InTallaght EDITION 10 by InTallaght Magazine

A Note From The Editor: Hi Everyone, Welcome to the February edition of InTallaght magazine. Now that the Christmas period is behind us and most of us are wavering on our New Year’s resolutions we decided to cheer you all up by talking to funny-man Neil Delamere who is sure to put a big smile on your face. Also in this issue we chat to the fabulous Laura Whitmore on her rising success, between presenting on MTV and her latest stint in the jungle, as well as her modeling career and aspirations on the design front. Let’s just say she’s as likeable as she is beautiful.

With regards to music we speak to rising Tallaght band Leaders of Men which, in the space of one year, has made leaps and bounds in the music industry. While new Rover’s manager Stephen Kenny gives us the lowdown on the job ahead. On a more serious note we speak to Bodywhys ahead of Eating Disorder Awareness Week as well as the sister of missing woman Esra Uyrun who disappeared from her home a year ago this month. All that and more, so read on and enjoy!

__________________________ Emer Mulvaney - Editor

Progress in the education of children in disadvantaged schools will be decimated by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s proposed cuts according to the principal of Scoil Chaitlin Maude. Bairbre Ni Ghoill, who has worked in the West Tallaght school for 21 years, said that severe damage will be incurred if the removal of the school’s support teacher goes ahead along with many other proposals. She told InTallaght: “The removal of the support teacher will have the biggest immediate impact and the knock-on effect on other things after that will be enormous. These proposals will do so much harm to all the disadvantaged schools in the area – I’m not sure he realises exactly what he’s doing or if he expected the reaction which he is getting. “I think there was an element of thinking that they had chosen the path of least resilience – but we’ve proven that, that’s not so.” In mid-January, four coach loads of parents and children left the school and made their way into the City Centre where thousands of angry protestors

marched in fury at the proposed cuts. The following week hoards of students, parents and teachers from various schools also marched from the Social Welfare offices in Tallaght to South Dublin County Council. The main target of the proposed cuts is the support teachers who are the driving force behind the progression of those with emotional and behavioural problems according to Bairbre. The teacher splits her time between classes and pupils working on any issues they have with her, which in turn enables them to participate fully and the class to move forward. “Our support teacher has been invaluable,” Bairbre said. “ Without her our progression will be decimated and we will be set back ten years. She was introduced as part of the DEIS programme, the most recent results of which have shown that disadvantaged schools have come so far that we are getting closer and closer to the national standard in numeracy and literacy. If she is taken away the teachers’ time will be spent dealing with unsettled children when they should be teaching, the wider class with suffer and it will show in test results.”

She added: “It will be a vicious circle. Education will be set back ten years, results will be low, I have no doubt that children will drop out of education at an alarming rate and they will join the uneducated and unemployed in a fierce regression. “It took ten years to build up what we have and it will take two to knock it and put us back where we started.” According to Bairbre the strain that the loss of the support teacher will put on the main teacher will also lead to a loss of voluntary time from those who now willingly teach afterschool programmes and sports clubs. She said: The fight against it has galvanised support from everywhere even the children are upset and that’s a big mistake because they are the voters of tomorrow. If Ruairi Quinn thinks that we will stand idly by while he takes everything away he is very wrong.”

For More Information Log Onto facebook.com/scoilcm

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ASLAN fans the country over will be flocking to Tallaght this Summer to celebrate the band’s 30th year. On Saturday, June 30th, Tallaght Stadium will play host to a concert for the first time ever when it welcomes one of the most popular bands in the country. The event, which is being billed as a ‘Summer Celebration,’ is expected to see more Irish and International bands added to the bill in the coming weeks. Lead singer Christy Dignam said the band is honoured to be the first one to gig in the stadium. He said: “We can’t believe that we are thirty years together this year and to be playing Tallaght Stadium in front of 20,000 people is a dream for us. We have a lot of very special guests lined up for the day and we would just like to say a big thanks to everyone who has supported the band over the years and helped us reach this milestone. “We are really excited that younger fans will get the chance to see us live in a big stadium and we are honoured that Aslan will be the very first music concert at Tallaght Stadium”. Aslan, made up of Christy, Joe Jewell, Billy McGuinness, Alan Downey and Rodney O’Brien, have been rockin it out on the music scene since 1982 and have released five albums in that time. The band is also currently gearing up for the release of its brand new album, entitled ‘Nudie Books and Frenchies,’ which is a nod to their youth and will be a fitting celebration of three decades in the business. The band has also been busy wrapping up production on a documentary, which chronicles its adventures from 1982 to present day. It will be screened and released this year. Gates to the event will be open at 1pm and Under 16’s are welcome but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets, priced €49.65 for standing and €54.65 for seated [including booking fee] will be on sale at Ticketmaster from February 3rd at 9am.

The biggest Zumba event ever to take place at the one time will be held in Tallaght this month – if enough people get involved. The attempt to beat the current Guinness World Record will take place on Sunday February 12th at 3pm in The National Basketball Arena and is a fundraising event organised by An Cosán. A spokesperson for An Cosán said: “The event has really captured the imagination of the local community of Tallaght West and beyond.

The cost to get involved is €11 pre-registered, or €15 on the day. There is also the option for people to take a registration card to encourage family members, friends and work colleagues to join in on the day.

“The great thing is that you don’t need to know Zumba to take part. There will be tutors there to demonstrate before the record-breaking attempt begins.” The target for the attempt is 3,000 people and the event is open to all ages from 7 upwards.

An Cosán is a multi-purpose built centre for leadership, learning and enterprise. It provides a service in Jobstown to severely disadvantaged families and over 600 local people attend each week for their own education, their children’s education or both.

The philosophy of the organisation is that education is the key to eradicating poverty and social injustice. The spokesperson added: “An Cosán relies on government funding, corporate support and fundraising to undertake our work and the Zumba-thon will play a major part in the support of that.” For more information call An Cosán on 462 8488 or log onto

www.ancosan.com

St Patrick’s day revellers will be delighted to know that another extravaganza is planned for March 17th in Tallaght Stadium. Organised by South Dublin County Council a day of music, colour and fun is promised. Drawing on the experience of last year’s event the timescale has been trimmed back with the proceedings expected to last just over an hour. A ticketing system, despite entry being free, is also set to be introduced to ensure that overcrowding is not an issue. Willie Sheils, Senior Executive Officer in the Community Services Department at 12

SDCC said: “We are very excited about the event. At the moment we are in the process of finalising bands and performers but we can guarantee that a fantastic day lies ahead.

just over an hour, so’s that it’s enjoyable for young families but not too long – it will also allow for those who want to attend other events on the day.”

“Last year we had a huge amount of people attending the stadium and a huge amount of performances. We did have some teething issues but this year we have taken those issues and will learn from them. Free tickets will be allocated and numbers will be monitored. Also the event itself will probably last

He added: “The fireworks, which were very popular last year, will signal the end of the event again this year. Whatever happens we’ll go out with a bang!” For confirmation on the performers for the St Patrick’s Day celebration keep an eye on www.sdcc.ie throughout the month of February.

All the glory and colour of both the Chinese and Irish cultures were alive and kicking in South Dublin recently as the county celebrated the year of the dragon. A special event, organized by South Dublin County Council in association with South Dublin Libraries and the Institute of Technology took place in the County Library. Packed out, a host of exciting events included a vibrant performance of the Lion dance by the Chinese Irish Cultural Academy, Traditional Chinese Irish music and dance performances, Chinese Irish Story Telling by Seosamh Ó Maolalaí, a Chinese Cookery Demonstration and Chinese Arts and Crafts Workshops for school children. Speaking on the success of the event South Dublin Mayor Catriona Jones said: “I was delighted to welcome so many people from all around the world. The Chinese New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and celebrated by Chinese communities across the world and here in South Dublin County we celebrated with a fantastic programme of events. “In particular I would like to mention the students from Nanching University who are currently attending the Institute of Technology, Tallaght, who shared with us their experiences of living and studying in Dublin and who gave us an insight into Chinese Culture.” Each year of the Chinese calendar is represented by one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and 2012 is the Year of the Dragon.

Laverne O’Connor from Lucan, who entered the competition, which was run in conjunction with FM104, was the lucky winner of the car after she made it to the final and choose the correct key to turn on the vehicle. The event, which saw breakfast presenters Jim-Jim and Mark host their morning show from the roadhog outside the showrooms, began at 6am when the finalists were gathered and whittled down to five. Laverne, who is originally from Clondalkin but living in Lucan, was one of the five, another of which hailed from Tallaght. FM104 DJ Killian O’Sullivan entertained the crowd while the show was on then both Jim-Jim and Mark entered the building live on air to host the presentation to the winner.

Three contestants went ahead of Laverne and were disappointed and one never got to try as on the fourth attempt the lights went on and the crowd went wild. A delighted Laverne told InTallaght: “I can’t believe it. I never expected this. I’m thrilled and am looking forward to taking it home.” Tallaght Fiat owner Michael Kerslake said he was so delighted with the result and the interest in the competition that he will definitely consider doing it again. He said: “It’s been a fantastic day and has been well worth it. The competition itself was run really well, the build up has been excellent and the result a huge success. The car is a little pocket rocket and we wish Laverne all the very best in it.”

The five nervous finalists each had to pick a box off the windscreen of the car each one of which contained a key. The person with the key that turned the car on was deemed the winner.

Eating disorders can affect anyone – man or woman, adult or child – and despite common misconceptions refusing to eat or vomiting after a meal isn’t always about weight, it’s also about control. According to the Department of Health over 200,000 people in Ireland are suffering from some sort of an eating disorder and on February 20th – 26th National Eating Disorder Awareness Week will try to help people understand the ins and outs of the likes of Anorexia and Bulimia while also trying to reach those suffering from a condition. This is something that Bodywhys, a national voluntary organisation which was set up in 1995, aims to do all year round. The organisation, which is based at St John of God Hospital in Stillorgan, provides everything from support groups to online systems which enable people in the same situations to connect with each other anonymously. Bodywhys also has a directory of therapists and counsellors which it can recommend to people reaching out for help. Ruth Ní Eidhin, Communications Officer at Bodywhys, says that both conditions are a growing problem among men and women and that awareness week is about helping those who may know someone spot the signs as well as encouraging those with a disorder to seek help. She told InTallaght: “Eating Disorders are a much bigger issue than people realise. The first thing that most people will think about when they hear the words is Anorexia. This is when a person stops eating the necessary amount to keep their body functioning – sometimes stopping eating at all.

“Signs of Anorexia are severe weight loss, declining food regularly and even an obsession with food. Some Anorexics become fixated with recipe books and having dinner parties just so they can watch people eat what they are denying themselves. “Like Anorexia, Bulimia is not always about weight. It’s a mental state. Someone may be distressed, grieving or having come through a bad break up. “The eating disorder, unknown to them, can all of a sudden feel like it is making what’s wrong with them feel better and because of that we know that not only is treating an eating disorder about the food element it’s also about getting to the root of the problem mentally – whatever triggered it off in the first place.” Bulimia, according to Ruth, will see people binging on food that has no nutritional value and afterwards making themselves sick of taking slimming pills or laxatives to get rid of the food from their system. Bulimia also goes hand in hand with excessive exercising, something which is very common in male sufferers - 10 per cent of which are shown statistically as having disorders. Ruth said: “That figure seems far too low. That’s only the numbers which have been admitted to hospital and that’s sufferers at their very worst. It doesn’t take into account those suffering but getting outside help or indeed those suffering alone. “Men sufferers are usually the ones who go to the gym twice a day every day and

that can have a lot to do with the pressure in society for people to look good, slim, muscly and tanned. They do this to get that way despite the fact that most bulimics don’t even lose weight that much weight they just fluctuate slightly.”

and dehydration at their level can be extremely dangerous.

A third eating disorder which is not commonly known is EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified).

Ruth said: “Bulimics are harder to spot but anyone with an eating disorder will do their best to hide it and will be in denial for some time. When they decide they want it however we are always here to help.

This means that when a person shows some of the signs of a specific eating disorder but not all of them they are recognised as having a problem but perhaps not enitirely one or the other. It may be that a suspected Anorexic may not have missed her last three periods without being pregnant or a suspected Bulimic is not purging but is binging. Next year it is expected that binging, without purging, will be instated as its own recognised eating disorder but for now it comes under the EDNOS umbrella. Ruth said: “There isn’t a whole lot of research but aside from the mental health and control issues there is the body image problem. In 2009 there was a Youth Mental Health study done and the number one issue, according to young people, is body image. That’s media-driven and that’s what people cling onto. It can cause a lot of problems.”

When recognising the signs of bulimics callouses on the knuckles are an indicator as well as binging without putting weight up.

“Whether it’s advice, a support network or information. The first step is to talk, get to the root of the problem and go from there.” On February 26th the Youth panel, overseen by the Bodywhys Youth Development Officer, who visits schools regularly to talk about eating disorders, will host a ‘Body Positive,’ walk in the Phoenix Park as part of National Eating Disorder Week. Ruth said: “The walk will be carnivalthemed and will give participants the opportunity to express themselves and their personalities in a positive way – because that’s the way it should always be.”

Problems which can prove long-term if a disorder is let run for any prolonged length of time. Anorexics can experience muscle and heart problems with heart attacks being the main cause of death for sufferers. They may also have issues with Osteoporosis, severe lack of concentration and infertility. Bulimics purging can have a negative impact on the electrodes in the body 17

The heartbroken sister of a woman who went missing in Dublin last year, will return to Ireland for the anniversary of her disappearance this month. Berna Fidan, whose sister Esra Uyrun, has not been seen since she left her Clondalkin home on the morning of February 23, 2011, will visit with her daughter in a desperate effort to jog memories and raise awareness. Turkish-born Esra (38), who lived with her husband Ozgur and two-year-old son Emin, in Collinstown Grove, left her home at 7.15am to make the short trip to the shop before Ozgur went to work. Esra, however, never returned home and her Renault Twingo was later found abandoned in Bray Head car park. CCTV footage, at the time, showed the vehicle in a near miss with a Skoda Octavia on Strand Road but Berna does not believe that her sister was driving. She told InTallaght: “I have a copy of that DVD and every time I watch it I think it was driving too erratically to be her. It’s extremely hard to make out but it doesn’t look like a woman driving and I’ve had people say that to me too. Her car first entered the car park and left after 15 seconds. 15 minutes later it was back and parked out of sight of CCTV. I reckon whoever was driving it was checking the CCTV out first because they then parked in a blind spot. “When it was found [the car] her purse was found in the boot and I know she would not have put it there. I go over and over all the scenarios I can think of and maybe she was in the boot at one stage with that purse but I can’t bare to think that, that’s true.” Esra first moved to Ireland from London 18

at the end of 2006 for her husband’s work. She began a job in administration herself but gave up that job when she fell pregnant. Emin, who turned three last August, was everything to his mother according to Berna who refuses to believe that Esra may have taken her own life or chosen to disappear. “Anyone who knows my sister will know that she would not just go off like that,” she said. She would not leave that baby. Our father had died not long before she disappeared and yes she was down and depressed about it but she was not suicidal. Our mother was also due to visit her the following day.” For three months after Esra went missing Berna travelled over and back to Ireland putting up posters and speaking to locals in an attempt to gather some information. However no leads have ever materialised and noone has ever been questioned in connection with the incident. Ozgur and Emin have since moved back to the UK to be nearer family and as the anniversary of Esra’s disappearance approaches Berna will be in Dublin and in talks with the Gardai with regards to a renewed appeal on Crimecall. She will stay near Bray Head and will be putting up posters and speaking to as many people as possible. She said: “I will never give up. I have to do this. I have to find her.” Anyone with information is asked to contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. For more information on Berna’s campaign to find her sister log onto Facebook and search ‘Missing Esra Uyrun’.

A VISIT to The League Barbers is like no other haircut you’ve ever experienced. Sure, it costs the same and no more than any of the other local barber shop but the difference is in what you get for your money. For starters not only do you get your haircut, you also get your head massaged, a razor contour on your cut, your eyebrows trimmed and your hair washed. Not only that but you get to experience of removing the hair from your ears with flames. Time is of the essence at The League Barbers and that’s when it comes to their customers. There’s no rushing you out the door but instead you are encouraged to sit back, relax and enjoy attention to detail and the use of the best very products. When choosing to avail of a shave at The League Barbers a minimum of 30 minutes is spent and the use of a special cream comes at no extra cost.

Quality, clean and cheap grooming is what you get – the pampering experience without the dent to your pocket. Additionally there’s a treat in store for every child (and consequently parent!) when they come in for their first haircut in the shape of a certificate to mark the special day and their photo emailed to them afterwards. All children can also choose any kid’s film from the The League Barber’s wide selection of DVDs while sitting in custom-made children’s seats. For the older customer (Senior Citizens) and children under 14 a haircut can be obtained for just €5 any Monday to Wednesday. From shop open to close it’s all about customer care at this barbers where there’s no doubt about it, they’re in a league of their own. .....................................................

For More Information: Call the shop on 01 4587361 or visit their website at www.leaguebarbers.ie

SHE’S the darling of MTV whose genuine persona and undeniable talent landed her the coveted presenting role on ITV2s ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here now!’ in 2011. But there’s more to Laura Whitmore than presenting - with a love of all things fashion she has been known to model on occassion and has not ruled out a stint as a designer in the future. The Dublin girl, who is also the girlfriend of The Corona’s frontman Danny O’Reilly, took some time out to speak to InTallaght about her commendable career, her love of ice-cream and the admiration she has for the boyfriend she says is ‘perfect.’

So It Was Your Biggest Presenting Job To Date – How Was It In The Jungle – Was It Scary? It was definitely scary. For me personally it was fantastic. A new show, live every day for three weeks, in a different part of the world with a new crew. It was scary but absolutely amazing! I’d never been to Australia before so it was fantastic to get that opportunity too.

Did You Get To See Much Of It While You Were There? Well to be honest there wasn’t an awful lot of opportunity. The schedules were madness as we were keeping on UK time because it was live. We’d get up at 10.30pm, watch all the tapes of what went on the night before, before going on live. We had to go to bed at 4pm. It was a weird lifestyle but worth every second. Where we were in the jungle was near the Gold Coast. The nearest city is Brisbane but we did get to see some of the beautiful beaches which was nice – they were absolutely gorgeous. 22

How Did You Get On With Joe Swash and Zane? Great! I gave Joe a hard time about his tan but he is just too easy! Having said that he is great. I’d never worked with him before and it was scary going over but he was so welcoming and lovely. We met for lunch in London before we went and then we flew over together too. I have to say he is so lovely. He’s like a little puppy and I just wanted to mind him. He’s a disaster too though – but in a nice way!

And Ant and Dec, What Are They Really Like? We were on a different schedule to Ant and Dec but I did see quite a bit of them. They are both absolutely lovely. Exactly as you would imagine them to be. I have been a fan of Ant and Dec since I was a kid in the Byker Grove, PJ and Duncan and SMTV Live days. They were very lovely and welcoming to me and I was privileged after all these years to get to work with them.

So You Took Part In A Trial… Eh Why?! [Laughs] I don’t know how I let myself do that! I was told that it was all part of the ‘initiation process’ but that was a lie. I said I would do it but that I wouldn’t eat anything.

Unfortunately I also said I didn’t mind heights so they put me up in the cable car. They said I was trying it out for whichever contestant happened to have to do it, which ended up being Sinitta, and as far as I was concerned all I had to do was take the stars from the boxes and one from outside the cable car and that was it. It was disgusting, I could see the heads of the insects crawling out of the boxes and the smell!! No one tells you about the smell of the insects – especially cockroaches. Anyway I swear to God I didn’t know they were going to do it but just as I got the last star they dropped the bottom out of the cable car. I got such a fright but even Joe didn’t know that bit was planned and he screamed louder than me!

In Years To Come – If You Are No Longer Presenting The Spin-Off – And You Were Asked Would You Go Into The Jungle Yourself? Not a chance in hell! Not when I’ve been there and stayed in a fancy hotel. No way!

really came out of himself and I was happy for him that he won.

What Was Mark Like? Mark came across as really different to what I expected. People really liked him. I only knew him as this guy off TOWIE who is always sleazing on all the girls but that’s him doing what he has to do. Out there he was just natural and absolutely himself and just really nice. The thing about the show is it’s genuine. There’s no editing to make people look in any way so for Mark that was better again – he was genuinely nice.

And Who Was Your Least Favourite/The Biggest Pain? I didn’t really have a least favourite. I think some people didn’t come across too well like Pat [Sharpe] and Anthony [Cotton] but at the end of the day they got publicity from it which is not a bad thing. The thing is they were both very interesting characters and it’s easy for me to slag them for being this and that but people don’t realize how tough it is in there for them. How hungry they are and what a strain that puts on people.

What Was Dougie Like? Were You Glad He Won? From the beginning I thought Dougie would be a favourite. When you look at the past few years Joe won it, Matt Willis won it – the nice person always seems to win it. At the start I was afraid that he would be a bit too quiet but he

So It’s Back To Reality And MTV! How Are Things Going There? Fantastic, I’m ringing you from MTV right now! I love my job here so it’s great to be back.

You Did A Journalism Degree – Was Interviewing Celebs What You Always Dreamed Of? Well not interviewing celebs necessarily but I do love it. I love writing which is why I got into journalism, I edited my collge magazine and I worked in Newstalk in Dublin too before moving to London, I loved that aswell. I am very happy doing what I do now though. I get a great kick out of chatting to people - particularly nice people, I like them! Talking is fun! Every day is different too and you never know where the job is going to take you.

What’s The Most Exciting Interview You’ve Ever Done? God there have been loads. I got to meet one of my idols Dave Grohl and just recently I interviewed Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, P Diddy and JLO. They were all really nice.

Any Awkward Or Rude Interviewees? No I’ve been very lucky, there’s been no-one really. Then again I do have a camera with me so they are not going to want to be seen to be rude! The only slightly awkward ones can be with bands, who are awkward themselves. A lot of them don’t really like talking but that’s about it. 24

Do You Get Star-Struck? I was star-struck with Ant and Dec [Laughs] I’ve watched them for years on TV and all of a sudden there they were and I was working with them. Yes I was definitely star-struck with Ant and Dec.

Have You Had Any Embarrassing Moments On The Job? Oh there have been a few! One big one was when I was interviewing Take That and I asked them what it was like to be so ‘suc-sex-ful’ To make it worse I just could not say the word properly so I said suc-sex-ful about three times – that was soooo embarrassing.

What’s Been Your Career Highlight So Far?

Olympia over Christmas. I can sing all of the songs at this stage! He’s a very talented man.

You Are Both Very Private About Your Relationship But He Has Admitted To Writing Songs About You – Closer to You For Example – What’s That Like? It’s so lovely. Before we were ever even friends I always thought he had the best voice in the world.

changed him. In fact if a person is speaking to him or interviewing him he will do his best to make them comfortable, he’ll be bothered about how they are and I admire that.

So To The Other Side Of Your Career – You’re A Very Successful Model Too, Do You Get Nervous Being Photographed? I don’t get too nervous but I am very lucky because unlike other models I get

What’s The Best Thing About Him? He’s just so nice. There isn’t a bad bone in his body and no matter how successful he has gotten it hasn’t

My very first day on the job in MTV was probably the highlight so far. I had just moved to London and I got a call to say I was going to LA to the movie awards. I didn’t even make it into the MTV studios I had to go straight to the airport. All of a sudden there I was in Paramount Pictures watching the soundcheck take place and gearing up for the red carpet. Next thing I know I’m interviewing Chris Martin from Coldplay! It was amazing. The producer told Chris it was my first day though and I was mortified! My boyfriend met him a while ago in the airport though and they got chatting and Chris asked him where he was going and he said to see me. Chris then asked what I did and my boyfriend said I was an MTV presenter and Chris said “Oh I remember her, she’s a blonde girl isn’t she?!” So he remembered me – I was thrilled! Speaking Of Your Boyfriend You Are Going Out With Danny From The Coronas – How’s That Going? It’s going great. I’m a big fan of his. I went to three of his six gigs in the 25

to choose what I wear and if I don’t want to I don’t have to. If it’s too skimpy or just not me I wouldn’t feel right. I’d hate to be a model full-time with people at you and telling you what to do and wear but the modelling that I do, I really like. Recently I did a photoshoot that was completely different for me though. They asked me to wear crazy stuff and I said “why not?!” They did my hair in a way that I’d never wear it but I really enjoyed myself so you never know what to expect really.

The Impulse At Awear Collection Was Designed With You In Mind – Do You Design Yourself? I haven’t specifically designed anything for any brand or outlet and I don’t claim to be a designer but I do sketches and I like putting my own twist on things. I’ll fix a hem or cut the sleeves off something if I see something I’d prefer a different way but I wouldn’t have the sewing machine out all the time or anything. There may be room for something like that in the future though!

Speaking Of Your Future – What’s In It Do You Think? How Do You Expect 2012 To Pan Out? I would love to do more stuff with ITV, the crew there are just so nice. I’m happy where I am too and there should be lots of bits and pieces coming up. I wouldn’t say no to going back to America either. I interviewed Jon Bon Jovi out there for American TV show ‘Extra’ before.

If You Could Change Anything About Your Career So Far Would You? Not a thing. There is no point in having regrets. Even if something doesn’t work out the way you had hoped you learn from it. There’s a reason for everything. I am very happy, I have the dream job and the dream guy – what more could I ask for?

Movie Breakfast At Tiffany’s Ice-Cream God I love Ice-cream. I never wanted sweets as a kid, always ice-cream. I had a bit of a problem so it’s hard to choose! I’ll say Honeycomb. Perfume Every year I change my scent. During the day I wear a body spray from Victoria’s Secret. It’s the berry scent and people always say I smell like strawberries. When it comes to perfume I love DKNY fresh blossom. Song Closer to You – I know, cheesy but true! Sport Yoga/dancing. They’re not really sports but they are the closest I get to sport! Clothes Shop A|Wear. I love getting things at home that they can’t get in the UK. Colour: Blue Drink: Whiskey City: New York Car Volkswagon Transporter Smell My boyfriend Time of Year Christmas

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So Neil Tell Us About The New Show – Restructuring – Where Did The Name Come From? I suppose I keep hearing all over the place about the restructuring that’s going on everywhere, the situation with the Department of Finance, the Government in general, the public service and so on. It’s been embedded in my mind and it just made me start looking at my own existence. I’ve been hosting new TV shows, moving house and everything in my life seemed to all of a sudden be in flux like everything – else in the country. The show encompasses these changes in my life among other things!

So It’s Not About Poking Fun At The Government It’s More About What’s Going On With You? Bits and pieces are about the economy. I like vague titles which are all-encompassing! It means that I can talk about whatever I like. In fairness I think that people are getting it in the ear all the time about the economy. They read the papers and watch the news – it’s the main thing everywhere. They are well served in that respect by the likes of Vincent Brown and Constantin Gurdgiev and others but if there is something funny in it then I will of course mention that in the show.

So Where Do You Start With A Show? How Long Does It Take To Put Together And How Do You Know When You’re On To Something? You don’t know, that’s just it! The year goes in a cycle. From September / October time you get it down and then you tour it, October to April. In the Autumn / Springtime you’ll also do a bit of telly and then you’ll modify the show and bring it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. You’ll be royally sick of it by that stage!

What Do You Mean Modify It? Well it’s modified so’s that other audiences, [other than the Irish] will take to it too. Sometimes that means tweaking jokes and sometimes it means taking whole sections out. When you start doing comedy you have no idea. You haven’t a clue. You’ve no point of reference so you just have to get up there and do it.

So You Don’t Have Mammy And Daddy Take A Look Before You Go On With A New Show? [Laughs] God no – My Mam and Dad are Irish, you’re more likely to get slapped down for showing off! So you have to go it alone. You have to go out there and try the material and pretty soon you’ll get a vague idea of how it’s going. Sometimes the audiences 29

surprise you too, you might be thinking this second last line is the funniest of the whole show and to them it might not be, where as they crack up at something you didn’t think was all that. Comedy is strange – it’s probably the only art form – [Pauses] God that sounds w*nky…[Laughs] Ok let’s be w*nky….It’s probably the only art form which is influenced and changes from start to finish. When you go in you have one thing prepared but how it finishes depends on what happens there. The input of other people and whether they like it or not. It sounds knobby [Laughs again] I mean what other art form is influenced by a committee – a sculptor doesn’t design something, put it on display only to have someone say the legs are too long so he takes it back in and lops it off at the knee. It doesn’t happen, but in comedy that’s essentially what does.

Do Your Family, Friends Or Girlfriend Ever Not Want Jokes About Them Included? You have to be mindful of certain things and there are topics that are definitely verbatim. When I do a show and I’m telling a story about something the story will be generally true but you know those programmes where they say “some names have been changed to protect the identity of some of those involved…etc” well that’s how it is with my shows! Sometimes things have been changed. I might use the name of another person to protect the real person involved in the story! But they are certainly still true stories. People are usually good [about letting material be used] unless it’s very very embarrassing but then some people are the opposite and glory in it!

How So? Well I once told a story when I was being interviewed by Ryan Tubridy. It was about a fella in my hometown. There was a rugby match on and he had a groin strain so one of the lads on the team told him to put deep heat on it, because deep heat is good for that kind of thing. However he went a bit far with the deep heat and got it…on his nether regions shall we say… Anyway the game is on and a few minutes later a scrum is called but he’s gone from the wing. There’s a panic and everyone is looking for him and a few minutes later he is found in a nearby ditch lapping water onto…well onto himself! The story got a great reception on the show and you would imagine that this person would be mortified, but not so. The next day he went around everywhere asking people if they’d heard about the rugby player in the ditch. He was actually proud to be identifying himself as the man who was caught essentially tea-bagging a river!

So You Are Well Known For Spending Half Your Shows Bantering With The Audience. Do You Prepare A Huge Show And Then End Up Doing What You Can Of It Or Do You Account For That When You Prepare? Well, you always have a framework for the show and if something takes you away from that framework you go with it. I have no interest in making people uncomfortable and if I ask a question and their body language shuts down I know to leave them alone. You get an instinct after a few years who’s up for it. Dara [O’Briain] is very good at that – knowing who and how and I try to do the same thing. I don’t go after cheap laughs.

The thing is that even if someone is dealing with a heckler really well it can affect the rhythm of the night and the audience doesn’t realise what its missed. If I had a chance, if some day I become a millionaire, I will build a purpose-built comedy venue and somewhere in it will be an ejector seat. No-one will know where it is so it could be you, or you, or you but the minute a person goes too far I will be pressing that button and they’d be fired out of the place [Laughs].

You’ve Been Nominated For An IFTA – How Do You Feel About That?

That said not all heckles are negative. At the start you take every comment and every answer as a negative. You are just so conscious but eventually you learn that, that just isn’t always the case and hecklers can be good fun.

Now That Would Be Funny – But We Don’t Want To Be Wishing You Lose Just To See That…

I am delighted. Everyone on the show works very hard. I am very happy that they will get the recognition – particularly for the producers. [Pauses then adds]....If we don’t win it however I plan on being entirely ungracious. I’m going to turn over tables, slap Fergal Keane and make a mess of the place…

[Laughs] Ah ok I’ll do it either way so you can go back to hoping we win!

Deal. Did You Always Want To Be A Comedian? No. I did a degree in DCU and had a plan until I was about 21/22 [years of age]. I hadn’t really thought about it and then I just sort of fell into comedy.

I Was At One Of Your Gigs Once And There Was A Very Drunk Woman In The Front Row Who Kept At You. You Would Deal With Her, Make A Laugh Out Of It And Move On But She Kept Shouting Up And Calling You Back. How Do You Deal With Things Like That? Are You Dying To Just Tell People Where To Go In Those Situations? Drunkeness can usually impact on the gig in a negative way, usually when alcohol has overtaken the shame! I remember that gig. She’d interrupt and get a massive reaction but then she just kept going. The problem was that her own shame wasn’t even acting as a barrier.

You Do A Lot Of TV Work – Do You Prefer Screen Or Stage? All comedians will say that comedy is their first love. It’s the place you started, that reaction from the crowd, there’s nothing like it, but to do something [in TV] that mirrors that is great. The immediacy of the crowd and the current nature of TV – it’s how you use the event that matters. When I was doing my first thing on TV if you told me that I would eventually be doing a historical documentary I wouldn’t have believed you but I have been very lucky in everything that has come my way. In answer to your question though if I had a gun to my head I would always say comedy.

So what’s been the highlight of your career so far? Probably the first gig I ever did which was in Vicar Street. My parents were there. It’s actually the only live gig they have ever seen. They follow everything I do. They watch and record every programme, see every DVD, they read every article and cut them out but they’ve only ever seen me live that once. It was an amazing gig and I got a bit emotional – well in an Irish male sort of way – it didn’t show in my face or anything...

Is Vicar Street Your Favourite Venue So? It’s one of my favourites alright. Cork Opera House is great too and the Belfast Opera House but it doesn’t have to be a big venue. The International Bar in town for example; when it’s rocking it’s rammed and as a friend of mine decribes a gig like that it feels as though it [comedy] has been banned by the Nazis. It feels like we’re all sneaking in, squashed, doing something we’re not supposed to be doing. It’s great! 31

What’s Been Your Most Embarrassing Moment/The Funniest Thing That’s Ever Happened To You – Do They Go Hand In Hand? It may have been on the same night actually. It was in Edinburgh and a guide dog had a piss in the front row! I am standing there in front of the audience and all of a sudden I can see this very slow tide approach my feet. There’s a blind man and a woman sitting there and she jumps up and was so sorry that she leaves with the dog so I say to the blind guy “What’s the craic with you and yer woman? – are you married, engaged, just going out or what?” And he says “We’re engaged”. And I say “So when’s the big day?” And he says “Never.” To which the crowd react immediately. So there we are, all knowing that this man has no intention of marrying this woman, who isn’t even in the room, we’re all in on the secret and no-one knows which way to turn. Until I look at him and say “So you’re telling me that you’re leading her on just like the dog is leading you?” “Yes, thats it” he says and the place erupts. It doesn’t get more embarrassing than a pissing dog let me tell you. 32

And Finally If You Had The Chance To Change Something About Your Career So Far Would You? I think if I had a chance to change a specific incident then it would be 2004 when at a gig at 2am in the morning a guy told me to take my balls out. I told him that I would if he did. So he got them out – but I then didn’t. I think if I was going back to change something I’d get my scrotum out – You just don’t break a promise in Edinburgh.

Delighted cinema-goers have been in their element since the Light House cinema reopened toward the end of January. The picture house, which is in Smithfield in the city centre, is being run by Element Pictures which has made a commitment to screen the best of international arthouse and Irish cinema, as well as re-runs of classics and special events.

Directors of Element Pictures Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney said: “We have lots of ideas, which we will implement over the coming months. We really appreciate the warm support and goodwill we have received following the news and look forward to ensuring that a visit to the Light House is a unique and wonderful experience.”

Orlando Bloom is not one to shy away from the camera so we imagine that this retro phone receiver is just the ticket for attracting the paps. The star was spotted out shopping in LA with the bright red Moshi Moshi Retro Handset which is designed to be plugged into a smartphone. Makers of the handset, which seems to be the latest celebrity craze, claim

Since the cinema in the Square is still under construction, the Light House’s close proximity to the red line Luas means it offers another option for the people of Tallaght wanting to catch the latest cinema releases. See www.lighthousecinema.ie for cinema listings and to book tickets.

that it reduces up to 99 per cent of the radiation emitted by regular phones. In September, Jamie Lee Curtis was papped talking into a bright purple handset when using her mobile while other fans of the cumbersome devices include Eva Longoria, Ryan Gosling, Sam Faiers, Lenny Kravitz and David Hasselhoff.

accepted for who they are, regardless of how different they may be.’ The foundation takes its name from her song, “Born This Way”, which preaches a similar message.

Trendsetter Lady Gaga has launched her Born This Way Foundation. The global superstar set up the youth anti-bullying charity with her mum, Cynthia Germanotta, in an effort to ‘create a better world where people are kinder and nicer to one another and are

Gaga’s mum said: “Together, we look forward to creating a new movement that will engage and empower youth and accept them as valuable members of our society”. Lady Gaga is well known for her outspoken views on bullying. 33

IT seems Amy Winehouse could have turned her hand to any song and made it her own. Her final album, ‘Lioness: Hidden treasures’, is a fitting legacy for the woman who changed the face of music from her very first offering ‘Frank’, through to the legendary ‘Back to Black’ and now this – a gift left behind for millions of adoring fans. A cover of ‘Will you Still Love Me Tomorrow?’ will bring even the hardest of fans to choking point. The now muchloved ‘Our Day Will Come,’ reminds you of the life she could have led had it not been cruelly snatched away while the classic ‘Tears Dry on Their Own,’ is sung like you’ve never heard it before.

The raspy tones of Ms Winehouse are best used on fan’s favourite ‘Valerie,’ and she’s barely recogniseable by comparison on ‘The Girl from iPanema’. There’s a raw youthfulness to ‘Halftime’ and ‘Wake Up Alone’ and a liveliness to ‘Best Friends Right’. It’s classic Amy but with a twist. There was a touch of class up her sleeve and she was ready to unleash it seems. Will we still love her tomorrow? – we certainly will, and every tomorrow after that. Lioness: Hidden Treasures is out now. some tracks that are country and western-esque, there’s enough in there to have America into think that it’s pure Irish and little enough that it’s a full-on nod to Brunnock’s home-country.

WE loathe to begin a review with comparisons to other singers but in this case it’s a massive compliment. Michael Brunnock, the Meath-man who brought us Little Palace back in the 90s, has a soft and lilting voice that resembles a combination of Fionn Regan, Damien Rice and Mick Flannery, but only at times – for the most part he is simply himself and his new album ‘The Orchard’, which will be released next month, is testament to that. Having moved to New York some years ago, an American-influence can be heard in what are essentially modern Irish tunes. With strains in 34

The first track, ‘Circle’, entices you into a world that by track 13, ‘Down By The Araglin’, you won’t want to leave. With ‘Soft White And Indigo’ Michael reaches notes that will instantly remind you of the voice of his Little Palace past and while title track ‘The Orchard’ offers slightly typical lyrics in She’s the apple of my eye, there’s a fruit beyond compare – sung in this voice, it’s simply delicious. ‘Man Overboard’, our favourite track is an uplifting song on a record that’s mostly mellow – and it works. Help me I’ve fallen, throw me a line, I’m a man overboard. Relative and lyrically sound, there is no better combination. In short it’s an easy and beautiful listen, well worth dipping into the pocket for.

WITH just twelve months under their belt, members of Tallaght band Leaders of Men have proven that they are worthy of showing how it’s done. The five-piece, which only formed in January 2011, played their first gig in the Whelan’s in March, went on to headline the renowned Ruby sessions, supported the likes of Ham Sandwich and Kill It Kid, released their Debut EP ‘The Debut Collection,’ and to top it all off won the ‘Play it on the Day’ competition which seen them perform in the Guinness Storehouse on Arthur’s day alongside The Stereophonics and Paulo Nutini.

This month we caught up with the band’s Ed Porter who took us through the lad’s hectic year and shared with us their plans for world domination in 2012. So Tell Us About Leaders Of Men – Where Did It All Begin? The band is a year old, we had our first gig last March in the Workman’s and things have been on the up ever since. Before we got together we had each been playing around in bands on the same circuit since our teens. Then at the end of 2010 I text a few names to Brian, who is now the lead singer, and said ‘imagine this line-up.’ We got in touch with them and we did a few jamming sessions together and the rest, as they say…

Who Are The Band Members And Where Do They Feature? Brian Ashe on vocals, myself on guitar and vocals, Gav Glynn on guitar and vocals, Darren Lynsey on bass and Dean Byrne on drums.

You Have Made Some Pretty Huge Strides In Your Time Together – Tell Us About The Past Year And In Particular Playing The Guinness Storehouse. Last year was mental – after the first gig we did plenty of jamming in the studio, finding our sound and then we entered the ‘Play on the Day’ competition for Arthur’s day. It was very stiff competition and we were up against 550 other bands. There were about 4/5 heats and in the end we won it and got

to perform with the Stereophonics and Paulo Nutini. It was amazing. All we really set out to do was make a little bit of noise – we never expected any of this.

grunge and so on. We all go down different avenues when it comes to listening to music and it makes for a good combination when our own is being written.

So What’s The Name About?

Who Would You Compare Yourselves To?

Some of the best bands have come from the worst situations and they make music instead of shouting around the place. The name means nothing in particular Gav just said it. It’s pretentious – we like to annoy people!

Who Writes Your Songs? We each put into it [writing lyrics] 20 per cent. It’s the best way to write. Before you know it you’ve a different sound altogether. We pretty much have five writers. Everyone has artistic input, there is no malice and we work well together.

Is It All Original Stuff? Yes everything we do is original.

Where Do You Get Your Inspiration? We are a very mixed bag. Two of the lads are into indie another into thrashy sounds like the Fratellis, another is into

We’ve been compared to The Walkman and Interpol but we don’t want to get stereotyped. We think that there is a lot more depth to us. We think there’s energy to song – it’s not just literally music. We all come from different backgrounds and we don’t want to be pigeon-holed.

You’ve Supported Some Big Names Already – Which Gig Was Your Favourite? The hop store was amazing but I think that Whelan’s was probably a bigger favourite with us because it was about us and everyone was there just to see us. The hop store was a performance to 5,000 people who had never seen us before which was an amazing opportunity but Whelans was fantastic.

What’s Your Hope For 2012? World domination [laughs]. Ah well we’d be aiming to get the album out in 2012. We haven’t released anything yet so we have six months to work on that. We would also be aiming for festivals and more gigs – you never know what could happen. We have exposed the band in certain channels already but we have big plans!

Where Can People Catch You Playing In The New Year? Gig listings go up on our official website as they come in. We’ve also been confirmed as special guests to The Minutes in The Academy on February 11th.

What’s The Best Place To Contact You And Download Your Music? You can download the EP on soundcloud and keep an eye on our Facebook for anything else that’s going on. If you haven’t already caught Leaders Of Men check out the debut video for the band’s track “Happy Here” on YouTube.

It’s the fourth film in the Mission:Impossible series and, if I’m honest, the impossible mission, as I see it, will be selling it on DVD. Ok so it’s fast-paced with some great special effects and stunts but the measure of a good movie is always in the intentions of those watching in the cinema to snap up a copy when it’s released - I’ll pass on this one thanks. The film opens with agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) being granted leave from prison, following a previous conviction for shooting six men. The IMF needs him to descend on the Kremlin for his latest mission but all does not go to plan and after a rival firm blow the Kremlin up, Hunt finds himself in the frame. On the run with his team of four, Hunt is determined to bring the real perpetrator to justice and clear himself and the IMF which has been locked down by the American Government under ‘Ghost Protocol.’

on. They are full of 100ft drops, lorrylands and make-shift zip-lines but if the truth be told, you are on the edge of your seat so much of the time that you almost forget why. So caught up are you in the cars chases and near death experiences you end up feeling you’ve lost the plot - literally. Happily the adventure does, eventually, come to a conclusion – albeit not the most mind-blowing – but without ruining what little there will be left to the imagination let’s just say that a Mission Impossible 5 may be more than just a rumour. To conclude – your mission, should you choose to accept it – is to go with an open mind and decide for yourself whether the score you give it, is worth then paying out at your local HMV for a hard copy version down the line... This message will not self-destruct.

The storyline is decent enough, the acting is not half bad and Cruise as the hero, once again, is acceptable. The real star of the show though, is Simon Pegg, back as the science behind the operation - Benji Dunn. Pegg is hilarious with his babbling and bungling and ability to – unknown to himself – bring a certain lightness to even the stickiest situations – one of which involves Hunt almost losing his life scaling the tallest building in the world in Dubai (The Burj Khalifa). Perhaps the greatest thing about the film is the stunt scenes, in which Cruise himself is said to have been very hands 37

On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theatre and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theatre, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways. Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino houseband called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate. Go find out what becomes of them! Release Date: February 10, 2012 Director: James Bobin Starring: Amy Adams Jason Segel Chris Cooper Genre: Comedy Family Musical

Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Columbia Pictures' and Hyde Park Entertainment's Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter - is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy - and possibly rid himself of his curse forever. Release Date: February 17, 2012 Director: Brian Taylor Mark Neveldine Starring: Nicolas Cage Fergus Riordan Ciaran Hinds Genre: Action, Adventure 40

It’s a well-known fact that the way to a loved one’s heart is through their stomach so it’s a good thing that Valentine’s Day goes hand in hand with the very concept of fine dining.

It’s just one of those things that appeals to both men and women and is a great gift by either side as a treat on that special day.

With that in mind we decided to take a look at other gifts that suit both sexes and ones which can be enjoyed, for the most part, together. Second on our wish-list for two is a break away. If the budget will stretch to it it’s a lovely way to express your love for someone – let them know that you want to spend even more time with them. Whether it’s a country retreat or a city break a couple of days away is sure to impress. A romantic movie – you can either take your partner to see the latest flick or resurrect an old or classic one. Either way it’s about cuddling up and enjoying each other’s company is the presence of soppiness. Booking a class – has your partner ever mentioned taking up photography or pottery or learning a new language?

Is it something that you might both be interested in? Well whether it is or it isn’t booking a class for you to do together will show, not only that you are prepared to spend more time together but that you actually do listen! Whether it’s fashion or music your partner’s favourite bookstore – and a voucher for it – is a gift that will allow you to learn more about their interests especially if you read it to them!

Breakfast in bed – there’s nothing like a boiled egg and toast before you’ve even bothered to get out of the sack – although a hand-held vaccum might be an adviseable secondary present for those annoying crumbs left behind in the bed! Again with the food, a romantic picnic with strawberries and champagne is always a winner – even if it is February, it’s an excuse to get closer for warmth.

Finally use your head. Think back to your first date, and providing it was a good one (and we’re presuming it was if you are still together!) replicate it. Whether it was a walk by the sea, an ice-cream in the park, a movie or drinks. Bring them back to the place it all started out and remind them why it was you fell in love with them.

A day at a spa – so he/she might not be popping off for pedicures and facials every week but what more reason to treat yourselves than that? A couple’s massage in a relaxed and romantic atmosphere could be just the ticket. Speaking of tickets if football or rugby is their passion get tickets to a game – even if it’s not yours. Stick it out – it will be appreciated.

Project X follows three seemingly anonymous high school seniors as they attempt to finally make a name for themselves. Their idea is innocent enough: let's throw a party that no one will forget... but nothing could prepare them for this party. Word spreads quickly as dreams are ruined, records are blemished and legends are born. "Project X" is a warning to parents and police everywhere. Release Date: March 02, 2012 Director: Nima Nourizadeh Mark Neveldine Starring: Thomas Mann Oliver Cooper Jonathan Daniel Brown Genre: Comedy

Star Wars: Episode I is now in 3D! Darth Vader is a hopeful nine-year-old boy named Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi is a brash young Jedi Knight. The first chapter of the Star Wars saga follows Anakin's journey as he pursues his dreams and confronts his deepest fears in the midst of a galaxy in turmoil. Release Date: February 09, 2012 Director: George Lucas Starring: Ewan McGregor Liam Neeson Natalie Portman Genre: Action Adventure Fantasy 45

Where Did You First See The Film?

Did Their Response Surprise You?

I saw the first cut at my house. Jason was still in the process of working on the film so I think the same as I always think the first time I see a film that I’ve worked on – that it’s a little overwhelming (laughs). It’s fun but at the same time you are trying to get your head around what you were doing and how it all works together. So the first time you see something, it’s like putting the puzzle together, how we shot it and how it ended up and I don’t really have that experience of enjoying the film. The first time I saw this with an audience was when I really enjoyed it. I don’t think you understand what an audience will tap into or respond to until you see it with an audience.

Yes. I think it’s always a surprise (laughs). I’m always surprised when people like the films I’m in. I don’t think you can go through the movie-making experience and just kind of assume that people will like it. So it’s always refreshing and it’s always a nice surprise when people respond and tap into the things that you did when you did the film.

What Appealed To You About This One? It was really different. When I originally read it I thought that it was ballsy in the sense that Diablo wrote a character, a

protagonist who learns a lesson but doesn’t necessarily make a change in her life. And it felt very real to me. It felt very human to me. Sometimes when I watch movies they can feel very unrealistic and the third act is always kind of like this ‘a-ha!’ moment for every character and I just don’t know those people in real life. And it was really nice to read somebody on the page that felt human to me, a woman who doesn’t go through this amazing ‘a-ha!’ moment. And of course the idea of Jason Reitman directing it was very appealing to me. I’m very director- driven and to get the chance to work with him was really the thing that sealed the deal for me.

So You’ve Got Jason Reitman As The director, Diablo Cody Has Written The Script So When You Get On Set Do You Stick To The Script Word For Word? Or Is There Room For Some Tinkering On The Day? Diablo wrote a great script and then Jason came in and got his voice around it and I kind of came in and added my voice. It’s a great collaboration, which I love. I think anything in the arts has to be collaborative otherwise you can get robots to do anything. I think it’s all about chemistry – it’s getting the right people together to cohesively set out to make the same movie and that’s sometimes the hardest thing to do.

So You Have A Similar Approach? Yes we do. I mean, Jason hates rehearsals and I hate rehearsals. Logistically Jason and I are very, very similar and we like exactly the same things. We don’t like a lot of takes, we don’t like to f*ck around but we really like the whole process of showing up and finding that magic moment and in my experience if you don’t have it in the first couple of takes you’re probably not going to get it (laughs). But you know it’s very hard to explain that kind of chemistry that you have with someone or that kind of working relationship – it’s like magic in a bottle and at the end of the day I think that’s what filmmaking really is, it’s like capturing magic in a bottle and that’s all dependent on the people you put together to do it. I think that’s the most important thing about making a film.

High School Is Such A Vivid Time In Everybody’s Life And This Character Has Idealised It… It’s the idea that we can all relate to in our lives, whether it’s High School or some other time, that you are trying to fill the void with something and it’s usually with the moment that you think you were at your best, which sometimes isn’t the case (laughs). So this story could have taken place with other circumstances but I love the fact that this girl was so popular, she was what everybody thought that they wanted to be and yet as this character, Matt (played by Patton Oswalt) points out to her, ‘by the way, you really weren’t at your best back then..’ I think Patton has some of the most crushing lines in the film – because they are telling the truth, the truth of her world, that she is so disillusioned by. He just kills me in the film – there’s a line where he says ‘you weren’t at your best and I was at my best and you didn’t even notice me..’ There is a loneliness in that line that I think anybody can relate to, whether you relate more to Patton’s character or more to Mavis’s character. Human beings can suffer severe loneliness at any stage in their life and whatever that thing you try and fill that void, that loneliness with, tends to be the things that are not healthy for us and the things that are not truthful about us. But Patton kills me. That line where he says ‘guys like me are born to love girls like you…’ every single time that line just crushes my heart. It’s a great cast and the more we shot on this film the more that love story, between Mavis and Matt, became more evident, which I don’t think any of us really were aware of until we were doing the film.

Was Diablo On Set? Diablo came out for two days, I think. She’d had a baby right before we started filming so she had her hands full.

How Do You Look Back On Your Own High School Days? Do You Look Back On That Time With Affection? Yeah, I mean, I think I look back the same way that everybody does – with

affection, embarrassment and cringeworthy moments mingled with pure hatred (laughs). I think it’s conflicted. And I think High School is a conflicting time for any teenager, right?

Why The Three-Year Break From Acting? Was That Intentional Or Just The Way It Turned Out? It was just kind of just the way it turned out. There wasn’t anything coming my way that was blowing me away and also I started producing and developing a lot of television. So I was really busy and at the same time I was physically getting ready to go and do Fury Road so I was kind of off the market and belonging to Warner Brothers. And I was kind of sitting around waiting for the film to happen so I just started developing some stuff with HBO and David Fincher and with Ridley Scott’s company and so creatively I was really happy and busy but I just didn’t work as an actor.

Did You Miss It? Actually, I wasn’t missing it. I was really creatively satisfied and it was a really bizarre thing. People say ‘oh you work so much..’ or ‘oh you’ve taken three years off..’ And the great luxury that I’ve had, which I think is the greatest blessing you can have as an actor, is not to have to work to pay the rent and I don’t take that for granted. I’m in an incredibly lucky position where I don’t have to do that and so the love for the work has always taken priority. And I love being in a place where I do what I love instead of doing things because I have to. And so I was really enjoying developing these projects so I was creatively satisfied and for me, I don’t think I have to be in front of a camera to be creatively satisfied, which is great.

Did You Film Prometheus After This One? Yeah. And working with Ridley was amazing. Of Ridley’s generation I think there are abut three that are masters of filmmaking and Ridley is one of them. I think every actor has a director that they dream to work with and for me it was Ridley. Out of all of those guys of his generation I’ve always walked around saying ‘God, I would give anything to work with Ridley Scott..’ and he was everything that I hoped and dreamed for. I’ve been a really lucky girl lately.

You’re Shooting Snow White And The Huntsman At The Moment. How’s That Going? It’s going really well. It’s super ambitious and very big and it’s been interesting and really good. We’re being very ambitious over here.

You Never Seem To Choose Easy Roles. Why Is That? I think I’m not really looking for anything. I think people think you walk around with these grand ideas of characters and I don’t. I watch a lot of films and I get inspired by filmmakers and writers and so I spend a lot of my time sitting down with writers that I like and directors that I like and that’s where my process starts. So for me it’s about finding people that I want to work with.

Young Adult, Starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson and Patton Oswalt Is Out On February 3rd. Scan The QR Code To See The Trailer.

Kate Reddy devotes her days to her job with a Boston-based financial management firm. At night she goes home to her adoring architect husband Richard (who has been recently-downsized at work) and their two young children.

Release Date: February 16, 2012 Director: Douglas McGrath Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker Pierce Brosnan Greg Kinnear Christina Hendricks Kelsey Grammer Genre: Comedy

When Kate gets handed a major new account that will require frequent trips to New York, Richard also wins the new job he’s been hoping for. Both will be spreading themselves even thinner. Complicating matters is Kate’s charming new business associate Jack Abelhammer (Brosnan), who begins to prove an unexpected source of temptation.

Based on the classic novel of the same name, the international thriller is set at the height of the Cold War years of the mid-20th Century.

a double agent working for the Soviets. With the tagline “Trust no one. Suspect everyone.”, this is a bleak and tense thriller, which perfectly captures the paranoia and atmosphere of the period.

George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a disgraced British spy, is rehired in secret by his government - which fears that the British Secret Intelligence Service, a.k.a. MI-6, has been compromised by

Release Date: February 16, 2012 Director: Tomas Alfredson Starring: Gary Oldman Colin Firth Tom Hardy Genre: Thriller

UFC Undisputed 3 is the 2012 installment in the critically acclaimed and best-selling mixed martial arts (MMA) video game franchise based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The game takes players inside the virtual Octagon with extensive focus on intense toe-to-toe combat, impressive visual presentation and significantly increased accessibility,

including the introduction of PRIDE Mode, two new weight classes and an impressive playable roster of more than 150 UFC fighters. Release Date: Publisher: Genre: Available On: Rating:

14 February 2012 THQ Fighting Xbox 360, PS3 Teen 53

SoulCalibur V, the fifth installment in the fighting franchise, is heading to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. SoulCalibur V picks up 17 years after the events of SoulCalibur IV with new heroes and returning warriors clashing in an epic showdown between good and evil. The tale of Patroklos, son of Sophitia Alexandra, unfolds as his family’s destiny intertwines with the Soul swords. Carrying on a fine tradition that saw the likes of Link, Spawn, Heihachi,

Yoda, and Darth Vader as featured fighters in previous iterations of the franchise, NAMCO Bandai revealed that SoulCalibur V would feature Ezio Auditore da Firenze, of Assassin's Creed fame, as a playable character in the game’s roster. The white-clad assassin that found fame in Ubisoft’s stealth/murder franchise will be available in both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.

Release Date: Publisher: Genre: Available On: Rating:

Out Now Namco Bandai Fighting Xbox 360, PS3 Teen

THE THIRD and final instalment of Bioware’s Epic Sci-Fi trilogy is just around the corner. Once more you fill the boots of Commander Shepard in a dramatic fight to save humanity from total extinction. The Reapers are back with a groundbreaking new plan to take over Earth and wipe out humanity. They want revenge for Shepard’s successful attempt to stop a Reaper plot that consisted of extinguishing all life in the universe in Mass Effect 1. Everything you have done in Mass Effect 1 and 2 so far builds up to a dramatic finale. Who will stand by you, and who will abandon you? If you have never played any of the Mass Effect games but want to get into this one no need to worry. You can still pick it up and choose your own story-line to explain what happened before Mass Effect 3. For those of you who have played 1 and/or 2, over 1,000 variables will be pulled that will help shape how the final chapter is experienced. You could play this game over and over and never have the same storyline. Shepard’s arsenal has also been improved, this time allowing for melee attacks with the tech-blade. The tech-blade is an almost holographic blade which comes out of Shepard’s arm when up close to your enemies. This gets rid of running into formidable enemies and

panicking when you realize you are in too close to shoot. For the first time ever Mass Effect has a multiplayer feature called “Galaxy at War” which consists of exciting co-op missions instead of the usual head to head combat. You choose your character and class, e.g. Solider, Sniper, etc, and fight through objectives side by side with your teammates. On an interesting side note, these unique missions can impact the outcome of the single player mode. By finishing these missions you give yourself a better chance of getting a perfect ending in the single player campaign, although they aren't necessary to do so. As usual, the pre-order pack contains many extras including bonus weapons and gear. Mass Effect 3 is out March 9th and available on Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Release Date: Publisher: Genre: Available On: Rating:

9 March 2012 Electronic Arts Action Role-Playing Microsoft Windows, XBox 360 & PS3 15 55

The official Dublin Bus App now has Real Time Information available for all 5,000 bus stops and shelters in the Dublin Bus network. Real Time Information shows you when your bus is due to arrive at your bus stop so you can plan your journey more accurately. Arrival time of all buses at the stop within the next 60 minutes is shown. Search by Bus Stop Number, Save Favourites, Search by Bus Route and Search By Address - If you don't know your bus stop number yet, you can search by entering a street address. Search by stop near to your current location - simply use the map. You can pan and zoom in to see more. Available In The App Store: FREE

The Kindle app allows users to read Kindle books, newspapers, magazines and PDFs on a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. You'll have access to over 900,000 books in the Kindle Store. Your last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights automatically sync across devices (including Kindle), so you can pick up your book where you left off on another device.

The RecycleMORE facilities search, developed by Repak, provides the Irish public with an online searchable database of all recycling facilities within the Republic of Ireland including Recycling Centres and Bring Banks. Available In The App Store: FREE

Available In The App Store: FREE

IMDB is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest collection of movie, TV and celebrity info. We aim to list every detail about every movie and TV show ever made, including who was in it, who made it, the plot, user ratings, trailers, photos, reviews, quotes, goofs, trivia and much more.

iTorch4 Flashlight allows users to use their iPhone as a torch in low light situations. It's very easy to use, there's just one big button which turns on the LED flash, instantly illuminating the scene. Alternatively, you can shake your iPhone to turn on the LED.

Available In The App Store: FREE

ALTHOUGH it’s one of the smaller makes in the automotive industry, Saab recently announced the first Androidbased, in-dash “infotainment” system for a car. Called ‘IQon,’ the platform was demoed in a Saab Phoenix (see car review) at the Geneva motor show last year and despite Saab filing for bankruptcy in December it is expected that its launch will inspire a host of copy-cat models. The Wi-fi enabled, 8-inch touch screen lets drivers access thousands of Android apps. Apart from the usual productivity apps, like e-mail, navigation, entertainment, and music streaming, drivers can expect to see more auto-specific apps; for example, an app that controls your car’s air conditioner. Furthermore the platform has built-in remote communication to and from Saab dealerships, which could be useful for carrying out diagnostics and uploading vehicle data. “With Saab IQon, there are no limits to the potential for innovation,” Johan

Formgren, head of Saab Aftersales and Commercial Project Leader for IQon, said. “We will be inviting the global Android developer community to use their imagination and ingenuity.” But unlike the Android Marketplace, Saab’s app store will require the automaker’s approval before being uploaded, for “safety, security, and malware” issues. However Saab said the IQon API will allow developers to access driver data from 500 vehicle sensors, gathering stats like speed, temperature, steering angle, and yaw rate. According to reports, IQon is being beta tested and is rumored to be implemented in the 2012 Saab 9-3. Saab’s iQon is similar to GM's MyLink or

Toyota’s Entune infotainment system – both of which use a QNX-based platform – but instead of relying on the user’s mobile phone and data plan for a connection, Saab uses an embedded modem to connect to the Internet when the car is turned on. This means that even if you forget to bring your phone or don’t have an unlimited data plan, you’ll still be able to listen to Internet radio stations in the car. With any luck all Saab plans will come to fruition this year as it would be a shame to see this great car brand disappear into history. Hopefully, a new buyer will save Saab and with it, its innovative concepts.

SLEEK, innovative and exceptionally efficient: the Saab PhoeniX concept car showcases design features and technologies which will shape the next generation of cars from Saab, that is if a buyer comes forward to save the recently bankrupt Swedish marque. The PhoeniX’s ‘aeromotional’ design theme is inspired by Saab’s aviation roots and draws expression from Ursaab, the prototype designed by aircraft engineers that spawned Saab’s first generation of cars. The entire form of the PhoeniX is seemingly moulded by the wind. Tightly-wrapped by a liquid-like skin, the teardrop cabin resembles a dark ice block and appears to erupt from the centre of the muscular bodywork. Two prominent ripples flow along the hood into the disguised windshield pillars, as if barely able to contain a powerful structure underneath.

At the rear, the dark screen also bursts through the outer skin of the rear deck. The tapering form hints at the teardrop rear styling of Ursaab, while the ‘sawn off’, kamm tail echoes a form from Saab’s first coupé, the Sonett. The low, frontal styling features a stretched interpretation of Saab’s signature three-port grille. A body-coloured central wing is now dominant and, in keeping with the car’s minimalist design, LED headlamps are almost invisibly located at its tips. The new grille and hood forms are among the styling themes likely to be seen in future Saab production cars if it goes that way.

Butterfly-opening doors provide enhanced access to the low-slung cabin. There are no visible door handles or mirrors to disrupt airflow, and small cameras on slim stalks provide rearward vision. Roofmounted ‘winglets’ enable PhoeniX to cleave the air as efficiently as possible. They channel airflow from the side of the car and direct it across the rear deck, reducing lift forces for greater stability without increasing drag. In true Scandinavian tradition, the 2+2 cabin adopts a clean, minimalist look. It has the ‘stripped out’ feel of a competition car, with shell-like seats and metalized interior sections that mimic the exposed network of a rollover cage.

Fresh expression is given to Saab’s traditional, driver-focused instrument layout. A circular pod in front of the driver, shaped like the afterburner of a jet engine, presents data in tandem with the head-up display. Angled at 45º to the driver, a separate module accommodates Saab’s advanced IQon infotainment and communications system. For good ergonomics, the 8-inch touch-screen is as close to the driver’s finger tips as the steering wheel. Saab IQon is a ground-breaking car communications platform using Google's Android operating system. Based on pioneering ‘open innovation’ with third-party service providers and applications developers, it comprises an embedded computer platform which seamlessly connects to the internet when the car’s ignition is switched on.

highly efficient, 1.6-liter turbo engine with innovative, electric rear wheel drive technology. The compact, all-aluminum gasoline engine packs 200 hp (147 kW) and includes variable valve timing and lift control, as well as start/stop functionality, minimal parasitic losses and a fuel cut-off function. A stainless steel tank is fitted, which is lighter and less expensive than a conventional plastic design. The engine is supported by Saab’s innovative eXWD system. It comprises a rear drive unit housing a 25 kW (34 hp) electric motor/generator powered by a small battery pack. Regenerative braking is used to sustain the battery’s charge. Now under development for the next generation of Saab cars, this hybrid propulsion system enables the benefits of all-wheel-drive while also reducing fuel consumption.

The touch-screen provides access to audio and entertainment streaming, online navigation, on-board music storage and smartphone-like downloading of applications. Red illumination for all instrument and ambient cabin lighting brings warmth and emotion to the cabin. This includes the floor, where LED light tubes are exposed by perforations in the black carpeting. Under its sculpted hood and beneath its cargo deck, the PhoeniX advances Saab’s rightsizing powertrain strategy. Its propulsion system combines a

JUST over 4 feet high, the 2+2-seater takes up the characteristic BMW shaping style but comes with vertically lifting wing doors, a drag coefficient of just 0.22 and futuristic LED accents for the head and tail lamps. The combination of a three-cylinder turbodiesel with a hybrid synchronous motor at the front axle and a fullhybrid engine at the rear axle enables an overall system output of 328 horsepower. The end result is a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds with an average fuel economy of 62.5 mpg. The arrangement of the hybrid powertrain allows the diesel engine to drive the rear wheels directly or with assistance from a rear-axle electric motor through a six-speed gearbox, while the electric motor up front drives the front wheels on pure electricity, and all three systems can work in tandem for maximum performance. This delivers a range of possibilities for in-town and performance driving.

What is more, the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept is also conceived as a plug-in hybrid. The lithiumpolymer rechargeable battery, housed centrally in a longitudinal chassis element and designed specially for this hybrid sports car, can be fully charged at a conventional power socket within just two and half hours. The use of electrical energy alone permits zero-emissions motoring with a range of more than 30 miles, while a 24 litre diesel tank extends the total action radius of the vehicle to up to 434 miles. The new production version of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept will go on sale in October of 2013. According to previous reports BMW has been looking at target volumes of about 5,000 to 10,000 units per year, meaning the car could at least be reasonably affordable. Despite the relatively high volume targets, the report indicates BMW is envisioning this car as a successor to the M1, a legend in its own right, and progenitor of the M Division.

MEET the super Citroen that’s a real play station! This striking concept demonstrates what can happen when the worlds of computer gaming and car design come together. The GT is here thanks to the passion of two enthusiasts: Citroen designer Takumi Yamamoto and the boss of Polyphony Digital – the firm behind the award-winning Sony PlayStation racing game, Gran Turismo – Kazunori Yamauchi. Essentially, the pair collaborated to create a supercar not for the road, but for the computer screen. Several sketches later, the GT was born. Yet they weren’t content with having an exclusive machine for the best-selling game – so Citroen decided to build the working concept you see here. The car in the game uses a fuel cell, but this roadgoing model features a race-derived 560bhp V8 engine. No official figures have been provided, and Citroen is keeping tight-lipped about its performance. Judging by the pace on offer, though, we’d guess at a 0-60mph time of around four seconds.

The GT is more than five metres long, and its menacing exterior is made up of 21-inch diamond-effect alloy wheels, scissor doors, blue LED headlights and enormous air intakes. The smooth-flowing lines along the side of the car are met with sharp edges at the front, which accentuate the angry look. It is without any shadow of a doubt one of the most striking cars ever created. Inside, the space-age interior would make NASA proud. The only similarity between the GT’s cabin and any other road car is its pedal layout. The dashboard is covered in a copper material and features flared lines and edges, while the switchgear is in a race-style aluminium pod to the right of the driver. The GT has been brought to life to prove that the French company can take a fantasy machine from the computer screen to the road and that it is able to build supercars if it so wishes. Unfortunately, the only way anybody will ever own one is by buying a PlayStation 3 and a copy of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, then earning one million credits. But while you won’t be seeing it in a showroom near you any time soon, maybe its dramatic design cues will shape the Citroens of tomorrow.

Congratulations On The New Post Stephen – What First Made You Realise That This Was The Job For You? The club has a great tradition. It’s the most successful club in the history of Irish football. It has the largest fan-base and now that it’s moved to Tallaght it is within touching distance of a really large population base – it’s a great football town. Everything was just geared towards it [coming to Rovers]. The new stadium is a huge improvement and the board approached me with a vision of what it wanted and I decided that this was the next step in my career. It was time to come home and it’s a huge honour.

Speaking Of Coming Home, How Does It Feel To Be Back In Tallaght? It’s fantastic. There’s a lot of work to be done though. We’ve to organise the whole pre-season schedule. It all kicks off on March 2 and by March 26 we’ve EA Sports Cup so there’s a lot to be done. We also lost some good players so they have to be replaced too.

So What’s Your Plan? Have You Got Your Eye On Anyone In Particular? Yes well we’ve signed some good players already. We’ve got Graham Gartland, Cillian Brennan who was with Bohs, Gareth Kavanagh and Conor Power. We had the likes of Enda Stevens leave for Aston Villa and Karl Sheppard for Reading so we have to make good replacements and keep club standards up.

Is There Added Pressure Coming To Shamrock Rovers After They Have Been So Successful Recently? Sure there is that expectation but I am comfortable with that. I have won all four domestic trophies in my time and been in 10 national finals and I am keen to try and do that at Rovers. Shamrock Rovers is a great club and I could go there again. So yes there is added pressure but I’m ok with it.

On A Personal Career Level What Do You Class As Your Greatest Achievement So Far? I don’t know. I think it’s only right that other people say that. When I was at Longford we got promoted to the First Division which was great. In Derry we had different styles but we had a few runners up situations. I don’t know, I think achievement comes through learning and because every club was different I did a lot of that, I learned from different experiences and that’s what I’m bringing with me to Rovers.

What Opposition Manager Have You Faced In The Past Who Has Impressed You and Why? That’s a difficult one. I remember my first game in Longford. I was a rookie and Jim McLoughlin was at the end of his career. I came head to head with him and that was an experience. Of course he too managed Derry City and Shamrock Rovers in his career When I was with Bohs though we came up against a team called BATE Borisov who we beat 3-0 in Dalymount. That team went on to win three successive Champions League which is incredible – They had sharp management but we beat them. That was a good day.

What’s Your Typical Routine On A Match Day? Do You Have Any Superstitions? Yes when I was in Derry I would walk on the beach the morning of every match. I would listen to my music and continue listening when I got home until it was time.

So You Listen To Music To Relax Before The Game?

Finally, What Do You Want Your Legacy At Rovers To Be?

[Laughs] No to gear myself up!

You Went Into Management At A Young Age, What Would Be Your Advice To Young People Wanting To Go Down The Same Route? Only be yourself. You can’t be someone you’re not so be true to yourself. Be prepared too, you have to make a lot of sarcrafices and work very hard.

But It’s Worth It? I hope so!

I’d like it to be a place where people go to see a team play in a very exciting way. I’d like to see good passing style. I’d like to think that children are at home on a match day getting excited to come to the stadium with their parents to see real style. That’s what I want for the club.

SHAMROCK ROVERS FOOTBALL CLUB

2012 Season Tickets now available! Season tickets offer a significant discount on matchday ticket prices and also give priority status for European match tickets & friendlies. Season tickets apply to all home league games. Family tickets from under L6 per person per match! Price examples: • 1 Adult & 1 Child: J260 • 1 Adult & 3 Children: J350 • 2 Adults & 2 Children: J450 • Adult: J210 • Student: J115 / J130 • Child Under 14: J80 Prices/form: www.shamrockrovers.ie

www.shamrockrovers.ie info@shamrockrovers.ie Club Store: Monday - Saturday 10am- 6pm Match days until 10.15pm

St Judes GAA club on Wellington Lane in Templeogue has just entered a new era – that of the next generation of players. Founded in 1978 by Fr John Green and Ernest Kenny (among others) it was decided that while a new section of housing estates and homes were blossoming in the area the new community should be brought together in the form of a club. From its foundation, which began on the green in Orwell, the club has built itself up to over 400 members in its 34-year history and such is its reputation that it shows no sign of stopping.

successes at the club to date with five team members last year representing Dublin on different squads – all becoming All-Ireland finalists. These include Kevin McManamon and Colm Murphy, Senior Footballers, Paul McGuire, Danny Sutcliffe and Ger McManus, Under 21 Hurlers, and Minor Hurler Thomas Devlin. Additionally the under 14 girls held and won a Feile in camogie and football last year, the ladies won the league and the senior hurlers won the Division 2 league and progressed to Division 1. Fergus said: “St Judes has been the heart of the community since its inception. There’s a great social scene here too which is very important and we welcome new members.”

Club PRO Fergus McNally said: “It definitely is a new era. We have members now in the club who started out with us and are now supporting their own children here. It’s a fantastic testament to the club seeing those who grew up in it wanting their own children to be a part of it too and we are very proud of that.”

The clubhouse has a function room and bar, which is open seven days a week, and plays host to regular live music, comedy and bingo events as well as much-needed fundraisers.

This year alone 40 boys and 25 girls graduated from the nursery squads after training under legendary duo Bobby Carthy and Joe McDonnell. St Judes has a range of teams including men’s senior football and hurling, women’s football and camogie and underage at every level down to 8.

To its credit there have been many

For more information on St Judes log onto www.stjudesgaa.ie, call 01 4905255 or email stjudesgaa@eircom.net.

The successes of St Judes continued recently when the club played a stormer and took home the Dublin Adult Football League Division 1 title after a tense battle at Innisfails grounds in Balgriffin. The Templeogue team came from five points in arrears early in the second half to force extra-time duiring which they powered on to glory. Na Fianna had been the more clinical side in the opening half and a brace of points from David Quinn, Senan Connell, and Johnny Cooper had them 0-7 to 0-3 in front at half-time in normal time. Ciaran Duignan’s point on the restart gave the St Mobhi Road men a five-point advantage before a Kevin McManamon-inspired Judes took control. Dublin’s All-Ireland final goal-scoring hero showed terrific leadership and will to win by dragging his side back into the game with three points in quick succession as well as breaking another ball down for his brother, Brendan, to convert.

Declan Donnelly forced the game into extra-time. Four minutes into extratime sub Ger McManus applied the finishing touch for the only goal of the match. Two minutes later Na Fianna defender, Niall Cooper, did very well to clear Kevin McManamon’s goalbound shot from crossing the line. Judes were not to be denied, though, as fine scores from Paul Cunningham and Darren Gallagher gave their side plenty of breathing space by the final whistle.

SCORERS St Jude’s: K McManamon 0-6 (0-3f), S Gallagher 0-3, G McManus 1-0, B McManamon 0-2 (0-1f), D Donnelly, D Gallagher (0-1f) 0-1 each. Na Fianna: D Quinn, J Cooper, S Connell, C Duignan (0-1f) 0-2 each, P Quinn (0-1f), B Courtney 0-1 each.

Na Fianna goalkeeper, Cian Kelleher, also had to come to his side’s rescue when he pulled off a great save to deny Kevin McManamon from close range. With ten minutes of normal time remaining the influential Shane Gallagher brought the sides level with a point for Judes and with Colm Murphy growing in authority around midfield Judes were very much now the dominant side. However, a 43-metre Duignan free which was followed by a point from sub Brendan Courtney, saw Na Fianna steal back in front, 0-10 to 0-8, with only two minutes left. But Judes did not panic and scores from Kevin McManamon (free) and 67

IT hasn’t exactly come as a surprise – the Internet backlash to Tallafornia. Afterall TV3 would have been fools to think that most locals would see seven social animals out on the rip in barely there clothing, jumping into bed together at the drop of a hat and swearing like there is no tomorrow, as a positive reflection of life here. Cyberspace is full of haters but if we were betting people we’d have a month’s wages that the viewing figures are only going up! After all like everything we know we shouldn’t - we can’t get enough of it. The girls are all easy on the eye and up for a laugh and the lads all seem fairly sound – the type you might have a pint with if you are a fella and try to pull if you are.....well, a fella. But seriously it’s not like they are the worst group of humans ever to share a house. They cook, they clean, they lounge around…..and all in their bikinis. It’s just like any old day at the office. The only one that needs a right slap is Cormac. Or, excuse us, The Corminator ...grrrr.

have anything to do with me now, I should have kept at it, she’d have been hooked then,” or something to that effect - we couldn’t quite hear over the noise of our yawns.

He bedded Nikita on the first night and treated her like something that was stuck on his shoe afterwards. Then he gets furious when she hooks up with fellow housemate Phil. “I’ll effing kill him,” he’s seen furiously shouting in Tamangos as nice guy Dave holds him back.

He’s coming across completely arrogant and self-righteous and we’re not even sure we can be bothered giving him the chance to change. We’d rather he packed up the vest and bottle of baby oil he packed for the month and get out of there.

Later on, after disaster has thankfully been averted, he’s seen brooding on his bed about his chances with the girl he previously flung aside. “She won’t

Taaaaaxiiiiiiiiiii!!! Oh cancel that, he might aswell get back to what he’s good at. There’s no future for him in TV anyway.

Ingredients Rack of Lamb Dijon Mustard Fine Breadcrumbs Fresh Herbs Parmesan Cheese Salt Pepper Sauce – Port Reduction Port Cumberland Jelly Stock Red Wine Butter Shallots Accompanying Vegetables Garlic Champ Mash Wilted Baby Spinach Roast Carrots (glazed with honey)

1. Rack of lamb – trim bones back, making sure the meat is pinky red and the fat is milky white. Gently score the fat. Seal off in a hot pan to brown the lamb. Remove from heat and paint with Dijon mustard.

2. Herb Crust – chop herbs finely, add fine breadcrumbs, making sure crumb is green. Add parmesan cheese. This will melt into the lamb. Now place the crumb on the lamb and bake for 20 mins. When cooked, let rest for 5 mins.

3. The sauce – pan fry shallots finely in butter, deglaze with red wine and port. Add stock and Cumberland

jelly and reduce to a sauce consistency. Place an ounce of butter in sauce, as this will give shine and thicken the sauce.

4. The vegetables – mash potato, add cream, spring onion and garlic. Wilt the baby spinach. Pan fry carrots and place in oven with honey and rosemary to roast.

5. Place champ mash on plate with wilted spinach, cut 2 slices off rack to show off the pink colour. Drizzle sauce around the lamb and serve carrots in a bowl as a side.

SINCE returning home to Ireland in 2011, I have noticed a significant increase in the number of so-called ‘Tiger Kidnappings’. It is unclear where the term Tiger Kidnapping originated from, however my research suggests it’s derived from the media or the criminal fraternity itself. According to sources the first recorded crime entitled Tiger Kidnapping occured in 1972. The practice began as a tactic by the Irish Republican Army which kidnapped people to force them into placing car bombs. I have already discussed in my previous columns how professional criminals seek opportunity when planning with regards to the ‘who, where and when’ of your movements. Amateur criminals seize opportunity when you present them with it, however, when it comes to Tiger Kidnappings, they belong to the professional criminal gangs. This type of criminal activity requires a massive amount of planning and logistics by the perpetrators and it’s a crime which carries a prison sentence of up to 30 years if they are caught and convicted. When individuals are kidnapped then the state must mobilise its security services ie: the Gardai and the Defence Forces to get them back. Large numbers of personnel deployed means huge cost to the state.

There should be a pre-arranged plan in case any employee is being intimidated and companies should identify who may be at risk – although this type of criminal act will only affect a very small percentage of the population who have access to large amounts of cash”. He added: “Keeping money at home is the least wise option. Put your money in a bank, as there is no safe place to keep cash in your home.” In a similar vein James Shortt (Director General of the International Bodyguard Association) urges those with money not to broadcast the fact as it will garner unwanted attention. He said: “If you have problems with the Security Systems at your property do not de-activate it. Get it repaired. If you are concerned carry out counter surveillance on yourself and your property, to detect anything unusual. “However, remember this key point: You will only ever notice anything unusual, if you always notice what is usual. Keep an eye out for strange-looking cars and people around your property and business.” Now therein lies the future of Tiger Kidnapping Prevention - or at least an attempt at it. In order to work towards that there is a need for threat analysis and risk resolution of the most vulnerable people.

According to Sgt Mark Redmond at Tallaght Garda Station, in order to help deter this type of crime, individuals and companies should be designed that no individual person has unrestricted access to cash.

However this is not the job of the state and is down to those who feel they could be targeted to carry our analysis for their own sake and the sake of those in their employment. Just look at your business as well as your life, family and activities and go from there.

He said: “ There should be time delay and dual access security systems.

Next month I will be focusing on Armed Robbery prevention on businesses. 71

This season 2012 makeup styles are all about looking girlie and feminine using soft colours and sheer textures. AnJels Professional Makeup Artists team has recreated this season’s look which was inspired from Spring/Summer 2012 and MAC cosmetics.

Inspiration Soft, candy colours, which will create a feminine, youthfully, girlie finish. You will fall in love this season with the romantic sensual looks which were inspired by this season’s spring trends and autumn’s catwalks. Hair Barry Kane, AnJels Pro-Stylist, has created a soft feminine, loose side bun. Barry swept the hair to the side and loosely pinned the bun to create a girlie look with a gorgeous, romantic finish.

Makeup The Foundation • Here I used Studio Sculpt Foundation (MAC) to give a dewy glow to the skin, with a 187 stippling brush to apply. I used a lightweight long-wear concealer for under the eye and my finger to press the concealer into the skin which will ensure a flawless finish. Tip: When applying your powder only apply power to the T-zone and jawline. This will ensure the skin looks dewy and fresh and that the foundation will last. For The Eyes • I used soft, candy colours to create an adorable, wearable look. • The eyebrows need to be soft with a wash of colour through them. Tip: Instead of using an eyebrow pencil, use an eyeshadow and a clear brow set gel to hold them in place.

• A velvet textured highlighter was used under the brow to lift and open the eye giving a radiant and fresh finish. • When recreating apply medium tone colour to the crease/socket of the eye which will create extra depth. Use matte colours for a better colour pay off. Tip: My favourite colours to use for this look are Cork or Charcoal Brown. • Apply Prolong mascara and then any false lashes (I suggest individual lashes or just use corner lashes). This spring it’s all about a flirty lash for a more natural finish. • Finally apply a fine thin layer of eyeliner (not black!) on the top and bottom lash line. Use a soft pencil and pick a colour to make the eyes pop. Finishing Touches • Cream blush and highlighter can create a girlie, dewy glow to the face which will ensure a youthful finish. • For the lips, don’t use a lipliner this time, just pat and press the gloss into the lips using your finger. Hair and makeup: Barry Kane and Joanna Kenna From AnJels Professional Makeup Artists Email:anjelspromakeup@gmail.com Photographer: Aliona Eremina Model: Georgina McIntyre

WE'RE in the midst of Award Season, with the Golden Globes just over and the Oscars to look forward to at the end of February. As ever, celebrities dictate the coming trends and it's always fun to admire their stunning gowns on the red carpets. Everything from the shapes and styles of dresses, to the colour palette that will be flooding the highstreet are represented for the scrutiny of fashion experts and the general public. One thing that appealed to me at the Golden Globes this year was the trend toward nude shades with elaborate embellishments of beads and sequins. Flesh-toned shades can be a hard look to pull off but Julie Bowen and Diane Lane showed us how to make the most of this trend (right). Julie's Reem Acra gown, while a similar colour, is a totally different style. The delicate chiffon beautifully contrasts the delicate beading on the cap sleeves. The skirt is full and soft, and along with the ruched bodice, evokes 40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glamour. Her hair accentuates this look to great effect. The whole look is classic and feminine. Diane Lane went for Old Hollywood glamour, with another Reem Acra gown. The subtle use of sequins evokes a rich and expensive look, just right for the Golden Globes. If you are attending a formal occasion yourself, keep a look out for highstreet versions of these kind of gowns, to stay right on trend, while also paying homage to classic styles. Hair and makeup can really finish off an outfit so try and match them to the look you are going for. Softly curled hair goes

beautifully with this kind of look. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to accessorise a plainer dress to add glitz and glamour to your own outfits. Necklaces layered over a halter neck dress can work brilliantly, or consider embellishing a dress or skirt with glitzy old broken earrings. Fashion is about experimenting and customising your look will ensure no one turns up in the same outfit for that special occasion. I would recommend Missguided for some classy basics and on trend dresses. Prices range from 50 euro up to over 100 but there are definitely some gems to be found. (www.missguided.co.uk) 73

Garden Pests

Containers

Start the New Year off by not letting garden pests and diseases get you down.

Keep picking off the dead heads from winter flowering pansies and primroses to keep them looking attractive.

Many pests can survive over winter and lay eggs, these eggs may stick on the stems of plants to hatch out later so pruning now might help remove them.

Change any plants such as Cyclamen which have been damaged in the winter months. Plants such as Primrose and potted bulbs are very good for filling in the gaps.

By checking your plants now and dealing with the problems as they occur, you can help prevent them from getting out of control. If your fruit trees have had a lot of problems with pests and diseases it's worth spraying them with tar oil winter wash over the trunk and branches. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully and not to spray on a windy day.

Roses Do not prune roses until next month, as it may encourage new growth and frost will burn the new cuts. On the other hand now is an ideal time for planting new roses, but do not plant roses where they have been growing before and you will avoid Replant Disorder.

Ponds

apart, allowing the frost to enter the plants centre and kill a lot of them. If there is a heavy snowfall, remove snow from trees and shrubs to prevent damage to branches. It is a good time to start off the slowergrowing half-hardy annuals and perennials. Pelargonium and Begonia can be easy to grow from seed if you have a warm windowsill or some heat in a glasshouse. Some seed may take two to three weeks to germinate, which will bring you into March and the days will be getting longer.

Garden Ponds are best left alone at this time of year as the frogs and other creatures are hibernating, and should not be disturbed.

Sow seeds of Broad Beans and Sweet Peas in a cold greenhouse or outdoors in a cold frame with some protection.

In freezing conditions, float a tennis ball on the surface to keep the surface from freezing over completely. Never clear a frozen pond by breaking the ice, you can melt a hole by holding a pan of hot water on the ice.

Prune Acer and Birch trees now, while they are still dormant. This will avoid the danger of ‘bleeding’ (excessive sap loss) if they are pruned in spring when sap is rising. It is best to wait until all leaves have fallen.

Cordyline Tie up Cordyline leaves to enclose and protect the centre. When snow or frost is likely, cover with fleece. Last year’s winter weather damaged a lot of Cordylines. Snow will spread the leaves

Spinning classes can be a great way to get in a vigorous workout, burning calories and keeping your muscles in shape, especially during the offseason, but you have to have a high tolerance for exercise bikes and being cooped up inside with a bunch of other sweaty people for this to be a satisfying alternative to the real thing.

The riders rise as one, pedals spinning faster as they grimace with exertion, sweat dripping off their bodies. A group workout typically lasts anywhere from 30-75 minutes. In spinning classes, the intensity of the workout is influenced by a couple of things:

Descriptions

- resistance of the bike’s flywheel, which can be continually adjusted throughout the class to make pedaling easier or more difficult.

Spinning classes are done in a fitness studio, with various light and music settings to create an energized atmosphere. Instructors guide participants through workout phases – warm-up, steady uptempo cadences, sprints, climbs and cool-downs, etc. You have control resistance on your bike to make the pedaling as easy or difficult as you choose. Constant adjustment is normal. All you’ll need is workout clothes, a towel (to wipe your face) and a water bottle. Spinning bikes have toe clips so you can wear tennis shoes but many pedals also work with Shimano-style SPD cleats.

What Happens In A Spin Class? Imagine a whole bunch of exercise bikes lined up inside a health club studio. Riders are on each one, spinning the pedals at a rapid pace. The lights are turned down, pumpedup music fills the air and an instructor with a headset sits atop a lead bike, calling out commands.

- cadence, or pedal rate.

- by the rider’s body position, as they either pedal from a seated position or rise from the saddle. Ultimately participants determine their own levels of exertion, something that works better for some folks than others. For instance, I personally find myself slacking from time to time in a spinning class if I don’t stay focused. I know that I do better when I’m being pushed, like when riding a real bike, and the only option to hustling on a group ride is being dropped. But a good instructor can certainly encourage and motivate you to push yourself, and you’ll most likely find spinning to be a vigorous workout. It’s a decent way to stay in shape when you can’t get outside on the bike.

“Climb out of the saddle,” she barks at the class. “Big hill coming!”

As a music fan, I loved the film. As a fan of witty, cleverly written fiction, I loved the novel. This month I’ll be talking about another title that you may be more familiar with as a film. ‘High Fidelity’, the novel, came out in 1995, followed by the film of the same name in 2,000. I find it important to dip back into the archives every so often because there are so many brilliant books that I missed at the time. When they surface in a charity shop, I eagerly snap up the ‘classics’, including the modern ones, in order to catch up. Your local library is likely to have a great selection as well. I’ve been a fan of Nick Hornby’s novels for a few years. I was originally drawn to his other novels by the fact that I’d enjoyed the aforementioned film, as well as ‘About A Boy’. However, for the very same reason I was reluctant to read the novel High Fidelity. I’d seen the film, why would I read the book? But I’m very glad I finally did.

The main difference between the film and the book is the location. While the film was set in the States, the book is set in London. Both centre on a guy called Rob, a music obsessive who owns a record shop named Championship Vinyl. Along with his employees Dick and Barry, they are armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of all things musical; they compile "top five" lists for every conceivable occasion, openly mock the ignorance of their customers, and every so often, sell a few records. Rob is in his mid-30’s, still living the life of a college student. His lovely girlfriend Laura finally gets sick of his immaturity and leaves him. This causes Rob to go on a quest to find out why all his most significant girl-

Nick Hornby is the author of the bestselling novels Slam, A Long Way Down, How to Be Good, High Fidelity, About a Boy, and the memoir Fever Pitch. He is also the author of Songbook – a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle Award – Shakespeare Wrote for Money, and The Polysyllabic Spree, as well as being the editor of the short story collection, Speaking with the Angel. Additionally Hornby is the recipient of the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ E. M. Forster Award, and the Orange Word International Writers’ London Award 2003. He lives in North London and his work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists. For more information visit his website at

www.nicksbooks.com 76

friends have done the same, based on a top five list of his most memorable breakups of all time. We follow Rob on this journey of “self discovery”, which sounds rather pretentious, but Hornby perfectly captures the self-obsession and cluelessness some guys can experience in relationships and life in general. So wrapped up in music and film is Rob that he’s not really been living his life, or just doing the normal growing up that everyone else has but he’s a loveable eejit, entertaining and frustrating in equal measure. All in all, it’s well worth a read, even if you’ve seen the film already.

Today I travelled to the city. Captives lying in doorways covered with dirty blankets paper cups outreached. Mass affliction on our streets. Everything was grey, despair has no colour.

A rainbow of races, Saturday morning, colours the early cinema queue as kids horde in for their special show.

Yesterday I gazed upon a hamlet, what a beautiful sight. Little houses nestled among great trees, colours green and gold.

It is such an adventure to see snow on Three Rock Mountain and brave the escalating stairs.

A young man came up to me, his agony etched on his face. I looked into his lifeless eyes. I could see his altered consciousness. I could see his splintered soul. I watched him struggle to stay awake. While angels looked away. Just as the black widow injects her lethal poison, the striking Asian poppy flower, sheds its deadly powder. Murkying the master's palette, Like a thief in the night, she has stolen our young. Today I travelled to the city. The city of the walking dead.

Tones of the Niger, Rhine and Mekong flood the foyer; a babel of voices with their own surround-sound.

Ginger head in a playful arm-lock a Rasta rascal wrestles his classmate, relents and they both trade transformers. A peep of black fuzz from her woolly beanie, a girl links arms with her freckled friend to flaunt twin Barbie-sequined jeans. A boy from Delhi sports a Dublin jersey; once he ate fish fresh from the Ganges now he prefers a Big Mac with fries. A girl speeds by in her brand new heelies, pigtails made from hair extensions crinkle-curled just like her own. All the girls love High School Musical, the boys all go for Spiderman, they laugh and share the language of fun. Black skin, white skin, yellow, brown, eyes wide as the screen before them, when the lights go down theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll cheer as one.

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