Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Travel
Activity break in Rhône-Alps
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Get smart – touch screens aid literacy SmartphoneS and tablet computers can encourage poor pre-school children to read, a new report says. Youngsters are more likely to enjoy looking at a book and be reading at the right level for their age if they have access to the new technology, it found. the new study, by Britain’s national Literacy trust and education firm pearson suggests there are benefits to young children using both print and a touch screen, compared to reading physical books alone. the findings, based on a poll of around 1,000 parents of three to fiveyear-olds, show that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to have access to touch screens – for example through tablet computers – than their richer peers. But of those children with access to touch screens, pre-schoolers from lower socio-economic backgrounds are twice as likely to look at stories using this technology than those from more privileged homes (16 per cent compared to 7.2 per cent). It goes on to say that children were more likely to enjoy reading if they used both books and a touch screen than reading books alone (77.4 per cent compared to 70.8 per cent). the study concludes: ‘technology offers a route into reading for disad-
by alison kershaw
vantaged three to five-year-old children. of children who have a touch screen at home, children of lower socio-economic status are twice as likely to look at stories daily. ‘We also found that poorer children who use both books and touch screens to look at stories are less likely to perform below the expected standard for their age than if they only look at books.’ the study also viewed parents’ reading habits and found that the more a mum or dad enjoys reading, the more they think their child enjoys the activity. ‘the more often parents read either print or using a touch screen, the more likely children are to look at or read print-based stories,’ it found. It added: ‘the majority of parents think they are very good readers (75.6 per cent) and the more skilled parents say they are at reading, the better their children’s communication and language outcomes at age five.’ nLt director Jonathan Douglas said: ‘technology is playing an increasingly crucial role in all our lives and the ways in which children are learning are changing fast. It is important we keep abreast of these changes and their impact on children’s education.’
‘Technology offers a route into reading’
IT’S ELLENDA KENNY: An Taoiseach Enda Kenny delighted well-wishers looking for the obligatory selfie yesterday as he arrived in Manchester for the start of his St Patrick’s Day engagements. Mr Kenny was persuaded to pose by fellow Mayo man barman Fabian Bohan-Taghian, who served him a coffee at a café near Manchester Town Hall. The Taoiseach moves on to London today and Washington later in the week
Keep Dublin tidy – Please recycle this Metro Herald when you are finished with it
METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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Tuesday 11/03/14 How to contact us
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36% of a child’s salt
intake comes from cereals and bread-based food – contributing to a daily excess of 0.75g for 5-year-olds, the journal Hypertension found Ireland’s rate of newsprint recycling is now up to 79%. Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you.
Today is...
Worship of Tools Day You’d think it would be confined to a bank holiday, but alas today everything from a humble spanner to your latest Black & Decker power thingy is worthy
From the archives (2011):
Paddy’s Day ministerial jaunts cut
The Taoiseach and just eight ministers will jet off to eight countries for St Patrick’s Day celebrations, compared with 22 by the Fianna Fáil-led government last year. Our ministers’ arrangements for our patron saint’s day have been greatly scaled back.
Today’s birthdays
Rupert Murdoch, media magnate, 83; Mary Harney, former health minister and TD, 61 (pictured); Didier Drogba, footballer, 36; Anton Yelchin, actor, 25.
‘It’s near this vintage clothes shop that sells ACTUAL parachute pants.’
CLOCkWORD
The solutions from 1 to 12 are all six-letter words ending with the letter R in the centre. Moving clockwise from 1, the letters in the outer circle will spell out the name of an English author. 1. Court clown 8. Lower 2. Public speaker 9. Journalist 3. Sibling 10. Tent dweller 4. Make beloved 11. Stable hand 5. Annoy 12. Surgical 6. Nazi leader scraper 7. Weather map Yesterday’s solution: Magic Johnson line
R
Weather Weather Today
Max: 13°c
Another dry day, with frost soon clearing and fog thinning during the morning to give sunny periods. Temperatures between 10°C and 13°C in light south to southeast breezes.
11�C
Derry
Donegal
12�C
10�C Belfast
Cavan
Galway
11�C
Athlone
Dublin
13�C
Tipperary
12�C
Waterford
Tralee
Cork
Tonight Any bus stop that’s near a place you find interesting, useful or fun can be a Hot-Stop. It could be the stop beside your favourite cinema or the one near the field where your Aunty Margaret once found twenty two quid fifty. Tell Noel about your Hot-Stops and you could win an iPhone 5. But hurry – the competition must end on March 18th at midnight. To enter, go to dublinbus.ie/networknoel
10�C
12�C Sunrise: 6.50am Sunset: 6.22pm
Min: -2°c
Tonight will be dry and cold, with a mixture of clear spells and some cloudy periods. Temperatures between -2°C and 1°C with a sharp to severe frost and also some patches of mist and fog.
EUROPE today
Tomorrow A dry, bright day, with a mixture of sunny spells and occasional cloudy periods. Temperatures between 10°C and 13°C in light to moderate onshore breezes.
12�C 12�C 13�C 10�C
12�C
Athens
13 °c
Barcelona
17 °c
Berlin
15 °c 14 °c
11�C
Brussels
11�C
London
11�C Max: 13°c
Geneva Madrid Paris Rome
12 °c 12 °c 19 °c 17 °c 16 °c
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
Furbies: It’s not long till they reach counties Meath and Louth
Warm-up: Max, Franko, Cathal and Paddy don their animal attire for their 24-hour excursion PICtureS: faCebook
Onesie-way ticket around Ireland in fundraising dare
SETTING foot in every county on the island of Ireland in 24 hours wearing an animal onesie. That was the challenge for four young Dubliners in their fundraising (ahem) drive for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin. And they did it, with time to spare (and they swear they didn’t break any speed limits). Max Rantz-McDonald, Franko Mc Swiney, Cathal O’Brien and Paddy
by jOAnnE AHERn
Rhatigan donned their monkey, lion, giraffe and pug attire and set off from New Ross, Co Wexford in the early hours of Sunday morning in a 21year-old camper van called Bonny. They completed the task in Newmarket, Co Cork 18.5 hours later – having stopped off in each county to take a picture at the Welcome sign and prove they made it. They had to
make an exception for Co Down, however, and put their make-and-do skills to use after their search for a welcome sign proved fruitless. Speaking to Metro Herald, Max Rantz-McDonald said the four friends decided to give it a go after discussing their goals for the year. And they chose Crumlin’s outpatients’ unit because they felt it was a ‘fantastic cause’. ‘Knowing that outpatients’ unit is
pretty substandard, it’s the best cause really. ‘Crumlin Children’s Hospital is close to a lot of people’s hearts,’ he added. The around Ireland trip was sponsored by Supervalu Blackrock, Maxol, Paleo Foods, Classic Hymer Hire and Kigu. The four have already raised €5,000 for the children’s hospital and they have associated events planned for
the next two weeks, Visit www.route32ireland.com for further details.
METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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U P TO
Selected clothing, beauty and homeware items. NOW ON IN STORE AND ONLINE.
Terms and conditions apply. While stocks last. See in selected ROI stores and marksandspencer.ie for full details. Š Marks and Spencer (IRL) Ltd.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
Commuters in terror as teens run riot on train BY JOANNE AHERN
GARDAÍ arrested three teenagers over an incident on an Irish Rail commuter train in which at least one person was injured and other passengers were left ‘terrified’. Commuters on board the 17.55 Heuston to Newbridge train took to Twitter shortly after 6pm to alert the rail company of ‘drunk teenagers’ running through carriages causing mayhem. One man was injured after reportedly being punched in the nose. Passengers tweeted @IrishRail looking for company security. One woman tweeted: ‘Never been so scared on a train in my 14 years commuting. Unacceptable nothing was done. Passengers were terrified.’ Gardaí were eventually alerted after a passenger called them. They alerted Irish Rail, who in turn informed the driver, but the group had left the train by the time gardaí arrived. A spokeswoman for Irish Rail apol-
I’m the chairperson
Katherine Lynch and Roisín Belledent took a seat at The National Leprechaun Museum to give the St Patrick’s Day Dublin Catwalk a jolly green giant kickstart. The Museum will capture the high energy and spirit of festivalgoers by hosting the free event after the parade, kicking off at 2pm, and invites adults and children alike to Wolfe Tone Square to take part in a green street-style catwalk or simply soak up the atmosphere
‘Never been so scared on a train’ ogised to passengers and said the driver was unaware of the incident. Irish Rail said the Twitter feed is not always manned, and was not at the time of the incident. She said there is an emergency button in each carriage to contact the driver directly and advised passengers to use this if there is an incident. However, passengers said last night that they did not feel safe being overheard reporting such incidents. One passenger took to Twitter to say: ‘I don’t want to get stabbed, shot or assaulted just cause u can’t be bothered to monitor and react.’ The three people were held in Naas garda station last night.
Police delay is ‘farcical’ DELAYS to an inquest into the first death caused by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have been branded farcical by a coroner. Neil McConville, 21, was shot dead by the PSNI – the first fatality since the organisation replaced the RUC – after a chase near Lisburn in 2003. It has been months since police received a legal request to check the officers’ records for roles in other security force killings, but no response has been given. Coroner Suzanne Anderson told a preliminary hearing in Belfast: ‘It is very disappointing we are no further on. It has reached a farcical stage.’ Then-police ombudsman Nuala O’Loan said the fatal shots had been justified but other elements of the operation were heavily criticised.
Picture: Maxwells
Director of finance house says ‘no fears raised’ over Anglo deal IRISH and British regulators failed to raise red flags over a loans-forshares plan to unwind a secret €2.4billion stake in Anglo Irish Bank by Ireland’s one-time richest man, a court has heard. The fraud trial of three former executives at the lender heard no concerns were highlighted during calls between the bank, finance house Morgan Stanley and regulators ahead of the deal. David Churton, a compliance director with Morgan Stanley in London in 2008, said it was unusual to advise financial watchdogs about the plan. ‘For us to be speaking to both the Irish regulator and the British regulators was unusual, that does
not happen,’ he said. ‘If they had raised red flags we would not have executed the Accused: Fitzpatrick transaction, if they could not have mitigated.’ The plan involved a deal to undo €2.4bn of secret trades in Anglo, known as Contracts For Difference (CFD) built up through spectacular but doomed punts by Sean Quinn. Mr Churton, giving evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court via
video link from a London court, said it had been his understanding the Irish regulator encouraged the unwinding of the CFD position. Sean FitzPatrick, former chairman and one-time chief executive, former chief risk officer Willie McAteer, and former managing director of lending Pat Whelan, have pleaded not guilty to 16 charges of providing unlawful loans for clients to buy bank shares. Anglo were involved in a deal to lend millions to six members of the Quinn family and a select group of wealthy investors known as the Maple Ten to try and unwind the CFD position, 28 per cent of the bank’s stock in 2008. The hearing continues.
Peel deal: Fyffes bananas
Fyffes merges with US-based rival Chiquita FRUIT supplier Fyffes is to merge with US-based rival Chiquita in a deal creating the world’s largest banana company. The proposed new business will be called ChiquitaFyffes and generate revenues of €3.3billion from the sale of more than 160million banana boxes a year. Dublin-based Fyffes, which also sells products under the Sol brand, employs more than 12,000 people worldwide. Chiquita is the larger of the two firms with annual revenues of €3billion and 20,000 staff. Shareholders in the North Carolina-based company will own 50.7 per cent of the business following the merger, which values Fyffes at €375m.
FG strategist quits over his links to Rehab ONe of the top behind-thescenes figures in Fine Gael has quit his veteran role after revelations he was paid thousands by a charity to lobby the Government. Party strategist Frank Flannery has also stood down from his longstanding senior position within under-fire charity Rehab. ‘It is a step that I undertake with real regret but I have come to the opinion that my involvement with the board is making the Rehab Group the subject of political controversy at this time,’ Mr Flannery said.
e-Cigs banned on trains over complaints e-CIGAReTTeS have been banned from all Irish trains. Irish Rail said it took the decision after complaints from passengers, even though there is no proof they are harmful. The company told Dublin People newspapers it would be putting up posters informing passengers of the new rule. e-cigarettes have become increasingly popular among those trying to quit smoking, although some countries have banned them in public places.
METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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Silencing ‘chatty’ bacteria could stop drug resistance
by Lucy cHRiSTiE
MUSH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: An Iditarod musher crosses a frozen pond between the Shaktoolik and Koyuk checkpoints during the 2014 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska
60 seconds
Ex-celebrity interviewer Ruby WAx, 60, wrote a show about her depression. She has an MA in mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy and a new show Sane New World
What’s your new live show about? It’s based on the book
sane new World – about how your brain works. It’s a survival manual for the 21st century. It’s a tour of your brain – what to do with it, what’s going on with it and why we’re screwed. I talk about how we’re burning out because some of the chemicals that make us ‘go for it’ never shut down, which is why stress is expected to be the biggest killer by 2020.
You talk about neural plasticity – what is it? In the
past, people thought we were stuck the way we are because of our genes, like a stamp, but now they’ve discovered neural plasticity. gloria gaynor’s going to have to change the lyrics to I Am What I Am because you aren’t what you are. Instead of saying ‘I’m a victim’ or ‘I’m aggressive’, like you’re a brand of soup, they’ve found it isn’t true and you’re only cornered or labelled when you do it to yourself. neural plasticity means behaviours can be changed.
Has talking about your experiences with depression in your previous show had
ReVeNUe is appealing to homeowners who under-declared the value of their property to selfcorrect online, as it warns it is checking up on valuations. Officials are looking to see if homes are valued at significantly lower than similar properties in the same area. Revenue economist Keith Walsh said: ‘If we find properties like this we will look at it and see if we should challenge it.’ householders can make changes on www.revenue. ie, but do not have to adjust their property tax to reflect any increase in value since May 1, 2013.
Fertile climate key to Genghis empire
picturE: Ap
InsIghts into how bacteria ‘talk’ to each other could help scientists halt their growing resistance to antibiotics. A new study has found that bacteria use a form of communication similar to human language, using chemical signals instead of words. this language enables bacteria to thrive and researchers hope that by interpreting it they can develop new drugs to fight infections without bacteria developing a resistance to them. scientists say the number of dangerous bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics is growing, posing a serious threat to human health. Infections that are currently manageable could become life-threatening without effective drugs. Researchers at Edinburgh University found that bacteria recognise their physical and social environment by producing and responding to chemical compounds which act as messages. the study, a collaboration between nottingham and Durham universities, says that most remedies for infections simply block all talk between bacteria, but these can drastically alter the way they act and aid the survival of resistant strains. It is thought that more subtle interventions, only blocking specific signals that can harm people may be equally effective at treating infections without leading to resistance.
Taxman checking up on properties
negative consequences? Are
you kidding? I toured the world and got to stay in great hotels. I might have lost work if I was still in tV – no one wants to take a risk on that, so I kept it quiet. But then Comic Relief put big posters of me in tube stations, saying: ‘I have a mental illness.’ then I wrote a show and pretended it was my publicity poster. I did the show in mental institutions, then it became a hit. I became so interested in how the brain works, I enrolled to study it at Oxford – that wouldn’t have happened if I was still yipping away doing a talk show.
Has the stigma around mental health issues improved? things have changed.
no one doubts the numbers now, that one in four people will experience a mental health problem. People still lose their jobs because they have depression. I’ve given talks at banks – some want to get ahead of the game. they’ve started giving people with depression time off to get better because it’s estimated €100billion is lost each year on absenteeism caused by some sort of mental problem.
You say you weren’t a very good actress. What were the low-lights? Playing a wench in
a Royal shakespeare Company production of Love’s Labours Lost with Alan Rickman. I was playing Michael hordern’s girlfriend and he whispered: ‘I’m so ashamed,’ because my acting wasn’t correct. Later on, Alan said: ‘Maybe you should consider another career.’ he told me to write the way I talk and we’d do a show. I handed him 200 pages of madness, he edited it and directed my first solo show. I went on with the RsC for another couple of years and never really improved. things wouldn’t have kept going for me as a shakespearean actress.
Who didn’t you get on with when doing chat shows?
there were a few that went wrong. Donald trump hated me. there were times when I thought I was being charming but I was really being passive aggressive. I asked him questions that irritated him, then wondered why he was being a jerk – but I was pulling the jerkiness out of him. But others loved me. OJ simpson was in love.
Is the celebrity TV interview
The rise of Genghis Khan and the vast Mongol empire was helped by a temporary spell of good weather, researchers have claimed. Studying the rings of ancient trees in central Mongolia, researchers found that exactly when the empire rose, the normally cold region of central Asia saw its mildest, wettest weather in more than 1,000 years. Study co-author Amy hessl of Columbia University said: ‘Where it’s arid, unusual moisture creates unusual plant productivity, and that translates into horsepower. Genghis was literally able to ride that wave.’
“
Donald Trump hated me. I asked him questions that irritated him, then wondered why he was being a jerk format a bit clapped out?
graham norton has the right personality for it – he can zap up a guest. I could do that only sporadically but I’d be with them for a few days, so I’d have enough time. You wouldn’t get that sort of access now.
Have you turned your back on showbiz? I
didn’t turn my back but there was no way to keep going after 25 years – and I didn’t want to cling on by my toenails to get a panto. so I steered it another way and what I’m doing now is so interesting. I get to study and meet the experts and translate that material into a show.
What are you proudest of achieving? getting on tED
talks but idiots don’t know what tED talks are. If you don’t know, I’m not going to explain it. Usually when you perform in front of an audience, you think ‘they’re just people’ but with tED talks, it’s all geniuses – and they were listening to me, who knows nothing.
AlAMy
What lessons has your career in showbiz taught you?
get out when it’s time to and get another job before everyone drops you. It’s worked out for me but not everyone is as lucky. Andrew
Williams
Ruby’s Sane New World tour comes to Dún Laoghaire’s Pavilion Theatre on April 11. The paperback of the same name is out now. www.rubywax.net
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METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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Tinie’s a lover not a fighter
Chillin’: Tinie Tempah keeps in shape to impress the ladies PICTURE:
Tinie Tempah maintains his six pack to impress the ladies, he says. The 25-year-old tells his admirers his sweat is their gain and, unlike many, he would not ease off when he starts a romance. ‘There’s so much of a difference when you’re working out. You’re more confident, you feel hotter,’ he told Men’s Health. But the rapper has another incentive to keep up his game – his workout buddy is former heavyweight champ David Haye. And while the singer keeps in shape, he doesn’t want to go too far. ‘I didn’t want to look like a meathead. I still need to wear suits, man – that would kill my vibe completely,’ he said.
mEn’s hEalTh
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I did tequila shots with Jackson in the library of a London castle A
s drinking stories involving royalty go, Aaron Paul’s wins hands down after he revealed he got drunk on tequila in the library of a castle with Michael Jackson and the prince of Brunei. The Breaking Bad star has revealed that, before he hit the big time, he partied hard with the king of pop after the prince recognised him from teen comedy Whatever It Takes. ‘It was just a very long weekend with Michael Jackson,’ the 34-year-old Us star said. ‘My buddy got invited to the prince of Brunei’s birthday party outside of London at this castle and I was his plus one. [The prince] took a liking to me and we just sort of ran He has played a super sleuth with an IQ through the roof, a slave owner with a conflicted heart and now a famous World War II codebreaker. But Benedict Cumberbatch yearns for a simpler role. ‘I am so ready to play a really dumb character,’ says the Sherlock star. ‘I always seem to be cast as slightly wan, ethereal, troubled intellectuals or physically ambivalent bad lovers,’ he
by ANDREI HARMSWORTH around playing with sheep.’ Revealing how he hit the bottle with Jacko, Paul told Jimmy Kimmel Live: ‘so I go down to this giant library and the prince is inside the library with Michael Jackson. It was just Michael, the prince and I talking for about an hour. ‘Then that night, Michael, myself and the prince and about ten other people got pretty drunk in the library bar. It was so bizarre.’ He added that he and Jacko had a heartto-heart about their childhoods as ‘we did shots of tequila all night’.
told the New York Times’ T magazine. The 37-year-old, who plays Alan Turing the Enigma code cracker in new film The Imitation Game, also told how he is forced to live an ‘invisible’ life because of the popularity of Sherlock. Revealing that he adopts a cloak and dagger existence to get through daily life, he said: ‘The greatest disguise is to be invisible in plain sight.’
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Lily Allen is the undisputed star of her new music video as it features several clones of herself on a night out. The 28-year-old appears dressed as a hot dog in the promotion for Our Time and ends up having a fight with her blonde double, who has been smoking, drinking and vomiting in the back of a taxi. Two of the Lilys even share a kiss as the group are taken home. But when the final cab fare comes to £70 at the end of the music video, the original Lily stumbles off without paying. Her new album, Sheezus, is out on May 5.
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Olivia Wilde says it’s tough being a woman in Hollywood and has called for more strong female leads. ‘It’s really hard to get any stories made that are not just about women being obsessed with men or supporting them,’ the 30-year-old told Glamour magazine.
Beckham set to star in Peckham H
e’S tasted success while playing for some of the biggest football clubs in the world and David Beckham says he can now ‘die a happy man’... after landing a role in Only Fools And Horses.
by sEAMus Duff
The ex-england football captain makes his TV sit-com debut alongside Del Boy and Rodney in a Sports Relief edition of the classic BBC1 comedy next Friday night.
Despite playing in the world’s best stadiums, in the biggest tournaments, against the best players, Beckham has confessed his time on the Peckham set was the most ‘nerve-racking experience of my life’. The 38-year-old ex-Manchester Unit-
Lorde gives giv DJ Swift answer Lorde was taken aback when a radio presenter quizzed her over o her budding friendship with Taylor Swift, but was prompt with her reply to the DJ. The 17-year-old Royals singer (pictured) shot down Aussie presenter Kyle Sandilands when he tried to imply she was dating Swift, 24. ‘Are you guys together now? Not together as in lesbians. I’m not talking about “Ellen together” I’m talking about, like you guys are friendly right?’ Sandilands asked. Lorde said there was nothing wrong with being a lesbian but warned him, ‘Don’t even try it’ when he continued to press her.
ed and Real Madrid star also revealed he instigated the Trotter brothers’ TV return by approaching Jim Sullivan, the son of the late Only Fools creator John, to pen the sketch. But he suffered an attack of the jitters the night before shooting his guest appearance with David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst – and was so keen to be pitch perfect with his lines that he woke up the next morning with the script laid out on his chest. ‘The day of filming started off with a sleepless night, going over my script, script,’ Beckham told the Radio Ti Times. ‘The thought of being on set with Nicholas and David was very nerv nerve-racking. He added: ‘I’ve never done anything lik like this before, especially with two people I’m really in awe of and have been for man many years. ‘It wasn’t just about learning the script, it was about delivering it; say-
ing the right things at the right time.’ But Beckham need not have worried about fluffing his lines, said Sullivan. ‘When David read the script he was surprised to have been given so much dialogue and was nervous,’ he added. ‘But he had no reason to be because his acting and delivery were very good.’ And the reason why Beckham was so keen to see Only Fools back on our screens for the first time since the 2003 Christmas special? ‘I’m a huge fan of the show and have been for as far back as I can remember,’ he said. ‘Being from the east end of London, it’s what I was brought up on.’ He hopes the Sport Relief special can ‘make people laugh’ and raise cash for charities doing ‘lots of incredible work’. And on a personal note: ‘I can die a happy man after these two days on the Only Fools set,’ he gushed.
Bacon: Six degrees horrified me Kevin Bacon went from horror to embracing the six degrees of separation ggame attributed to him. The 55-year 55-year-old used the ggame, which dictates anyone in the w world can be connected to Bacon through people they know to setting up the charity SixDe SixDegrees.org. actor I was ‘I took myself so seriously as an actor. horrified by it. I thought it w was this giant joke at my jok was: “Can you believe that this expense. I thought the joke La A-hole can be connected to Lawrence of Arabia in six steps or less?”’ he said. At the time, he was ‘frustrated’ en thinking about the environment, hunger and animals, The Following star told Vanity Fair Daily. SixDegrees.or connects people with good causes on SixDegrees.org social media.
Rihanna and Drake have been spotted on a ‘date’ in London, fuelling speculation their reunion is hotting up. The 26-year-old singer and Drake, 27, dined together on Saturday night and were spotted by paparazzi as they tried to leave a restaurant via separate exits. They met in Amsterdam last week – and also got together in February to celebrate Riri’s birthday in Paris. However, it is unclear if the pair – who were an item in 2010 – are again making a go of things as both are keeping mum about their romantic status. A source told HollywoodLife.com: ‘They are friends first and no matter where the chips fall – they’ll always be friends first – no female can break up their friendship.’ pictures: wenn/fameflynet
Independent College Dublin, 60-63 Dawson Street, Dublin 2. Telephone: (01) 672 5058 Email: cpd@independentcolleges.ie For course timetables and to apply online visit:
www.independentcolleges.ie
10 METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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Love cheat told mistress to kill child in Skype call
AN accountant murdered a baby over Skype from 1,120km away, a Norwegian court has been told. Married Ammaz Qureshi is accused of using the online video chat software from his home in London to order his mistress to drown her daughter in Norway. The 35-year-old allegedly became angry when the one-year-old interrupted their illicit late-night call by crying, so he told his 28-year-old lover to submerge the child in a bucket of water as a discipline.
by DAniEL binnS
He was said to have watched live as the little girl was held under water twice before she lost consciousness. Her mother then called the emergency services, claiming the child had accidentally fallen in but she died in hospital the next day. His mistress, Yasmin Chaudhry, has pleaded guilty to child abuse but denies premeditated murder. Qureshi, from Pinner, north London, had been married for seven
years at the time he met mother-oftwo Chaudhry in February 2010. The pair continued to stay in contact over Skype and phone when she returned to her home in Oslo. Qureshi’s lawyer, Vibeke Hein Baera, earlier told a court: ‘He denies the accusations of premeditated murder and assault. ‘My client is baffled that he is accused of a crime committed in a country which he – at that point in time – had never set foot in.’ Both defendants deny murder.
Russians face having their assets frozen LEADING Russians could face a freeze on their assets as well as travel bans if Vladimir Putin doesn’t back down in the Ukraine crisis. International powers are meeting in London today to draw up a list of potential names, British prime minister David Cameron told MPs. Russia could also be excluded from meetings of the G8 group of countries. Preparations for a meeting in Russia
World
Reaching their peak
of the G8 are already on hold since the revolution in Kiev and Russian occupation of Crimea. Responding to Commons questions, the prime minister said: ‘You asked whether it would be right to resuscitate the G7 rather than go ahead with a G8. ‘I think if we don’t make progress on a contact group, if Russia takes further steps, then clearly one of the measures we could bring forward... would be going back to a G7 rather than a G8.’
digest
bayern star Hoeness Leader Kim ‘elected’ facing jail over taxes with 100% of votes
gERMAny: Bayern Munich FC president Uli Hoeness is facing up to ten years in jail after admitting tax dodging. The ex-international, 62, evaded €3.4million in taxes by concealing more than €32million in a secret Swiss bank account, a Munich court was told yesterday. ‘I’m no social parasite,’ he said. The case should end on Thursday.
nORTH KOREA: Kim Jong-un has been elected to the Supreme People’s Assembly with the unanimous approval of his district. The dictator took 100 per cent of the votes in Mount Paekdu. There was no-one else on the ballot. The result showed ‘the people’s absolute support and profound trust’ for Mr Kim, state TV reported yesterday.
An Alpine Skiing athlete during a training session at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games yesterday. The warm weather that made for tricky conditions last month is continuing to hamper performances Picture: ePa
Clifford’s ‘hands all over me in car’
Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, D2 http://dublin.cervantes.es Tel: (01) 631 15 00
MAX CLIFFORD offered to drive a 14-year-old home – then stopped in an alley and indecently assaulted her, a British court heard yesterday. The PR guru (pictured) left the girl fearing she would be raped after meeting her at a south-west London Wimpy Bar in 1966 or ’67, jurors were told. The alleged victim said she had told Clifford she wanted to meet the Walker Brothers and he had replied ‘I can arrange that but this is what you’ve got to do’. She said: ‘He put my seat right back and tried to force himself upon me. He was touching me all over.’ Richard Horwell QC, defending at Southwark crown court, said the claim must be untrue because the publicist had no car at the time. Clifford, of Hersham, Surrey, denies indecently assaulting seven teenagers. The trial continues.
jApAn: Reporters visit Tokyo’s tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant on the eve of the third anniversary of the disaster Picture: reuterS
judge’s suicide bid after ‘Sarkozy leak’
FRAncE: A judge who allegedly leaked information to former president Nicolas Sarkozy, has reportedly tried to kill himself. Gilbert Azibert was recovering after paramedics were called to his house in Bordeaux on Sunday. He is said to have told Mr Sarkozy about an investigation into his alleged links with Col Gaddafi.
Second time unlucky for round-world bid
cHiLE: A Scottish yachtsman has had to abandon his solo round-theworld trip for a second time after a ‘huge storm’ damaged his boat off the South American coast. Andrew Halcrow, 54, was rescued by a Chilean naval helicopter four months into the 13-month trek. His wife, Alyson, spoke of her ‘relief, tempered with disappointment’.
and finally... czEcH REpubLic: Neighbours feared trouble when grunts were heard at a flat late at night. Police were called and found Milos Pavlicek, 32, honing his sword fighting skills to relax before bedtime at his home in Hradec Kralove.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
11
Breakthrough in investigation over flight MH370 – but the aircraft is still missing
‘We know passenger with stolen passport...’
ONE of the two men who boarded the stricken Malaysian Airlines plane with a stolen passport has been identified, police said yesterday. The passenger was discovered from CCTV footage taken as he boarded the aircraft, which disappeared with 239 people on board. ‘I can confirm he is not a Malaysian but cannot divulge which country he is from yet,’ said Malaysian police chief Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar. In a bizarre intervention at a press conference, search director Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the men were not Asian in appearance – before ask-
by DOMINIC YEATMAN
ing reporters whether they knew what footballer Mario Balotelli looked like. Terrorism has not been ruled out in the investigation into what happened to flight MH370. The inquiry is centred on two male passengers travelling on passports stolen from an Austrian and an Italian, which were used to buy their tickets. Investigators are said to be questioning the owners of a travel agent in the Thai resort of Pattaya, where the tick-
The hunt continues: Azharuddin Abdul Rahman (third from left) reveals details about the inquiry in Malaysia yesterday Picture: reuters ets were bought. The agency caters ‘We hope the Malaysians can fully threatening to contact Malaysia’s emunderstand the urgency of China and bassy. mainly to Iranian travellers. ‘We don’t believe Malaysia Airlines The Boeing 777 disappeared on Fri- step up the speed of the investigation day while flying from Kuala Lumpur and increase efforts on search and any more. Sorry, everyone, we just to Beijing. Experts warn it could be rescue,’ the Chinese foreign ministry don’t believe them,’ one said. The search for aircraft debris has said. months before they discover its fate. About 100 relatives of Chinese pas- been expanded to thousands of square A total of 153 passengers were from China, whose authorities have turned sengers signed a statement criticising miles each side of the Malay peninthe airline for ignoring them and sula. up the heat on Malay investigators.
Bullet wounds evidence makes Pistorius vomit OSCAR PISTORIUS vomited and retched loudly in court at his murder trial yesterday. The running star bent over and heaved as he heard graphic details of the bullet wounds he inflicted on his girlfriend. The 27-year-old heard Reeva Steenkamp suffered a head wound that was probably instantly fatal, according to the pathologist who performed the autopsy after her death on Valentine’s Day last year. She was also hit in the right arm and hip area as the Paralympian fired through the bathroom door at his home in Pretoria. The explicit details of Prof Gert Saayman’s testimony, in which he described how the model was shot with bullets designed to expand on impact and cause maximum damage, were not broadcast on TV on the order of the judge. Pistorius, hunched over on a bench in the court, vomited when he heard the description. A bucket was placed by his chair but after the trial was adjourned for the day, the double-amputee sat for a few minutes with his hands over his ears and his body heaving as his
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brother held a hand on his back. Prof Saayman had described exit wounds caused by the bullets and other abrasions and discoloration of the skin, consistent with the impact of a bullet fired through a door. The pathologist also estimated Miss Steenkamp ate less than two hours before she died, contradicting Pistorius’s claim the couple had eaten and were in bed by 10pm. The 29-year-old was shot after 3am. Earlier, a security guard who spoke to Pistorius after the
On trial: Oscar Pistorius shooting was challenged about his recollection of the night. Pieter Baba testified on Friday that he called Pistorius after neighbours’ reports of gunshots and was told ‘everything is fine’. Mr Baba said Pistorius called him back moments later, crying. However, defence lawyer Barry Roux said yesterday that records proved Pistorius called security first but couldn’t speak because he was ‘indeed crying’. Pistorius says the killing was accidental. The case continues.
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Bicycle child seats are safe, even without helmets
A
re you for real Susan (Mailbox, Mon)? Depending on the seat, there is no issue. I’d had mine in the front at that age and now both sit in the back. When in town, cycling or walking in a pedestrianised zone they are where I know them to be. No one trailing behind. No better way to transport your kids. Car is a nightmare and bus and Luas are not comfortable, aside from scumbags. Same happened to us previously, luckily without injury and without helmets too. remember, a helmet must be a good fit or they might cause injury and regretfully there is no safety standard. I won’t do helmets. Cycling Dad ■ In response to SH, D2’s letter (Mailbox Mon), does she live within Simon Cowell’s brain or thought process? I don’t think so. Many people would say that they would love more kids, that it would be ‘cool’, which definitely does not mean that they want to ‘order them from a catalogue’ as she wrote. The simple fact is after having one child,
Simon Cowell has said he would like more, and I would think he is intelligent enough to know that they don’t come from catalogues. He was the one who laid down and made his son. I don’t understand where SH got this idea from. Feminism doesn’t give way to making up outrageous ideas that others have apparently ‘thought of’. Marissa, Wicklow ■ To the man who felt the need to get out of his van and shout at me on Saturday afternoon on the Malahide road while I was trying to pull out at the shops, thanks a lot. You do know driving with a flat is bad AND I was waiting because your reverse lights were on. No! I was not ‘going to stay there all day’. My car cut out because I stopped for you. Didn’t you see the L plates? everyone has to learn. You’re an ass. Aideen
Didn’t you see the L-plates? Everyone has to learn
■ Is robbie Keane the voice of Network Noel? ‘How-a-ya, which bus will get me to the Square in Tallaght from Los Angeles?’ Johnny Beef Stew
Quick pic TOP OF THE WORLD: Reader Paulina Plezia sent us this picture of her trek up Lugnaquilla with boyfriend Neil Cathcart. Paulina writes: ‘I know the signs of spring are everywhere, but up there it’s a completely different story’ 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
● I am hoping someone may read this and decide they want to be included in the Good On Ya section for handing in €100 lost this morning in Raheny. A frantic run to make my Dart meant that the two €50 notes that I stupidly put in my trouser pocket fell out. I came from Springdale Road, via Lough Derg Park to the Dart station. I am really hoping that some kind person may have found it and wish to return it to me. A reward will be offered.
● To the guy in the check shirt talking to his friend in a hat at the smoking area of Solas on Saturday night. You looked sad. Need a hug? I would certainly give you one ;) Curly haired brunette
rAndoM AcTs of kindness
your rush-hour crush
● To the tall blonde I was smooching in Whelan’s Saturday night. I was the hunk in the red checked shirt. I had to leave early and forgot to get your number… get in touch for some more steamy action.
SK
Sharon
Trending
@metrohnews #metromailbox
#Crufts2014
● Oh for gods sake – are you SEROUS?? Im done with #crufts – a bloody poofy standard bloody poodle.. Shame on you #crufts2014 USELESS... @CotswoldLadyB ● Absolute travesty ... Colin should have
walkied it ● That finger’s going WHERE?
@martinfricker @TobyonTV
● There’s an Irish Wolfhound from Belgium in #Crufts2014 Best in Show. It’s great to see the diaspora doing so well @donnchanuig
Cant tihnk of what two wright aboute?
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
Aaron Paul is cooking up a storm
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14 METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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film
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From five part-time jobs to a starring role in Breaking Bad and beyond, Aaron Paul hasn’t lost his focus, writes James Mottram
I
f you’re still pining for Breaking Bad six months after it ended, imagine how Aaron Paul is feeling. So brilliant as Jesse Pinkman, the hoodie-sporting meth-head that won him two Emmys and a Golden Globe nod, he’s facing a serious career dilemma. ‘When will I ever play another role as complex?’ he asks, his voice registering concern. ‘Unless I do another TV series that’s similar to Breaking Bad, but I don’t really see that happening for me.’ We meet during the recent Berlin film festival. Dressed in a V-neck jumper and casual trousers, and sporting Jesse’s familiar buzzcut and facial fuzz, Paul’s banging the drum for A Long Way Down – one of two new movies he has to soothe away those post-Breaking Bad blues. Taking on a Nick Hornby novel – given how well About A Boy and High fidelity turned out – feels like a smart move for the 34-year-old Idaho native. He plays JJ – a depressed ex-rock star who is about to throw himself off a London rooftop on New Year’s Eve when he bumps into three others (Toni Collette, Imogen Poots and Pierce Brosnan) intent on doing the same. ‘JJ has some similarities to Jesse,’ he says. ‘I think Jesse is very lost. He’s struggling to get his footing. He’s somewhat tortured. And JJ is definitely tortured. He can’t deal with himself, which is so awful.’ If playing a Jesse clone is a way of easing yourself away from Breaking Bad, another is to go all Steve McQueen. Screeching into cinemas first, Need for Speed is a stunt-fuelled take on the video game series, casting Paul as Tobey Marshall, a mechanic competing in a crosscountry race. Just don’t compare it to a certain other car franchise.
‘fast And furious didn’t start the genre, nor will it end it,’ he sighs. ‘This is more of a throwback to films such as Bullitt, Vanishing Point and Smokey And The Bandit.’ It was a dream role for Paul, who loves classic muscle cars (his one splurge was a 1965 Shelby Cobra). He even took a course in stunt driving to ‘get as much seat time’ as possible before the shoot. It evidently paid off. When Paul recently appeared on Top Gear, he took the show’s Reasonably Priced Car challenge and went straight to the top of the leaderboard (lap time: 1:44.7) leaving the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Jackman in his wake. Who knows what his parents might say? The youngest of five, Paul describes his upbringing as ‘very religious’ – his father was a southern Baptist minister – though it was here where his love of acting started. ‘I was doing church plays as a little kid,’ he says. ‘I loved performing.’ When he was 14, Paul started saving dollars to help him get to Hollywood, juggling five part-time jobs, from delivering flyers and pizzas to dressing up as a furry frog mascot Yeah, bitch: Bryan Cranston (‘humiliating’) at the radio station where his with Paul in Breaking Bad mother worked.
ABOuT TOwn
At first, his parents didn’t take him seriously. ‘They saw me have a jar and start putting in money,’ he says. ‘They thought it was sweet. But as the years went on, I didn’t have a girlfriend. I was so focused on theatre and school. I started taking classes before school started. So I’d go to school an hour early, just to get an extra class in there.’ He graduated from high school a year early – aged 17 – and, with his parents’ blessing, headed out to Los Angeles.
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EfoRE Breaking Bad, Paul jobbed between music videos, commercials, guest spots on shows such as ER and The X-files and even the occasional movie (he was in Mission: Impossible III as Tom Cruise’s brother-in-law). ‘I never really had a struggle, because I was totally content,’ he says. ‘I was happy to do the work.’ Even now, he hasn’t let fame change him: check out YouTube footage uploaded by some Irish tourists who pulled up outside his house. Rather than set the dogs on them, he greeted them and chatted. They got lucky. ‘I’m rarely there,’ he says. ‘We got our house maybe two years ago and
BOOk nOw
GIG Shane Filan
FESTIVAL Jameson St Patrick’s Live
The former Westlife lead vocalist – and, alas, bust businessman – goes it alone for these nationwide dates, with big belting ballads from his solo album You And Me Fri, Olympia Theatre, 72 Dame Street D2, 8pm, €33.50. Tel: 0818 719 300. www.shanefilan.com
If the thought of shillelaghwielding leprechauns fills you with despair, rest assured there will be little in the way of Paddywhackery during this weekend’s Jameson St Patrick’s Live event at The Ambassador Theatre. Visceral altrock outfit White Lies (pictured), who haven’t played in Dublin in almost five years, will headline the event, playing tracks from their atmospheric third album Big TV. Expect bracing, heavy-hitting choruses delivered in Harry McVeigh’s deep, brooding croon. Support from Dublin four-piece Funeral Suits Sun, Ambassador Theatre, O’Connell Street D1, €15. Tel: 0818 719 300. www.jamesonwhiskey.com
I think I’ve spent maybe two months there, if that.’ The ‘we’ refers to his wife, Lauren Parsekian, a 26-year-old documentary film-maker he met in 2010 at the Coachella music festival. John Meyer performed at their wedding and his Breaking Bad buddy Bryan Cranston was an usher. But now, when they’re not travelling for work, Paul likes to keep it simple. ‘We just like to be inside our house, laying around watching Netflix,’ he says. Not that there’s been much lazing around. With a likely cameo in Breaking Bad prequel Better Call Saul currently in the works, he’s also got three major movies lined up: familial drama fathers And Daughters, with Russell Crowe, heist tale Triple Nine and Ridley Scott’s Biblical epic Exodus. Playing Joshua to Christian Bale’s Moses was remarkable, he says, except for one thing. ‘There was camel poop everywhere,’ says Paul. ‘I was walking next to Christian and I just couldn’t stop myself from gagging.’ Whoever said life in Hollywood was glamorous?
Need For Speed is in cinemas tomorrow. A Long Way Down is out on March 21.
sT pATRIck’s AT THE MARkER The St Patrick’s festival may be synonymous with drink, but the Marker Hotel on Grand Canal Square is celebrating the best of Irish food until March 22, with a bespoke menu of mouthwatering dishes made with selected Irish produce. Available at the hotel’s Brasserie (pictured) after 8pm, Wednesday to Saturday, the four-course menu costs €65 (with drinks). You can try nose-to-tail pork terrine with Orpens cider, followed
by Dublin Bay prawn and Liscannor Bay crab gumbo. Both dishes will be served with an Irish craft beer such as McGraths Ale, O’Hara’s Beer or Tom Crean’s Beer. For the main course diners can enjoy John Stone dry aged rib eye steak with McGraths Ale and onion gravy served with Clonakilla wine, and to round off the evening, dessert will include fresh coconut, lemongrass and mango parfait. A fine way to celebrate the national day.
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food&drink
The taste good, feel good diet
‘W
hy usual liveliness and verve. should She’s honest about her own you weaknesses for French care pastries and cheese how a sandwiches, and argues that, food writer eats?’ asks Diana since breakfast and lunch are henry in her new book. the first two chances in the ‘Because they love food,’ day for some food pleasure, she says, ‘and will not we should be making the suggest a way of eating, A ChAnge Of most of them by eating really however healthy, that isn’t delicious, healthy stuff. Appetite by pleasurable.’ That’s A As well as the ideas for Diana henry Change of Appetite in a Mitchell Beazley, breakfasts and lunches, and nutshell. henry is the author €30 essays on Japanese food, dal, of seven other books and a salads and bread, there are HHHHI committed pleasure-monger, seasonal menus to catch turning out really good recipes that certain moods and copious ideas for scream to be made over and over things we know we should be eating again. A move to eat more healthily more of, such as carrots and broccoli. at home, with less sugar and meat, In common with previous books, and more veg and grains, has there are lots of notes on variations, produced a vast and corking too, so instead of a Burmese melon collection of sprightly, clean-feeling and ginger salad you could try food divided by season – the recipes kachumber, or replace the coffee we’ve used are all from the spring flavour in a granita with lemon and quarter. basil. The dish I made was a salad of healthy eating is a fraught business feta and orange with honeyed and henry makes no claims to be a almonds, fennel, watercress and mint. nutritionist, but she has looked at the Bright, easy to make and surprisingly research on sugar, fat, carbs and satisfying, it encapsulates the book’s cholesterol, and covers it with her approach. Emma Sturgess
ZAkURA HHHHI The city centre has no shortage of Asian eateries, so it takes something pretty special to make one stand out. Japanese restaurant Musashi on Capel Street manages to do this, and news they had opened a sister establishment on the other side of the river was met with many a cheer. Zakura, meaning cherry blossom, is a dream for anybody who likes authentic Japanese food – the portions are huge, it’s pretty cheap, and you can bring your own beer or wine with you, making it a great start to a night out in one of the livelier parts of town. Standing outside, we were intrigued by the quintessentially oriental yet un-gaudy exterior and heartened by the sight of contented, hip clientele inside. After an over-extended period spent loitering by the doors with our tongues hanging out, we went in to be met by friendly staff who ushered us to a functional table and wooden box seats. Hipster indeed. The décor is unmistakeably Japanese, from said seating to the miniature dolls strewn about the place, but thoughts quickly turned to the menu. As newbies, we had no idea how much to order, but we decided to mix‘n’match with a portion of shichimi toriniku – pieces of chicken deep fried in batter with a sweet chilli sauce – and one of
15
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TERIyAkI SALMOn, vEg AnD SESAME SEEDS IngREDIEnTS Serves 4
FETA & ORAngE SALAD WITH HOnEyED ALMOnDS
For the salmon: 4
tbsp soy sauce ♦ 1 tbsp caster sugar ♦ 2 tbsp mirin ♦ 1 tbsp dry sherry ♦ 4 x 125g salmon fillets ♦ 2 tsp black sesame seeds
For the vegetables:
100ml rice vinegar ♦ 1 tbsp caster sugar ♦ 125g cucumber, halved and deseeded ♦ 2 small carrots, peeled ♦ 4 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin slices ♦ 100g mooli (daikon), peeled ♦ 1/2 tsp salt ♦ 1 tbsp pickled ginger ♦ 5g microleaves
METHOD: Step 1: For the salmon, mix the soy sauce, sugar, mirin and sherry and stir to dissolve the sugar. Put the fish in this, turn to coat, cover and put in the fridge to marinate for 30mins. To make the vegetables, heat the vinegar and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Set aside to cool.
IngREDIEnTS Serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a light meal For the dressing: 1 tbsp white wine vinegar ♦ 1/2 tbsp orange juice ♦ Salt and pepper ♦ 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ♦ 1/2 tsp runny honey ♦ Leaves from 1 sprig of thyme For the almonds: 1/2 tbsp olive oil ♦ 50g blanched almonds ♦ 1 tbsp runny honey ♦ 1⁄8 tsp smoked paprika ♦ 1⁄8 tsp ground cumin For the salad: 3 oranges ♦ 1 small or 1/2 large
Step 2: Keeping them separate, cut the
fennel bulb ♦ 60g watercress ♦ 100g feta (preferably barrel-aged), broken into chunks ♦ 10g mint leaves
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 180C. Bake the
METHOD Step 1: Whisk all the ingredients together. Taste to check the seasoning, then pour into a broad shallow bowl. Heat olive oil in a small frying pan and add the almonds. Fry over a medium heat until they are toasted, then add the honey and spices and cook until the honey is bubbling and almost caramelised. Spoon on to a non-stick baking sheet or baking parchment. Leave to cool a little.
cucumber, carrots, radishes and mooli into matchsticks, each about 5cm long. Sprinkle the salt on the cucumber and put it into a colander for 10mins. Rinse and pat dry, then add the veg to the vinegar mixture and toss to combine. salmon in its marinade for 12 minutes. Sprinkle with the black sesame seeds. Add the pickled ginger and microleaves to the vegetables, toss and serve with the salmon.
This place is really blossoming TABLE TALk
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
yasai gyoza – vegetable dumplings with a dark, smoky sauce. When they arrived, we realised our mistake – if we ate all of this there would not be room for our mains, because the helpings were huge. However, both were so good we finished them without a thought, the chicken lovely and crispy, the dumplings soft and tender. We soldiered on though, me opting for the teriyaki soba chicken – thinly sliced chicken smothered in teriyaki sauce on a bed of egg noodles with an array of vegetables – while my partner went for the yaki udon – thick udon noodles with chicken, egg, prawns and fish, shiitake mushrooms and assorted vegetables. Again, both servings were huge, but just as delicious. We would both happily have feasted on the noodles alone, but the accompanying meat and veg were excellent and perfectly cooked, and it was with much disappointment that we both admitted defeat, unable to finish. This is very good Japanese food, and though we didn’t plump for the more obvious sushi or bento boxes, we both left very happy with our choices. So engrossed in our meals were we that we did not notice the place filling up, and as we left there was a queue to get in, a testament to its obvious popularity. Our bill came to just €38.40. Oh, and the lunch deals are amazingly good value, but that is for another day. Adam Hyland Zakura Noodle & Sushi restaurant, 13 Wexford Street D2. Tel: (01) 555 8000. www.facebook.com/ZakuraDublin
Step 2: Cut a slice off the bottom and top of each orange so they have a flat base on which to sit. Cut the peel and pith off each orange, working around the fruit and cutting the peel away in broad strips. Slice the oranges into rounds and flick out any seeds. Step 3: Trim the fennel, reserving any feathery bits, and remove the tough outer leaves. Quarter the bulb lengthways and cut out the core. Slice very finely and throw into the dressing. Finely chop any feathery bits you pulled off and add them, too. Discard any coarse watercress stalks. Put the oranges, watercress, feta and mint into the bowl and toss gently. Add the almonds and serve.
Dorset College www.dorset-college.ie Excellence Through Life-Long Learning
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Counselling & Psychotherapy Foundation in Counselling & Psychotherapy Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (BTEC)
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16 METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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Life television
Monday
Tuesday
insane fight club BBC1, 10.35pm The first rule of Insane Fight Club is you don’t talk about Insane Fight Club. But we’ll break that rule and body-slam you into this bloodspattered report on Glasgow’s Insane Championship Wrestling, a grapple franchise aimed at an over-18s crowd that spills out of the ring and into the streets as it takes wrestling to the next level. ‘It’s a performance art, it’s a stunt show,’ says ICW’s Mark Dallas. ‘It’s theatre – theatre where people get the s*** kicked out of them.’
Wednesday
Thursday
film of the day The SIlenCe OF The laMBS ItV4, 10.30pm Friday
Saturday
Sunday
horror movies rarely win Oscars – if they do it’s for things like best make-up. But this 1991 masterpiece swept the board, winning all five major categories, including best film. adapted from Thomas harris’s bestseller it is, of course, notorious for starring one of cinema’s ultimate villains, Dr hannibal ‘the Cannibal’ lecter (anthony hopkins). lecter is the brilliant psychiatrist with a penchant for eating his patients, who starts the story banged up in the dungeon of a marvellously gothic institute for the criminally insane. There, FBI rookie Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster, right
with hopkins) attempts to coerce him into helping her to track down a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. hopkins’s performance, and the delicious cat-and-mouse dynamic between him and Foster, is what makes this superior pulp fiction so memorable. however, it’s also a taut thriller in its own right that never puts a foot wrong.
shetland BBC1, 9pm Douglas henshall returns to the windswept Scottish isles to pick up crime-fighting duties as DI Jimmy Perez for three new two-part murder mysteries. an atmospheric chill hovers over his opening case as birds peck at the body of a young woman found by the water’s edge. as Perez races against the rising tide to collect the forensic evidence that could identify the killer, he’s watched by creepy loner Magnus Bain (the always watchable Brian Cox, right), whose house overlooks the scene. What connection does have to the crime? and is it the latest strike by a serial killer? Concludes next week.
racing from cheltenham rtÉ2, 7pm If you’ve missed live coverage of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival (Channel 4, 12.35pm), then now’s your chance to catch up with all the action from Prestbury Park. Tracy Piggott introduces highlights,
featuring the Stan James Champion Hurdle, where the Willie Mullins-trained Hurricane Fly is the leading Irish contender. Mullins also saddles Quevega as she goes for a record sixth win in the Mares’ Hurdle.
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tech&gaming
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
editorial@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010
million lines of dialogue, which was a bit of a shock. It’s been so different to make something over three years instead of a week. We write jokes, and the jokes are funny. With a game, the fourth, fifth, sixth, 80th, 100millionth time you’ve seen that joke it becomes not funny, then you lose faith in it, and then you question it, and you go round this emotional circle. We’ve always liked fresh-baked stuff a little better but, with a video game, it doesn’t work that way. But the game isn’t just a collection of funny South Park scenes, hopefully it’s more than that.’
Chris broCk
Matt Stone is on fine, foul-mouthed form when he meets James Day to discuss poo jokes, taking acid and ‘stupid’ censors
i
t takes six days to create an episode of South Park. the video game has taken three years. Plagued by delays, the Stick Of truth was finally released on Friday, but is Matt Stone happy? No, because it’s been censored in Europe. A total of seven scenes involving abortion and anal probing have been removed, which gives you some indication of just how far he and trey Parker have gone to ensure you – in the words of the theme song – have yourself a time. ‘We weren’t going to change the content, so we’ve written little cards to explain what is going on, what they’ve censored, and made a joke out of it,’ says Stone. ‘We’re talking about 30 or 40 seconds out of the whole experience but we wanted people to know exactly where the line was: this is what you couldn’t see but for some reason the rest of the world could and we have no idea why. It’s not cool – it’s lame, ridiculous and stupid.’ the Stick Of truth features an original script from Stone and Parker, as well as their familiar voices. the quiet mountain town has been faithfully recreated and you play a kid caught up in a medieval game of dressing-up that grows more and more outlandish. Fans of the show will know the game is loosely linked to the recent Black Friday trilogy that parodies Game Of thrones and the infamous thanksgiving shopping day sales in the US known to cause mall stampedes. ‘Black Friday is kind of an American thing but I know Brits now have it and it’s the worst f***ing thing in the world,’ says Stone. ‘It’s a selfperpetuating machine. You can see it’s started off in England as a joke and that carries into the media. then the joke becomes less of a joke, and then you forget the fact it started out as a f***ing joke, and then half the country will be doing it. It’s the worst, dude, it’s f***ing horrible. Anyway, so we did a Black Friday concept that feeds into the game and it was fun doing a proper Game Of thrones parody too.’ that parody includes Stone and Parker’s own version of the Game Of thrones theme tune – called the Weiner Song – poking fun at the
F Matt Stone
uncensored
Turning south Park into the rudest game on the planet show’s apparent fascination with flaccid members. ‘We might put out the Weiner Song,’ says Stone. ‘Maybe we should do a soundtrack for the game. I never thought of that, there’s a lot of good music in there.’ the pair are self-confessed video game nuts and, although there have been South Park games before, Stone admits to being embarrassed
about them. ‘We really didn’t want to make a game that sucks,’ he says. ‘there were some South Park games, like, 15 years ago but they were just cheap licensed products and we hated them, frankly. the limitations of the consoles didn’t work for us and that’s why we didn’t do one for a long time. the Stick Of truth started when we figured out: “Oh,
REviEw south park finally gets the game it deserves South Park: the Stick of truth (18) XboX 360/ playstation 3/pC HHHH✩
south park has had plenty of video game tie-ins over the years and, until now, they’ve all been awful. the stick of truth is different. despite numerous delays, the end result more than satisfies. it feels like
you’re playing an episode of the show, with the right voices and the town remade in all its paper cut-out glory. unlike previous games, creators matt stone and trey parker have been overseeing things, and it shows. you play as a resident in the town who gets embroiled in Cartman’s obsession with a dungeons & dragons-style live role-playing
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you can actually replicate the look of South Park on an Xbox, and wow you can walk around like you do on the show.” ‘It’s a great way to be introduced to the world of South Park: become a character and let that character grow, like a Grand theft Auto situation. So it was a really smart idea… until we figured out we had to write seven
game. in its desperate desire to offend and insult absolutely everybody, the game’s plot gets increasingly bizarre. but it’s as sharply written as the show, and if you find that funny, you’ll be laughing along with this, too. but all the jokes and visuals would not matter if underneath it all this wasn’t a really good role-playing game. and, despite the customisation system and equipment range being relatively
UNNIES include one character armed with ‘the power of diabetes’, while a player’s score, or power points, are abbreviated to sound like ‘pee pee’. From pee pee to the inevitable poo jokes, where main character Eric Cartman – or the Grand Wizard as he’s known here – has the ability to fart fire. ‘Unfortunately, we just love poo jokes and we’re never going to get over it,’ says Stone. ‘If the day does come when we are sick of them, then there’s always a slightly more mature poo joke you can make.’ If it all sounds a bit juvenile (clue: it is), don’t forget the pair won nine tony Awards for stage production the Book Of Mormon. ‘trey, [songwriter] Bobby Lopez and I worked on it for four years and had way more than half of it written before deciding whether it was a film or a stage project,’ says Stone. ‘It was such a cool experience to come up with the medium after the idea. I grew an appreciation for theatre and working with geniuses, basically.’ Parker even received an Oscar nomination for his soundtrack to movie team America: World Police. He took Stone as his date, the pair wore dresses and dropped acid for the ceremony, which is probably why you didn’t see them anywhere near LA’s Dolby theatre last week. ‘I don’t think they’ll invite us back even if we do a really good movie,’ says Stone. ‘the organisers would be like: no f***ing way, dude. I think we’ll make a movie: we don’t have a strong idea of what we want to do but we’ve done movies, theatre and now a video game. Film comedy is where we came from, and I feel like we’re film-makers but we’re also gluttons for punishment so we’ll keep doing other stuff and learning from scratch.’
South Park: The Stick Of Truth is out now.
simple, there’s still far more depth than you’d expect. the turn-based combat is especially fun and uses paper mario-style action prompts so timing your button presses increases the damage you deal out. parker and stone are keen gamers themselves, devoting episodes of their tv show to the likes of World of Warcraft and guitar hero. this is finally a tie-in of which Cartman and co would be proud. David Jenkins
18 METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
travel
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From the heights to Rhône-Alps: An array of subterranean and outdoor activities awaits the thrillseeker. By Adam Hyland
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he tiny and impossibly quaint village of St Christophe de la Grotte was slowly waking from a peaceful slumber, standing as it does under the watchful eye of a cave-laden mountainside where even the geese wandering around neighbouring farmyards seemed to keep their heads down in reverential silence. It was a beautifully sunny day – perfect, it was decided, for going underground. And so it was that I found myself balancing on a narrow ledge while manoeuvring myself around a stalactite some 50m above a cave floor. This was not what I expected when I decided to take on a trip to the Rhône-Alps, but then, this region – incorporating Savoie Mont Blanc, Isère, Loire and Rhône – is full of surprises. Yes, the French Alps are synonymous with skiing and other winter sports but in the warmer months there are still many things to do on, around, and even under the mountains. I had already been to Lake Aiguabelette, a
tranquil and placid lake with a sheer wall of mountain on one side that is perfect for rowing, canoeing and kayaking. But now, I was indulging in some serious spéleo, spelunking, or caving to the uninitiated, at Les Grottes Des .isere-sport-nature.fr; www. echelles (www.isere-sport-nature.fr; animgrotte.com). At first it seemed like a pleasant saunter into the underworld, with dark corners illuminated by interior lights and shafts of sunlight spilling in from above, but soon it became clear why we were forced into jumpsuits with harnesses, an assortment of buckles and ropes and a helmet. This was going to get tougher. We began by zip-wiring across a chasm, then proceeding slowly, one clamp or buckle at a time, switching from rope to rope as we made our way deeper into the cave. At times the space was so narrow we had to throw our rucksacks ahead of us, at others so open we looked down at the gaping nothingvigorating, terrifying ness below – this was invigorating, pert guide Fabien and enormously fun. The expert Leguet and ultra-safe procedures meant there was no chance of this spelunk going spelaatt. It is very safe in the right hands, and will leave you feeling like you have just conquered the underworld as you reappear, bleary-eyed, out of the darkness.
At the foot of these hills stands the delightful La Ferme Bonne de la Grotte, a converted farmhouse that still has many remnants of its rural ancestry in its décor. What sets this small place apart is its personal touch – the owners serve up delicious and hearty food, and the tiny details strewn all over the house, from the corn-on-thecob decorations hanging from the ceilings to the homemade hazelwood mirror frames in the bedroom. It’s the perfect spot in which to find relaxation and
peace, while also serving as a great base to head out and explore the surrounding countryside and all it has to offer, including many cycling trails, mountain hikes and walks, some of which start right outside the door (www.gites-savoie. com). Next it was time to head for the hills with a visit to the Chartreuse Regional Park and its stunning Cirque Du St Meme – a natural ampitheatre of mountain cliffs that curve protectively around forested hills and beautiful waterfalls,
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
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features@metroherald.ie to advertise, call 01 7055010
National Ferry Fortnight runs from March 15 to 29 and to celebrate Stena Line has announced that under 16s travel for free by car on all Irish Sea routes and sailings, giving holiday-makers the chance to make huge savings. Stena Line has also announced its acquisition of the Irish-owned Celtic Link ferry between Rosslare and Cherbourg. It hopes to be in a position to take over the running of this line from March 31. ‘This is an important milestone for Stena Line as for the first time in our history we will be able to offer a direct ferry link between Ireland and the Continent,’ said Michael McGrath, Stena Line’s Chief Operating Officer.
the depths Pictures: adam hyland/isÈre sPort nature
TRAvEL DEALs Of THE wEEk
River runs through: Activities in the Rhône-Alps include everything from hang-gliding to caving the dish of the evening, confident in the knowledge you would like it. And you will (www.aubergedumorge.com).
H
AvInG gone deep underground on Friday, the next day we ascended into the heavens to St Hilaire du Touvet via an incredibly steep funicular to the Coupe Icare – named after the foolhardy youth who made those famous wings – an annual air sports showcase that includes everything from hot air balloons to gliders. This is the Woodstock of air sports – and be prepared to see some weird and wonderful sights to rival the stunning mountain views all around. Even if you are not into hurling yourself off a cliff or reaching for the skies in an effort to emulate the aforementioned Greek Icarus, there is plenty to keep you and your family entertained here, from flight demos to balloon making to bird of prey exhibitions, as well as street performances and music. The highlight, however, must be the fancy dress hang gliding and paragliding competition, in which daredevils in bizarre costumes (such as Obelix, left) try to out-do each other in the fash-
n Destination: Ecuador for 8 nights. Price: From €1369 per person. Details: Visiting the towns of Quito and Banos, travel by boat to an Amazon Jungle homestay and explore the markets at Otavalo. Includes flights with Delta Airlines plus arrival and departure transfers. Departs May 3. Contact: Tropical Sky. Tel: (01) 664 9999. www.tropicalsky.ie. n Destination: Adventure Turkey. Price: 7 nights from €599pp. Details: Staying at the four-
ion and flying stakes by launching into the air from a cliff top. It promises to live long in the memory. This year the Coupe runs from Sep 18 to 21. On Sunday we had a walking tour of Grenoble, a lovely little city of about 550,000 people nestled under mountains (with a view of Mont Blanc in the distance for the very keen-sighted). The historical city has all sorts of attractions, from the Bastille, accessible by the city’s famous bubble cable cars, to an exhibition of female lingerie at the Musee Dauphinois. Fort de la Bastille offers stunning panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains, and offers a great day out for families with nearby caves and an indoor parcour and orienteering centre for children. On top of that, the restaurant there is excellent and an open air lunch in the warm September sunshine on the rooftop of the world served as a fitting finale to my Alpine adventure, reminding me that you can have great fun and relaxation here, no matter what the season. www.savoie-mont-blanc.com. Adam flew with Aer Lingus from Dublin to Lyon. Aer Lingus also flies to Geneva. www.aerlingus.com.
star Palmin Hotel on an allinclusive basis. Departs May 3/4. Price includes flights and transfers.Departures from Dub/Cork. Contact: Sunway. Tel: (01) 231 1800. www.sunway.ie. n Destination: Argentina & Brazil for 6 nights. Price: From €2,089 per person. Details: Includes Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls, flights with Iberian Airlines plus arrival and departure transfers. Departs Apr 13. Contact: Tropical Sky. Tel: (01) 664 9999. www.tropicalsky.ie.
BRITAIN
HAVEN HOLIDAYS Includes return car ferry, accommodation & entertainment
7 NIGHTS
a529 FOR UP TO 6 PERSONS T&C’s apply.
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most notably the Grande Cascade. The hiking trails here are outstanding, beautiful and very rewarding, while the park itself is full of wonders for fans of history, flora and fauna. On top of that, the Chalet restaurant and hotel serves up delicious food and excellent accommodation in what is truly an idyllic setting (www.chartreuse-tourisme.com). This was a casual hike, but next we headed off to visit the base for the more adventourous mountain sportsperson at the Raidlight Station and Spa entre Oreade. Here, we met Benoit Laval, the founder of the clothing and technology company specialising in equipping and catering for hikers, trail runners and mountaineers, who gave us a grand tour of his operation. Think of it as like Everest Base Camp, but with expertise, advice, trails, a communications centre, top of the range sports clothing to sample, showers and an excellent café/restaurant. And did I mention the hot tubs, sauna and relaxation yurt on offer to immerse in after your mountain adventure? We have dinner at L’Auberge du Morge, an excellent restaurant that, despite being very hard to find, is still very popular. Indeed, there was no menu here – they just brought
n Destination: China on a Shoestring – Hong Kong to Beijing 18 Days Adventure Tour. Price: From only €1,797 per person. From only €2,159 Solo Traveller. Details: Departs March 17. Full-day Yangtze River boat trip to Three Gorges Dam and Xiling Gorge. Excursion to the Great Wall. Orientation walks in Xi’an and Shanghai. Simple hotels/guesthouses (12nts), sleeper train (5nts, 6-berth train). Meals: 1 lunch. Groups averaging ten people. Contact: Sunway. Tel: (01) 231 1800. www.sunway.ie.
20 METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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puzzles
METROSCOPE by Patrick Arundell
NEMI by Lise
Aries Mar 21 – Apr 20
An opportunity may seem too good to miss, yet you might have a hard time convincing others or yourself. First you want it; then you don’t. You could also be under pressure to make a decision, heightening tension and a sense of urgency. For your forecast, call 15609 114 70
Taurus Apr 21 – May 21
Today’s Mercury/Saturn connection hints that communication may be awkward at best. Yet, though you might have plenty of willpower, the person most likely to jeopardise your success could be yourself. For your forecast, call 15609 114 71
METROKU Easy, Moderate and Challenging. For solutions, visit Metro.co.uk/metroku
Gemini May 22 – Jun 21
Money issues may be on your mind, especially if you feel like using credit to buy an urgent item. Yet, with a little bit of ingenuity, there may be other financial choices. If you can, try to consider putting off spending and see how you feel tomorrow. For your forecast, call 15609 114 72
Cancer Jun 22 – Jul 23
Want to step out of everyday limitations? Today’s Sun/Moon lineup reveals it’s possible, if you are willing to take on a challenge. A Moon/Saturn link, suggests a close connection may come with a price, if a loved one requests help or a sacrifice is needed. For your forecast, call 15609 114 73
Leo Jul 24 – Aug 23
A mellow mood may be on the cards, particularly if you’re inclined to avoid too much social contact. If so, the chance to recharge might be just what you need. Yet, a Mercury/Saturn connection, highlights the potential for a misunderstanding.
PEARLs BEFORE swINE
For your forecast, call 15609 114 74
Virgo Aug 24 – Sep 23
You can be determined to keep off or shed any extra pounds. However, in the final analysis, you might notice that weight can fluctuate when stress levels rise. Resolving an ongoing problem could be the underlying answer that helps you feel better allround. For your forecast, call 15609 114 75
Libra Sep 24 – Oct 23
A focus on communication, may alert you to the need for a discussion that encourages those involved to share their point of view. Personal issues and frustrations may lose their charge when aired in a trusting environment. For your forecast, call 15609 114 76
scorpio Oct 24 – Nov 22
When it comes to keeping fit, the idea of gadgets and alternative therapies, might appeal. Today is no different, as you may be inspired to read a book, exercise along with the latest DVD or make a healthy purchase. For your forecast, call 15609 114 77
sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 21
You may crave a duvet day. However, responsibilities can soon call, encouraging you to engage fully with life. Later, you may want to take this more seriously by enjoying a warm bath, an upbeat movie and an early night. For your forecast, call 15609 114 78
Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20
Your beliefs, and those of a friend, may vary considerably, leading you to conclude you don’t have much in common. Yet, trying to communicate clearly could be fraught with problems today – so consider giving them the benefit of the doubt. For your forecast, call 15609 114 79
Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19
A focus on your sign suggests engaging with those passions you find most satisfying. Taking action on a plan or connecting with folk who inspire can help reinforce your sense of self-worth. Whatever you’re up to, enjoy! For your forecast, call 15609 114 80
Pisces Feb 20 – Mar 20
Try not to dwell on problems, and focus on thoughts that inspire. The only issue you may face is a choice between listening to your intuition or the voice of experience. Putting a positive spin on a bugbear could loosen its grip.
ACROSS 6 Watery (7) 7 Narrative (5) 9 Devoutness (5) 10 Advent (7) 12 Incitement (11) 14 Disbelief (11) 18 Clearness (7) 19 Amusing (5) 21 Confuse (5) 22 Aid (7)
DOWN 1 Fit out (5) 2 Improved (6) 3 Owing (3) 4 Rigorous (6) 5 Producer (7) 8 Small thorn (7) 11 Greed (7) 13 Contain (7) 15 Seldom (6) 16 Three times (6) 17 Mock (5) 20 Shed (3)
Yesterday’s Solutions Across: 1 Particular; 7 Aired; 8 Special; 10 Dismayed; 11 Ring; 13 Employ; 15 Street; 17 Drop; 18 Well-do-to; 21 Diploma; 22 Avers; 23 Prospectus. Down: 1 Parts; 2 Radiator; 3 Instep; 4 Used; 5 Asinine; 6 Hard-headed; 9 Lighthouse; 12 Stalwart; 14 Prosper; 16 Relate; 19 Omens; 20 Toss.
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
Crossword No. 931 See next edition for solutions
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
leading Porto to the Champions League title.
ENiGMA This golden nautical device, Will show you your route in a trice. The title of a recent movie, Full of daemons fab and groovy. WHO AM i? A football manager, I was born in Portugal in 1963. In 1992 I was Bobby Robson’s translator at Sporting Lisbon. I became manager of Chelsea in June 2004 after
WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? WHO… was Richard Nixon vice-president to? WHAT... is measured in togs? WHERE... was the first florin minted in 1252? WHEN... did Dublin theatre the Gate open?
QUIZ ANSWERS: ENIGMA: The Golden Compass. WHO AM I? José Mourinho. WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? Dwight D Eisenhower; Thermal resistance; Florence; 1928.
QUICK CROsswORd
For your forecast, call 15609 114 81
L.IE.CC.01.2014.0204
Puzzled? www.berocca.ie Your daily high performance vitamin
rugby six nations
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O’brien rules himself out for rest of season
Picture: inPho
by DAnny HOgAn
IRELAND flanker Sean O’Brien has admitted he will not play again this season despite being ahead of schedule after shoulder surgery. O’Brien dislocated his left shoulder playing for Leinster against Ulster at the end of December and there were initial hopes he could return in time for Ireland’s summer tour to Argentina, but yesterday, speaking as a brand ambassador for Guinness, he ruled that out. ‘I’m kind of getting going again a little bit. It’s looking good and I’m probably ahead of schedule considering everything that happened,’ said O’Brien. ‘I got a little infection in it a week after the op and had to have it cleaned out again. That set us back a week or two rehab-wise. I suppose after the last few weeks I’m back ahead again thank God.
On the mend: O’Brien is recovering well from his shoulder injury but feels next season is a realistic target
THE final epic rugby experience for fans in this season’s RBS 6 Nations who ‘check in’ with the Guinness Plus mobile app sees Guinness team up with Sean O’Brien to offer the chance to win a one of a kind rugby masterclass with the flanker in his hometown of Tullow. Six fans who ‘check in’ to the pub using the app on the day of the Ireland v France game will be in with a chance to pick three friends each for the unforgettable experience involving rugby skills and drills at Tullow Rugby Club. Speaking at the announcement, O’Brien said: ‘I’m creating a special programme and some of the usual rugby training and team building along with some personal touches from my farm. Most of all it’s going to be a bit of craic and will give us plenty to talk about when we pop into my local for a pint afterwards.’
‘There’s no point in trying to rush back now’ ‘I won’t play until next season. There’s no point in trying to rush back now before the end of the [season] or the summer tour. It’s probably a thing of starting a pre-season in a week or two, getting in good condition and getting ready for next year.’ Having played no part in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign, which could end with Joe Schmidt’s team taking the title in Paris on Saturday, O’Brien has become a keen observer during his down time and believes this French team have their weaknesses. ‘I just don’t think they [France] have a structure in place or a real steady game plan,’ he explained. ‘I think after two or three phases they kinda don’t know where they are going. ‘That’s the way the French have played over the last few years and maybe it has worked for them in the past but it’s difficult to see them changing that this week. I think they will just try to go out and play a good brand of rugby this week.’
Schmidt: We can break our Paris hoodoo to win
SPORTS psychologist Enda McNulty can help Ireland belie the weight of history and shrug off ‘superstition’ to claim the RBS 6 Nations title in Paris on Saturday, according to Joe Schmidt. Former Armagh Gaelic Football star McNulty has worked in Ireland’s backroom set-up since the 2013 Six Nations, brought in by thencoach Declan Kidney. Schmidt has retained McNulty’s services since taking charge of Ireland last summer. Now the head coach believes McNulty’s ‘mind fitness’ work can spur Ireland to just their
All in the mind: Schmidt wants mental strength in his team Picture: inPho
second victory in France in 43 years, and their first Six Nations title since 2009. ‘I’m not smart enough to be a sports psychologist, so I rely on other people doing the mind fitness,’ said Schmidt.
‘And Enda McNulty has been a good addition, from before my time, to help guys stay on track and make sure they are just processfocused and just game-focused.’ Ireland head to France on Saturday knowing any margin of victory ought to be enough to secure the Six Nations crown, given their plus81 points difference after the 467 hammering of Italy. Schmidt hopes his experiences
as backs coach at Top 14 giants Clermont Auvergne between 2007 and 2010 can help shape Ireland’s approach. ‘I’m not a big believer in superstition,’ he said. ‘I would describe it as a parasite of thinking that is a distraction, and it erodes the logical mainstream thinking about what you actually need to deliver on the field. ‘I don’t think we can get too distracted by the history, results, or points differential. ‘Regardless of what does happen we will be very much focused on trying to put in the best performance we can.’
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD
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spORT DigEsT Nugent is February manager of month cycLing PHILIPS Ireland has named Brian Nugent (pictured), High Performance Coach for Cycling Ireland, as winner of the Manager of the Month for February 2014. Meanwhile, Bike Fest is gearing up for another great Annual Family Festival on Saturday, June 14, when St Anne’s Park will become a cycling haven. Cycling Ireland’s free annual family cycling festival once again marks the launch of National Bike Week, and will offer coaching in new skills in a skills zone featuring Sprocket Rocket, Gearing up off Road, Strider Bikes and a mini cycle track, as well as a relaxed atmosphere in the picnic area with MC Ray Shah, live music and food stalls.
Froch hits out at ‘paranoid’ Groves bOxing
CARL Froch has branded George Groves ‘paranoid’ for demanding neutral officials for the pair’s world title rematch in May. Groves complained of bias after referee Howard Foster stopped November’s first title bout, handing victory to Froch. ‘He’s paranoid about upsetting officials from the last one, and he might feel it’s going to have some backlash,’ Froch said.
Button eyes some fun times in Oz AuTO JENSON Button believes ‘a fun
weekend’ is in store in Melbourne because of the vast array of unanswered questions going into the new Formula One season. ‘This year, I don’t think anybody knows quite what to expect – will we see more than half the field at the end of the race? Will we see good, close racing? Will the pecking order pan out as we expect?’ Button said. ‘Those are all questions we’ve yet to see answered, and part of what makes for such a fun weekend.’
Picamoles is back in squad to face Ireland Toulouse No.8 Louis Picamoles (pictured) has been recalled by Philippe Saint-Andre ahead of France’s crunch clash with Ireland. Picamoles was dropped after Les Bleus’ defeat in Cardiff, the backrow sarcastically applauding referee Alain Rolland after being sent to the sin bin. But Saint-Andre has included him in his squad. The 28-year-old’s inclusion means Antonie Claassen is left out while the Racing Metro pair of Bernard Le Roux and Dimitri Szarzewski both return from injury. Not included, however, is Morgan Parra.
22 METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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McCoy not ready for final Hurdle AP McCOY admits he still has some gaps to fill on his peerless CV as he heads into the Cheltenham Festival, which starts this afternoon. The 18-time champion jockey celebrated an incredible 4,000 winners in November but, as he approaches his 40th birthday, admits the magic of Cheltenham – and one race in particular – help fuel a career which could yet reach 5,000 triumphs and 20 consecutive champion jockey titles. ‘I appreciate the Festival more now than when I was younger,’ said McCoy, who rides top contender My Tent Or Yours in today’s Stan James Champion Hurdle. ‘It is the most important week in our sport and everyone talks about Cheltenham from the beginning of the sea-
by DAnny gRiffiTHs son, wondering if they have a horse good enough not only to race here but to win here. The race of the meeting could be the Champion Hurdle because it is possible to make a good case for five classy runners.’ My Tent Or Yours, who has recov-
‘It’s the most important week in our sport’ ered from a foot problem, faces stiff competition from defending champion Hurricane Fly, The New One and Our Conor. ‘[Trainer] Nicky Henderson has a fantastic record in the Champion Hur-
racing cheltenham festival
dle and I hope to have every chance in a most competitive race,’ he added. McCoy is also eyeing Thursday’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle, one of the biggest races in which he is yet to triumph. ‘I would love to win it and add it to my collection because it is a rare big race that’s eluded me,’ he said. ‘I’m on At Fishers Cross who is a very good horse, [but] Big Buck’s is definitely the one to beat.’ McCoy has so many outstanding memories at Cheltenham it is difficult to pin him down to just one but when pushed he picks out his Gold Cup victory on Synchronised in 2012. ‘It was a fantastic win because [trainer] Jonjo O’Neill and owner JP McManus had never won the Gold Cup before and I was delighted to have settled that score for them.’
TipsTER’s TOp 5 fOR CHELTEnHAM
Vautour’s sure for flying start 3
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IT’s always a good omen if you can land a winner in the first race of the Festival and although Irving has impressed, the market leader’s jumping is not always perfect. Our preference for the sky Bet supreme Novices Hurdle is the Willie Mullins-trained Vautour at 7/2 with Coral and others.
Vautour: Favourite for the supreme Novices Hurdle
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HurrICaNe Fly won last year’s stan James Champion Hurdle but faces fierce competition to retain his title. His most dangerous challenger is The New One and jockey sam Twiston-Davies can guide him home at 3/1 with Betfair, unibet and 888sport.
Mcginley’s golf ryder cup at ease in his leading role PAUL McGINLEY accepts he is under intense pressure as Europe’s captain heading into this year’s Ryder Cup. The US visit Gleneagles at the end of September seeking to erase the painful memory of their defeat at Medinah two years ago by winning for just the third time in a decade. They will be led by Tom Watson, who has bags of experience with five victories at The Open, two at the Masters and another at the US Open. But McGinley has been working hard to assemble a strong team behind him after appointing Sam Torrance and Des Smyth as his vicecaptains, and he has been impressed by the desire of Europe’s top rookies. ‘I’m really enjoying the process of building the team, drawing a few lines in the sand and setting out the structures and starting to formulate
McGinley: Wants six of the best the squad I want to send out at Gleneagles,’ said McGinley. The 47-year-old Dubliner famously sealed victory for Europe at the Belfry in 2002 when he holed a tenfoot putt on the 18th hole to win his match against Jim Furyk. It is an achievement which still fills him with pride and he added: ‘I have played in three Ryder Cups, been a vice-captain in two and been on the winning side on each occasion. So now I am captain the challenge is to win and make a perfect six.’
THe Cheltenham roar is one of the most amazing experiences in sport. It is 7/1 with Paddy Power the sound generated is between 131 and 140 decibels but we’ll aim for a quieter 111 – 120 decibels.
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IT’s Ladies Day tomorrow and Paddy Power offer 4/1 the winning fashionista will be wearing pink or purple and 8/1 the dress designer will be from Karen Millen.
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a bit of a no-brainer because aP McCoy has some decent rides but he is evens with 888sport to be first past the post in one of the feature races this week.
Making his pitch: McCoy partners My Tent Or Yours this afternoon
Ireland not worried after losing their underdog tag for Twenty20
Ireland’s cricketers are accustomed to managing varying degrees of expectation but as they prepare for a third successive World Twenty20, captain William Porterfield insists he and his teammates are taking little notice of people’s suppositions, writes Ryan Bailey. Having played the role of perennial giant killers on the global stage up until now, Phil simmons’ side have been typecast as the frontrunners to safely negotiate the initial group stage in Bangladesh and advance to the super 10 phase. However, the nature of the newly implemented structure means any defeat could prove fatal and Porterfield knows they’ll need to hit the ground running if they harbour any hopes of progressing. ‘Our first goal is to win those three games. We’re not looking past
cricket
Porterfield: Focused on first game
the first game for now as we need to take each match at a time,’ Porterfield said. ‘If we do that then there’s no reason why we cannot beat the best.’ Ireland have been paired in Group a alongside Zimbabwe, netherlands and United arab emirates but only one side can secure a berth in the next round
with england one of four prospective opponents. although there is little margin for error, Porterfield knows if his side can progress, they’ll have the benefit of three games behind them. ‘Who goes through can potentially hold an advantage, you’ll have some momentum and know you are playing good cricket,’ the 29-year-old insisted. Zimbabwe provide the first hurdle on st Patrick’s day and despite experiencing off-field issues in recent months, the southern african outfit are likely to be Ireland’s rivals for top spot. Porterfield knows, however, that the variable nature of the shortest format means nothing can be taken for granted. ‘anyone can beat anyone,’ he said. ‘Favourites tags don’t mean much.’
football champions league
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014 METRO HERALD 23
Wenger: History on Gunners’ side by DAvE FiLMER
ARSENE WENGER sees no reason why Arsenal cannot pull off another shock when they look to upset mighty Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena tonight. The Gunners aim to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with the defending champions, but take on a team who are rampant in the Bundesliga. Wenger, though, insists his side – buoyed by their FA Cup quarter-final win over Everton – should be confident of a repeat performance from last season, when they produced a remarkable result in Munich to win 2-0 and exit only on away goals. ‘History is important in your belief,’
Wenger: Confident his team can go through despite a 2-0 deficit he said. ‘We have done it before, so we know we can do it because we have done it. ‘It is possible, that is the most important thing. ‘I believe my team has quality and ambition, and I believe when we need
to produce a top-level performance, then we can. ‘Bayern at the moment are the team, of course, who are full of confidence because they are doing very well, but we have a great opportunity to do it. ‘I am absolutely confident that mentally we will be ready to play at our
best. The statistics are against us, but we have also won 5-1 at Inter Milan, we have won everywhere in Europe.’ Club-record signing Mesut Ozil looks to have recovered from the disappointment of his early penalty miss in the first leg at the Emirates, after scoring the first goal in the win over Everton, and Wenger is expecting a big performance tonight. ‘I believe he was affected by his performance [in the first leg],’ admitted Wenger. ‘He was affected by the fact that he missed the penalty. ‘It affected his performance as he felt he let the team down. I think since, he has recovered though. ‘He had a great performance on Saturday and he is on the right path. I am very confident he’ll have a good game [tonight].’
Guardiola’s Pep talk can give Arsene some hope PEP GUARDIOLA says the first nine minutes of Bayern Munich’s game at Arsenal were the only time his team have been outplayed this season. The European champions won 2-0 in London to set up tonight’s last-16, second-leg tussle at the Allianz Arena. But Mesut Ozil missed an early penalty for the Gunners before Bayern went on to dominate. And the Germans’ manager Guardiola said: ‘When I analyse Arsenal and the game, we saw the quality of [Santi] Cazorla, we saw what happened until the penalty Ozil missed, what happened in the first nine minutes: they were the nine minutes in this season when the opponent was better against us. They remain a good club, a good team. ‘People think “2-0 you don’t have a chance in Munich” but that’s the main problem for us.’
Bayern Munich v Arsenal 7.45pm, itv setanta sports cup Key men Arjen Robben & Lukasz Fabianski St Pat’s ease
Clash: Fabianski and Robben
Robben has scored 16 goals this season – 13 for bayern and three for Holland – and caused Arsenal untold problems down their left flank in the first leg. everyone knows the former Chelsea favourite will pick up the ball, exchange short passes then cut in and shoot. It’s trying to stop him that is the problem. With Wojciech Szczesny suspended Fabianski will be the last line of defence against Robben, and the rest of bayern’s freescoring attack, and he will be stretched to the limit to keep the clean sheet which looks imperative if Arsenal are to have any chance of progressing. The 28-year-old will move when his contract expires in the summer but was on FA Cup duty when Arsenal beat everton in the quarter-finals on Saturday. A top display against the european champions tonight would may attract a new employer and help bump up his personal demands.
pOssiBLETEAMs
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Rafinha, Dante, Boateng, Alaba, Lahm, Ribery, Kroos, Schweinsteiger, Robben, Muller. Arsenal: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Sagna, Flamini, Koscielny, Cazorla, Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arteta, Giroud (pictured).
ins and outs
did you know?
Arsenal will be without suspended keeper Bayern Munich have Wojciech Szczesny and the injured Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs. scored 37 goals in just Aaron Ramsey (thigh), Kim Kallstrom (back), 12 Bundesliga matches Laurent Koscielny (hamstring) and nacho at the Allianz Arena Monreal (foot) are all doubts. bayern are this season boosted by the return of Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery and Xherdan Shaqiri, who will strengthWords by Danny Griffiths en what already looked a daunting squad.
into semis with 5-0 win MARk QUIGLEy and Conan Byrne scored a brace apiece as St Patrick’s Athletic eased into the semi-finals of the Setanta Sports Cup with a facile 5-0 victory over Irish League strugglers Ballinamallard United at Richmond Park, winning 6-0 on aggregate. St Pat’s survived an early scare when Stuart Hutchinson completely missed his kick in front of goal from Ryan Campbell’s excellent cross, to take a 12th minute lead. Quigley drilled a free kick directly to the net for the second. Alvin Rouse in the visitors’ goal made a decent save from Daryl kavanagh before conceding a second goal on 33 minutes. Byrne got his second of the game six minutes later. St Pat’s then scored the goal of the night on 62 minutes. James Chambers, Byrne and Chris Forrester carved Ballinamallard open before Quigley sidefooted home. kavanagh added a fifth on 86 minutes. Sligo Rovers beat Crusaders 5-0 at the Showgrounds to win on a 9-1 aggregate while Dundalk won 2-0 at Coleraine to overturn a 3-2 first leg defeat and go through 4-3.
24 METRO HERALD Tuesday, March 11, 2014
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Do or die for Arsenal at rampant Bayern
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Let’s make history by DAnny HOgAn
Joe Schmidt can spearhead an RBS Six Nations title drive against France to ‘eclipse’ ireland’s only win in Paris for 42 years, according to Jonathan Sexton. Fly-half Sexton hailed boss Schmidt as ‘the best coach around’ and is confident the New Zealander can inspire ireland’s first win in France since 2000. Brian o’driscoll’s stunning hat-trick from that 27-25 still resonates, with ireland unable to repeat that winning feat for a generation. the 35-year-old centre will make his 141st and final test appearance at the Stade de France, with ireland in pole position to sweep the Six Nations title should they subdue their hosts.
hamstring trouble. Relishing the challenge of facing the French in the home city of his top 14 club side, Sexton said Schmidt knows how to alleviate pressure. Sexton won two heineken cups, a Rabodirect PRo12 title and the Amlin challenge cup under Schmidt’s Leinster stewardship. Now the 28-year-old is confident the schoolteacher turned international coach can deliver again. ‘Sometimes when you go into finals, you get so worried about the result that you lose track of what got you there in the first place,’ said Sexton. ‘it will be very much performance-driven. ‘From having worked with all the coaches here before, especially with Joe, having played european finals and Rabo finals, it’ll be very much fo-
Hot to trot: Ruby Walsh holds Hurricane Fly after a workout on the gallops at the Cheltenham racecourse ahead of today’s showpiece race picture: reuters
‘If we go and win, we’ll have earned it and it’ll be something to remember’ Racing metro playmaker Sexton believes an ireland win would surpass the achievements of o’driscoll and captain Keith Wood’s 2000 vintage, a first Six Nations title since 2009 adding extra weight. ‘i think we’ve got the best coach around; i think we’re going to go in with a game plan that everyone trusts,’ said Sexton. ‘i think we’re full of confidence, we think that we can go there and do the job. We don’t get too bogged down in “we haven’t won there for this long, we haven’t done this or that, so on”. ‘We’ll be very much focused on how we’ll beat them with our attacking moves, with the defence we use on the day. ‘the history will be talked about by everyone else, and i think it’s better like that for us.’ Ulster wing tommy Bowe has been released for club duty this weekend after training with ireland. cian healy is now expected to make a full recovery from the ankle problem he suffered against italy, while Peter o’mahony is back to full fitness after
cused on the performance. ‘even though it’s a winner-takes-all, it’s very much the same as usual. it just shows how difficult it is to go and win there; that’s all it shows us. ‘it means if we go and win, we’ll have earned it and it’ll be something to remember. We’ve a chance to go and make history now. ‘it would eclipse what they did in 2000, because there’s a trophy on the line.’ Sexton expects to have to strap his thumb for match action for the rest of the season, as he continues to recover from ligament damage. the 42-cap out-half warned ireland not to let France’s inconsistency lull them into a false sense of security. ‘We have to be wary of this French team,’ said Sexton, aware that France can still claim the Six Nations crown for themselves. ‘We just had a look at their player profiles, their individuals, and it’s pretty impressive, no matter what position you look in.’
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sean o’brien – page 21 On home ground: Sexton, facing the French in the city that hosts his Top 14 club side Racing Metro, feels Ireland can eclipse the famous win of 2000 picture: inpho
JUDgEMEnT DAy BECKOnIng FOR FLy
RUBY Walsh reports Hurricane Fly in fine shape after giving the dual Stan James Champion Hurdle winner a spin on the track ahead of today’s showpiece at Cheltenham. With a world-record 19 Grade One victories to his credit, the Willie Mullins-trained ten-yearold now bids to become only the sixth horse to land this sought-after prize three times. ‘I rode Hurricane Fly and he seems to be in good form,’ said Walsh. ‘He has obviously travelled over a good few times, so he knows what it is and you would be more worried about younger horses that hanen’t travelled before. ‘We are happy with him and have got him this far, so fingers crossed we can get him the rest of the way. The Champion Hurdle line-up is what it is – it was never going to be any different.
‘He has been here and done it twice before and if we are being clinical about it, the others have got something to prove in a Champion Hurdle, whereas he hasn’t. ‘It looks as if Captain Cee Bee will make the running, but there could be a curve-ball or two’ The horse rated by bookmakers as the biggest threat to Hurricane Fly is local hope The New One, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and ridden by his son, Sam. The six-year-old has saved his very best efforts for Cheltenham, winning four of his six course starts, including when successful in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle 12 months ago.
« Tony Mccoy & TipsTer – page 22