June 2007 newsfour by News Four

JUNE / JULY 2007

NewsFour Free Community Newspaper serving Sandymount, Irishtown, Ringsend, Docklands, Ballsbridge and Donnybrook Web: www.news4.ie • E-mail: newsfourscs@eircom.net • Local Newsdesk: Phone 6673317

HIGH RISES FOR BALLSBRIDGE SITE REJECTED… FOR NOW By John Cavendish

hatʼs another year? Thatʼs how long it will be before Dublin City Councillors have to re-consider plans for high-rise, mixed use development in the Ballsbridge area again. One of Ballsbridgeʼs characteristics is the expanse of green trees and parkland and this alone would cause concern about any plans for re-development. On 11th June the South East Area Committee of Dublin City Council met to discuss the Area Plan for Ballsbridge and overwhelmingly rejected it. The assistant city manager Michael Stubbs formally proposed the local area plan. Councillor Mary Freehill could not understand how it usually takes so long to get local area plans done and “all of a sudden a developer buys land and it is done like that.” The chairman of the SEA Committee, Councillor Dermot Lacey

said that the whole plan should be rejected and the process begun again. It was, he said, “unamendable” in its present form. The viewersʼ gallery was packed with residents who had campaigned from the outset against the plan, which could see high-rise buildings of up to 20 storeys in the grounds of the Berkeley Court and Juryʼs Hotels as well as the former Veterinary College and Hume House. Councillor Wendy Hederman said the DEGW report on heights did no identify Ballsbridge for high rise. She said this zoning refers to inner-suburb mixed use, while the area is residential. Councillor Daithí Doolan said

B LUE

there should have been adequate consultation with the community and he said the plan was a “developersʼ charter.” Councillor Gerard Gillen said there is a need to temper the area vision with the requirements of business and there had been a lot of “jumping the gun” in this. He said that Fine Gael was against the plan. The plan was rejected by the Local Area Committee and later a full Council meeting also rejected the plan. Councillor Dermot Lacey told ʻNewsFourʼ that there would have to be a better plan for Ballsbridge, “one which takes into account the wider needs of the area and not just the developers.”

SKY FOR

G REEN J OHN

John Gormley of the Green Party at the Umbrella Action Day on Sandymount Strand. The event was organized by the ʻStop Climate Chaosʼ group to bring to the governmentʼs attention the need for a reduction in emissions to prevent runaway climate change. For more information see www.stopclimatechaos.ie

A GREAT SUMMER READ! Are there really farmers in Donnybrook? Must be, because there is a Donny brook Farmers’ Market! See page 3.

Man’s (and woman’s) best friend takes a bow wow on page 4. We talk to several of their owners as well!

Author Jodi Picoult talks about her latest book which echoes some recent disturbing real-life events. See page 24.

Tired of being ripped off by overpriced gigs with underpowered performances? Glastonbudget may well be for you. See page 39.

Thomas Kinsella, pictured here with Lord Mayor Vincent Jackson, at the unveiling of a plaque in his honour. See page 19.

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NewsFour Managing Editor Ann Ingle Advertising Manager Grainne McGuinness Office Manager Miriam Holmes Staff Grace Charley Brian Rutherford Fergal Murphy Audrey Healy David Hussey John Cavendish Nessa Jennings Contributors Michael Hilliard Derek Buckley Shay Connolly Sammy Best Jimmy Purdy Christopher Sands Austin Cromie Noel Twamley Paddy Boyle Sonny Kinsella Roisín Ingle Tom Sheridan George Humphries James O’Doherty

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

The Editor’s Corner

s it summer or winter? As I write this coming up to our deadline I am not sure. The wind and rain are swirling around outside and the plant pot has just been blown off the windowsill. This edition seems to have taken on a decidedly religious theme. We have an article about Fatima courtesy of Jim Purdy (page 6) and a photograph of the procession in Clonliffe College for the 75th anniversary of the Eucharistic Congress. Tom Sheridan has suggested that I ask if any readers have memories of the latter occasion which they might share with us. Tom has written a heartfelt and ﬁtting epitaph for that wonderful lady Sarah OʼReilly who will be sadly missed in the Ringsend and Irishtown community (page 30). Shay Connolly has taken it upon himself to research the history of the GAA in the area and very

interesting it is too (pages 12–13). We must not encourage him too much or we might lose him forever as he wanders off into academia. I am so proud of two of our team, Grace Charley and Audrey Healy, who have both produced two ﬁne books. Grace has written a childrenʼs book about a delightful bear (page 33) and Audrey has researched the origin of songs by famous Irish singers (page 16). Both are available at Books on the Green where strange things will be afoot on the night of 20 July (see ad on page 30). Thanks to the rest of the team and our contributors for making this edition such a diverse and interesting one. Have a great time over the next couple of months whatever the weather. We will be back with you in the middle of August. Ann Ingle

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Guitar Lessons Professional Teacher Contact Tony at 087 9743775

Web Designer Andrew Thorn Photography John Cheevers Design, Typesetting, Layout Eugene Carolan Community Services, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4. Telephone: (01)6673317 E-mail: newsfourscs@eircom.net Affiliated to Comhairle, South-East Area Network, (SEAN) Local History Research, Community Resource Service, NewsFour Newspaper, FÁS Community Employment Programme. Opinions expressed in News Four do not necessarily represent the views of Community Services.

A Social and Natural History of Sandymount, Irishtown and Ringsend, ﬁrst published in 1993 and The Roads to Sandymount Irishtown and Ringsend, ﬁrst published in 1996 are now available From ʻNewsFourʼ, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4 and ʻBooks on the Greenʼ, Sandymount Village.

Family Day Sandymount Green 3 to 5 pm Sunday 24 June Band • Magic Show Face Painting • Balloons Races • Rafﬂe Organised by Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association in association with Dublin City Council

Ringsend Active Retirement Association Retired with time on your hands? Why not visit us at the CYMS in Ringsend any Tuesday to Friday from 2.30 pm New members (men and women) always welcome

Our address: NewsFour, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend Phone: 6673317 • Email: newsfourscs@eircom.net Visit our website at: www.news4.ie

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

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DONNYBROOK FARMERS’ MARKET ANGLESEA ROAD EVERY THURSDAY 10 AM TO 4 PM

By Brian Rutherford

ituated in the grounds of St. Maryʼs Church at the junction of Anglesea Road and Simmonscourt Road, the Donnybook Farmersʼ Market provides an opportunity to buy fresh, local and seasonal produce direct from the producer every Thursday from 10am to 4pm. The stalls offer a wide range

of produce including cheese, organic fruit, vegetables and herbs, juices, breads, organic and free range eggs, olives, organic meats, locally-designed crafts and more. The market is now in its second year and showcases producers from all over the country. Some of the proceeds go to the church itself. There are over 20 stalls selling a vast range of produce. The

first stall I came to was run by Gerry Zhao from Bejing. He has been there for 2 months and his noodles and prawns looked delicious. Most of the food on display is organic so if you are into a healthy meal itʼs the place for you. I met Seamus Kirk (The Fish Man) of Clogher Head. Seamus does all his own fishing from ʻLa Troubadoreʼ, his boat and his selection of fish is breathtaking, with king prawns included. Declan Mc Carthy, who works for Leitrim Organic Farmers Cooperative, had a great variety of meat on display. He is part of a co-op sourcing meat from 130 farmers from all over the country. They have their own abattoir and kill all their own meat. They can be reached at www. leitrimorganic. com and at 071 9640688. I then came to Gourmet Cuisine run by Andy Lawlor for Carlow Foods, who has a fantastic range of lamb, beef and

pork. In fact, I bought some pork because it looked so appetising, it was stuffed with apricots. Freda McDonald from Gallic Kitchen, who has been there for a year now, sells delicious pies, tarts and quiches. Noirinʼs Bakehouse was just across the pebbled road and sold buns of all descriptions. Michael Charlton made me an organic burger on his burger stand and just across the way was a hot dog stand where brockwurst (German sausage) as well as regular hotdogs were for sale at a very reasonable €3. A huge selection of vegetables was on display, sold by Stefan

CECIL’S BARBER SHOP Traditional-Style Barber Shop Established 1939

Cecil’s is back in Ringsend Special Rates for OAPs Only €6 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Closed all day Monday 10 Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4 Tel: 6680606

for Dennis Healy of Baltinglass, who as well as growing their own also import top-quality produce. You could get your shopping for the week at the market and never have to darken the supermarketʼs door again. Everything looks so fresh and appealing and it is a great way to spend a few hours, have something to eat and go home with your baskets full. It was a ﬁne day when I was there and all in all it was a very enjoyable experience. I heard that a saxophone player was coming later but I had to move on. For more information: www. irishvillagemarkets.com

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

Dog Day Afternoon

ong considered his best friend, the dog has been manʼs reliable and trustworthy companion down through the ages. These social creatures have the same ideas of friendship as us and dog owners often see their pets as established members of the family. ʻNewsFourʼ went down to Sandymount Strand to meet some owners and their dogs. Among them was Lucky the daschund, who after eating ﬁbre glass during house renovations nearly destroyed his intestines. He came through surgery living up to his name to wag the tail. Or Toby, a young puppy who, according to his owner Colette, has at present a gift for creating a lot of small soft brown packages. (Colette called him a “shit machine”, but we couldnʼt print that.) There was Ivan, the Keeshond, and camera-shy Cara, a Lurcher, a dog type originally bred by Irish travellers in the 17th century for poaching rabbits and other small animals. And Derek and his faithful companion Vela, who together have braved rough seas in Dublin Bay. Lastly Jake, a boisterous but genial mongrel who was throughly enjoying the water that day. Thanks to all the owners who took time off their walks to talk and a quiet reminder to all dog owners that once your dog has done its natural business, itʼs important that you do yours and tidy up after it. Letʼs all try to keep Sandymount Strand dog poo-free.

Colette Ward with Toby. Toby was born on the 12th of January so that makes him five months old. Heʼs our familyʼs first dog in a while. My daughter bought him with her confirmation money. She wanted a dog badly so eventually I gave in. We chose the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel because theyʼre so nice and cute. My husband would have liked a boxer but theyʼre too big!

Paul with Jake. Jake is nine year old mongrel. Heʼs a mixed-breed, half collie, half labrador. Heʼs an energetic dog and has plenty of vigour for his age. Weʼre enjoying the walk today and have been down for a swim in the sea. Weʼve both worked up a good appetite. Jake here loves nothing better than getting his paws wet.

Phil Noonan with Lucky. Lucky is a dachshund and turned eight in April. Sheʼs a real family dog, a lap dog really. Sheʼs part of the family and the kids love her. She likes to sit in the lap all the time, like a baby. The breed is very good with children but they have lots of problems with their backs because theyʼre Vivienne Myles with Cara and Ivan. Cara is my own dog and is a mixed-breed lurcher, sheʼs eight and half years old. Ivan is a friendʼs dog and is about ﬁve years old. Heʼs a Keeshond. Theyʼre better known as Dutch Barge Dogs. A long time ago they were used as guards dogs and companions to riverboat captains who worked along the canals in Holland.

DOGGIE DOʼS AND DONʼTS 1. Be aware that keeping a dog costs money. There may will be expensive trips to the vet so possibly look into pet insurance. 2. Be strict over your dogʼs misbehaviour. If you arenʼt they will continue behaving that way. Be patient but ﬁrm. 3. Dogs like routine. Meals and walks should be consistent and a dog likes to sleep in the same place each night. Dull maybe for you but comforting for a dog. 4. For your dog to lead a healthy life free from illness, means ensuring they have plenty of excercise and a healthy diet. Table scraps only on special occasions, not everyday. 5. Puppies love to chew things and will chew anything. Buy a variety of proper chew toys from your local pet shop. Be alert to them chewing on electrical cords as well.

so long, so you have to be careful with them jumping.

Derek Murphy with Vela (left) and John Graham with Chubby. Chubbyʼs a little terrier and is four years old, and Vela is a Labrador and sheʼs two years old. I named Vela after the constellation in the Eastern hemisphere. Velaʼs deeds are legendary. She sails with me on the boat and I kayak with her. Sheʼs an ideal dog for getting you out and about and sheʼs very therapeutic. She swims all year round so sheʼs tough as well.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

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R INGSEND –

INDOOR BOWLING CHAMPIONS

By Sammy Best

e are very fortunate to be members of the Indoor Bowling section of a great club and within theʼhallowedʼ walls of the club exists the most talented and skilful teams of bowlers that have been seen for many a decade. I use the word ʻhallowedʼ very reverently as we have photographs of priests looking down on us as we bowl. The divine inspiration seems to have worked on our No 1 team as they have been winning league championship since Adam was courting Eve. For those fortunate to have attended the Grand Final of the high bowling division they will remember for a long time the names of our Ringsend Indoor bowlers: Bernard Flood, Tommy Hulgraine, Carmel Magee, Willie McDonnell, Donald OʼBrien, Paddy Kelly, Phil Murphy, Rose Behan, John Behan, Sean Caulﬁeld. A presentation dinner dance

was held recently in the Regency Hotel and our ﬁrst team were given the V.I.P. status in receiving their trophies. Our second team of talented Indoor Bowlers: Andy Henderson, John Wilson, Marie Montgomery, Olive Farrell, John Higgins. Derek Murphy, Sammy Best, Kay Flood, Peter Rossiter,

Martin Redmond all played excellent bowls and last year ﬁnished runners-up in a very strong and competitive league. We were promoted to a higher division for 2006/2007 and again ﬁnished runners-up. A very large and coveted cup known as the Rinks Cup was won

last year by Kay Flood, Andy Henderson, Sammy Best, Derek Murphy, John Wilson, and this year we safely defended the right to bring the Rinks Cup back to Ringsend, where it will enjoy its stay amongst many other bowling trophies. To Andy Henderson and John

Lucinda Creighton is working locally with Councillor Paddy McCartan

Thank you for your support in the election

Wilson the club says ʻwell doneʼ in keeping the ﬂag at full mast in winning the pairs championship. A presentation dinner dance was also held in the Sheldon Park Hotel and again with great pride we were called upon to receive the Rinks Cup, Runners-up in league and pairs Championship winners. Ringsend is no stranger at turning out champions and it is with a sense of pride we add the name of our bowling stars to the list. I would like to send on behalf of our chairman Mr Bernard Flood and his Committee our utmost thanks to the many bowling clubs and look forward to meeting them next year and renewing our friendship. To Joan and Harry and their committees many thanks for their superb organisation. Our Ringsend Indoor Bowling section unites in wishing a speedy recovery to health to Tommy Hulgraine, Donald OʼBrien, Phil Murphy, and other Club members. The Indoor Bowling Club meets in the Catholic Men and Womenʼs Society on Irishtown Road.

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

O UR L ADY OF F ATIMA By Jimmy Purdy

ere you ever in Fatima? No I donʼt mean the Fatima you pass on the Luas. The Fatima I am writing about is in Portugal. Itʼs where Our Lady the Mother of God appeared to the three young shepherd children from the

village of Aljustrel on six consecutive months in 1917, starting on 13 May. The names of the three seers are Lucia Santos and her cousins Jacinta and Francisco Marto. Lucia described seeing Mary as “brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal glass ﬁlled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the

sun.”. According to Luciaʼs account Mary conﬁded to the children three secrets, known as the Three Secrets of Fatima. There are plenty of groups who go out during the season, normally May to October and if you are there on the 13th of any of those months you will be impressed by the huge crowds and the ceremonies. The Portuguese people who travel by foot for days before the 13th come down a special narrow road in the sanctuary on their knees. This tradition was started by the Portuguese because Sister Lucia asked Our Lady of Fatima for the favour of good health for her mother and had made a promise to go on her knees from the road to the place where Our Lady appeared to the three seers. Itʼs worth remembering the families of the children had a very hard time during the apparitions. The land belonging to the family where the apparitions took place was rendered almost useless with so many people gathering on it to see Our Lady appearing. This caused great ﬁnancial hardship as it was their livelihood Just outside the sanctuary you will see enclosed in glass a huge piece of the Berlin wall brought by a Portuguese man on the back of a truck from Germany. It is a symbol of the collapse of communism a promise

made by Our Lady. The sanctuary at Fatima is a very peaceful place and it is very pleasant to spend some time in there. In the basilica there is a beautiful statue of the immaculate heart over the door. This statue is the work of Fr Thomas McGlynn O.P who spent some time with Sister Lucia in the making of the clay model. Sister Lucia was born on the 23rd July 1907 and she died at her convent in Colmbra about ﬁfty kms from Fatima. Lucia died on February 13, 2005, at the age of 97. Francisco and Jacinta Marto were both victims of the Great Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1919. Everyone has ﬁrst impressions so

take time to let everything sink in and form your own opinions. You will be most welcome if you pay a visit to the convent of perpetual rosary monastery Pius XII where there are a few Irish nuns. If you get a chance to get to Fatima donʼt be put off because of the religious aspect as it has more to offer. It is a place of pilgrimage and is a very special and peaceful location. There are many ways of getting there by aeroplane, car or ship. The trip by plane takes just over two hours and then on to Fatima one and a half hours. The weather can be mixed so go prepared. On left is the Basilica and below the three young visionaries.

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 7

INCINERATOR

–

NO SURRENDER

By John Cavendish

ollowing the statement made on February 21st, by the former Minister for Justice, Mr. Michael McDowell, that the proposed Incinerator on the Poolbeg had collapsed, there was a ﬂurry of claims and counter claims. Eventually the Minister for the Environment, Mr. Dick Roche, made an extremely robust assertion that his project for disposing of the waste of Dublin, Greater Dublin, parts of Kildare and Wicklow would see it all go into the furnaces of the plant on the Poolbeg. Minister Roche further informed waste operators that they will have to send all their waste, other than that which is extracted for recycling at present, to the incinerator. This indicates there will be another 300,000 tons of rubbish brought through the streets to be burned. The confusion appears to have arisen as the company, Elsam that had been the private partner, became absorbed into another company Danish Oil and Natural Gas, DONG. Dublin City Council has asserted that the project is certainly going ahead even if they have to restart the procurement proc-

appearing on behalf of the Dublin Port Company, who cast doubt on the validity of the computer models used and, using more appropriate ʻmodelsʼ, predicted levels of deposition that, in many cases, exceeded the permissible limits. If these results are accepted then the foundation for much of the other expert evidence must fall, in which case it would be hard to see how the proposal could be accepted. There were also clear conﬂicts and omissions between the statements of the local experts and those of the Danish engineers who are, at present, the preferred suppliers of the plant, though no contract has been placed and commercial negotiations are, of course, shrouded in secrecy.

Maurice Bryan a witness for the CRAI, told ʻNewsFourʼ that “It may be that many people still donʼt realise that the incinerator building, if it went ahead, would have a bigger footprint than Croke Park and be higher than Liberty Hall, with two chimneys higher than the ʻSpireʼ. Construction would last for nearly three years and go on for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with wide and heavy loads being specially carried at night to avoid trafﬁc congestion! “This would be a great treat for the Council to give to the community. Let us hope that the dedicated work of your representatives over the 17 days proves to be enough to prevent this monstrous intrusion.”

What our public representatives have to say ess of getting another private operator to build and run the Incinerator. On the evening of Wednesday 11th April the Combined Residents Against Incineration, CRAI, held a meeting in Clanna Gael Fontenoy to rally the troops for an oral hearing that began in Croke Park on the 19th April by An Board Pleanála. Frances Corr, the Chairperson of CRAI, said that she hoped that the Inspector would see sense and direct the Board to stop the proposed incinerator after 10 years of objections. Rory Hearne of the People before Proﬁt Al-

liance said that his group were there to represent concerns regarding the health, traffic and unsustainability of bringing 600,000 tons of rubbish down to the Poolbeg for burning. Three long weeks of highly technical hearings took place before Mr. Padraig Thornton, an Inspector from An Bord Pleanála, saw representatives of CRAI led by Frances Corr. The Sandymount and Merrion Residentsʼ Association and concerned people from the community put up an incredible fight against the 29 high-profile experts retained by Dublin City Council. The hearing began in Croke Park, and after an adjournment to allow the residents to consider the foot-high pile of new technical paperwork, the hearing resumed in the Gresham Hotel where it finished. The outcome will now await the Inspectorʼs recommendations and the final decision of the Board, expected to take several months, given the sheer volume of evidence. Much debate centred on evidence given regarding potential air pollution and consequent fall-out of hazardous chemicals. Local resident Joe McCarthy, a consulting engineer, demonstrated errors in the calculations carried out by the DCC expert. He was strongly supported by Dr. Imelda Shanahan,

I asked Chris Andrews T.D., Fianna Fáil, how he squared up to being a candidate in Dublin South East who is against the Incinerator yet his party Minister for the Environment wants it and he said “I have no problem with this and it was just politics, Iʼm here to work with CRAI and will do what I can to stop it.” Councillor Daithí Doolan of Sinn Féin said that “the proposal to build an Incinerator on the Poolbeg peninsula area ﬂies against any rational thinking. At a time when the world is facing massive climate change and global warming we have a planning proposal that will emit a further 600,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide and bring hundreds of trucks back onto Dublinʼs city centre on a daily basis.” John Gormley T.D., Green Party, said that “Incineration is government policy and that this could be a major factor in deciding the outcome. In Dublin South East we have a situation where the Minister is saying he is against incineration but the government is for it.” He said he hoped An Board Pleanála would listen and say no. John Gormley said that a facility to burn 600,000 tons a year made it a mass burn operation. Other options for waste disposal should be adopted such as mechanical and biological treatment which he said was a better way. Ruairí Quinn T.D., Labour, said that residents in the area had already the experience of the sewage works which is a public/ private partnership project that has malfunctioned from day one: “Whatever about getting a bad smell up your nose if the incinerator doesnʼt work properly or doesnʼt commission itself properly God knows what weʼre going to get into our ingestion systems and that is a genuine fear particularly for mothers with small children.” City Councillor Dermot Lacey, Labour, included in his submission the argument that “As a City Council we have just spent several hundred million euro in cleaning up Dublin Bay. Through the imaginative intervention of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority the wider immediate area is being redeveloped and a major residential development of the Poolbeg area is on the way. To locate this incinerator with the consequential daily movement of several hundred trucks through the narrow streets of the area is, in my view, sheer planning madness.”

Geraldine M. Lynch (formerly of Irishtown Road)

General Legal Practice Telephone: 087 9874577 for appointment Email: glynchburke@eircom.net Father Michael Coady ofﬁciated at the recent blessing of the boats at Poolbeg Yacht Club.

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

The Letterbox A Chara, I refer to the article by Christy Hogan concerning the City Councilʼs parking control policy which appeared in your April/ May edition. I note that Mr Hogan states that the system worked well, ʻinitiallyʼ. However, he feels that problems have arisen where residents can gain additional personal parking by utilising existing driveways or by developing new driveways to their homes Persons with driveways have always had an additional beneﬁt with regard to parking options as against other residents without driveways and the introduction of parking controls on a street where some houses have driveways and others do not, does not alter this advantage. The Councilʼs parking policy can, of course, only apply to onstreet parking. However, it would be invidious for the Council to discriminate in any way against residents in a particular area on the basis that their houses were provided with driveways. Decisions on applications for permission for the development of new driveways are made in accordance with the provisions of the City Development Plan. It is Council policy to facilitate development where such development does not conﬂict with the Development Plan or otherwise prove injurious to the amenity or the neighbourhood. The City Council will introduce paid parking controls in

residential areas only where this is the express wish of the majority of the residents or the street in question as determined by ballot. If a majority of residents living in a street where there is a currently existing paid parking scheme request its removal the council will facilitate this as well. With regard to the review of tariffs in the Parking Control Bye Laws, the position is that the draft parking control bye-laws provide for the following adjustments to parking tariffs: It is proposed that the hourly pay & display tariffs be increased from €2.50 per hour to €2.70 per hour (Yellow Zone– Very High Demand) Monday to Saturday and from €2.00 per hour to €2.20 per hour (Red Zone– High Demand). There is no increase proposed in respect of the Sunday tariff (Yellow Zone) or in any other tariff zone. There has been no increase in tariff in these zones since February 2003. It is also proposed to abolish the distinction between persons who held residentsʼ parking permits on 31st March 2004 and newer permit holders. A new standard householdersʼ permit tariff structure is proposed as follows: 1 Year Permit €40; 2 Year Permit €70. This would represent a small increase in the current tariff for ʻLong Termʼ residents which is €35 for one year permit and €65 for a two year permit and a substantial reduction in tariff for ʻnewʼ residents for €70 to €130

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respectively. This is the first adjustment in the residentsʼ permit tariff since April 2004. In short, modest tariff increases are proposed for pay & display parking in areas of high demand in the city and for longterm residentsʼ permits, while newer residential permit holders will find their tariffs significantly reduced. A public consultations process with regard to the draft bye-laws was undertaken during March/ April 2007. The draft bye-laws will be presented to the City Council at its June meeting and, if adopted, will come into effect on 1st of August 2007. The primary purpose of reviewing tariffs for on-street parking is to ensure these charges remain effective as a mechanism for demand control. Revenue received from on-street parking charges is utilised to improve the road network and traffic management function within Dublin City. The difficulty residents experience in parking in certain areas of the city is as a result of the significant increase in the number of vehicles registered in the State over the past number of years as against the finite amount of road space which can be made available for parking. The City Council will continue its efforts to manage this space as efficiently as possible and welcomes any suggestions in this regard, which will receive full consideration. If Mr Hogan wishes to write to me on this subject, I will be glad to consider his proposals. Is mise, Brian Riddick, Parking Enforcement Officer Dublin City Council, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8.

Dear Madam Editor The following letter is likely to be of interest to many of your readers. I would welcome any further information on this structure, but even more so I would ask as many people as possible to write to the DDDA objecting to its removal, but especially calling upon the responsible authorities to properly preserve it for its historic value. Letter sent to: 1/ Lar Bradshaw, Chairman, 2/ Paul Maloney, Chief Executive, Dublin Docklands Development Authority, 52-55 Sir John Rogersonʼs Quay, Docklands, Dublin 2. The South Hailing Station I join with my friend George P Kearns in querying the position of the Hailing Station on the South Point of Sir John Rogersonʼs Quay. I enclose copies of items relating to the structure written by George P Kearns and Phil Lawler, both from the New Link Magazine (edited by Patrick McGauley), the regular publication of St Andrewʼs Resource Centre, 114-116 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Whatever the original purpose or even the usage of this structure, my memories from the 1940ʼs is that the Hailing Station was the gathering place, especially on Sunday evenings, from which many of the dockers of Dublin Port learned about the likely comings and goings in the immediate future, so they might assess the possibility of employment in the coming days. Mr Kearns suggests this structure has the protection of our law, and therefore will not be removed but will be preserved ap-

propriately (in somewhat similar manner as the Diving Bell on Sir John Rogersonʼs Quay). At the same time many rumours and reports (some being credited to unnamed or untraceable official sources) have been circulating to the effect that the Hailing Station will be removed as obstructing new developments. Its appearance and likely condition certainly does not give confidence that the Hailing Station is being maintained and retained. As I am advised the Dublin Docklands Development Authority is the planning body for the area, I ask that you clarify the position for us, as soon as possible. You may notice from the piece by Mr Lawler, he believes the Hailing Station was erected in 1907, and accepting this to be correct, a suitable ceremony might be arranged to outline how its preservation might be arranged in this, its centenary year. Awaiting your response with interest. Christopher Sands The response received to date from DDDA suggests there are no plans to preserve or retain this historic structure. Indeed, it seems the Hailing Station will be demolished and removed as soon as the development of a new skyscraper structure gets underway. I believe the elimination of this symbol of the tradition of many of the families of the Dublin Port area, especially on the south side of City Quay/ Pearse Street/ Ringsend etc, would be sad loss and a poor reflection on the process of redevelopment in the area. Christopher Sands Above: The Hailing Station in its current condition.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 9

M EETING D ICK H AYMES I

By Noel Twamley

t was a lovely day in the mid 1960ʼs. My wife Nora and I had a nice lunch in Copenha-

gen Café on Rathmines Road near the Stella Cinema. Remember the Stella? I spent my childhood and older years enjoying great movies there. After our lunch we went across

to the old H. Williams for some shopping and it was there I saw Dick Haymes. We were astounded to see him looking rather shabby and down at heel. To younger readers let me explain. Dick Haymes was a major movie star and singer. In the 1940s and 50s he worked for 20th Century Fox and recorded for Colombia and Capitol Records. Dick was born in Argentina of an Irish mother. He went to Los Angeles in the late 1930ʼs and sang with the Harry James big band. He was tall, handsome and a great singer and of course Hollywood snapped him up. He had six wives, among them a young Rita Hayworth (pictured left). During World War II he was called up for service but he refused to join up as he was from Argentina. Uncle Sam never forgot this and had their revenge by deporting him after many court cases in the mid 1960s. Dick came to Ireland and lived in Rathmines and ended up doing gigs in north of England clubs. He really had fallen on hard times–

from Hollywood hills to a bed-sit in Rathmines. I donʼt know how he kept his sanity. Some time later the Irish State gave Dick Haymes an Irish Passport as his mother was Irish and this enabled him to get back to America. However, he never regained the popularity he had in the 40s and 50s. I am delighted to say Capitol Records have issued a two-CD set of his work, which includes such

songs as ʻIt Might As Well Be Springʼ, ʻThe More I See Youʼ, ʻThe Very Thought Of Youʼ amongst many others. It is wonderful CD and I warmly recommend it. Dick Haymes died in 1980 in Los Angeles. His funeral was sparsely attended, what a truly terrible fall for a genuinely nice man. Thank God we can still see his movies such as ʻState Fairʼ on DVD and enjoy his magniﬁcent baritone voice on CD.

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

S HELBOURNE AFC L EINSTER S ENIOR C HALLENGE C UP W INNERS

FOR

1948/49

Cup of tea? GOOD NEWS for all those tea lovers out there, with scientific research proving that tea is second only to water in terms of contributing to your recommended daily fluid intake, meaning that we can choose tea over the two litres of water recommended in our daily diet. This was just one of the many extraordinary facts about the muchloved national beverage discussed recently at Lyons Tea Master Class in Dublinʼs Shelbourne Hotel where tea expert Justin Panton conducted a tea tasting session. The event followed a report in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition which found that drinking at least three cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking glasses of water. Good news all around for Irish people who are deemed to be amongst the biggest tea drinkers in the world, with the average person drinking around four cups per day, an estimated extraordinary 3,000 litres of tea per person every year. But what about the dreaded caffeine? Well, a standard cup of tea contains less than half the level of caffeine of a typical cup of coffee. Up to 300mg/ day (6 cups of tea) is considered moderate consumption of caffeine, with no evidence of harmful effects in the vast majority of the adult population. Significantly, research has shown that the low levels of caffeine in tea do not cause dehydration and that the levels of caffeine found in tea actually provide us with a mental and physical boost. And, there are additional benefits. Tea, when served without milk or sugar, contains virtually no calories and if you are trying to lose weight, can be a good substitute for sweetened beverages. Leading blender Lyons has more than a hundred yearʼs tradition in Ireland having begun business in Dublin in 1902 close to Christ Church Cathedral. It is now owned by Unilever Ireland and recently launched a new advertising campaign focussing on the extraordinary qualities of tea, particularly its naturalness, and highlighting the fact that there is nothing added but wind, rain and sunshine. By Audrey Healy

Anyone for Badminton? Epworth Badminton Club is one of Ireland’s oldest Badminton Clubs. It was founded in the 1920’s and has been going strong ever since. Epworth is situated in the hall behind Christ Church on Sandymount Green. We have between 20-30 members and this year we entered one mixed team and two men’s teams into the Leinster league with some success. The club holds a “Summer Club” during June, July and August on Tuesday & Frday nights. This commences at 8pm and there is a charge of €5.00 per night. There is no need to commit, just come along and play. All standard of players are welcome. We will be looking for new members in September, but until then, why not just come down during the summer? You would be very welcome. Any queries, contact David Bowles on 086 8178306.

By Christopher Sands

rom the earliest days of soccer in most countries, the cup competitions were the major events. Reaching the final of a senior cup competition was a cause of big celebration, winning that cup final was a major triumph. From the mid-1950s, as European qualification became more important, league competitions began to take precedence as league placings were used for allocating entry to those competitions. So in 1948-49 the Leinster Senior Cup was still a hard-won trophy, the oldest trophy in football south of the Border, being eagerly sought after by all our senior teams. This was the fourteenth time to win this trophy, a 5-3 victory over Shamrock Rovers. The first had come in season 1899/1900, 1-0 over Freebooters from Sandymount. Pete Keely, father of Dermot Keely, our present manager was a strong battling winghalfback and for many years the powerhouse around whom many of our best performances were built. With Sean Haughey behind him and Gerry Malone in front these three were the backbone of the team. Sean, Peter and their fellow defenders provided the strength and power to provide

Gerry and his attacking colleagues with many opportunities to show the skill and talent that made Shels one of the great attractions of Irish football in those years. In goal we had Englishman Norman Tapken. Norman was seen as an eccentric foreigner. Often the star of the show with some great saves, he could then at times be the villain of a defeat. He came as a goalie, became player-manager, then manager, before returning home to join the coaching staff of Stoke City. At full back Barry and Haughey. ʻJamesyʼ Barry had come from St Patrickʼs CYMS, Ringsend, where they had won the FAI Junior Cup in 1945-46. Jamesyʼs brother, Peter, also on that Ringsend team, had joined the Workmanʼs Club in Dun Laoghaire where they had a very good run in the FAI Senior Cup. Sean Haughey, signed from Home Farm, had earlier been a senior GAA player with his local club Parnells in Donnycarney. Centre-halfback and captain was Paddy Kinsella. Paddy was with Shels when we won our fourth League title and the League of Ireland Shield in season 1943/ 44. A deadball specialist, Paddy scored many an important free or penalty. Wing-halves were John Murphy and Peter Keely. At centre-forward we had Brendan

Carroll. Inside forwards were Arthur Fitzsimons and Peter Desmond both of whom later transferred to Middlesboro FC in the English League. All teams had two wingers then, until Alf Ramseyʼs England team won the 1966 World Cup in Wembley without wingers. Our wingers were outside right Matt Cranley and outside-left Gerry Malone. This Leinster Senior Cup Final took place on the day traditionally allocated for this, St Stephenʼs Day 26 December 1948 in Dalymount Park when Shels met Shamrock Rovers. The headline in the ʻIrish Independentʼ on Tuesday 28th December 1948 read ʻShelbourne Brilliant in Leinster Cub Winʼ. Their soccer correspondent wrote: ʻThe match was glorious Christmas fare for Shelbourne followers, who saw the young Reds team play rings around Rovers and shoot their defence to ribbons with zigzag movements by the inside forwards.ʼ The game between these two great rivals from the Ringsend area drew an almost full attendance. Great as this victory might have been, there was not much time to celebrate. On the next day, Shelbourne had to play a game in the League against Waterford FC in Shelbourne Park when they won 3-2.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 11

T WO

FROM THE SEVENTIES !

Front row: Kathleen Weafer, Linda Reilly, Antoinette Gavin, Jimmy White. The boys to the left of the picture are Brendan Cummins, Marty Doyle and Frank Gavin.

Top picture, back row left to right: Marion Brown, Catherine Reilly, May Richardson, Margaret Dunne.

Left picture, left to right: Back row: Christine King, Marion Hawkins, Bridie Keogh, Ann Hawkins, Front row: Agnes White and Claire White.

ho said people were not happy in the seventies? Despite an era of economic depression and dubious taste in wallpaper, fashion and soft furnishings, here are two very cheerful groups of people.

THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT SUPPORT DURING THE ELECTION! I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR: AN INICNERATION FREE FUTURE SOCIAL & AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POOLBEG PENINSULA FREE PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION

PAGE 12

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

The Fontenoy Files By Shay Connolly

ello Folks. I would like in the forthcoming issues to bring you up to speed on the history of GAA in this area. All of the following Clubs, and there are quite a number of them, played Gaelic Games in the area and eventually immersed into the Club we have today, Clanna Gael Fontenoy.

McCann, Bissett and Tobin. In 1914 the ﬁrst reference to the famous Fletcher family is made when Josh lines out for Fonts against Collegians in Croke Park. I will continue with part 2 in the next edition. In a letter to the ʻFreemanʼs Journalʼ on the 13th March 1901 Michael Cusack (Cusack Stand) writes about the ﬁnancial affairs of the GAA. His address is given as Beach Road Sandymount. (We still have a few GAA heads left on that road.) Here are some of the other GAA clubs who played in our area.

If you have a read down through all of the Clubs over the following months that represented this area and the names associated with them you are bound to ﬁnd a longdistant relation. The Clubs were: Fontenoys Clanna Gael Isles of the Sea (Ringsend) Peadar Mackens (Pearse St/ Ringsend) St Andrews (Pearse St/ Ringsend) Sandymount GFC Erins Isle GFC (Ringsend) Desmond GFC (Donnybrook) Ed Grays (Merrion) Brother Sheares (Baggot Street) Henry Joy McCrackens (Ballsbridge) Hillside GAC (Westland Row) St Marys (Donnybrook) Inishfaels (Leeson Street– Pembroke Street) Kevin Barry GFC (Haddington Rd) Michael Dwyer (Ringsend) Donnybrook Davitts Shamrock GFC (Fenian St) Fontenoys Part 1 If I had a €5 for all the times I was asked where the name Fontenoy came from I could have bought the Irish Glass Bottle Company. So folks here it is. Fontenoy is a small town in Belgium. It was scene of a battle on the 11th May 1745 and was part of the War of the Austrian Succession between the French on one hand and the British and Dutch on the other. The British and Dutch were assured of victory, or so it seemed until the Irish Brigade, ﬁghting for the French, made one last charge. To the cry of ʻRemember Limerickʼ (reference to the long defence of Limerick from the Williamites) the Irish Brigade, led by Lord Clare, Charles OʼBrien routed the British and Dutch forces and won the day. The Celtic Cross Memorial erected at Fontenoy by nationalists was

unveiled there by the Lord Mayor of Dublin on 25th August 1907. It is reported that this area was greatly represented in the Irish Brigade so when the first meeting took place at 20 Bath Avenue on 7th October 1887 the name Fontenoys was proposed and passed. The first meeting was chaired by Mr J.J. Murphy. After a large number of members were enrolled the following officers were elected: President, W. Nolan; Vice President, E. Mongoven; Captain J.J.(Joe) Byrne; Vice captain, C. Purfield; Treasurer P. Redmond; Hon. Secretary J.J. Murphy, 6 Havelock Square West. Committee. P. Dunne, W. Moore, L Mooney, P. Ricken and J. Reade. Fontenoys first match was a Gaelic Football match in Elm Park (Now St Vincentʼs Hospital) against John Mitchells on 23rd October 1887. Fontenoys scored first but didnʼt score again as they were beaten 1-15 to 0-1. The team on that day was D. Holland, J Reade, P Wall, C Breslin, J McLoughlin, M Downes, J Byrne, W Walsh, A Breslin, J McCaul, F Looney, W Byrne, W Keogh, A Wilson, H Cullen, E Eustace, W Allen, E Fox, J Keating, J Kavanagh, J Yoe. There is a record of a notice from the Secretary for all members to be at ʻFontenoy Hall, Bath Avenue, Monday 18th March 1888 for the first production of The Harvest Storm with grand variety, songs,

dances, recitations, etc.ʼ The next team on record playing for Fontenoys is on 13th July 1888 against Belfast Gaelics which Fontenoys won by 0-13 to 0-0. The team was: J Reid (Capt) J Moore, J Kane, J Sparks, J Bull, P Wall, P Kearney, M Redmond, J Long, J Murphy, M Murphy, J Darcy, P Halligan, P Doherty, J.J. Giltrap. In the next match added names include J Lee, P Fagan, G Whelan, J Rooney, W Carpenter, T Abby. The ﬁrst reports on Fontenoys as a hurling club actually donʼt appear until 1901 when the ʻFreemanʼs Journalʼ states: ʻFontenoys Hurling Club, Sandymount– All members are requested to meet on their practice grounds at Londonbridge Road, next Sunday morning, 10th

ins., to play friendly with Metropolitan H.C. at 10.30 sharp.ʼ From the Dublin County Board minutes of that time Mr James Mullaney, of 4 Rosemount Terrace, Londonbridge Road, Sandymount affiliated Fontenoy as a Hurling club. It is noted for the first time that Fontenoys are using Ringsend Park for training on No 5 pitch and the first fixture fixed for Ringsend Park is 14th May, 1910. (The Legendʼs birthday is the 14th May!!) From 1900 until 1910 prominent names in the Fonts lineout were Behan, Boggan, Campion, Connor, Cullen Donohue, Dunne, Flanagan, Halton, Kiernan, Mullany, McCormack, Quigley, Rossiter, Ryan, Treacy, Tully, Finn, Ryan, Quinn

Saint Andrews Founded in the Pearse StreetRingsend area in 1906, the Club competed in Junior football competitions. When Dublin won the Countyʼs first Leinster Junior Football title in 1908 Chris Carberry represented Saint Andrews. Other club players included Sean Quinn, Thomas Quinn, Michael Kennedy, Edward Bailey, James Kerrigan, Chris Byrne, Joe Nichol and George Clarke. The Club was disbanded just before the 1916 Rising and many of the players joined Peader Mackens Brother Sheares GFC Founded in the Baggot Street area in 1887 and named to commemorate the brothers executed for their role in 1798. James Cunningham, 9 Pembroke Road was first captain and secretary. In 1894 Brothers Sheares was unable to field a team but a year later they were revived with James Geraghty, 11 Grants Row as secretary. The Club was disbanded about 1898.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

Desmond GFC This side from Donnybrook competed at Junior level in the early 1920s and had several of the Darcy family on the team. Ed Grays GFC In 1886 a GAA club was established in the Merrion area and named after Edmund Dwyer Gray, the journalist and nationalist politician. The Clubʼs ﬁrst secretary was William Horgan of 1 Eden Terrace, Merrion Rd and the captain was J Walsh. In 1887, E.D. Grayʼs lineout against Parnells (Thomas St) included McLoughlin, Dowdall, Squires, Costiagan, P. Ryan, H. Nolan, Cullen and McGuinness. In August 1888, a hurling side was started in the club with Michael OʼGrady of Merrion House the organiser. When the E.D. Grays footballers travelled to Blessington in the same year to play the local ʻ98 club side, the match was witnessed by several thousand spectators. E.D. Grays disappeared from the scene at the time of the ʻParnell Splitʼ. Erins Isle G.F.C. This minor football club from

PAGE 13

the Ringsend district was founded in the early 1900s. Thomas Condron, 30 Irishtown Road was recorded as club secretary in March 1904. It had no connection with the later club of the same name founded in Finglas. Henry Joy McCrackens A Gaelic football club named after the United Irishmen, was formed in the Ballsbridge area early in 1887. David Byrne captained the club that had a home at Ballsbridge. Early members included Christopher Nolan, Chas. Byrne, Pat Flynn, Edward Lambert, Chris Byrne, John Dillon, James Moran, Michael Manley and Pat Kelly. When McCrackens beat Gladstonians of Ballbriggan in the 1890 football Championship, Mike Lee and David Byrne starred. In January 1903 McCrackens held their A.G.M. at 12 Ballsbridge. J. Woods was elected president, J. Stapleton vice president, E. OʼToole, secretary and treasurer, H. Nolan, captain and Thomas OʼNeill, vice captain. Pat Bramble, the chairman of McCrackens in 1904 served the club well for a number of years as

did J. Moran, J. Gaffney, J. Hennigan, J. Gunning, P. Mullen and J. Humphries. Val Harris, a member of the Isles of the Sea team of 1901 and Irish International soccer player ﬁelded with McCrackens. In 1917 captained by Bob Mockler, the Faughs and Dublin intercounty hurler, McCrackens won the Intermediate football championship. Jim ʻBuilderʼ Walsh and Ned Tobin, two other prominent hurlers with Faughs and Dublin also played with McCrackens. The brothers Joe, Peter and Hugh Stynes played with the Ballsbridge side in the early 1920s before they moved to OʼTooles. Joe Stynes was the star forward of Dublinʼs 1923 all-Ireland winning side. The McCrackens disbanded in the late 1920s. Hillside GAC This short lived Club, based in the Westland Row district, was founded at a meeting held in 4 Sandwith Street in January 1893. Inisfaels In the early years of the 20th century two teams named Inishfael, a poetic name for Ireland, competed in the Dublin league; one, which still survives, was from Balgrifﬁn whereas the city club of the same name based in Leeson St-Pembroke St district had a short life. Henry Brierton of 21 Leeson Place was the secretary and also a player. Other mebers included M. Doyle, B. Doyle, P. Doyle, E. Dunne and D. Quinn.

Michael Dwyer G.F.C. This juvenile football club was formed in Ringsend in 1891 with Tom Knott of Bath Street as club secretary. St Marys Donnybrook This team existed in the 19091910 period and included 6 sets of brothers– Daly, Kinsella, Burke, Pope, Byrne and Howlett. Shamrocks G.F.C. The Shamrock club was founded in 1887 in the Denzille (Fenian) Street district where it had a clubroom. Martin Masterson was secretary. John Coakley and Pierce Ryan were delegates to the County Committee in 1888. Prominent players included, J. Williams (captain) Kennedy, Daly, Coffey, Rice, Costello, Maher and Dan Holland. Shamrocks failed to survive the Parnell split. So there you have it lads and lassies. We are steeped in history and it so vital for this present stock to keep the torches burning. There is a reference above to Fontenoys ﬁrst match being played at Elm Park in 1887. This was the site of present day St Vincentʼs Hospital. Did you know that the GAA came within a whisker of choosing this site over Jones

Road as the main venue for GAA games? Can you imagine! We could have been the nearest GAA club to headquarters and surely in with a better chance of getting extra tickets for the big match and all the patients on trolleys in hallways could have been on Jones Road!

In the next issue we will have Fontenoy up until 1950. Clanna Gael part 1 The famous Isles of the Sea and Peadar Mackens Donnybrook Davetts Sandymount GFC

Clanna Gael Fontenoy Summer Camps for 2007 are as follows: Hurling Camp: 23rd to 27th July inclusive €30. Football Camp: 30th July to 3rd August inclusive €50. Please register through your school or with Darren Magee. Tel: 086 8055354 Left page, top picture: A Clanna Gael team from c. 1951–52. Bottom picture: Clanna Under 13s with some of the Aussies from their recent visit. This page, top: Have the years been fair to this trio? Bottom picture: Do you recognise these young hurley makers at Ringsend School some years ago?

Calafort Átha Cliath

Kevin Barry G.F.C. Shortly after the execution of Kevin Barry in November 1920 a junior football club commemorating his memory was founded by Martin Kelly of 115 Haddington Road. It folded soon after.

Dublin Port Company Port Centre, Alexandra Road, Dublin 1. Telephone: 887 6000, 855 0888 Fax: 855 7400 Web: www.dublinport.ie

PAGE 14

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

M EDITATION I

By Fergal Murphy

ʼve always been intrigued with anything to do with the power of the mind over body and how, if properly prepared mentally, human beings can accomplish amazing feats and pass insurmountable odds. As for meditation, Iʼd heard stories of monks in Tibet sitting in freezing cold streams and drying wet blankets with their body heat. But, other than that, the only other things I knew about it were that it was for hippies and David Carridine did it in the TV series ʻKung Fuʼ!

About a year ago I reached a point in my life where I was sick of running around like a headless chicken and being so quick to react to negative situations. A friend of mine told me meditation had worked for him so I decided to give it a try. Before I go on any further Iʼll try and explain in simple English about meditation. There are many different forms of meditation but basically they all have one thing in common, they all focus on quietening the mind. With concentrative meditation, the attention is focussed on the breath, an image or sound

in order to direct the mind from other distractions and allow a greater awareness and clarity to emerge. Yoga and meditation practitioners believe there is a direct correlation between oneʼs breath and state of mind. For example when a person is anxious, frightened, agitated or distracted the breath will be shallow or uneven. On the other hand, when the mind is focussed, calm and composed, the breath will tend to be slow, deep and regular. Mindful meditation is the other major form of meditation. This involves opening the at-

tention to become aware of the continuously passing parade of sensations, feelings, images, thoughts, sounds and so forth without getting involved in thinking about them. To do this, the person sits quietly and simply witnesses whatever goes through the mind, not reacting or becoming involved with thoughts, memories, worries or images. This helps to gain a more calm, clear and non reactive state of mind. Some of the beneﬁts of meditation are as follows: Meditation is proven to lower the bodyʼs core temperature, which prolongs your life expectancy. Stress Control: when a person meditates they are calmer, therefore less stressed. How an individual sees things and how they handle them makes a big

difference in how much stress they experience. Pain Management: anxiety decreases the threshold for pain and pain causes anxiety, the result is a vicious cycle. Compared with those who are more relaxed those under stress experience pain more intensely and become even more stressed. High Blood Pressure: practising meditation has helped people with elevated blood pressure to relax, reducing their risk of stroke and heart attack. Now that Iʼve explained a bit about meditation and a few of the beneﬁts to you I hope you try it. I know that since Iʼve started it Iʼm a lot less anxious, less stressed, less likely to react to people and a lot more content. Though not quite drying off blankets with my body heat yet but, itʼs a start!

Ringsend Library Free Art Classes for children 7 to 12 years of age Saturday mornings 11.00 to 12.00 am Booking essential, Telephone 6680063 Free Computer Tuition Computer basics, e-mail, using the Internet Booking essential, Telephone 6680063

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 15

DUBLIN CAMERA CLUB EXHIBITION AT PEARSE STREET LIBRARY Wednesday 4 July to Saturday 28 July Contact: www.dublincameraclub.ie

Photo2007, the annual exhibition of Dublin Camera Club, will take place in the Dublin City Library, Pearse Street from 4th July to 28th July. The Library is open all days except Sunday and admission is free. Over 300 photographs, black and white and colour, from some of Ireland始s top amateur photographers will be on show. Dublin Camera Club runs Beginners and Digital classes starting each September and January. Full details at www.dublincameraclub.ie Photos, clockwise from left by: Sean Kennedy, Gerard Kelleher, Mary Donohoe, Eddie Chandler and Michael Delahunty.

10% OFF EVERYTHING UNTIL END OF AUGUST! FOR ALL YOUR BACK TO SCHOOL NEEDS Beach Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4 * Telephone: 6605150 * Fax: 6608499

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

Bookworm ʻThe Singer and the Songʼ By Audrey Healy

his month saw the paperback publication of an exciting new book by Longford writer and Newsfour contributor Audrey Healy. In ʻThe Singer and the Songʼ, Audrey speaks to a number of Irish musicians about the inspiration and stories behind some of the nationʼs favourite songs. Sixty musicians explain the inspiration behind a favourite song they have composed or performed, giving us an insight into how classics such as Pete St Johnʼs ʻThe Fields of Athenryʼ and Phil Coulter ʼs ʻThe Town I Loved So Wellʼ were written. This is Audreyʼs fourth book, but this is the one of which she is most proud.

“It came together in six months and it turned out bigger and better than I had imagined it would,” said Audrey. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to Brainwave, The Irish Epilepsy Association and as someone with epilepsy, Audrey is only too aware of the stigma attached to the condition and has made it a personal goal to raise peopleʼs awareness about the condition. The idea for the book came about around the time Audrey interviewed Charlie McGettigan. As well as being a talented journalist, Audrey also writes poetry and on this occasion, Charlie happened to read some. He was so impressed that

he has now recorded five of them into songs, two of which were released on his most recent album ʻStolen Momentsʼ. ʻThe Singer and the Songʼ features contributions from Brian Kennedy, Paul Brady, Christy Moore, Phil Coulter, Joe Dolan, Christie Hennessy, Charlie McGettigan, Paddy Cole, Liam Clancy, Mary Coughlan, Gemma Hayes, Eleanor McEvoy, Don Baker, Declan OʼRourke, John Spillane, as well as the Saw Doctors and Pat Shortt. For lighter reading, Audrey included Pat Shortt who chose to explain the origins of his recent hit, ʻJumbo Breakfast Rollʼ. The all-important song lyrics of ʻJumbo Breakfast Rollʼ are also included in the collection. All the lyrics of all the songs featured are included. ʻThe Singer and the Songʼ is on sale in Easons, Books on the Green and all good bookshops, price €8.99.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 17 I see in a distant wind But sorrow and silence Are the woodʼs threnody The silence for you And the sorrow for me.

F RANCIS L EDWIDGE T HE

POET OF THE BLACKBIRD and short poems.” Despite his new-found fame he was very unhappy after his rejection by his sweetheart Ellie Vaughey, daughter of a wealthy landowner from nearby Mornington. She married John OʼNeill and after seven months she was about to give birth prematurely and was rushed to hospital. A Caesarean section was found necessary and she died during the operation. This inspired him to write an elegy for Ellie entitled ʻTo One Deadʼ.

The ship refers to his pending departure to the war and threnody is a song of lament. The mossupholstered stone can be seen in the beautiful garden behind the cottage. Although a devoted and active Irish Nationalist, he presented himself at Richmond Barracks Inchicore in 1914 and enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. In doing so he recognised that he and other soldiers would be denigrated for ﬁghting in the British services, even though many had

volunteered after being assured that it would bring Home Rule closer. In 1915 he saw action at Gallipoli and in 1917 he was killed at the third battle of Ypres on 31st July. He is buried in Boesighe Cemetery in Belgium. Ledwidge continues to fascinate successive generations and a very active and energetic Ledwidge Society is based in Inchicore. Poetry readings are held in the summer at the Memorial Gardens Islandbridge and there are plans to have a sculpture erected in cooperation with the Ofﬁce of Public Works. For more information on the life of Francis Ledwidge www. francisledwidge.com

A blackbird singing On a moss-upholstered stone, Bluebells swinging Shadows wildly blown, A song in the wood, A ship on the sea. The song was for you And the ship was for me.

By Austin Cromie

rancis Ledwidge 18871917 was born in Slane, Co. Meath. He endured a childhood of dreadful hardship before leaving school at fourteen to work as a farm labourer, copper miner, road worker and union organiser. Throughout this time he was producing a vast body of lyric poetry. Francis burst onto the literary

scene just before the First World War with his volume of poems ʻSongs of the Fieldsʼ (1915) giving him considerable status alongside Rupert Brooke and Tom Kettle as a war poet. His literary mentor, Lord Dunsany, became his friend, adviser and patron. Most of his poetry focused on the myth, landscape and history of County Meath. About his style, he remarked “You know, I like simplicity and I love short words, short lines

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

Film Scene•••By Michael Hilliard ‘Ocean’s Thirteen’ Clooney, Pitt, and Damon return to anchor the third entry in the super-slick heist franchise, under the direction of Stephen Soderbergh. Most of the ʻOceanʼs Elevenʼ and ʻTwelveʼ cast return, with only Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones absent, but not missed. This, possibly final, chapter makes up for the oft-derided second

instalment, by returning to the setting that made us care in the first place; Las Vegas. “What are the odds of getting even”, reads the tagline, as the story centres around a revenge plot on hotel tycoon Willy Bank (think an overthe-top Donald Trump), played by Al Pacino, for swindling and bankrupting their friend and financier, Reuben (Elliot Gould), one

of the original eleven. While never quite reaching the heights of ʻElevenʼsʼ razor sharp dialogue and untouchably cool look (perhaps as third time out, itʼs simply not as fresh), ʻOceans Thirteenʼ nonetheless progresses with breathtaking pace, plot twists and reveals, unravelling and dazzling in equal turn, no matter how farfetched the situation. A certain degree of suspension of disbelief must be employed with these type of movies. Essentially, we all know whatʼs going to happen come the end credits, but the fun part is how we get there. All the leads are in top form, with Damon yet again, the stand out, unsurprisingly bringing a depth of character to the thinly written Linus Caldwell. Itʼs business as usual for Clooney and Pitt: say cool things and look good doing it! The cast all seem to be having fun and it shines through on screen, bringing an almost whimsical feeling to it all. Andy Garcia, an often insipid performer, has been eminently watchable in these movies, and is given a chance here, to have a little fun with his Terry Benedict character, and it pays off, for the hilarious finale. A fun summer movie then, it lives up to the high standard set by the first movie, redeems the second, and closes out this first trilogy perfectly. The box office receipts for this one should make ʻOceans Fourteenʼ a sure thing. 3.5 out of 5

‘Grindhouse’ Directors Quentin Tarantino (ʻKill Billʼ) and Robert Rodriquez (ʻSin Cityʼ), bring this unique proposition to the table, each directing a feature-length homage to seventiesʼ exploitation horror flicks, under the ʻGrindhouseʼ banner. First up is Rodriguezʼs ʻPlanet Terrorʼ which involves zombies, a machine-gun legged heroine (Rose Mc Gowan), and buckets of blood. We are then treated to a series of fake trailers for movies that donít exist, but could, featuring everyone from Danny Trejo to Simon Pegg. ʻDeath Proofʼ is Tarantinoʼs

offering, a slasher movie with cars and is, it must be said, the superior movie. ʻPlanet Terrorʼ was the most reckless fun to be had at a movie this year,

ʻDeath Proofʼ, while infinitely less in-your-face, left the lasting impression. ʻPlanet Terrorʼ oozes a kind of sick charm, and the laughs come thick and fast. There are cameos from Bruce Willis and Tarantino himself. Honestly, the plot is about as run-of-themill as any zombie movie, but the key to the success of the film is in its execution, and when the level of creativity on show here is brought to the screen, plot weakness can be easily forgiven. With ʻDeath Proofʼ, the slow build-up, Tarantinoʼs trademark rapid-fire dialogue, and, Kurt Russellʼs performance as crazed serial killing stunt driv-

er, Stuntman Mike, combine to make this movie a must-see. Potential audiences for these movies will know by the most basic of plot outlines, whether ʻGrindhouseʼ is for them or not. It is an acquired taste, but for anybody who enjoys films like Peter Jacksonʼs ʻBad Tasteʼ, Sam Raimisʼs ʻEvil Deadʼ series, or any of the so-called ʻvideo nastiesʼ from the eighties, will have an absolute ball with ʻPlanet Terrorʼ. ʻDeath Proofʼ is undoubtedly the more mainstream audience-friendly portion, and will be released before ʻTerrorʼ in Europe this summer. 4.5 out of 5

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 19

‘A N E NDURING P RESENCE ’ N EW

BOOK LAUNCHED ON THE HISTORY OF

By Paddy Boyle

o commemorate the 175th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of St. Andrewʼs, Westland Row on the 30th April 1832, Ms Elizabeth Watson, one of our parish-

T WO

S T A NDREW ’ S C HURCH

ioners has written this beautiful book to give us a taste of the history, not only of the Church but of the area, from the time of the Vikings to the present day. The title of this volume, ʻAn Enduring Presenceʼ is particularly appropriate when one thinks that there has been a

place of worship dedicated to St. Andrew in the area of Westland Row since the time of the Normans. Over the centuries there has been a succession of Churches built to accommodate the needs of the local community, culminating in the building of the present structure in the 1830s and 1840s. St. Andrewʼs has indeed been an ʻEnduring Presenceʼ in the long and sometimes complex history of the area and of the city of Dublin. It has seen the coming and going of kingdoms and empires, of good times and bad times. It has witnessed the birth of new ideas, philosophies and religions. It was here during times of upheaval and vast change in society, politics and religion. There were times when it nearly vanished with the tide of history only to rise again and to continue its role and mission to be a place of peace and prayer, most of all,

GIFTED MEN HONOURED Louis le Brocquy, born in Dublin in 1916 says “To me painting is not a means of communication or even self-expression, but rather a process of discovery or uncovering.” He is one of the few Irish artists whose work is represented in the collections of such prestigious galleries as the Guggenhim in New York and the Tate in London. Pictured left is Thomas Kinsella with Austin Cromie, one of our regular contributors. Below: Louis leBrocquy.

for the people of the area. If St. Andrewʼs is about anything it is about the people of the Westland Row area. The local community of each generation have built and rebuilt the Church and the present St. Andrewʼs is still its focal point of worship and prayer. It is in St. Andrewʼs that we mark and celebrate the great moments of life, Baptism, Marriage, Death. Countless generations have come to St. Andrewʼs in moments of joy and of sorrow, to celebrate and to mourn, to pray and to search for that peace that the world cannot give. In her book Elizabeth Watson manages to present to us a broad sweep of the history of this ʻEnduring Presenceʼ from the times of the Vikings and the Normans down to the present. We are given in a beautifully direct and in-

formative manner a glimpse into an incredible and varied past, of the momentous events and personages who helped shape and form not only the past but also the present while at the same time pointing us to the future. I wish to thank and congratulate Elizabeth for what she has done in compiling this history. Her dedication to her task, her meticulous research and attention to detail has been marvellous. The finished work will Iʼm sure bring great satisfaction to all who read it and it is a fitting testimony to the local community and the Enduring Presence of St. Andrewʼs here in Westland Row. ʻAn Enduring Presenceʼ can be purchased, priced €10, from the Parish Office of St Andrewʼs Westland Row which is open daily from 9.30 to 2.00.

The Yacht Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, 6680977

By Austin Cromie

wo exceptionally gifted men, both major ﬁgures in Irelandʼs cultural life, Thomas Kinsella and Louis le Brocquy, have been bestowed with the Freedom of the City of Dublin. Le Brocquy is widely regarded as Irelandʼs leading living artist and Kinsella through

his poetry has kept the spirit of the city alive. Thomas Kinsella could, in fact, be described as ʻDublinʼs laureateʼ. He has contemplated his city, reconstructed it and subjected it to the transformative power of his imagination. He was further honoured by a plaque which was unveiled at 37 Phoenix Street where he lived for the ﬁrst ten years of his life.

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PAGE 20

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

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PAGE 21

Rebecca is Slovenia-bound

They have the energy AT THE recent Energy Workshop in St Matthewʼs School, much fun and experimentation was had by all. Pictured above are pupils Joshua Butler, Aidan Coll, Emma Clarke and Danielle Preston.

REBECCA NAGLE from Sandymount has been selected by Basketball Ireland to take part in a special basketball camp for the elite players in Europe at Under 15 level in June. The camp is run by the European Basketball Association who have awarded scholarships for the best players from all European countries. Europeʼs top coaches will be there to further improve their skills. Rebecca is captain of the Irish National Ladiesʼ squad at Under 16 level. Mark Nagle, Rebeccaʼs brother, is in the Ireland Under 18 squad and should be playing next season with the St Vincentʼs Super League Menʼs team.

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PAGE 22

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

V OLUNTARY T UITION P ROGRAMME I NAUGURAL

AWARDS CEREMONY IN VOLUNTEERISM

etty Watson (pictured on far right) along with two other women, founded the Voluntary Tuition Programme over twenty years ago. These women were very active in their community and recognised the need for educational support for the children of their community. The local community and students from Trinity College formed a committee. This Committee developed the Programme and over the years it has gone from strength to strength, now with over 400 Trinity College students who offer voluntary tuition to over 400 pupils during the academic year, both primary and secondary. Members of the Programme, from both the community and Trinity Col-

lege were honoured for their valuable, unseen and unheralded work at the Printing House Trinity College Dublin in April 2007. Stephen Connon Ringsendʼs most dedicated tutor over the past two years, Stephen is dedicated to bringing the Irish language to his numerous pupils. Sarah Gubbins Always willing to stay for that extra hour, Sarah has been with the programme for four years. Esther Kelly Esther has been in the programme for ten years and treasurer for the past ﬁve years. She runs the Primary Drama Club. Sarah Kimberley

Involved with the programme since she started in Trinity College, she tutors several pupils as well helping to promote the programme within the College. Cillian Murphy One of the best primary school tutors, Cillian has been in the programme for all his time in college, this year volunteering four hours a week. Fran Murphy Fran is a key link between the programme and the schools in her area. She runs secondary tuition at Goldsmith Hall. A special award for his design of the Voluntary Tuition Programme logo went to Jordan Byrne of Markievicz House.

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Anne Frank’s Diary By Nessa Jennings

ʻI

once told you that, after years of being adored, it was hard for me to adjust to the harsh reality of grown-ups and rebukesʼ. Anne Frank kept a diary from 12 June 1942 to 1 August 1944, using her newly-acquired diary which she received as a birthday present when she was thirteen. By ﬁfteen, she is forced to stop, by which time she acknowledges her one outstanding character trait, ʻI have a great deal of self-knowledgeʼ. Her family were forced into hiding in The Annexe during World War II in a building in Amsterdam; there she ﬁnds her independence of mind and freely expresses her likes and dislikes as she describes their incarcerated life together where hunger is nothing compared to getting caught: ʻLast night we had another little scare! We were in the middle of dinner when suddenly someone knocked on the wall next door. For the rest of the evening we were nervous and gloomy.ʼ They survive on rations and news reports of the war, huddled around a big radio. They also study and have domestic jobs to do. Cooking is one of the most depressing, as food items are often in short supply. ʻA food cycle is a period in which we have only one particular dish or type of vegetable

to eat. There are brown beans in everything including the bread.ʼ A lot happens in a day. She uses beautiful, clear language. There is Mouschi the cat for company. There is a message here for young people. It is a masterpiece of great historical signiﬁcance due to its context. On 4 August 1944, the eight people hiding in the Secret Annexe were arrested. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March of 1945. The Diary of Anne Frank is available at Books on the Green, Sandymount and all good book shops.

Below: The house where Anne hid from the Germans.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 23

G ROWING UP IN ‘T HE E MERGENCY ’ By Sonny Kinsella

id you ever think what it was like to grow up in the early forties? When the Second World War was on everything was rationed and times were very hard, especially for the parents with large families. Ireland was a neutral country while the rest of Europe was at war and many Irish men signed up to join the forces. Some became heroes and many more never came home. Others went to work in Birmingham, Coventry and London. Back home in Dublin we made our own enjoyment, especially in the summer by playing street games such as relevio, spinning the top and whipping it along the road, running and racing with an old bicycle wheel and using a stick to drive it as fast as we could. We enjoyed a game of football played in the middle of the road in the late evening or on Sunday after the dinner. You had to make a run for it as soon as the squad car appeared on the scene. The girls played their own games of hop scotch or piggy as some called it. Skipping was another favourite and playing shops, using pieces of broken coloured glass for money that they called chaneys. It was a novelty to play in St Stephenʼs Green or the Custom House park on the north quays. The ʻpenny bathsʼ in Tara Street was the only swimming pool in the area, the alternative being the river Liffey and unfortunately some lives

were lost through drowning. In order to go to the pictures we often went around the streets looking for empty stout or whiskey bottles and jam jars too, which we sold to Francie Connolly who had an old bottle store in Townsend Street. If you wanted extra money you collected old clothes and sold them to Mickey Maslins in Rath Row. Lead piping or any other metal was brought to Woodhams and Mooreʼs scrap yard in Luke Street. In the war years the roads were made of wooden blocks which were covered with boiling tar and pitch to preserve them from the weather. They were very dangerous in the winter to the horse trafﬁc on the road as the blocks became very slippery and many is the horse that came crashing to the ground. When the road was in need of repair the women would take up the worn or broken blocks. If you were lucky enough to get a few of the old blocks you had the makings of a great ﬁre. The only time we saw white bread during the war was when the sailors came in to Dublin, other than that we only had brown bread. Tea and sugar were very badly missed through the rationing but the word would go around that Ned Connolly in Moss Street had got a consignment of tea from the sailors which he sold on the black market but you had to be known to him or you wouldnʼt get it. Gas was rationed too and it would only be turned on for certain hours of the day. The rest of the time it was turned off by the gas company

but a little always trickled through to cause a glimmer which was illegal to use. The man who came around the houses to check on the illegal use of gas was known as the Glimmer Man. We got vouchers from the government for a bag of turf which we would collect in an old pram or a box car from the turf depot. These depots were spread out all over Dublin. The people who had no way of collecting it usually paid a

few pence for someone to collect it for them. The local man who had a horse and cart did great business in this way. The turf and logs were used during war time as coal could not be brought in from foreign parts on account of the German submarines. Many Irish ships were torpedoed trying to bring coal and other important goods into Ireland. Even though we were neutral and ﬂying the Irish ﬂag it still didnʼt prevent

the attacks from submarines and planes. Growing up during the war was very hard but we got through it just the same and when the war ended things slowly came back to normal and by this time we were all beginning to grow up. Left: OʼConnell Street 1944. Five years earlier the central reservation was regularly lined with cars. Bottom; The ʻArdmoreʼ, mined and sunk off the Saltees in 1940.

Thank you for your vote of confidence

T.D.

PAGE 24

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

F ICTION

IMITATES FACT AN

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR J ODI P ICOULT

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By Audrey Healy

ow could bestselling US author Jodi Picoult ever have known that when she set out to write her fourteenth novel, based on a school shooting, that it would be released days before the tragic Virginia school massacre, making her work of ﬁction more raw and real than any of her previous ones? Reading each line and each personal story while the real thing unfolded before our very eyes made it a more disturbing and all too graphic reminder of just how cruel life can be and just how gifted a writer Picoult is. Since the phenomenal success of her novel ʻMy Sisterʼs Keeperʼ, Picoult has seen the re-release of her previous novels ʻSecond Glanceʼ, ʻSalem Fallsʼ, ʻKeeping Faithʼ, ʻPlain Truthʼ and ʻThe Tenth Circleʼ to name but a few. But it is the newly-published ʻNineteen Minutesʼ and the recent real-life tragedy that forced her to issue a statement directed at the victims of the worst school shooting in US history, which saw the death of over thirty people. “As a parent, my deepest sympathy goes out to the victims and families of the Virginia Tech community,” she said recently. “Although shootings on college campuses are often motivated by different factors than the ones I researched for high school shootings in ʻNineteen Minutesʼ, any time something like this happens it is tragic and raises questions. However, the one we should be asking right now is: How can we help this community heal?” In what has been described as an ʻemotionally charged novelʼ, Picoult delves beneath the surface of a small town to explore what it means to be different in our society. Sterling, New Hampshire is where seventeen year old high school student Peter Houghton has endured years of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of his classmates. One day it all gets too much for Peter and armed with a loaded gun he goes to

school and fires indiscriminately, killing ten people and injuring many more. As with previous Picoult novels there is intrigue, suspense and surprise around every corner and readers will be kept gripped to the end. Speaking exclusively to ʻNewsFourʼ, Jodi said of her recent trip to Dublin. “I went to a lot of bookstores, and did a wonderful event one night. I also got to catch up and have dinner with an old college friend of mine whoʼs temporarily living in Dublin! As always, the people of Ireland were charming and welcoming– itʼs always a treat to visit.” When researching for ʻNineteen Minutesʼ she discovered that contrary to being the stereotypical ʻlonerʼ or ʻcrazed gunmanʼ, the person holding the firearm may not be any different to you or me. “Although the media is quick to list the ʻaberrantʼ characteristics of a school shooter, the truth is that they fit all teens at some point in their adolescence. Or in other words– these kids who resort to violence are not all that different from the one living upstairs in your own house, most likely– as scary as that is to imagine. “Two other facts that surprised me: for many of these shooters, there is the thinnest line between suicide and homicide. They go to the school planning to kill themselves and decide at the last minute to shoot others too. And that, psychologically, a single act of childhood bullying is as scarring emotionally as a single act of sexual abuse. “From the point of view of the survivors, I remember being stunned when this young man I interviewed said that afterward, when his parents were try-

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ing to be solicitous and ask him if he needed anything, he turned away from them. He was angry that they hadnʼt been like that yesterday, before the event. “Historically, one of the most upsetting things I learned was that after Columbine, more than one family was told that their child was the first to be killed. It was theoretically supposed to offer them comfort (ʻmy child went first, and didnʼt sufferʼ) but backfired when several families realised theyʼd been told the same thing.” As the successful author of fourteen bestselling novels and mother of three children just how does this busy mother continuously come up with good original ideas? “The right idea is the one you canʼt stop thinking about; the one thatʼs in your head first thing in the morning,” she reveals. “The ideas choose me, not the other way around. And as for a shortage I havenʼt faced that yet. I could tell you what the next four books Iʼm writing will address.” ʻNinteen Minutesʼ is published by Hodder & Stoughton. www. jodipicoult.com and is available from Books on the Green.

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PAGE 25

L ISTOWEL W RITERS ’ W EEK W HERE

By Nessa Jennings

he opening ceremony at the 37th Writersʼ Week Festival in Listowel was a grand affair this year with the handing out of substantial cash prizes in various categories: Joseph OʼConnor had the audience splitting their sides with the humour from one of his books– itself a sketch of being at a writersʼ festival. The main prize was the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award 2007. This yearʼs short-listed novels were: ʻChristine Fallsʼ by Benjamin Black (actually John Banville); ʻJulius Winsomeʼ by Gerard Donovan; ʻPaula Spencerʼ by Roddy Doyle; ʻTenderwireʼ by Claire Kilroy; ʻWinterwoodʼ by Patrick McCabe. Carlo Gebler and Anne Enright picked the short-list and the eventual winner was Roddy Doyle. I had to start school the following day. I went to the Community School up the road like a world-weary lifelong learner, but

CRAIC MEETS CULTURE

the enthusiasm was tremendous. Nuala OʼFaolain (memoir), Gerry Stembridge (comedy), and Billy Roche (creative writing) were giving workshops. The workshop tradition was inaugurated by Bryan MacMahon in Listowel in the 1970s. There was craic in John B. Keaneʼs pub on Friday night, and ʻThe Healingʼ which takes place every year in John Bʼs on Sunday, which is a free-for-all for artists and poets. I went to the Kingdom bar for Poetʼs Corner, a well-mannered session giving voice to many performers, including myself (poetry: we think out loud), proving that ʻthe Irish Literary Tradition is a living thingʼ. The evening was introduced by George Rowley from Beaumount in Dublin, who had just launched his ʻA Memoirʼ. Book launches, drama, art and photography exhibitions, and music performances were the stuff of the four days. A statue of John B. Keane (pictured right) was unveiled by Niall Tobin in the small

square in Listowel where the wind was laced with rain. Andrew Motion, the UK Poet Laureate, was there to give a reading of what sounded like free verse, with recitation like a train. He said there were two parts to a poem: the conscious part you can follow, and the subconscious part. He said that the poet needed three things: To engage with life (no ivory towers); to read (for ideas); and to ﬁnd the magic in ordinary things. As Poet Laureate, he responds to signiﬁcant events in the royal calendar, like the Queenʼs birthday, and also watches national events. Esther Perel spoke about her book ʻMating in Captivity– Reconciling the Erotic and the Domesticʼ. The book is already a best-seller in many countries. I donʼt know if this book contains the formula for passion but it is certainly an interpretation of whatʼs happening in relationships in the modern world. She should know, as she is practising (in eight languages) as a couples and family

psychotherapist with a private practice in New York City. Melvyn Bragg, who since 1978, has been writer, editor and presenter of ʻThe South Bank Showʼ, was one of the highlights. He was talking about ʻ12 Books That Changed The Worldʼ among which are ʻThe Rule Book of Association Footballʼ (1863), ʻOn The Origin of the Speciesʼ by Charles Darwin, and ʻMarie Stopesʼs ʻMarried Loveʼ (1918), which dealt with pleasure and contraception for the first time. They couldnʼt print enough of these, and copies of the book were being smuggled in suitcases into America, where it was banned. The book revolutionised peopleʼs thinking about sexuality and fertility. Alain de Botton, a Swiss philosopher, living in London spoke and gave a slide show ʻArchitecture of Happinessʼ, a book about architecture, and how it influences our lives. Leaving Listowel the next day, I reflected that there had been less craic than culture. And with everyone down there concentrating on their art, it had been a serious business, but still very heartening.

PAGE 26

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

Sports Desk Sponsored by

Compiled by Derek Buckley THE NOEL FOX MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT The dates have been confirmed for this year with the four quarter-finals commencing between Monday 23rd through until Thursday 26th July, kick-off 6.45 pm followed by the semifinals on 30th and 31st July at 6.45 pm and the final being moved forward from Sunday to Saturday 4th August at 3 pm to accommodate the Shamrock Rovers match on the following Monday. To date we have 6 confirmed teams who are as follows: St Patʼs CY, Liffey Pearse, Ringsend Rovers, Railway Union, Bridge United and Aungier Celtic. Both Markievicz Celtic and Vintage Docklands have to confirm their participation. The draw will be held on Friday 6th July at 8 pm in the Raytown Bar, Ringsend. Entrance fee of €150 must be paid before the night of the draw. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Chris Andrews and Fianna Fáil for the sponsorship of the Noel Fox Tournament.

Raytown Bar

MANAGERS OF THE SEASON I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate two managers who both achieved league and cup doubles with their clubs. These awards were divided into two sections, junior and senior. The runner-up of the junior section was David Doyle from Cambridge Boys FC with his runaway league success and the runner-up of the senior award went to Noel McDonnell from Ringsend Rovers for his fantastic cup win. Now onto our main event, the Junior winner of the season goes to Jason Flood from Bath Rangers and our Senior winner goes to Charlie Bowden from St Patʼs CY. Jason Floodʼs award was given to him for his success in both league and cup. His team pipped both Castle Celtic and Belmont FC to claim the SDSL under 13s Division 2 League. Jasonʼs best result of the season was his 1:0 victory over Cabinteely in the cup where his lads were outstanding. Next season Bath United go Premier under 14s, a challenge Jason canʼt wait for. Jasonʼs hardest decision has yet to be made– player of the season, and he is undecided between half a dozen players. Jason reckons what kept morale high all season was the rotation of the captainʼs armband. Heʼd also like to thank key men like Peter Dowling and David Kemple for their

contribution to the team and Robert McDonnell and Michael Quann for their effort off the pitch. This is Jasonʼs ﬁrst taste of success as manager: as a player he served his time with Bridge United and then moved on to Irishtownʼs over 35s. Because of injuries he retired and as you know he has been an instant success in management. Maybe in years to come Jason might consider senior management but at the moment he remains loyal to Bath United FC. Jason would like to thank the clubʼs sponsors, Waterbourne Riverservice, Londis and Ringsend Community Centre. “Without them we wouldnt be where we are today.” Senior winner Charlie Bowden received the award for also doing the double– Champions of the Leinster Senior Major Division Sunday by a convincing 8 points and winners of the Polikoff Cup

after thrashing Rath Howth, 3:0. Charlie and success seem to follow one another in his four year period in charge of Patʼs. Theyʼve won the Italian Embassy Cup, the Billy Murphy Cup, the Major Leinster League, the Polikoff Cup two years ago and his team have been promoted twice. St Patʼs are the ﬁrst Ringsend team to introduce intermediate football to the area, also beware fellow managers, he has his eye on the Noel Fox Cup as well. Charlie has a wealth of experience: he started his footballing days with Liffeyʼs and then went on to manage them and then on to St Patʼs as player and ended up as manager. Charlie is dedicated to Patʼs 100%, a club where his heart will always lie and he would like to take this opportunity to thank his right hand man Ben Hannigan “who has been with me through

thick and thin”, also Tony Roe and John Montgomery. In years to come Charlie reckons Patʼs will be a major force in intermediate football and thanks all past and current members for their services, also the sponsors Alan Flanagan, Sandymount Credit Union, Gleesonʼs and The Yacht. Both Jason and Charlie would like to thank ʻNewsFourʼ for their support. Top left: John with Charlie Bowden. Below: Cliff with Jason Flood.

TEXAS HOLD ʻEM Every Monday The Raytown Bar Registration 6.30 pm Every second week– Freezeouts

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

T HE By Grace Charley

eith Hill looks every bit the keen gardener sitting on his lawnmower cutting away at overgrown hedges. But Keith is a paraplegic and his lawnmower is just one of the many modes of transport he uses– along with his car and wheelchair. Speaking about the car accident that left Keith paralysed from the waist down, there is little acrimony. Instead, he remains remarkably upbeat and resilient. “You either lie under it or you get up and deal with it,” says

T HE

PAGE 27

MAN BEHIND THE WHEELS Keith bravely talking about how he has had to learn to cope with his disability. Of course, coming to terms with paraplegia was tough in the beginning. Not only a keen sportsman and traveller, Keith worked as a civil servant and youth worker. Comprehending life with almost certain physical limitations wasnʼt going to prove easy, especially for someone whose life was always an active one. There were many dark days to endure before Keith eventually accepted that life would never be what he once knew. The dark days would never fully disappear

LAST POST ?

FOR THE best part of a century it has stood halfway along Park Avenue, an unpretentious conduit for peopleʼs correspondence. Its slot was always open and welcoming. It did not protest even when An Post bolted a hideous square backpack onto it. Sadly, a few months ago, its door was removed with considerable force and it has since become an unofﬁcial waste bin and grafﬁti target. The lack of urgency from An Post to restore it is no surprise. In Germany or America it would have been repaired immediately, but here it is apparently considered an uneconomic nuisance and just too much trouble.

but with sheer determination and unwavering support from his many friends, Keith has managed to build a very fulfilling life. The first night I called over to Keith for a chat was on Good Friday. The pubs were shut so I presumed that he, like the rest of the country, was bracing himself for a quiet night in. But my mother, a nurse who tends to Keith, had pre-warned me that it wouldnʼt be unlike Keith to be hosting one of his many dinner parties on this particular night. Sure enough, when we pulled up into his yard, there was a row of cars parked up outside. I popped in to arrange a more convenient time to visit, but Keith wouldnʼt let me and my mother leave without tasting his mushroom starters, which was an accompaniment to the glass of red we suddenly found ourselves holding. To many, Good Friday symbolises penance and the absence of a good steak. Sitting around Keithʼs big wooden table, there wasnʼt a sniff of scourging guilt or dead fish in the giddy air. And itʼs obvious from Keithʼs company that losing the power in oneʼs legs does not mean having to lose oneʼs sense of humour. When people ask Keith about his accident, he prefers to give them a tongue-in-cheek version of the story which usually includes the words, Karma and Sutra. “Who wants to hear a story involving black ice? Itʼs boring,” laughs Keith stroking his Gandolf-like beard. But behind the razor-sharp wit is a much deeper side. Keith likes nothing better than to discuss the state of the world and all who preside in it. During the second pre-arranged visit, we talked more about political correctness. I was telling him about a meeting we had in work recently where I discovered that itʼs permissible to use the word ʻdisabilityʼ but not ʻdisabledʼ– even though they were of the same literal variation, and that not so long ago, the word ʻhandicapʼwas more than acceptable. Keith sighs at the mere notion of political correctness. For him, the world has become ridiculous in its attempts to box and label people. If he were to take himself so seriously, he doubts heʼd ever get out of bed in the morning. As for labelling, he refers to

himself as a ʻcrippleʼ. He sees no malignancy in the word. Itʼs just a word. Those who have not yet accepted themselves, disability or no disability, fail to see the lighter side of life and therefore take issue with everything. The same positive approach applies to the subject of disabled parking and other such facilities. Although, Keith advocates for all areas to be accessible for people with limited physical ability, he remains pragmatic. “There are always going to be a few places where ramps are just not practical and I am quite happy to get past that whatever way I can,” says Keith speaking about his local pub being unavoidably illequipped to fully accommodate his needs. But far be it for a ramp to stop Keith in joining in with the revelling. Socialising outside does have its advantages. It means not having to queue up at the bar and unlimited personal service. One loud beep of the horn outside the supermarket and Keith gets the ingredients for a pending dinner party delivered promptly to his car. But Keith divulges an altogether cheekier advantage to

having to use a wheelchair. “You get plenty of women wanting to sit on your lap,” he smiles with devilment. Keithʼs reckoning is that, because of his disability, women perceive him to be non-threatening. Far from feeling patronised, Keithʼs more than happy with the arrangement. Being numb from the waist down does not dispel all sense of pleasure, sexual or otherwise. On the contrary, certain limitations have long proved to activate and heighten other dormant areas of the body, especially those in the brain. On reﬂection, Keith is happy to be alive. “My life may have been different before, but that doesnʼt necessarily mean it was better.” Of course, being able to walk again would be a dream come true. This recurring dream is pinned on the hope that one day doctors will be able to repair Keithʼs severed spinal cord. And according to friends who keep Keith constantly updated on the developments of medical science, his dream may well soon become a reality.

Regency Walled Garden Open 2 pm to 6 pm on Saturday 30 June and Saturday 18th August 2007 In aid of St Stephen’s Peppercanister Church Restoration At rear 75 Frankfort Avenue, Rathgar, Dublin 6 Entance via Garville Road Adults welcome

PAGE 28

RDRD:

nce again the Ringsend and District Response to Drugs (RDRD) celebrated their annual ceremony in Clanna Gael Hall. The Lord Mayor Councillor Vincent Jackson ofﬁciated and congratulated the Board of Management and staff of RDRD on the quality of the service provided and their energy and dedication. Seven participants received special awards in recognition of their recovery. Thirteen others graduated from the Drug Awarenes course and were presented with certiﬁcates

The NewsFour

Crossword

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

INCREASING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

by Jim Doyle of HSE. Dublin Port Company presented eight special awards to the family members in recognition of their support. Teresa Weafer, Manager of RDRD, praised Dublin Port for their generosity in funding this event and also some of the programmes on offer. Tom Crilly, Chairman and Elizabeth Vice Chair of RDRD made presentations to Enda Connellan and Brenda Daly of Dublin Port in recognition of their valued involvement. Tom Crilly made a special tribute

to Charlie Murphy, Joe Grennell and Aileen Foran of Ringsend Action Project for their commitment and dedication to the service in the area. Tom also highlighted the on-

Name:…………………………… Address:………………………… Telephone:…………………

going and outstanding support for the project from St Andrews, the Gardaí, Ringsend Community Centre, Ringsend Training Workshop, Clanna Gael, ʻNewsFourʼ and a number of local groups across the city. A heartfelt drama piece highlighting the issue of grandparents was presented. In some cases grandparents are left to raise their grandchildren if their own children are struggling and affected by drugs. This gave a very strong message on addiction in the home and the ripple effect it has on the family. It also highlighted the lack of support to grandparents dealing

with the situation. The women presenting the play were magniﬁcent and received a standing ovation. Special thanks are due to Robbie Byrne who facilitated the RDRD drama group. Many quality services are provided to the community by RDRD with increasing community involvement. For further information on the programmes on offer please contact Teresa Weafer, Manager or Tom Crilly, Chairman at 6677666. Main picture, left to right: Teresa Weafer, Enda Connellan, Brenda Daly, Tom Crilly and Betty Bissett. Below: Participants who received special awards.

June crossword compiled by Killian Holmes Winner of the April crossword was Pat McEvitt of Goatstown Entries for June competition to be received by 30 July ACROSS 1 Area assigned to a priest (6) 4 -------- Row, church 175 years old this year (8) 9 Long sleeved Persian garment (6) 10 God? Sit on the fence. (8) 12 It might pay a dividend (5) 13 Fine Gael councillor recently elected TD for Dublin South East (9) 15 Mythical king whose children turned into swans (3) 16 Rags to riches story about an orphan (5) 17 Called up, summoned (6) 22 Words in a play for the audience to hear but not other characters (5) 24 Son of Cain, father of Methuselah (5) 27 To strike a light blow (3) 28 Fiery red pimple (9) 31 Speed in heats (anag.) (5) 32 To speed up the process of, get things done efﬁciently (8) 33 The hard glossy natural coating over the crown of a tooth (6) 34 The child born on this day works hard for a living (8) 35 Possessions having value (6) DOWN 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 11 14 18 19 20 21 25 26 29 30

Its capital is Islamabad (8) Tunes or abstains (8) Without remorse, barefaced, also a controversial TV show (9) Baby one born in Donegal recently (5) Type of ladyʼs underwear or sandal (5) Very clever, shrewd (6) Respectable, worthy (6) A level layer of material applied to a ﬂoor or other surface (6) Used for writing and printing (3) Edible mollusc often taken with Guinness (6) These animals are the longest gestating mammals (9) A clear soup (8) Coaxes by ﬂattery or endearments, cajoles (8) Prison warders (slang) (6) Oxter (Scotland or N.England) (5) The ----- study never gets to play the leading role (5) A short sleeved garment worn by a chorister or terra ----- red clay (5)

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 29

C OMMUNION ? C OME

By Grace Charley

ew statements irritate me more than ʻWait till you have children of your own, then youʼll understand.ʼ True, Iʼve never had to get up

for a 3am feed (except for myself of course) and I canʼt really empathise with the concerns of a mother whose child is running a temperature, thatʼs fair enough. But that does not mean that I canʼt have an opinion on the €200 trainers that parents are forking out to keep up

C ELEBRATING

with the ʻlittle Jonesesʼ. I recently had a chat with a mother who said her children refuse to wear clothes from Dunnes Stores and Penneyʼs. And she said it like it was her childrenʼs fault that she hardly had enough to pay the bills. The bigger the presents get, the more convinced I am that this whole spending lark is more to do with the giant ego of parents. Take Holy Communion– or the mini-brideʼs day out as I like to call it. When I made my communion, we were like dirty little angels running around playing ʻstuck in the mudʼ in our short white dresses and black patent shoes. Nowadays, children are forced to sit like little white statues in case they chip their French polished nails or streak their St. Tropez tan. Itʼs ridiculous. I passed a little communion girl in a white horse-drawn carriage last week and you know what? I didnʼt think, ʻLook, isnʼt she gorgeous?ʼ I thought ʻspoilt brat!ʼ I wondered what she was thinking behind those starched curls. Was she looking at her other communion mates and thinking her hand-beaded dress was nicer, or not as good as theirs? When she was wrestling with the ʻholy

WOMEN ’ S ACHIEVEMENTS

ON !

Down in the Docklands

breadʼ on her tongue was she counting her communion money in her head? Granted, we all got money on our communion day but I donʼt remember being able to afford a trip to Disney World with mine. And I never had time to lie about how much money I got, because one quick visit to the sweet shop and it was gone. The Catholic Church occasionally expresses concern that the sacrament of communion is being overshadowed by the materialism of it all, which is true. Thankfully I was able to meet one mother who refused to let her daughter be a dedicated follower of communion fashion. “I want my child to know whatʼs important in life, I donʼt want her feeling she looks better or worse than anybody else,” says Jennifer Byrne from Ballyfermot. This year, Jenniferʼs daughter Jade (pictured on left with Jennifer) made her communion and from the very beginning this young mother decided her child would be simply clad on her special day. Jennifer is well aware of the pressures that parents are under when it comes to spending money on children but she is unwavering in her belief that a childʼs conﬁdence stems from love and quality time spent with them. If French polish, St. Tropez or California Cake Bake are designed (albeit unsuccessfully) to brighten up us big Irish milk bottles– well and good. But just leave the kids alone. They donʼt need any extra colour.

Glenn Branca, Hallucination City– Symphony for 100 Guitars, 15 July Venue: Grand Canal Square A leading composer from New Yorkʼs New Wave era in the 1970s, Glenn Branca brings his monumental symphony to Ireland for the ﬁrst time. The seminal Hallucination City was ﬁrst performed in the shadow of the World Trade Centre in June 2001 and has been performed widely in the US and around the world since. Glendalough Sea Stallion Viking Longship, 14 to 15 August Venue: Custom House Quay The Vikings are back! The Sea Stallion from Glendalough, a reconstruction of a thirty-metre long Viking Warship will depart from Denmark in July to sail the same waters her ancestors crossed many years ago. On arrival the ship will be moored at the Docklands and will the main attraction of an exhibition on Viking ship-building and sailing. Further details on Down in the Docklands can be found on www.dublindocklands.ie

Curves – Ladies Gym

sually students only graduate once but Aileen Foran of RAP decided that the women who had been working so hard for a year and a half deserved more. The women had already graduated in UCD but a further celebration was organised in Clanna Gael Hall on 13th June complete with caps and gowns. Local women recently completed an Outreach programme on Womenʼs Studies in UCD. This programme which was initiated by Ringsend Action Project (RAP) also received support from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and Dublin Port.

Aileen of RAP says that one of the reasons for developing this course was to bring women from both sides of the Liffey together to share their experiences. The participants were all from the docklands area and aged between 20 and 60. Ann Kemble from Sandymount was one of the students who participated. As well as attending lectures on Tuesday mornings students had to research and write essays. “It was hard going at the beginning especially since I had not done any school work for 35 years.” Nevertheless, Ann persevered and was one of 11 who graduated

earlier this year. The modules included psychology, women in the media and history and Ann found that learning about the Suffragettes and the womenʼs movement as it developed over the years was fascinating. “All the things these women fought for allow us to have the rights we have today and it was really important to learn about that,” Ann said. Ann paid a tribute to Aileen of RAP for her enthusiasm and support: “She is a jewel.” If Aileen has her way it wonʼt stop here as she is hoping to facilitate a Diploma course so that the graduates can continue their studies.

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PAGE 30

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

S ARAH O’R EILLY – AN APPRECIATION By Tom Sheridan

ur whole community was shocked and saddened by the sudden and totally unexpected death of Sarah OʼReilly. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to her grieving family and her special close friends and associates. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. Sarah was truly unique in our community. It is not an exaggeration to say that the contribution she made to our church and parish and to the many people whose lives she touched is immeasurable. Her activities have left literally hundreds of people with happy memories of experiences which will remain with them all their lives. One can only try to list some of her attributes and accomplishments. The driving force in her life and the source of all her strength and motivation was her extraordinary devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. She placed absolute reliance on and trust in Jesus in daily Mass and communion. That was the secret of all her success. Her love of God and her faith were certainly not insular or self-centred, it was expressed as it should be in all sincere Christians, in all kinds of charitable works. She was consumed with a passionate love of her parish and the life of the parish and in particular with the upkeep and welfare of the church. Over very many years, with various kinds of fund raising efforts, she raised hundreds of thousands of euros for the church

and the parish primary schools. Many times over she baled the schools out of financial difficulties. She was a member of the Board of Governors of the Parish Schools for very many years and more recently was a member of the newly constituted Parish Pastoral Council. She was one of the first group of special ministers of the Eucharist commissioned for the parish when special ministers were introduced many years ago and remained a minister until her death. Sarah took a tremendous pride in keeping the church looking well and was one of the dedicated group of women who work hard, week in and week out, to keep our church in pristine condition. For many years she played an active part in the annual novena of grace, sitting at her table at the back of the church giving out novena leaflets, taking petitions and donations for lamps. She was instrumental in fulfilling the desire of many parishioners to introduce devotion to St Martha in the parish. A statue of the saint was procured and shrine set up and now the prayers to St Martha are recited after mass every Tuesday. Iʼm given to understand that many people from outside the parish come to pray at St. Marthaʼs shrine on a regular basis. Another one of Sarahʼs charitable works was her support for Father Eddie Elliot, a native born Ringsender working with very poor people in Mexico. She also raised funds to sponsor an athlete in the Special Olympics a couple of years ago. Apart from the annual parish

Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows

By J K Rowling Special delivery to Books on the Green, Sandymount At 12 midnight on 20th July

Be there!

Christmas rafﬂe which Sarah organised and managed with great ability and with great success, her principal means of raising funds for the parish was running bingo. First in the school hall and latterly in the CYMS (now the CMWS) and one other thing, without the mention of which this piece would be very incomplete. I am referring of course to the ʻBallroom of Romanceʼ which has taken on almost institutional status in the parish. The title has a funny side to it, because apart from the very early days when Joe Carroll and the late Mike Nolan were involved, there isnʼt a man in sight, just a group of women enjoying themselves, but also raising funds for one charity or another. Every so often there would be a ʻspecialʼ, a special meal and/ or a special guest artist such as Sonny Knowles or some other. Out of the ʻBallroomʼ, Sarah also organised various outings and excursions, booking for shows etc. With her genius for managing money, Sarah always derived some dividend for the parish or some deserving charity from these various events. Another thing that Sarah and her friends did was that they organised the catering for ʻthe

cup of teaʼ after some event in the church or some other parish occasion. When the CYMS committee, as it was then, ﬁnally handed over the running of the bingo to Sarah for her to run in aid of the parish schools (after labouring at it ourselves for forty years) she and her associates became members of our society. They later played a part in the process by which we came to change our name to ʻThe Catholic Men & Womenʼs Society of Irelandʼ. In fact Sarah, Betty Barry, Miriam Murphy, and Geraldine Thorp became members of our branch committee. Happily Betty, Miriam and Geraldine are still part of our committee. Betty is our very valued branch secretary. Notwithstanding all that I have already said about Sarah, perhaps what many people, including many people from outside the parish, will best remember Sarah for are the many pilgrimages and holidays she organised over the years. Pride of place has to go to her organization of the parish pilgrimage to Lourdes for many, many years. Apart from that she brought people to Rome, Paris, which included visits to the Rue de Bac, Notre Dame, Sacré-Coeur, Lisieux and Nevers where we were able to see the remains

of St Bernadette, San Giovanni, Medjugorje, Assisi, Padua and Lanciano (where the miracle of the liquefaction of the precious blood occurs annually). But for me the best of all was the pilgrimage to the Holy Land Sarah organized in 1997. This was the experience of a life time. We were based ﬁrst in Bethlehem and then in Nazareth. The best way to describe it is to say that we were in every single place where the events of the twenty mysteries of the rosary happened. The memory of all those places brings the rosary alive in your mind when you pray it. We also sailed on the Sea of Galilee. We even had a storm crossing from one shore to the other, it brought the gospel alive in actual experience. There was one very funny aspect to it. In the middle of the storm Bill OʼBrien began to sing a sea-shanty. I can only remember one line of the song, it was ʻAnd down to the bottom we did goʼ. However, the Lord was with us, the storm abated as quickly as it started and we reached the opposite shore safely. The whole pilgrimage was a wonderful experience, one you would never forget and all due to Sarah and, in fairness one must say to Fr. Finbarr Mullane, our much loved former Curate, who worked with Sarah on the planning of it all. Sarah was a very whole person. As well as being an exemplary practising Catholic she also enjoyed life. She liked a good holiday, she enjoyed good food, she liked a drink. She struck a good balance in her life. She always had her priorities right. She kept God in the ﬁrst place, she worked hard and did a great deal of good and now and again she relaxed and enjoyed herself. Iʼm sure she is gone to a good reward for a full life well lived. At this point I think it is right and fair to pay tribute to and say ʻThanksʼ to her many friends and associates who stood faithfully with Sarah down the years and supported her in all her endeavours. Some of her friends have decided to keep the bingo and the ballroom going. They are doing that out of love for Sarah, because they know that is what she would want, fair play to them. I can only think of one way to sum up the life and work of Sarah OʼReilly and her contribution to the parish of St Patrick, Ringsend and it is the simple truth, there is no one to take her place. May she rest in peace.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 31

THE POETRY PLACE

Transient Love

Thief in the night

Or the day I went to a party all alone and met three beautiful girls and slipped away unseen They cannot resist me, Bless their hearts, They kiss me and kiss me again, Bless their hearts, But what am I to them?

Early Flying – 1940s

For rumbling thunder from my pollen blocked head She pinched and pushed me from the nuptial bed On quilted seams I now shift and sway And toss and turn the humid night away. It serves me right Iʼm a silly shite For being so covetous of another manʼs wife. No rest or sleep for such a wicked thief For the stealing of another manʼs life.

They are young and beautiful, Bless their hearts, With bodies made in heaven, Bless their hearts, Never to be touched.

Sore and tired should be my feet Long the nights where no lids meet For I who in my pride did seek To usurp anotherʼs dreams.

They say the nicest things, Bless their hearts, Like ʻI love you madlyʼ Bless their hearts, Or ʻWe must meet againʼ.

For in stealing dreams I steal the hope Of lives that could have been.

But when no one is looking, Bless their hearts, I quietly slip away, Bless their hearts, And silently shut the door.

By Noel Watson

Where Can I Find My Soul?

And so the partyʼs over, Bless their hearts, I loved them dearly, Bless their hearts, And how they loved me!

In a butterflyʼs silent flight In the moon illuminating the night. In the winterʼs first snow In a firesideʼs warm glow.

But now at last Iʼm home and safe, Bless their hearts, Cuddled up in bed, Bless their hearts, With mine own sweet own.

In the light at the end of day In the joy of childrenʼs play. In the heather and in the gorse In a riverʼs gentle course.

I had not the heart to tell them, Bless their hearts, For she is mine and mine alone, Bless her heart, And I am hers and hers alone.

In the waves caressing the shore In a birdʼs majestic soar. In the chorus on the eve of dawn In the ﬂowers that border the lawn.

By A. E. Mouse

The Seagull White, grey and bird smooth, a seagull stands high atop a building. Bows its head and with beak quick quick quick rapid rubbing, some cleaning of feathers then stops. Better now and extending a wing, slow, knowing, stretching, long limb muscle breathes slowly out then back. And done, to settle down on feathered down, a high rest from the sea. Iʼd be you. I gladly would, when, come later, high up overhead, Iʼd cry seven quick squawking cries in shrill succession, there aloft and soaring on ocean tempered currents and in twisting salt-ﬂumed air I could look down as I away up and up and up. By Virgil Worth

Not brave was I, Just one of many, Who knew no fear, With help we learnt to fly, To take off and to land, To take off and to land, Like birds, To fly amongst the clouds, Both in sunshine and in rain, To be alone up in the sky, That was heaven to our soul. That was heaven to our soul, To be alone up in the sky, To see the fields of poppies down below, To see the cows and recognise the wheat, To skim the trees and zoom up high, To skim the trees and zoom up high, No canopy my plane did have, An open cockpit to feel the air, The surge of power and then the silence, As you throttled back. As you throttled back, And glanced around, In those far off days, The world was still untouched, Slowly you came in to land. Slowly you came in to land, The slightest touch was all you felt, The wheels upon the grass, The tail sank and your were down, The plane she came to rest.

In the sun shining through the trees In the grass ﬂowing in the breeze. In a cloud drifting in the sky In the stars way up on high.

The plane she came to rest, They put her in the hangar, And you went off to tea, The next time that you would ﬂy, Who knows if you might live, Or you might die.

In a stroll through country lane In the peace of a mountain plain. In a glade with the air so still In the view from a rolling hill.

By A.E.Mouse

Seen from the window

In the place where sea meets sky In the park where small birds ﬂy. In a world of simple pleasure, Your soul will ﬁnd much to treasure. By Brian Kelly

As always, we welcome contributions to The Poetry Place, which can be sent to the ʻNewsFourʼ ofﬁces at 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4.

The jackdaw ﬂew in swiftly Swooped and grabbed the ﬂeeing mouse Soared. His dangling prey caught the lunchtime wind It fell to earth. Reprieved! No! From high, the jackdaw dived In a deadly display, of bill, quill and claw, He seize the creature, Soared and disappeared among the trees. By Carmel McCarthy

PAGE 32

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

T HE

OLD SHOPS OF I RISHTOWN

By George Humphries George takes a stroll down memory lane

hile I was waiting for my order in the Canton House Chinese takeaway recently, I began to reminisce looking over at George Reynolds House, the ﬂats where I grew up, thinking of my childhood and all the happy times I had. In those days, things were much different and life was much sim-

H OW

By John Cavendish

ianna Fail had some success this time out with Dublin City Councillor Chris Andrews, son of the late MEP Niall Andrews, nephew to the former Fianna Fail Foreign Minister, David Andrews, a cousin of Barry Andrews TD and

pler. The entire place has changed so much in the last years. Cliffordʼs was a sweet shop and confectioners, next was Luceyʼs chemists then Brackenʼs cut price store. Farrellys butchers was owned by Mr & Mrs Lynch and in the lane was the O Gormanʼs pork shop run by Miss Holmes. Ben OʼReillyʼs the greengrocer was a great shop where there was always great banter with Ben cracking jokes. Kayʼs was another shop which sold almost everything. Further back was a hairdressers owned by Sis Martin, next door to her was

Mrs Leonard and then there was Agnes Westby. I remember Owen Kane the barber and McGowanʼs shop which sold lots of different commodities. There was an old couple living next door to this shop called Cooney and their house had a huge back garden which had lots of gooseberry bushes. At the corner at the watery lane there once stood an old church which became Robert Roberts tea merchants. On the other side of the road was Alice Kellyʼs small grocery & sweet shop– we used to get hikersʼ lunch there. Scotchie Byrneʼs the chipper was a great favourite and in Pembroke Street was Nylandʼs a small grocer. Farther up the street was Mr Balfe who repaired bicycles and on the other side there was Arthur Cunninghamʼs bookmakers. In Bath street was Mabelʼs which sold almost everything and out the back Mr Lynch sold coal, logs and parafﬁn oil. The Winning Post was a bookieʼs shop and next door was Coadyʼs, the local shop selling lovely, fresh bread and they always used lovely tissue paper to cover it. Farther up in Bath street was the

THE ELECTION WENT IN

grandson of the former Fianna Fáil Minister Todd Andrews. Chris topped the poll with 6,600 ﬁrst preference votes and was elected on the third count and successfully retained the Fianna Fáil seat being vacated by MEP Eoin Ryan. Chris Andrews had served on Dublin City Council from 1999 until 2004 when he lost out in the last local

post ofﬁce ran by Mrs Murray, at the corner of Chapel avenue was another shop owned by Joe Carolan. Reggie Nolan had a workshop for his welding plant and on the other side of the street was a small drapery shop owned and run by the Traynor family. Gleesonʼs bar was there and directly facing this was Beckettʼs, another small grocery shop. Larry Skinnerʼs shop sold everything from a needle to an anchor. He only retired a few years ago. Brennanʼs shop sold an assortment including some hardware. The family had a few little well-trained dogs. Tom Brennan and his two sisters Kitty and Betty were very friendly and helpful people. On Irishtown Road there was Mrs Robertsonʼs who sold mainly newspapers, sweets and cigarettes. In Barrack Lane there was the Garda barracks and Gertie Clerys owned by John Clarke, another small grocery shop.

At Londonbridge Road where the Garda station now is being rebuilt stood the Vicarage. Next door was the old school now Gospel hall on the corner of Church Avenue. Leo Neary owned a small shop which was ran by Anne Byrne who came from Aughrim in Co Wicklow. Further up the road was Mrs Manifoldʼs who had a small shop beside her house. There was always four public houses, the ﬁrst being known as John OʼDwyerʼs now Irishtown House, OʼDonoghueʼs now the Vintage, John Clarkeʼs then on Bath street was Gleesonʼs. The statue factory was next door to Coadyʼs. Today in Irishtown there is only one grocery shop which is owned and run by Eileen Lawless. It was once known as Robertsonʼs. Coadyʼs, Mabelʼs, the butchers, the pork shop, the greengrocers have all since vanished as has a lot of the old characters since my childhood days.

D UBLIN S OUTH E AST

elections but was co-opted back on the Council last year for the South East Inner City Ward. He had previously worked in tourism and catering and is married with two daughters and lives in Dundrum. Lucinda Creighton of Fine Gael came a close second with 6,311 first preference votes, winning back the seat the party had lost in 2002 in a constituency that once returned two FG seats when Garret FitzGerald was party leader. Lucinda was elected on the fifth count after a long campaign. She was elected to Dublin City Council in 2004 for the Pembroke Ward and recently qualified as a barrister and had worked on a special task force begun in 2003 charged with the rejuvenation of Fine Gael in Dublin. Former Labour Party leader and minister for Finance in the last rainbow Government, 1994-1997 Ruairi Quinn came through after a respectable first

preference vote of 5,636. There had been some speculation that Ruairiʼs seat might be in jeopardy but his total count after distribution of preferences saw him elected on the fifth count with 6,861 votes. Ruairi Quinn was the minister for enterprise and employment from 19931994 and was minister for labour during the 1980s and served as minister for public service and as a minister of state with responsibility for housing and urban renewal. He qualified as an architect in UCD and was spokesman for enterprise trade and employment in the last Dáil. The major showdown on the night was the defeat by John Gormley of the Green Party over the Progressive Democratsʼ Michael McDowell. John Gormley tallied 4,685 first preference votes over McDowellʼs 4,450, some 235 less than Gormley and after the distribution of preferences John Gormley totalled 6,395 and McDowell 6,091. The

battle this time saw John Gormley overcome McDowell without the prolonged re-count that took place between them in the 1997 Election when Gormley won with just a 27 vote majority. John Gormley is the Green partyʼs spokesman on foreign affairs, defence and health. He was a Dublin city councillor from 1991 until 1997 and author of the ʻGreen Guide to Irelandʼ. Other candidates in Dublin South east were Jim OʼCallaghan of Fianna Fail with 3,450 votes; Daithi Doolan of Sinn Féin with 1,716; Esther Uzell, independent 603; Rory Hearne, People before Proﬁt, 591; Eoin Tierney, independent, 102; Noel Ivory, independent, 84; Peter OʼSullivan, independent, 34; and Noel OʼGara, independent, 27. Left: A pre-election combination of high winds and bendy posters gave rise to this alarming ʻcompromise candidateʼ on a lampost at Strand Road.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 33

T HERE ’ S

By Roisín Ingle (First published in The Irish Times)

efore all the new buildings went up around the Dublin Docklands, back when the streets were still dusty and hard hat dangerous, hoardings erected around the building sites told us what us what to expect: ʻsoon these streets will have a new story to tellʼ, they promised. I cycled around the Docklands for a while looking for old stories. I met Bert on Clarion Quay. He walked with me down the road to the corner where Byrneʼs pub used to stand. He told me about a man who back in the day was known as John Wayne because of his cowboy walk. “And one day,” said Bert, “John

M URMER

Wayne rode right into Byrneʼs pub on the back of the horse. Everyone collapsed laughing and for years when they saw him theyʼd say, ʻhowʼya John, whereʼs your horse?ʼ” I picked Lily up from her home in Ringsend before morning Mass and brought her down in a taxi to the quays. She stood where the Jeanie Johnston Famine ship is docked near Juryʼs Inn and remembered her father bringing her here to board a ship to Glasgow. She was eight years old and frightened. “There were cattle on the boat and I could hear them mooing. My father took me up on deck and put his arms around me and told me not to be scared. We sailed off down the river and ended up on the Clyde. We had to let the cattle off along the way. I can still see them mooing down the gangplank,”

she said. After her keep-fit class was over, octogenarian Nancy told me about her honeymoon to the Isle of Man which “back then it was abroad.” Everything she and her husband wore was brand new. They stood on the deck, side by side, trying to pretend they knew each other better than they did. “Even his shoes were squeaking,” she laughed. They stood looking out at the quayside where their friends had gathered to throw confetti. As the boat passed Gouldingʼs, the fertiliser company where they both worked at the time, something on the top of the roof caught their eye. “There were two men we worked with up there waving flags but they werenʼt really flags– they were giant pairs of womenʼs knickers tied to poles,” she said. “They were calling our names and we

TROUBLE FOR

e are very excited for our very own Grace Charley who has just had her first childrenʼs book published. The book was inspired by her late and still badly missed Grandmother Annie Jane, to whom the book is dedicated. Annie Jane told Grace about the day (as a young girl) she saw fairies dancing around a tree when she was out with her father on their horse and cart. Grace has been obsessed with fairy trees (Whitethorn Trees) ever since. The story came into fruition whilst doing the MA in Scriptwriting (DIADT). Subsequent to this Grace was awarded development funding from the Irish Film Board and Arts Council which gave her the time and opportunity to write. The book

IN THE

D OCKLANDS

were so embarrassed.” They spent the next few minutes of their honeymoon looking at their shiny shoes trying to pretend they didnʼt know the men on the roof or each other. As new stories are written– about penthouse living, about conference centres and late night supermarkets– it felt good to be gathering old stories. I was collecting them for Murmur, an archival audio collection of stories about the Docklands, told by the Dubliners who were there. At each of the chosen marks, a green ear sign will mark where the stories are available. By using a mobile phone, callers can listen to the story of that place. The Age and Opportunity project is running as part of the older peopleʼs festival Bealtaine in association with the DockWhen you call the lands. number on the green ear it will be as though the likes of Bert and Lily and Nancy are talking directly to you. Or Robert. He told me about the Dubliner who ﬁlled his pockets with nuts and bolts heʼd stolen from a ship and how he sank to the bottom when he accidentally fell into the water. His rescuers were bafﬂed about his sinking until they got him safely onto the quay and emptied his pockets. Tilly brought me down to the point in Ringsend. The real Point does not play host to Dolly Parton, the real Point is a piece of land on the side of the river where a ferry used to bring dockers over from Ringsend. Tilly told me about the time

G RACE

was entered in the Drogheda Borough Literary competition and won first prize, the prize being a publishing deal with Trafford UK and Canada. The book follows the adventures of Benny (a hapless teddy bear) and his mischievous little brother George– whoʼs constantly getting Benny into trouble. For fear he wonʼt get to the toy store, Benny hatches a plan to lose his little brother. The plan works– but itʼs not long before Benny begins to miss George and so sets off in search of him. Bennyʼs travels will hold children spellbound. The book was launched by Lee Dunne in The Market House, in Monaghan in May and is now available on line at www.trafford.com, from Books on the Green and Waterstones in the Jervis Centre.

the Guinness boat sank and all the men ran out to get the barrels. Then all the women ran out with receptacles, everything from saucepans to chambers pots, to hold the precious drink. Bridget told me about her father working on the docks and how sheʼd bring the dinner over every day for him on the ferry. A bowl full of cabbage and bacon, or maybe a pigʼs cheek, would be brought over, covered with a tea towel, and thereʼd be billy cans full of tea. “They worked hard,” she said. Jimmy remembered ﬁshing for Joeys, small whiting, in wartime and how the US coal ships would sail down the river. “The sailors would throw chewing gum and sometimes cigarettes. One time, Iʼll never forget, I caught a pack in my hand and my Da had fags for a week.” Inevitably, the Docklands appear different to me now. Behind all that shiny glass I can see the ghosts of the dockers, hear the clank of the diving bell, taste the bananas from the tropical fruit company, smell the cattle and the coal dust. In time, these new streets too will have old stories to tell. Murmur will run as part of Bealtaine from May until September. If you cannot get down to the docklands you can hear all these stories on www.murmurdublindocklands.info. Just click on the green ears. Pictured at the Murmer reception, left to right: Anne Masterson, Betty Dempsey and May Byrne.

PAGE 34

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

GIVE A WEEK, MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND HAVE FUN! S UMMER P ROJECT 2007

JOHN ROCHA LAUNCHES ‘IMAGES OF VOLUNTEERING’

SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

o you believe you can have fun while making a difference? The Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (IASBAH) is now seeking volunteers to help run its Summer Project. Volunteers act as Care and Activity Workers and have an experience of a lifetime, for one week between June and August. The Summer Project takes place over five separate weeks as follows: Week 1: Over 18 years (Galway) Saturday 23rd June to Friday 29th June Week 2: Special Care (Dublin) Saturday 7th July to Friday 13th July Week 3: Over 18 years (Dublin) Saturday 14th July to Friday 20th July Week 4: Teenagers (Dublin) Saturday 21st July to Friday 27th July Week 5: Teenagers (Dublin) Saturday 28th July to Friday 3rd August Food, accommodation and activities for volunteers are covered by IASBAH. Every year, IASBAH runs a Summer Project for its members with the disabilities Spina Bifida and/ or Hydrocephalus. This unique service has been running since the 1980s and the Association needs volunteers in order for it to continue. 16 volunteers are needed for each week of the Summer Project. As a Care and Activity Worker, you are responsible for encouraging and supporting participants to take part in fun activities, you work alongside nursing staff and occupational therapists in promoting independence skills and you make the week a fun and enjoyable one for all. The Summer Project focuses on personal development and confidence building, aiming to build self-esteem and social skills of participants. Activities include occupational therapy, drama, music and art workshops, cooking, sport, self-defence, karaoke, yoga and excursions. No week would be complete without the disco at the end! The main theme of the project is Independence Training and each participant sets individual goal(s) at the beginning of the week. Usually, volunteers come from a health, education or social care background or have experience working with people with disabilities. However, training is provided so experience is not essential. Potential volunteers must be over 18, have two referees and be willing to attend an informal interview. IASBAH is looking for caring, patient, hard working, enthusiastic individuals. For further information on IASBAH, or to get an application form, please see www.iasbah.ie, email wbrennan@iasbah.ie or call 01 4572329.

Dublin Volunteer Week Photographic Exhibition he exhibition was part of Dublin Volunteer Week which will tour Dublin City Libraries for the next few months. Prospective amateur photographers were invited to submit images that represent volunteering in Dublin City in all its forms– from festivals to forests and all fun in between. Entries were judged on originality, relevance, substance, involvement, quality and creativity. The top three photographs win

T HE Y ACHT ‘S PRING C HICKENS ’ CELEBRATE

Jessops Camera Store vouchers totalling €500 including first prize of a €250 voucher. Winners were awarded as follows: 1st Prize: Maureen Phelan ʻThe Joys of Coachingʼ 2nd Prize: Sarah Oʼ Gorman ʻDonʼt forget your shovel if you want to go to workʼ 3rd Price: Maik Walter ʻDecoration for Paddyʼs Dayʼ Jim Woods of Dublin City South Volunteering and Judging Panel Chairman stated that, “The quality was astounding for the first year of this competition and the judges had the difficult task of choosing

a winner. Overall, we were extremely impressed with the high standard and hope that next year will be just as successful.” Sarah Williams, Placement Service Manager with Volunteering Ireland said, “The key objective of Dublin City Volunteer Week is to acknowledge and celebrate what volunteers bring to the fabric of our city and ʻImages of Volunteeringʼ does just that.” Photo, left to right: Third Prizewinner Maik Walter, Overall Winner Maureen Phelan, Designer John Rocha and Second Prizewinner Sarah OʼGorman.

Summer Programme, July 2007 (for local young people aged 10 -18)

Throughout the month of July, there will be actionpacked days out and a range of workshops for young people. Registration day was June 5th but there are some places left for certain activities. Please ring 6608875 or call into RIYP for more information.

ACTIVITY, DAY AND DATE Monday, 2, 9, 16, 23

Snorkelling Wednesday, 4. 11, 18, 25

Jewellery Making Tuesday, 3, 10, 17, 24

Fishing Thursday, 5, 12, 19, 26

Samba Drumming Tuesday, 3, 10, 17, 24

Tag Rugby Thursday, 5, 12, 19, 26

Grafﬁti Wednesday, 4,11, 18, 25

Horse riding Friday 6, 13, 20, 27

Carlingford Adventure Centre

EVERY YEAR patrons of The Yacht pub in Ringsend collect money to help older people enjoy their Christmas. Any money left over goes towards a get together in May. Thanks are due to many people in the area who provide spot prizes

and Bernie and Philip for all their hard work. Music was provided by Tom and Dave and MC Robert kept things going. The organisers are very grateful to Monica and Bob, proprietors of The Yacht, for their support.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 35

S COTLAND

By Brian Rutherford

or those of you who think Scotland is all snow and Glasgow Celtic, let me show you more of our neighbour. A lot of you actually come from Scotland, believe it or not, I know my ancestors came from there. The islands of Scotland are a stunning blend of beaches, machair lands and freshwater lochs interrupted by rolling

P URE

dark moorland hills. Standing majestically at the northwest edge of Europe, this 150 mile-long island chain of beaches, culture, wildlife and adventure is a haven for outdoor activities, and a great place to unwind. To go to every island would take a long time and the best way to experience them is to Island hop and you can if you plan it right (see www.seescotlanddifferently.co.uk or www. visitthehebrides.com).

Scotland is one of the last unspoilt areas of Europe. The Highlands and islands take up half of it. The west coast is fed by the Gulf stream and it is here that many exotic flowers grow. There is also a fine array of beaches, especially on the islands of Harris and Barra. Red Deer live in peace in the Highlands and so do the eagles. There are also vast lochs and rivers for the best salmon and trout fishing. The Highlands are great for the photographer and artist and seem endless in their beauty. The Mull of Kintyre is also a great favourite of visitors. Iona is another famous island where our own monks began the Book of Kells until raiders made them flee. Ferries are ready to take you to the islands and whales and dolphins are plentiful. The Orkneys have their own museums of whaling and fishing and are well worth a visit. If you want to stay in Scotland, the islands offer a wide range of accommodation from hostels to camping grounds. Most hostels and other camping grounds close over winter as a Scottish winter is very rough. Glasgow, the capital, is a very modern city. The central point is

MAGIC

THE MAGICAL Science and Engineering Show at UCD aims to stimulate curiosity and imagination within pupils and open their eyes to the wondrous world of science and engineering. Red cabbage is purple: this goes red in vinegar (acid) and green/blue in baking soda (alkali). When mixed copious amounts of CO2 (carbon dioxide gas) is released very quickly leading to the over ﬂowing ﬁzzing mess leaving the cups! Patrick McGough and Rory Whelan, 5th Class Haddington Road School are pictured watched over by scientist Susan McGrath.

Georgeʼs Square with two huge lions sitting in it cast in bronze. The people are great and will help as much as possible. It has its fair share of nightclubs and is a city full of life. It is built on either side of the Clyde river

with a few bridges adjoining one side to the other. Its close relative Edinburgh is only a bus journey away. Mountains are never far away and this adds to the general feeling of the Scots living with nature.

Clamping– a legalised protection racket? WHAT HAVE we done to deserve this, itʼs a punishment akin to a cruciﬁxion on the friendly streets of Dublin. I parked one day, went into a chemist, retrieved some photographs and walked back out. The clampers had just put a clamp on my car. I said, “Iʼm here now, so you can take it off”. “No,” was the reply, “pay the ﬁne.” I pleaded and was almost on my knees before they pulled off. Is this what weʼve come to, actually talking to them as they clamp. I walked from Sandymount to the docklands, and paid €90 upfront. I was told they would have it off by the time I returned. I know they have a job to do but there seems to be no give and take in their approach. I might be wrong but they actually seemed to be enjoying my dilemma or is that just my imagination. Another time I was in Dun Laoghaire Art college when I had to park on a piece of ground just off the car park. The ground was in no way hampering other cars. I came out of the college and bang, I was clamped again. I cannot understand the mentality that would clamp everything they see. It was clear that where I had parked was a free space. These guys didnʼt even examine the situation. I phoned them up and help arrived one and a half hours later. Another €90 had to be paid. I have become so paranoid as a result that I may need treatment, my nerves are shattered. Every time I try to park I survey the situation, even in shopping centre car parks. I hear that if any part of the car is over the limit line a clamp will be used. My car isnʼt left overnight anywhere, it just shouldnʼt happen. Itʼs a money grabbing law and should be seen as such. What do you do if your wife is pregnant and you have to park quickly or if someone is hurt and you have to take them to a doctor? Soon your car will be clamped outside your premises, what do we do then. I say itʼs time to act now before itʼs too late. What sort of welcome is it to tourists when they get clamped everywhere they go. By Brian Rutherford Pictured above is Angle Grinder Man, who comes to the aid of clamped motorists in Birmingham.

PAGE 36

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

GROW: F IFTY YEARS OF SHARED WISDOM A UNIQUELY STRUCTURED COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH MOVEMENT

THIS IMPRESSIVE statue, erected recently close to the Grand Canal Basin commemorates Admiral William Brown (1777–1857), from County Mayo. He founded the Argentine Navy, defending the Rio de la Plata from foreign invaders and consolidating Argentinaʼs and South Americaʼs nationhood.

ROW is a uniquely structured community mental health movement. It began in Sydney, Australia, with its first meeting in April, 1957 and came to Ireland in 1969. This is a very historic year for GROW internationally, as it celebrates fifty golden years. The movement was first named Recovery, to reflect the positive goal of its 12-step programme. It was subsequently renamed GROW, to better reflect the broader membership and aims beyond rehabilitation and prevention, to include a program of Growth to Maturity. This year has seen many accolades for Con Keogh, its founding member. Through his writings, Con has provided GROWʼs spiritual and intellectual foundations and enabled GROW to become a vital international healing movement. Shortly after Con returned to Australia, an ordained priest after his studies in Italy, he suffered a mental breakdown. He says: “To be brief, coming out of hospital– shattered, unable to remember,

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and still very disturbed, stunned and mortally afraid– I was helped back to normal living by going to meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous.” There, he met other mental sufferers, and they decided to set up a group of their own, to help themselves and each other. From AA, they borrowed the 12 steps which they adapted to create the GROW program, “A philosophy of living that is based on the tremendous value of the human person.” Conʼs writings are at once hopeful and ordinary, but also brilliant and complex. They are liberating, they always endorse the person, and they are inspiring. They appreciate that we are free and autonomous, and capable of self-understanding, self-regulation and self-sharing. The Blue Book used today is a compilation of ﬁfty years of GROW wisdom. The book contains an amazing depth and breadth of understanding of human nature. It is a book of incredible insight and values, to allow people to develop and understand those values. GROWʼs Mission Statement says that: ʻIt is the mentally and emotionally disturbed person who will always be its most cherished memberʼ, whose greatest need is to keep in friendly touch with other minds. It attempts to tackle the problem at its root cause, which is the self-isolating characteristic of mental illness. The dangers of isolation can be terrible: sliding

into self-neglect and self-pity, or even worse, becoming prey to delusions, paranoia and obsessions, not to mention loneliness. Those with a recent diagnosis are most at risk of suicide. Then there is the social stigma that hangs over anyone who has been in a mental hospital or is known to have had a mental breakdown. The sufferer is commonly tormented by a painful sense of shame and distress over his condition. The worst part of the stigma is that the person takes it and applies it to themselves. GROW overcomes the sick personʼs two main obstacles to recovery: his own inward isolation, and the stigma. From his very ﬁrst meeting he realizes that his case is neither unique nor hopeless and soon learns he can help himself. It is a setting in which people can feel safe, and learn how to communicate, as there has been no opportunity to talk to a doctor about what is going on in your head, for there are far too many patients and too few doctors. GROW is the missing link in the mental health services. In human relationships, friendship is the special key to mental health. The group offers friendship from those who know the turmoil and the way out of it. The common goal of Growth to Maturity animates the meetings. GROW deals with facts, not feelings, and the measure of maturity is a person wholly attuned to reality (the vigour and peace of someone at one with themselves).

A meeting has structure and has rules. GROW is anonymous, in the sense that members are introduced to one another by their first names only. Moreover, problems shared are treated as strictly confidential and are not discussed with others outside the group. No introductions are necessary, and GROW does not charge any fees or dues. Members who are still under treatment are urged to obey carefully their doctorʼs instructions. And although profoundly spiritual, whatʼs important in GROW is that the vital difference is not between religious believers and unbelievers, but between those who care and those who donʼt care. Members are encouraged to live up to their faith if they have one. The goal is striving for ordinariness and getting better. The GROW Programme requires patience and perseverance (time and pressure). The important things take place at individual and group level, although GROW has big aims: To co-operate for the community goals of mental health, social harmony and spiritual integrity. The World Health Organisation singled GROW out as having the same spreading potential as AA, and also having the potential to effect social change as well as personal changes. It is good for Con to know that people who benefit from GROW carry the philosophy into the rest of their lives. After all, what may we hope for? Enduring friendships, an end to hostility, and the best in life and love and happiness. www.grow.ie or under Grow (charities) in the phonebook for further information.

Opening Hours 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday 11 am to 4 pm Sunday Telephone: 2194555 * Fax: 2611799

ʻUnder the Cityʼ by Seamus Travers. One of the selection of over 300 great photographs from Photo 2007 which can be seen in Pearse Street Library from 4 July to 28 July.

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

W HEN

S TAMMERING

THINGS AREN ’ T EASIER SAID THAN DONE

By Grace Charley

first met Donal Nugent while studying Scriptwriting at DIADT. During the course we had an opportunity to co-present an assignment on Shakespeare. Now, understanding Shakespeare I found daunting enough, but having to speak publicly on the subject filled me with terror. Coming straight from the school of ʻbeing seen and not heardʼ I had little experience in the way of public speaking so it would be fair to assume that during the presentation I neither lifted my eyes off the page– nor did I stop to take a breath in between sentences. Donalʼs performance, however, was quite the opposite– relaxed and clear. What I didnʼt know was that Donal had a stammer, or a stutter as the condition is also known. It was only when we spoke one to one, did the stammer become evident. Apparently, it is not uncommon for sufferers of stammering to have ʻsituational fluencyʼ. Anybody watching reality shows like ʻThe X Factorʼ, or ʻGrease is the Wordʼ have witnessed contestant stammerers with ʻsituational fluencyʼ (unable to utter their own

D UBLIN :

PAGE 37

name, yet when called on to sing, they do so without fault). The speech block suddenly disappears when the person with a stammer is in performance mode. And this would explain why Donal was able to deliver an oral presentation without difﬁculty. Famous sufferers are said to include Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe and Bruce Willis, who were and are all successful performers in their own right. Medical research suggests that distraction (like in the case of singing) is responsible for this temporary un-blockage. Donal, a published poet, has always loved writing speeches. Growing up with a speech impediment meant channelling a lot of energy into manuscript work. Having had a stammer from a very young age, Donal remembers the day when he couldnʼt get the word ʻthreeʼ out and the other kids laughing. With it came the shame and although with age, the shame eased somewhat, it never fully disappeared. “The shame is probably the worst part of the condition,” says Donal, who says that simple tasks like answering the phone became an ordeal. There are two types of sufferers, those who ʻcanʼt get the words outʼ and those with ʻdis-

creet stammeringʼ. The latter type will avoid speaking certain letters or words they may stumble over. The letter ʻwʼ for instance, can prove difﬁcult for anyone who has a stammer. There are still no answers as to why some people develop stammers and others donʼt. Some suggest that fear and anxiety can trigger a speech ʻstoppageʼ. Others would assume a neurological factor is responsible for the impediment. But as yet, there have been no concrete conclusions to its manifestation. But one thing is certain: it is a condition that can be managed, as Donal learned when he participated in The PATMAR Programme for Adults who Stammer. Donal is testament that the course works for adults with stammers, as since completing it, he has been able to deliver best-man speeches at various weddings (no mean feat for anyone with or without a stammer). PATMAR is an eight-day residential course run by two senior speech and language therapists from the North Western Health Board. Twelve adults are accepted on each course following a selection interview. The course is open to all adults who stammer. Two courses take place each year, one

in May and one in September. For people who live in the Republic, the cost of the course is covered by that individualʼs health board. Activities are carried out in small, comfortable steps and members work at their own pace. Therapy begins with activities to enable people to identify their individual needs and aims. They analyse all aspects of their stammering. They are helped to address their emotional responses to their stammering and gradually to reduce any avoidance strategies that they are using. They are then ready to begin to change their stammering and to develop more ﬂuency in their speech and more control of their stammering. PATAMAR does not offer a

cure, or 100% ﬂuency. Instead, the aims of the course are to give the clients control of their stammer and empowerment in relation to their stammer. Dublin Adult Stuttering is a similar adult intensive course run by the HSE. It also offers monthly follow up support. If you have any questions about any of these courses, contact your local speech and language therapist for information and advice or contact PATAMAR directly: Maria McDonnell, Senior Speech Language Therapist, Sligo (071) 9155132, maria. mcdonnell@nwhb.ie You can also contact www. iasltpp.com for a list of therapists who practice privately.

AN AGE - FRIENDLY CITY

he Lord Mayor Cllr Vincent Jackson has launched Dublin City Councilʼs ʻAgeing Together: Positive Stepsʼ Policy Report to shape an ʻage friendlyʼ city. The City Council has established an Ofﬁce for Ageing and Older People led by a senior City Council ofﬁcial. It plans to implement the recommendations of ʻAgeing Together: Positive Stepsʼ across its own services in housing, health and well-being, education and life long learning, access, mobility and transport, environment and personal safety, leisure, arts and culture. The Council will compile a database of volunteers in all areas, utilising the skills of older people or those making the transition from the work force towards retirement– the Lord Mayor wants to hear from people interesting in registering their names.

“Many people begin to look towards retiring from full-time work from the age of 55 onwards,” notes the Lord Mayor. “It is particularly important that they would have a positive view of the ageing process and plan for active involvement in leisure and other activity– all of which can be enabled through a city-wide age-friendly focus on their needs. “I have made it a priority of my year in ofﬁce,” continues the Lord Mayor “to focus attention on our responsibility and duty towards those who have devoted their lives to shaping our city, making us what we are and giving us what we have today. My intention is that this will not be a one-year wonder, but rather that the principles behind this initiative will be sustained and deeply ingrained in our culture for the coming generations of Dubliners”.

What is an age-friendly city? AN AGE-FRIENDLY city is a city that promotes and enables all its citizens to embrace opportunity as they grow older and to be active throughout the process of ageing. The age-friendly city should also promote a positive understanding and attitude to ageing among people of all ages through

acknowledging the need for ʻpositive ageingʼ policies. Dublin City Council believes that older people make a valuable contribution to the life of the city as active citizens, volunteers, employees, neighbours and carers. Older people have the same rights and responsibilities as younger adults to contribute to the city as ʻactive citizensʼ in its community life and within its institutions.

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NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

M u s ic4 …

BY FERGAL MURPHY * NESSA JENNINGS * BRIAN RUTHERFORD

Aerosmith

Albums Bjork– Volta Its been a long time since Bjork released a popular CD. There has been Debut and Post and a few in between. The concentration on Volta is on tribal drumming and techno. How she raises her voice above this is pure Bjork. The backing vocal on ʻThe Dull ﬂame of Desireʼ is a new idea for her. Trumpets are still blaring for Bjork and do all through the CD. There is a violence to some tracks which is surprising looking at the size of her. On ʻInnocenceʼ and ʻDeclare Independenceʼ in particular which is a return to Bjorkʼs punk roots she sings a song about enjoying yourself before you become corpses… fair enough. I give it 7 out of 10 just for originality and its difference from what is generally available.

The Arctic Monkeys – Favourite worst nightmare The second album from the best new band in the past few years (in my humble opinion) is out this month. Now, theyʼd be hard pushed to recapture the breath of fresh air greatness of their first album ʻWhatever People Say I Am Thatʼs What Iʼm Notʼ but they do a pretty good job of it! Lyrically, Alex Turner is still on top form with his observational skills and blistering wit still as sharp as ever. Musically though, this a little slower with a lot more down tempo numbers, well they couldnʼt keep up the frantic pace of the first album forever! There are still a few rockers on the album such as ʻBrianstormʼ, ʻBalaclavaʼ and ʻThis House Is A Circusʼ which are just as rocky if not more frantic than the first. ʻD Is For Dangerousʼ is probably the closest youʼre gonna get to the first album which isnʼt a bad thing as if they were to release an album exactly the same as the last no matter how good, itʼd get old pretty quickly! The highlight of the album is the ridiculously catchy ʻFluorescent Adolescentʼ with its comical lyrics and eerie similarity to ʻMardy Bumʼ from the first album. If you didnʼt like the Arctic Monkeys the first time round you arenʼt about to start liking them now but, if you did… buy this album!! The Pigeon Detectives – Wait for Me Now that weʼve reviewed the daddy of the indie scene, hereʼs their son. The pigeon detectives are a foursome out of Leeds, a cross between the Arctic Monkeys (musically) and The Kooks (lyrically) although not nearly as good as either of them. Their style is pretty much teenage punky pop stuff with themes such as splitting up with your girlfriend, sex, drink and the old favourite love prelevant. Musically, its pretty much thrash the drums, whack a few bar chords, throw in a bit of lead on the guitar and a minimal bit of bass. Now if youʼre over sixteen these are all reasons not to like this album but surprisingly, against my better judgement I found myself singing and bopping along to it. For one simple reason: itʼs fun! OK, it hasnʼt got the most complicated guitar riffs, most technical lead or debate-inspiring lyrics but it captures the exuberance and simplicity of youth, which makes it enjoyable. The standout songs are the poppy, Libertines-style ʻRomantic Typeʼ, ʻI Donʼt Know How To Say Goodbyeʼ and ʻYou Know I Love Youʼ which just builds, builds and explodes and features the simple but effective chorus ʻyou know I love you, take off your clothes, itʼs alrightʼ. Teenage stuff and hardly rocket science but, simply fun!

Aerosmith… still active after all these years.

By Fergal Murphy

ver thirty years on the bad boys from Boston are still going strong and playing in the RDS this month. One of the very few rock bands who are still as relevant now as when they started out. In the words of lead singer Steven Tyler “we werenʼt too ambitious when we started out. We just wanted to be the biggest thing that ever walked the planet, the greatest rock band that ever was!” The group has left indelible footprints on the rock and roll landscape with such milestone albums as “Toys in the attic”, “Rocks”, “Pump” and classic songs like “Dream on”, “Walk this way” and “Janieʼs got a gun” to name only a few. Like another famous rock and roll monolith the Rolling Stones the chemistry is built around the frontman Steven Tyler and main guitarist Joe Perry. Their self titled debut album released in 1973 contained probably rockʼs first power ballad and they followed this with three strong albums of solid rock music “Get your wings”, “Toys in the attic” and “Rocks” that helped firmly establish them in the 70ʼs. Having established this fan base Aerosmith contrived to throw it all away by living up to their hard partying, drinking and drugging image. “Our story was basically that we had it all and pissed it all away” says Joe Perry. Their contribution to the 1978 film “Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” a remake of The Beatles “Come Together” proved to be the last time Aerosmith graced the top 40 for nearly a decade. Tyler and Perry became known as the “toxic twins”. Aerosmithʼs downward spiral continued with the hostile 1979 departure of Perry, a motorcycle accident that sidelined Tyler for a year and the 1981 exodus of other guitarist Brad Whitford. Perry embarked on a solo career and Aerosmith moved from playing arenas to clubs. The members of Aerosmith began mending their fences when Perry and Whitford showed up backstage after a February ʻ84 Aerosmith concert in Boston. They put the band back together, embarked on the lengthy “Back in the saddle” tour and signed with Geffen records. Most importantly the group members got clean and sober in 1987 and reclaimed their rock and roll throne with some of the most passionate and hard hitting music of their career. No group in rock history has ever engaged a phoenix like resurrection to rival Aerosmithʼs remarkable recovery and rebound. Remarkably their chart successes from 1987 onwards eclipsed their first rise to the top in the 70ʼs.Turning more toward power ballads without sacrificing their hard rocking base, Aerosmith conquered the charts with such songs as “Love on an elevator”, “Cryinʼ” and “Crazy”. They scaled another career milestone when “I donʼt want to miss a thing” became their first number one single. Their catalogue of great music and reputation as an amazing live act continues to grow. More than 30 years on the same 5 musicians that came together in the 70ʼs are still going strong. Donʼt miss them in the RDS!

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

PAGE 39

Music4 …

Welcome to the Glastonbudget Festival! The poor man’s Glastonbury

By John Cavendish

n the UK long weekend of the 25th to the 28th of June I went with a friend, Sarah Rapley to a music festival in Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold in Leicestershire called Glastonbudget. This is a small festival, in its third year, with two stages, one for aspiring new acts and a main stage which had a line up of ʻTributeʼ bands. These bands bring the sounds and feel of some of the big-time bands that would be more likely a headline for a major music festival like Glastonbury, the Electric Picnic or

Slane or Oxygen here in Ireland. The promoters of Glastonbudget say that they believe that one can have a weekend of brilliant music, good entertainment and top-notch festival atmosphere without breaking the bank. Some 4200 people attended. Tribute bands began in Australia as a solution to the problem of bands not touring in the Antipodes. Patrick Haveron, of Psycho Management, represents 237 tribute bands and is creating more. Heʼs in the midst of setting up a Razorlike and has spotted a new gap in the market– the Spice Girls. In 2000 he used to have 12 such tribute bands

on his books. They faded out, but he feels the time is right for a revival. “We now have four Take That tributes and they are all selling out. I donʼt understand why four blokes singing to a backing track is so popular, but it is,” explains Mr Haveron. Of course, the ups and downs of the tribute world reﬂects wider musical trends. In Britain, it is largely a small-town phenomenon. The gradual erosion of the musical generation gap has opened up music to Britainʼs teenagers that they never had a chance of seeing performed live.

2 Kurt Cobain died in 1994, so Burt Cocaine in Teen Spirit has spent 12 years giving people an eerily accurate recreation of seeing Nirvana at their height. Johnny Rotter can swear and snarl as if the Golden Jubilee was still taking place, though two years ago he hadnʼt even heard of John Lydon, lead singer of the Sex Pistols. It was only when he saw the former punk on Iʼm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here that he picked up a CD and his life was changed. The lead singer of Oasis, Paul Higginson, is also in the Stereotonics, but he no longer plays in a Police tribute band. He much prefers being Liam Gallagher to being Andy Summers. However, with The Police set to go back on the road, thereʼs scope for a new batch of ʻStingsʼ. The problem, according to Mr Haveron, is that itʼs hard to find a good Sting. More difficult still, is a convincing Freddie Mercury– but heʼs never had too much trouble with a fake Gary Barlow. This is the answer to overpriced stadium gigs, and while it might attract some sneers, it reflects a demand for something the mainstream music industry hasnʼt been providing. Several tribute bands can now fill Londonʼs Royal Albert Hall, and Pink Fraud will themselves be playing at this yearʼs Glastonbury. Amongst fans, there was a keen sense of getting one over on bands that rarely play venues they can reach or afford. Some felt the tribute bands were often better than the real thing. The Antarctic Monkeys, the tribute version of the Arctic Monkeys, were highly praised by several other bands backstage. But there was a word of warning from Mr Haveron. “If you want to play on a big stage with an adoring crowd, then this is the way forward,” he said. “Unfortunately, when you take the wig

off and step off stage people donʼt know who you are, and it is a bit disappointing.” My friend Sarah Rapley, a Glastonbury veteran, gave me her opinion on the bash: “Having been to Glastonbury down the years I was intrigued to hear about an entrepreneurial farmer calling his festival Glastonbudget I had to chuckle when he declared on his website ʻBeware of Imitationsʼ. “At a fraction of the cost you get to have a great time with quality tribute acts such as Oasish who I would argue have the same and in some areas better musical ability than the original. You can saunter along a few yards away from the stage to have an extensive list of reasonably priced real ale then wander up to Slash and have your picture taken with him. It tickled me to ask grabbing his black curly locks if it was the real deal but it was a wig. “My Glastonbudget memories include ʻPete Townsendʼ of Whoʼs Who, carrying a guitar case to his car shortly after he had made a spectacular rock nʼ roll smash up on stage demolishing his guitar and anything else that got in his way. For me, the list of tribute acts were enough but I did get a quick glance of the other stage which were new up-and-coming bands such as Idle Silver, Pink Strip and The Satin Dolls.” The Saturday line up had US4/U2, The Jamm, Pink Fraud, Sex Pistols Experience, Oasish, Kaiser Thiefs, Teen Spirit, and the Ded Hot Chilis. Sundayʼs line had Mercury (a Queen tribute), Secret Police, Antarctic Monkeys, T Rextasy, Whoʼs Who, Stereotonics, Neville Staple, Fake That and Whipped Cream. More information on www.glastonbudget.co.uk Main picture: Sarah Rapley with Gavin Barnard aka Slash of Guns2Roses.

What’s hot

What’s not

The Sun. Four and half billion years old it is Earthʼs main source of energy. It has a surface temperature of 6,000º and a core temperature of 15,000,000º, so the Sun is very hot. It is also very big: it takes Earth, moving at a speed of 67,000 mph, one year to travel its circumference.

Icecubes are cold. Placed down the back of your blouse or shirt by someone funny, inducing instantaneous oath and arching of back to avoid further discomfort, followed by an as quick as possible untucking of garment to free it.

Hot Cross Buns traditionally eaten on Good Friday with the cross symbolising the cruciﬁxion. Nowadays chocolate eggs are eaten two days later on Easter Sunday to celebrate a resurrection. Thatʼs it isnʼt it? Chocolate eggs… on Easter Sunday… to celebrate…

The North and South Poles are cold. In the North Pole winter temperatures average about -34º and in summer a mild 0º. The South Pole is colder still with winter temperatures averaging at -65º, which is cold, and summer temperatures at -45º.

Sunburnt Skin. Sore, painful and not worth it. Caused by over-exposure to the Sun (See no.1 in our list). Burnt living tissue best avoided by wearing clothing, applying high factor sun lotions or by staying out of the sun (especially around midday).

Dead animals are cold.

Hell. That raging ﬁery furnace of eternal damnation populated by sinners who have long since passed from this mortal soil. No hope of a loop the loop down there and hereʼs you thinking Torremolinos was hot in August.

Ice cream– Our nation is the third highest ice cream consumer in Europe. We each eat on average 9 litres of the stuff a year, the average in Europe is 6 litres per person. Studies show it takes about 50 licks to ﬁnish off a single ice pop and did you know that ice cream is the only food we eat frozen? We neither.

PAGE 40

NEWSFOUR JUNE / JULY 2007

F IFTH ANNUAL D OCKLANDS T ALENT S HOWCASE S

inger Siobhan Hogan from Pearse Street has been chosen as the overall winner of this year ʼs Docklands Talent Showcase which was held in the Abbey Theatre in May. Twenty seven year old Siobhan, who is a teacher in the Childcare Centre at St Andrewʼs Resource Centre was awarded €1,000 and a Dublin Crystal plate for her rousing rendition of ʻBlack Velvetʼ. Talented Docklands-based duo ʻJezzebelleʼ– Gary Burke and Katie Carpenter– who performed their own song ʻThe Road Aheadʼ, came second and Suzanne Martin from the North Wall, who sang the Katie Melua hit, ʻThe closest thing to crazyʼ was third. The final featured fifteen talented finalists, all of whom either live or work in the Docklands area, who performed a breathtaking range of rock, opera, hip

Regeneration at the Docklands Authority, said: “Events like this are a great opportunity to highlight the wealth of talent in the area and the Docklands Authority is delighted to support the Showcase.” The other finalists were Jason McDonnell, Ringsend; Una McGovern, Custom House Square; Christina Hayes, North Wall; Michael Heapes, Pearse Street; Margaret Stewart, Gallery Quay; Xplosive (Paula Carty, Gareth Heavey, Maria OʼCallaghan; Patrick Brennan, Irishtown; Kerrie OʼBrien, Macken Street; Patrick Harrison, North Wall and Marian Roche, Pearse Street.

hop dance routines before a distinguished panel of judges including Ian Dempsey, Today FM; Maxi, RTE; choreographer Leonie

McLoughlin and Dónall Curtin, Chairman, Adjudicating Panel and Board Member, Docklands Authority. The Docklands Talent

Showcase is organised by the Docklands Authority as part of its Social Regeneration Programme. Gerry Kelly, Director of Social

Left to right: Donall Curtin, Chairman, Adjudicating Panel and Board Member, Docklands Authority; Siobhan Hogan; Maxi; Niall Quinn; Ian Dempsey and Leonie McLoughlin.

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