Metro Herald, Tuesday, April 1, 2014 by Metro Herald

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Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Your Metro Herald packed with news, sport and features

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

60 Seconds with De Niro

You talkin’ to me? Yes Bob, yes we are »p6

Hunt for injured bombing suspect A WITNESS has told how he came upon a blazing car just seconds after an incredible city centre bombing drama. Alan Bennett was walking back from the South Circular Road along Heytesbury Street when the incident occurred. He told Metro Herald: ‘I heard and felt an explosion. I reached Long Lane about 15 seconds later to see a car on fire. I then heard a couple of smaller explosions over the next few minutes as more of the car burned. The fire brigade and gardaí arrived on the scene within minutes. ‘It was not immediately apparent that it was a car bomb. Initially I thought it could have been vandalism,’ he added. Gardaí are appealing for a man seen leaving the scene to come forward and have expressed ‘concern for his well being’. Speaking yesterday, Garda Supt Dave Taylor said witnesses reported this man as being very badly injured.

Hot off the press: Alan Bennett took this grainy but amazing picture seconds after the blast

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by angHarad williams They are also appealing to the taxi driver who picked him up to come forward. Garda Supt Taylor added: ‘Witnesses have reported that a man was seen fleeing the scene soon after the explosion heading towards New Street and Clanbrassil Street area. ‘We are making an appeal to that man to come forward. We believe he may have suffered significant injuries and might require urgent medical attention.’ Gardaí were called to the scene after a black Volvo car was found on fire at around 11pm on Sunday, following what is believed to have been an explosion. The car destroyed in the explosion is reportedly owned by a local businessman who was said to be uninjured in the blast. The motive for the attack has yet to be established.

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METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

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17% Rise in

kidnappings in Ireland from 2012 to 2013, according to the CSO, driven by a rise in false imprisonment and abduction offences Ireland’s rate of newsprint recycling is now up to 79%. Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you.

Today is...

Atheist Day Organisers say Atheist Day intends to bring awareness to the ‘folly’ of atheism, but that it’s also a day to air the arguments over why it is the ‘most logical and rational default’ to the question of the meaning of life

From the archives (2011):

‘Appalling legacy’ of bank system

Finance minister Michael Noonan has launched a blistering attack on the previous government, claiming its banking policy was as dark an era as the Civil War. He spoke of the ‘appalling legacy’ of a broken banking system.

Today’s birthdays

Milan Kundera, novelist, 85; Ali MacGraw, actress, 75; Phillip Schofield, TV presenter, 52; Chris Evans, TV presenter, 48; Zuul (pictured), malevolent deity, unknown.

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 a late British/Canadian actor. 1. More stupid, colloquially 2. Reply 3. Closer 4. Meteorological symbol 5. Potion 6. Timber

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

Mater Writer Lightly boil Taste Cream sweet Over there

Yesterday’s solution: Shaznay Lewis

Weather Weather Today

Max: 15°c

Starting out mainly dry but misty, becoming brighter for a time. Showery outbreaks of rain will develop in the south during the afternoon, extending northwards later. Temperatures between 13°C and 15°C in light to moderate southeast to east winds.

13�C

Derry

Donegal

15�C

14�C Belfast

Cavan

Galway

13�C

Athlone

Dublin

15�C

Tipperary

14�C

Waterford

Tralee

Cork

Tonight

13�C

13�C Sunrise: 6.59am Sunset: 8.00pm

Min: 2°c

Rain will move into Munster and south Leinster, but the rest of the country will remain largely dry. Temperatures between 2°C and 4°C in light easterly winds.

EUROPE today

Tomorrow A cloudy, misty day with scattered outbreaks of rain. Temperatures between 10°C and 13°C in fresh easterly winds.

11�C 13�C 13�C 12�C

11�C

10�C 11�C 13�C Max: 13°c

Athens

18 °c

Barcelona

17 °c

Berlin Brussels

17 °c 21 °c

London

18 °c

20 °c Madrid 19 °c Paris 22 °c

Geneva

Rome

17 °c

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

BOD to stand tall over Dublin Bay FINGAL County Council is set to build an 80ft high statue of Brian O’Driscoll on Clontarf promenade. Modelled on the ‘Pillars of the Kings’ statues in Lord Of The Rings, the God-like BOD-like will stand with one arm outstretched and is planned to be pointed in the direction of our nearest neighbours and recently fiercest rugby rivals, Wales. Funding for the ambitious project to celebrate O’Driscoll, himself a Clontarf native, will come from a reserve put aside for a now-scrapped commission to erect a memorial to Brian Boru on the site which the 24m Leinster and Ireland ‘centre piece’ will replace. Original plans shown to Metro Herald envisaged an enormous statue visible from Wales – a plan scaled down dramatically because of diminished resources. However, Fingal County Council still hopes the ‘Lifelike of Brian’ will cast an impressive shadow over Dublin Bay. ‘The funds were unfortunately just not there to make the statue visible from the UK, but it will still serve as a reminder of the courage and tenacity of the Irish people as the first notable landmark visitors by ferry will see as they come into Dublin, and as a prominent reminder to anybody

by cOnOR sTOnE leaving by sea,’ a spokesman said. ‘The image will be quite striking,’ the spokesman added. ‘The outstretched arm can represent both the hand-off to repel a tackler and the Irish people’s determination to fight off whatever threatens our national pride.’ ‘This is an opportunity for businesses to get involved in celebrating one of our country’s best ever athletes,’ the spokesman added. ‘The council would also welcome donations from the other Dublin councils, as I’m sure we would all agree Brian O’Driscoll and his achievements are something for the whole county, and country, to treasure.’

The king and I: BOD (main picture) and the Pillars of the Kings

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METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Bank holidays cut? GOVERNMENT ministers are mulling over a proposal to cut the number of bank holidays in the State to increase productivity. The plan, to go before the Dáil before the summer recess, was initially raised by a small group of independent backbenchers but is said to be gaining momentum, with Taoiseach Enda Kenny said to be especially keen. Under the proposal, the June and August holidays, as well as Easter Monday, would be cut, adding three working days to the year and bringing in millions in new revenue.

Metro Herald’s new revenue model is an Irish media first

IT MAKES complete cents… From tomorrow, Metro Herald, Dublin’s quality free commuter newspaper, will start charging readers 1c per copy. In a groundbreaking move for the free newspaper model, our team of friendly merchandisers will be taking payment of a one cent coin for each paper they hand out. We know times are tight for our readers, but as the world of print journalism contin-

by AODH MADDEn

ues to change rapidly, Metro Herald is exploring new revenue streams. We feel that our readers will be willing to hand over this small sum to keep getting their favourite daily read. ‘As an innovative growth-hacking move, charging one cent per copy of Metro Herald is unprecedented in either the free or paid-

for print sector, and is something we feel adds value to our offering,’ the company’s senior management said. From tomorrow, our team of friendly merchandisers can accept payment through a mobile credit card terminal or in cash, although no change can be given. Talks with transport authorities to allow commuters to pay for their Metro Herald on their Leap Card are also at an early stage.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Dear Dolly

Martin, don’t be smartin’ over split »p17

don’T leave iT Toulon now… Leinster need to up their game

»p21

Trees that glow in the dark FUTURE ‘green’ cities could resemble fairylands filled with radiant buildings and glowing trees, a report has predicted. Spray-on, light-absorbing dust would give buildings, roads and pathways a phosphorescent shine at night, helping to improve the safety of parks and alleys. Even trees could be made to glow in the dark by splicing bioluminescent genes into their trunks and branches, say experts. By making street lighting less necessary, the carbon footprint of urban centres would be reduced. The bright vision of environmentallyfriendly cities was unveiled by Arup, the international engineering and design firm behind projects such as Grand Canal Theatre and the eircom building at Heuston South Quarter. It looked at ways of protecting urban areas and improving the lives of their residents in a world transformed by global warming and growing city populations. The report highlights natural solutions

by john von radowiTz

such as preventing flooding by replacing hard concrete and tarmac with permeable surfaces, and increasing tree cover. To meet the increasing demand for food, vertical ‘urban farms’ would see crops being grown in and on city buildings. Parks could provide places to forage for fruits, edible greens and insects. Tom Armour, landscape architecture group leader at Arup, said: ‘By 2050, the human population will have reached nine billion with 75 per cent living in cities. ‘Rapid technological innovation will serve as a major catalyst in the shift toward sustainability, resilience and adaptability in dense urban environments.’ Increasing the number of green spaces in cities is set to both boost life expectancy by encouraging people to exercise more and reduce absenteeism as working in buildings overlooking parkland cuts time off by a quarter, research has found.

MORE POWER TO YOU: Joshua Dargan Hayes, 14, from St Gerard’s School in Bray demonstrates his portable sunshade that uses solary energy to charge mobile devices, ahead of the national finals in the Student Enterprise Awards at Croke Park this Wednesday Picture: Photocall

Newspapers: They don’t grow on trees

Brewer beware

Farmer Gavin White has put a new twist on the humble spud. He is pictured here watering his crop with porter. Mr White, based in the south west of England, has created the world’s first Guinness-flavoured potatoes, in a project sponsored by Burts Potato Chips Picture: Pa

Pedal project is hailed Follow us on Twitter: @metrohnews @metrohsport Join us on Facebook for news and updates throughout the day: facebook.com/metroherald

SICK of pedalling your bike yourself? Smartphone taxi service Hailo believes it has come up with a solution. The popular app will soon include the Tandem Taxi Bike. The service launches in London today, with a Dublin roll-out ‘imminent’. The bikes will be ridden by fully licensed taxi drivers, and like with the taxi app, users will be able to watch their ‘bicycle made for two’ arrive via their phone screen. It is designed specifically for busy city streets. A Hailo spokesman said each

Dublin driver will have to know all streets within an 8km radius of O’Connell Street. He added that Hailo’s Tandem fleet are also ‘required to know all the cycle paths, all the bike shops and how to deal with chafing of the thigh’. He added: ‘We’ve always been a mobile business, and we’re constantly looking for ways to help our customers get around. Just like with regular Hailo, passengers pay by card, hop on and off the bike and get receipts emailed automatically to them. If the rider is prepared to help pedal along, then 50 per cent is knocked off their fare.’

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

Man overboard survives 1½ hours alone in Pacific Alone on the ocean: His bright jacket helped save him (circled)

Rescued: Crewman Andrew Taylor before the race

AN AMATEUR sailor survived for more than 90 minutes in the middle of the Pacific after falling overboard yesterday. Andrew Taylor, a crewman on the DerryLondonderry-Doire in the Clipper round-theworld yacht race, fell off the bow while changing a sail in rough seas and high winds. The 46-year-old watched in horror as the boat sped onwards leaving him alone and at the mercy of the ocean. The yacht turned around, and sent out a mayday alert but took more than an hour to locate him. It was about halfway on the 9,000km leg across the Pacific from Qingdao, China, to San Francisco when the accident happened. Mr Taylor, of London, fell in at 12.43am

Pulled on board: A relieved Mr Taylor is hauled back on to the yacht

by sHAROn MARRis Irish time but was not pulled from the ocean by his shipmates until 2.13am. The search was hampered by 35-knot (65kph) winds and high seas. ‘An hour and a half is a very long time to be in the water in these conditions,’ said race director Justin Taylor. ‘But a combination of his survival training and seven months at sea as well as wearing a life jacket and dry suit will have contributed enormously to his survival.’ Mr Taylor is believed to be suffering from shock and hypothermia, and is being treated on board by fellow crew member, paramedic Susie Redhouse, 42. Race founder and chairman Sir Robin KnoxJohnston said: ‘The sea can be a harsh environment and we rehearse every eventuality.’

Mayor urges rethink after Fingal veto LORD Mayor of Dublin Oisin Quinn has appealed to the Government to let Dubliners vote on whether to introduce a directly-elected mayor, after Fingal County Council was the only local authority to veto the plan. For the proposal to be brought to the capital’s residents on May 23 it needed to be approved by all four of Dublin’s local authorities. Mr Quinn, who is a Labour Party councillor said: ‘Dublin and Fingal should not be in competition or seen to be in competition. No single group should be given a veto on reform.’ Some of those who voted against the proposal in Fingal said they believed the post would be too costly and would mean too much centralisation of power.

PICTUREs: ClIPPERVEnTUREs/ BnPs

Varadkar: Why didn’t Callinan tell Shatter about phone taping earlier? MINISTER for Transport Leo Varadkar has asked why former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan didn’t inform Justice Minister Alan Shatter about the garda recordings more promptly. ‘The Commissioner did know that these unlawful recordings were being made as far back as November and rather than informing the Minister at the time as he should have done, he set up an internal committee within the gardaí and even made inquiries about destroying the tapes,’ Mr Varadkar said. He added: ‘That to me is a matter of much more concern than anything else.’ Attorney General Máire

Varadkar: Opposition attacks on Shatter ‘are to get political capital’ Whelan reportedly issued a formal instruction to the Garda Síochána last month that all tapes made in stations around the State were not to be destroyed after learning that the

Garda Commissioner’s office was seeking permission from the Data Protection Commissioner to destroy recordings. Mr Varadkar questioned why the opposition are not focusing on the real issue of why gardaí tried to destroy the tapes and why they didn’t inform the Government about them. He went on to accuse the opposition of trying to get political capital by attacking Alan Shatter. Minister of state Brian Hayes added: ‘The Irish people deserve all of the answers around this, including the length of time it took the department and other agencies to bring this into the public sphere.’

Teen attacker: ‘i’d Car thief who broke no idea what i did’ into golf club jailed A TEENAGER who knocked a woman off her bike, beat her up and stole her groceries said he was so drunk and stoned at the time he had ‘no idea’ what he was doing. Joseph O’Toole, 19, with an address at The Nurseries, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, and a co-accused beat up and robbed Isabella Szyrajew just half an hour after they attacked and robbed a man in his late 60s on the same stretch of road. Ms Szyrajew told gardaí she had been cycling along Church Road with shopping bags on the handlebars when two men, one in his late teens and with ‘wild eyes’, stopped the bike. She was kicked in the face, head, stomach and back about six times and dragged along the ground by her rucksack. Judge Mary Ellen Ring adjourned the case to July 30 to allow O’Toole to complete an alcohol rehabilitation programme.

A MAN who was found asleep in a drug-induced stupor after he stole a car and broke into a Dublin golf club has been jailed for four years. The stolen car, an Audi A4, was found impaled on security bollards outside the club. Wayne Keogh, 33, of Russell View, Tallaght, admitted burglary and the unlawful use of a car at the Slade Valley Golf Club in Saggart in 2012. The father-of-one was on bail at the time for a series of burglaries carried out months earlier. He pleaded guilty to all the offences, telling gardaí they were ‘an act of desperation’ committed in the throes of his addiction to heroin and crack cocaine. In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Carmel Stewart imposed consecutive sentences totalling six years and suspended the final two years on strict conditions.

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METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Deadline extended for property tax The deadline to pay the controversial local property tax and household charge arrears has been extended to close of business tomorrow. The Revenue Commissioners made the decision to extend the deadline because of the volume of calls they have received. More than 10,000 calls were made to the local property tax helpline on Monday morning alone. The helpline (1890 200 255) is open from 8am to 8pm today and 8am to 5pm tomorrow. Any property owner who has submitted a genuine query will be treated as having complied with requirements on time.

Drop comedy in which trans character mocked, RTÉ told by ANgHARAD WiLLiAMs

Dublin prices up 15% on last year hOUSe prices in Dublin are up 15 per cent on the same time last year, according to property website Daft.ie. The average asking price for properties outside of Dublin has also risen during the first three months of the year, the first quarterly rise since 2007. The house Price Report revealed the average national asking price is now €177,000, up almost four per cent on the same time in 2013. Increases were also recorded in Cork and Galway city centres, while Waterford and Limerick city centre experienced a fall in house prices.

Come rain or shine David healy from Oxfam and Niamh Garvey of Stop Climate Chaos get weather-ready at a public briefing on the fifth report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) at Dublin’s Project Arts Centre PicTure: PhOTOcall

60 seconds

Oscar-winning legend RObERT DE NiRO, 70, is back in the mafia fold in The Family – although he would rather wait and watch it in 20 years’ time

Your most recent film is black comedy The Family. Why did you want to do it? I’ve known

Luc Besson a long time. When this came up originally, he was writing and producing but not directing. We went over directors and he said finally – which I was hoping – that he’d direct it himself.

Was it nice to revisit the mob milieu? I liked the script and the

novel, so I thought it would be fun. I liked Luc’s work and I think he’s terrific, so I was glad to do it.

Your character writes his memoirs – is that something you’ve considered doing? Not

seriously. Once in a while. It’d be too complicated.

Your character feels misunderstood in the film. Do you? No. People are always

misunderstood in some way or another. People you read about are often different compared with how you perceive them; then again, sometimes they’re exactly what you’d thought they’d be. I try to be clear about what I am but you never know what people are thinking.

Goodfellas features in the film – do you watch your previous performances? No.

Sometimes there’ll be something on television and I’ll watch it. If 20 years has gone by, I can be more objective about it. It’s sometimes fun. The last one I saw was Goodfellas because I watched it for The Family and the DVD had things on I wasn’t aware of – like interviews with [real-life mobster] Henry Hill.

What did you think of it? I

thought it was pretty good. I hadn’t seen it since we made it. I’m critical of my performances. Sometimes I think: ‘I’d like to have done that differently,’ other times there isn’t anything else I could have done.

You’re renowned for having changed your appearance for previous roles. Would you do it again? I can’t do it like I could

when I was younger as far as gaining the weight for something like Raging Bull but I just did Hands Of Stone, directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz, where I changed my appearance quite a bit. The character’s older – he ages

from around 73 to 85. It was good to do. There was a lot of hair and make-up but it was a good experience.

Were you pleased with how you might look in your eighties? You could say that,

although that’s how the character looks, not how I will look. Who knows? I hope I’m around until I’m in my nineties but we’ll see.

How has the film industry changed throughout your career? In the 1960s and 1970s, it

was more difficult for actors to get into films because there weren’t as many being made other than the big studio films. But now there are so many independent films, there are many more opportunities for actors. It’s interesting how it’s changed.

Is it a better time to start as an actor today? I don’t know,

although television is also great now, sometimes better than movies. It’s still hard to get films made. The studios say they’ll distribute it but you need to get independent finance from elsewhere.

What’s the situation with

CALLS for RTÉ’s new comedy The Centre to be cancelled last night came as demonstrators gathered outside the national broadcaster to protest against portrayals of transgender people in the media. The rally, which took place on international transgender day of visibility, was sparked in part by the show, which features a transgender character having hormone treatment. Describing The Centre as ‘socially highly irresponsible’, protest organiser Deirdre O’Byrne called on RTÉ to cancel the show, saying it has a detrimental effect on the mental health of many citizens.’ ‘Broadcasting the kinds of crude jokes many use to try and intimidate us, just isn’t funny.’ Trans* Education and Advocacy said: ‘There are many troubling aspects of this show from the trans perspective. For instance, for many of those who suffer from Gender Dysphoria, body hair is a focus of their suffering, and body hair was the subject of one of the jokes on the show.’ In a statement RTÉ Two controller Bill Malone said the show is full of exaggerated characters. He described Nualla as a positive LGBT character. ‘The attacks on Nualla come from one source – the repulsive Amanda Menton, who represents all that is wrong with society.’ In response to the protest RTÉ said it is committed to inclusivity and referred to its recent coverage of transgender issues, including The Cosmo on RTÉ Pulse and a documentary on Lydia Foy.

“

I watched Goodfellas and thought it was pretty good. I’m critical of my performances The Irishman, the longdelayed project that’ll reunite you with Martin Scorsese? We’re trying to get it

set up creatively, discussing how Marty is approaching it, and we’re slowly moving forward with it so we can get started when he’s ready.

Why do you like working with Martin Scorsese so much? He’s a great guy. Anyone

who has worked with him will tell you he’s great to work with – he’s willing to try things and listen to people’s suggestions. He gives actors freedom. It’s important to give anyone that freedom – the production designer, the set decorator, the make-up people – to let them feel able to try things.

?????????????

What are you proudest of achieving in your career?

That I’m still alive and I’m still enjoying what I do.

What lessons has your career in showbiz taught you? Don’t be scared to try

things. I always say: ‘If you don’t go, you’ll never know.’

Is promotion the best part of the job? What do you think? Why’s it so bad for you? It’s OK. Sometimes I don’t feel like doing it but I have to.

Andrew Williams The Family is out on DVD and Blu-ray

inquest ‘end of pain’ FAMILIES of the 96 football fans killed in the Hillsborough disaster said they hoped the fresh inquest into their loved ones’ deaths would be ‘the beginning of the end’ of their pain. Hundreds of relatives packed a courtroom yesterday for the start of the new hearing. Charlotte Hennessy, who lost her father James in the disaster when she was six years old, said: ‘Finally we’re here and it’s going to happen. It’s been a long, long fight. ‘I was a bit of a emotional wreck this weekend, I’ve not slept a wink. But this is the beginning now. Hopefully it can be put right.’

ComputERs can now recognise 21 distinct facial expressions including ‘happily-disgusted’ and ‘sadly-angry’. the research triples the number of facial expressions computers could previously recognise. study leader Aleix martinez, at ohio state university in the us, said: ‘that is simply stunning. that tells us that these 21 emotions are expressed in the same way by nearly

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

Machines can tell 21 emotions everyone, at least in our culture.’ they want to use facial expressions to track the genes that govern emotion in the brain. It is hoped to advance diagnosing and treating conditions such as autism.

Five-a-day ‘not enough’ – and doubts over benefits of canned fruit as well

Have you had your ten a day? HEALTH bosses last night faced calls to review their message on fruit and vegetables after research suggested five-aday may not be enough. The current guidelines may need to be doubled after a study suggested those eating more are likely to live longer. People eating at least seven portions of fresh fruit and vegetables reduce their overall risk of death by 42 per cent, compared with those who have one helping a day or less. It also cut the threat of cancer 25 per cent and heart disease by 31 per cent. Dr Oyinlola Oye-

bode, leader of the University College London study, said: ‘The clear message here is that the more fruit and vegetables you eat, the less likely you are to die at any age. ‘However, people shouldn’t feel daunted by a big target like seven. Whatever your starting point, it is always worth eating more fruit and vegetables.’ The research questioned if sugary canned and frozen fruits should count towards the daily intake, after it appeared to suggest these increased the risk of

death by 17 per cent per portion. Health guidelines recommend eating 80g portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Liverpool University experts said the 12-year study of 65,000 people showed it was ‘perhaps now time to update the “five-aday” message to “ten-a-day”’. The public health worker representative body said it had no plans to change the guidelines as two thirds of adults do not meet the target. ‘Our focus remains on increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables to meet current recommendations,’ it added.

The Fat Duck spreads wings for a migration

Rain dance: Russell Crowe and Noah costar Emma Watson look ready to waltz at the film’s London premiere last night PICTURE: REx

Crowe journalist rant goes viral NOAH star Russell Crowe has continued his spat with a young Irish journalist – to whom he gave a harsh lesson in interview skills at the premiere of his new film – by calling her ‘a plonker’. Niamh Walsh had asked Crowe if he’d like to see his favourite rugby team play against Ireland, but was not prepared for the answer, apparently showing a distinct lack of knowledge of the sport. A video of the awkward exchange between Ms Walsh of Evoke.ie and

by HAyDEn SMiTH

Crowe then went viral. But it was her Twitter hashtag ‘fearless journalist’ that provoked Crowe to come back for more. Opening with the charming ‘fearless journo my ass’, Crowe said he had attempted to correct Ms Walsh on rugby’s two disciplines of union and league and became increasingly bewildered as she persisted with her line of questioning before taking a different approach – by getting shirty with him. Twitter was later buzzing with reaction.

MOST restaurateurs would put their feet up while their premises were being refurbished. But rather than have a six-month break, celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal has decided to up sticks and move his Michelinstarred restaurant The Fat Duck to the other side of the world. The entire staff and even some of the furniture will be flown to Australia in January, for the restaurant to re-open in Melbourne. Meanwhile, his grade II-listed premises in Bray, Berkshire, will close down in December ready for a summer reopening.

Blumenthal, 47, made the announcement in Australia, saying: ‘This is probably the furthest migration a duck – of any kind, let alone a big fat duck – has made.’ He added that, while his 1640s building needed modernising, he ‘just couldn’t bear the thought of closing for an extended period of time’. The eaterie was shut by a food poisoning episode in 2009. The chef (pictured) said he had wanted to open a restaurant in Australia since ‘falling in love’ while visiting in 2003. ‘The restaurant scene is fantastic, and the produce here is incredible,’ he said.

METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

★

★★ ★ ★

Greeted... by an odd hand shake

Good to be Beck: But Kate didn’t expect fans to be quite so glad to see her PICTURE: PA

Kate Beckinsale was left red-faced on the red carpet when an overexcited fan gave her an unwanted welcome back to Blighty. The Underworld actress revealed she was greeted by a weirdo performing a sex act when she arrived at the Empire awards. ‘I’ve been to American awards but never the Empire awards – I was so excited,’ said the LA-based Briton as she struggled to hold back her laughter. ‘Someone was moved along outside for actually w******! That never happens at American awards. It’s good to be home.’ The 40-year-old, who presented James McAvoy, 34, with his best actor trophy, received little sympathy from host James Nesbitt, who joked he would need to relieve his own unrequited lust after sharing the stage with her. ‘I will be going back to my hotel room for some cranking,’ the 49-year-old Irish actor said – crudely explaining that meant crying and pleasuring himself at once.

Hugh: Big night was over in secs

ugh JACKMAN led the public marital confessions when he admitted he put in a poor performance on his wedding night 18 years ago. The 45-year-old Wolverine actor, who scooped the icon award on Sunday, joked that he failed to last the pace following his nuptials with Deborra-Lee Furness. After watching a montage of his greatest blockbusters before accepting his gong, Jackman quipped: ‘Thank you for that package. It’s about a minute-anda-half of action and very little dia-

★

Simon Pegg confessed he’d be ‘nothing’ without his wife. The Hot Fuzz actor, who picked up the Empire hero award, praised loyal Maureen for loving him warts and all. ‘I’m nice but she gets to see me when I’m not nice and she’s still with me after 13 years,’ he said in his acceptance speech, adding: ‘I love you baby. You stuck by me and I owe it all to you, so thank you baby.’ Pegg, 46, added he was thrilled to win recognition for his work. ‘It feels like an uphill struggle sometimes to be taken seriously as an actor when you do comedy and you write comedy,’ he said.

logue – it kind of reminds me of my wedding night.’ But the hunk quickly tried to save face, adding: ‘Sorry, more like two minutes on my wedding night.’ As for his most famous role, the Aussie admitted his actress missus tried to discourage him from auditioning for the part of the clawed superhero. ‘So she’s looking at the pages of the first X-Men

Give us a kiss: Emma Thompson and Arnold Schwarzenegger PICTURE: PA

I’ve loved the people I work with says Tom from and continue to learn from.’ Tom Cruise may have three failed Addressing a crowd that included marriages under his belt but the fellow winners James McAvoy and optimistic superstar said his Margot Robbie, he added: ‘It takes a relationships on set have given him a tremendous amount of dedication, ‘rich life’. enthusiasm, endurance and a bit of The 51-year-old star insisted when luck, preferably a lot, to pursue these working he’s an open book. endeavours.’ ‘I feel really Cruise also revealed fortunate because many people were it was my dream shocked when they to be able to make visit him on a film set. films and I’ve had he said: ‘I like just an incredible time so far,’ bringing people to sets gushed Cruise as when I’m working, I he landed the don’t like having special legend of closed sets, I like our lifetime award people to come around. at the 25th Especially people who Jameson Empire Friends: Cruise with his Jack have never made films Awards on Sunday. Reacher co-star Rosamund Pike before because they all ‘I have a very rich have that look on their life because of the exceptional people face, they’re bewildered, a bit stunned I’ve met and worked with and learned and surprised by the effort it takes.’

Sex talk, marriage confessions and a weird red carpet moment added to the drama at the Jameson Empire Awards, writes JENNI MCKNIGHT script and she’s like, “hugh, this is ridiculous you can’t do this”, and she chucks the pages on the floor,’ he revealed. ‘But I went to give it a go and seven auditions and nine months later I got the part and the rest, as they say, is history. It’s also the only time in all my years of marriage my wife has ever been wrong.’

Emma was craving Mr Bonks

Emma Thompson has revealed how she suffers for her art after admitting her husband refused to have sex with her while she was filming Saving Mr Banks. The 54-year-old said Greg Wise was turned off by her character’s bad hairdo. ‘My husband is here so I’d like to thank him for many things,’ the 54-year-old said as she accepted her best actress award for her role as Mary Poppins author PL Travers. ‘First of all for pointing out my nipples were pointing in different directions and were at different levels. And I’d also like to thank him for all those amusing animal noises he made when I had that perm which became, of course, funnier and funnier as the months wore on. Particularly coupled with his absolute persistent refusal to have sex with me.’ Earlier in the evening the Much Ado About Nothing actress admitted she didn’t pick her film roles with awards in mind.

Arnie: They told me I’d fail

Arnold Schwarzenegger has revealed how he was warned by hollywood cynics that he would ‘never make it’ as an actor. The Terminator star said he was called a ‘monster’ after trying to make the transition from bodybuilding champion into leading man. ‘People told me, “It will never happen, you’ll never make it as a bodybuilding champion, it’s a

British and American thing, and you’ll never win”,’ the 66-yearold star said after being named action hero of our lifetime at the awards. he continued: ‘The same thing happened when I tried to get in the movie business. I said, I want to be a leading man, and they immediately said it will never happen. ‘They said, look at your body,

you’re over-developed, this is the 1970s, Arnold. The little guys are in now – Al Pacino, Woody Allen – those are the sex symbols, you are a monster. ‘Well, I didn’t listen to them and I went on and on and I was successful and I had the career I wanted. So this is a lesson to all of you – never take no for an answer, never listen to the naysayers.’

in focus

Love them or loathe them, it looked like selfies were set to dominate social media for the foreseeable future. But a planned EU crackdown on the craze could put an end to the days of people gurning into their own smartphones. ROSS McGUINNESS reports slip-up so far to goad him: he got the nickname ‘Bull’ after he posed for a selfie in front of the famous Charging Bull bronze sculpture near Wall Street during a college trip to New York last year. Now he wears the nickname like a badge of dishonour. Geary is the poster boy for a growing anti-selfie movement in the US, but he is a poster boy without a face, preferring a multitude of online aliases instead of his real name and image. For him, selfies are eating away at the very fabric of society, shaping us into snap-happy morons who can communicate only by standing in front of amirror with a smartphone.

‘They’re like a disease,’ said Geary, who has amassed a database of millions of selfies in the past three months from websites such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook as evidence. ‘I look at my friends’ profiles and I think, “You should be doing something better with your life”. There is more to life than covering the internet with pictures of yourself.’ Geary, a psychology student, is frank about his own selfie aberration in New York, when he got carried away and clicked because a girl in his class was also taking one on her phone. ‘It was a dumb move,’ he said. ‘A rookie move. I was doing what eve-

ryone who takes a selfie does – I was showing off.’ Geary is taking that fight to the doors of the most powerful people in the world. He has handed over his database of selfie crimes to agencies in the US and Europe. He said Washington was still going through his data, while he claimed to have received ‘very encouraging initial feedback’ from EU officials. There could be further encouragement in the days and weeks to come, for Metro Herald has learned that an EU sub-committee sitting on culture and education has drafted proposals for restrictions on selfies. Under the proposals, web users would be allowed to upload only ten selfies a month to sites such as Facebook and Instagram. An 11th selfie in that time would lead to an automatic €25 fine. European election candidates will be encouraged to speak out about the plans in the coming weeks across Europe to test the water ahead of next month’s poll. ‘There is a feeling that this new breed of self-portraits is harming European citizens at all levels of society,’ said a source at the committee for Arts, Photography, Reflection, Images and Light, which has set out the plans. ‘These so-called selfies are having an impact on youngsters in our schools, right through to politicians, so it is our responsibility to have a contingency plan in place if they are deemed worthy of restriction,’ added the source.

Those who go over their quota will be issued with fines of up to

€25

18%

and face restrictions on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

of Irish TDs admit they feel pressured into taking selfies to appease voters

Under EU proposals, smartphone users will only be permitted to upload

Sales of full-length mirrors doubled in Ireland in

selfies per month

2013

40%

of selfies taken in Ireland feature some kind of underwear

N outright ban has not been ruled out but proponents will face serious questions over enforcement, even if users are granted a selfie quota. ‘It would be impossible to monitor individual users online and their selfie habits,’ said US technology writer Ted Rick, bestselling author of The Ishhota Axis. ‘Perhaps there is little educational benefit in posting a picture of you staring at your butt in a bedroom mirror, but that doesn’t mean millions of people shouldn’t be allowed to do it.’ There will also be opposition from the telecoms industry. Pictures of people in their pants are big business when you’re trying to sell smartphones with the latest camera technology. The new HTC One M8, launched last week, even has a selfie mode to make it easier for users to capture themselves at their best. ‘Consumers no longer see their phone as just a phone,’ said Edwin Hodok, chief executive of Swedish smartphone start-up Go-TACH. ‘They take more selfies than they make calls. The camera is king.’ While there have been moves recently to clamp down on the phenomenon – runners in the Hong Kong marathon this year were encouraged to refrain from taking selfies and a ban was put in place at a sorority at the University of Alabama – moves to regulate it could be ill-judged. While selfies were once the preserve of Rihanna and Kim Kardashian, everyone from the Pope to Enda Kenny has now had a go, while a selfie taken of acting stars at the Oscars last month became the most shared message in Twitter’s history. Geary believes we are creating a digital future in which image is everything and any kind of intelligent discourse is dispensed with. Even if the government proposals do become a reality, he won’t be giving up the fight. ‘This is just the beginning,’ he said. ‘As long as there are people who think the world wants to see what they look like in a bikini in a badly lit bathroom, I will have a job to do.’

7 10

out of Irish adults who have taken a selfie agree with the statement: ‘I was an idiot’ Of the

selfies taken in Ireland each month, The ‘kimfie’, inspired by reality TV

star

Sources: Committee for Arts, Photography, Recreation, Images and Light; Foto Optive Ocular Ltd; Selfie Aid

news@metroherald.ie

We’re ready to selfie destruct

OU don’t know Louie ‘Bull’ Geary. You won’t find him on Facebook. You can’t follow him on Twitter. But he’s out there. And he’s watching you. When Geary turned 21 at the beginning of January, he made a promise to himself. A promise that would take him from a small town in Florida right to the door of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. All without leaving the laptop in his bedroom. Geary is on the internet, he just doesn’t want anyone to know it. ‘Like all my friends, I spend a lot of time online,’ he told Metro Herald from his home in Mini-Glades, about 150km west of Miami. ‘But, unlike them, I’m not a complete idiot when it comes to how I look to the rest of the world.’ Geary doesn’t hold back when attacking his friends about their online habits – they’re used to it, he says. But they also use his one

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

Singer Rihanna has taken

3 selﬁes

in which she is fully clothed

Kim Kardashian, is the name given to a selfie in which the selfie-taker’s posterior is prominent

1m are instantly deleted because the taker felt they looked ‘too skanky’

10 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

World

digest

Zuma denies extravagance Terror claims ‘preposterous’

sOuTH AFRicA: President Jacob Zuma has refused to repay part of a €16million state-funded security upgrade to his home. The ANC leader (pictured), found by a watchdog to have had a swimming pool built as part of the works, claimed: ‘I am not guilty.’

and finally...

EgypT: Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste yesterday called terrorism charges against him ‘preposterous’ and demanded to be freed. The Australian’s co-defendant, Canadian-Egyptian Mohammed Fahmy, denied claims they had links to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. They were both denied bail by a Cairo court.

Military chief ‘took bribes’ Ayrault quits over poll snub cHinA: A former army chief has become the highest ranking officer to be prosecuted in leader Xi Jinping’s campaign against corruption. Gu Junshan is accused of taking bribes, misusing public funds and abusing power. The 57-year-old has been under house arrest since he was sacked in 2012.

FRAncE: Prime minister JeanMarc Ayrault yesterday resigned along with his cabinet after a local elections meltdown. Mr Ayrault (pictured) said a swing to the right was down to him. President François Hollande is set to name Manuel Valls as his successor.

gERMAny: Chancellor Angela Merkel poses for selfies with pupils at Robert-Jungk High School in Berlin Picture: reuters

RussiA: Graffiti artists are being given a free rein to spray paint thousands of homes – as long the images are patriotic. They are to be let loose on projects in Moscow and St Petersburg in a bid to influence public opinion over Vladimir Putin’s decision to annexe Ukraine’s Crimea.

Final words from MH370 were wrong

Defence: US and South Korean forces take part in an exercise preparing for a possible attack from the North Picture: ePA

Koreas exchange fire as US tensions rise SOUTH and North Korea have exchanged fire over the disputed western sea boundary. It followed Pyongyang’s earlier announcement it had planned live-fire drills in seven areas near the border. Officials from Seoul said it returned fire after rival shells fell into its waters, forcing residents on five of its front-line islands to evacuate. The move from the

North was thought to be a reaction to annual military exercises near Seoul involving US marines, which it has claimed are a preparation for invasion. Southern defence spokesman Wee Yong-sub called it a ‘hostile’ attempt to heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula, which remains in a technical state of war. About 28,500 US troops are deployed in the South.

MAlAySIAN officials did nothing to dispel their reputation for giving misleading information yesterday when they admitted getting the last words from MH370’s cockpit wrong. On March 12, the transport ministry said the last transmission received from the doomed plane to air traffic control was: ‘All right, good night.’ But yesterday, it issued a statement saying it was, in fact: ‘Good night – Malaysian three seven zero.’ That is a standard phrase used by pilots when communicating with ground staff. Officials did not explain why a mistake had been made and are still to decide which of the pilots said the words. The full transcript of the cockpit’s conversation with air traffic control is to be released to relatives of passengers this week. yesterday, the relatives were urged by China to ‘show the demeanour of a

Japan ordered to end whaling as un destroys ‘science’ claim JUDGES yesterday ordered Japan to end its Antarctic whaling programme after ruling the size of the killing was ‘unjustified’ for scientific purposes. A United Nations court threw out the country’s argument that the catch was for research reasons and not primarily for human consumption. Tokyo said it was ‘deeply disappointed’ but would abide by the decision, while campaigners said they hoped it would help bring a complete end to whaling. The International Court of Justice said

no further licences should be issued for scientific whaling, where animals are first examined for research purposes before the meat is sold to consumers. ‘In light of the fact the research programme has been going on since 2005, and has involved the killing of about 3,600 minke whales, the scientific output to date appears limited,’ it ruled. Japan signed a 1986 moratorium on whaling but has continued to hunt up to 850 minke whales in the icy waters of the Southern Ocean.

Killing: A minke is unloaded in Japan

by DAniEL Binns

great power’ and accept their loved ones are dead. Mei Xinyu, an official from Beijing’s ministry of commerce, said Chinese families risked harming the country’s reputation by accusing Malaysia of a top-level cover-up. Mr Mei, writing in the China Daily newspaper, a mouthpiece for the country’s leadership, said families should focus on preparing the funerals for their loved ones. He said: ‘We should not let anger prevail over facts and rationality. ‘In the process, from the relatives of the victims, public opinion to the government, we need to comply with the fundamental norms of a civilised society and need to show the demeanour of a great power.’ But many relatives are sceptical and have accused the Malaysian authorities of hiding information from them.

Teenager stabbed best friend to death over nude Facebook photos A TEENAGE girl stabbed one of her best friends to death after she posted naked pictures of them on Facebook. Erandy Gutierrez, 16, was so angry that Anel Baez, also 16, had published the group photo she stabbed her 65 times. In a murder which has shocked their Mexican homeland, Gutierrez threatened her friend on Twitter

in February, posting: ‘I will bury you before the end of the year. It may appear I’m very calm but in my head I’ve killed you at least three times.’ Gutierrez visited Anel’s home in Guamúchil on March 19, grabbed a kitchen knife and started stabbing her as her friend watched TV, it is claimed. She was arrested at Anel’s funeral.

Busy in pink

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

Selfie-less: Molly, left, is snapped with her father Gerry as they get in on the ‘no-make-up selfie’ craze to raise money for Aoibheann’s Pink Tie. Above: Katie Taylor with Amy. Below: Aoibheann, after whom the charity was named, clowns around, while Zoe gets ready to go for a swim in a Hickman Drysuit

Metro Herald’s charity for 2014 is Aoibheann’s Pink Tie, which provides practical support for the families of children who are battling cancer Dublin, so we sent down the money to get the car fixed.’ The organisation has gone from strength to strength since, as word spreads among the families and friends of those affected by childhood cancer, with 96 per cent of funds going back to families in need of support. The second Pink Tie Ball on April 19 is sold out, APT received €25,000 from the Secret Millionaires on RTÉ and it has just received its biggest ever donation – €40,000 raised by the people of Gowna, Co Cavan, among many other generous donations.

‘We’ve had cars clamped and people couldn’t afford to get the clamp off the car’ Thanks to Irish football supporters You Boys In Green, the group was able to buy 16 Hickman Drysuits, which allow children to swim even when they have had a Hickman line inserted, which must be kept sterile. Meanwhile, members of the defence forces recently marched from Dublin to Galway for Aoibheann’s Pink Tie. In August, nine cyclists will try to break the record for cycling 500km in a day to raise money for the charity, with each kilometre named after a child who is fighting or has died from cancer. And on April 25 the group will be selling its wristbands nationally to raise funds. Although we are only a few months into 2014, the charity is seeing increasing demand for its

services. Families in need of support are recommended to the charity by a senior social worker on St John’s Ward. ‘We will easily help over 100 families this year,’ says another volunteer, Mick Rochford, ‘and because of the generosity of the public we can help more families. ‘We’ve never turned a family away. People are suffering in a recession and when a child gets sick it’s complete devastation.’ It is not just nuts and bolts support that the charity provides, however – it organises parties for the children, and visits to the hospital, with princess dresses and hero costumes that make them feel a million dollars. Last month, some of the children from St John’s Oncology Ward in Crumlin got to ‘fly’ the planes at Jimmy’s employer, Dublin Aerospace, which has been very supportive of the charity’s work. Meanwhile, Katie Taylor is an ambassador for the group, and Metro Herald has chosen APT as its charity of the year for 2014. ‘Families are often lost in the mix when their children go through the battle with cancer,’ said Metro Herald managing director Paul Crosbie. ‘But it’s not just the child who is affected, it’s the whole family that can struggle. ‘We want to put Aoibheann’s Pink Tie on the map and highlight this incredible charity and the no-nonsense work the voluntary team does for children and their families, to our 200,000 daily readers commuting in and out of Dublin every day. ‘We feel humbled and proud as a company to be able to work with them this year.’ See aoibheannspinktie.ie for more information

✁

IMMY NORMAN was sitting exhausted beside his dying daughter’s bed when the nurse pointed him at the television on the wall. He hadn’t been taking any notice of what was flickering on the news in the intensive care unit in Crumlin Children’s Hospital as there were too many other things to think about in the aftermath of another major operation for his little girl Aoibheann’s cancer. But it was a news story about Jimmy’s employer, SR Technics – they were closing down. ‘I just laughed,’ Jimmy says, ‘and said if anyone was reading my life story in a book they’d burn the book and put it in a bin and bury the bin.’ Even before this news, the family were struggling, but relatives, friends and colleagues rallied around and held a fundraiser that got them back on their feet after Aoibheann sadly passed away, aged eight, in April 2010. The charity that Jimmy, 49, who lives in Dunboyne, Co Meath, and other parents of children with cancer went on to found is called Aoibheann’s Pink Tie (APT). This came about because for the sunny young girl’s funeral they decided instead of wearing dark, sombre clothes, the women should all wear summer dresses and the men should all wear bright pink ties. The all-volunteer organisation aims to provide practical support to families during their child’s cancer treatment, as extra costs as simple as food, accommodation and travel mount up. ‘We had a father sleeping in his car outside Crumlin Children’s Hospital,’ Jimmy recalls. ‘A young child in palliative care had to go back to a house with no heating. I’ve seen hunger, you might not believe me. ‘We’ve had cars clamped and people couldn’t get the clamp off the car. We’ve sent food hampers. ‘One parent’s car broke down and they couldn’t get from Kerry to

12 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Mailbox

Email: Twitter:

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

‘Mail’ to 53131* Facebook.com/ metroherald

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

Chinese premier ‘reigns’ over 1.3bn – Pope: 1.2bn

iaran McCann, your statement that the Pope is the most powerful man on Earth reminded me of Stalin’s well-known question to Churchill: ‘How many divisions does the Pope of rome have?’, a line which effectively skewered the idea of the Pope having any actual power. if you’re going to cite numbers, the 1.2billion who Francis apparently ‘reigns over’, then you should be aware the premier of China has 1.3billion whom he ‘reigns over’. not to mention the fact that there are probably hundreds of millions of those 1.2billion who are included merely as names on parish baptismal records, and who give absolutely zero credence to anything the man in white who ‘reigns over’ them from his golden throne might have to say. Steve

profession where you’re 2,290 times more likely to die on the job or 1,300 times more likely to be killed. it’s not the role of astronaut, bomb disposal expert or Dublin Bus commuter (dying of starvation waiting for a bus!) Of 42 US presidents, eight have died in office – that’s almost one in five. Four – Garfield, McKinley, Lincoln and Kennedy have been assassinated (five if you believe Zachary Taylor was poisoned). There have been assassination attempts on 17 of the 42. The cost of protecting the president is astronomical. Belgium recently spent $10.4million keeping Obama alive for the 24 hours he was there. The irish taxpayer spent $16.5m to keep him safe in Moneygall – no pun intended. How many fishermen’s lives could $16.5m save? Food for thought. Marcus de Cogan, Dublin 8

■ Fisherman’s blues vs red, white and blues. Fishing is a dangerous profession – my thanks and respect to them all. They put substance into the phrase TGiF. However, there is a

■ Jaysus, expressing an opinion in Mailbox is a bit like Chinese whispers. if anyone bothered to read my response to Game Changer properly, they’d see that i DOn’T begrudge

Quick pic

covering other people’s maternity leave, etc. as i clearly said, happy families make for happy nations, and we all inadvertently support each other through taxes anyway, which is how it should be. Working Parent, you will also find that i said non-parents aLSO work their asses off. i was merely championing flexitime FOr aLL wherever possible, not just working parents. So long as the work is done, and done well, why not? Obviously not every industry can support this – hence i said ‘wherever possible’ above, before someone bites my head off

gOOD On yA

● To the hipster in green pants who got on at Smithfield Luas stop this morning with a coffee in hand. I think you’re hot stuff. Want to go for a frothy coffee? Lady in red and black ● Shy Trinity guy, if you spot me on the Dart at 10am, say hi, I don’t bite. Girl in leopard-print pants

FUNK SOLE POSIES: Belgian native Justine Grandjean sent in this unusual photo which her father took in Bray recently, while her parents were in Ireland on a visit. The picture has already appeared in a Belgian newspaper. What a clever way to upcycle those boots.

● I just wanted to say a huge thank you to the man who sold me tickets to the Ireland v France rugby match. He gave me my money back after I explained to him we got pickpocketed 15 minutes before kickoff. Cheers. Happy Rugby Fan ● A big thank you to the lovely Fiona who brings us a Metro Herald and a smile every morning in Cloverhill. Cheers!

The Gate Gang

● Good on Russell Crowe for putting down that journo. Imagine not knowing all about rugby when you’re interviewing an actor about a movie? And imagine thinking Ireland is part of the UK? Well duh!

No more Crowe crush

RAnDOM ACTs Of kinDnEss

in a fit of early morning commuter rage... Equality monger ■ So apple has apparently developed ‘transparent texting’ technology which would overlay messages on to a live video feed from a rear camera, allowing people to text while they walk (MH, Mon). This sort of thing makes me despair… spending money to develop technology that would not be needed if people were not so stupid. How about simply watching where you are going while you are among other people, instead of texting or reading? Phillip

Send your photos to pictures@metroherald.ie with ‘Quick pic’ as the subject and we will print the best each day in the paper

TREnDing #RussellCrowe ● Russell Crowe seems like he’s no craic at all @ClawsKelly ● What’s the craic with Russell Crowe? Did he say Ireland was in the UK? @SeanSheehanBA ● Fair play to @russellcrowe he handled that situation with that ‘reporter’ very well

@SoSorryItsOver

That’s right blame the desert storm...

■ Yesterday morning, I showed my other half the sand that the wind had spread over the car. She asked why this had happened and I said: ‘The Sahara did it’. Her response was: ‘Who is this Sara and why is the b*tch throwing sand on the car?’. Brendan ■ Re your Jeff Turner interview, why do you suppose a reference to Dumbledore, or anyone else, being gay, makes something adult humour? Can we stop acting as if it would shock children to know that one man might fancy another man? William ■ Is it just me or does anyone else think it is a sad state of affairs that the ‘idea’ for urban farms and the reduction of flood zones has to come from an architecture and innovations group? Livinggreen, Dublin

● I know Ireland is a sovereign nation. You can imply I don’t love Ireland but it won’t stick, love the place, love the people

@russellcrowe

● Did a quick search on http:// Ancestry.com and it turns out Russell Crowe is a direct descendant of Noah. Everybody happy now? Moving on.

@chaddfoy

@metrohnews #metromailbox

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

Phil SPector PubliShing

The Oscar hit that puts backing singers centre stage

e h t n i k Bac LiMELigHT

14 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

film

Singing is what I live for Darlene Love was the ‘voice of the Phil Spector sound’ in the 1960s. Now, at 72, a new film puts her back in the spotlight. By Andrew Williams

Going strong: Darlene Love belting it out on stage with Righteous Brother Bill Medley but to girl group The Crystals. The tracks she recorded continued to be released as The Crystals. ‘That was my biggest fight with Phil,’ says love. ‘Me saying: “it’s time to put my name on a record and stop using me as The Crystals.”’ love continued to be a successful backing singer (Sam Cooke was among her favourite people to work with: ‘He was such a good-looking guy, guy you couldn’t take your eyes off him… and he was very professional’) but her relationship with Spector had deteriorated to such an extent he wouldn’t record with her, her while keeping her under contract so she couldn’t couldn’ record elsewhere. ‘i sang on a TV show called Shindig!. if i’d released a record while doing the show it would have been a hit but Phil wouldn’t record me.’ When her contract finally elapsed, love signed with another label, only for the label to sell her contract back to Spector. ‘it got to the point where i didn’t even want to record any more if it meant i had to deal with Phil,’ says love. ‘i’d go and do something else and wait him

out and that’s what happened.’ Why does she think the pop svengali went out of his way to sabotage her career? ‘it was a power struggle. He didn’t want anybody else to have any control over me or my talent, he wanted that control himself and he loved it,’ she says. ‘He hounded me. i was the voice of the Phil Spector sound and he didn’t want anyone else to get that credit.’ love sang with Dionne Warwick for several years but by the late 1970s ‘no one was doing background recording sessions any more, they were using their own singers and musicians – that part of my career was gone’. She started working as a cleaner until one day, while doing someone else’s housework, she heard her single Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) on the radio, and knew she had to go back to performing. ‘i’d missed it,’ she says. ‘i had to go back to it because being a singer is who i am and singing is what i live for.’ after a stint on a cruise ship, she re-established her backing career, singing on tours with the likes of Cher, U2 and luther Vandross, and made a foray into acting with appearances in the lethal Weapon films. With more than 50 years’ experience under her belt, love isn’t

optimistic about the future for the current pop crowd. ‘They throw those kids out there today, give them a manager, say “OK, go” and they make a million dollars but what are they accomplishing? it’s not all about money if you want a career. are people still going to be listening to your songs in ten years’ time?’ i ask if there are more pop stars today who can’t sing than in the 1960s. ‘Yes,’ she laughs. ‘Today, even if you can’t be a great singer you can be an entertainer, you can do movies, Broadway. it’s all about taking your clothes off but can they do that in 20 years’ time? i don’t think so. Your body ain’t going to be that fine in 20 years. i always wanted to sing as long as i could. if i’m 80 and my voice is still in good shape, i don’t see anything wrong with me still singing. But the kids around today? i don’t know if they’ll make it.’

20 Feet From Stardom is in cinemas now.

TAkE 3 documeNtarIeS you Should make tIme for The LaDy in number 6: music saveD my Life the 2014 academy award for Best documentary Short Subject went to this inspiring story of the world’s oldest holocaust survivor, alice herz-Sommer (right) who died in february, aged 110, sadly just one week before the oscars ceremony.

The unknown known legendary documentarian errol morris creates a revealing portrait of former uS defence Secretary donald rumsfeld, who famously once declared that there are ‘known knowns’, ‘known unknowns’ and also ‘unknown unknowns — ones we don’t know we don’t know’.

The square the first major documentary to be picked up by, premiered on and mainly available via Netflix proved a canny choice. this vivid, on-theground, shot-as-it-happened look at egypt’s ongoing revolution (left) scored them an oscar nomination. Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

SPlaSh

arlier this month, 72-year-old singer Darlene love stood on stage at the academy awards, belted out gospel song His eye is On The Sparrow and received a standing ovation from the star-studded audience. She was there, alongside director Morgan Neville, to collect the Oscar for Best Documentary for 20 Feet From Stardom, which tells the story of backing singers from the 1960s to the present day. Darlene love – born Darlene Wright, daughter of a reverend in los angeles – is credited with changing the sound of backing singing in the early 1960s with her group The Blossoms. ‘We were the only black people doing background at the time,’ she says. ‘and because we were a group and had our own sound, we got a lot of work – we paved the way.’ love says The Blossoms were in such demand she had more work than she knew what to do with and so set up acquaintances – such as the formidable Merry Clayton and the Waters family who feature in the film – with recording work. ‘The Blossoms started 99 per cent of the background singers in the business,’ says vided backing love. The group provided vocals for singers as diy, verse as elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Marvin Gaye and Doris Day. But it was working rking with legendary producer Phil Spector – currently in jail for murdering an actress in 2003 – which had the biggest impact on love’s ve’s career. ‘it was great at first,’ says love. ‘He depended on me for background sessions, to get the singers together. We had a great relationship to start with.’ Spector gave Darlene her stage name and, after doing several uncredited lead vocals for other groups and singers, she expected him to launch her solo career. She’d sang the lead vocals on Spector’s first big hit He’s a rebel – credited not to her

food&drink

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

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Blogging was recipe for success

obody could be more surprised than Miss South that she is now a fully fledged, bona-fide food writer with a young british Foodie award to her name. Not bad for someone who taught herself to cook from episodes of Ready Steady Cook. A few years ago, things weren’t looking so positive. diagnosed with chronic fatigue, the belfast native was unable to work, living on benefits and struggling to get by. It was only when she and her brother, the yorkshire-based Mr North – both go by noms de plume – started their blog North/ South Food in 2009 that her luck started to change. From writing purely for fun, as a means of communicating with her

Siblings success: The food blog that started it all

similarly food-obsessed brother, it gave Miss South ‘some structure back’ in her life, the motivation to explore the food of her childhood and that of her adopted brixton, as well as the opportunity to talk in a ‘non-confrontational way about the limitations of being ill’. Since then, Miss South has written two books (‘you wait a lifetime for the opportunity to write a book then two come at once!’): one of recipes from brixton Village, from jerk chicken to giant African land snail (published by Kitchen Press in May); the other about slow cookers, Miss South’s favourite labour-saving piece of kit (published by Ebury in November). And, of course, she continues to blog, often about the Irish and Scottish culinary traditions that she and her brother grew up with in Northern Ireland with their Scottish father. one of her creations claims a lineage to the infamous ‘porridge drawer’ of Scottish and Irish culinary tradition. This, for the uninitiated, was a section of the dresser where leftover porridge would be poured after breakfast, left to set, then cut into slices for lunch or a snack. ‘A little too wholesome for my liking,’ muses Miss South. She admits she thought porridge drawers were ‘a rumour’; it was only after quizzing her dad that she learned he’d grown up on slices of porridge fried in bacon fat.

Juliana Vasquez

Miss South was struggling on benefits just a few years ago. she tells Hilary Armstrong how things changed when she started blogging about food

Crofters’ breakfast: Miss South adds spices to her version of ‘porridge drawer’ and fries it for a modern twist Her interest piqued, she decided to give fried porridge a go, though with a Tupperware container standing in for the traditional kitchen drawer and spiced butter (a left-over from making hot buttered rum for her brixton book) standing in for her dad’s bacon fat. The results weren’t the disaster she was expecting. ‘I’m not sure your average crofter fries it in cinnamon but it works a treat,’ she says. ‘It was like the best French toast I’ve ever eaten.’

HOw TO MAkE Porridge drawers You’ll need 100g oats, 120ml milk, 120ml water and a pinch of salt to make the porridge (to serve four). Miss south is loyal to Flahavan’s irish oats, which she cooks on a low heat, stirring regularly, for 15min. ‘i prefer long and slow cooking for oats because they get that nice creaminess without being gluey,’ Miss south says. ‘i’ve also been making it in the slow cooker, which

is kind of genius because you wake up to it in the morning.’ once cooked, pour the porridge into a rectangular plastic or tinfoil container – or a scrupulously clean

drawer if you’re so inspired – and leave it, uncovered, to cool completely. Then slice it into around 12 inch-thick slices. Miss south makes the porridge in the evening for breakfast the following morning.

Make the spiced butter by beating half a teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground ginger and ground allspice, and quarter of a teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and cloves into 100g of butter softened at room temperature. Miss south favours salted butter with the sweetness of the spices. Heat the butter on a medium heat

and fry the porridge slices until golden and crisp on the outside, about two to three minutes on each side. serve piping hot with golden syrup. Miss south suggests adding dried fruit to the porridge before cooling or frying it in butter and serving it with bacon and even maple syrup ‘for that sweet-salty thing’. she also

says you can seek out gluten-free oats to suit your gluten-intolerant brunch guests. www.northsouthfood.com, @northsouthfood

FOOD NEwS with Angharad Williams PULL THE UDDER ONE Europe’s first locally produced coconut milk is being launched in Ireland after extensive testing. Dublin’s Camile Thai Kitchen has been working on a revolutionary technique that involves substituting hay in the diets of Irish Dairy cows with fresh coconuts. The result is coconut flavoured milk, rich in energy and protein. The taste is indistinguishable from milk made from coconuts grown in tropical rain forests, but is about 50 per cent cheaper to produce. Irish Coconut Milk is currently being used in Camile’s Chiang Mai and Massaman curries, with plans to introduce the ingredient across the menu to include red and green curries by the beginning of May 2014. Follow @CamileThai on Twitter or like them on Facebook to find out more. ROLL OUT THE BARRELS The Jameson Black Barrel Craft Series returns to Mabos Warehouse on Wednesday for their third workshop. Green furniture maker James Carroll (pictured) will showcase his craft and encourage attendees to try their hand at making something themselves. Jameson master cooper Ger Buckley will also be giving a live charring demonstration. Tickets are free and available from www.facebook.com/JamesonIreland. Mabos Warehouse, 8 Hanover Quay, Dublin 2. FEET FEAT Childhood favourite Funny Feet ice cream is back in your nearest HB freezer thanks to public demand. Ireland is a nation of ice cream lovers that tucked into more than 34million ice creams in 2013. Some 6,000 consumers voted for the Funny Feet strawberry flavoured ice lolly as the product from the 1980s they wanted to see back on sale. HB Funny Feet ice creams are available in stores nationwide now.

16 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

television

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film of the day SlEEpERS, ITV4, 11.30pm

Colourful crime melodrama starring Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt (above), Kevin Bacon and Dustin Hoffman. In 1960s New York, four boys (who grow up to be Jason Patric, Ron Eldard, Billy Crudup and Pitt) are sent to reform school after a near-fatal prank. There they are abused by their guards (including Kevin Bacon) and, as adults, eventually seek vengeance aided by a drug-addicted lawyer (Hoffman) and their childhood priest (De Niro). Minnie Driver is the token woman.

new worlds C4, 9pm Before he sets pulses racing in Fifty Shades Of Grey, here’s The Fall star and Northern Irish hunk Jamie Dornan (pictured) charging about 17th century England as the Robin Hood-ish Abe, a rebel bandit fired up by the injustice he sees all around him in a nation verging on lawlessness. Joe Dempsie, Alice Englert and Freya mavor co-star in this rousing sequel to The Devil’s Whore, the action switching back and forth between England and an America just getting to grips with civilisation.

GeorGe michael at the palais Garnier, paris BBC1, 10.35pm

scúp/fíorscÉal TG4, 9.55pm/10.25pm As Colin Bateman’s drama set in an Irish language newsroom returns, two new staff members join the team (right), while stand-in editor of An Nuacht Rob Cullan (Bachelor’s Walk’s Don Wycherley) is back at his desk with his wife and kids in tow. Meanwhile, reporter Alix (Kelly Gough) has found herself a new beau. Following that, Fíorscéal takes an in-depth look at the brave new world of real-life journalism. As news websites gain in popularity, how will traditional publications compete?

He’s the butt of many a joke about his colourful off-stage life, but proof of the enduring popularity of George Michael (below) came when his recent album Symphonica beat Kylie Minogue’s comeback effort to the top of the charts. It’s the Symphonica set, a mix of George classics and classy covers, that forms the backbone of this concert at the Parisian Opera House. Recorded in 2012, it was the singer’s first f outing following his pneumonia scare. And it reveals him in fine fettle.

live uefa champions pions leaGue TV3, 7.30pm Their domestic campaign has been a disaster, with manager David Moyes (right) seemingly only ever one more defeat from the sack, but Manchester United have kept their season from imploding with their European form. orm. Tonight, Bayern Munich are the visitors to Old Trafford for a quarter-final first-leg clash and the Germans have already wrapped up their own league title with weeks to spare. Ex-United defender John O’Shea is joined by Brian Kerr for analysis, introduced by Tommy Martin.

my top five animated films Frozen co-director Chris Buck toy story

pinocchio

Great characters and a great story. The idea of a toy box coming to life was, and probably is, the ultimate fantasy of every child. It’s told beautifully, the songs really draw the emotion out of the characters and the story, and Tom Hanks voices Woody brilliantly. I walked out of the cinema knowing the world of feature animation had changed forever.

This was the first animated movie I saw in a cinema when I was a child. I adored the story, the beautiful song When You Wish Upon A Star, the world in which Pinocchio lived and, of course, Monstro the Whale. I fell in love with animation that day.

the JunGle Book

The epitome of class; one fun moment and character after another. The animation is what I could only describe as beautiful and captivating, the songs so iconic and cherished, and the characters told the story perfectly.

a charlie Brown christmas

To this day, I believe it is one of Disney’s greatest productions.

As a kid, I used to always draw the Peanuts characters and to see them come to life on the big screen was amazing. That was where my love for animation grew, seeing

something you’ve created walk off the page. There’s nothing like it.

BamBi meets Godzilla

It debuted in 1969 and is the most subversive piece of animation I’ve ever seen. Anthony Gibson Frozen is out now on DVD and Blu-ray.

tech

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

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Never had a stream come true?

emember when we Music streaming services went to record shops and have evolved and the thought long and hard before ‘investing’ in an choice is greater than album? It already seems ever, writes Chloe Lambert quaint. Today, thanks to music streaming, we’re accustomed to having pretty much every track ever good old-fashioned ‘chart’ of music recorded at our fingertips, for a created by fellow users. meanwhile, nominal monthly cost, or – if you’re Shuffler.fm is a radio station willing to put up with adverts – free. powered by the choices of There’s only one problem: with all ‘tastemakers’ – magazine editors, those millions of songs to choose music journalists and bloggers. from, how do you sort the wheat but musical taste is complex, from the chaff? changeable and highly personal, and It seems the temptation is to stick it’s proving tricky to get it to your own trusted right. Some services collection. recent data have been criticised from Spotify showed for making cringey, that four million tracks too-obvious choices on its site had never while others go too been listened to. leftfield. but music streaming ‘Spotify plays it a is evolving, and services bit safe – all the are concentrating their tracks it suggests efforts on helping us make sense but discover new they’ll be music by offering ones you personalised Lost in music: So many tunes – but already recommendations. you can’t listen to them all at once know,’ says Spotify, iTunes Verity burns, radio and Google multi-media editor Play music use computer algorithms at What Hi-Fi?. that monitor the artists, albums and ‘Google music gives a broader genres you listen to, and generate playlist and I’ve been impressed track recommendations and with Deezer and rdio. ‘What I think personalised ‘radio stations’. If is often missing is a bit of context – you love rudimental, for example, why you should be listening to with one click you can hear a something. That’s why I like stream of artists with a similar sound services that let you plug into what or influence. your friends are listening to.’ Some try a different approach: mobile providers have joined the 8tracks allows you to follow artists, battle for the perfect mixtape. DJs and your friends and listen to Samsung has just launched a free their mixes. Upbeat lets people rate streaming service, milk music, and the tracks they hear, so you get a Nokia already has the largest

With a little help… Streaming services use algorithms, industry experts and even sensors to recommend music streaming service in China. rather than offering on-demand music (where you type in the track you want), its Nokia mixradio creates a playlist based on songs you’ve transferred on to your phone. As with other streaming services, when you listen to its suggested tracks, you can skip or rate them with a ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’, and this is used to improve future selections. ‘For the relatively small proportion of people who know exactly what music they want to hear, the ondemand services are perfect,’ says Nokia’s global marketing manager

WHicH sTREAMing sERvicE is RigHT fOR yOu? Best freebie: Spotify Only a quarter of Spotify’s users pay for the service. If you don’t mind the adverts, you’ll get access to its vast catalogue and discovery features. Best for commuters: Nokia MixRadio (far right) A free, personalised radio station with no adverts. You can

download up to four mixes to listen to on the move, too. Unfortunately, it’s currently just for Nokia users. Best for sound: Qobuz If you’re a true audiophile, Qobuz offers CD-quality highdefinition streaming on a one-month-free trial and €20-a-month thereafter.

It’s compatible with Sonos systems, too. Best for networkers: Rdio A younger, hipper version of Spotify that integrates with Facebook so you can see what friends are listening to. Best for creatives: 8tracks A catalogue of eight-track mixes created by users so you can follow your favourites. You can search by genre, artist or mood.

Andy Gaitskell-Kendrick. ‘Nokia mix radio is designed for those who love music but want extra help finding what they want.’ Pre-curated playlists by artists and experts can be highly appealing, says burns. ‘It does mean you don’t have the ability to choose a track – you’re stuck with what they think is best. but in some ways that’s better for discovering music because you don’t have that comfort blanket.’ In this competitive market, streaming services are battling it out to create the most intelligent algorithm. In the US, Dr Dre’s company, beats – best known for its

headphones – has just unveiled beats music, an on-demand streaming service that tracks what music you listen to, asks you where you are, who you’re with and what you’re doing so it can set the mood. It knows your age so can work out the music of your youth and uses curators and behavioural scientists as well as algorithms. beats music isn’t expected in Ireland until the end of the year, giving rivals plenty of time to come out fighting. Spotify has hinted at a new feature using a sensor inside a smartphone to monitor heart rate, movement and temperature to allow it to recommend songs according to how you’re feeling. Sound quality is also becoming vital. most services don’t even offer CD quality sound, and radio services are even worse, which is a turn-off for serious music lovers. Several download sites now offer highresolution files, which are noticeably cleaner. Leading the way in sound quality in the streaming market is French company Qobuz, which is now available on Sonos – the multiroom audio system. All in all, discovering new music has never been easier. but remember, they’re watching your every move, so think carefully before you hit repeat on that Cheryl Cole album.

18 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

travel

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Get off the beaten track in Taiwan

on your bike

Home to popular bike manufacturer Giant, Taiwan is bicycle-crazy. There’s an ever-expanding and easy-to-use network of cycling routes criss-crossing the country, as well as bike-hire schemes and even bike hotels. Bike spas are the latest fad, where you can check in your trusty bicycle for a spruce-up. As well as world-class road cycling, Taiwan also has challenging crossisland routes and leisurely paths through rice and tea fields that pass dramatic mountain and coastal scenery. The fourth annual Taiwan cycling festival will take place in

AttrActing A rising number of film buffs, Adventurers And cyclists, it’s tAiwAn’s time to shine, sAys Caroline eden November. It’s based around two main events, the leisurely roundisland Formosa 900 tour and the Taiwan KOM Challenge. British cyclist Lee Rodgers said of his KOM experience: ‘It was, in the end, breathtakingly beautiful yet incredibly tough. This is a race that more people should know about, because it is absolutely unique.’

Grasshopper Adventures offers

bike tours across Taiwan, starting from around €750 per person for an 136km, five-day tour. www.grasshopperadventures.com

Get Spirited away

Jiufen, a village in mountainous northern Taiwan, was known as ‘Little Shanghai’ in the 1930s and was at the centre of the gold-mining boom during the Japanese era. Today, it is famous for being the place that inspired the Oscarwinning Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away and it attracts fans who come to admire the decorative old teahouses, winding streets and food markets, just like in the movie. Taiwan’s film tourism is growing elsewhere too, bolstered in part by the country’s most famous export, Oscar-winning director Ang Lee. Most recently, Lee’s 3D film Life Of Pi, shot in Taiwan, caused such a stir that even some of the animals featured in the film now have celebrity status in their cages at Taipei Zoo.

Cox and Kings include Jiufen as a stop in its tailor-made Taipei tours. www.coxandkings.co.uk free-wheelin’: taiwan is full of bike routes to challenge any level of cyclist

Hot destination: Visit the seawater springs on Green island (left)

Go off-Grid

Lying deep in the mountains of

Main picture: the village of Jiufen has become popular with film lovers Hualien County on the eastern coast, Cidal Hunter School offers a survival crash course that encourages tourists to get back to basics and learn about the island’s indigenous traditions, which are key to Taiwan’s story. Started by husband-and-wife team Valah and Banai, the Cidal Hunter School teaches age-old survival skills to participants, including the intricacies of net fishing and making fire using bamboo. Visitors also learn how to forage, make rope from vines and build a snare trap, as well as exploring wider hunting and shelter skills. The survival course taps into the off-grid trend and lets visitors reconnect with nature in a way that would make Ray Mears proud.

Weekend courses start from €430. www.cidal.com.tw

outlyinG iSlandS

The remote, outlying islands of Taiwan are a great way to get off the beaten track via rainforests, sandy beaches, tribal villages and even Cold War forts. Green Island, off the eastern coast, is accessible all year round and is home to Chaojih, one of only three seawater hot springs in the world where temperatures range from a balmy 53C-83C. The best way to explore the island is to set off on the Kuoshan Ku Tao trail. For a historical day tour with a difference, visit Green Island’s Human Rights Cultural Park (www.eastcoast-nsa. gov.tw), which tells the story of when the island was home to a notorious prison camp.

See http://eng.taiwan.net.tw for more information on visiting the outlying islands and elsewhere in Taiwan.

travel

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

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some art for the park’s sake IvAr KvAAl

A neglected Oslo park better known for dogging has been transformed by art. Andrew Williams takes a look

’m enjoying a pleasant spring walk in Ekeberg Park in Oslo, taking in the spectacular view of the city below – the landmark Opera House and the new residential tower block, the Barcode Project, the tallest buildings in Oslo’s otherwise flat skyline – when I bump into a woman weeing in the bushes. Don’t panic, this is not a real-life Norwegian lady who’s been caught short, it’s a statue, sculpted by Swedish artist Ann-Sofi Sidén, who has chosen to immortalise herself in bronze, crouching down with her trousers around her knees. There are 29 other sculptures in the 63-acre park, by Salvador Dalí, Rodin and Renoir, alongside more contemporary works such as Tony Oursler’s video installation Klang. The statues arrived last year when philanthropist Christian Ringnes decided to turn the park into an open-air art museum. The park was opened in 1889 but fell into neglect. When I end up boozing the night away later on in Oslo’s barpacked GrünerlØkka area, I meet a chatty local called Jorgen who informs me: ‘That park was best known for… how do you say it? Having sex in. Dogging!’ Ringnes’s brainwave wasn’t met with universal approval. His initial plan to ‘celebrate the female form’ was criticised by some as sexist. Some still aren’t convinced the works are exhibited at their best –

Room with a view: Dan Graham’s Ekeberg Pavillion glass and steel structure

GETTinG THERE with Dalí’s Venus De milo Aux Tiroirs placed in suspicious proximity to the gift shop – but when it re-opened six months ago, after Ringnes spent €37million on it, the park attracted 300,000 visitors in the first four months. While statues of women make up most of the art, there are also sitespecific pieces, and the composition of the collection will change further as the plan is to go from 30 to 80 works. Dan Graham’s Ekeberg

Pavillion is a glass-and-steel construction and sits on the site of the park’s old bandstand. The curved glass walls reflect the landscape on one side and Oslo and the fjord on the other. Visitors can enter the structure and see the panorama reflected back at them with their own reflection as part of the scene – dissolving barriers between art, the surroundings and the viewer. James Turrell’s Ekeberg Skyspace is usually open for only six hours on a Sunday. I was lucky enough to have a private view, thanks to the Ekeberg’s education officer, Camilla Von Koppen. Built beneath the park’s old reservoir, the first room, Double Vision, sees the viewer in a large space where the curved walls change colour. As the walls cycle through the colours of the spectrum, you lose your depth perception. The experience is mesmerising. The next room is a small, circular space where up to 15 people can sit facing each other beneath an aperture that opens up through the water above. At sunModel park: Ann-Sofi Sidén’s peeing woman rise and sunset, visitors can experience a 90-minute-long effect where (left) and James Turrell’s Ekeberg Skyspace

THiEf IslAnd The Tjuvholmen neighbourhood in Oslo is where criminals used to be executed and its name means ‘thief island’. It later become a shipyard that fell into disrepair. Today it’s quite the swish hangout, with Oslo’s newest five-star hotel, The Thief, adding to the glamour of the area.

Guests have included Rihanna and Justin Timberlake. Magne Furuholmen, from Norway’s

most famous pop exports A-ha, has designed a suite in the hotel (he’s also got his own art gallery nearby), which features silver pillows, mirror balls and complimentary spangly gold pyjamas. The billionaire businessman behind the hotel, Petter Stordalen, is a sponsor of the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern

the colour of the entire room changes. Von Koppen tells me it is quite intense but access is very limited so visitors must book in advance. Ekeberg’s transformation is one example of the ongoing investment in Oslo. The city attracts 20,000 new arrivals each year – making it the fastest-growing capital in Europe, regularly topping lists of best cities to live in worldwide thanks to high wages and living standards. Signs of regeneration can be seen all along the fjord line. Oslo attracts economic migrants from Poland, Latvia and Greece but while they stand to earn a better wage than at home, they’ll be unable to afford apartments in the swish Barcode developments or the emerging Tjuvholmen district – a former dock site now bursting with restaurants, bars, apart-

Art next door, so he can borrow some of the paintings – including a Warhol – to hang on the hotel’s walls. The hotel has just opened its new spa and gym, featuring a light-up squishy bed where chromatherapy is administered. It’s open to residents as well as hotel guests and annual membership costs €3,500.

Andrew stayed at Folketeateret Hotel, www.clarionhotel.com Doubles from 1480NOK (€180) per night. www.visitoslo.com Ryanair from Dublin to Oslo Rygge from €19.99 one way. www.ryanair.com ments, galleries and a new hotel. It’s even got a specially made ‘beach’. Although the Nordic city is often perceived as a place that’s worth visiting mainly during winter, the investment in the city has made it a year-round destination for short breaks. Just be careful who you bump into in the woods.

Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, D2 http://dublin.cervantes.es Tel: (01) 631 15 00

puzzles

METROSCOPE

NEMI by Lise

by Patrick Arundell Aries Mar 21 – Apr 20

As much as you dislike it, you might need to say no to someone you’re closely connected to. The current line-up hints you are likely to have more exciting things on the agenda as a restless energy pushed you to consider a bold idea or at least make a start.

where you want to go today, even though others can be annoying, irritable and edgy. Your willingness to be flexible could encourage someone to respond in kind.

Taurus Apr 21 – May 21

scorpio Oct 24 – Nov 22

For your forecast, call 15609 114 70

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

Perhaps you feel on edge without understanding why. It could be down to a powerful focus in your spiritual sector. This may be a call from the depths, enticing you to step out on faith and choose your purpose in life. For your forecast, call 15609 114 71

Gemini May 22 – Jun 21

As Saturn rewinds in Scorpio, its message is to view positive habits as assets to a fuller and happier life. Though social opportunities beckon, goal-orientated actions and avoiding impulses may bring little reward. For your forecast, call 15609 114 72

Cancer Jun 22 – Jul 23

An issue with someone close might need urgent discussion. However, the way you go about this can be equally important. Though a Sun/Uranus connection says to follow your heart, you may need to persuade them that it’s best for them too. For your forecast, call 15609 114 73

Leo Jul 24 – Aug 23

Put today’s energy and drive into positive channels by thinking about long-term gains rather than shortterm pleasures. While a chance to do something different might bring temporary relief, the option to explore a potentially fulfilling path could be even better.

PEARLs BEFORE swINE

For your forecast, call 15609 114 74

Virgo Aug 24 – Sep 23

Can you feel change in the air? Part of you may resist this, while other influences might convince you to go with the flow. While following your heart can be rewarding, putting out a few feelers might help you get the lie of the land. For your forecast, call 15609 114 75

Libra Sep 24 – Oct 23

ACROSS 7 Obelisk (6) 8 Powerful (6) 10 Train (7) 11 Double (5) 12 Location (4) 13 Charlatan (5) 17 Nip (5) 18 Story (4) 22 Concerning (5) 23 Revoke (7) 24 Revert (6) 25 Vendor (6)

DOWN 1 Anger (7) 2 Avenge (7) 3 Entreat (5) 4 Touch (7) 5 Lukewarm (5) 6 Precipitous (5) 9 Tomb (9) 14 Unsettle (7) 15 Competent (7) 16 Give back (7) 19 Wed (5) 20 Value (5) 21 Aquatic animal (5)

Yesterday’s Solutions Across: 1 Grant; 4 Lockjaw; 8 Amazing; 9 Salvo; 10 Duty; 11 Impolite; 13 Cant; 14 Rely; 16 Quantity; 17 Hide; 20 Extra; 21 Imitate; 22 Torrent; 23 Dress. Down: 1 Grandiloquent; 2 Await; 3 Trim; 4 Legume; 5 Customer; 6 Jollity; 7 Wholesomeness; 12 Initiate; 13 Chatter; 15 Strict; 18 Image; 19 Kind.

For your forecast, call 15609 114 77

sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 21

Frustration could be the key to action, as an intense T-square pushes you to explore opportunities that can satisfy a need for adventure. Today’s Taurus Moon also spotlights a desire for a different routine. For your forecast, call 15609 114 78

Capricorn Dec 22 – Jan 20

You could find yourself in a contemplative mood, perhaps brought on by a wish for solutions to tricky issues. It may seem easier to spin those mental wheels in an effort to find answers but slowing down might be best. For your forecast, call 15609 114 79

Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19

You may be busy making new plans. However, try to be patient with yourself, as it’s likely you’re already in over your eyeballs. Working on a strategy that can take you where you want to be, is the key to your prospects. For your forecast, call 15609 114 80

Pisces Feb 20 – Mar 20

Tensions might be a part of the picture today, while indecisiveness about how to deal with pressures might only aggravate things. The problem revolves around key changes that need to be made, particularly if you’re hesitating to make the push. For your forecast, call 15609 114 81

For a live one-to-one consultation with one of my gifted psychics, call 15809 113 68 or 1800 719 688 to book using credit card Astrology calls cost 1.27 euros per min from a BT landline. Live Services cost 2.40 euros per minute. Calls from mobiles/other networks may cost more. Callers must be 18 or over to use this service and have the bill payers permission. For entertainment purposes only. All calls are recorded. PhonePayPlus regulated(ComReg in ROI) UK SP: StreamLive Ltd, NR7 0HR, 08700 234 567. ROI SP:Moveda, 1 Courtyard Business Park, Orchard Lane, Blackrock, Co Dublin, 0818 241 398

QuIz

Crossword No. 945 See next edition for solutions

The idea of change may be captivating, albeit nerve-racking yet knowing something needs to be different may be consuming your waking hours. Feelings could gather in strength, pushing you to consider a number of alternatives.

ENIGMA Grotty literary trash, That’s written quickly for the cash. Also Tarantino flick, Whose dialogue was cool and slick. WHO AM I? A comic actor, I was born in 1971. I played a pirate with a glass eye in Pirates Of The Caribbean and

Gareth in The Office. WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? WHO… in golf was noted for wearing all-black outfits? WHAT... drug yields both morphine and codeine? WHERE... is Mount Logan the highest mountain? WHEN... did former Taoiseach Charles Haughey die?

QUIZ ANSWERS: ENIGMA: Pulp Fiction. WHO AM I? Mackenzie Crook. WHO, WHAT, WHERE & WHEN? Gary Player; Opium; Canada; 2006.

QUICK CROsswORd

A sweet disposition may get you

For your forecast, call 15609 114 76

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20 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

rugby

nucifora to join irish set-up as talent chief by DAnny HOgAn

picture: inpho

DaviD Nucifora will be installed as the irish rugby football union’s high performance director in time for the summer tour to argentina. The former Wallabies hooker is expected to take a role in ireland’s two-Test South america tour in June. The 52-year-old’s appointment should be formally confirmed once the wrangling over the future of European club rugby is completed. former Brumbies and Blues front-rower Nucifora will assume a post designed in part to ease some of ireland head coach Joe Schmidt’s workload. Nucifora’s remit will be to take an overview on the professional game in ireland, ensuring performance standards and maintaining and expand the depth of top-level talent. The two-cap australia forward’s appointment will not affect the make-up of Schmidt’s backroom staff, with the roles of assistant coach Les Kiss and forwards expert John Plumtree remaining unchanged. The irfu hope this appointment will allow Schmidt to focus yet more intently on ireland’s long drive towards rugby World cup 2015. ireland face argentina in resistencia on June 7 and again in Tucuman on June 14. Schmidt’s side have ten full-blown Tests before the 2015 World cup in England. The former Leinster boss has refused so far to rule out frontline stars like Johnny Sexton from his party for South america. ireland’s first big challenge now is to replace stalwart centre Brian o’Driscoll, with robbie Henshaw and Darren cave likely to be given first-refusal on the 13 shirt during the summer. Schmidt has already admitted the two argentina clashes and the three autumn Tests, against South africa, Georgia and australia are his only realistic chances to experiment before the World cup, given the intensity of the Six Nations. Nucifora’s addition to the irfu set-up should allow Schmidt total focus on the job of preparing ireland’s World cup assault. Schmidt worked as Nucifora’s assistant at the Blues in Super rugby in 2006. after coaching the Brumbies and the Blues, Nucifora assumed the role of general manager in the aru’s high performance unit. He resigned his aru post in December 2012.

picture: inpho

spORT DigEsT Masters invite for Bowditch triumph gOLf Steven

Bowditch claimed his first PGA Tour victory, despite finishing with a final-day 76 at the Valero Texas Open, earning himself a Masters invite. The Australian, ranked 339th, started the last day with a three-shot lead and needed that advantage after shooting a four-over-par round to end the tournament on eight under. He only dropped five shots in his opening three rounds of 69, 67 and 68 but surpassed that figure on Sunday with bogeys at the 2nd, 6th, 13th and last and a doublebogey six on the par-four 4th. None of his rivals could take advantage and he finished a shot clear of Will MacKenzie (70) and Daniel Summerhays (71).

China Open win ‘one of my greats’

‘AwAy wins wiLL sTAnD TO us’ Leinster flanker Shane Jennings says his side’s previous forays on French soil can help them overcome Toulon on Sunday in the Heineken Cup quarterfinals. Jennings, 32, says that Leinster’s away victories over Castres in January and Clermont in 2012 will stand to them against Toulon, who beat Toulouse at the weekend and are currently second in the Top 14. The former Leicester Tiger (pictured) said: ‘Playing Clermont down there is similar, playing Toulouse down there is pretty similar; we’ve experience in that. ‘I don’t think we’ve ever [gone] down

to a [team] who have been the holders of the competition, with such a proud home record and doing so well in their league. ‘It’s somewhere I’ve never been before. I don’t think a lot of the lads have been down there before. There’s a lot of new challenges around it but it’s the same principle – you’re going into a pretty hostile environment against a very physical French pack with a dangerous backline. It’s a massive challenge and it’ll be a real test for us.’ Three-time European champions Leinster face current holders Toulon on Sunday at 4.30pm.

‘I want players to be unpredictable’ Nucifora’s addition to IRFU will allow Schmidt to focus on World Cup strategy

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD

FORMER Ireland coach Gert Smal is back in rugby this time as Director of Rugby with South Africa’s Western Province. He coached Irish forwards from 2008 until last spring. Smal’s role at WP Rugby will see him head up the sport across the

union, with senior and junior coaches as well as the rugby institute’s management team reporting to him. Asked about his plans, Smal said: ‘I want them to play more of a 15-man game, to be more unpredictable. I want the players to express themselves.’

Button expecting Mercedes rivalry to rev up now JENSON Button is fully expecting the inter-team rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to hot up in the wake of Mercedes’ dominant start to the F1 season. After Rosberg cruised to victory in the opening race in Australia, Hamilton followed suit in Malaysia on Sunday, leaving rivals trailing in his wake, including the 28-yearButton: Battle will be fun old German in second place.

formula one For the first time in Hamilton’s 131-grand prix career he completed F1’s ‘grand chelem’ of pole position, fastest lap and race win by virtue of leading every lap, such was his superiority. With Mercedes seemingly in a class of their own after adapting

more rapidly to the new regulations than their rivals, the battle between Hamilton and Rosberg could be a captivating one. Button certainly feels that: ‘It’s too early to say whether one of them will win the world championship this year,’ he said. ‘Mercedes have a big advantage, and an inter-team battle is always going to be fun. It could help us.’

snOOkER An ill Neil Robertson went all the way with Anthony Hamilton in their China Open firstround clash before coming through and hailing one of the ‘greatest wins’ of his career. The Australian was on the brink of victory at 4-2 ahead but let his gritty opponent back into it as he struggled with a virus. The 2010 World Champion settled a scrappy affair with a clinching 57 in the decider, though, saying immediately on Twitter: ‘One of the greatest wins of my career. Possibly wouldn’t have got on the plane had I known my virus was this bad.’

Horner expects Merc power surge f1 Red Bull team principal Christian Horner (pictured) fears his drivers will again be blown away this weekend when Mercedes crank up the power in Bahrain. Although reigning four-times champion Sebastian Vettel finished a credible third in Malaysia on Sunday, behind a Mercedes one-two spearheaded by Lewis Hamilton, the 26-year-old German was a distant 25 seconds adrift. ‘We can see we’ve got plenty to do to catch up with the Mercedes guys who have done a super job. They’re in a strong position at the moment,’ said Horner. ‘Hopefully we can nudge a bit closer to them again, if at all possible.’

Time out for Stan cycLing Team Sky rider Ian Stannard is facing a spell on the sidelines after fracturing a vertebrae in a crash during Gent-Wevelgem at the weekend. The 26-year-old came off his bike and fell down a deep ditch during the race in Belgium, and will now miss at least the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. ‘You can’t rush and injury like this and I’ve just got to rest up now. I’m gutted not to be riding in those races,’ he said. Stannard is due to have a scan today.

22 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

fOOTbALL DigEsT

Fellaini let-off

Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini has been told he has no case to answer over claims he spat at Pablo Zabaleta. The Football Association has confirmed it will take no action in regard to the allegation during United’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City last week. Hull forward George Boyd was banned for three matches after he spat at City goalkeeper Joe Hart last month.

football premier league

Johnson: We’ve got title staying power by MATTHEW NAsH

Stoke club call rescued me: Ireland

Spurs facing fight to secure Van Gaal

Stephen Ireland felt his Barclays premier League career was rescued by Stoke boss Mark hughes the moment he received a call about joining the club. And with talks ongoing over a new deal to extend his stay with the potters, the midfielder is optimistic he has begun repaying their faith in him. After an initial big impression in the Manchester City first team, Blues academy graduate Ireland saw things stall, particularly following his move in 2010 to Aston Villa. then last summer hughes recruited him on a season-long loan. things have gone well for the 27-year-old Irishman since, with the loan being made into a permanent arrangement in January. And asked if would be fair to say that hughes had rescued his career, Ireland said: ‘Absolutely – those are the first words that came out of my mouth when I got the call from Stoke. I would’ve done anything to get the chance to come here. I’m really grateful that I have.’ Ireland’s form for Stoke may lead to developments internationally, with Republic of Ireland assistant boss Roy Keane hinting Ireland could return to the fold following his ‘granny’ controversy in 2007.

ToTTenHAM may face a race against time if they want to secure Louis van Gaal as their next manager, with spartak Moscow reportedly lining up a move for the outgoing Holland coach. Reports have strongly suggested Van Gaal will take over from Tim sherwood in the summer. It was confirmed last week Van Gaal would be succeeded by Guus Hiddink as head coach of Holland following the World Cup. And now it appears spartak are keen on the 62-year-old’s services, while it is also reported Van Gaal is keeping one eye on Manchester United, where David Moyes’ future is by no means secure. spurs lost their third game in four League outings on sunday, crashing 4-0 at Liverpool.

Vokes injury blow to Burnley hopes

BURnLeY striker sam Vokes will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury. The Wales international (pictured), who has scored 22 goals for the Championship highflyers this term, ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Leicester on saturday. The news comes as a big blow to the promotion-chasing Clarets, who lost 25-goal topscorer Danny Ings to an ankle injury last month. Manager sean Dyche said: ‘As ever, our team mentality remains focused and this represents another opportunity for someone to come in.’

Leeds boss unfazed

LeeDs manager Brian McDermott has played down comments by Massimo Cellino. Cellino is waiting for the outcome of an appeal after being disqualified by the Football League from completing a £25million takeover. In the interview, the Italian was critical of McDermott and current owners GFH Capital but didn’t know his conversation was being recorded after taking a cold call from a fan hosting White Leeds Radio. McDermott said: ‘If you have a private conversation, it’s private and shouldn’t have gone out. Full stop.’ An independent QC heard the appeal case yesterday and is considering his verdict.

GLEN JOHNSON admits being on top of the pile now means little but is adamant Liverpool have what it takes to keep on winning and end the club’s 24-year wait for a league title. The England right-back helped his side complete a comprehensive 4-0 success against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday which catapulted them to the top of the table for the first time since Christmas. Although the Reds still have title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City to come to Merseyside in the next few weeks, Johnson believes Brendan Rodgers’ men can stay the course. ‘Any team who is top of the league at this stage deserves to be there,’ said the 29-year-old. ‘This is a difficult league with a lot of tough games but I think we can stay there. This is a fantastic club. Everyone involved here loves it and wants to win the league badly. ‘We want to get the club back where it should be. ‘But being top now is only significant if we stay there. Forget the league table, just win at Upton Park [in their next game against West Ham on Sunday]. ‘Playing in the best league in the world, the hardest thing is to go game by game. ‘But everyone here is professional. Every time we come here we have a job to do. I’m sure everyone is looking forward to those big home games against City and Chelsea but we have to take care of West Ham first.’ Johnson (pictured) is just a couple of months away from entering the final year of his Reds contract. While there has been no new deal forthcoming, the defender, 30 in the summer, is keen to extend his Anfield career. ‘Yeah, of course I want to stay here,’ he added. ‘I’ve always said to Brendan I am loving it here and want to be here for years to come. ‘Hopefully, we can get something sorted this summer.’

No Light at end of tunnel for sorry Sunderland AnDY CARROLL celebrated a triumphant return to the northeast to push old enemies Sunderland deeper into relegation trouble. It took the former newcastle striker just nine minutes to silence the Stadium of Light jeers and send West ham on their way to a victory which leaves them on the verge of securing a further

pREMiER LEAguE sUnDeRLAnD ................1 WesT HAM ....................2 season in the top flight. Mark noble swung in a corner and Carroll rose high above the static Black Cats defence to thump an unstoppable header into the roof of the net.

Sunderland should have been back on level terms a couple of minutes later but the unmarked Lee Cattermole fired straight at Adrian in the hammers goal, then blazed the rebound hopelessly wide. the east-enders increased their lead when Mohamed Diame drilled in a deflected shot five minutes into the second half

and should have gone further ahead but Stewart Downing arrowed his finish wide when clean through. Substitute Adam Johnson curled a left-foot shot into the corner to reduce the deficit and give the Black Cats hope but Connor Wickham could not turn in the rebound after Adrian spilled Ki Sung-Yueng’s drive.

football champions league

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 METRO HERALD 23

Old friends re-United as bust-up’s denied manchester united v bayern munich

Airing their views: Moyes and Giggs talk it over at training yesterday PICTURE: PA

Middle men: Carrick will have to get to grips with Gotze

by GAvin BROwn

picTURES: pA

DAVID MOYES and Ryan Giggs presented a united front to the media but were not quite on the same page when it came to assessing Manchester United’s chances against Bayern Munich tonight. Giggs, who played down rumours of a rift with United’s embattled manager, denied the club, seventh in the Premier League, go into the Champions League quarter-final with the holders, who have already wrapped up the Bundesliga title, as underdogs. ‘They’re obviously favourites in most people’s eyes but we’re Manchester United at Old Trafford and we’ve seen so many good nights there, in Europe especially,’ said the 40-year-old midfielder. ‘So as players we don’t see ourselves as underdogs, we see ourselves as Manchester United, at home in the Champions League.’ Moyes, who was criticised by some fans last month for making Liverpool favourites to win at Old Trafford, echoed Giggs’ thoughts but was slightly more equivocal.

KEY BATTLES

Michael Carrick v Mario Gotze David Moyes may be forced to make sweeping changes next season but Carrick will not be one of those fearing the axe. The England international is a dependable figure in midfield and will be brought back into the team to face Bayern after being rested against Aston Villa. Carrick will have to play his

part in stemming wave after wave of Bayern attacks. Gotze, signed from Borussia Dortmund for £31.5million after last year’s Champions League final at Wembley, is one of Germany’s rising stars. While the likes of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery take the headlines, Gotze has been influential, not least with his three European goals.

Alex Buttner v Arjen Robben Wow. What must be running through Buttner’s mind right now? For the Dutchman will be thrown in the deep end against his countryman, the man who tormented Arsenal so in the last round, Robben. However, Buttner has only been on the losing side twice in 11 appearances for United this term, something none of his club colleagues can say.

Robin leaves a hole UNITED will be without Robin van Persie as he is still sidelined by the knee injury he suffered when scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 victory over Olympiakos last month. David Moyes is also concerned over Rafael (leg injury), Chris Smalling (hamstring) and Antonio Valencia (knee). To make matters worse, Patrice Evra (pictured) is suspended. Bayern will be without Thiago Alcantara (injured) and Dante (banned).

‘As players we don’t feel like underdogs’

did you know? Bayern drew 3-3 with Hoffenheim on Saturday – it was only the third time this season they’ve dropped points on their way to winning the Bundesliga in record time

4 Home

wins from four European ties at Old Trafford for United this season

pOSSiBLETEAMS BiGMiSS EvRA

‘I think that the pressure is equally balanced, we want to win as much as Bayern do,’ he said. ‘We know that on our day we’re as good a side as any but we have to show it more often.’ The appearance of Giggs and Moyes together was significant, coming after reports of a rift between manager and senior player. ‘I don’t know where that’s come from,’ Giggs told reporters. ‘The relationship with the manager is good.’ Some reports have suggested Giggs, who Moyes added to his coaching staff following his appointment in the summer, is being lined up as a possible successor to the struggling Scot. But, when one journalist asked if the Welshman had ambitions to manage United, the club press officer blocked the question. ‘I don’t know,’ Giggs replied, when asked if he would retire in the summer. ‘At the end of the season I’ll take stock and see what I want to do.’

7.45pm, tv3

Man United: De Gea; Jones, Vidic, Smalling, Buttner; Carrick, Giggs, Fellaini; Kagawa, Welbeck; Rooney. Bayern: Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Martinez, Alaba; Lahm, Schweinsteiger; Robben, Gotze, Ribery; Mandzukic.

words by Danny Griffiths

Guardiola: Fergie offer lost in translation Chat: Ferguson had discussions about a future role

Manchester United might have snapped up Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola last summer had it not been for sir alex Ferguson’s Glaswegian accent. speculation was rife Ferguson offered the former Barcelona coach the chance to succeed him

at Old trafford when the pair met for lunch in new York five months before the scot announced his retirement. Guardiola concedes he may have been given a chance to take over at United but the offer could have been lost in translation. ‘he

invited me to a super restaurant [in new York],’ Guardiola said. ‘It was a friendly dinner, like always. ‘My english is not so good and when sir alex spoke quickly I didn’t understand him so, maybe I didn’t understand if if I received an offer or not!’

24 METRO HERALD Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Potters move worked magic for my career, says Ireland

Moyes ready to take on Bayern after pep talk by pADRAic MORgAn

DaviD Moyes is so sure about his future as Manchester United manager that he boldly predicted that tomorrow’s game against Bayern Munich will be his first of many meetings with Pep Guardiola. Guardiola and Moyes will lock horns at old Trafford in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between United and Bayern, but they could not have experienced more contrasting maiden seasons at their respective clubs. Moyes has found the task of replacing sir alex Ferguson even more challenging than he ever imagined, but Guardiola has enjoyed a record-breaking debut campaign with Bayern. some United fans aired their disapproval of Moyes by flying a ‘Moyes out’ banner over old Trafford on saturday, but there is no suggestion from the scot that he fears his first season in the Champions League will be his last. ‘i am really looking forward to coming up against (Pep Guardiola),’ the United manager said. ‘it is the first time i have done but i have no doubt i Moyes: Big night will be doing it many times in the future.’ Before this season, Moyes’ only experience in the Champions League came in 2005, when his everton team failed to make the group stages following a qualifying defeat to villarreal. a 2-0 defeat at olympiacos aside, the competition has proven to be something of a safe haven for the scot, though, as United swept through their group unbeaten. ‘These are the sort of nights in history United have risen to and we want to do that,’ Moyes said. ‘This is one of the reasons why i took this job. The Champions League is a really good competition, it has been really good for us so far. i came into it as a really inexperienced manager in the Champions League but we have done well and now we have the ultimate test in Bayern Munich.’

« LIVERPOOL cOnfIDEnT – PAgE 22

West Ham’s Andy Carroll celebrates after scoring the first goal during the Premier League match between West Ham and Sunderland. The Hammers won 2-1. See page 22

«sEE PAgE 22

Recovered: O’Driscoll

O’Driscoll ok to feature in Toulon game BRIAN O’DRISCOLL will be fit to face Toulon in Leinster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final this weekend. Coach Richie Murphy assured nervous fans who watched the centre leave the fray early against Munster with a neck injury O’Driscoll and several more big names will be ready for action. Neither Cian Healy nor Jack McGrath featured in Saturday’s 22 – 18 win, but Leinster’s fitness staff are confident they will be fully recovered for Sunday’s meeting with the European Champions. ‘All the guys are back fit and healthy,’ said Murphy, ‘they are not all training. They are on modified training loads. They will all be back ready for the weekend. ‘(A Sunday fixture) gives us an extra day recovery after what was a very physical match at the weekend. It also gives those guys who missed last week a little bit longer time. Injury-wise we are looking good.’ Concerns over Rob Kearney, who wore strapping after suffering a stamp on his hand, were also downplayed, and with Martin Moore also expected to return to the fold, Murphy expects a full deck to be available to head coach Matt O’Connor when he selects his starting XV to face into one of European rugby’s most daunting challenges.

«IRfu sIgnIng – PAgE 21

Cricketers finish bottom of table after fourth defeat

IRELAND WOMEN finished the group stages of their World T20 campaign with a fourth consecutive defeat leaving Trent Johnston’s charges bottom of the Group A table after a narrow 14run reverse at the hands of Pakistan. Sylhet hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Irish this week, however they started brightly enough in this vital

encounter with Amy Kenealy (015), Isobel Joyce (2-26) and Louise McCarthy (2-14) keeping the Pakistani batters quiet early on. The latter pairing combined to reduce their opponents to 22-3 and despite steadying knocks from Qainta Jalil (20) and Bishmah Maroof it took a full ten overs for them to take their side past 50. The pair added 36 before Elena Tice took a stunning caught and

bowled chance to dismiss Qanita. The steady influence of left-hander Maroof and Sana Mir (16) added another valuable 30, leaving Pakistan on 88-5 and the Irish ladies were well in the contest. It was the excellent efforts of Maroof who finished unbeaten on 48 (3 fours) that allowed her side to close on a competitive 119 for 6. Joyce’s side’s batting has been their better suit this week but their

reply started poorly with Mary Waldron out in the first over. Fellow opener Clare Shillington then put on 44 for the second wicket with her skipper as Ireland put themselves back in the mix. It’s back to the drawing board for the ‘Girls in Green’ with the placings play-off to come on Thursday night against hosts Bangladesh where they’ll be hoping to end the tournament on a high note.

Joyce: Bowled well early on