, with an arrow pointing at the reality star. (We’ve blurred it out in the photo to the left, but it rhymes with ‘trick’) Phil has now apparently threatened to sue the young lad from Kildare. Phil posted the following on Jamie’s page:"just to let u no ur being sued. good luck"(sic).
InTallaght favourite Saoirse Ronan well on her way to global domination Former InTallaght cover star, Saoirse Ronan seems to have finally completed her transformation from a regular schoolgirl from Cavan to Hollywood starlet. Saoirse received international fame after appearing in the movie,Atonement in 2007.The film was successful, both critically and commercially, and Saoirse earned an Oscar nomination for her role. She became one of the youngest people to be nominated for an Oscar. She received a nomination for an Irish Film & Television Award for City of Ember in 2008, was nominated for a BAFTA Award for The Lovely Bones in 2009, and won an Irish Film & Television Award for Actress in a Supporting Role The Way Back in 2011 She stars in the new supernatural film based on the book by author Stephenie Meyer and sees 18-year-old Saoirse play dual characters Melanie and Wanda, who are trapped in one body.(See my review of the film on page 31 of this edition.) ‘The Host’ is set to be a Hollywood blockbuster and if Meyers previous books (turned films) are anything to go on this could be one of the biggest gigs yet for this young Irish girl.
Georgia Salpa to be named FHM sexiest woman in the world? Love/Hategangster gets a taste of the good life The Irish were out in force at the Jameson Empire Awards with Love/Hate heartthrob Robert Sheehan stepping out with close friend Laura Whitmore at the star-studded event in London. The Portlaoise-born actor took time out from filming in Dublin to attend the glitzy bash hosted by Dublin comedian Ed Byrne. With his arm around the MTV presenter's waist, the good friends enjoyed the atmosphere in London's Grosvenor House Hotel. At the top of his game in Ireland, he's set for the bright lights of Hollywood with what is sure to be his breakout role in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, alongside Aidan Turner, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Lily Collins. Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz on the red carpet at the Jameson Empire Awards on he said:''It's a great big fat action film.Basically,I think it's magical and wonderful. For me, it was lots of great big fun shooting it because I was regressed back to being a boy because it was all very fantastical. There were lots of vampires, werewolves and all that business.It was great. It lent itself well to the imagination. ''I think it has an uninhibited sense of adventure. There's a wonderful, tangential sense to the adventure, much in the way of Indiana Jones, where he basically gets pulled to and fro in the mad tide of adventure and [the films are] completely out of control from start to finish.That's what I love about the script and that's what I think the script has done.''
So it was around this time last year X-Factor judge Tulisa shocked the world when she was crowned FHMs Sexiest Woman In The World. Personally I think it was all a publicity stunt organised by the X Factor boss Mr Simon Cowell. This year I think it is quite obvious she will not be keeping her title which leaves it open to a new winner. And if social media polls are to be believed it is Irish model Georgie Salpa who is tipped to take the crown.The Greek/Irish model is emerging as the front-runner to win, after landing a place in the top five last year. Her Twitter followers and devoted fans have been campaigning for several months, and now the odds of her taking home the prize have been slashed to 8/1 by bookies.
Home & Away star to hit our shores Home And Away badboy Dan Ewing has now added a string of dates to his Irish tour in July. The actor,who plays Heath in the hit soap,seems to be staying the whole month in Ireland. The 27-year-old newlywed kicks off in Dublin's Wright Venue on July 5, before the next day visiting Waterford's Outback. He will also visit, among others - Dublin's George on July 7, Dingle's Hillgrove on July 9, Navan's Palace on July 18, Galway's Karma on July 19, and Wicklow's Electric Garden on July 20.
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Kodaline keep hopes high Kodaline released their new single High Hopes on the March 18 just before the Dublin four piece begin a UK tour and release their debut album In a Perfect World. Judging from Kodaline’s previous single release,they’ve kept to the same natural, mature indie vibe.
The Strokes have regrouped for a fifth album, entitled Comedown Machine The band released their first album Is This Itback in 2001. Since then, the band has maintained fans throughout the world. Their most recent album Angles released in 2011 proved the band were officially in comeback mode and that the onetime saviours of rock ‘n’ roll could still rock. With Julian Casablancas back on lead vocals and song writing, Nick Valensi as lead guitarist, Albert Hammond Jr. also on guitar, Nikolai Fraiture on bass guitar and Febrizio Moretti on drums the guys were back to their best. Angles received good and bad reviews depending on who you spoke to.Some fans believed it was great others felt as though the band were changing their style to suit the era of music they were now in. It is clear though that without Angles, Comedown Machine would not have happened. That album was a learning curve, the first step of the band writing and contributing to songs together and not depending soley on Casablancas. Two years later, and they have unveiled Comedown Machine,recorded in New York.The new album is 38 minutes long and has eleven brand new tracks.
The lads followed in the footsteps of many other Irish artists like Snow Patrol, Bell XI and Damien Rice after one of their songs was snapped by hit US medical drama Grey’s Anatomy.The song All I Want has already featured on an episode in the US leading to hopes that the band could see their fortunes rise stateside.
Tap Out is the first song on the track list and is nothing too special, the instruments as with most of the Stokes music is important and this song showcases well crafted, stop/start interplay between the guitar and bass against high register vocals from Casablancas. Number two All The Time highlights the vocals and attention to atmosphere. Much of Comedown Machine isn't exactly classic Strokes, but All The Time most assuredly is. Number four on the playlist will be the one track that I most look forward to hearing live .Welcome To Japan is another Strokes-y song that will fit in nicely to the album and I’m sure will be a hit for the band. 80's Comedown Machineis a placid track that tries to be what the Strokes seldom are, atmospheric. I applaud the band for changing around ideas outside of their comfort zone. Chances Is a great song which highlights Casablancas vocal range to the maximum. A song like this isn't going to reinvent the Strokes, but at track nine, it's a decent break from the norm. The final song on Call It Fate Call it Karma sounds quite unlike anything they've released to date. Call it bold or call it whatever you like but this is certainly a tune that will more than likely have a lot of listeners stopping at track ten and repeating it over and over again.
The new track High Hopes begins slowly and only a piano can be heard in the background. It then gradually builds to a loud and emotionally charged finish,much like their previous hit All IWant. It’s evident that this track is based solely on the fantastic vocals and there is no need for any gimmicks or tricks to catch your attention. This is the type of tune you can keep on replay over and over again without getting bored. The fragile vocals just soar above any other group in this area that have been heard so far this year, judging by what I have read on social media sites a lot of people are comparing the band to a young Coldplay, in my opinion Kolaline are better and far more talented, this new single proves it too.
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We have all seen the massive beat headphones being sported around the streets these days but how good are they? Are they a really good product? Or are they just an overpriced fashion accessory? The company known as Beat Electronics was founded by hip- hop producer Andre ‘Dr. Dre’ Young. The company was founded in 2006, and released its first product Beats by Dr. Dre studio headphones, in late 2008. We are now several models into the Beats by Dr. Dre line of headphones and speakers. We have become familiar with the headphones as it seems that every footballer has at least one pair of them. Music videos are full of the big colourful headphones which is to be expected as Dr. Dre is a massive name in the music industry. Beats does branding better than just about anyone besides Apple these days—you immediately know what you're looking at, or at least you know you've seen it before if you don't know about Beats by Dr. Dre. Most headphone pairs with well-cushioned ear cups also have well-padded headbands, but the interior of the Beats
Wireless headband employs a thin, rubbery cushion that offers very little in the way of comfort. For short listening periods, you're unlikely to notice, but wear these for an hour or so, and it can start to feel like it's pressing on your skull a little too much. That said if you wear the headphones while walking down the street you will definitely turn heads. The headphones give some songs some extra punch but when it comes to genres like classical music the headphones really lack in quality, they make the music almost sound flat. Beats are really designed for high tempo music like Rock, Rap, Pop basically music with a lot of bass which when you listen to on these headphones is a unique experience that has to be heard.There are six different types of headphone on offer there are Pro, Studio, Wireless, Mixr, Solo (HD) and Executive. The Solos are very good with their build quality and folding ear cups as well as a thick, replaceable cable that's unlikely to wear out very quickly. There's a cable remote with a built-in mic for iPhone users too. If money isn’t an issue you could splash out on the Studio or Pro models.They are very expensive but are a lot of fun. A lot of cheap knock offs have recently flooded the market and I am just wondering if people will spend nearly €350 on the real Headphones when they can get a much cheaper copy that looks the exact same. The real Headphones are very good but they wont withstand much punishment so you will need to take a lot of care with them. Their best feature is the noise cancelling so when you have the headphones on all you will hear is the music you choose to listen to.They sound great, look great and at the moment Dre Beats is top of the audio tree.
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THE JUDGEMENT HAS
BEEN PASSED The time has come for Gears fans to make their own Judgement on this new arcade style version of this popular shooter
The events of Gears of War: Judgmenttake place fourteen years before the original Gearsand just after the essential event of the Gears of Waruniverse,Emergence Day.In the story of Judgment you fight to save the city of Halvo Bay from a horrifying new enemy in a campaign that strips away the extraneous and returns to the basics,capturing the true essence of Gears combat, and introduces a new style of gameplay that is faster-paced and more actionpacked than what came before. Gone are the narrative histrionics and set pieces that have come to define the Gearscampaign,replaced with something subtler. Judgment is divided into small, actionpacked skirmishes with a distinctly arcade focus. Awarded stars at the end of each segment, the player must vary their combat style to achieve the highest ranking. Executions, headshots and gory finishes reap rewards and they can take on declassified sub-missions, which impose extra victory conditions such as weapon restrictions and time limits.
Although this new arcade sensibility certainly shakes up the formula,the fragmented campaign is lacking in spectacle and surprisingly po-faced.A mini-campaign,Aftermath,fills in some story gaps in the trilogy but, strangely, ditches the star system and feels out of place with the developer's arcade vision. On the multiplayer front, the real highlight is the class-based Overrun, which requires a pleasing degree of teamwork and strategy, but some series fans may feel somewhat short-changed by the modest selection of maps and lack of Horde mode. Gears of War Judgement is out now and available from all usual outlets.
LARA CROFT HAS
RETURNED Tomb Raider is an exhilarating action adventure that serves as a terrific origin story for the iconic Lara Croft
When adventurer extraordinaire Lara Croft raided her first tomb back in 1996, she brought with her an exhilarating feeling of isolation and discovery. Over the years,Lara has continued to venture into parts unknown, taking dark turns and frequently tangling with the supernatural as the series evolved alongside the burgeoning third-person action adventure genre. The all new Tomb Raider delivers an intense and gritty story of the origins of Lara Croft and her ascent from frightened young woman to hardened survivor, armed with only raw instincts and the physical ability to push beyond the limits of human endurance. Superb physics-based gameplay is paired with a heart-pounding narrative in Lara's most personal, character-defining adventure to date. This origin story is a terrific adventure that balances moments of quiet exploration with plenty of rip-roaring action to keep you enthralled from start to finish. Tomb Raider is out now and available from all usual outlets.
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The new Skoda Octavia certainly doesn’t disappoint The new model was launched this month at Pilsen Auto in Ballymount.The event was attended by a number of people including members of the public who were Skoda owners themselves or possible new Skoda buyers, all excited to see the new model unveiled. Also there for the launch was CEO of VW Group Ireland (VW Audi Skoda SEAT and VWCV) Simon Elliot who described the new model as “100% a new car”.The model shape is still recognisable as a Skoda Octavia, but the new design will certainly catch your attention with its unique sharp cut edges and clearly modeled surfaces. The exterior features a dominating front grille with a chrome frame, the shape of which highlights the new Skoda logo.The headlamps also echo the grille’s sporty style.The rear lights,the illumination of which creates a double C letter are another recognised characteristic of the car and impossible to overlook. The interior of the Octavia is second to none and looks quite up market and feels as though it should stand the test of time. Everything is sensibly placed,neatly laid out and solidly screwed together, with plenty of soft touch materials. All models get a touch screen infotainment system as standard, which lets you control various car settings, as well as choose what music to listen to via the standard USB-in, Aux-in or DAB radio. No other car in the compact segment offers more interior length (1,782 mm), more knee room (73 mm) and more
headroom at the back (980 mm). The Octavia is not just roomy and functional, it looks good, too. It also offers the following: front electric windows, door mirror electrically adjustable and heated passenger airbags with a switch off function, side airbags in the front, driver knee airbags, automatic fuel cut off and automatic door unlocking in case of a crash, door lock with immobilizer, foldable trunk cover and radio SWING with 4 loudspeakers. Regardless of engine choice the Octavia is easy to drive and comfortable the steering is well weighted and precise and the ride is comfortable.It’s not an exciting car to drive by anyone’s standards, but it feels genuinely safe and very composed. There are a number of pros to the new Skoda Octavia firstly the annual road tax which, depending on the engine size, ranges from €180 to just €200.The price is a welcome plus to car buyers, again depending on engine size and all add on extras you can pick up the new model for as little as €20,590 all the way up to €29,590.
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Internet company Yahoo! Is set to create 200 new jobs in Dublin overthenext12months (l-R) Brian Cleary, Louise Phillips, Joe Prendergast, Eamonn Maloney, Minister Deenihan, And Emer Cleary At The Launch of Emu Ink.
Revolutionary Emu Ink Launched Our former editor Emer Cleary launched her new business Emu Ink at a memorable event held in The Irish Writer's Centre at the end of last month. Minster for Arts Jimmy Deenihan TD was on hand to officially launch Emer’s new venture along with local TD Eamonn Maloney, local crime writer Louise Phillips, a host of invited guests. Emu Ink is Ireland’s newest self publishing company aimed at helping authors to realise their dreams in seeing their work published in print and online, available worldwide. There are a host of other
elements to Emu Ink,which were also revealed on the night including a schools and hospital outreach programme. Following a few words from Eammon, Louise and Emer, 9 year old author Joe Prendergast read an extract from one of his books, which went down very well with the crowd. Minister Deenihan finished off the speeches, with his words of support and congratulations to Emer and Brian, her husband and business partner. Speaking at the event Emer said she is looking forward to her new venture:“Emu Ink is Ireland’s first purpose built online library,featuring some of the very best in new Irish writing talent, and we’re looking forward to helping writers realise their dreams of getting their book published whether it’s as either a hard copy an ebook or both.” For more information see www.emuink.ie
The company announced its expansion plans on Thursday March 21 to more than double its workforce and has already begun recruiting staff. It is seeking to fill positions at its Dublin office in the areas of customer support, technology, operations,human resources and finance.The office provides customer care, technical and operational support, and finance-related services across Europe, the Middle Eastern and Africa. For the past decade, Dublin has been a great home for Yahoo!, with its talented international workforce, strong business environment and sophisticated technology infrastructure. Yahoo! first opened its doors in Dublin in 2003, and what started as a small team has already grown into a multilingual and multicultural workforce today. Senior Yahoo! executives met with both An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, as part of Ireland’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) investment missions in the past year. “At Yahoo!, we’re all about making people’s daily habits inspiring and entertaining, and our team in Dublin helps make this happen everyday. It’s the face of Yahoo! for millions of users and advertisers throughout EMEA,” said Christophe Parcot, VP and head of EMEA. “We’re keenly focused on recruiting and developing the best talent in the industry, and there is significant opportunity at Yahoo! for the right individuals who want to grow their careers with a global digital brand.”
Atari Casino better than ever!
In business for over 20 years in Tallaght, Atari Casino offer both members and guests the chance to enjoy a variety of games as well as their top floor poker room where cash games and tournaments are regularly held, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Atari Casino, located over two floors in the entertainment section of The Square beside the cinema, have just announced that with the recent upgrade of their machines they can now offer patrons the very best gaming facilities in the country.
Refreshments are always available and they also offer customers free telephone calls, internet access and WIFI.
As well as their new machines they will soon be launching their brand new website,which will be fully integrated with their Facebook and Twitter pages,so customers can keep up to date in what is going on at the casino.
Free parking is also offered for all customers and large screen TVs are provided throughout the Casino,showing all the latest sporting events. increasing to 1,248,300.
The Taoiseach, told a press conference from the company’s campus in Sunnyvale, California, that he was delighted to welcome the expansion:“Ireland is becoming the internet capital of Europe with companies like Yahoo! offering great opportunities to our passionate, highly-skilled work force,” he said.“Yahoo!’s growing footprint in Ireland is a welcome statement of its commitment to this country.” Mr Bruton said information and communications technology was a key sector being targeted through the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs and the creation of new jobs by Yahoo! was“further evidence that the plan is working.We in Government are determined to continue building on this, to attract further investments and create the jobs we need,”he said. Chief executive of the IDA, Barry O’Leary, said the company was “one of the jewels in the crown of the Irish-based born on the internet companies”and had been successfully been running its operation in Ireland for nearly ten years.
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An investment fund owned by Tallaght based Irish schoolbook giant Folens is seeking to invest Local business celebrates first in new start-up anniversary companies in the learning technology sector Leaf Investments intends to invest between €250,000 and €1m over the next two to three years in early-stage companies either as part of a syndicate or as sole investor. Folens has already launched a new online and mobile learning company,Tallaght-based Apierian,which is initially developing products for the UK. It also acquired primary school resources supplier Carroll Education in early 2012. With Leaf Investments, the educational publisher intends to capture the success of e-learning products which use electronic media and technology as learning tools. Investment bank servicing company IBS Capital valued this market at €91bn globally in 2012 and forecasts an average growth rate of 23pc every year until 2017. Leaf partner Hugh O'Driscoll, a partner at Leaf Investments, said that Folens’s background in the education sector would help it perform in the interest of shareholders. “We believe that Leaf Investments is ideally placed to provide a unique combination of industry expertise and investing experience to early stage start-up companies looking for support. “We are very optimistic and excited about some of the emerging businesses that we are currently evaluating and look forward to making further investments in the coming months.” In 2012 the fund invested in two Irish businesses.Empower The User (ETU),a provider of roleplay simulation technology, secured over €500,000 from Leaf, Enterprise Ireland and private investors to expand its sales operations in Europe. StoryToys,inventors of the first digital pop-up book,secured €750,000 early-stage funding from a syndicate of investors. StoryToys now provides "edutainment" apps including 3D interactive digital story books for children.
Gary Watson Designs, who are based in Citywest Business Park, Saggart, are this month celebrating one year in business. With the challenges facing small to medium firms in this country at the moment it is highly encouraging to hear news of local companies bucking the trend and managing to grow their businesses. InTallaght Magazine caught up with MD Gary Watson to find out more:“The business is officially up and running a year in April and I want to let people know that we are Ireland’s most affordable web design. “I have created websites for a lot of local businesses including Fashion City,Crumlintilesandbathroom.ie, AJ Fitness Bootcamp in Tallaght and a few more local companies.We have also lined up a further 6 websites for boyssuits.ie, kidsclothes.ie, girlsshoes.ie, boysclothes.ie, boysshoes.ie, kids clothing.ie.” “Hansel and Gretel fashions is one of the largest suppliers of Krickets clothing in Europe and is exclusive to Hansel and Gretel fashions.I have created their website which includes other big brands like Walltastic, Fun to See, Tummy with Mummy and others.” “I am also helping people on the Back To Work Scheme for the Social Welfare which means that they allocate a percentage of the cost to me and Social Welfare pay the rest.That scheme is finishing up the end of April so I want to let anyone trying to start their own business know that Gary Watson Designs can help.”
Gary said that his company offers customers the full range of on line services: “With numerous web design companies to choose from,it may be difficult to decide which company will design, maintain or search engine optimize your web site. “At Gary Watson Designs we specialise specifically in website design, graphic design, website maintenance, and search engine optimisation. We focus on the development aspect of the web pages for your website. We concentrate on designing websites that will visually communicate your image to promote your professional objective to the world. For more information please visit the website:
www.garywatsondesigns.com
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My Dublin The first time I saw my Dublin in all its glory was as a sixteen year old in 1966. My friends and I decided to take a trip up the one hundred and sixty eight steps that was Nelsons Pillar. After what seemed like a lifetime we reached the top and what a beautiful sight it was. I fell in love with it right then and there. I promised myself I would not leave it as long next time but it was not to be, as in March 1966 it was blown up by the IRA, we all felt the loss, but life went on.
the Happy Ring House in O’Connell Street, where you could get the biggest diamond ring for three pound and six shillings.
I think it was then I realised how lucky I was to live in this place. Life in Dublin was easy but we were poor.To help our mothers cope we had Moore Street,and you looked forward to going in on a weekly trip, it was like another world. You would stand and listen to the voices of the women on their stalls “Get the last of your cheeky Charlie’s only one pound”. As children we often wondered why the lady only ever had one left! Then we would open up our rolled up plastic bags and get our apples and oranges (six for two shillings), then it was into the butcher for fresh rabbits and pigs feet for the stew that would last a week.
We also had some well loved characters in Dublin - Johnny Forty Coats, a man who thought he was Sitting Bull and would try to scalp you as you ran past the GPO, and a lady who spent all her days trying to save our souls. That was Dublin and that’s why we loved it so much.
As I got older I started to see the other Dublin; pubs, where you could sit and have a pint, like the Wexford Inn where you could also sing ballads with the Fureys and the Wolfe Tones and lots of other well know ballad singers. If you were lucky a nice lad would take you to Clerys ballroom but not before you had a sneaky look at him standing under the famous Clerys clock just to see if he looked like how you remembered him! If you were not interested you could always run into the Carlton cinema until the coast was clear. If he was the one, you would know, and after a few dates going for walks in the sunshine in the Phoenix Park (we did get summers then!) there was always
After the wedding in your mother’s front room, along came the children.Then you do what you swore you would never do; you go to the local stew house, shop in the Ivy Market or the Hill, where a child would die a thousand deaths if any of their friends saw them.
To finish off and bring Dublin forward, the Pillar has been replaced by “the needle”, the Carlton cinema is now a memory. The Ivy Market is still standing in Francis Street, Anna Livia has been moved to her new home in Arbour Hill and Dublin Zoo has a new wilderness section.If the weather is bad, you can always visit ChristChurch and the tomb of Strong Bow. You will find plenty to see and do in Dublin,but treat yourself to a trip down Moore Street at Christmas. There are a few stalls still there, run by women whose mothers have passed on their stories and chants and who keep the spirit of Dublin for those who follow.
Catherine O’Neill Catherine is a mature student at the National Learning Network (NLN), Tallaght.
“What is the sound of an eighty-nineyear-old heart breaking?” When I told my mother I was borrowing her copy of On Canaan’s Side for my next review, she remarked that Sebastian Barry is very good at writing very old Irish women. We had both previously read his book The Secret Scripture which is about a 99 year old Irish woman looking back on her life. I very much agree with my Mum’s statement.
On Caanan’s Side is narrated by 89 year old Lilly and is told in the form of a journal that recounts her varied history, all rooted to the present day in chapters that are numbered as First Day without Bill etc. Lilly’s story starts in Ireland, in Dublin, before the War of Independence, where her father is chief superintendent of the Dublin Metropolitan Police which was the old police force under British rule. Due to his post, the family lived in a house at Dublin castle. Her mother had died during Lilly’s birth and she was raised by her father and elder siblings. We don’t get much of a chance to get to know her during childhood and the story really starts when her elder brother Willie Dunne dies in the First World War. Fans of Sebastian Barry will probably recognise this name as the protagonist of his previous novel A Long Long Way which recounts his story as a member of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. A friend of Willie’s visits the family to pay his respects and meets the young Lilly for the first time. She becomes infatuated with this young man who had been such a good friend to her now late brother and after a short while they get engaged. It is this romantic entanglement that is the undoing of her peaceful life in Ireland. Tadg, the returned soldier, who is now seen as a traitor for fighting for the English, gets a job with the Royal Irish Constabulary,known now as the Black and Tans.The IRA put out a death warrant on both Tadg and Lilly but they find out just in time and flee to America. I won’t give too much away as to what happens next but suffice to say that the character recounting the story has lived a long and hard life.The Bill that she references in the chapter titles is her grandson. Bill fought for his country in the Gulf War and like his father before him, returned from the war irrevocably changed. The character of Lilly is very sympathetic.She has had a bad run of luck throughout her life but always seems to pull through it as best she can, making the most of the awful situations in which she has found herself.
Lilly has gradually lost her family in Ireland, her husband, her son and now her grandson and this is one loss too many. She lives alone in relative luxury and security in a cottage belonging to her last employer, a Mrs. Wolohan, for whom she cooked for many years before her retirement 20 years ago. Lilly spends seventeen days recounting her life story in what she calls a 'confession.' She sets the scene with her girlhood in Ireland,and then the rest of her life as a wind-blown immigrant in America.She is now tired of living and wants to end her life before she loses any more. Spanning as it does nearly 7 decades, the history of Lilly’s life is also a potted history of what was happening in the world during those years. It touches on the First World War, the War of Independence, the Second World War, Vietnam, race relations in America and Martin Luther King and finally the Gulf War.Some books try and do this but end up feeling contrived but Barry seems to slip the references in quite naturally, the way you’d imagine would happen in someone’s real life story. The title is a biblical reference and Lilly is a religious woman, as you would expect from her Irish Catholic background and her age, but it is a gentler view of God than you would find in a church. She has her own relationship with her God and what she thinks is right and wrong. There is also the recurring theme of race and America’s acceptance (or not) of people of a different colour or creed. America does not prove to be Canaan, the Biblical Promised Land. America is not a place of refuge since Lily's life and the lives of her loved ones are largely dominated by violence. The language was the first thing that struck me about this novel. There is a beautifully stilted elegance to the way Lilly talks. The sentences often end earlier than you expect and while at first I found it slightly jerky,I can just imagine a woman of her age expressing herself this way.“All difficult dark stuff, stories stuffed away, like old socks into old pillowcases.” I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading A Long Long Way about Lilly’s brother Willie.As Tadg felt when he met Lilly, I feel I know Willie a little from how much she talked about him.
About The Author Sebastian Barry is an Irish playwright,novelist and poet.Barry's literary career began in poetry before he began writing plays and novels.He has twice been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for his novels A Long Long Way (2005) and The Secret Scripture (2008),the latter of which won the 2008 Costa Book of the Year and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.His 2011 novel On Canaan's Side was longlisted for the Booker.
Exfoliation What exactly is it? People under estimate the importance and results of exfoliating their skin. In a nut shell, exfoliation means removing the oldest dead skin cells from the surface layer of the skin to reveal a brighter and healthier complexion. It's a vital step for men and women in achieving healthy, youthful looking skin. The skin is constantly generating new skin cells at the Dermis (lower layer) and sending them to the Epidermis (top layer).As the cells rise to the surface they gradually die. This whole process takes approximately 28 days to happen. Yet,as we age,the rate at which we turn over skin cells slows down and these dead skin cells hang on for dear life! Meaning our skin is more likely to look dull, grey and lifeless - which a lot of people can relate to and some stage.What's the point in using hydrating lotions and moisturisers when they can't penetrate through layers of dead skin cells! You can exfoliate two ways, mechanically or chemically.
Mechanical Exfoliation This is the method that most men and women are used to and should generally be done weekly, depending on the condition of your skin. The dead skin cells are physically rubbed off with a scrub or something granular. Granules should be small, round and gentle like jojoba beads.Things like apricot scrubs should be avoided because they can be too aggressive and you can actually cause micro-tears in your skin. Be very careful when using scrubs on your face. People tend to think the harder and more frequently they scrub,the better it is,which isn't true.We don't want to create a red, raw face which will be more prone to broken veins and sensitivity! So be gentle! A more effective approach to mechanical exfoliation is micro-dermabrasion. You can go to a salon or clinic to get this done. A special hand held device is used for the treatment, and it feels like a little hoover running over your skin. It shoots a stream of crystals to remove dead skin, and also collects the leftover skin and used crystals which is then disposed of.There are also newer tools that use a diamond tipped wand instead of crystals. Anyone with very sensitive skin,rosacea or broken capillaries should avoid mechanical exfoliation - Rosacea is a very common inflammatory skin condition among Irish men and women.Redness, high colouring, broken veins and in some cases, a red bulbous nose are usually present with it.
Chemical Exfoliation Chemical exfoliation means exfoliating with AHA's - Alph Hydroxy Acids, or commonly called fruit acids. The most common are glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane) lactic acid (from sour milk) malic acid (from apples) and tartaric acid (from grape wine). They are very powerful and have the ability to penetrate the skin and digest dead cells,which resurfaces the skin, leaving it smoother, softer and much brighter. Even fine lines and wrinkles will appear less obvious, and skin will become more hydrated. When a lot of people hear the word "chemical" or "acid" they think that it will be very harsh or damaging to the skin. Yet they are probably safer to use than aggressive scrubs. They have been used for their exfoliating properties for centuries - the most famous story was Cleopatra and how she had the most amazing skin, from bathing in milk! Egyptians also bathed in wine to keep their skin soft and smooth! Most products with fruit acids come in the form of a cleanser, serum, lotion or cream so usually there is no rubbing and scrubbing. Investing in your skin will most definitely result in a radiant return! It can be difficult to find products with high levels of fruit acids in places like Boots and over the counters in department stores. The best advice would be to use a cosmeceutical brand. You will find them in skin clinics and some salons.They have high levels of fruit acids and are very active products, particularly for people with specific skin concerns. Even people with the most sensitive of skin can use them, glycolic acid is actually very anti-inflammatory. Exfoliation is a vital step for men and women in achieving healthy, youthful looking skin. To find out more about how to achieve radiant skin you can contact me on my details below regarding treatments, products and professional advice in the comfort of your own home and at competitive prices.
Ingredients
1 large shallot, minced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 large carrot, diced small 2 sticks of celery, diced 4 strips of bacon, chopped 1 bay leaf 1/2 tsp dried tarragon 1/4 tsp chili powder 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup clam juice/nectar 4 cups of water 2 medium potatoes, chopped into bite-sized cubes 1 cup of frozen corn 1 lb white fish
1 lb of prawns 1 cup full cream Salt & Pepper to taste Method Prep the vegetables and aromatics by getting all the chopping out of the way and mixing up the seasonings. Add the chopped bacon and bay leaf to a pot over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently.Allow the fat to fully render and the bacon pieces to get deeply browned. Once the bacon is cooked, discard the bay leaf and add the celery, carrot, shallot and garlic. Stir well and allow the vegetables to soften. Add the spices and cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine and water. Add the chopped potato and corn; allow to simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through. Prep the fish by chopping it into bite-sized chunks.Keep it somewhat rustic, you want to be able to see the pieces in the finished chowder.Likewise, get your shrimp ready. When the potatoes are cooked through add the fish, prawns and cream. Bring the whole pot to a boil and immediately turn down to a low,slow simmer.Let it cook gently so the flavours can develop, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To get the best result when growing roses, it is important to follow a few important steps.Select a proper site.Choose a well-drained site that will receive about six hours of direct sun daily. Be sure it is away from the roots of large trees and roof overhangs. Prepare the soil thoroughly; add lots of well rotted manure or good garden compost to the soil. Plant only healthy,vigorous rose bushes.Provide necessary seasonal maintenance. If possible do not plant new roses where old roses were planted previously or they might get Rose Replant Disease. Treat the new roses with Mycorrhizal fungi either by brushing it on,putting it in the hole or soaking the roots in them. When planting container grown roses, always remove the pot, even if it is the fibre type. Recommended spacing when planting: Bush roses: (includes hybrid teas, grandiflora and floribundas): 50 to 75 cm (20 to 30”) apart Climbers: 1.5 to 4 metres (3 to 13 feet) Shrub Roses: 1 to 2.5 metres (3 to 8 feet), or as solitary specimens. Miniatures: 30 cm (12”) apart. Water your rose well once a week,to prevent the spread of fungal diseases, such as powdery mildew and black spot, avoid letting water splash on the leaves.Water in the morning so that the plant has all day to dry off before night falls. Insect Control Insect pests can be controlled as noticed on the plant,either with a strong jet of water, hand-picking, insecticidal soap, or in severe infestations, using insecticides.
Deadheading is the removal of spent flowers and this will encourage a continuous supply of flowers.Most roses you plant in your garden have been budded or grafted onto rootstock from a wild rose to give it extra vigour, among other things. A sucker is any shoot that’s growing from below where your cultivated rose has been added.Ignore them and the wild variety will soon take over.Do not prune them; suckers need to be pulled off, moving some of the top soil to get at them. Some of the best rose varieties to purchase, and what you can expect from them: Just Joey: (Hybrid Tea Roses) Elegant buds of copperyorange veined with red. Free and continuous flowering. A good cut flower because of its fragrance.Grows to 3 ft. Iceberg: (Hybrid Teas and Floribunda) The iceberg rose ranks as a great rose for the beginner.They make a brilliant white,slightly fragrant floral display. It flowers continuously from early in the season, often well into the winter. Ingrid Bergman: (Standard Rose) An excellent deep red rose with a very strong fragrance. It is sturdy and vigorous - branching and repeating well.Grows to 4.5ft. Mary Rose: Rose pink, one of the most widely grown English Roses. It forms a good bushy shrub that is particularly winter-hardy and blooms fragrantly with unusual regularity throughout the summer.Grows to 4ft. Eglantyne: (English Standard Roses) Light pink, It is sweetly fragrant,the flowers are quite large and the growth is ideal, being of medium height and bushy.
Ruby Wedding: (Hybrid Tea Roses) Deep red large dark pink or pale crimson flowers,spreading and bushy growth. Princess Alexandra: (English Standard Roses) one of the best for cutting with a lovely scent. A pink rose with very few thorns.Grows to 3ft. William Shakespeare 2000: (Fragrant Shrub Rose) a dramatic rich deep purple strong fragrance.The growth is neat and upright to 3.4ft. Golden Celebration: (English Standard Rose) An orange,apricot-yellow,with great fragrance.Won the best shrub and most fragrant variety at the 'Rose Awards Day 2000.Grows to 4ft. Winchester Cathedral: (Standard/Tree Roses) White/ Cream blooms at regular intervals throughout the season. Better disease resistance than most and a stronger scent.
So you start a new exercise regimen, new diet etc.Three weeks into it and you are starting to see results; “This is great!” You’re thinking another three weeks go by and the results are not quite where you would like them to be. So you get a bit disheartened and decide to take a step back from the exercise and diet. Does this sound familiar to you? Go back and think about those first 3 weeks and why you achieved seemingly great results. I would be inclined to guess that it was probably because you were excited about starting a new plan and decided to stick to it consistently. Heck, even a badly designed training programme will get results if it is consistently done. Now as time goes by the novelty wears off and you start to slip a little, not sticking to the meal plan as well as you should be, skipping a day here and there in the gym and so on and so forth. Obviously the results will not be as good as you would like and you end up feeling just a bit fed up. This is the difference between being consistent and inconsistent. A lot of people do actually believe they are
being consistent with things like their diet and training, however, through my many years of working with people in the gym and in personal training, I know that is not the case. Keep track of your workouts and diet by writing everything down, especially for the first three or four weeks. It is always useful to look back on previous workouts so that you can try to improve on it in your next session.This could be anything from doing 2 more reps than last time to lifting a heavier weight than before, or running a longer distance in a faster time than you did in your previous session. Design a training programme that fits your lifestyle best and not what suits your trainer. Although your trainer might want you to do 5 days a week, and you tell him that it’s no problem, your family and work schedule must also fit in too, and these things are more important than training in the sense that if you train 5 days a week and it starts to affect family life, then in time it can be counterproductive which will lead to inconsistency in your plan and no one wins in that situation. As well as feeling great physically through consistent training, your mental health will also be in a great place. All these feel good endorphins get released after exercise and you feel great. Now remember the opposite feeling when you haven’t exercised for a while; you feel tired, sluggish and basically not that great. So why not consistently exercise and keep that healthy, good feeling all the time? To finish up I will leave you with this; consistency means that your diet, your training, your effort and your intensity must be adhered to and what will come of it is the physique you always wanted.
Photo’s By Evan Doherty - www.thisisevan.com
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Rathcoole Boys Football Club Rathcoole Boys Football Club was established in 1977, to cater for and supply soccer football for the boys and girls of Rathcoole, Saggart and the surrounding areas.
Ballyboden St Enda’s Gala Night Ballyboden St Enda’s held their Gala night in the Red Cow hotel on Friday March 22. It was the fourth year that the Gala has been held and around 250-300 people attended. The club awarded the Senior A and B hurling teams,the Junior B footballers and the Senior A Camogie team with their awards. Gerry O’Sullivan who was PRO in the club for 30 years also received an award. All volunteers within the club were awarded on the night.For more information on the club please visit the website at www.bodengaa.ie
Success has been experienced over the years with teams playing in South Dublin Football League, Dublin District Schoolboys League and with Senior Teams in the Leinster Senior League. The club have been fortunate enough over the years to have been able to secure their own grounds at Frank Cox Park, in very close proximity to Rathcoole and can easily be found being signposted off the main street adjacent to the Credit union and the entrance to Foresthills. Presently the grounds comprise of recently updated clubhouse with dressing rooms,showers,function room, coffee shop, two all-weather seven aside pitch, one floodlight sand based pitch, full sizes grass pitch, two small sized pitches and floodlight training areas. The facilities while being used by Rathcoole FC are also used by local Rathcoole & Saggart schools for football and sports days,while the South Dublin Football League have held here their Cup Finals in Rathcoole in recent years. Rathcoole FC are also home to Rathcoole Worriers,special needs team, who play and train in the club, with Special Olympics Ireland in turn holding annual field day and provincial games in Rathcoole.
Firhouse Notre Dame U13 League Winners
Firhouse underage basketball success Firhouse Notre Dame Ladies Basketball U13 girls had a thrilling end to the season capturing the league title on Saturday April 23! This was the first underage title in many years for the Firhouse side and they are delighted with the victory. The club is growing from strength to strength and is always looking for new talent –please visit www.firhousebc.com for more information.
The All-weather pitches are used nightly for club training and public letting, also Superfit Ireland have now established gym facilities again within the facility, all easily accessible with car parking. On the football front the club presently provide football from the very young to senior level. Beginning with Saturday Morning Academy at ten o'clock for children five to six years, thereafter numerous schoolboy teams at all age groups up to and including senior football Saturday and Sunday teams, in all at present catering for some 16 teams. The club are constantly trying to improve club facilities and the standard of football at the club; to this end presently there is a requirement for additional managers for two A team managers for next season and would be interested to hear from suitable candidates. The website is presently being updated and will shortly be back online but in the meantime you can follow their activities on Facebook at Rathcoole-Boys-Football-Club
Jack O’Callaghan Enjoying The Parade
Saggart Kenpo Karate brave the weather for St Patrick’s Day A big well done to all the students who braved the snow, hail, rain and cold to march in the Saggart St. Patrick’s day parade. One student who didn’t let the weather deter him from having a great time and giving a big“hello” and wave to all the spectators was little Jack O’Callaghan. The turnout was fantastic from the students and parents, with a disco back in St.Mary’s GAA club to finish off the day. A big thank you to Apex Signs Ireland.com for the fantastic signs and van and also to Anisia Photography for the fantastic photos which can be viewed on the website at
www.saggartkenpo.com Training is under way for the next competition in the Roadstone club in Citywest on April 13 where the club will be competing against various clubs in the Best of the Best Championships. And with a grading coming up also there is a very busy time ahead of us. Well done to our under nine student of the month David Svarisciuc and fighter Ben Bumphret and our over nine student Melissa Keane and fighter Armandas Mesko. Keep up the great work everyone! If you’re interested in joining them get in touch on 087 0976024 or visit the website at
www.saggartkenpo.com
Terenure FC Host Goalkeeper Workshop Last weekend Terenure Football Club hosted a Goalkeeper Workshop for its Schoolboy and Schoolgirl sections. 25 young keepers from the current schoolboy and schoolgirl teams were put through their paces by
former Crystal Palace goalkeeper Matt Gregg now a full time goalkeeping coach. Also on hand to watch the budding keepers was Barry Murphy the current Number one at Shamrock Rovers. The workshop which was held indoor at the Spawell astro pitches focused on all the basic elements of good goalkeeping including good footwork, agility, ball handling, and communication and positioning. The workshop was a great success with lots of great training tips being passed to the kids as well as the managers. Terenure FC field five men’s teams, two women’s teams, ten schoolboys teams, four schoolgirls teams as well as two development academies for four to seven year olds. New members are always welcome. For more information visit the website atwww.terenurefc.com
work from the pack number 8 Sean Judd smashed over for the try. Then veteran centre Brian Tyrell rolled back the years with a classic try,weaving his way past three tacklers before touching down under the posts. Emil Wyrebiak kicked the conversion and Tallaght led 12-6. There was still work to do though and DLSP had a late effort at a try disallowed after their player knocked on as he was touching down but Tallaght held on for a deserved win. Proudly Sponsored By
New Sponsor Announced For Shamrock Rovers Terenure Football Club
St Anne’s GAA Bingo Bingo is back every Tuesday in St Anne’s GAA Club, starting at 8 pm sharp, all are welcome. A reminder that St Anne’s Football MACRA is on Saturday mornings at 10.30 am and Giggling Girls Camogie at 11.30am. Hurling is on Mondays at 6pm. Please contact Amanda on 087 9719890 for more details.
St Anne’s GAA Lotto
Tallaght Rugby Update O CONNOR (J5) Cup. Tallaght RFC 2nds v DLSP Tallaght’s Second team made a little bit piece of club history by winning a knock out cup match for the very first time. They had to do it the hard way after DLSP raced into a 6-0 lead thanks to two penalty kicks. Tallaght worked their way back into the game though and after strong
Pepper Asset Servicing (“Pepper”) has become an official sponsor of Shamrock Rovers football club, after the company agreed its first local sponsorship since being established in Ireland last year. Under the terms of the arrangement, Pepper will provide financial support towards the day-to-day activities of Shamrock Rovers and Pepper branding will now feature on team kits as well as on signage at the Club’s home grounds in Tallaght Stadium. Paul Doddrell, CEO of Pepper Ireland said,“Pepper is a young and growing company in Ireland, but we are grounded in a strong legacy of corporate citizenship through our parent company and we therefore appreciate the importance of making an active and meaningful contribution to the communities in which we operate.This sponsorship with Shamrock Rovers signifies the start of our journey in terms of building and embedding the brand in this marketplace and we look forward to Shamrock Rovers taking to the field for their first home game this year sporting the new Pepper logo.” Shamrock Rovers chairman, Jonathan Roche said: “Shamrock Rovers is excited to become Pepper’s first sponsorship partner in Ireland. Pepper is a young, vibrant company, as is our club and its supporters. We have developed a good relationship with Pepper since the partnership was first discussed and we’re looking forward to that growing through the 2013 season. We recognise the commitment Pepper has to its Irish operations and we feel this sponsorship deal is a great example of that. We’re delighted to have them on board.”
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Tim Dalton is Rovers’ goalkeeping coach. During his career he played for Coventry City, Bournemouth Notts County, Boston United, Bradford City, Tranmere Rovers, Cork City, Derry City, Airdrie United and Gillingham FC.
When you finished playing was moving into coaching a natural progression?
At the start not at all.When I finished I had no intention of being a coach, I just planned on retiring and riding off into the sunset!
So how did you get into coaching?
After I’d retired in 2003 I got a phone call off Eamon Collins who was at Saint Pats. He told me he was looking for a goalkeeper but I told him I’d no interest.So then he asked me would I be interested in coming to work with Pats as a coach and I jumped at the chance and I went and gave it a go. I discovered once I started doing it I really enjoyed it.
With regard to coaching is there anything you’ve taken from your own career as a footballer?
Yes there is.The first club I went to at 16 was Coventry City and I was so fortunate when I was there to get to work with Alan Hodgkinson who coached with the Scottish national team and Manchester United. He used to work with us two times a week and it was a Godsend, he was such an unbelievable coach. I would still use a lot of his techniques today in my own career.I haven’t seen anyone like Alan since.
What was the How do you prepare highlight of your He also represented the Rovers keepers? career as a player? Ireland, at underage level, and the League Of Ireland. He also Who was your hero won both the growing up? League Of Ireland Championship and the F.A.I. Cup. Well it depends because everything revolves around the games so we work Friday to Friday. If there is a match on the Friday Saturday is for recovery, Sunday off, then training Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. I spend half an hour/40 mins at the start of the session working with the keepers. As regards drills we cover all aspects, the Rovers lads are all very good keepers to begin with.We work on strength and conditioning, like boxing training, also footwork,handling,crosses,kicking,and distribution.After that the lads join in with the other lads for a game, which is most important.It’s vital we keep them fit and strong. When they go into the game I’ll be looking at their positioning,communication,organistation of their defence.
In my first season with Derry City in 1989 we won the treble so I’d have to say that would be the highlight as a player.When I look back those players were so good, God knows what they’d do today. They could all have played at a very high level in the modern game.
I didn’t really have any! I was very fortunate that I played for Ireland schoolboys at 15 and while with them got to work with Peter Thomas who played in goal for Ireland. He was a fantastic keeper and it was amazing to get to work with him, he had a major impact on me.
Who is the best keeper you’ve ever worked with?
I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve worked with a lot of excellent keepers like Charles Adamson, James Gallagher, Garry Rogers, Dan Connor, Jimmy Ewings, Brendan Clark; they were all really good keepers. Barry and Richard are both excellent keepers, Barry’s distribution is so good. We’re lucky at Rovers that we have two keepers who are so good and can do it in the big games.Barry is in top form at the moment and he’s number one but Richard has been injured and he’s fighting hard to challenge Barry for that spot.They’re great lads to work with, they really put it in on the training ground.
As regards the Ireland national team who would you pick, Forde or Westwood?
Well Forde is playing for his club and Westwood isn’t so I’d go with Forde. Westwood is a talented lad but he’s sitting on his backside at the moment and he’s missing out. At the very highest level there are very small margins between goalkeepers.Forde did well in the two Ireland games though.
Who do you think is the greatest ever Irish keeper?
It’s between Packie Bonner and Shay Given,I’d have to say Shay. It’s a pity his career is at a standstill at the moment, he’s had a couple of injuries but he was a brilliant keeper in his prime.
Finally Tim, when you’re watching the Rovers keepers in matches what are you looking out for?
Lots of things but one of the most important is the way they communicate with their defenders and how they organise the players in front of them. Shot stopping is a minimum requirement, what sets a keeper apart is their awareness of what’s going and their ability to organise their defence.
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Shamrock Rovers Under 19s brought the curtain down on their season at the end of last month with a 3-1 defeat away to Waterford United. With Cork already confirmed as league champions Rovers went into the match with the outside chance of finishing in second place. The odds were stacked against them though as they needed to beat the Blues by seven clear goals to leap frog Shels into the runners up spot. Their task was made even harder prior to the game as the Hoops headed south with a squad decimated by injuries and suspensions. While Rovers failed to match the previous seasons achievement of finishing runners up in the U19 Elite Division there are some mitigating circumstances. At the start of the season manager Declan Hevey put together a much younger group of players with many of the squad just 16 years of age.This approach means the club will have time to develop these players over a couple of years and not have to totally re-build again for next season. Speaking to InRovers Declan said this is all part of the clubs plan to develop the future stars of the first team. At the start of the season we set out to be competitive but while we are a bit disappointed it should be remembered that this is a two year plan. Before the season started only three boys from last year were retained and we had a number of lads who were 16.We decided to start again from scratch.It’s quite a big jump going from Under 16 to reserve team. The previous U19 team had been two years in the making. Even though we had a much younger squad we still had to make sure we were competitive and stuck to our principles like playing in a 4-3-3 style,mirroring the first team.It was a learning curve for the players.
We got ourselves in a really good position before Christmas and were playing well but the break came at the wrong time and we lost three in a row after we came back.
What were the stand out performances of the season? Beating Bohs twice was a great achievement, especially beating them by three in one of the matches.I’ve been here five years and in all that time all the games against Bohs were one-goal affairs.It’s so important that the players realise the importance of the Dublin Derbies.
Also beating Shels twice was great, even though they did pip us to the runners up spot. We put in a very solid performance away to Cobh as well which I was happy with. We’re disappointed at the way the league went for us; we had a couple of home draws from games we should have won and we also had a disappointing defeat at home to Pats. We just didn’t do enough and we conceded too much but we were also unlucky with the injuries we had,especially to our centre halves,three of which were on crutches at the end of the season. We had a very young squad and I was delighted with their attitude and the way they conducted themselves, they’re a fantastic bunch of players and a credit to the club. Five of them have been signed byTrevor on amateur forms and are now available for the first team. Alan Kehoe has played for the first team and Mark Sandford was a real menace, he finished up as top scorer with 14 goals. I felt overall this years Under 19 Elite Division was poorer than previous years, the standard wasn’t as strong with a lot of clubs playing a direct game.I also think a lot of the other clubs didn’t take it as seriously as other years; the league went a bit schoolboy.I can’t understand why the league isn’t under 20, it’s a massive jump for an under 19 player to make from reserve to first team. We are already planning for next season and looking to add players.From JuneTrevor wants us to train with the first team, we’ve never done that before and it’s something we’re very excited about. Five of this season’s squad is ineligible to play again next season.Rhys Gorman,Dean Ebbie,Nathan West,Alan Swan and Dylan Kearney will all officially bow out of the reserves. We would like to say thanks to those lads and wish them well for their future career and we are sure that they will have a bright future ahead of them in the game.
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RUA RED
FAMILY FILM - Hugo
Sat April 6 @ 12 noon €3.50 per child. Adults go free with child! Visit www.ruared.ie for details
County Library, Tallaght
Talk by Tallaght Historical Society Frank Tracey on “The Last Days Of The Anglo Irish Gentry” Tue April 9 @ 7.00pm Visit www.southdublinlibraries.ie for details
Civic Theatre Break A Leg
Wed April 10 - Sat April 13 @ 8.00pm Visit www.civictheatre.ie for details
The Square Town Centre Oopsadaisy Toddler Group
Sing N Learn Along for preschoolers, free for all shoppers but registration is essential Level 2 @ 10.00am - 11.00am Visit www.thesquare.ie for details
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Plaza Hotel
An Evening of Mediumship in aid of Irish Cancer Society
with leading Psychic Mediums Martha Cousins, Catherine McDonnell & Sandy McSweeney Thu April 11 @ 8.00pm
Tallaght Stadium
Rovers v Bray Wanderers
Fri April 12 @ 8.00pm Visit www.shamrockrovers.ie for details
Tallaght Stadium Rovers v Cork City
Tue April 16 @ 7.45pm Visit www.shamrockrovers.ie for details
Civic Theatre
Solpadeine Is My Boyfriend Wed April 17 - Sat April 20 @ 8.15pm Visit www.civictheatre.ie for details
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