Metro Herald, Tuesday, February 18, 2014 by Metro Herald

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

24 Feb—02 Mar 2014 www.dineindublin.ie

Nick Frost gets jiggy in Cuban Fury Metro Life »p13

OH BOYZ, IT’S RONAN 60 Seconds »p6

judge warns rapist he can’t ‘buy his way out’ A DEVELOPER who raped a Brazilian woman hired to clean his house has been sentenced to seven and a half years after a judge said he couldn’t ‘buy himself out’ of a custodial sentence. However, Justice Barry White also said the victim had not been very affected by the rape and was ‘more interested in compensation rather than anything else’. Father-of-four Thomas Egan, 47, of Cahermurphy, Kilmihill, Co Clare, paid more than €10,000 in court to be forwarded to his victim, who has since returned to Brazil. Justice White suspended the final three and a half years of the sentence, noting Egan had a previous ‘unblemished record’ apart from a minor road traffic offence. Egan was convicted last May by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of raping the 23-yearold at a house in Tipperary on July 5, 2010. He had denied the charge. While admitting having sex with the woman, Egan told gardaí it was consensual. During the trial, Seán Gillane SC prosecuting, said Egan had approached the victim in Gort, Co Galway, and asked her to clean a house in Tipperary, to which they travelled. Upstairs in the house, Egan started to kiss and touch her and tried to take her clothes off.

by jeSSIcA mAgee

‘She knew at that stage he wanted sex. She was afraid if she said “No” to him it would make matters worse,’ said Mr Gillane. After the rape, the woman put on her clothes and asked Egan to drive her home. The next day, she filed a complaint and returned to Brazil a short time later. Defence Counsel Brendan Grehan SC put it to Garda witness Colette Acton that the woman didn’t put up any resistance, to which the garda replied: ‘She was afraid.’ Conor McKenna BL, also acting for the defence, said Egan had made an offer of €10,000 to ‘ease the victim’s financial woes’ but had been unable to get the money to the victim until now because of transfer difficulties. He also said Egan was prepared to offer the victim a further €5,000 a year for three years. However the court heard Egan would not be able to follow through on this if his circumstances were ‘radically altered’ by imprisonment. Mr Justice White said that on reading the victim impact report that she had provided, he did not believe the rape had had ‘a profound psychological effect’ on her. ‘It strikes me that your victim is more interested in compensation rather than anything else,’ he said.

Offer of €10,000 made to victim

WARM WELCOME: President Michael D Higgins and wife Sabina are greeted at Cineworld on Parnell Street by singer Imelda May before a festival screening of documentary Inequality for All, as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival Picture: PA

Rehab chief executive’s salary revealed: Full story on Page 5 Keep Dublin tidy – Please recycle this Metro Herald when you are finished with it

METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Tuesday 18/02/14 How to contact us

Email:

news@metroherald.ie sports@metroherald.ie features@metroherald.ie sales@metroherald.ie Text: ‘Mail’ to 53131 (30c plus usual text charge) Visit: www.e-metroherald.ie Editorial: 01 705 5088 Advertising: 01 705 5010 Distribution: 01 705 5007

Social media Facebook.com/ metroherald Twitter.com: @metrohnews #metromailbox

33% Irish women

aged 18-45 not using any contraception, according to Bayer Healthcare. Another 9% use ‘natural methods’. See mycontraception.ie for more information on contraception

Ireland’s rate of newsprint recycling is now up to 79%. Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you.

Today is...

Presidents’ Day (USA) A federal holiday Stateside to honour all presidents of the United States but particularly the first, George Washington, whose birthday falls on February 22.

From the archives (2011): Rapper offers voters a choice

CARLOW-Kilkenny candidate Mick ‘The Biz’ Guinness has launched his election campaign with a rap video. Mick – known as Captain Moonlight – is infamous for criticising his possible Dáil colleagues in his 2007 song Dirty C***s.

Today’s birthdays

Yoko Ono, artist and widow of John Lennon, 81; Sinead Cusack, Irish actress, 66; John Travolta, US actor, 60; Dr Dre, (pictured) rap star, 49; Regina Spektor, US musician, 34.

CLOCkwORD

The solutions from 1 to 12 are all sixletter words ending with the letter Y in the centre. Moving clockwise from 1, the letters in the outer circle will spell out the name of a British designer. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Vehicle Errant Sweet Pastiche Vim Cure Impudent Invade

9. Make aware 10. Something seldom encountered 11. Birdhouse 12. Close

Weather Weather Today

Max: 11°c

Generally dry with good sunny spells during the day. However, scattered showers will affect Connacht and Ulster at times. Temperatures between 9°C to 11°C in moderate westerly winds.

Derry

9�C

Donegal

9�C

Cavan

Galway

10�C

Athlone

Dublin

9�C

Tipperary

10�C

Waterford

Tralee

Cork

Tonight

Belfast

10�C

11�C Sunrise: 7.37am Sunset: 5.42pm

Min: 0°c

Tonight will be dry apart from a few showers. Patches of fog and ground frost will develop in places. Temperatures between 0°C to 4°C in westerly breezes.

Dine in Dublin is the perfect week to enjoy delicious food in Dublin City Centre. See participating restaurants, bars and cafés offering special menus, events and activities throughout the week. Watch out for brand new features such as, our on street food pavilion, with top chefs and food tastings. Check out www.dineindublin.ie for delicious daily giveaways from participating restaurants

/dineindublin #DineinDublin / @dineindublin

EUROPE today

Tomorrow Starting off mainly dry with bright or sunny spells in the east. Rain will develop along the west coast and spread eastwards across the country. Temperatures between 8°C to 10°C in fresh, gusty southerly winds.

8�C 9�C 10�C 10�C

10�C

8�C 9�C 10�C Max: 10°c

Athens

19 °c

Barcelona

17 °c

Berlin

11 °c 11 °c

Brussels London Geneva Madrid Paris Rome

11 °c 9 °c 14 °c 12 °c 22 °c

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

Latte lover who wanted ‘a coffin with a difference’ is au lait to rest in a Costa casket

She’ll have a coffee to go

Mourning coffee: Karen Lloyd (left) loved one-shot, extra-hot skinny lattes from Costa Coffee, so her family commissioned a burgundy coffin decorated with the high street chain’s logo PICTURES: SWNS A LATTE lover has been laid to rest in style... in a Costa Coffee-inspired coffin. Karen Lloyd, who had suffered from breast cancer, was known for her passion for shopping, with regular breaks for an extra-hot, one-shot skinny latte. For her close friends, there was no doubt it would be a fitting send-off for the 51-year-old, who had asked for a ‘coffin with a difference’. Lynzi Barrett, one of her closest friends, said: ‘She wanted a coffin with a difference and Alan, her husband, wondered what could be done regarding Costa. ‘I telephoned the funeral director and

by TARIQ TAHIR he called me back to say we could have it. It brought a smile to our faces at a time of sorrow.’ The burgundy coffin, complete with Costa branding, was carried into the church to the sound of More Than A Woman by the Bee Gees, while Viva Las Vegas ended the service. Ms Barrett, who helped to arrange the funeral service, said: ‘Both the funeral and the wake were based around her love of Costa Coffee, shopping and sleeping. She was the most positive and kind person I have ever met.’ The

Rev Capt Clive Deverell paid tribute to Mrs Lloyd and said: ‘She was a loving mum to her sons, Harry and Eddie. ‘And, of course, there was Costa and shopping. Her humour and fortitude were impressive. She is making the baristas in heaven’s lives very difficult with her one-shot, extra-hot skinny lattes.’ Mrs Lloyd, from Swindon, UK, died on February 4. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in June but the illness became terminal in December after it spread to her spinal fluid and brain. Despite her condition, she dedicated time to charity work and raised more than €3,500 for the breast cancer unit

at the Great Western Hospital. More than 450 people attended her funeral on Friday. Mrs Lloyd worked for a blind and shutters company before her illness and had her funeral at Christ Church. The gathering which followed, attended by 300 people, was described as ‘more of a wedding than a wake’ and an event she ‘would have loved’. A spokesperson for Costa said: ‘Our thoughts are, of course, with the family at this difficult time. ‘Clearly, she enjoyed Costa Coffee and her family felt it was an appropriate addition to their farewell to her.’

Deep space discovery is hole other story A LARGE sinkhole that appeared in a field could have caused loss of life, it has been claimed. The hole – which is 15m wide and 9m deep – is close to the disused Galmoy Mine in Co Kilkenny. Landowner Eddie Cavanagh discovered it on Saturday and had been working on the land with his son just the day before. His wife, local councillor Mary Hilda Cavanagh, said: ‘I felt quite nauseated when I saw the depth of it because... if you happened to be in the

field you wouldn’t survive.’ In a statement yesterday, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources said it does not believe there are any public safety threats, but assessments are being carried out to see if any follow up action is required. Lundin Mining, which owns the former zinc and lead mine, has secured the field as a precautionary measure and has employed 24-hour security on the site.

That sinking feeling: The 15m-wide, 9m-deep sinkhole discovered in Co Kilkenny PICTURE FROM RTÉ

Second crime novel for J.K. JK ROWLING will publish her second crime novel this summer, with her private detective, Cormoran Strike, on the trail of a killer who bumps off a novelist. The Harry Potter creator was unmasked last year when it emerged she had secretly published a thriller called The Cuckoo’s Calling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The Silkworm is due to be published on June 19 and sees Strike and his assistant, Robin Ellacott, unravelling the death of writer Owen Quine after first being called in to probe his disappearance. They uncover a manuscript in which many of Quine’s associates are portrayed unflatteringly.

METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Cabinet to visit 23 nations for St Patrick’s Day

TWENTY-SEVEN cabinet ministers and junior ministers will travel to 35 cities in 23 countries around the world to promote Ireland on St Patrick’s Day, it has been revealed. Taoiseach Enda Kenny will go to the US (taking in New York, Washington and

Boston) as expected, while Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore will visit France and Finance Minister Michael Noonan travels to Canada. Ministers are expected to take part in more than 80 high-level political engagements, including bilateral meetings.

Bus transit ‘like the Luas, but cheaper’ by jOAnnE AHERn

Lowest Standard Prices

10% Discount €40 Cashback

THE proposed Swiftway Bus Rapid Transit system would offer ‘the performance and service of a lightrail system like the Luas at about a third of the cost’. The National Transport Authority (NTA) made the claim yesterday as it launched a public consultation on the proposals. It described the system (pictured) as ‘a high-quality, high-capacity, comfortable form of transport, offering attractive multidoor vehicles, offboard ticketing and frequent services along key strategic corridors using a priority bus lane’. If approved, it will connect with the existing bus, Luas and rail network in the city. The public is being asked to consider three preferred routes: Blanchardstown to UCD, Swords/Dublin Airport to the city centre and Clongriffin to Tallaght. The system is open to public consultation until March 18. Maps and further details can be viewed online on www.nationaltransport.ie, or at a number of displays being hosted by the NTA in civic offices in Wood Quay, Blanchardstown, Swords, Coolock and Tallaght, and in the UCD restaurant building.

Dublin-Belfast 90minute city rail link in the offing PLANS for hourly Enterprise train services linking Belfast to Dublin within 90 minutes are under consideration. A report on future investment in the flagship cross-border rail service during the next 20 years is due to be published soon. At present, connections between Belfast and Dublin can take more than two hours. A €14.6m overhaul of trains is also envisaged for the service.

Francis sorry for ‘gays in sport’ comments

SWITCH NOW

1850 432 432

bordgaisenergy.ie

NEIL Francis has apologised for comments he made about gay people having no interest in sport. Speaking on Today FM, the former Ireland rugby international said: ‘On reflection, I would like to withdraw those comments and apologise… for anybody who heard them or felt offence.’ When asked to reflect on the comments he made on Newstalk’s Off The Ball show, Francis admitted they were ‘clumsily made’ points.

Murder charge over Portarlington death

A 36-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with the murder of a Latvian man in Portarlington, Co Laois, on Saturday. Lithuanian Deivydas Zigelis of Spa Street in the town was charged with the murder of 26-year-old Alexander Karpov on Saturday. Meanwhile, the inquiry into the death of 64-yearold Toddy Dooley in Edenderry, Co Offaly, has been upgraded to murder.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

Rehab chief executive’s salary revealed as €240k by jOAnnE AHERn

REHAB Group chief executive Angela Kerins has a salary of €240,000, the charity’s board has revealed. Following repeated calls for Ms Kerins’s pay to be published, Rehab relented last night, after she ‘waived her rights to confidentiality’. Ms Kerins (pictured) avails of a defined contribution pension scheme to which Rehab contributes six per cent of her salary, and has the use of a company car, for which she pays tax. In a statement last night, Rehab said Ms Kerins’s salary ‘is significantly below the market median’. Rehab Group chairman Brian Kerr said: ‘In order to… expand services to people who need them, a remuneration policy to attract and retain qualified and talented employees is vital, and the CEO role is no exception.’ Fundraising Ireland described the salary as being ‘out of touch with the realities in the overwhelming majority of not-for-profit organisations in Ireland’.

Spy firm denies it sold bugs to Gardaí

THE UK security firm called in to carry out bug sweeps at at the Garda Ombudsman has denied it sold counter-surveillance technology to the Garda. However, Verrimus revealed it was asked to demonstrate highlevel technology to the force last year: ‘Verrimus demonstrates only, we do not and cannot sell those specific equipments,’ it said. Justice Minister Alan Shatter is to be questioned by a Dáil committee tomorrow over the bugging controversy, while the Irish Council for Civil Liberties has said a full inquiry is needed to restore trust in police accountability.

‘IRA’ admits it sent suspect packages

Having a dead hair day...

Models Nathan Carlin-Rosanio and Carla Jackson channel their inner animals in the National Museum of Ireland’s ‘Dead Zoo’ to launch the 2014 Irish Hairdressers Federation National Hairdressing Championships. The awards will see 300 of the country’s top stylists compete on March 9 Picture: Photocall ireland

GaTe THeaTRe OpeninG TOniGHT: Tuesday 18TH Feb

A sparkling mix of wit and cocktails, The Vortex sets out to beguile and provoke in equal measure!

Tickets from €25 (01) 874 4045 www.gatetheatre.ie

A GROUP calling itself the IRA has claimed responsibility for sending suspect packages to armed forces recruitment centres in the UK last week. Scotland Yard said a group using a recognised codeword had contacted a media outlet in Northern Ireland on Saturday. Four suspected explosive devices were found at army careers offices in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury and Slough on Thursday. This followed a number of other packets sent earlier last week to Aldershot, Reading and Chatham in Kent.

METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

60 seconds irish stray wagged a war on UK drugs

ROnAn KEATing, 36, was ‘thrown’ into Boyzone at 16 and once performed to an audience of just three people. He’s still figuring himself out, he says

Were you impressed with your bandmate Keith Duffy’s swimming trunks on Splash!?

Those shamrock jocks were deadly, weren’t they? I was impressed with his first dive. To go from zero to that was great. The skill they develop doing shows like that is incredible.

Did Boyzone’s 20th anniversary tour bring back many memories? When we get back

together it’s like we’ve never been apart. It’s a great atmosphere. We put our troubles aside and it’s back into the band again.

Did your notorious debut performance on The Late Late Show inspire any confidence that the band would last 20 years? We thought we were stars

straight away. We didn’t realise how bad it was. Looking back at it, it’s the most atrocious thing you’ve ever seen but you have to start somewhere.

What are you proudest of achieving with Boyzone?

by cLAiRE HAyHURsT

when Stephen Gately died?

We didn’t know what to do when Steo passed. Steo passed in October and we toured the following Christmas. It was too raw. It didn’t feel right. We were all drinking and on a bit of a mad one. It wasn’t an enjoyable tour but we took another yearand-a-half off and the time was right to come back. We feel like a new band – we have a different attitude. We enjoy every day we have together.

What have been the challenges of maintaining your solo career? The commitment,

perseverance, constantly trying to find that next hit record. After you’ve had songs like Life Is A Rollercoaster and When You Say Nothing At All, which were big hits worldwide, you’re constantly chasing that. They come around once in a career and I was lucky enough to have two of them.

“

We didn’t realise how bad our debut TV show was, but you have to start somewhere

When we started, getting on the cover of Smash Hits was the greatest thing ever, then it’s the first hit record, the first No.1, the first sell-out tour. You constantly push the boundaries but you have to be careful what you wish for. That first six years, it just got bigger and bigger and that’s dangerous because sooner or later you have to fall. You fall and you climb and that’s what life’s about.

How much resentment did you going solo cause within the group? We all decided we

wanted to take a break from the band but I was the one responsible for that break lasting longer. We found the right time to come back and we needed that time apart to understand who we were because you don’t when you’re 16 and you’re thrown into a boy band. It takes time – I’m still figuring it out.

There was no guarantee you’d get back together, was there?

We just took the break. It wasn’t that the band was over. There were words said in the press between people in the band which didn’t help but we’re all big enough to deal with it. It’s made us stronger.

Did you consider splitting up

AN IRISH stray rescued on the very day he was due to be put down is retiring following a long and glittering career as a UK police drugs-detection dog. Cocker spaniel Griffin was adopted by Wiltshire Police in 2008, aged two, and has since clocked up an impressive 500 detections. Griffin had been rescued as a stray by the Blue Cross here in Ireland on the same day that he was due to be put to sleep. He began training with Wiltshire Police in March, 2009, and was paired up with PC Marie Poole in the force’s Dog Unit. One of the highlights of his fiveyear career was sniffing out a wanted man who was later found to have 450 LSD tablets hidden down his underwear. Griffin, described as a ‘naughty pup’ at the beginning of his train-

Team: Griffin and PC Poole ing, also found more than €3,650 worth of drugs on a woman at a local festival. PC Poole hailed Griffin, her eighth police dog, as one of Wiltshire Police’s ‘most successful’ passive drugs detectors. ‘Often working around pubs, nightclubs and schools, Griffin is regularly recognised by members of the public, who seem to remember Griffin’s name but never mine,’ PC Poole said.

FROWNING GLORY: Grumpy Cat, aka Tardar Sauce, appeared with his owner Tabatha Bundesen at the weekend to unveil a line of Grumpy Catinspired toys at the American International Toy Fair in New York. The twoyear-old mixed breed suffers from feline dwarfism – which is thought to be the cause of the crabby expression that has made him an internet sensation

What’s the worst gig you’ve ever done? At the Car-

rickdale Hotel in Ireland when we first started. We performed to three people. The promoter offered to pay us half the money without performing but we thought we’d gone that far so we may as well do the whole show.

You’re a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Are you very competitive? I

like winning. I won the first series but haven’t since. I had two singers in the final of the last series and didn’t win, which was ridiculous. Dannii Minogue won.

There’s speculation about how much mentoring the judges actually do on these shows – how involved are you? I work with them all week – from picking the clothes, the songs, breaking down the choreography, to the way they play their guitars.

Would you like to replace Gary Barlow on the British version? I’m doing the new series

in Australia and I would do Britain, of course. It’s a great show but I can’t do it this year. If there was a space for me next year, who knows?

Andrew Williams

Boyzone’s new single, Light Up The Night, is out now.

‘Being as cute as he is, he has also on a number of occasions given cuddles to people he has caught – he is always ready to cuddle someone in need. ‘Surprisingly, people he has caught have also given him a tickle and told him he’s a clever dog while they are being arrested. ‘One example of his naughtiness was during a training exercise on the non-public side of a luggage carousel at Bristol airport. He found the training bag with drugs in it but refused to get off the carousel, which meant he entered the public side and went past 200 holiday makers waiting to collect bags, clinging tenaciously to his bag on the moving carousel. ‘He is a great dog and has served the force incredibly well.’ Griffin is now set to live out his well-deserved retirement with PC Poole and her other retired police dog, Frank.

Picture: SPlaSH NewS

Workers suffering Hormone link a risky from ‘sunday blues’ business for markets MORE than two-thirds of workers experience ‘Sunday blues’ – anxiety triggered by thoughts of returning to work the next day, according to research. The poll, commissioned by mental health charity Mind, also found women are more likely to experience the phenomenon than men, with 71 per cent of those surveyed detailing the problem compared with 62 per cent of men. The survey of more than 700 fulltime workers also found half of women said they eat comfort food and one-third reported drinking alcohol at home to help lift mood and prepare for the week.

FINANCIAL crises can be made worse by the hormones of stressed bankers, a study suggests. High levels of the stress hormone cortisol are likely to make traders risk-averse when the going gets tough, say researchers. This is often the time when an economy needs them to keep their nerve and start buying instead of selling or staying put. The findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involved volunteers in a financial risk-taking game, where a link was seen between high cortisol levels and risk-aversion.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

CyCle Smarter

and plan your route Dublin Cycle Planner is a new, free app from transport for Ireland. It lets you plan any cycling trip in dublin, showing you a choice of routes for new or experienced cyclists. It shows you one-way streets, where the heavy traffic is, where to connect with dublin Bikes stations and where you can take your bike on a train. Download the Dublin Cycle Planner app today.

CyCle â&#x20AC;&#x2122;appy

METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

McQueen the musical? Bafta king Steve McQueen thinks it might be time to switch to musicals after directing a trio of dark films. The 44-year-old Londoner tackled starvation in Hunger, sex addiction in Shame and slavery in 12 Years A Slave – with the latter named best

by sEAMus Duff film at Sunday night’s awards. ‘I direct films about what is around and sometimes we’re happy and sometimes we’re sad,’ the director told me during the celebrations at London’s

Grosvenor House Hotel. ‘I don’t know if I will produce something more uplifting. Possibly I’ll do a musical next? I’ll be dancing with tears in my eyes.’ And while McQueen was toasted by the British film industry, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and

Bradley Cooper joining him at the meal, he confessed he views awards shows as nothing more than an excuse for a good knees-up. ‘It’s not a competition – it’s a celebration for everyone,’ he said. ‘It’s one of those situations where I want to be with my friends and family.

Get your coat – then hide under it as we go (and h connecetllo to better ed route s)

Suki Waterhouse terhouse didn’t w whether to flaunt know ood lover her Hollywood Bradleyy Cooper in ace or hide everyone’s face him under a coat as the pair hit the Baftas party circuit. The 22-yearold Ugg boot model put on a serious fection display of affection as she smothered 39-old Cooper with year-old kisses at the dinner table in the middle of the room for all to see at the Grosvenor House hotel. But the pair decided theyy were as shy as mice when they movedd on to einstein’s Harvey Weinstein’s wood bash at Rosewood hotel. When it came to home time, the pair – who spend most of their working livess in front of cameras – rything they did everything could to go undetected. A source said: ‘Bradley and Suki dodged the cameras and were spotted sneaking offf under their coats through the side door.’

HARVEY WEINSTEIN

She may be 79 but Dame Judi Dench is still the life and soul of the party after she flashed her derriere at a post-show Bafta bash. She did it to show movie mogul Harvey Weinstein that she had inked his name on her bum. Dame Judi, who worked with the producer on Philomena, shocked Oprah Winfrey by showing off the fake tattoo. Weinstein told ITV’s Daybreak: ‘She showed me a tattoo with my name and she flashed Oprah Winfrey – it’s on her butt! She is naughty. I’m not kidding. so naughty Oprah said, “I’m “I’ the witness’’.’ Dame Judi w was celebrating after Philomena w won the Bafta for adapted screenplay. best adapt

Niall Horan’s ex cleared of cannabis possession ey t what thw a k o lo a ork at ve Ha e bus net h t h it oel w e n do /NetworkN

DublinBus.

UP AND coming model Zoe Whelan has been cleared of cannabis possession following a Garda raid on an apartment where drugs were found. Ms Whelan, 19, a former girlfriend of One Direction star Niall Horan, appeared before a judge yesterday to face a single count of unlawfully possessing cannabis at her home on July 4, 2012. However, her charge was dismissed and she was left in the clear after co-accused, 31-

year-old Andrew Murray, from Downpatrick Road, Crumlin, Dublin, would be taking responsibility. Ms Whelan’s former boyfriend, Murray, had faced a charge for unlawfully possessing Temazepam tablets, but that was amended to include the cannabis. Ms Whelan initially said she owned the drugs worth around €20, but Mr Murray has since taken responsibility.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

★

Being the most famous man in the room, Leonardo DiCaprio could be forgiven for having a serious security detail that included, er, his mum! As the Wolf Of Wall Street actor, 39, headed to the gents during the Baftas he was shadowed by two burly guards and proud mother Irmelin.

Selfie interest... With gongs in hand, stars celebrated their Bafta wins by posing for the cameras – in a selfie booth. First in the queue was Barkhad Abdi who won the best supporting actor prize for his role in Captain Phillips, followed by Blue Jasmine star Cate Blanchett with her best actress award. American Hustle actor Bradley Cooper shrugged off his disappointment at losing out to Abdi by snapping a selfie with fans at the London Opera House bash. And Lily Allen posted a picture on Instagram of her arriving at the bash with mother, movie producer Alison Owen – who was nominated for her work on Saving Mr Banks. Allen included the caption: ‘#Baftas here we come. That’s my mumma on the left, she’s bloody nominated!’

fly to Canada and seize the summer. Fine food... Ora McDonald’s? Rita Ora bagged an invitation to one of the most exclusive Bafta parties – but couldn’t wait to grab a greasy burger down the road. The 23-year-old singer delayed her visit to Harvey Weinstein’s Hollywood bash at the Rosewood hotel to put in an order at a fastfood chain so she could soak up the Grey Goose cocktails. She needed the fuel to burn serious calories in a dance-off with Jessie J, as it wasn’t long before Ora found herself at Weinstein’s shindig. ‘I just turned up and was invited on to the stage. There I was dancing with Jessie,’ she said. Ora rubbed shoulders with Oprah Winfrey and Naomi Campbell at the party, which she went to after attending a secret gig by Prince in Camden music venue Koko.

Quick bite to eat: Ora places her order at the fast-food restaurant Pictures: gotcha, rex

Fly non-stop from Dublin to Toronto, starting May 2, 2014. And enjoy the convenience of connecting ﬂights to destinations all over Canada. Contact your travel agent, call us on 01 6793958 or book at aircanada.com

10 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Youngest ever leader aims to transform Italy

A POLITICAL tidal wave swept Italy yesterday when Matteo Renzi was asked to become the youngest prime minister in the country’s history. The 39-year-old mayor of Florence held talks with president Giorgio Napolitano. Mr Renzi (pictured) promised to work immediately on forging a new coalition, with talks with potential partners starting today. Mr Renzi said he would need a ‘few days’ to see if he can succeed. ‘I will put all the courage, energy, and enthusiasm I can muster to deal with the most important emergency: that of the labour market,’ he added.

World

by sHAROn MARRIs

By the end of the month, he plans to propose new legislation to reform Italy’s electoral law to make the country properly governable. By March, he wants new measures to create jobs in a country where 40 per cent of young people are jobless. Mr Renzi orchestrated a mutiny within the Democratic Party to oust Enrico Letta as premier last week, accusing him of failing to kick-start the economy. Many Italians are sick of the country’s failure to reform and blame shamed former leader Silvio Berlusconi.

digest

Fatal sars-type bug claims 60th victim

Rescued miners held for plundering shaft

sAuDI ARABIA: A hospital patient has died of a respiratory virus related to Sars that is believed to have killed 60 people in the kingdom. The man was among four newly detected cases and died in Riyadh on Sunday, officials said. About 145 people have caught the bug related to cold virus Sars since September 2012. The new virus is related to Sars, which killed 800 people in 2003.

sOuTH AFRICA: At least 21 illegal golddiggers rescued from an abandoned mine face criminal charges. Ten of the men yesterday gave themselves up after initially refusing to emerge, to avoid arrest. They joined 11 miners who were rescued on Sunday. It is unclear how many more might be underground. The group became trapped when their tunnel fell in. Their shouts for help alerted police.

GERMAnY: Leafcutter ants are seen transporting small pieces of blackberry leaves at the zoo of Frankfurt Main, Germany Picture: ePA

Editor charged with sex attack in hotel

Hitler stays on city’s list of noble people

InDIA: The high-profile editor of an investigative magazine was yesterday charged with sexual assault. Tarun Tejpal, 50, faces up to seven years in jail and has a bail hearing today. It is alleged he twice attacked the unnamed woman in the lift of a hotel in Goa. Tehelka magazine was hosting its annual conference of Indian leaders on November 7-8.

POLAnD: A city has refused to strip Adolf Hitler of his honorary citizenship. Councillors in Szczecin debated excluding the Nazi leader and former Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev from the list but voted not to remove them. Hitler was given the honour when Szczecin was under German control. ‘They are all dead now, so let’s forget about them,’ said politician Bazyli Baran.

and finally...

BRAZIL: When the carnival comes to town, even pets get into the swing. About 100 dogs – some in tutus – have strutted down Rio de Janiero’s famous Copacabana beach for their own party ahead of February 28’s carnival.

Everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey

A Munduruku Indian woman warrior carries a monkey on her head while on a search for illegal gold mines in their territory, near the Kadiriri river, a tributary of the Tapajos and Amazon rivers in the western Para state of Brazil Picture: reuterS

North Korea crimes ‘echo the horrors of Nazi-era Germany’ NORTH Korea has committed ‘unspeakable’ crimes against its own people in a campaign of atrocities that echoes Nazi Germany, a report has found. Leader Kim Jong-un and his security chiefs were warned they could face charges over allegations of torture, starvation, forced abortions, execution and political persecution. Evidence of widespread crimes against humanity was uncovered in a year-long investigation into human rights violations in the secretive state. The UN report concluded the ‘gravity, scale and nature’ of violations were unparalleled in the contemporary world. Michael Kirby, chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry, said some of the crimes uncovered by investigators were ‘strikingly

similar’ to those committed by Nazis during World War II. The 372-page report, compiled with the cooperation of about 80 witnesses, lays bare the tactics employed by the state ranging from an ‘almost complete denial’ of freedom of thought to public executions. Some of the worst abuses were said to take place in four vast political prison camps called kwanliso where former inmates described watching family members murdered and catching snakes to feed to hungry babies. North Korea denies the existence of these camps but the report said they currently hold up to 120,000 prisoners. Hugo Swire of the UK’s Foreign Office ministry called on the international community to respond quickly to the ‘shocking human rights violations’.

Co-pilot hijacks airliner A CO-PILOT hijacked his own plane and flew it to Switzerland in an attempt to seek asylum. He locked the captain of an Ethiopian Airlines jet, carrying 202 passengers, out of the cockpit and diverted the plane from Rome to Geneva. After landing, he climbed down a rope and surrendered to police. No one was hurt. Safe: Police look on as a passenger disembarks Picture: reuterS

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

Picky about your food? Let us handpick it for you.

€15 off your first online grocery shop

when you spend €60 or more by 5th March 2014 Enter RXXF4R6 at the checkout

Another reason to shop online eCoupon Terms and Conditions: Just enter the eCoupon code RXXF4R6 at the online grocery checkout to have €15 deducted from your bill. Valid on your first single grocery order delivered on or before 5th March 2014. You must spend and have delivered €60 or more of groceries from tesco.ie. €60 minimum spend excludes purchases of tobacco products, infant milkformulae and the delivery charge. Valid on purchases from tesco.ie/groceries website only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other eCoupon. Offer only applies to recipients of this publication and may be redeemed only once per customer. This eCoupon is and shall remain the property of Tesco Stores Limited and is not for resale or publication. Offer is only valid in the Republic of Ireland. Delivery charges apply.

12 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Mailbox

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

‘Mail’ to 53131* Facebook.com/ metroherald

*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

Alarm bells ring as data protection overrides plain sense

’m writing to you in the hope that you or one of your readers could give me some advice. I live with a friend in East Wall, Dublin 3, and the house next to our’s is owned by a Cork woman who rents it out but does not live there. On Sunday evening, the security alarm went off. It was still going off yesterday morning when we left for work. The alarm is so loud we can hear it everywhere in the house, and earplugs don’t help. We have no contact details for the woman who owns it so I contacted various official bodies (the council, An Post, Gardaí etc) to ask if they could contact her and ask her to come back to the currently unoccupied house and switch it off. I was told by everyone I spoke to that due to data protection there is no way her details will be given out, and nobody will contact her on our behalf. We will therefore have to suffer through the noise because her identity is seemingly more important than our health and peace of mind. I also found out that she is not even registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board, which is against the law. Does anyone out there have a solution? Sinéad

■ Just saw that our wonderful government has announced details of the largest St Patrick’s Day travel programme since it came to office. Nice to see our taxes are paying for these poor, hard-up politicians to get nice breaks away. So infuriating. EA ■ I see nothing worth saving about that ‘Little Britain’ Legion hall in Killester. What is worth saving is the site on 18 moore Street, the last hideout of our 1916 leaders. It may be granted planning permission for ‘development’ any day now. Why is the Labour Lord mayor silent on this? Marc, Wicklow ■ JR and Gibson, it is wrong to blame Facebook for the idiotic Neknomination craze. Idiots were around long before Facebook and will still be around long after it’s gone. Mark, Dublin ■ Anyone else sick and tired of reading comments stating how men should be ‘gentlemanly’ and give up their seat for women on public transport? Giving up your seat for those impaired or pregnant is one thing, but doing so purely because someone is female is ridiculous. Gender equality works both ways, ladies. Man Who Enjoys His Seat

Quick pic

SPECTRUM: There is a simplicity to this snap of Emily O’Callaghan’s (taken in Phoenix Park at the weekend) that is enchanting Send your photos to pictures@ metroherald.ie with ‘Quick pic’ as the subject and we will print the best each day in the paper

gOOD On yA

yEH bIg RIDE

● There are actually some decent Dublin Bus drivers out there. Thank you so much to the driver who picked me up at stop 493 on Friday on the No.66 bus. I thought I had enough credit on my Leap card for the fare to Maynooth (which is €3.05), but was short and could only scramble €2.70 together in cash. However, you kindly waived the remainder of my fare. It was the closest thing to a Valentine I got! Lady in Pink

● To the two handsome lads jogging on Harcourt Lane last Thursday. We heard you say you weren’t wearing any boxers. Careful now – you could take someone’s eye out... : ) Mysterious Girls

RAnDOM AcTs Of kInDnEss

yOuR RusH-HOuR cRusH

TREnDIng

#Neil Francis

● To the blonde who made my day with her smile last Friday on Middle Abbey Street. You had a cream coat, red lipstick and a black umbrella blown by the wind. I was in the black hat. Please get in touch. V

@metrohnews #metromailbox

● Disappointing to read Neil Francis’s comments. There are loads of gay people in sport. Most are just not out. Wish they’d stop stereotyping. (Rugby referee) @Nigelrefowens

● Absolutely love the game of rugby, spent 15 years of my life playing it and am totally gay. Neil Francis just hasn’t a clue.

● Neil ‘Softie’ Francis is just a product of the homophobic rugby changing-room culture he speaks of. Should be we really be all that surprised? @HAWhiteK

● Well done, Neil Francis, on perpetuating the ignorance and idiocy that makes it so hard for gay sports people to come out, you absolute tool. (Journalist) @UnaMullally

@LaughlinRigby

Cant tihnk of what two wright aboute?

L.IE.CC.01.2014.0204

Can’t get your head together? Berocca Performance helps improve your daily mental and physical performance.

www.berocca.ie

Your daily high performance vitamin

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

The Frost report Nick Frost says he could dance you under the table – so how come his wedding twirl lasted all of eight seconds? James Day joins the actor for a turn around the dance floor

ance romcom cuban Fury is the result of nick Frost sending a drunken email to his producer before falling asleep in a boozesoaked coma. If this is the marker for producing his best work, I should have popped a bottle of rum in the post and insisted our interview be conducted online. Fortunately, despite seeming stone-cold sober (unconfirmed), Frost is on top form and still suffering from dance fever. Greeting me with a big beardy bear hug, he clasps my hand and leads me into an unnervingly close salsa hold. ‘I had this idea about a guy who was a great dancer and wooed this beautiful girl who had a boyfriend who was beautiful himself but couldn’t dance and was a bit of a s***,’ says Frost. ‘He makes her fall in love with him because of his passion.’ But you couldn’t find anyone beautiful and had to cast chris O’Dowd as the boyfriend instead? ‘Ha, chris is very beautiful. He’s a handsome lump with lovely long legs.’ The morning after the email, Frost had a reply from producer nira Park saying: ‘call me, this idea is amazing.’ I thought: “You idiot, what have you done? I have to do this now, whether I like it or not.”’ Seven months of training followed. ‘a week in, it was like I’d started a prison sentence,’ says Frost. ‘It was 6.30am to 7.30am lifting weights, then skipping across to Pineapple Studios for six hours. It wasn’t until week 12 that I started to improve.

➔

Dorset College www.dorset-college.ie Excellence Through Life-Long Learning

Computers & IT Certificate in Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt) CompTIA A+ / IT Essentials-PC Hardware & Software CISCO CCNA ® - Cisco Certified Network Associate ECDL-European Computer Driving Licence

Business, Management & HR CIPD Certificate in Human Resource Management Supervisory Management & Leadership) Level 6 Train The Trainer

Game Design Game Analysis Design / 3D Modelling & Animation

Healthcare & Childcare Education Healthcare Support Level 5 Early Childhood Care & Education Level 5 Montessori & ECCE Level 6 Special Needs Assisting Level 5 & 6 Counselling & Psychotherapy Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (BTEC)

www.dorset-college.ie

Tel: 01 830 9677

14 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

cover story

➔

features@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010

‘But the whole point for me was that I did all the dancing. I’m writing a wrestling film and I want to do all the wrestling. It’s a shame there isn’t an Oscar for most effort put into a romantic dance comedy.’ The movie boasts a supporting cast including O’Dowd, Rashida Jones, Olivia Colman, Ian McShane, and Kayvan Novak. Regular Frost collaborators Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg are notable absentees, although the latter makes a blink-and-you’llmiss-it cameo. ‘Me, Edgar and Simon always joke about having an open relationship – we can see other films but when we get back together the make-up sex is filthy and passionate.’ Essex boy Frost, 41, has a chequered dance history. He grew up in the 1990s rave scene where ‘you had a few beers and then saw who you could get hold of’, before moving to an Israeli kibbutz to escape the wrong crowd. ‘I’d go out Saturday lunchtime, stay out all night, go to another thing at 7am then by 4pm

“There is a stigma attached to being a lump who can dance” be sat in the pub,’ he says. ‘Like a lot of men, I was afraid of being the first one on the dancefloor but every now and then, I’d be the only man and it felt good. There is a stigma attached to being a lump who can dance. People look at you as if they’re sorry for you, like you’ve overcome a terrible illness – don’t patronise me, I’ll dance you under the table. The tagline for the film is “Real Men Dance” and it’s true because a lot of the hardest nutters I know are fantastic dancers.’ His wedding day included an awkward first dance with halfSwedish wife Christina. ‘I can’t

Groove machine: Nick Frost burns in Cuban Fury and leads our man James (below left); Love interest: Rashida Jones (below) even remember what the song was,’ says Frost. ‘It lasted eight seconds and I couldn’t look at anyone. She looked at me as if to say: “Please don’t do this.” It was terrible.’ Will he be pulling out all the stops this Valentine’s Day? ‘I’m very romantic and although my head is ruled by the fact it’s essentially a construct made by greeting card manufacturers, there are always roses involved, diamonds maybe, a spa treatment, a night in a really beautiful hotel. I have a little book: whenever my wife mentions something on telly or in a magazine, I tear the page out or make a

note, so when the time comes it’s all there.’ You wouldn’t expect any less from a man who, at 21, wrote a novel to woo a girl. After meeting Christina in Israel, Frost followed her back to Britain – but you won’t find The Alcoholic’s Guide To The Holy Land in any bestseller lists. ‘Oh, no, it’s s***,’ he admits. ‘I reread it and couldn’t get through four pages. I’m not sure if it’s an example of the power of love or the power of booty.’

HOREOGRAPHY aside, filming Cuban Fury posed a problem for Frost when it came to love interest Jones (above). ‘I’ve been with my wife for 13 years,’ he says, ‘and one of the hardest things was learning to touch a woman you don’t know that closely and having to feel a connection.’

wAnnA DAncE? hold her like swayze Cuban Fury and Strictly Come Dancing instructor Richard Marcel gives us his top tips for impressing your partner on the dancefloor. Salsa basic: Take your partner in your arms, put your right hand on their back, and hold their right hand palm-to-palm with your left. The rest should happen pretty naturally as women especially seem genetically engineered to react to it. keep your elbows up and frame it well so they feel secure, look

into their eyes and off you go. Leading: don’t be too aggressive when you’re leading but show confidence. your right hand should be on their shoulder blade, any lower suggests something else and it’s sloppy. Their left arm goes on your right shoulder. Patrick swayze got it right in dirty dancing (right) so that’s a really good reference. don’t over dance. People think it’s all about the hips and rolling each other around, but just have a little sway, a little two-step that

comes naturally. keep it small and relaxed and you won’t put them off. large gestures usually end in you being kicked in the shins. The finish: Finish off by releasing your partner slightly before bringing them back towards you so you’re controlling the dance. you could turn them under the arm with your joined hands. ‘Finally, try a little dip. a big, down to the floor stretchertype dip might end up with you calling an ambulance for that stretcher.’

Jones plays Frost’s boss in the movie. Has he any advice for anyone thinking of an office romance? ‘My heart says if there’s a vibe there and you like them and they like you, what are you waiting for? It could lead to something beautiful. My head says think about the consequences, make sure it’s two ways. Or you could just shut up and wait for the office party.’ Ironically, Frost’s next movie is Business Or Pleasure, starring Vince Vaughn, while comedy-drama Mr Sloane hits Sky Atlantic in the summer. He’s writing two movie scripts, a children’s graphic novel and a sequel to Cuban Fury based on establishing Iran’s first salsa club. ‘I have another weird thing in my heart that I can’t tell anyone about,’ says Frost. ‘Sorry, I’ll have to email you when I’m drunk later.’

Cuban Fury is out now.

food&drink

Building excitement

RESTAURANT REvIEw

Drury buiLDings HHHHI

t takes a gutsy restaurateur to set up shop only a skillet’s throw from Fade Street Social, the Dylan McGrath-run behemoth that bedecks the corner of that eponymous stretch in the heart of Dublin 2, so kudos to Declan O’Regan, the entrepreneur behind Drury Buildings, for doing just that. Mind you, the fact O’Regan is also the brains behind nearby l’Gueuleton and the No-Name Bar, two flourishing institutions in their own right, suggests he’s certainly not feeling his way in the dark. If this insanely popular new restaurant were any more low-key – there’s no signage on the tastefully graffiti-ed facade and it’s hard to figure out which of two doors to enter through – passersby might be forgiven for thinking they were peering through the window of a private residence (with a hipster-heavy dinner party well under way). It’s just your average tuesday night in January – tiles being ripped from

rooftops, trees carried off in twisters – when we trudge through its doors in search of sanctuary. Granted, with its unadorned, functional interior, Drury Buildings could never be described as cosy, but it’s a handsome, eminently well-designed space; and its wooden floors are so lustrous I’m half tempted to remove my rain-sodden shoes for fear of trailing flotsam and jetsam across them. Our waitress is charming and cool. Prompted by the fact I’m wet and shivery, she draws our attention to the impeccable cocktail menu and suggests a restorative Old Fashioned to commence. O’Regan’s business partner Ronán Rogerson has earned his stripes as one of the city’s finest mixologists so it’s not surprising I’m fighting fit after only a few sips. My companion chooses artichoke hearts and spicy peppers stuffed with tuna from the Bites Menu to begin. It’s a strong start, but no match for my dense rabbit, sage and apricot terrine served with a piquant grape chutney. A basket of good, fresh bread provides welcome accompaniment, but whether as a result of an oversight or kitchen policy, it only arrives on request (after we’ve polished off most of the grub).

TASTING NOTES HOST YOUR OWN ROAST AT THE CLIFF TOWN HOUSE Last week, Metro Life had the great pleasure of sampling – read gorging on – dishes from Host Your Own Roast, an inspired new dining concept at Cliff Town House. Available on weekends in the stunning first floor banquet room (think Parisian townhouse chic with lovely views of Stephen’s Green to boot), Host Your Own Roast sees a selection of cracking carvery favourites bookended by zingy starting platters and lip-smackingly more-ish dessert options. Designed for groups of between ten and 40, this new dining option is ideal for special occasions, family gatherings or for frazzled friends in delicate, morning-after-the-night-before mode. Highlights include starters of impossibly authentic French onion soup with grueyere cheese, and pressed chicken terrine with black pudding and pear chutney; mains of roast rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding, and slow roast rib of beef; and a clutch of desserts that includes lemon tart with creme fraiche, and sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce. DR €35 per person and booking essential. www.clifftownhouse.com

Saltimbocca is a dish traditionally made by coating veal in prosciutto and sage, but head chef Warren Massey’s unique take on the dish, which my fellow diner plumps for as a main, incorporates Wicklow wood pigeon. the results are certainly hard to quibble with – the earthy flavours of the tender flesh are nicely balanced out by a side of chargrilled organic polenta, even if the ‘game juices’ – or gravy to you and me – are just a tad oversalted. Ossobuco, a dish that’s new to me but apparently big in its native Milan, is a carnivore’s dream: a shin of tender-tothe-touch veal simmered in wine and served with a dollop of perfectly gloopy risotto. If the all-too-familiar rogue’s gallery of desserts available in most Dublin restaurants leaves you meh, then Drury Buildings is worth the visit if only to try its blood orange and Campari cake with chocolate and orange ice-cream. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. And yes, I did regret sharing. With two glasses of Rioja our bill came to just under €100.

Daragh Reddin

Drury Building, 52-55 Drury Street D2. Tel: (01) 960 2095. www.drurybuildings.com

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

Cook this tonight… Linguine with tomatoes by Chloe Scott

In Sicily a few years ago, I asked a tomato farmer for his favourite recipe and it was this. The dish’s perfection is in its simplicity. I make it often and I’ve never tired of it

METHOD Step 1: Drizzle some

serves 2

300g cherry tomatoes, halved 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1-2 dried red chillies 250g linguine or spaghetti (I like DeCecco) 50ml-100ml quality virgin olive oil ½tsp sugar 1 pinch salt 1 pinch black pepper Parmesan, finely grated (optional)

olive oil into a large pan over a medium heat. Leave the garlic cloves whole so you can remove them later but squish them a little with a fork to help them release their flavour. Add the garlic and tomatoes to the pan and crumble in the red chilli. Sauté for 2min, then lower the heat and let the tomatoes slowly cook. Crush them gently with a fork to let their juices out. Step 2: Sprinkle in a pinch of sugar and salt, then taste to check you’re happy with the seasoning. Allow the sauce to reduce for about 15min so the tomatoes are well cooked and the flavour intensifies. Step 3: Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 8min until it’s al dente. Drain, then pop it back in the pan and season with salt and good-quality olive oil. Step 4: After removing the garlic, stir the sauce through the pasta. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with a little Parmesan if you want, then serve.

TRY 2tsp capers CHEAT Use 1 tin of cherry tomatoes SPICE UP Sprinkle with fresh basil

16 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Life television

Monday

Tuesday

champions league football TV3/UTV, 7.30pm Wednesday

There are glamour ties and then there are glamour ties and it doesn’t get any sexier than this last-16 clash at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City have been underachievers in the Champions League since they rose to the top of the English game, so Manuel Pellegrini’s side will be relishing the chance to show what they can do against a Barça side who aren’t quite the dominant force they once were. Win this and Man City really will be major players on the big stage.

Thursday

film of the daY SunShinE, Film4, house of fools BBC2, 10pm The gloriously silly world of Vic 11.45pm

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Danny Boyle’s sci-fi movie is supposedly based on real science, which gives this doomy scenario a certain ‘ooh, this could actually happen’ frisson. it is 2057. The Sun is dying. Mankind faces extinction. Our last hope lies with icarus ii and its impossibly attractive, resolutely humour-free crew of eight ethnically representative men and women (including our own Cillian Murphy, above) on a mission to relight the Sun. That they’ve named their ship after a legendary boy who crashed and burned when he flew too close to the Sun seems a tad unlucky. As does the fact they have installed a talking onboard computer with the power to make life and death decisions. A stunner of a film that’s unafraid to pose biggies such as: ‘What would you sacrifice to save all mankind?’, Sunshine may not be Boyle’s biggest boxoffice smash but it deserves another look.

Reeves and Bob mortimer (pictured right) draws to a close with Reece Shearsmith joining the gang as poltergeist martin for a ghostbusting end-of-series romp. There’s a chimp up for grabs in a ghost photo competition and Vic’s determined to bag the primate but Bob’s not keen, so Beef pitches in with his Sword of Draxos – which looks a lot like a clarinet – and Julie whips her torch out. let’s hope there’s more to come of this delightful delirium.

garraÍ glas 8pm, Tg4 doll & em Sky liVing, 10pm This week, the show that aims to teach you how to grow your own food is all about growing your own cures. Síle nic Chonaonaigh visits a GP who uses herbs to treat illnesses and has set up a physic garden in Limerick – as well as meeting experts to talk about globe artichokes, feverfew, valerian, St John’s Wort and lemon balm, no less.

Best mates Emily Mortimer and Dolly Wells play fast and loose with the notion of friendship in a comedy that finds Wells pitching up in LA and working as PA to the more successful Mortimer. It’s a clever case of life imitating art, with appealing turns from both leads, mining laughs from what could be a touchy subject.

www.berocca.ie

Tune in with Berocca Performance every day. Your daily high performance vitamin

Berocca Performance - Sponsors of Breakfast Republic on 2fm.

L.IE.CC.02.2014.0224

in focus Bugbear that saw T off the dinosaurs

reputation is justified. ‘Saying that you don’t like cockroaches is like saying you don’t like mammals because rats and mice are pests,’ said Dr Beccaloni. ‘Cockroaches are an amazing group of insects in many ways. ‘Their reproductive biology is more diverse than any other order of insects. They also range from solitary to highly social. ‘Some cockroaches are even believed to nourish their young through a process very similar to

The heaviest:

The Australian rhinoceros cockroach, which weighs as much as 30g

ular concerns. Their ability to survive headless for weeks and their resistance to the harmful effects of radiation, compared to humans and other mammals, has also elevated them to legendary critter status. They are not quite as indestructible as many people think, however, according to Dr Beccaloni. ‘Without artificial heat and food courtesy of humans, pest cockroaches would soon die out in countries with cold climates,’ he said. ‘The pests are successful because they are omnivorous and we have created the environmental conditions in our homes, which they are naturally adapted to in the wild. ‘Cockroaches, like most other animals, are adapted to a fairly narrow range of environmental conditions. humans (the most destructive pests on the planet) are unique in that they can recreate their optimal conditions anywhere – and therefore live in most environments. Other animals don’t have the technology to do this.’

suckling in mammals and the young of one Indian species feed on the mother’s blood – like tiny vampires.’ They are also adept at living off very low-quality resources and among the most impressive animals in the world when it comes to storing nutrients in their bodies. For every impressive attribute, however, there is another that encourages their creepy reputation. Their urban filthiness, speed and resilience are among the most pop-

ONTrAry to this, a freeze-resistant Asian species, Periplaneta japonica, that can survive in cold and snow has recently been identified in the US for the first time. rutgers University insect biologists Jessica Ware and Dominic evangelista, found it at New york’s high Line, a public park built on a railroad spur elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. The scientists suspect that the new

Britain has only three native How do the species species – tawny, dusky and lesser compare? How do they compare?

pest arrived in one or more of the ornamental plants that adorn the high Line. ‘The yamato cockroach, which we now know is in New york City, is unique in its ability to withstand cold temperatures,’ said Mr evangelista. ‘There are other insects with similar cold tolerances but most of those aren’t “pest” species. With the American and German cockroaches that are already here, it will be interesting to see if they push each other out or can co-exist.’ he added: ‘Most people will never in their lifetimes come into contact with 99.9 per cent of the cockroach species that exist on earth, yet people judge them based on the 0.1 per cent they are familiar with. ‘They can have such unexpected beauty and complexity. you can find so many different types of behaviours, shapes, sizes, and colours of cockroaches that it really is endlessly fascinating.’ Although it is too soon to predict the impact the new species of cockroach could have on the local populace, a hybrid ‘super roach’ population isn’t expected. ‘Because this species is very similar to cockroach species that already exist in the urban environment, they will probably compete with each other for space and for food,’ said Mr evangelista, whose findings were published in the Journal of economic entomology. ‘The male and female genitalia fit together like a lock and key and that differs by species. So we assume that one won’t fit the other.’

Lesser cockroach – ectobius panzeri

Smallest native cockroach 5mm to 8mm

Tawny cockroach

Darkish brown in colour

– ectobius pallidus

Found in scrub on coastal cliffs and rocks, sand dunes, vegetated shingle and dry he heathland

8mm to 9.5mm Golden-yellowish brown

The smallest:

Found in woodland rides and clearings, heathland and dunes

The North American ican ola attaphila fungicola is about 3mm long

Dusky cockroach

– ectobius lapponicus 7mm to 11mm Light brown, with a dark brown pronotum (shield which covers the head) in males and underside in females Found in scrubby heathland

Greatest wingspan:

The Central and South American megaloblatta blaberoides, which has a spread of up to 185mm

The American

Noisiest:

Madagascan hissing cockroaches

cockroach can live without food for more than a month and can run at more than 3mph Pictures: George Beccaloni

news@metroherald.ie

The discovery of a winter-proof cockroach in New York has caused a stir among scientists. Should we be celebrating or running for the hills? Forget your preconceptions, there is much to admire in nature’s greatest survivor, writes HAYLEY LEAVER hey have a nasty habit of forcing the closure of restaurants and I’m A Celebrity… wouldn’t be the same without one crawling up a contestant’s nose. But what is it about the cockroach that inspires katsaridaphobia (that’s the fear of them)? ‘People have a natural aversion to insects and other creatures living uninvited in their houses,’ said Dr George Beccaloni, a curator of cockroaches and related insects at the UK’s Natural history Museum. ‘Pest cockroaches attack food and can spread diseases by carrying bacteria accidentally from one place to another on their bodies,’ he added. ‘I love cockroaches but would not like them to be “free range” in my house.’ One of the most adaptable creatures in the world, cockroaches survived the extinction of the dinosaurs and can now be found worldwide, with the exception of the polar regions and above altitudes of 2,000m (6,560ft). With 4,600 named species, there are almost as many types of cockroach as there are mammals. But fewer than 30 species are considered to be pests, making some question whether their unsavoury

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

Termites

are actually cockroaches that have evolved to eat wood � so cockroaches are not just the pests eating the food in your house but also those eating your house

Some cockroaches are

amphibious and run into water when threatened

The oldest fossil

from a cockroach-like insect is from the Carboniferous period, about 315m years ago

Sources: Natural History Museum, Big Bugs Life-Size by George Beccaloni

18 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

travel

features@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010

mirror, mirror on every wall

pigALLE fRom seedy to sCeney

Maya Boyd beds down in the bedroom-cum-art installation in Paris that’s part disco ball, part trippy Rubik’s Cube david zagdoun

ccording to feng shui, a mirror in the bedroom is bad luck. it allows spirits into your sleep, bounces bad energies around the room and, rather thrillingly, invites a third person into the bed. My husband’s eyes nearly pop out when i mention this as we check into our Parisian pied-à-terre. He is visibly deflated to hear the ‘third person’ refers to infidelity, not a bombshell bedfellow. We are staying in La Kiss room, an art installation/pop-up hotel room inside La Perle, the Marais café where John galliano had his notorious anti-Semitic meltdowns. The concept is unique – a 10sqm room, clad in 1,000 mirrors, open for 1,000 nights with guests able to stay for one night only. it’s like being inside a disco ball and i feel like Alice in Wonderland who, having walked through the looking glass, has found herself in Studio 54. The space is incredibly intimate and i’d love to say that we sling our cases down, consumed with narcissistic passion. Sadly, in a room

Here’s looking at you, looking at you: The mirrored interior of La Kiss Room inside La Perle café, Paris (below left) as bijou as this, floor space comes at a premium and you don’t ‘sling’ anything anywhere. This is a room for undressing, not unpacking. The tiny bathroom is also mirrored and from the shower i can see directly on to the bed. Plainly, this precludes total privacy, but then it’s unlikely you’d be sharing this glittering shag-pad with anyone you weren’t already entirely comfortable with. The plush white bed occupies most of the room and after supper we lie awake in our crystal rubik’s cube awaiting mirror-induced

disturbances from bad energies, third parties and (if you’re of a Taoist disposition) ‘malevolent spirits from another world’. They don’t arrive and i drift into a weird, dreamy sleep, but the lack of fresh air bothers my husband and he is hot and restless. Breakfast (in fact, any refreshment at all, unless you’re a fan of ruinart champagne, of which there is plenty in the room) has to be bought in La Perle. The café makes no pretensions to being a hotel and provides no such service – no complimentary breakfast, no cleaner during your stay, no room service. it’s an experience, for sure, but not one for those expecting five-star amenities. La Perle is all that a neighbourhood bar should be, but since the ‘galliano

effect’, there has been sniping. it has become ‘too cool’ and a sniffy local denounces it as ‘bourgeois’. i don’t agree. La Perle provides breakfast for loved-up tourists, lunch for locals with babies, afternoon tea for a lone man with his newspaper and a home for the myriad moths that this city of lights attracts. After we leave, we run the numbers. The room costs €752 per night and we are only the sixth guests since november. There can be barely any overheads, but as it clearly doesn’t run near full occupancy, we agree it must just pay for itself – simply existing, a shining piece of fantasy, neither making money nor losing it. So what is it for? nothing. it’s art – there doesn’t need to be a reason.

fALcOn’s fAMiLy vALuE

7 NIGHTS

a529 FOR UP TO 6 PERSONS T&C’s apply.

Long derided as Paris’s dirty little secret, Pigalle is seeing a hipster renaissance, made inevitable by the city’s rise in property prices – there is nowhere left to gentrify. All eyes are now on the 9th arrondissement, where seedy casinos and dusty peepshows once ruled. At Pigalle’s centre is the Moulin Rouge (below), where the rich and powerful came to play with the young and beautiful. The Moulin may have lost its sparkle, but the surrounding streets are littered with evidence of gentrification and it appears the organic delicatessens and boutique wine bars are winning the war with the underworld. Hotel Amour led the charge and its garden terrace is packed with serious socialites. Drinkers head to Glass, a Brooklyn-style hideaway where skinny hipsters drink pale ale and dance on tables, while foodies converge at Place d’Anvers, where a farmers’ market takes place every Friday between 3 and 8pm.

Good value holidays are always something to smile about, and with the addition of sun destinations Ibiza and Rhodes to its portfolio, weekly flights departing from Dublin Airport and free child places available for savvy bookers, Falcon Holidays is now offering two great choices for families this summer. Visitors can enjoy a relaxed side to Ibiza, with family friendly resorts at Port Des Torrent and Santa Eulalia. The Holiday Village at Port Des Torrent encapsulates both a chilled out beach scene and a high speed water park. Fantastic activities to keep the children entertained are available on site at Santa Eulalia, including the Falcon Kids Club. Rhodes offers families a relaxed trip in a stunningly beautiful location, with 200km of coastline to explore, as well as medieval treasures. The ideal family holiday, Rhodes

offers the additional choice of an exclusive Holiday Village and Splash World Resort. The stylish Holiday Village comes with lots of pool related activities, sports, high ropes as well as the Falcon Kids Clubs. SplashWorld Resort allows families avail of free, unlimited use of the SplashWorld Water Park. Departing from Dublin: •June 4, 2014, Dublin to Rhodes, Holiday Village Rhodes, Kolymbia, 7 nights all inclusive, 2 adults & 1 child from €2,421* • June 4, 2014, Dublin to Ibiza: Holiday Village Seaview Ibiza, Port des Torrent, 4+ Falcons, 7 nights, All Inclusive, 2 adults & 1 child from €2,061* (*The above price includes a Free Child Place, subject to availability) To book call 1850 45 35 45, or see www.falconholidays.ie.

gETTing THERE Maya stayed in La Kiss Room (www.lakissroom.com), from €752, room only. Aer Lingus fly daily from Dublin to Charles De Gaulle in Paris. See www.aerlingus.com.

tuesday, february 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

Steppe into the unknown Slowly returning to the touriSm map after a 35-year hiatuS, iran offerS ancient SightS, varied landScapeS and a big-hearted welcome. by Caroline eden InsIde Iran

the iran-iraq war, not to mention glacial political relations with the west, has meant that in recent years iran has been off limits to all but the most intrepid travellers. however, change is afoot. new president hassan rouhani and his administration have spoken of bolstering tourist numbers and easing visa requirements in the near future. as a result, tour companies such as wild frontiers are already reporting a surge in bookings. founder Jonny bealby says: ‘2013 was the year iran came in from the cold. in 2014 we are seeing visitors return to explore its stunning islamic architecture, ancient archaeological sites and dramatic mountain scenery.’ Wild Frontiers’ 14-day group tour, iran Unveiled, visits Tehran, Yazd, Persepolis and Shiraz and costs from €3,400 (flights not included). For more, see www. wildfrontierstravel.com

Overland adventure

armed with a keen sense of adventure and an iranian tourist visa, it’s not difficult to travel overland from turkey to iran. the best point to cross is from the turkish border town of doğubeyazit, home to a couple of curious key sights: what is believed to be the remains of noah’s ark and a meteor crater from 1923. from there, it’s a 35km minibus ride to the iranian border, then another minibus to the iranian town of maku, 22km away.

a five-hour bus ride onwards takes you to tabriz, iran’s fourth-largest city. atmospheric tabriz is a place to stop and appreciate, preferably with a butter-soft lamb kebab in hand. awash with cheap hotels, rug-hawkers and cafés, it’s also home to the largest covered bazaar in the world. for advice on travelling overland, turn to english-speaking hossein ravanyar (see www.iranoverland.com), who has been assisting travellers to iran for almost three decades.

decIsIOns, decIsIOns…

iran is the 18th-largest country in the world and only a tiny proportion can be explored in a single trip. most tourists stick to the cities of tehran, Shiraz and the ancient persian city of esfahan, but there are many smaller places that rank as favourites among return visitors. lonely planet author andrew burke says he longs to return to garmeh: ‘it’s a centuries-old oasis village where there is virtually nothing but it feels like everything you’d ever need,’ he says. his co-author iain Shearer says not to miss the sunset at persepolis and ‘the imperial palace of darius and Xerxes, which was burned to the ground by alexander the great in 330bc’. trekkers and hikers head into the Zagros mountains, which guard the high passes into iran, while skiers and snowboarders travel to the Shemshak winter sports resort, just a two-hour drive from tehran.

ANCIENT WONDERS: The Achaemenid griffin at Persepolis (right); and, left, Imam Square in the historic Persian city of Esfahan

rIde the steppe

iran is as much about nature as it is about exquisite man-made mosques and madrassas. golestan national park is one of the finest nature reserves in the middle east. Spanning a whopping 900sq.km, it’s home to 1,350 varieties of flora and more than 300 animal species, including

leopard, gazelle, wild sheep, ibex and wild boar. given the park’s size, one of the best ways to get around it is on horseback. this year, iranian travel specialist persian voyages is offering a seven-night horseriding adventure through the park. Sleeping under canvas, riders will be in the saddle for six to eight hours a day. The next tour is april 8-15 and costs from €1,770 (flights not included). www. persianvoyages.com Getting there: Qatar Airways flies from London to Tehran from €650 return, including taxes. www.qatarairways.com

20 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

puzzles

METROSCOPE by Patrick Arundell

NEMI by Lise

Aries Mar 21 – Apr 20

You’ve been through a hectic time, with various tensions and creative opportunities to deal with. Today, an awkward Grand Cross may leave you feeling something has to be done. Yet, you could feel strangely complacent. Mull things over. For your forecast, call 15609 114 70

For your forecast, call 15609 114 71

sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 21

Gemini May 22 – Jun 21

This can be one of those days when the need to solve a problem can encourage a very novel solution. A tense Grand Cross suggests matters could reach a critical phase and it’s at this point when answers might appear.

Cancer Jun 22 – Jul 23

Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20

For your forecast, call 15609 114 73

Leo Jul 24 – Aug 23

You now plunge into deeper waters, as the Sun swims into Pisces. This dip into the Neptunian ocean can make you more sensitive to other people’s vibes and moods in the next few weeks. In order to counteract this, take time out to relax and recharge. For your forecast, call 15609 114 74

Virgo Aug 24 – Sep 23

It may help to clarify interactions with others, as there could be a tendency for misunderstandings. On the plus side, inspiring conversations can encourage the development of plans and ideas that are highly imaginative. For your forecast, call 15609 114 75

Libra Sep 24 – Oct 23

DOWN 1 Discussion (7) 2 Shield (7) 3 Subject (6) 5 Meeting (8) 6 Constrain (6) 7 Disposition (6) 13 Hypercritical (8) 14 Scorn (7) 15 Rich (7) 16 Control (6) 17 Superior (6) 19 Country of the Middle East (6)

Yesterday’s Solutions Across: 1 Pathfinders; 9 Pet; 10 Reputable; 11 Nasty; 13 Resolve; 14 Overdo; 16 Aspire; 18 Artiste; 19 Dined; 20 Entertain; 21 Con; 22 Free and easy. down: 2 Apt; 3 Hardy; 4 Impart; 5 Detests; 6 Rebellion; 7 Opinionated; 8 Never-ending; 12 Spectator; 15 Deserve; 17 Retain; 19 Dunce; 21 Cos.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 78

Try to avoid too many distractions. Otherwise, you could find that your best laid plans come to nothing before you’ve begun. This can be one of those times when trying to make progress feels like walking through glue. Yet, despite this, a pleasant surprise beckons. For your forecast, call 15609 114 79

Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19

It can be a good idea to remind yourself of your many successes, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed right now. Pause for a while and consider how far you have come and think about the persistence and strength you needed to do so. For your forecast, call 15609 114 80

Pisces Feb 20 – Mar 20

Get ready for an energy boost as the Sun enters your sign. You’ll have the chance to get clear on your plans for the year ahead. This may be necessary as there’s a tendency to go with the flow when with consistent effort, you could get more done. For your forecast, call 15609 114 81

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 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

Quiz

QUICK CROsswORd

Today’s lively Grand Cross could leave you feeling a little strung out. It’s

ACROSS 4 Narration (7) 8 Aviator (6) 9 Blow up (7) 10 Shrewd (6) 11 Look upon (6) 12 Surround (8) 18 Definite (8) 20 Obvious (6) 21 Nuptial (6) 22 Clique (7) 23 Gusto (6) 24 Keep under (7)

For your forecast, call 15609 114 77

An imaginative plan may seem to promise a lot but it might help to get a health check on it before making a move. Researching your options could help reassure you that what you are attempting is achievable. If you’ve been busy figuring out ways to resolve financial issues, the presence of Mercury in Aquarius might bring fresh insights. Take time to consider one of them, as it could be a lifeline to a more secure future.

Crossword No. 916 See next edition for solutions

scorpio Oct 24 – Nov 22

Dive into the many creative and romantic opportunities that become available. As the Sun moves into Pisces, it may spotlight one or two options you might have missed. If you want to boost a romance, things look good.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 72

PEARLs BEFORE swINE

For your forecast, call 15609 114 76

Taurus Apr 21 – May 21

Challenges may be testing your abilities and also helping you locate a source of inner strength you never knew you had. Yet, today’s line-up hints it may be time to switch tactics by trying a more intuitive approach to resolving any issues.

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

likely you’re feeling overwhelmed. Although taking a break may be the last thing on your mind, it could help put things in perspective.

ENiGMA Someone’s birthday? It’s a waste To give a thing not to their taste. This, instead, means they can choose Something they will really use. WHO AM i? A journalist, I was born in East Sussex in 1965. I became Britain’s youngest tabloid editor in 1994. I was sacked as editor of the Daily Mirror in a row over fake pictures.

WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? WHO… in South American revolutionary politics was known as The Liberator? WHAT… is eugenics the study of? WHERE… do the Wombles ply their green trade? WHEN… did Marcus Aurelius succeed Antoninus Pius as Roman emperor?

QUIZ ANSWERS: ENIGMA: Gift token/voucher. WHO AM I? Piers Morgan. WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? Simon Bolivar; Selective breeding; Wimbledon Common; 161 A.D. L.IE.CC.01.2014.0204

Puzzled? www.berocca.ie Your daily high performance vitamin

rugby six nations

Best all too aware of England power game by DAnny HOgAn

England will be out to ‘destroy’ Ireland’s maul in order to derail Joe Schmidt’s Triple Crown tilt, according to hooker Rory Best. Front-rower Best has warned that England forwards coach graham Rowntree will whip his team into a frenzy to dismantle Ireland’s driving weapon at Twickenham on Saturday. Ulster hooker Best worked under Rowntree on last summer’s successful British and Irish lions tour to australia, and knows from experience the former leicester man prioritises ‘physical dominance’. Ulster stalwart Best expects a gruesome forward battle in West london, with Rowntree masterminding the England pack’s bid to deny Ireland a third-straight Six nations victory. ‘He’s going to be drumming that into them all week: there’s been a lot made of our maul, so he’ll want to make a point of destroying that,’ said Best. ‘He played in a very physical leicester team, that’s his grounding, that’s what he’s going to expect from his players when we go out to play them on Saturday. ‘and he’ll be drumming that into them all week, there’s no doubt. There’ll be a lot of technical aspects, but a lot of it will also come down to mindset.’ Best believes dan Cole’s disc problem in his neck is a ‘massive blow’ for England, but warned Ireland not to expect an easy scrum ride in the leicester tighthead’s absence. Bath’s david Wilson has found fitness at the perfect time to slot in, with 31-year-old Best still anticipating a severe scrummaging challenge. ‘Two years ago we certainly got beaten up there, to put it mildly, and it cost us the match. and it’s going to be no different this weekend,’ said the hooker. ‘They have a very good scrum, no matter who they bring in, whoever gets the opportunity to fill dan Cole’s shirt, they are going to be very tough. Best replaced dylan Hartley on last summer’s lions tour after the northampton hooker was suspended, but the 72-cap Ireland hooker is adamant Hartley is a potent threat. ‘He’s shown this season in particular what a good player he is,’ said Best. Isaac Boss is expected to recover from injury in time to contest selection for the RBS 6 nations clash, team manager Mick Kearney confirmed. luke Fitzgerald and Tommy Bowe are expected to be fit for the final games against Italy and France, while darren Cave will be monitored after ‘abdominal soreness’.

Hooker by crook: Ulster scrummager Rory Best has warned his Ireland team mates not to be complacent about an England pack that prioritises ‘physical dominance’ piCturE: inpho

iRELAnDsquAD forwards: R Best (Ulster), S Cronin, C Healy, J Heaslip (all Leinster), I Henderson, C Henry (both Ulster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), M McCarthy, J McGrath, M Moore, J Murphy (all Leinster), P O’Connell (capt), T O’Donnell, P O’Mahony (all Munster), M Ross, R Ruddock (both Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), D Toner (Leinster). Backs: I Boss, G D’Arcy (both Leinster), R Henshaw (Connacht), P Jackson (Ulster), F Jones (Munster), D Kearney, R Kearney, I Madigan (all Leinster), L Marshall (Ulster), F McFadden (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), B O’Driscoll, E Reddan (both Leinster), J Sexton (Racing Metro), A Trimble (Ulster).

Returning Ryan in the mix for Twickenham battle Fit-again Donnacha Ryan is in line for his first RBS 6 Nations action this season after making the cut for Ireland’s training squad to face England. Head coach Joe Schmidt has named a 33-man group that will complete final preparations for Saturday’s clash at Twickenham. Lock Ryan was on Munster duty for the first time since December in Saturday’s 36-8 home

RaboDirect Pro12 victory over Zebre, having fully recovered from knee surgery. The 30-year-old’s timely return offsets the loss of Ulster’s Dan Tuohy with a broken arm, suffered in the 26-3 round-two victory over Wales in Dublin. Iain Henderson, Mike McCarthy

and now Ryan (pictured) will compete to cover starting second row combo Paul O’Connell and Devin Toner. The extended squad shows few changes, save for the return of Felix Jones, with Fergus McFadden and Eoin Reddan also available again after injury.

Wilson set to start for England as Cole ruled out

Injured: Dan Cole

England are ready to start david Wilson against Ireland on Saturday as they come to terms with having lost prop dan Cole for the remainder of the Six nations. Wilson played just 47 minutes of Bath’s Premiership victory over Exeter on Saturday in his first match since suffering a calf injury in december. The only alternative is to pick Henry Thomas, who has been supplying cover for Cole from the bench but is

deemed too inexperienced to start such a pivotal match. Cole is due to see a specialist for a second opinion on a bulging disk in his neck tomorrow and in his absence, head coach Stuart lancaster is set to opt for Wilson. ‘david’s back in the mix now, so it’s fortunate he’s come back and played at the weekend,’ lancaster said. ‘Clearly it’s not ideal having had such limited game time but there are certainly positives.

‘He was outstanding for us on the summer tour to argentina. For me he’s played his best rugby this season. ‘His calf has healed pretty well, but it’s a tight back that’s kept him out for the last couple of weeks. ‘He’s been able to maintain his fitness, albeit there’s nothing that beats a game. ‘We’re not bringing in an inexperienced tighthead here. We’re bringing in an experienced tighthead who has a lot of runs on the board.’

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD

spORT DigEsT Injury blow: Philip Deignan has been forced to drop out due to a bone fracture

Injured Deignan leaves Ruta del Sol cycLing Donegal man Philip

Deignan has withdrawn from Team Sky’s Ruta del Sol squad after fracturing a collarbone in training near his Monaco base. The 30-year-old climber fractured his left collarbone last year during the Tour of Britain and the latest blow comes to his right, denying him a second race for Team Sky. ‘My collarbone’s a lot more mobile than the last time this happened so I’m hoping I’ll be back on the bike sooner rather than later,’ he said. ‘It’s frustrating more than anything else. I was happy with the way things went at the Tour Down Under and I was looking forward to building my form at the Ruta del Sol.’ Deignan is recovering at home in Donegal and does not require surgery. His season target is May’s Giro d’Italia, which begins in Belfast and also visits Dublin.

Ike’s tree bows out of Augusta history gOLf Golf’s safest drivers made sure

they stayed clear of it but Augusta National’s famous Eisenhower Tree – which has become a victim of America’s ice storms – was a hazard that got the better of Tiger Woods and the US president whose name it carried. While the president had to contain his disdain for the obstacle that blocked his route to the green, for many it became one of the course’s great landmarks, and has even been subject of a eulogy from Jack Nicklaus. The tree came down over the weekend, having been left in a sorry state by storms in the state of Georgia.

Swells conspire to slow down Keane TRiATHLOn

Ireland’s Bryan Keane (pictured) got his season underway over the weekend at the Elwood ITU Oceania Cup in Melbourne. The race also doubled as the Australian National Championships, meaning local talent was up for it. While the poor conditions would have suited Keane on land, the choppy seas favoured the Antipodean super swimmers far better. First out of the water were eventual winners Matt Baker, Dan Wilson and Ryan Fisher, with Keane trailing 4th. He lost a further few seconds in T2 before running 15:35 for the final 5km and finishing 12th. ‘Poor opener today in Elwood 12th. Some positives. First race is always ugly for me,’ he later Tweeted.

22 METRO HERALD Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Changes at the Cottage hold no fears for Holtby

Lewis Holtby insists the appointment of Felix Magath as Fulham manager holds no fear for him, despite enduring a frustrating spell under the German earlier in his career. On Friday, in a drastic bid to stave off relegation from the Premier League, Fulham ended Rene Meulensteen’s 75-day reign and appointed Magath on an 18month deal. Holtby, who moved to Craven Cottage on loan in January, now has a fourth club boss of the season and a familiar figure in Magath, who sent him out on loan from Schalke on two occasions. ‘I don’t have any fear,’ Holtby said. ‘The news was of course a big surprise,’ he added.

Clattenburg back to ref Saints game

Mark Clattenburg is to referee Southampton’s game at West Ham on Saturday, the first time he will have taken charge of a Saints game since a complaint against him. The official angered Saints when, during their defeat to Everton on December 29, he told Captain Adam Lallana: ‘You are very different now, since you’ve played for England – you never used to be like this.’ He was also previously cleared of a complaint by Chelsea that he racially abused John Obi Mikel.

Canaries ‘swift’ Norwich could move swiftly to replace Chris Hughton if their Premier League status is threatened. With the Canaries two places and one point above relegation, Hughton’s future has been called into question. Chief executive David McNally said: ‘It would be almost delinquent of the club to not be aware of potential candidates if for any reason your manager left.’

REsuLTs FA Cup FiFTH ROunD

Brighton ............. 1 Hull .................1

Flamini warns Bayern to expect tougher Arsenal by MAssiMO MARiOni Mathieu FlaMini has warned Bayern Munich they will be facing a very different arsenal side to the one they swept aside in last season’s Champions league. the German holders will visit the emirates tomorrow night for a repeat of last year’s last-16 clash, but Bayern meet the Gunners in good form and sitting just a point off the top of the Premier league. and despite a 3-1 reverse at home last season, Flamini is convinced his side will represent a very different prospect for the reigning champions this time around. ‘it has been a more improved team effort this season,’ Flamini said. ‘it’s making all the difference. the players are putting in the necessary effort and everyone is fighting for

War of words: Wenger and Mourinho greet each other ahead of the goalless draw between their sides in December piCture: pa

‘Bayern are strong but we have big ambitions’

MOuRinHO’s jiBEs wOn’T FAzE wEngER, sAys pARLOuR

ForMer Arsenal midfielder ray parlour says Jose Mourinho went too far with his comments about Arsene Wenger, but insists the Frenchman can handle their escalating war of words. Mourinho branded Gunners boss Wenger ‘a specialist in failure’ on Friday ahead of the weekend’s FA Cup fifth-round ties. As it was, Arsenal came through 2-1 against Liverpool and Chelsea crashed 2-0 at Manchester City. parlour is sure the portuguese’s words would have stung Wenger, but believes reacting angrily would

Cup dream is driving Coleman everTon’S Seamus Coleman admits the desire to end the club’s trophy drought is driving on the dressing room. A 3-1 win at home to Swansea on Sunday has set up a tough FA Cup quarter-final at Arsenal’s emirates Stadium next month. everton’s last trophy was their FA Cup win of 1995 and after getting to the final in 2009 – where

football champions league

they lost to Chelsea – the players are looking to go one better, spurred on by boss roberto Martinez. ‘We want to go as far as we can in the cup,’ said Coleman. ‘i’ve been here five years now and i’ve not won anything so it would be nice to win, and there are other lads who have been here longer who want to win it as well. it would lift the club as a whole.’

only have played into Mourinho’s hands. ‘There is no code of conduct for managers, but i was involved in what used to go on between Arsene and [former Manchester United boss] Sir Alex Ferguson, and this was as bad as that. i thought Jose went over the top,’ said the 40year-old, who made 470 appearances for the club. ‘Arsene has had his little say back and he’ll concentrate on the football. He won’t let it affect him. i think Jose is great for the premier League and he can say

what he likes, can’t he? ‘Arsene says he embarrassed Chelsea and will want to get on with the football and prove Jose wrong. Jose’s his own man and he takes the pressure off his players.’ parlour, meanwhile, sees hope for the Gunners in their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich, the first leg of which takes place at the emirates Stadium tomorrow night. ‘You have to look at their two centre-halves – Arsenal can get at them,’ he added. ‘Winning in Munich last season has given them confidence.’

each other. arsenal this year know the difference between winning and losing, it is very fine. ‘We know it won’t be an easy game because Bayern are a very strong team, but we have big ambitions.’ the French midfielder has likened the strength and spirit of the current Gunners squad to the club’s last trophy-winning side of nine years ago. Flamini said: ‘What i will say about this season is i see a great commitment, i see everyone working hard on the pitch and helping each other. ‘it is what we had when i was here and we won the Fa Cup [in 2005] because against liverpool [on Sunday] it was a difficult game, but everyone worked very hard, even the players playing up front. ‘We asked them to defend and help the team and they did it very well. it was important to show some character on the pitch, some solidarity.’

Gerrard promises exit will not derail Liverpool’s top-four bid

LiverpooL captain Steven Gerrard says Sunday’s loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup will not halt his team’s momentum as they head into the crucial final stretch of the season. The defeat was a disappointing end to a thrilling eight days for the Merseysiders, who turned in one of the performances of the season in beating the Gunners 5-1 at Anfield the previous weekend, before a last-gasp penalty European ambitions: Gerrard from Gerrard gave them a late

win over Fulham in midweek. Their form has them within sight of Champions League qualification for the first time

4 Seasons since Liver-

pool played Champions League football since the 2009/10 season, and being talked about as outsiders for the title. The england skipper said

missing the chance to extend their cup run would not derail their league ambitions. ‘Sometimes you just don’t get what you deserve from games and this was an example of that,’ he said. ‘We have to move on, dust ourselves off and go again against Swansea next Sunday. ‘people are talking about us being a top side and rightly so. We need to bounce back quickly. That’s what top sides do after a setback.’

football champions league

City the only team in town

Manchester City v Barcelona 7.45pm, uTV Battle stations: Kompany, left, has a huge task preventing Messi, right, from scoring tonight Pictures: action iMages

POssiBLE TEAMs

Manchester belongs to us, says boss Pellegrini

Man City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy; Garcia, Toure; Milner, Silva, Nasri; Negredo. Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Bartra, Pique, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Fabregas; Sanchez, Pedro, Messi.

by DAniEL jOnEs

Manuel’s toughest test yet

C did you know?

Barcelona had only been crowned European champions once before beating Arsenal in the 2006 final. They have since added 2009 and 2011 triumphs to their 1992 success

CiTy face their biggest test of character since Manuel Pellegrini took charge when they entertain Barcelona in the round of 16 tonight. True, they have already been beaten at the Etihad by Bayern Munich but they were still a work in progress in that 3-1 reversal to the holders. That defeat on October 2 was something of a catalyst as City have lost just three times and drawing only four of 31 matches since. Bayern were beaten in the return fixture and City have since dished out hidings like they’re going out of fashion, but Barcelona are still a class apart and have lost just once in 18 matches, winning 15, since back-to-back defeats against Ajax in the Champions League and Atletico Madrid in La Liga back in November. Before then, the only blemish was a couple of draws as their attacking play continues to excite under new boss Gerardo Martino.

KEY BATTLE: Vincent

Kompany v Lionel Messi

MESSi may have missed out on the Ballon d’Or this year and injury may have curtailed his campaign but he is still widely regarded as the world’s best footballer. The awesome Argentinian has scored 19 goals in 20 matches and five in the last three outings, hitting form just at the right time for Barca’s trip to Manchester. With really poor Messi performances rarer than

Barcelona have lost the fear factor, admits Pique

BARCELONA’S Gerard Pique last night admitted that Manchester City may not ‘fear’ the Catalan giants any more. Uncertainty is seeping into the Barca squad that was previously being lauded as the greatest in football, as they prepare to face City in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash. ‘Maybe they don’t fear us as before because in the last two years we didn’t win the Champions League,’ said Pique.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 METRO HERALD 23

hen’s teeth, Kompany will have to be at his very best to reduce his impact. City’s big Belgian defender is central to his team’s chances of reaching the quarterfinals after two years of failing to progress from the group stages and if they want to be recognised as a true European force, the skipper has to step up to challenges like this.

‘We can still be the best but we have to show to the world we can do it.’ City earned plaudits for their attacking football under Manuel Pellegrini. Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said: ‘I don’t think City are a mini-Barcelona or a mini any team. They are one of the greatest teams in the world. They have great Spanish players like [Jesus] Navas and [David] Silva but it is not only Spanish players.’

MANUEL PELLEGRINI has claimed Manchester City have overtaken fierce rivals United as the dominant force in their city. The City chief was asked about the strengths of both clubs as he prepared his side for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Barcelona tonight. City head into the game at the Etihad Stadium still in contention in four competitions, while traditional powerhouses United have endured a difficult campaign. ‘If we only consider this season, there is just one club in Manchester and it’s ours, but you cannot forget what United has done in the previous years,’ the Chilean manager said. ‘We are aiming to keep growing by winning trophies, not just national but international trophies. ‘We have to be patient because you cannot change the team from one day to another. ‘We have to keep the philosophy of the style and for that you need time.’ And Pellegrini is vowing to stick to his attacking principles when the Spanish giants visit Eastlands tonight. He said: ‘Of course when you play against Barcelona, against an important team, you must always consider important things – but the most important thing is to try to be the same team you see every week in the league. ‘It is important to continue having the same style of play and personality to beat Barcelona.’ While City are without injured star

Talk of the town: City manager Pellegrini wants to win trophies striker Sergio Aguero, Barca will have Lionel Messi, who has shown signs of rediscovering his best after an injury-hit season. Pellegrini said: ‘Without doubt it is very hard [to stop] Messi because he is a world-class player. ‘He does a lot of different things. He has speed, good control, a good finish. ‘He is a good player but I don’t think Barcelona is Messi. You can have Messi tight and other players will decide the game. ‘It is important to play as a team defending and attacking.’

Zabaleta’s ready to go on the attack

Confident: Zabaleta

Pablo Zabaleta is confident Manchester City can force the pace in the first leg of their Champions league last-16 meeting with barcelona tonight. It is the first time City have reached the knockout stage of the competition and barca’s reputation is a formidable one, but Zabaleta believes they can take the game to the Catalan giants. the argentine defender said: ‘the manager will decide but I think it’s

important we stick to our game and that we go on the attack because we have attacking players. ‘It’s a special match because we know we will be coming up against one of the best teams in the world. ‘but we are really up for this, we will approach the game with aggression and, as we always say, if we go out of a competition, it’s because the opposition plays better than us, not because we are scared of competing.’

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

dear danske customers, change to a bank that’s all about you. You don’t need us to tell you changing your bank is a big decision. So before you make up your mind pop into any KBC hub for a coffee and a chat, or give us a call to see if KBC is a good match for you. We think you’ll like our personal style of banking. After all, it’s all about you. We also think you’ll like our Current Account. Because with us, everyday things like using your Debit Card in store for purchases and Cashback, Online and Mobile Banking, Direct Debits, Standing Orders and Electronic Lodgments are all free. And yes, you could be paying for these with other banks. Other fees and charges apply. Oh, and did we mention that we have great rates on our Savings Accounts too? We thought you might like that. (6 KBC Deposit products are ranked in the top two on askaboutmoney.com.) So pop into one of our Hubs and see if KBC is the bank for you. And to make it even easier for you to change your bank, we’ll be open late till 7pm this Thursday 20th and Friday 21st February.

visit changeyourbank.ie, call 1800 51 52 53, 0r pop into our Baggot St hub (142-143 Lower Baggot St, Dublin). Terms and conditions apply. Information correct as of 12/02/2014. KBC Bank Ireland plc is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.