Metro Herald, December 10, 2013 by Metro Herald

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

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Don’t mince your pies

PLUS: Year’s best cookbooks »p13

Tulisa coke chaRge

»p6

Rooftop standoff causes rail chaos by joanne aheRn

He’s kind of a big deal… Steve Carell poses for photos with fans at the Irish premiere of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues at The Savoy Cinema, in association with Metro Herald last night. The US office star was in town along with co-stars Will Ferrell, David Koechner and Paul Rudd, reportedly crashing a Ron Burgundy-themed pub crawl along the way PICTURE: BRIAN McEVOY

HUNDREDS of rail commuters in Dublin were left stranded yesterday as a stabbing and rooftop standoff at a city centre tourist hostel caused chaos. Lunchtime train services were suspended between Connolly Station and Grand Canal Dock while gardaí dealt with the incident. Trained Garda negotiators were called to the scene at Isaac’s Hostel (below) on Frenchman’s Lane near Busáras, where a man in his 20s had climbed on to the roof after a woman was stabbed. Crowds of onlookers gathered as the area around the hostel was sealed off and a number of units of Dublin Fire Brigade also attended the scene. Gardaí negotiated with the man, who is not an Irish national, for four hours, bringing him a blanket at one stage after he threw away his jacket. They eventually succeeded in talking him down from the roof edge around 4pm, some five hours after the standoff began. Rail services were off from 12.30 to 2pm, meaning hundreds of commuters had to walk or get a bus for a portion of their journey. A spokeswoman for Irish Rail confirmed the gardaí had requested the line to be closed and said overhead Dart lines had also been switched off in the area. The incident followed the stabbing of a woman, and gardaí were last night investigating whether the two incidents were linked. The woman was taken to hospital but her injuries were described as minor. A Garda spokesman said the man was being held last night under the Mental Health Act and gardaí are awaiting a psychiatric evaluation before deciding how to proceed.

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METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

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1,300 The number

of people in the UK who complained to the BBC for its ‘over-thetop’ coverage of the death of Nelson Mandela

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Today is...

Human Rights Day... The UN’s official day to bring to the attention ‘of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.

From the archives (2008):

Watchdog says ‘feck’ is fine

The advertising watchdog has ruled ‘feck’ is not a swearword. Cider drink Bulmers used it on a poster which said ‘Feck off bees’ – prompting a complaint. But the Advertising Standards Authority said it was ‘unlikely to be seen as a swearword’.

Today’s birthdays

Clive Anderson, TV presenter (pictured), 61; Kenneth Branagh, actor/director, 53; Brian Molko, Placebo singer, 41; Meg White, White Stripes drummer, 39.

CLOCkWORD

The solutions from 1 to 12 are all six-letter words ending with the letter T in the centre. Moving clockwise from 1, the letters in the outer circle will spell out the name of a British Shakespearean actor/manager. 1. Amuse 7. Heaviness 2. Snow leopard 8. Fool 3. Nil 9. Sad song 4. Summer 10. Shock month 11. Upend 5. Surgical knife 12. Educated Yesterday’s solution: 6. Beat

Maria Shriver

Weather Weather Today

Max: 13°c

Generally dry for many places again today, but cloudier and windier than recently. Patchy outbreaks of light rain or drizzle will occur through the day. Temperatures between 10°C to 13°C in fresh to strong southerly winds.

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Tonight

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Min: 4°c

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EUROPE today

Tomorrow It will be mild but a mostly cloudy day. Most areas will remain dry, but rain arriving in the west during the afternoon will spread gradually east to all parts of the country. Temperatures between 10°C to 13°C.

11�C 12�C 11�C 12�C

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Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

Boozer comes round after passing out in truck to hear he’s been asleep for ‘ten years’

Rip van Drink-le wakes up Where am I? Bingeing driver opens his eyes to see masked doctor by DANIEL BINNS AS hAngoverS go, it takes some beating. This drinker woke up in hospital after a heavy night – only to be told he’d been in a coma for ten years. Doctors and nurses turned on the Tv while they tried to get in touch with his family. his sense of confusion at skipping a decade of his life was only heightened when news flashed up of ‘President hillary Clinton’ threatening an invasion of Canada. next up was a report about ‘former singer’ Miley Cyrus being evicted from her trailer park home for defecating on her neighbour’s property. It was only when one of the doctors began slapping him on the face to ‘test his reactions’ that he finally worked out the truth – it was all just an elaborate prank. There was a serious side to the stunt, which was dreamt up by comedian Tom Mabe. he wanted to teach a lesson to his booze-loving friend – convicted of drink-driving five times. So he got friends to help him stage the hospital room hoax and spoof video clips – and seized his moment when the unnamed man passed out in his truck after a session. Despite screaming ‘I’m going to kill you

Out cold: The man is dead to the world after being carried from his truck motherf*****’ when he first realised he’d been duped, the victim soon saw the funny side and began laughing. But Mr Mabe scolded him, saying: ‘It’s not funny... you could’ve lost your daughter, ten years could’ve been wasted away. Dude, you’ve got to stop doing it.’ About 10,000 people die every year in drink-driving crashes in the US, where the video was filmed.

The clip was viewed more than 500,000 times within a day of being posted on YouTube and Mr Mabe said he hoped it would serve as a ‘serious public service announcement’. Ireland’s road Safety Authority recently launched a new campign in the run up to the festive season, warning people about the dangers of drinking and driving, including driving ‘the morning after’.

Fake news: He watches item about ‘President Hillary Clinton’ Pictures: ruckas

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METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

How much does transport cost? HOW much are you paying to get to work? Low-paid workers in Birmingham are spending up to a quarter of their income on rail fares, UK figures say. But what are you paying? Divide your annual costs by your gross income, multiply by 100 and post it on Facebook. com/metroherald or email editorial@metroherald.ie. Plus, tell us if you mainly commute by: commuter rail, InterCity, car, bike, motorbike, bus, coach, Dart, Luas or on foot. And, most importantly, tell us if you think you’re getting your money’s worth.

Bar lift banned before death A BAR and nightclub owner will be sentenced next year for health and safety breaches that resulted in an employee being crushed to death in a lift shaft. Employees regularly used a goods-only lift at The Blu Bar despite signs prohibiting people from it, Judge Mary Ellen Ring was told. A barmaid had seen TBC Bar Ltd’s James Lambert, 45, of Castlelawns, Tallaght, use the lift five months before Stephen Hampson, 31, was killed in August 2009, the court heard.

Shopper caught in a sticky spot A WOMAN had to be yanked off a public toilet seat after a prankster smothered it with extra strong superglue. The incident occurred at a Home Depot store in Georgia, US, after the shopper went to use the bathroom. When she tried to get up she found her skin had become stuck to the toilet seat. She was eventually freed by emergency workers and taken to hospital. The prankster has not yet been caught.

irish app tracks YouTube Woman sat on thief’s back MUSIC app sensation Soundwave has YouTube in its sights. The Irish company is releasing an update today which will allow it to track the music people are listening to or watching on YouTube, while filtering out cute, but irrelevant, cat videos. CEO Brendan O’Driscoll said the update will allow it to include younger music lovers, who use YouTube like a streaming service or a ‘one-stop shop for music’ rather than subscribing to a service like Spotify. Launched in June by celeb fan Stephen Fry, the app allows users to see what others in their locality are listening to on their smartphone, but gives them control over how much information they share. It also allows users to follow friends, family and favourites to see what they’re listening to. Available on Apple and Android, it has had more than 750,000 downloads.

Update: Music app

A BURGLAR was arrested after the woman in the house he had broken into sat on his back to stop him escaping, a court has heard. Robert Terry, 33, of St Patrick’s Crescent, Monkstown Farm, Dún Laoghaire, admitted to burglary at Grosvenor Terrace, Monkstown, on April 27, 2013. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Brian McDonald and his wife Helen were having a dinner party and in their back garden drinking wine when Mr McDonald went back inside and found Terry going through his wife’s bag. He

grabbed Terry and the two men fell before Mr McDonald called to his wife to ring gardaí. The court heard Helen restrained Terry by sitting on his back until gardaí arrived. Defence lawyer Lily Buckley said Terry, who has 31 previous convictions, has a heroin addiction and was drunk when he carried out this burglary. Judge Desmond Hogan sentenced Terry, who he said was caught redhanded, to two years with one suspended on condition he undergo drug and alcohol treatment.

5 years for assault that left girlfriend with brain injury by jEssiE MAgEE

A MAN who assaulted his girlfriend and left her hospitalised for four months with serious brain injuries has been sentenced to six years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended. Paul McMenamy, 28, failed to get any medical help for his victim for 12 hours after the attack. McMenamy, of Donomore Green, Tallaght, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to care worker Nicola Murray at Reuben Walk, Rialto, on February 5, 2012. He has eight previous convictions, including assaults on two previous girlfriends. The couple had been in a relationship for just ten weeks prior to the assault. Ms Murray’s friend called to the house the night after the assault and saw the victim in bed unconscious. Her face was swollen and she had a gash above her eyebrow. The friend said McMenamy told her Ms Murray ‘went wild and ran amok with vodka’ and that she came at him with a knife and whacked her head off the bed. Another friend, Ann-Marie Kenny, said she called to the house and McMenamy said he had hit Ms Murray once to calm her down as he told her she was ‘like something out of The Exorcist’. Ms Murray’s family said the 28-year-old used to be a ‘bubbly, cheerful and outgoing person but now rarely goes out and flies off the handle at the drop of a hat’. Judge Mary Ellen Ring said her recovery may never be complete.

Lighting up someone’s Christmas Rugby player Rob Kearney is illuminated by solar lights, one of the gifts from the Concern Christmas catalogue, which also include rabbits, goats and water pumps. Visit concerngifts.org Picture: jason clarke

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Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

Clinic chief quits and insists his salary obeyed HSE rules THE chief executive of the scandal-struck Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) has insisted his successor should have no previous links with the hospital. Brian Conlon, who said he had been abroad on personal leave, resigned just five months into his tenure over the scandal in which well-paid bosses had their salaries topped up out of a €14million charity fund ‘It is in the best interests of the Central

by METRO HERALD STAff Remedial Clinic that the new chief executive should not have any association with legacy matters at the CRC,’ he said, insisting his own pay and appointment was within HSE rules. It is unclear whether he will appear before the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee as scheduled. The CRC is a national centre in Clontarf

that treats people with physical disabilities. Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has called for its entire board to resign. This was echoed yesterday by Labour TD Robert Dowds, a special needs teacher. ‘After today’s resignation by the chief executive, I think the rest of the board need to answer these questions satisfactorily before the Public Accounts Committee next week or else they too should resign,’ he said.

Conlon: Resigned

Hospital cleaners to go on strike WORKERS at a cleaning services company which operates at Beaumont Hospital have voted to go on strike over pay cuts. Siptu, which represents about 90 workers employed by Resource Facilities Service, has served notice of industrial action next Monday, December 16. Siptu organiser Ed Kenny said the dispute relates to a decision to implement cuts to workers’ Sunday premium pay. He added union representatives were available for ‘meaningful’ talks with the firm’s management.

Got to be certain…

One-year-old Ruth Finneran from Athlone pictured with a birth cert to mark Human Rights Day. Trócaire is asking people to donate €15 towards birth registration for children in the world’s poorest countries Picture: Photocall

Social media to tackle rise in gonnorhoea and STIs TWITTER and Facebook are to be used to combat the dramatic rise in cases of gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Ireland. Dublin Aids Alliance, the Union of Students Ireland, SpunOut.ie, the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme and Think Contraception are aiming to tackle the rise in STIs with a new campaign using social media and other websites. Snappy, tongue-in-cheek messages were initiated yesterday with the hashtag #OMGsti, promoting safe

sex, prevention of STIs, the use of condoms and STI testing, aiming to reach a large national audience through social media. Men and women aged 17 to 29 years have been identified as particularly at risk. The campaign has been funded by the HSE and was prompted by a 33 per cent increase in cases of gonorrhoea between 2011 and 2012. The website, yoursexualhealth.ie, provides information on gonorrhoea, safer sex, free STI testing and where to get free condoms.

BUY THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY ON 3D, BLU RAY AND DVD NOW TM

METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

60 seconds Tulisa charged over nicOLAs cAgE, 49, has had a prolific career that’s included an Oscar win and four Razzie nominations. He recently played a caveman in animated film The Croods

Is it true that before he asked you to play a cowardly Neanderthal, Croods producer Jeffrey Katzenberg had asked you to voice Shrek? Yeah, and I’d said:

‘I don’t want to look like that guy.’ Now I wish I had done it. When he showed me pictures of Grug and said: ‘You see how I see you, Nicolas? What do you think of that?’ I had enough presence of mind not to say anything but yes.

Did you see yourself the way he did? No, I have trouble with the

idea of living in fear. That’s never been who I am. Grug is an overprotective father and takes it too far, to the point where his family feel like they’re surviving, not living. But any father who cares about the ones he loves is going to worry.

REX

by AnDREi HARMswORTH

making the film? Very close. Look, I’m not going to be one of these guys that’s going to be, like, lamenting things. But is Tim Burton one of my favourite directors? Yes. Did I see some of the drawings of where he wanted to go? Yes. And I will tell you, they were fantastic and it would have been a mind-blowing experience. Did I have a concept of how to play the character? Yes, and I can tell you it would have been gutsy. So maybe Warner Brothers got scared because they had two artists who weren’t afraid to take chances. Where’s your Best Actor Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas? It’s safe.

Let’s just leave it at that. But look, I don’t take criticism seriously and I don’t take praise seriously, both would be a mistake. If you buy into the negative that is the internet What are the two biggest risks today, or the cynical critic, it’s you have taken personally and not unlike listening to an abusive father that’s trying to cave you professionally? Did they in and you can’t function. If pay off? Well, in both you buy into praise, cases I have no regrets. you might get lazy And yes, in terms of and say: ‘Well, emotional wisdom, I don’t take criticism I’ll just keep I guess they paid doing that.’ You seriously and I don’t off. In my work, have to the risk was to be take praise seriously – uncomfortable.stay a dramatic actor both would be a who’s acting like Is that philosoan action hero and mistake phy something that was a challenge you’ve picked up because no one thought I could do it. And if you from experience? say I can’t do something, I have I learned that from David Bowie. to do it. And in my personal life, I I said: ‘How do you do it? How do have been a romantic and I have fol- you keep reinventing yourself?’ lowed my heart. That can get one He said: ‘I just never got comfortable into trouble as we all know, three with anything I was doing.’ I knew marriages later. those were words of wisdom from a great artist and I took those Grug pioneers the hug. Are words seriously. It’s not always you a hugger? Hey, I’m in touch going to appeal to everybody but, with my feelings. It’s important to if you’re honest, there’s a very say ‘I love you’. You never know good chance people will relate what’s going to happen. to that.

“

Does doing animated features connect with your love of comic books? Look, the truth is

I’m not obsessed with comics. I don’t read comics as a 49-year-old man. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but I have other interests that are more in tune with where I’m at right now. But I will never forget the impressions comics gave me as a child. The characters became a modern mythology that’s touched the world. So animated movies are like cousins to comics.

Pictures of you dressed as Superman for Tim Burton’s aborted movie surfaced online. How close did you come to

‘set-up’ cocaine deal

On your Wikipedia page, there’s a section about all the houses you own or have owned. Do you mind this information being so public? What can I do about it? The issue is people’s misperceptions. They try to blow it out of proportion in terms of excessive spending but, really, it’s because I believed in real estate, and look what happened. You can’t dump real estate fast enough and when the whole thing went in the wrong direction, I got caught up in it. But, hey, everything happens for a reason.

stephen Applebaum

The Croods is out now on DVD and Blu-ray.

AXED X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos has been charged in connection with the supply of class A drugs. The 25-year-old, who was arrested after allegedly helping an undercover reporter buy cocaine, is expected to plead not guilty at

Westminster magistrates’ court on Thursday next week. Her lawyer, Ben Rose, insisted she Tulisa: Charged was a ‘vulnerable young woman’ who had

been treated as ‘fodder’ by ‘greedy’ journalists. ‘The entire case has been manufactured by the Sun On Sunday and Mahzer Mahmood,’ he said. ‘The law clearly forbids such conduct on the part of police.’ Mr Rose argued the newspaper used its readers’ money to fly the singer to Las Vegas and offer her a phony £3million film contract.

Leaders to lead tributes at service TODAY’S memorial service for Nelson Mandela will feature tributes by some of the antiapartheid icon’s family members and foreign leaders, including US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The memorial at FNB Stadium in Soweto Township near Johannesburg is due to start at 11am (9am GMT) and will last for four hours, according to a programme released by the South African government.

Dunnes striker part of irish group PreSIDeNT Michael D Higgins, his wife Sabina and Tánaiste eamon Gilmore will lead the Irish delegation for today’s memorial service for Nelson Mandela, which is due to take place from 11am local time in the 96,000-seater FNB Stadium in Soweto. Former president Mary robinson, a close friend of Mr Mandela, will also attend the service, as will one of three Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strikers from the 1980s.

israeli leader to miss memorial ISrAel’S prime minister says he will skip Nelson Mandela’s funeral today due to the high cost of the trip. Benjamin Netanyahu has come under criticism in recent months for his expensive habits, with revelations last week he had spent €1,237 on scented candles and €16,000 on the water bill at his vacation home. The leader had intended to attend the funeral, but changed his mind after learning it would cost about $2million, an official said.

“AS IF MY PHONE CAN TELL WHEN THE NEXT BUS IS DUE.”

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

Rainbow nation mourners say ‘thank you’ to Madiba Along a street lined with walled mansions shaded by jacaranda trees, thousands of mourners, black and white, placed flowers and condolence notes yesterday outside the villa where nelson Mandela died. others danced while singing praise for the anti-apartheid leader – a vivid example of the ‘Rainbow nation’ unity of multiculturalism championed by Mandela for South Africa. As players for the nation’s top Kaiser Chiefs soccer team were escorted inside the villa to grieve with Mandela’s relatives, hospital receptionist nelson Jabulani Dube said the crowd of black, white and mixed race mourners transforming a street corner into a makeshift shrine was evidence that Mandela succeeded in breaking down barriers in a country defined for generations by race-based hate. ‘It’s all because of him, because he forgave the enemies at that time, they no longer are the enemies,’ said Dube, 33. ‘For me the outcome is really stunning and unites us, and what you see here is a reflection of that.’ Michele Marija, an elderly white Johannesburg resident, spontaneously hugged a black woman, calling her ‘my sister’, after the woman made space for her so she could get a better view of the shrine. Then Marija’s

by ALAn cLEnDEnning

daughters also hugged the woman. Marija insisted her daughters and granddaughters visit Mandela’s house, saying his decision to forgive his white oppressors after being released from 27 years in jail saved South Africa from brutal bloodshed. ‘We could easily have had a revolution and here we are now all living happily together which is something like a miracle and it’s all due to Madiba,’ Ms Marija said, referring to Mandela by his clan name. Diane Mathabatha, a 60-year-old member of Mandela’s Xhosa tribe visiting Mandela’s house with her grandsons, remembered in the 1990s being bent on revenge along with much of her generation until Mandela got out of prison and said that would be wrong. ‘He came out and embraced everybody and taught us that, you know, sometimes with your enemy, when you bring him closer, it’s much better than fighting him,’ she said. Mncedisi Xego, related to Mathabatha by marriage, came to the shrine with his wife lesley, who is white, and their children to say ‘thank you’ to Mandela because today, their children ‘can have the kind of lifestyle that they chose’.

Face of a nation: Mac Arthur Mti wears badges for sale with the image of late president Nelson Mandela in Soweto Picture: aP

BBC defends Mandela coverage THE BBC has defended its coverage of Nelson Mandela’s death after more than 1,300 viewers complained it was over-the-top. The broadcaster’s decision to interrupt a repeat of sitcom Mrs Brown’s Boys on BBC1 with a newsflash just ten minutes before the 10 O’Clock News came in for particular criticism. There were also complaints not enough attention was given

to the storms in the east of England the same day. ‘I’m sorry if there were people who felt we didn’t inform them fully of what was happening in the weather,’ said the BBC’s director of news James Harding. ‘But we are probably talking about the most significant statesman of the last 100 years and a man who has defined freedom, justice, reconciliation,

forgiveness,’ he added. Dozens took to Twitter to complain about the newsflash. Alf Love wrote: ‘Couldn’t they wait ten minutes when the news is on?’ But others were grateful for the decision to cut short the divisive show. One joke doing the rounds went: ‘BBC interrupt Mrs Brown’s Boys for the breaking news... Even after his death Mandela is ending suffering’.

Snapshot: A photo is taken of two girls outside Mandela’s former home in Soweto

Download the free Dublin Bus App today. Use live info to time your journeys perfectly.

METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

★

★★ ★ ★

Kisses for King Kian after his joyful Jodi reunion

After Hobbiton, Crow curse holds no fear for Evans T

King of the jungle Kian egan said his ‘passionate reunion’ with hollyoaks actress wife Jodi Albert was like falling in love all over again. The I’m A Celeb champion said he broke down and cried when he met up with his other half at the plush Palazzo Versace hotel in Queensland. ‘I love my wife when she doesn’t wear any make-up and

she’s just got her pyjamas on; that’s when she is being at her most beautiful,’ he said. Albert, 30, told how she had a treat in store for the 33-year-old Raise Me Up singer. ‘I couldn’t wait for our passionate reunion. I couldn’t wait to kiss his face. I couldn’t wait to kiss and cuddle him,’ she said.

Posh: Amazing Gaga is the best, bar none

Victoria Beckham has turned into a Little Monster after revealing she tracked down Lady Gaga for her autograph on Sunday. The fashion designer (pictured) is a long-time admirer of the Do What U Want superstar and was clearly excited that she and her brood met her at the Capital

FM Jingle Bell Ball at the O2. ‘Met @ ladygaga last night, so sweet to the boys and Harper. What a show, she is AMAZING!!x’ Victoria, 39, attached a picture of a personalised Lady Gaga Cadbury’s chocolate bar, on which the 27-yearold pop sensation signed ‘The Beckhams, Merry Christmas!’

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he hobbit star Luke evans is not worried about history repeating itself when he plays the lead in a remake of ‘cursed’ action blockbuster The Crow. The 34-year-old does not fear suffering the same fate as Brandon Lee, who was accidentally shot dead on the set of the 1994 original. ‘I’m not one of those superstitious people,’ he told Guilty Pleasures. evans, whose Fast & Furious costar Paul Walker died in a car accident ten days ago, added: ‘It is incredibly sad Brandon died making the movie. he was a very talented actor. ‘It is a very beautiful story, The Crow. It is a very tragic story with huge emotional themes. We plan to tell the story differently and with a lot of integrity to the original comic book.’ The Welshman proved himself quite fearless, taking on most of his own stunts during the making of hobbit sequel The Desolation Of Smaug, in which he plays Bard The Bowman, and during his time off in New Zealand. ‘I used to go down to the South

by SEAMUS DUFF Island for five or six days and climb glaciers and jump out of planes and jump off bridges and go white water rafting – a bit of thrill seeking,’ he said. Indeed, filming of The hobbit sounds more like a holiday camp than a demanding film set. ‘It was like Coronation Street in Wellington. Ian McKellen had the biggest house. Orlando Bloom had the next biggest house. ‘I had the little rickety wooden one in the middle, but there was a hot tub out the back and the sea was out the front. ‘We all lived on the coast. It was amazing,’ he boasted. When not fighting orcs, evans lorded it up with Sir Ian, who returns as Gandalf. ‘Ian was like the gel. he brought everyone together and would have dinners and parties in his house,’ he said. The hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is in cinemas on Friday.

Joey’s meltdown as he’s told to go solo

Loved-up Joey Essex threw a hissy fit when I’m A Celeb producers tried to separate him from his jungle Jane, Amy Willerton. He went into meltdown after separate limousines arrived to take the pair to the show’s official wrap party in Coolangatta, a surf town in Queensland. Onlookers claim the Essex lad was fuming when he was asked to take a car to the beachside bar bash without his new girlfriend. He allegedly refused to leave the resort and had strong words with

ITV staff in the hotel lobby. rheard The 23-year-old was overheard ving without whining: ‘I’m not leaving Amy. There’ss no way I’m getting in this car without her.. I’m not going.’ He stormed back inside to speak to the 21-year-old -old beauty queen. Soon after, the pair walked out together – accompanied by Amy’s father,, Bruce Willerton. They jumped into the waiting car and were whisked ed off to the party to dance the night away together. together

Loved d up Down wn Under: Joey Essex ex and Amy Willerton ton relax after ter spending weekss in the jungle Plash/ Pictures: sPlash/ nswell adam tanswell

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Two members of harmonising pop group The Overtones nearly became the six-feet-under tones – when a mix-up after a TV shoot left them

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

stranded on a snowy Austrian mountain. Timmy Matley, 31, and Lachie Chapman, 32, were stuck shivering when a snowmobile driver failed to show.

Dizzee in a spin over early Christmas kiss Dizzee Rascal is already taking advantage of the mistletoe after the smooth operator used the festive prop to pull a reporter. The Dirtee Disco rapper took the question literally when he was asked on the Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball red carpet who he would be kissing under the mistletoe this Chrimbo. Dizzee, 29, confidently leant in and kissed the pretty reporter, who didn’t seem to mind. Rascal later performed on stage at London’s O2 Arena and teamed up with Jessie J for a singsong on the night.

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Katy Perry refused to start a family with Russell Brand over fears he would use it to control her. The singer said her ex ‘really wanted’ her to have children even though she wasn’t ready. Revealing her fears Brand was trying to make her a stay-at-home mum, she told America’s Marie Claire magazine: ‘I think it was a way of control.’ Perry, 29, told how the ‘ex-husband stuff’ affected her romance with John Mayer.

Vickers celebrates three years with her model George

West End girl: Diana Vickers in The Duck House Picture: NiGel NorriNGtoN

Loved-up Diana Vickers is Love looking fforward to celebrating thr three years with love lover George Craig on New Year’ Year’s Eve. The 22-y 22-year-old has set aside some quality time to spend with the model despite a hea heavy work schedule as she stars in a West End comedy comedy. ‘On New Year’s, I’ve got a show and then Geor George and I will go ffor dinner and maybe a party party,’ Vickers revealed. ‘If he doesn’t kiss me at midnight I will be vvery disappointed! It w would suggest something is wr wrong

Graham rapped for wearing a red ribbon

Graham Norton felt the wrath of BBC chiefs when he breached guidelines – by wearing a charity ribbon. The Irish funnyman was rapped for showing his support for World Aids Day on his BBC1 chat show, despite the fact guests Jeremy Clarkson, Jo Brand, Colin Farrell and Sharon Osbourne were all also wearing ribbons. The 50-year-old’s production company, So Television, received a warning. But a BBC source told the Telegraph: ‘The whole thing is totally disgraceful – Graham is a well-known supporter of Aids charities and there is no way in the world he was not going to wear the ribbon.’

with us! It will be three years in January and we are still going strong. ‘We are so young though and still have so much to do in our lives and we’re so happy the way things are at the moment. We won’t be engaged.’ And while The X Factor reject is loving her role in The Duck House – a satire about a UK MP expenses scandal in 2009 – she admitted she would make a ‘hopeless’ politician. ‘I don’t even know what I would do if I was prime minister for a day,’ she said.

Get your skates on. Last posting da date to USA.

10 METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

SMARTEST CHOICE, ADVICE & PRICE Picture: reuters

12 DEALS OF CHRISTMAS

Samsung ‘Galaxy Pocket Neo’ GIFT BOX

FROM €49.99

Whether you’re looking forward to your very ﬁrst mobile phone this Christmas or considering retiring your ‘dumb’ phone, a foray into the world of the smartphone need not be expensive. Samsung has long been seen as the king of the Android market and with the Samsung Galaxy Pocket Neo you’re getting a taste of that expertise at a budget price. The Neo is an Android touchscreen smartphone. Small and light, it’s easy to use and as it runs Android all of your Google accounts, such as Gmail, Gmail Contacts, Google Talk and Google Calendar, seamlessly sync with their desktop counterparts.

The Play Store offers an extensive selection of apps, including Spotify and Hailo. The Pocket Neo is a budget phone so you’re not getting the speed of its more expensive counterparts, but it’s adequate for surfing the net and playing music, and games, such as Angry Birds. Sound quality is excellent with decent headphones and its size makes it an ideal music player. It also has an FM radio. This phone has 4GB of internal memory, which can be increased with a Micro SD card, and a 2MP camera. The Pocket Neo is perfect for small and nimble fingers and its small dimensions mean it will easily fit into a jacket pocket. This nice little package comes dressed in a very attractive Christmas box, which includes up to €55 saving on the standalone price of the elements – Samsung Neo €49.99, case €14.99, a €50 experience card and €10 top up credit. The Samsung Galaxy Pocket Neo Gift Box is available SAMS at €49.99 when you GALAXUYNG switch to Vodafone. NEO GIF POCKET T BOX NOW FR OM

€49.99

AVAILA SWITCHBLE WHEN YO U TO VOD AFONE

DEAL 5

€50

EXPERIENCE

CARD

Save €10 on the Samsung Pocket Neo prepay giftbox. Offer valid from Dec 10th 2013 to Dec 11th 2013 inclusive and subject to stock availability. Offer not available online. Savings applicable on Vodafone prepay ﬁrst time connections, ports and upgrades. €69.99 price refers to Vodafone prepay FTC connection, price correct at time of publication. Subject to Vodafone network Ts&Cs – see Vodafone.ie. Offer not available in conjunction with any other offer.

GREAT VALUE

RESCUE MISSION: A man carries a girl wounded by what activists say was an air strike by forces loyal to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo’s alAnsari al-Sharqi neighbourhood yesterday

Kiev protesters box clever after Klitschko calls for camp calm by TARIQ TAHIR

HUNDREDS of riot police dismantled protest camps in front of government buildings in Kiev last night. They flooded into the centre of the Ukrainian city as protesters armed themselves in anticipation of violence. But the action passed off peacefully after heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko appealed for calm. The protesters had armed themselves with planks, metal rods and bottles of sunflower oil, hoping to make the officers slip over if they advanced. ‘We call on people to stand their ground, and peacefully, without using force or aggression, to defend their right to live in a free country,’ said Klitschko, who has emerged as one of the leaders of the protests. ‘We are expecting the break-up by police of peaceful demonstrators. ‘If blood is spilled during this dispersing, this blood will be on the hands of the person who ordered it [President

Viktor] Yanukovych,’ he added. Mr Yanukovych prompted the protests by shelving an EU treaty to focus on ties with Russia. Yesterday, he agreed to hold talks Mr Yanukovych to end the crisis. But the olive branch failed to deter opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk from urging people to join the several thousand protesters occupying Independence Square, known as the Maidan. ‘I am turning to all Ukrainians: You must all go to the heart of the Maidan,’ he said. Troops also broke into an opposition party office in central Kiev, seizing its computer servers. This former Soviet republic of 46million people is sharply divided over drawing closer to Russia. Opinion polls, however, show the EU is more popular among Ukrainians than Russia.

Amputee behind 127 Hours story is arrested for assault THE American who became famous after cutting off his arm to free himself when he became trapped by a boulder is in jail after being arrested over allegations of domestic violence. Aron Ralston, 38, was arrested in Denver, Colorado, on charges of assault and ‘wrongs to minors’, which involves exposing a minor to

danger. A woman, Vita Shannon, was also arrested at the same house on the same charges. Ralston was hiking in Utah in 2003 when he became trapped and cut off his arm to free himself. He detailed his struggles in a book, which was adapted into the movie 127 Hours starring James Franco and directed by Danny Boyle.

World

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

digest

‘cosmopolitan’ beauty win RAF supports peacekeepers

Picture: AP

FRAncE: Miss France winner Flora Coquerel (pictured) is ‘proud to represent a cosmopolitan’ country. The Franco-Benise student, 19, said: ‘It shows today’s France is a mixed France.’ Her win on Saturday came after claims other contestants were ‘white as snow’.

EnD OF THE LinE: Men work at the assembly line of the Volkswagen van known as the Kombi, near Sao Paulo. Production of the iconic vehicle will finish on December 31, because VW says it can’t adapt work practices to new safety regulations

Jong-un removes uncle from power The uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been removed amid claims of corruption, drug use and a long list of other ‘anti-state’ acts. The purge ending the career of Jang Song Thaek, the country’s second most powerful official, is the latest in a series of reshuffles that Kim has conducted in an apparent effort to bolster his power. South Korean intelligence said days ago that a purge was likely because two of Mr Jang’s aides had been executed last month for corruption. A recent state documentary in the North had all images

of Mr Jang removed. Mr Jang, who is married to Kim Kyong hui, the sister of the late Kim Jong II, was described by state media as ‘abusing his power’, taking drugs and squandering money at casinos, Purge: Jang having ‘improper relations’ with several women and being ‘wined and dined at back parlours of deluxe restaurants’.

Rebels cleared over protest clashes at soccer match

KUwAiT: Anti-corruption activists who stormed parliament were acquitted of public order offences yesterday. The 70 defendants, including nine ex-MPs, broke in and sang the national anthem in November 2011. Defence lawyer Mohammad al-Jassim, said: ‘We hope this reignites and reunites the opposition.’

BRAZiL: A football match was stopped for more than an hour after fans fought in the stands, prompting police to fire rubber bullets and bring a helicopter on to the field to airlift an injured man to hospital. Atletico Paranaense eventually beat Vasco da Gama 5-1 following a restart after 70minutes.

and finally...

inDOnEsiA: A fire rages after a train crashed into a fuel truck on the outskirts of Jakarta. Seven people died Picture: AP

no conclusions yet in copter crash inquiry by PETER wOODMAn

THe exact cause of last month’s Scottish helicopter tragedy which claimed nine lives is still unclear following an interim report by investigators. The helicopter crashed on to the roof of Glasgow’s The Clutha Vaults on the night of November 29 with a high rate of descent and with low or negligible forward speed, a bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said. But the AAIB added that the weather was good, that so far there was no evidence of engine or gearbox failure and that ‘all significant components were present’ at the time of impact. In addition, the helicopter still had 95 litres of the 400kg of fuel that it had taken off with from Glasgow City Heliport. The AAIB said the twin-engined eurocopter eC 135 aircraft had no flight recorders, nor was required to do so. But there were some noncrash-protected system recordings that could be studied along with radio communications and CCTV recordings. The pilot David Traill, 51, and his two passengers – police officers Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43 – were killed in the crash as were six people inside the pub. The report traced the events of the Friday night of the crash. In good visibility and light winds, the heli-

cEnTRAL AFRicAn REPUBLic: Two RAF planes will deliver equipment to French peacekeepers, British defence secretary Philip Hammond said yesterday. The C17-Hercules will leave during the middle of this month but no British troops will be deployed. About 400 people died in clashes in Bangui last week.

cHinA: A businessman was so keen to show off his nontoxic ‘green’ fire extinguisher that he swallowed a hot curry then sprayed it into his mouth. He wanted to prove how the device – made by his business in Jiangsu province – was ‘100 per cent harmless’.

Christmas Nitelink 2013 Dublin Bus wishes to advise customers that the Christmas Nitelink service will operate as follows: Thursday 12th December 2013 All Nitelink routes will operate at 00:30hrs & 02:00hrs. Friday 13th & Saturday 14th December 2013 All Nitelink routes will operate as per normal weekend service. Tuesday 17th & Wednesday 18th December 2013 All Nitelink routes will operate at 00:30hrs & 02:00hrs.

Tragedy: The wreckage of the police Eurocopter is lifted from the Clutha Vaults in Glasgow following the crash which killed at least nine people last month Picture: PA copter had left Glasgow City Heliport at 8.45pm, travelled to the south side of the city, then on to Dalkeith in Midlothian about 40 miles away, before returning to Glasgow. The pilot had received clearance from air traffic controllers to re-enter the Glasgow control zone at 10.18pm and there were no further radio transmissions received. The AAIB added that radar contact with the helicopter was lost at 10.22pm.

The report continued: ‘Around this time, the helicopter was seen and heard by a witness who described hearing a noise like a loud “misfiring car”, followed by silence’. The witness saw the helicopter descend rapidly and then crash through the roof of the singlestorey bar, the report added. The inquiry would continue, the AAIB said and it promised to report any significant developments.

Thursday 19th, Friday 20th & Saturday 21st December 2013 All Nitelink routes will operate as per normal weekend service. Monday 23rd December 2013 All Nitelink routes will operate at 00:30hrs & 02:00hrs. Friday 27th & Saturday 28th December 2013 All Nitelink routes will operate as per normal weekend service. Tuesday 31st December 2013 All Nitelink routes will operate as per normal weekend service. For route, timetable and departure point information, please visit www.dublinbus.ie Help and contact customercomment@dublinbus.ie #dublinbusnews

(01) 873 4222

Social media monitored from 08:00 – 18:00 Mon-Fri and out of hours during periods of severe disruption. Phone lines open 08:30 - 18:00 hrs Mon-Sat (Excluding Public Holidays).

12 METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Mailbox

Email: Twitter:

mail@metroherald.ie Text: @metrohnews and Facebook: #metromailbox

‘Mail’ to 53131* Facebook.com/ metroherald

Enda has some neck with his tribute to Mandela

aoiseach enda Kenny has some neck paying tribute to Nelson Mandela, who opposed the system of apartheid and devoted his life to bringing about equality for all south african people. While he has been in government, Mr Kenny’s party and Labour have continued Fianna Fáil’s policies of creating an economic apartheid here in ireland, of austerity for the poor and tax breaks for the rich. since the parties have been in power, the gap between rich and poor has widened and Nelson Mandela would be very ashamed of them, as most of the ordinary citizens in ireland are. enda would do well to take a leaf out of his book. Angry Civil Servant

TREnDing

#Kian

● Congrats to #imaceleb champ Kian Egan 4 living without washing, electricity and toilets! Then again that’s what u get when you live in Sligo.

@DustinOfficial

● Am I the only one who saw Kian dribble

*Please include a name and location. Texts cost €0.30 per message + standard network charges. SP. Oxygen8 Communications, 4th Floor, Malt House North, Grand Canal Quay, D2. Customer service number 0818286606

Quick pic Yaaaawwwwww: Maarja Mannik took this picture of a yawning pigeon in Dún Laoghaire at about 5am. It was so early that even the birds were sleepy. Maarja says the photo makes her yawn every time she looks at it. Us too... Send your photos to pictures@ metroherald.ie with ‘Quick pic’ as the subject and we will print the best each day in the paper

■ Dear Maria, Dublin Bus drivers are specifically instructed not to let passengers on or off between stops. it is not an issue of the driver being kind or cruel. if you were to trip or fall getting on or off when the bus wasn’t at a stop, the management would just tell the driver ‘we told you not to do that, this is going to cost the company thousands’. The driver could even be fired. some drivers only let people on or off between stops to please passengers so they won’t complain about them. sometimes, other passengers come up and criticise drivers for not letting someone on, as if they have some right to tell you how to do your job. Darren @metrohnews #metromailbox

during the eating trial yesterday?

@tasha_macgregor

● When Kian followed me, I spilled water on my 100 point project and got an F on it but it was worth it.

@LovingMoran

gOOD On yA ● Thank you so much to the lovely cleaning lady in Connolly who found my red purse last Friday. Hope you and yours have the best Christmas ever.

Amanda

● Thank you to the kind man who pried my leg from the Luas doors the other week.

Terry Berry

RAnDOM AcTs Of kinDnEss

■ To the two D4 chaps who carried on a loud conversation on the Dart about the girls they had sex with, you utterly disgust me. Bernadette, Kildare ■ Hey adult skateboarders, get a bike and grow up. David

● To the guy I met on DIT open day on Saturday. You asked me where the restaurant was and I got lost although I’m here two years now. It was deffo because of your eyes. Get in touch.

Blonde

● The young Nelson Mandela… Just sayin’.

Looker

■ Dear disgusted female, women do stuff like that too, not just ‘boys and men’. Fedupwithpresumptuous

The Moon is escaping the Earth... Find out more dartofphysics.ie

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

Shake the room: The new UE Boom speaker is perfect for boosting the audio on your mobile. See TECH & GAMING p17

The not-so-humble pie

Chloe Scott tests top recipes to cook the ultimate mince pies

o adored are these festive favourites, you’ll even find mince piemakers competing for world records. There was the €3,500 one containing the most refined ingredients from recipes dating to the 1600s, the intricately-designed crust lovingly cut with lasers. Another set made last year were €25,000 for six, the filling including foie gras and white truffles. Exorbitant one-offs aside, they’re humble pies. In Elizabethan times, they were made with meat and dried fruit and called ‘shred pies’. Before then, they were eaten by medieval folk as chewettes of chopped liver. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s recipe in The River Cottage Year cookbook (Hodder & Stoughton) features real mincemeat. The beef mince ‘makes some people squeamish but really it’s “invisible”,’ he explains. on making them, the spices and camphorous preserved ginger with sweet meat gives them an Arabian nudge, they’re even a little Moroccan pastilla-y. Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar at Benares gives me his recipe with garam masala. The distinct spiciness of the ground cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom and coriander benefits the fruit, sugar and candied citrus peels.

Prince among mince pies: The best have a simple, light pastry stuffed with an intricate flavoursome filling on a fresh fruit tip, many promote the use of apples. It makes sense: they’re in season and the faintly acidic, tangy aromatic notes are essential to balancing all that sugar. I want a filling that’s rich, fresh, boozy and fruity. The orange and lemon zest’s citrus-freshness is needed too. I try an array of pastries. In the Ultimate Christmas Feast

cookbook (Ebury), Gordon Ramsay suggests using 00 flour. The durum wheat flour is stronger, which affects the gluten formation in the pastry. It’s certainly a texture-changer. Some use little butter. Surely the more butter, the better? others brandish ground almonds. My almond ones have a stickier texture, good for marzipan-lovers. Then there’s vanilla essence. I eat so many and

ENJOY THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS AT T H E B R A S S E R I E AT T H E M A R K E R Perfect for a festive lunch with friends or a stellar gourmet dinner with work colleagues. Start with a bellini or some warm spiced cider on the rooftop bar*, before the main event - our lavish Festive Menu. Lunch menus from €27 and Dinners menus from €28. * Subject to availability and weather permitting.

The Marker Hotel, Grand Canal Square, Docklands, Dublin 2, Ireland. Browse our Festive Menu and book online at themarkerhoteldublin.com Contact brasserie@themarker.ie or talk to us at 01 687 5193

end up concluding the more elaborate the pastry, the more it clashes with the many flavours in the intricate filling. I want my pastry fluttering light, crumbly in the mouth, simple. Kochhar’s pastry, shamelessly rife with butter, is best, allowing the vibrant filling to shine. You can get creative with accompaniments – call me dull, but I end up swearing by brandy butter.

BOOK ONLINE themarkerhotel dublin.com or talk to us at

01 687 5193

finAL REcipE ingREDiEnTs makes 18 For the pastry 350g plain flour ♦ 230g cold butter, cut into cubes ♦ 100g golden caster sugar ♦ 1tsp orange zest ♦ 1 egg, beaten For the filling 100ml brandy ♦ 60g raisins ♦ 60g sultanas ♦ 50g soft brown sugar ♦ 60g beef suet ♦ 25g preserved ginger, finely chopped ♦ 1tbsp ginger syrup from the jar ♦ 1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped ♦ 30g mixed candied peel ♦½tsp orange zest ♦ ¾tsp lemon zest ♦ 10 marron glacés, chopped roughly ♦ ½ tsp ground mixed spice ♦ 1 generous pinch of nutmeg ♦ 1 pinch garam masala METHOD step 1 To make the mincemeat, mix all the filling ingredients together. Leave overnight in the fridge. It will last for a good few weeks if you want to make them in advance. step 2 To make the pastry, rub the cold butter with the flour, caster sugar, zest and a pinch of salt. Combine the pastry into a ball. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later. step 3 To construct the pies, first grease two 12-hole muffin trays. Press small walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole, filling 18 in total. You’ll have pastry left for the tops. Spoon in the boozy mincemeat evenly, as much as possible, into each pastry case. Now make slightly smaller balls than before and squash them between your mitts to make the lids. Place them on top of each pie. Press down the edges well. At this point, the pies can be frozen for up to a month. step 4 Preheat oven to 190C. If cooking now, brush the pastry with the egg wash. Bake for 20mins or until pastry is golden. Allow to cool a little. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Serve with brandy butter.

14 METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

christmas cookbooks

1. Chapter One: An Irish Food Story by Ross

Lewis (€40, Gill & Macmillan) Even a term as lofty as institution seems somewhat flat in describing the beloved Michelin-starred restaurant Chapter One on Parnell Square. To celebrate 21 years, co-owner and head chef Ross Lewis has penned one of the most attractive cookbooks of the year, which looks as good resting on a coffee table as it does splattered with flour in your kitchen. It’s the ideal gift for anyone ambitious enough to try Michelin-styled food at home. Star recipe: Pig’s tail stuffed with Fingal Ferguson’s bacon and razor clams, basil purée with land cress & mustard lime fruit.

It’s been a great year for cookbooks, with offerings from celebrity chefs, established food writers and talented bloggers – making the task of gift selection tasty but tricky. EMMA STURGESS picks the best

Perfect Host by Felicity Cloake (€25, Fig Tree) Entertaining can be a messy business and Felicity Cloake’s second book is the perfect guide to pulling it off without having a heart attack. As well as recipes grouped into menus that work both on the table and in the kitchen, she offers advice on the nitty gritty of having people round, from choosing booze to getting rid of them at the end of the night. Star recipe: Pulled pork and black bean chilli with Tex Mex slaw.

6. A Suitcase And A Spatula

by Tori Haschka (€23, Ryland, Peters & Small) Well-travelled blogger Tori Haschka’s first book is a collection of recipes from her favourite destinations. Written with dash and confidence, it’s a good dip-in read for armchair travellers and as much a tribute to the joys of eating out as the pleasures of cooking. Star recipe: Corn popovers with tomato-bacon relish.

7. The Irish Beef Book by James

Whelan and Katy McGuinness (€25, Gill & Macmillan) A fifth-generation butcher from Clonmel, James Whelan will be familiar to discerning Dublin carnivores thanks to his shop at the Avoca Food Market in Monkstown. In The Irish Beef Book he has collaborated with food writer Katy McGuinness and offers an excellent primer on various cattle breeds, champions overlooked or ‘cheap’ cuts and makes an exceptionally persuasive case for the merits of Irish cattle over their foreign counterparts. Star recipe: Perfect roast beef.

3. The Weekend Chef by Catherine

Fulvio (€23, Gill & Macmillan) Renowned for championing Italian food, in her fourth cookbook Wicklow-based Fulvio takes a break from Mediterranean dishes and presents a clutch of casual, globetrotting recipes for unfussy chefs. Conveniently subdivided into sections such as Movie Night, Baking Day and Tapas Night, it’s the ideal stocking filler for harried urbanites who want to impress guests without spending endless hours in the kitchen. Star recipe: Parsnip & Hazelnut Loaf.

8. Amazing Grains by Ghillie James

(€30, Kyle Books) You don’t have to be a goodie twoshoes to love the bite and interest of a grain, and Ghillie James has all the recipes you’ll ever need for them. She lives in Singapore and the book has a refreshing international tone alongside great hunks of information about each grain and its benefits. Veggies and seekers of substantial salads and interesting sides will find plenty to conjure with. Star recipe: Pork fillet with prunes, mustard and barley.

4. Big Table Busy Kitchen by Allegra

McEvedy (€30, Quercus) Not quite a cookery course but certainly a book anyone can learn from, Allegra McEvedy’s collection of ‘recipes for life’ is big, lively and crammed with useful ideas. In situations where the cook might once have turned to Darina, Big Table Busy Kitchen will offer a more contemporary solution. Dedicated to her daughter, it’s a cookbook with an unashamedly emotional streak. Star recipe: Toad in the hole with cidery onions.

Freeze by Justine Pattison (€23, W&N) A true expert in the art of the recipe, Justine Pattison shows how to turn your freezer from fish-finger graveyard to well-

celebrate christmas with friends, family or work colleagues!

Party Voucher

Prepay for your Christmas Party and get 200 worth of delicious food and drink from our Special Christmas Evening Menu э

All for just 175! э

Purchase only online at www.peperina.ie

Ranelagh ’s best kept secret

organised enabler of vibrant homecooked meals. It might not sound sexy but this is every time-pressed urbanite’s ticket to eating well. Her tips on freezer-filling make everything easy and efficient, and the recipes are guaranteed people-pleasers. Star recipe: Lemongrass pork curry.

Indulgent treats to serve with love

Istanbul by Rebecca Seal (€30, Hardie Grant) Rebecca Seal’s love letter to Turkey’s largest and most fascinating city is beautifully designed, with vibrant photography by Steven Joyce. Recipes culled from their many visits to Istanbul leap off the page but Seal is practical enough to suggest ways to create flavours without hard-to-find ingredients. Star recipe: Tavades patates salatsi, or spiced potatoes.

10.

101 Sandwiches by Helen Graves (€15, Dog’n’Bone) Great fun and almost stocking fillersized, this is a celebration of sandwiches in all their forms by a blogger with extremely high standards. Graves has gathered together a brilliantly diverse century of sandwiches and is bold enough to suggest a bit of project cooking if it will benefit the finished dish. Like breakfast, sandwiches are a matter of personal taste, and the book is – as it should be – filled with Graves’s own well-researched preferences. Star recipe: Lobster roll.

kitchen gifts

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

features@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010

Gifts that will rise above the rest 1. Jamie Oliver Pressure Cooker €159.95, www.arnotts.ie

Give Catherine Phipps’s clever Pressure Cooker Cookbook (€27.50, www. eason.ie) with this elegant autocuiseur and the recipient will soon be knocking up everything from delicate Parmesan custards to super-speedy risottos and braises.

2. Carton House Range

From Brown Thomas and www. cartonhouseshop.com

Executive chef Cathal Kavanagh of Carton House in Maynooth has helmed a mouth-watering festive range (pictured) for the foodie in your family. Check out a piquant ham glaze (€6), impressively buttery cookies (€6), The Carton House

Cookbook (€12.95), mulled wine (€16) and many other treats which can be purchased individually or in a bespoke hamper.

3. A Work In Progress By René Redzepi

€49.54, www.shop ireland.ie

With the publication of this neat trio of books, it’s now easier to get into René Redzepi’s head than into his restaurant. The owner and head chef at Noma wrote a year’s journal, which is included here with a recipe book and a

collection of snapshots.

4. Michel Roux Jr Chef’s Pan

€77, www.amazon.com

The Frenchman’s collaboration with eco cookware company GreenPan has produced some sexy but practical pans in tri-ply stainless steel. The chef’s pan is versatile and capacious, with sloping sides to make room for nifty whisking.

5. Nest 100 Food Preparation Set

€119, www. josephjoseph.com or see Clerys for wide-range of Joseph Joseph products

Bakers with more enthusiasm than space will be bowled over by this shiny set of two non-slip stainless steel mixing bowls, sieve, colander and measuring cups. They are part of the firm’s poshed-up tenth anniversary premium range.

of cupboard space. Lyons’s work will also be for sale at the Designer Dublin Christmas Market at College Green on Dec 19, www.dceb. ie.

Purveyors of the most covetable kitchen and home accessories in Dublin, Makers & Brothers have recently

€358. www. houseof fraser. co.uk

Dualit’s first stand mixer does it all in style. It’s got a big bowl, powerful motor, 12speed settings and an instant pause function for adding ingredients or just checking the mixture.

opened a pop-up on Dame Lane. This polished stainless steel cafetière makes a superb brew and is a feast for the eyes.

9. Round The World Chilli Tour

€41, www.sous chef.co.uk

There’s a whole world of heat out there and it’s represented in this collection of chilli peppers, powders and pastes – some alarmingly hot.

€15, www.grainnelyonsdesign.com

This is the perfect little stocking filler for the oenophile in your life. Irish designer Gráinne Lyons’s Bouquet is a wine glass holder that sits over the neck of any plonk bottle and is great for display purposes, especially if you’re short

FAAT BAAT Dawson Street continues to capitalise on its reputation as a foodie hub with the recent launch of Faat Baat, a New Yoik-style pan-Asian restaurant which should make a canny choice for festive fraternising. Sharing plates are the order of the day and the drinks menu sees an oriental take on classic coktails in the guise of Ginger Mojitos and Lychee Martinis, among other boozy staples. Night owls take note: the attendant Gogo Bar remains open until 2am on weekends. 35 Dawson Street D2. Tel: (01) 677 4444. www.faatbaat.ie

€98, www. makersand brothers.com

7. Dualit Stand Mixer

6. Bouquet wineglass holder

FOOD NEWs

8. Freud cafetière

WiNE TWEET Fergus O’Halloran of The Twelve Hotel in Bearna, Co Galway is one of the most talented sommeliers in the country so it’s no surprise The Twelve has taken the Wine Spectator Award For Excellence for the sixth year running. Fergus (pictured) will be taking to Twitter tomorrow to offer advice on choosing top wines over the festive period. Just tweet @twelvehotel and include #XmasWine and expect wine tips from one of the industry’s most respected oenophiles. The Twelve Hotel, Bearna, Co. Galway Tel: (091) 597000 www.thetwelvehotel.ie

cHRisTMAs TippLE Mistletoe Martini

Ivan King, bar and Lounge manger from No 27 Bar at The Shelbourne Hotel, has won us over with his festive Mistletoe Martini – as satisfyingly crisp as rolling about on a fresh blanket of snow. Call in and sample it at The Shelbourne or try making it yourself

INGREDIENTS: White Christmas, cream, vanilla vodka, Amaretto, crème du cacao, Grenadine, three raspberries, milk chocolate stick.

METHOD:

1. Pour 35.5ml Vanilla vodka, 20ml cream, 15ml Amaretto, 15ml Crème de cacao (white) into a shaker with ice and shake well for 20 seconds. 2. Add a dash of Grenadine. 3. Garnish with three raspberries on a milk chocolate stick.

Give a Cooks Academy Gift Voucher this Christmas. Because the gift of cooking will last a lifetime. 19 South William Street, Dublin 2. Telephone: +353 [0]1 611 1666 Email: info@CooksAcademy.com

www.cooksacademy.com

16 METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Life television WHAT I’M WATCHInG

Good ol’ Freda – The BeaTles’ secreTary More4, 9pM

dJ Phil clifton

The story of The Beatles has been told from many angles but here to give the tale of the Fab Four a fresh spin is Freda Kelly (pictured with ringo Starr and George Harrison), who ran their fan club from their early Cavern days. It’s a treat for pop nostalgists, a medley of rare photos and memories provided by the woman who was closer to the lads than almost anyone as they rose to global fame.

scandal

This is possibly the best show I’ve ever seen. It’s a US drama about a woman called Olivia (Kerry Washington, below), who runs a law firm that tries to resolve cases out of court, often through illegal means. It seemed quite fun initially and it has now turned into a total addiction.

Game oF Thrones

I’m a fan of sci-fi and fantasy anyway but there’s something about how Game Of Thrones, starring Jack Gleeson and Natalie Dormer (below), combines fantasy with gore; this is another show that doesn’t pull any punches. It’s real water-cooler TV.

The X FacTor

Film oF The day knockeD up, ITV2, 10pm

A cautionary tale for the Christmas party season. This modern romcom classic casts Katherine Heigel as an ambitious TV career girl out celebrating her big-break promotion. After three tequilas too many she ends up having a one night stand with the nice, but slobby, stranger (Seth Rogan, above with Heigel) she met in a bar. She finds she’s pregnant. The rest of the film charts the fallout as she decides to keep the baby – but will she keep the baby daddy?

PorTraiT arTisT oF The year SKy ArTS 1, 8pM It’s brushes – and all manner of media – at the ready as the four finalists, including Donegal-based artist Selena mowat, in the portraiture knockout competition do battle for a £10,000 commission to produce a study of Booker prize-winning author Hilary mantel, the result of which will find a space on the wall of the British Library’s permanent collection. Joan Bakewell and Frank Skinner (right) talk us through the closing frames in the path to artistic fame and fortune that awaits the winner.

I think this year’s has been brilliant: having Sharon Osbourne (below) back as a judge has been excellent. I’ve fallen head over heels with Sam Bailey and I liked Tamera Foster, too: I thought it was sad when she went.

my FavouriTe Tv characTer

díol É TG4, 8pM

hesTon’s GreaT BriTish Food C4, 9pM

This week on the show where people turn their unwanted junk into hard cash, Conchubhair and Conall come to the rescue of artist and actress Caitríona Ní Threasaigh, from Blackrock in Dublin. Caitríona hopes to get rid of items from her past which are taking up space in her home and make a fresh start in her life.

Heston takes inspiration from Doctor Who and hops into a phone box, whizzing back in time to check out the origins of dishes such as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Tonight it’s all about fish and chips. So who first put fried fish with deep-fried sticks of potato? Heston’s off to the Industrial Revolution to find out.

I love Carrie from Homeland. You end up loving/hating her – it’s a total battle with your inner self. It’s a fascinatingly written character and I think Claire Danes (left) portrays her tenacity brilliantly. Sharon Lougher Phil Clifton can be heard on UK XFM on Friday nights, 7pm to 10pm, and on Sundays 10am to 1pm. XFM is available on UPC and Sky Ireland.

tech&gaming REviEwED hp envy rove 20 how about a desktop computer that boots up instantly, is rechargable and portable? Well that’s exactly what hp offers with the all-in-one hp envy rove 20. running Windows 8, this touchscreen tablet-like computer sits securely on your desk with the help of a kick-stand, but is portable enough to carry from room to room. Weighing more than 12lbs, it’s not a laptop replacement though. It also comes with a really nice wireless keyboard (with number pad) and a wireless mouse. out of the box, it’s simple to set up, although deploying the kickstand did take a bit of exploration. The screen can also lie flat if your purpose is family games rather than work, and it comes loaded with a number of multiplayer games, such as Monopoly. It boots up instantly, like a touchscreen tablet, into Windows 8’s signature colourful tile design. There’s also a traditional desktop option and once you’ve mastered Windows 8, it’s easy to switch between the two. Windows 8 is a new concept of operating system and was much easier to navigate on the envy rove 20 than on other tablet and mobile devices, with the touchscreen and mouse combo accidentally revealing shortcuts. Beats Audio is also included, with the speaker ideally placed at the front of the screen. Sound, as usual, is enhanced with a decent pair of headphones. While not full hD, the screen in the envy rove 20 is crisp and clear and good for work as well as play. The computer runs the 4th Generation Intel Core i3M and it’s fast and responsive. one criticism is the lack of a clock on the screen in full Windows 8 mode, but other than that, I absolutely loved this all-in-one from hp. Joanne Ahern HP Envy Rove 20, €1,099, currys.ie

Ue BooM WIreLeSS speakers are the type of tech you never knew you needed until you get them. While even the best mobile phones can be left wanting in the audio department, a wireless speaker can open up a whole new avenue and Ue is marketing the Boom as ‘the first-ever social music player’, with stereo 360degree sound. The cylindrical Boom is cool and understated, with a ‘skin’ that is both water and stain resistant, and Ue says the rechargable battery will last for 15 hours. It paired easily with my mobile, sound quality was excellent and I’m taking my Spotify subscription to the max. While most households will be happy with just one Boom, frequent party hosts will love that two can be wirelessly connected to take the music even further. JA UE Boom, Apple Retail Stores, Apple Online and www. ultimateears. com, €199

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

editorial@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010

Slick, sleek and seductive

Speed demon: Gran Turismo 6 breathes more life into the PS3 The start of a new generation of consoles tends to see the least-refined games released on the latest platform and the most accomplished on the old, as developers get to grips with the change. That dichotomy is evident in the new PS3 version of Gran Turismo. That’s partly down to the graphics, which are phenomenal. It’s also because the attention to detail and depth of simulation seem impossible for hardware that is now seven years old. Whether an accurately simulated night sky – including the exact position of every star – is essential for a good driving game is open to debate. The feature is proof there’s no length developer Polyphony Digital won’t go to create the most authentic simulation possible. The only thing that isn’t accurately represented is damage to cars, with vehicles invul-

THE Big RELEAsE gran turismo 6 PS3 HHHH✩

but sterile backdrops of previous games. And further refinements have been made to the handling, giving a weightier, more realistic feel to the vehicles where appropriate – this varies depending on the car you’re driving. Considering there are now about 1,200 vehicles, as well as 33 tracks and 71 layouts, you’re getting your money’s worth. And yet, at the same time, it feels like what Gran Turismo 5 should have been.If Polyphony Digital had got that game right, perhaps Gran Turismo 6 would have been a PlayStation 4 launch title. David Jenkins

nerable during all but the most serious crashes, so much so that the most severe impact is on the sense of realism. The simplistic artificial intelligence also remains a serious flaw, especially when compared with rival Forza Motorsport 5’s new Drivatar system. However, there has been a concerted effort to address the other flaws of Gran Turismo 5: now there’s a much more defined progression structure, simpler menus and faster loading 12 Crown Alley St. 13 St. Andrews St. 14 St. Leinster St. times. The track environments seem more interactive, too, Traditional style Christmas instead of only featuring pretty

gifts for everyone

ALsO OuT more new releaSeS Bravely Default (3DS) is a musthave for fans of old-fashioned turn-based combat RPGs. Not only does the hand-drawn art style in the game (above) look particularly good in 3D, there are some novel twists to the battle system, allowing you to quickly dispose of lesser enemies and make a stand against ones more powerful than you. The mysteriously delayed scribblenauts unlimited (Wii U/ 3DS) has arrived. The puzzler is based on you typing words that instantly manifest on the screen,

Traditional Gifts

allowing you to conjure such things as an ‘evil purple zombie dragon’. Other releases include Disney film tie-in Frozen: olaf’s Quest (DS/3DS) and keep-fit game Zumba Kids (Wii). Pac-man museum (360/PS3) and Agatha Christie-style adventure the raven: Legacy of a master thief (360/PS3) are online. DJ

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18 Metro herald Tuesday, December 10, 2013

travel

features@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010

A mountain sit-in Ski-biking: The véloski offers a sit-down alternative to skiing and boarding in the Lake Annecy Ski Resorts. Lara Dunn climbs on board

off piste Some moRe Snowy ADvenTuReS

Aside from skiing, snowboarding and hurling yourself down mountains on a bike, there are plenty of other weird and wonderful things to do in the Lake Annecy Ski Resorts. Ski Joëring has to be one of the strangest things I’ve ever tried. Being dragged on skis by a cantering horse is terrifying but exhilarating – and thank goodness for the special poo traps the horses wear. If that’s still not odd enough, there’s the Bun J Ride, a ski jump while attached to two bungee cords.

’ve not had this much reckless fun since I was ten years old. I’ve been skiing since my late teens, even committing to working a season as a snack-bar slave to fuel my addiction, but this is a whole different way of enjoying the snow. I’m halfway down a blue run in Le Grand-Bornand in the Lake Annecy Ski Resorts, and I’m on a bike. True, it doesn’t have any wheels but if you squint, you could almost mistake it for a slightly shonky fullsuspension mountain bike. This is the offspring of a mountain bike and a pair of skis, so there are small blades where the wheels would normally be. The upshot is that you ride it just as you would an average bike, except on snow. Ski-biking, or véloski, as it’s known locally, has been around for a while but the vS bikes made here in the Aravis region in eastern France have shaken things up a bit. The difference is they have brakes, meaning more fun and less peril. Having picked up my bike from Le Chinaillon in Le Grand-Bornand, I’m now heading up on one of the chairlifts with Jean-Francois (or ‘Jef’), my École du Ski Français guide and véloski instructor. The lift guards transport the bikes up the piste so all that’s left for me to do is

On yer bike: Lara Dunn took the weight off her knees and tried véloskiing down the Aravis mountains in the French Alps

climb on to the chairlift. Shuffling off at the top, I am soon encouraged to climb on the véloski and start straight down a green. Using my feet to change direction and for stability, I’m soon meandering down the slope, grinning slightly nervously.

After just half an hour or so, I have progressed to employing the ‘advanced technique’ of leaning into the turns instead of using my feet, allowing greater speed and control. It’s a technique that genuinely does feel like a cross between mountain biking and skiing. Increasingly, I find I’m using the snow-anchor brake less and less, attaining what feel like reckless but are actually quite well controlled speeds down the ski runs. It’s so quiet out here that even on a sunny day in February I’m still not getting in anyone’s way and, thankfully, nobody is getting in mine. I’ve now binned zigzagging backwards and forwards slowly, taking up all available space, in favour of straight-line speed-demon tactics, and it feels great. I slam on the brake and come to a stop at the bottom of the piste in a shower of snow, feeling like I’ve just thrown my Chopper into the world’s most impressive skid.

travel deals of the week

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n Destination: Antarctic Circle Price: From €7,999 per person Details: 15 nights, departing March 7, 2014. Seven full days exploring the Antarctic Peninsula, with 12 nights on board the MS Expedition, with one night in Ushuaia. All meals included on board. Excursions plus clothing included. Price includes flights, accommodation and sightseeing as per itinerary. Contact: Sunway, tel: (01) 231 1800. www.sunway.ie n Destination: Great Wall of China Price: From €1,739 Details: Explore Beijing, trek the Great Wall, visit rural villages. Price includes flights, accommodation (hotel for four nights and simple guesthouses for five), eight breakfasts, four lunches, five dinners, interior travel, Great Wall entrances, guided tours, tea

ceremony, Chinese cooking class, tai chi lessons. Departs April 20, 2014. Contact: Sunway, tel: (01) 231 1800. www.sunway.ie n Destination: Gran Canaria Price: €239 per person Details: Seven nights at the three-star Puerto Plata apartments on a selfcatering basis. Price includes flights, accommodation, transfers, taxes and charges. Contact: Sunway, tel: (01) 231 1800. www.sunway.ie n Destination: Lanzarote Price: €199 per person Details: Six nights at the two-star Puertocarmen apartments on a selfcatering basis. Price includes flights, accommodation, transfers, taxes and charges. Travel Dec 15. Contact: Sunway, tel: (01) 231 1800. www.sunway.ie

More sedate is snowshoeing around the tranquil area above Le Grand-Bornand. Passing by chalets that have stood virtually unchanged for hundreds of years, you can catch the magical views of the jagged chain of the Aravis mountain range (pictured below) and spot ibex, chamois and even eagles. It’s a perfect way to spend a quiet couple of hours.

Food also features highly in this area, which is the home of reblochon cheese, and a decadent evening of tasting courses at Confins des Sens restaurant in Le GrandBornand is an unmissable experience. Jef tips me off as to which lifts are equipped to carry ski-bikes and it turns out I’ve got more than enough to entertain me for the rest of the afternoon. Granted, it’s probably not something I’d want to do for a whole week but, as a break from skiing it’s ideal, especially as it’s not so hard on the knees. From now on, I’d certainly factor an afternoon of véloski into any ski itinerary. It’s very inclusive: Jef tells me about a woman in her sixties who didn’t feel up to skiing with her husband but wanted to accompany him in the mountains. With the ski-bike she could do just that. It’s also open to children as young as ten, making it an unusual family activity. Jef’s proud of the fact that by the end of my hour with him, I’ve still not managed to break his perfect score of no falls or crashes throughout several years of véloski instruction. I’m clearly not trying hard enough – now where’s the mogul field? Getting there: Aer Lingus fly to Geneva (see www.aerlingus.com for schedule and prices). Lara travelled with Ski Weekender (www. skiweekender.com), staying at the Aravis Lodge in St-Jean-de-Sixt. Prices start at €520 per person for a four-day long weekend, or €350 per person for a three-day midweek break. Prices include transfers (airport and in resort), lift pass and chalet board catering (breakfast, afternoon tea and three-course evening meal with wine). A half-day hire of a Véloski is €20, and an hour’s instruction with ESF costs €37. www.lakeannecy-skiresorts.com

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

20 METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

puzzles

METROSCOPE by Patrick Arundell

NEMI by Lise

Aries Mar 21 – Apr 20

There is a good chance the things you encounter can have an exciting quality that makes you curious to know more. A Mercury/Uranus link can see you seeking out knowledge that can enhance your life and bring fresh opportunities. For your forecast, call 15609 114 70

Taurus Apr 21 – May 21

Scorpio Oct 24 – Nov 22

Gemini May 22 – Jun 21

For your forecast, call 15609 114 77

You may get an unexpected invite that sizzles with potential. Along with this, your computer might be your best friend, bringing you into contact with information or people that can positively inspire you Gemini. For your forecast, call 15609 114 72

Cancer Jun 22 – Jul 23

A highly stimulating planetary transit may be a blessing in disguise if it puts you in touch with untapped potential. You can find yourself programmed for excitement, seeing you up for taking on a major challenge. Don’t rush in too quickly.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 73

Leo Jul 24 – Aug 23

Conversations can have an electric quality that you may find appealing. Today’s line-up might also include a chance to catch up on gossip, as well as an opportunity to connect with someone who may be a mine of upto-the-minute information.

PEARLS BEFORE SwINE

For your forecast, call 15609 114 76

A developing link between Jupiter and Saturn might coincide with a renewed determination to see a goal through to the end. Your willingness to stick at this task, combined with your optimism, can see you ready to make a final push. For your forecast, call 15609 114 71

METROKU Easy, Moderate and Challenging. For solutions, visit Metro.co.uk/metroku

inspire you to explore more than your usual environs and get tuned into ideas that have a futuristic quality. A conversation may also throw up an opportunity with exciting consequences. You may feel a longing to try an experience that might be a bit of a challenge and could catapult you out of your comfort zone. Though you can have a few reservations about this, you may feel it’s worth a try anyway.

Sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 21

Your insights can be strong today, and some may come out of the blue, as Mercury in your sign connects with the electrifying vibes of Uranus. You may make a move on someone you like, or push a project that has a creative, yet cutting edge to it. For your forecast, call 15609 114 78

Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20

There can be one or two disruptions today that may catch you off guard. Sometimes, such happenings can be a push to take action and may help quickly resolve a problem. Pay attention to any hunches you get. For your forecast, call 15609 114 79

Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19

You may be keen to seek out stimulating people in a social setting, and might make one or two friends today with your razor sharp wit. This positive energy might see you connecting with far-sighted people.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 74

For your forecast, call 15609 114 80

Virgo Aug 24 – Sep 23

Pisces Feb 20 – Mar 20

A positive emotional connection may be enough to convince you that you can work together with this person. This can be the kind of situation in which it may have taken some time to build up trust between you. However, once it’s there, this can provide untold support For your forecast, call 15609 114 75

You may get some thrilling news today that could be unexpected but welcome. Such an opportunity could enhance your progress with a goal. You may decide the very thrill of taking on a big challenge like this is a must. For your forecast, call 15609 114 81

Libra Sep 24 – Oct 23

3 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 18 20 21 24 25 26 27

Convey (9) Catch sight of (4) Extended (9) Wool coat (6) Series (5) Wireless (5) Rim (4) Performs (5) Dull heavy sound (4) Unspoken (5) Perch (5) Fix (6) Terrible (9) Shortly (4) Austerity (9)

DOWN 1 2 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 13 17 19 22 23 24

Pierce (9) Pomp (9) Ceremony (4) Very poor (5) Preserve in brine (6) Spool (4) Exclusive story (5) Marine map (5) Training (9) Apposite (9) Purloin (5) Evasive person (6) Lustrous silk fabric (5) Worry (4) Ado (4)

Yesterday’s Solutions Across: 1 Aids; 3 Disperse; 8 Type; 9 Starting; 11 Instructions; 13 Entity; 14 Rubber; 17 Perspiration; 20 Adroitly; 21 Itch; 22 Delights; 23 Less. Down: 1 Attained; 2 Deposit; 4 Intact; 5 Particular; 6 Reign; 7 Edge; 10 Protesting; 12 Trenches;; 15 Brittle; 16 Billet; 18 Enrol; 19 Raid.

Astrology calls cost 1.27 euros per min from a BT landline. Live Services cost 2.40 euros per minute. Calls from mobiles/other networks may cost more. Callers must be 18 or over to use this service and have the bill payers permission. For entertainment purposes only. All calls are recorded. PhonePayPlus regulated(ComReg in ROI) UK SP: StreamLive Ltd, NR7 0HR, 08700 234 567. ROI SP:Moveda, 1 Courtyard Business Park, Orchard Lane, Blackrock, Co Dublin, 0818 241 398

ENIGMA Kind of virus that can strike Machines and humankind alike. Also means an insect or A kind of pest you can’t ignore. WHO AM I? An actress, I was born in France in 1975. I have been a spokesperson for Greenpeace. My films include A Good Year and Inception, and I played the singer Édith Piaf in the film La Vie En Rose.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? WHO… wrote the novel Flamingo Feather in 1955? WHAT... do we call an invertebrate whose body is divided into head, thorax and abdomen? WHERE... in Africa is Massawa the chief port? WHEN... was the European Court of Justice set up?

SCRIBBLE BOX

ACROSS

For a live one-to-one consultation with one of my gifted psychics, call 15809 113 68 or 1800 719 688 to book using credit card

QuIz

Crossword No. 876 See next edition for solutions

QUIZ ANSWERS: ENIGMA: Bug. WHO AM I? Marion Cotillard. WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? Laurens van der Post; An insect; Eritrea; 1952.

QUICK CROSSwORd

A dazzling planetary alliance can

rugby

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD

Heads up: Richard Finlay, Ulster Rugby, Dr Rod McLoughlin, IRFU and Simon Keogh, IRUPA, launch the guide

New IRFU guide on concussion aims to tackle serious issue

After A neAr perfect performance by Ian Madigan and his Leinster team mates at the weekend, the versatile playmaker is happy to have waited for his chance to impress. With new star Jimmy Goperth impressing since his arrival, Madigan has been forced to wait in the wings, but says he remained patient and confident his time would come. ‘It would have been easy to let myself get frustrated, but I’ve just dealt with things week on week,’ says Madigan. ‘I didn’t look at the first Heineken Cup game of the season and say “here’s my big chance and now it’s gone”. Likewise when Jimmy got the second start against Castres, I was more focusing on what I could improve on myself. now I’ve got a few games under my belt and I seem to be going well enough.’ talking about the win over northampton and the message it sends out to the rest of europe, he says:

Miracle needed for England Ashes win

Madigan happy with week on week approach ‘It was a big statement. to go away in the Heineken Cup and pick up five points is definitely going to send out a message to europe.’ Asked about how he fits into Matt O’Connor’s plans for the future, Madigan is reluctant to rest on his laurels and stresses the fact that he and Gopperth, as well as the rest of the squad is kept on their toes, with

Taking his chance: Madigan impressed against Saints but knows nobody’s place is secure

competition having a positive effect. ‘the coach would never be looking past the upcoming game, so he wouldn’t have the edinburgh game picked for next week for example, he’s just focused on this week. ‘It’s very much been on a week to week basis, but myself and Jimmy are really working together.’

Healy the only doubt when Saints come marching in

Healy: Injury doubt

Cian Healy is leinster’s only major doubt for this weekend’s return fixture against northampton as he awaits the results of scans on the ankle injury suffered in training prior to Saturday’s thrashing of the Saints at Franklin’s Gardens. Flanker Sean O’Brien is expected to be fit for the aviva Stadium rematch, having picked up a dead leg during the 40-7 triumph, but Healy was getting about on

spORT DigEsT Lam wants repeat of immense win Rugby Connacht coach Pat Lam admits his side must put on a repeat performance next Saturday if they want to beat Heineken Cup rivals Toulouse for a second time in a week. The Galway outfit pulled off a big win with a 16-14 over triumph over the French side at Stade Ernest Wallon to put them back in the hunt for a quarter-final place. The victory takes the Irish province to within one point of the top in Pool 3 – held by Toulouse and Saracens on ten points. Lam knows the side must play with the same belief as they did to win on Sunday, saying: ‘Now we have to go and do the same in our backyard.’

THE Irish Rugby Football Union has launched a new concussion guide to educate those playing, supporting or officiating rugby on how to recognise the signs and symptoms of concussion. Warning that ignoring symptoms and continuing to train or play can in rare instances be fatal, A Guide To Concussion In Rugby Union outlines four simple, important, messages: 1. Stop – A player with a suspected concussion must be removed and must not return to the field. 2. Inform – A player with suspected concussion should report it to a medic, coach, teammate, friend or family member and be properly assessed and managed. They must not be left alone. 3. Rest – A player with a concussion must undertake a mandatory rest period as per IRFU guidelines. 4. Return – A player with a concussion must follow the IRFU Graduated Return to Play protocols and should be medically cleared prior to returning to full contact. The guide is downloadable from www. irishrugby.ie/medical and will be distributed to every rugby-playing school and club in the coming weeks. by gARETH MAkiM

crutches yesterday and assistant coach Richie Murphy said: ‘Cian had a scan on his ankle. He’s not looking fantastic and is probably a doubt for the weekend.’ While leinster fear bad news over their ireland prop, a future international front row looks set to commit his future to leinster this week. Martin Moore expects to sign a new deal ‘in the next few days’, easing concerns that rumoured

offers from england and France were set to poach away one of the province’s emerging stars next summer. ‘it’s always good to have interest,’ the 22-year-old said. [But] this is where i’m at and this is where i want to play. ‘it is close at the moment, so hopefully we can have it done and dusted in the next few days and then focus on the match at the weekend.’

cRickET THE England football manager is tasked with what is referred to as ‘the impossible job’. But perhaps this would be a more accurate description of what confronts Alastair Cook and his team. Defeat in Adelaide saw England go 2-0 down in this Ashes series. They travel next to Perth, where they have won one Test match in 42 years, so if England are to keep hold of the urn, they are going to have to produce one of the great comebacks. ‘A lot of people will give us no chance,’ said Cook. ‘But if we believe the urn has gone, then it might as well have gone.’

Stenson ends year with press award gOLf Henrik Stenson has been awarded the 2013 Golf Writers Trophy following a season which saw him make history on both sides of the Atlantic. The Swede (pictured) became the first player to win both the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and the European Tour’s Race to Dubai in the same season, an achievement which helped him rise to number three in the world. The 37-year-old beat off competition from US Open champion Justin Rose to claim the award. ‘What a thrill it is going to be to sit by the fire with my family and take stock of the season, look at trophies such as this and reflect on the year,’ Stenson said.

F1 doubles points f1 Double points will be awarded for the last race of the season from next year, making it more likely the title fight goes down to the wire. Governing body FIA said in a statement it will ‘maximise focus on the Championship until the end of the campaign’. Sebastian Vettel’s cruise to this year’s title led many pundits and fans to label the season dull towards the end. Drivers will also be allowed to choose a number for their cars for their entire career.

22 METRO HERALD Tuesday, December 10, 2013

CELTIC have made moves to disband the Green Brigade section at Parkhead after labelling events during Friday night’s match at Fir Park ‘indefensible’. A reported £10,000 worth of damage was caused to seats in the lower section of the South Stand housing away fans – just above where a Green Brigade banner was displayed – during the 5-0 romp for Neil Lennon’s men against Motherwell. A flare was let off in the same area while two green smoke bombs were thrown into the goalmouth, one of them landing yards from Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Now the club have handed ‘precautionary suspensions’ to 128 supporters preventing them from attending home and away matches. A Celtic spokesman said: ‘Events such as those on Friday night do not represent the Celtic support or the club.’

football champions league

wAyNE HAS vAN REvviNg

picture: pa

‘indefensible’ celtic fans suspended

ROBIN Van Persie has hinted he is happy to stay at Manchester United by talking up his strike partnership with Wayne Rooney. The Dutchman (pictured yesterday with Rooney) was linked with a January move but said: ‘With a player of Wayne’s calibre we can go from strength to strength and become even better. We’ve been playing really well. We are setting up goals for each other, both scoring, that’s what I want.’

TRANSFER TALK

Cabaye drops a hint he’d be up for PSG switch NEWCASTLE midfielder Yohan Cabaye has hinted he would be willing to join Paris Saint-Germain when the transfer window re-opens in January. The Frenchman, who bagged the Magpies’ winner against Manchester United at the weekend, has long been linked with a return to his native country and the 27-year-old was quoted as saying: ‘Contact with PSG? Not to my knowledge. I know in January the rumours will start all over again. I’d like to know who does not want to play for Paris Saint-Germain today?’

Paris match? Cabaye: u EVERTON plan to make a January move for Iceland striker Alfred Finnbogason, 24, but West Ham also want the Heerenveen player. u TOTTENHAM are said to be weighing up an audacious loan swoop for Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko. u ARSENAL hope to tie up a loan deal for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata.

by HANNAH DUNcAN DaviD Moyes has taken the heat off his Manchester United players by insisting the club’s current troubles are completely down to him. The United boss saw his side lose successive home Premier League matches for the first time in more than a decade with saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, their fifth league reverse of the campaign. But far from lambasting the team, Moyes says the finger of blame needs to be pointed firmly in his direction. ‘i take complete responsibility for the results,’ said the scot.

‘I take responsibility for the current results’ ‘it is tough because the expectancy is to win all the games and the results have not been good in the Premier League. There is a bit of everything we could do with doing better.’ The reigning champions have not endured such a tough start to a season since the early years of sir alex Ferguson’s tenure. and Moyes believes it is natural for the players and club to be taking their time adapting to a new manager. ‘The biggest transition is that a manager who was here for 26 years

KEy bATTLE: Shinji Kagawa v Alex Teixeira

United’s strife all down to me, says under-fire Moyes has now moved on and a new manager has come in,’ he added. ‘it is a transitional period for the whole club, not just me and the players.’ after back-to-back defeats in the past week, United return to the Champions League tonight, hosting shakhtar Donetsk at old Trafford. United have already qualified for the last 16 and will be looking to cement their place as group winners. ‘The players are hurting because they are used to winning,’ said Moyes. ‘They are good lads and they will respond in the right way.’

Roy is Keane to tackle Fergie’s ego ROy KEANE has accused Sir Alex Ferguson of having a ‘massive ego’ and believes his former boss is still trying to control Manchester United despite stepping down in May. The Republic of Ireland assistant coach reopened his war of words with his old manager in a TV interview to be screened tonight, labelling Ferguson, whom he fell out with in 2005, as ‘ruthless’ and

MANCHESTER United’s fall from grace seems to stem from a lack of strength in midfield. Kagawa should be back in the side after missing the defeat to Newcastle when he was rushed to hospital after apparently eating too much. Word

lacking in loyalty. Keane said he only started watching United again after Ferguson’s departure, adding: ‘Everything is about control and power. He’s still striving for it now even though he’s not manager. There’s massive ego involved.’ Keane admitted his relationship with the former United boss is now ‘non-existent’.

is the Japan international is fighting for his future and he will have to provide chances for Wayne Rooney while combating the menace of a Shakhtar midfield full of goals. Teixeira has netted three times in the Champions League this season.

Pellegrini takes Hart ahead of crunch test

football

Tuesday, December 10, 2013 METRO HERALD 23

big match briefing KEy bATTLE: Manuel Neuer v Joe Hart MANCHESTER City have been linked with a £40million move for Bayern Munich goalkeeper Neuer which would end Hart’s stay at the Etihad Stadium. Both are first choice for their countries but while Neuer’s star is in the ascendancy, Hart’s is in decline as he finds himself playing second fiddle to Costel Pantilimon. Even if the speculation about a swoop for the Bundesliga shot-stopper (pictured) is groundless, Hart has a lot of work to do convince City manager Manuel Pellegrini he is totally reliable. Neuer is widely regarded as one of the greatest keepers in the world but Hart’s errors this season have left him trailing a little behind his German rival. Proof of Neuer’s invincibility is provided by the fact Bayern Munich have not conceded a goal in their last four Champions League matches at the Allianz Arena. Hart needs a big night to turn the tables.

by JOHN PAyNE

MAnCHESTEr City manager Manuel Pellegrini admits he goes into tonight’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich with Saturday’s Premier League clash against Arsenal in his thoughts. City have already qualified for the knockout stages but need to win by more than two goals at the home of the European champions to finish top of Group D. With that scenario unlikely, Pellegrini hinted he may rest some players at the Allianz Arena. ‘We will see the XI that starts,’ said the Chilean. ‘Of course, it was one of the most important

‘For Joe it is a very important game ’ things to achieve – qualifying for the next round and not deciding that here in Munich. ‘We are thinking about both things. Firstly to do a very good game [tonight], which is very important for us, and also what will happen in the tough game against Arsenal on Saturday.’ Goalkeeper Joe Hart is likely to be given the opportunity to make amends for his errors in October’s 3-1 home defeat to Bayern, one of the performances that led to Pellegrini leaving the 26-year-old

Double vision: Pellegrini out of his side. If Hart starts in Costel Pantilimon’s place, it will be only his second appearance in City’s last ten games and his manager recognises the significance of the occasion for England’s no.1. ‘For him it is a very important game,’ said Pellegrini, before adding: ‘I am not thinking about the past, just thinking about the future. I trust in him.’ But Pellegrini refused to be drawn on suggestions Hart’s confidence could have been damaged by his time out of the side. ‘I don’t think this press conference is for talking about Joe Hart,’ he added. ‘I have said in other weeks what I think about him and his performances. Today is not the day to analyse this.’

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Fixing claims leave oldham boss sickened

Here we Joe: Hart starts against Bayern Munich tonight

picture: action images

swansea need chico time after graham ends his goal drought

PREMiER LEAguE

Thanks a bundle: Flores celebrates

match-fixing

picture: pa

SWANSEA overcame the shock of allowing their former striker Danny Graham to end his 30game goal drought to salvage a point at the Liberty Stadium last night,writes John Payne. Despite having not having scored since January 9, when he got Swansea’s second in a 20 Capital One Cup semi-final victory over Chelsea, Graham refused to celebrate. Instead, Hull’s on-loan striker stared sheepishly at the ground, merely lifting his right hand to deflect his team mates from mobbing him. But it was Graham’s old pals

SwANSEA ..................... 1 HuLL .............................. 1 who should have been embarrassed after being knocked out of their stride by Bruce’s men. Ashley Williams was at fault for the goal, seeing his pass cut out by Ahmed Elmohamady who raced down the right before crossing superbly for Graham to sidefoot home. Despite dominating possession, Swansea’s first-half efforts fizzled out. But Hull retreated deeper and deeper after the break and Swansea equalised in the 58th minute.

Jonjo Shelvey drilled in a cross and the ball flew into the net off Chico Flores’ thigh. The Spaniard knew little about it but no one was stopping him from celebrating his first goal for the club. Hull showed more ambition after that and might have had a penalty when home defender Dwight Tiendalli appeared to palm away the ball. Both keepers made good stops late on, Yannick Sagbo’s long-ranger for Hull was stopped by Gerhard Tremmel, while Allan McGregor used his feet to deny Michu.

Published by Fortunegreen Ltd, 1st Floor, Independent House, 27-32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 Printed by The Irish Times at Citywest in Dublin Editorial: (01) 705 5088 Advertising: (01) 705 5077 Distribution: (01) 705 5007

BOSSES at clubs left shocked by spot-fixing allegations have vowed to beat the scandal. All six of the players arrested as part of a National Crime Agency investigation, including Blackburn striker DJ Campbell, have been bailed until April. Oldham have confirmed they have suspended Cristian Montano, one of the bailed players, without pay. Manager Lee Johnson said: ‘Anybody who saw that report will have been devastated and sick to their stomachs. ‘However, we have to let the authorities do their job and cannot prejudice that. There is a lot to celebrate about this club and we have to make sure we don’t forget that.’ Portsmouth will talk with their players about allegations made about Sam Sodje. Chief executive Mark Catlin said: ‘The people who will root this out are players, managers and the people within football. ‘All you can do is check the people around you, notice anything suspicious and inform the players how serious this is.’

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

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BEST PRESENT EVER Give a loved one a present they will remember with a real gift which will go straight to a child in need this Christmas. With UNICEF Inspired Gifts, you pick the miracle – we’ll do the rest! To look at little Henry Dixon now you wouldn’t think that he almost didn’t make it to his first birthday. At just less than one year old, Henry was severely malnourished and was admitted to one of our nutrition centres. His worried mother kept vigil by his bedside. But thanks to someone like you, little Henry received the most precious gift of all, the Gift of Life. By giving an Inspired Gift you can help a child like Henry this year. Henry was nursed back to health with nutrient rich food. And now he is thriving, as you can see for yourself.

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You can help provide vaccines for Syrian children in camps like these this Christmas. A child being immunised at a UNICEF camp in Lebanon. Photo: Saskia Baar, Lebanon, 2013

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Henry Dixon aged one feeds himself for the first time. Photo: Andrew Clarke, Sierra Leone, 2013

Jhana’s water kit helps her keep her baby daughter clean in the Philippines. Photo: Kent Page, Philippines, November 2013

Charity No: 5616

IRELAND