News Four February 2005 by News Four

FEBRUARY 2005

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

‘MINI-CITY’ FOR POOLBEG PENINSULA P

By Frances Corr

lans for a ʻmini-cityʼ to be built on Poolbeg Peninsula including parts of Seán Moore Park and Irishtown Nature Park are causing controversy with local residents and politicians insisting that vital issues regarding public transport, trafﬁc, infrastructure and soil contamination are being ignored. At a recent brieﬁng session, local residents claimed the City Councilʼs plan for a €1.5 billion town called South Bank where around 18,000 will live and work was premature given that it disregarded the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) Master plan and pre-empted the 2005 City Development Plan.

Nine Principal Development areas Area 1: Currently in Dublin Port ownership and operating as container store for Lo-Lo activity and along the Liffey. Future depends upon Port strategy. Area 2: Central area of land in Port ownership. Vacant except for a local rowing club and storage. Adjoins private access to public highway. Area 3: In dual ownership and tenancy (Dublin Port lease to IGB/Zoe development). Im-

The DDDA plan addressed issues not examined by the City Councilʼs Poolbeg Framework which is on display until the 18th February. Of great concern is the fact that the new town will lead to signiﬁcant construction on the site of the former municipal dump. The dump has been closed for 30 years and there has never been any monitoring of the land for contamination. Residents are also concerned about the issue of further reclamation of the land around the peninsula which they say would go against EU environmental directives and interfere with tidal patterns, which could lead to ﬂooding. In addition, they questioned the validity of the planʼs provision for 20 per cent social housing in the South Bank area, given the well publicised loophole in planning which

allows developers to offer an alternative site or cash payment to the local authority. If the plan for Dublinʼs own South Bank goes ahead, this bustling new area should be completed by 2025. At the meeting, community representatives raised the question of how these 18,000 new residents and workers would get access to the area. There was much laughter when they were told by Dublin City Council that South Bank residents would use the roundabout at Sean Moore Road. Anyone who already lives or works in the area is well aware that this would result in serious trafﬁc chaos. Local politicians John Gormley, Ruairí Quinn and Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association also laid out their opposition to Dublin City Councilʼs plans for South Bank. See Page 22.

mediate potential for redevelopment with the relocation of the glass factory, current planning applications on the Zoe lands. Area 4 and Area 6: Port ownership currently occupied by cement works and scrap metal merchants. High potential for change and value due to adjacency of the Liffey though bounded to the south by Ringsend power plant. Adjacent to treatment ponds. Area 5: New ESB Ringsend power plant and possibility of new thermal waste treatment plant (on Port lands). Forms part of a ʻhardʼ core of utilities that include Areas 5 and 7. Area 7: Owned and occupied by the Port for

container storage with small amount of industry. Prime high value location overlooking Dublin Bay with views towards the Wicklow Mountains. Constrained by future thermal treatment plant. Area 8: Owned and occupied by Dublin City Councilʼs tertiary waste water treatment plant. The plant is a new ﬁxed facility, integrating with Sutton pumping station and north Dublin sewers. Area 9: A large area in ESB ownership with good potential for change. (Extract from Poolbeg Framework Plan Dublin South Bank 2003)

Scenes from the recent ʻMusic in the Docklandsʼ at the National Concert Hall, with pupils from Star of the Sea Boysʼ School and St. Laurence OʼTooleʼs Senior Girlsʼ School.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

The Editor’s Corner

NewsFour Managing Editor Ann Ingle Advertising Manager Grainne McGuinness Staff Rose Hogan Frances Corr Maggie Neary Patrick Duffy Nicola McMahon Denis Murphy Contributors Derek Buckley James O’Doherty Austin Cromie Patrick Purcell Christy Hogan Shay Connolly Michael Hilliard Stephanie Costello Sarah Caden Sammy Best Music Correspondent Dan Hegarty

THERE HAVE been some staff changes in NewsFour and it is with great regret that we must say goodbye to Nicola, Andrew and Robert. Nicola has provided us with a much-needed young mother ʼs look at the world as well as an insight into some personalities in the Irish music and art world; Andrew set up our website with great success and Robert was always there to provide a commentary on Hispanic culture. We wish them good luck in the future. However, we are delighted to welcome back to the team, Denis Murphy, a favourite with many of our readers (see page 21). We have mentioned a few of the

many events for the St Patrickʼs Festival on page 33 and we hope you enjoy the week thatʼs in it. Our Colin Farrell fest on pages 30 and 31 will please the fans and I hope you also enjoy Maggieʼs Aussie story and Roseʼs update on the smoking ban. On a more serious note, the Incinerator is still on the agenda and we bring you the most up-to-date reaction from the Government on this matter on page 17. Have a very happy St Patrickʼs Day and Easter and we will be back with you in the first week of April. Please keep writing to us and donʼt forget to enter the crossword competition.

new bus shelters were smashed to tiny fragments. But so what, the boys were having their bit of fun and whatʼs wrong with that? A good few gargles, smashed bus shelters preceded by the wheelie bin attack, sure itʼs the ideal way to celebrate the birth of Christ. And what would happen should these louts ﬁnd themselves in court before a learned judge, you may ask? Well, inevitably a plethora of legal eagles and so-

Photography John Cheevers Design, Typesetting, Layout Eugene Carolan

Community Services, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4. Telephone: (01)6673317

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.

Swimming in Sportsco We have a Swimming Session Every Sunday Morning from 11am to 1pm in Sportsco. Price: €25 per 3 Month Session or €5 for one Swim. Children under 3 years are FREE! This Swimming Session is open to any one who wants to join. It is not just confined to people living in the Sth.-Lotts-Rd. area. For further Info just call over any Sunday between 11am-&-1pm. Ask for Mary or Billy.

WHEELIE BINS TUMBLE, BUS SHELTERS SHATTER

Web Designer Andrew Thorn

E-mail: newsfourscs@eircom.net

Ann Ingle

SHELBOURNE PARK RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION LTD

By Christy Hogan

t was Christmas Eve morning as I pushed the wheelie bin down the garden path. All seemed well until I pushed the bin out onto the street. There, to my amazement, I saw every second wheelie bin turned over with rubbish scattered nearby. It was 8am. Those with ʻlittle between their earsʼ had come in the dead of the night, to have fun, no less. The unfortunate people who had left their bin out the previous

night had become the victims of educated afﬂuent Ireland. The elderly and those who might not get up so early had the foresight to leave their bin out before retiring for the night. Itʼs called ʻplanning, thinking aheadʼ and using the grey matter God gave them. Unlike the loutish thugs who, with their ʻif I canʼt have it you wonʼt have itʼ attitude caused mayhem during the night. Alas, the wheelies werenʼt the only ones to fall victim; more fun was needed on this Christmas Eve. Bus shelters, brand

cial workers would put forward the hackneyed ʻsociety has let them downʼ excuse. Society, incidentally, meaning you and I. Or, put another way, all those who would bother to put their wheelie bin out at night, get up off their backside in the morning, go to work and pay taxes. Taxes which would pay for, yes youʼve guessed it ʻbus sheltersʼ. But sure I donʼt blame them, isnʼt it that shower again thatʼs let them down, you know– ʻsocietyʼ.

SANDYMOUNT HOME HELP SERVICE Do you have two to four hours free every week and would you like to earn some extra money? We pay you €11.55 per hour (gross) to visit and care for vulnerable elderly in the community For further information, phone Brenda Dempsey at 087- 9292119

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

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 3

B RAY ’ S M ARTELLO T OWER I

By Denis Murphy

n the August 2003 edition of ʻNewsFourʼ, I wrote a short article about the Leinster Martello Towers. In it I explained that the one on the seafront in Bray was ʻnumber oneʼ. The photograph in our issue was of the familiar one in Sandymount with the ʻJoyce Pilgrimsʼ about to recreate the 50th anniversary of the ʻFirst Bloomsdayʼ on June 16th 1954. Up to the time the paper was printed I could not manage to ﬁnd a reasonable photograph showing the Bray tower. I was jokingly taken to task on a few occasions since then from a few friends and acquaintances who very gently reminded me that I had to produce a copy or else the article could not be validated. It is thanks to the assistance from the chief librarian in Bray that this one was pointed out and a copy given to me. It shows

Garry Moves In FIANNA FAIL Councillor Garry Keegan has opened a new constituency ofﬁce in Grand Canal Street. The ofﬁce is situated over the Washboard Launderette, opposite Slatterys and will be open 5 days a week. Garryʼs Advice Centres in Pearse Street and Ringsend will continue to operate as normal. On a personal level, Garry has announced his engagement to Fiona, a native of Ballina and will tie the knot in November this year. Congratulations from News Four to you and Fiona.

The Christmas Tree

tower number one at the bottom of Convent Road almost facing

the Esplanade Hotel (the building jutting out on the right). The

SHELBOURNE P19HARMACY Irishtown Road

tower was dismantled sometime in the late 1880s.

M EET W ILLY C HIRINO

THIS YEAR for the ﬁrst time St Patrickʼs Church had a Christmas Tree. Dublin Port donated the tree and lights and thanks are due to Charlie Murphy for all his help. Once again, the people of the locality gave generously and as a result the Childrenʼs Hospital in Crumlin were given €3,500 and Focus Ireland €1,000.

Phone: 6684481

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CUBAN MUSICIAN Willy Chirino pictured here in Willyʼs house in Miami with our own Robert Diaz. Willyʼs new album ʻSon del Almaʼ is now available in all good record shops.

PAGE 4

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

The Letterbox Dear Madam Editor Is there any such thing as a critical voice in ʻNewsFourʼ or are we all actually living in heaven; singing from the one hymn sheet. Reading your issues over the last year one could presume that the rate of social, economic, even spiritual progress is such that we are actually living in paradise. We might presume that the benevolent forces of progress and integration have been successful, and the beautiful vistas of fresh concrete and glass with ﬂuorescent illumination are a delight to all; as we ʻrapidlyʼ commute from VDU to SHOP toTV and/or PUB. The increasing torrent of pure objectivity that ﬂows in this great city has surely found its home in Ringsend in more ways than one, or, are we all hiding behind bushes with dirty bottoms. Affectionately yours Christy Lambe Not quite fair, Christy. ʻNewsFourʼ has always endeavoured over the years to raise awareness of local issues affecting the community, for example the proposed incinerator, high-rise building issues, IGB shutdown, etc. We are acutely aware of how much ʻbad newsʼ appears in the national media and feel it is our duty to be more optimistic in our approach. More than anything ʻNewsFourʼ exists to celebrate the community it has been serving

Guitar Lessons Professional Teacher Contact Tony at 087 9743775

for 20 years, and their achievements large or small. We will continue in our endeavour to bring good tidings to one and all! Ed. Dear Madam Editor Page 4 of your Christmas edition contains a letter from ʻMartin Mooreʼ of Sandymount, seeking information about “A man called Ward”. The person he enquires about is my uncle. His full name was Patrick Colbert Ward, and as your correspondent mentioned, his fatherʼs [my grandfatherʼs] name was also Patrick [Paddy]. Sad to say both passed away some time ago. Paddy [snr] died on 27th December 1984, but was pre-deceased by his son Paddy [jnr] who died on 22nd September 1979 He was one of seven children who were from Stella Gardens, Irishtown. His six sisters are all still living within the greater Dublin area. Paddy [jnr], known to his family as Pat, went on to live in London and was employed as head porter in a number of exclusive hotels in the city. Having been diagnosed with a serious illness, Pat returned to Dublin and lived

with one of his sisters until his death six months later. I am fortunate to have in my possession a lot of information about my uncle Patʼs involvement with the ʻPalestine Policeʼ, his kidnapping and subsequent escape. The name of his kidnapped colleague was Paddy Hackett who later died on active service with the British army in Malaysia. One piece of information which I hold is a cutting from the front page of the ʻIrish Independentʼ of the time, which reports on the kidnapping. Another cutting from the ʻIndependentʼ reports on their escape. I also have a copy of the ʻPalestine Police Old Comrades Newsletterʼ which has an obituary about my uncle. This obituary was written by one of Patʼs closest colleagues, namely Chris Shearman, also from Dublin. Chris went on to be a very successful restaurant proprietor in San Francisco. Another of Patʼs comrades was Eddie OʼLeary, again from Dublin. Until the time of Patʼs death, the above named three would meet once a year in Dublin to renew their friendship and recount past events. I hope this helps Mr Moore. He may contact me, if desired through ʻNewsFourʼ. Regards, John Sheridan

Dear Madam Editor Congratulations on the Christmas issue of NewsFour– par excellence. Also best wishes for the New Year and so glad you are making such a good recovery. Austin Cromie Dear Madam Editor I have noticed that our area has severely deteriorated since I moved in one and a half years ago. Between all the litter and the grafﬁti, itʼs looking very bad. We have had many windows broken in our development over the past weeks not to mention the stolen bikes in the underground car park and the cars broken into. Do you think the city council has any plans to do anything about it? I would like to invite all the Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount communities to tell ʻNews Fourʼ what they would like to see being improved in 2005 in their own area ʻNews Fourʼ could then present this to our local TDʼs, Gardai and Dublin City Council to see how best they can respond to the people that pay them (i.e. us) for all these services and see what they propose in order to stop these

petty acts of crimes and vandalism and improve our quality of life. I know from talking to some local old age pensioners that this type of vandalism puts them in a situation of stress and great discomfort. These people have worked hard all their life and despite their meagre pension they should be entitled (like all of us) to a far better standard of living. Yours sincerely Vincent (Ringsend) Dear Madam Editor As a regular walker around Ringsend, Irishtown, Bath Avenue, Sandymount and Ballsbridge areas I am appalled at how much dog waste lies on our paths and roads. It is illegal to allow a dog roam the streets without a lead, too many owners allow this and the city council must act now. It is now time owners take responsibility for their dogsʼ waste and clean it up. Bath Avenue area is really bad and hopefully the owners will read this and start to have a little respect for other neighbours. Yours sincerely Local resident

Councillor Garry Keegan Phone: 6643548 • Mobile: 086 235 8913 Web: www.keegan2007.ie

51ST TEXACO CHILDREN’S ART COMPETITION TEXACO EXTEND A SPECIAL INVITATION TO ALL YOUNG ARTISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A NATIONAL CELEBRATION OF CHILDREN’S ART TO MARK 51 YEARS OF THE COMPETITION IN IRELAND. THE CLOSING DATE IS FRIDAY 25TH FEBRUARY AND ENTRIES SHOULD BE SENT TO TEXACO CHILDREN’S ART COMPETITION, PO BOX 100, BALLSBRIDGE, DUBLIN 4. TO ENTER YOU MUST BE UNDER 19 YEARS OF AGE BY FRIDAY 25TH FEBRUARY AND YOU MAY ENTER TWO PIECES OF ARTWORK. YOUR NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, TELEPHONE NUMBER AND TEACHER’S NAME SHOULD BE WRITTEN ON THE BACK OF EACH ENTRY. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 6136149.

New Constituency Office: 60 Upper Grand Canal Street, Dublin 4. (Above Washboard Launderette, opposite Slattery’s) Advice Centres St. Andrew’s, Pearse Street, Dublin 2 Tuesdays 7pm–8pm Community Centre, Ringsend, Dublin 4 Thursdays 7pm–8pm

If you want to contact me please do so on 6643548 or 086 235 8913

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 5

S EASIDE W ALK FOR T SUNAMI A PPEAL

group of local residents assembled on Sunday 16 January at the Martello Tower on Sandymount Strand to walk along the coastline in support of their fellow coastal dwellers in South East Asia. It was a most welcome sunny and mild day and about ﬁve hundred people turned out to show their support. “Dublin is built along the coast and many of its citizens could be described as coastaldwellers,” said John McCarthy, one of the organisers of the

recently-formed Sandymount/ Irishtown/Ringsend Coastal Tsunami Appeal Committee. “Our purpose is to create a special opportunity for the people of Dublin to gather at the seaside and show solidarity with coastal dwellers in all of the Tsunami areas.” The walk raised €18,000 to help the victims of the tsunami. From top: Walkers follow the sweep of the Bay along the Nature Park. Gabrielle Dowling from Bray and Eileen Curtin from Sandy-

mount who took part in the walk. From Donnybrook Scouts came collectors Cliona Mulvagh, Thea Tilly, Ella Reilly, Gareth Dowling, Dave Devine and Sarah Farrell.

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PAGE 6

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

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FRIDAY 4TH MARCH AT 8 PM ADMISSION: €5, €4 CONCESSION FOR GROUP BOOKING AND FURTHER INFORMATION

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By Nicola McMahon

tʼs a cold January morning and I find myself in the offices of Ringsend-based electronic music label Osaka Recordings listening to the impending release by local lads ʻDouble Adaptorʼ. I have just spent the last forty or so minutes discussing the merits of the Italian futurists, in particular Luigi Russolo and his early twentieth century noise machines, with head honcho Patrick Henry, so at this stage I think I am primed for anything! Their CD spins in its tray… coffee table music this certainly is not, but pretentious claptrap it is neither, a certain fidgety otherwordly charm, think jazz meets electronica meets progressive rock and you might be closer to their sound, or as recently described: “…Double Adaptor is a minature improvising electronic bar

band. Their genre-bending oeuvre traverses squirt-prov collages via howling 70ʼs rock guitar histrionics and frequently all within the same song…” Double Adaptor are fresh from curating their own very successful ʻSonoluxʼ weekend at the Project Arts Centre, Dublin and gig frequently around the city, often with no ﬁxed set, improvising on the spot. With track titles like ʻ200 nanowebbersʼ and ʻSaxophone Collosusʼ Roy Carroll and Keith OʼBrien explain that in Dublin a lot of people “donʼt get them” or understand what they are trying to achieve but in Germany– the home of electronic music– they seem to have a large following. They recently played enthusiastically-received shows in Berlin and Cologne and have been asked back to play in May. They also have been invited to play at an offsite event as part of the Barcelona-

based Sonar electronic music festival later on this summer. Things are starting to happen for Double Adaptor, why donʼt you plug in? Double adaptor are Roy Carroll, computers and keyboards

and Keith OʼBrien keyboards, computers and guitars, and their debut release ʻLive At The Village Vanguardʼ is curently in all good record shops or online at www. osaka.ie.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 7

E ILEEN B RADY

A REA M ANAGER

FOR THE

S OUTH E AST

Books Boost Babies’ Brainpower

By Patrick Duffy

met and talked with Eileen Brady at the Civic Offices overlooking the Liffey. “I was 32 years in the Council last Saturday. I started off in motor tax where I dealt with the public and then I moved to housing”, she tells me. Eileen Brady is the area manager for the South East area of the city. With four other managers they are responsible for coordination and delivery of services in each of the five areas of the city. These are based on the Dail constituencies. Eileenʼs office is involved in a huge number of projects that have city-wide and local implications. The Irishtown Stadium and the water treatment plant are two such projects which have been completed. The waste to energy plant is a big issue at the moment. A programme of rejuvenation for Pearse Street area is underway and people are at present being consulted about a Framework Plan for the Poolbeg Peninsula. Some City Council complexes in the area have undergone extensive regeneration and improvement in recent times. These in-

clude Leo Fitzgerald House and Boyne Street and work has started on the precinct improvement scheme for Pearse House. In addition to these projects which are being undertaken by Dublin City Council, there are a number of other very significant developments proposed for the area. The Lansdowne Road Stadium Development is a project of national significance and a forum has been set up at a very early stage to bring the community in on whatever development is proposed. From being a clerical officer, Eileen worked her way through the system including salaries and accounts and then back to motor tax at a much higher level dealing with national policy and legislation. She then went into planning and when the office of director of traffic was set up she moved in there and then back into housing. “You might say it is an awful long time in one job but in reality I have been in about 20 different jobs” she says. Before coming to Dublin she worked in her grandmotherʼs shop. “Grandmother had a great sensitivity to peopleʼs needs. You were taught a huge amount of respect for people who came

into the shop. It was drummed into me that the customer is always right and I think if you start off with this ethos you donʼt lose it.” When I asked her about being the only female of the five area managers she said “In my experience it isnʼt more difficult as a woman.” Although Eileen hails from Monaghan she feels that Dublin is a great place to work. Eileen works very closely with councillors and TDs representing the area. She has also established a close working relationship with other agencies working in the area such as the Gardai, the Health Board and the Dockland Development Authority. Eileen finds her job very rewarding, especially her involvement with the local community. “As a teenager I used to spend Sundays in Oriel Park. I started going to internationals when I came to Dublin. The first was Ireland against Russia at Dalymount Park in 1974 when Liam Brady played his first international. My brothers all played for Carrick Rovers. My family has been involved in soccer for a long time from my grandfather Jimmy to my father being involved in the late 40s reviving soccer in Carrick.”

BARNARDOS childrensʼ charity has produced a second edition of its popular guide to buying books for babies and children under ﬁve years of age. The guide is sponsored by Cow & Gate and the object of the book is to make reading a fun and educational experience for children and their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles etc. All of the books listed in the guide will also be available in public libraries around the country. This colourful guide is available free from Barnardos National Childrenʼs Resource Centres throughout Ireland and Cow & Gateʼs freephone careline (1800 570 570). It is also available to download from www.barnardos.ie and www.cowandgate.ie and is a very valuable resource for families. Reference copies of the guide are available in local libraries around the country to assist parents and carers in choosing books. This yearʼs guide includes some reviews by well known Irish people such as former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Mairead McGuinness, MEP for Ireland East, author Cathy Kelly, television presenters Mary Kingston and Sheana Keane along with broadcaster and journalist Matt Cooper.

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PAGE 8

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

W HEN N OEL M ET M ARTIN

NOEL MCDONAGH from Bath Avenue gives his support to Celtic manage Martin OʼNeill, who looks a bit downcast with Rangers being in close pursuit in the League Championship.

P ARTY T IME

P ING P ONG D ING D ONG

A CONCRETE TABLE tennis table is part of the visual arts group show ʻCommunismʼ running at the Project Arts Centre from 20th January to 27th February. The table is the sole outdoor piece of the exhibition and was commissioned by Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane in collaboration with the Project. The artists Declan Clarke and Paul McDevitt say that this temporary public sculpture is a monument

to leisure and was inspired by their time spent living in Berlin. Bats and balls are available from the nearby Dublin Tourism Ofﬁce on OʼConnell Street. Table Tennis matches and various events will run every Saturday 12 to 2 pm until 26th February. More information from www.project.ie. Pictured above Irish International Table Tennis champion, John Murphy, with Derek Buckley.

ABEC Glazing Co Ltd 24 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4 BAR MANAGER at the Vintage Ray OʼKeeffe and his wife Eithne are sponsors of St. Patʼs Football Club. This picture was taken during Christmas when a party was held for local children.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 9

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DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL WASTE MANAGEMENT RECYCLING MAKES SENSE IN 2005 THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW PAYMENT BY USE SYSTEM FOR THE COLLECTION OF DOMESTIC WASTE FROM 1ST JANUARY 2005, IS DESIGNED TO BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT BY ENCOURAGING HOUSEHOLDS TO REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE THEIR WASTE MATERIAL AND PRESENT THEIR BINS AND BAGS ONLY WHEN THEY ARE FULL. THE LESS WASTE THAT IS THROWN AWAY IN GREY BINS OR BAGS, THE LESS THE HOUSEHOLDER WILL PAY. ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN DUBLIN CITY NOW HAVE ACCESS TO A GREEN BIN COLLECTION FOR DRY RECYCLABLES. THE CHARGES FOR THE MOST COMMON COLLECTION METHODS ARE AS FOLLOWS. BIN TYPE

STANDING CHARGE

STANDARD WHEELIE BIN (240 LITRES) SMALL WHEELIE BIN (140 LITRES)

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HOUSEHOLDERS ARE AGAIN REMINDED THAT THE RECYCLING CENTRE AT PIGEON HOUSE ROAD (PH. 6144750) WILL ACCEPT A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS THAT CANNOT BE INCLUDED IN THE WEEKLY HOUSEHOLD COLLECTION PROVIDED BY

DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL.

THE OPENING HOURS OF THE CENTRE ARE: FEBRUARY 1ST – OCTOBER 31ST MONDAY – FRIDAY 9.00AM – 8.00PM SATURDAY AND BANK HOLIDAYS 9.00AM – 5.00PM NOVEMBER 1ST – JANUARY 31ST MONDAY – FRIDAY 9.00AM – 5.00PM SATURDAYS AND BANK HOLIDAYS 9.00AM – 2.00PM FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CHECK OUT WWW.DUBLINWASTE.IE ertisement feature - Advertisement feature - Advertisement feature - Advertisement feature - Advertisement feature - Advertisement featu

PAGE 10

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

A H ISTORIC H OSTELRY By Austin Cromie

ot many dogs have a book and a film produced about there lives. Such fame is conferred on a remarkable dog called Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye terrier whose monument is situated on Candlemaker Row in Edinburgh, not far from the University. It is regarded as one of the top tourist attractions in one of the worldʼs great cities. The book about this ʻmerry little muffin of a terrierʼ called Greyfriars Bobby was written by American storyteller Eleanor Atkinson (1863–1942). The research is meticulous considering she never visited Edinburgh and wrote in Scottish dialect. The monument attracts both young and old and when you visit the hostelry you can enjoy refreshments and study a potted history of Greyfri-

ars Bobby on the menu card which reads: During the 1850s a farmer named Grey attended the market every Wednesday accompanied by his Skye terrier Bobby. It was Greyʼs custom at 1pm to visit Traitʼs dining rooms with Bobby for their midday meal. In 1858 Grey died and was laid to rest in the church yard of Greyfriars. Three days after the funeral, Bobby appeared in the doorway of the dining rooms looking lost and hungry. The proprietor recognised the terrier and gave Bobby a bun, upon which the dog ran out. This became Bobbyʼs habit and, full of curiosity the proprietor followed him to discover he was taking the food to lie and eat by his dead masterʼs grave. All efforts made to make Bobby leave the graveside were unsuccessful, and Greyfriars became his home for the rest of

his life. He continued to visit the dining rooms for the next 9 years every day until he was arrested for being a vagrant. This was due to Bobby not having a shilling dog license. The restaurant owner was also accused of ʻharbouringʼ Bobby. The lord Provost William Chamber came to the rescue, offering to be responsible for the payment of the annual license. Bobby lived until 1872, and like his master was buried in Greyfriars churchyard, (behind the pub), and a granite fountain was erected on the corner of Candlemaker Row in the memory of Bobby, the loyal terrier who mourned his master for 14 years. Next time you are on the tourist trail of Edinburgh, stop off at the celebrated Greyfriars Bobby and then head for the bookshops for a copy of the best selling book, which are plentiful.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 11

MARIAN COLLEGE 1954

The picture above was taken on the occassion of the ﬁrst Mass said at the ofﬁcial opening of Marian College on 8th September 1954. Students are pictured with the Marist brothers and Archbishop of Dublin John Charles McQuaid, centre. Perhaps you, our readers can identify some of the boys and brothers in the picture.

‘S TAR ’ O RGANIST R ETIRES

By Rose Hogan

hose who frequent the 12 oʼclock mass in Star of the Sea Church will be aware that Eilis Murray the

organist of 16 years has retired. Eilis from Mount Merrion and originally from Sandymount, ended her role as organist for the Church back in December 2004. While growing up in Sandy-

mount, Eilis was introduced to music at a very early age by her mother and father who were both singers. In St. Louis in Rathmines, where she went to school her music teachers also had a great inﬂuence on her. Eilis has met a lot of famous people while playing the organ and indeed has given great pleasure to many more. Her involvement with the church goes back almost 24 years. Together with Jack Gallagher, she started working on the church bulletin in the basement of Leahy Terrace, and sheʼs still doing this job today. It was during this time she used to help her Aunt, Mrs Pauline Murray, who was the Church organist. Eilis went on to play the organ herself and

when Pauline passed away Monsignor OʼRegan asked if she would take over the position. Initially, she agreed to do it for 3 months. Thereʼs no question of Eilis retiring for rest purposes, she has a ﬁnger in so many pies. What she really needs is a few more days in the week. Eilis sang with the St. Jamesʼs choir for 26 years, and is now singing with Cantabile, she also plays piano for the Bel Cantoʼs, a group of 5 singers who take time out to sing in Nursing Homes around Donnybrook, Clonskeagh and Leeson Park. This gives Eilis the greatest satisfaction as everyone joins in and the atmosphere is terriﬁc. Even with that busy schedule,

she still ﬁnds time to take a dip every morning, summer and winter, at Seapoint, enough to put most of us to shame. She is also a voluntary librarian in the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook. Eilis loves to travel and would like to spend some time visiting family around the country. Eilis would like to express her thanks to the choir for their support and all the wonderful music they shared over the years– she will miss them greatly. Also, her thanks go to the Church and everyone else who participated in the wonderful send-off she received, I could sense the emotion as Eilis described the concelebrated mass and reception afterwards that was held in honour of her retirement.

PAGE 12

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

S MOKERS F UME AND P UBS F EEL THE D RAUGHT

By Rose Hogan

he ﬁrst Christmas since the smoking ban is over and our thoughts return to the previous yearʼs festive season when the topic of conversation around the country was the forthcoming smoking ban. Itʼs estimated more cigarettes were smoked in December 2003 than any other month during the year as Irish smokers were fuming in anticipation of the new smokefree atmosphere. Every reason under the sun was put forward as to why it shouldnʼt go ahead. Non-smokers seemed to be most sceptical, convinced it would never work, but since it came into force on March 29th 2004 after a few false alarms itʼs proving quite successful. The ban outlaws smoking in a range of public venues including pubs, restaurants and all places of employment including company cars. New research shows that 7,000 have quit smoking and thousands more have reduced their cigarette consumption according to ﬁgures from the national smokerʼs guidelines. The scene has certainly changed on the smoking front since last

March. If you are a non-smoker youʼll probably find yourself spending a lot of time drinking alone, in what is supposed to be the new fresh environment only to find the pongs of body odour and stale beer, not to mention anything else on the upholstery which is even more obvious now that itʼs not masked by the smell of smoke. Opinions are divided amongst smokers, some are enjoying the new social scene outside meeting new acquaintances and getting to grips with all the gossip, and thereʼs even romance in the air. Iʼm told itʼs a great opportunity to spot the talent and follow them outside for a smoke. Others are finding it far too humiliating, having been insulted by non-smokers referring to them as desperate. Sarah, one friend of mine says: “Iʼm not prepared to look desperate standing out in the cold, so I have two or three puffs in the loo and then flush it down the toilet before the alarm goes off.” It certainly meanʼs sheʼs smoking a lot less but, with the possibility of inhaling something far worse in that atmosphere I think sheʼd be better off outside, and what a waste of a cigarette. John, another acquaintance

who regularly sat at the bar with a cigarette in one hand and a pint in the other now feels hard done by that he canʼt enjoy the pleasure of both at the same time; heʼs now resorted to buying a few cans and staying at home. The beer garden is the new smoking lounge, most of them now equipped with garden furniture and patio heaters for the evening chill. It was the ideal place during the summer months but January and February certainly revealed whoʼs desperate and whoʼs not, as smokers return to their seats with more goosebumps than the Christmas turkey. The smoking ban is being blamed for plummeting bar sales, but the government insists the smoke-free policy will deliver a big health dividend as more people quit; however it may take a decade or two to observe the beneﬁts. It will be interesting to see in the long run if the ban will be the decline of smoking or the decline of the pub.

Easter, the Moveable Feast IN THE early days of the Roman Catholic Church, many disputes arose as to fixing a proper date for the celebration of the Easter feast. To finally end all arguments, the first Holy Roman Catholic Emperor Constantine the First, decreed that a council be held in 325 AD at Nicea (Iznik, Turkey). Here the Bishops decided that Easter be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox, with a proviso that should this correspond with the Jewish feast of the Passover, then Easter would fall on the following Sunday. It finally settled the debate, but then a discrepancy arose between the astronomical year and the Julian calendar used then. This kept on widening until Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar in 1582 AD. All the Western churches finally accepted this, except the Eastern ones. They still have their own method to determine when Easter is celebrated. In the early 20th century a move was made to have the Easter date permanently fixed like the Christmas feast. In 1923, the Vatican announced that they could find no canonical objection to this suggestion. Because of objections from certain countries that could not agree to this. The idea was eventually dropped. Today the Easter feast is a moveable date. The earliest it can be celebrated is March 22nd. The last time it occurred then was in 1818 and the next time it falls on that date will be 2285. The latest date it can possibly fall on is April 25th. It last happened in 1943 and will not occur again until 2083. This year the Easter feast will fall on March 27th. By Denis Murphy

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 13

Which Brand of Nappy Keeps Baby Happy? My Little Sunshine CHRISTMAS IS well and truly over but My Little Sunshineʼs reaction to the concept of Santa Claus really got me thinking. At six months old I brought her to see the man in red and she semi-warily sat on his knee. However, things have become progressively worse so that this year she didnʼt want to be near him. However, she has told me in a very matter-of-fact fashion that she will sit on his knee to have her photo taken next year when she is three. So for the moment all my encouragements and coaxing were to no avail. Wait a moment; did I say I encouraged my daughter to go near a stranger dressed in a red suit? There lies the problem. She has more sense than I do and her intuition tells her to be wary of people she doesnʼt know, even one bearing gifts and merrily shouting ho ho ho. Her fear of the unknown extended into Christmas Eve when she was afraid to go to bed in case Santa Claus came down the chimney with the presents but took her away; a kind of exchange I suppose. It obviously made a big impression because sheʼs still talking in an excited but slightly terriﬁed fashion about the chimneys that Santa goes down. This fear makes sense really, itʼs just that as adults we tend to forget how we make sense of the world. My little sunshine is trying to make sense of the world and vocalise it using whatever tools of understanding and vocabulary she possesses. So what is Santa to my little sunshine other than a big, strange man dressed in red with a beard and everyone appears to be happy to see him. So much of the world makes so little sense to children, I just wish my little sunshine never had to have her little bubble burst. I wish she never had to hear raised voices and wonder why are those people cross. I said before that my little sunshine makes me want to be a better person, but I realise that itʼs more than this– I want the whole world to be a more perfect place where my beautiful little girl never has to be sad. It pulls at my heartstrings when she puts her hand on her chest to tell me she is sad in there. Even more so when she tells me I am the one who is making her sad.

By Nicola McMahon

our little one wears nappies for the best part of two to three years and often even longer, so is there a difference between the different brands? Is your darlingʼs sensitive bottom best kept wrapped in one type more than another? Does it make any difference other than to your pocket? I took this matter to those in the know, with daily experience of many babies, wobblers and toddlers and frequently their own children and grandchildren– the Ringsend créche. From my own experience, different brands suit different stages for the baby, but I was curious would this hold true for other babies and children. I asked Mary and Marion in the baby room what nappies they found most suitable. Pampers Active Fit were highly recommended as the sides are not too bulky and they fasten easily. Very cheap nappies are fine if you are stuck but they are generally not the best, although many babies are fine with supermarket nappies. The worst offender seems to be those nappies with the plastic coated outside as they donʼt hold the wet away from babiesʼ little bottoms therefore the possibility of a sore behind is heightened. Elaine in the wobbler room had more or less the same recommendations in nappies. Once past the wobblers stage toddlers are going to be trying to become more independent, thus the brilliance of the pull-ups. I was advised by Izzy in this room that the Huggies Pull-Ups Training Pants for boys (with Mickey Mouse) and for girls (with Minnie Mouse) are the easiest to use because they are easy for the children to pull up and down, are not too bulky yet still as absorbent as others and have Velcro at the sides so you donʼt need to take clothes off if you need to remove them. The Pampers Pull-Ups (with elephant picture) are not as good as they are difficult to pull up and down because they are bulky and they have no

velcro for ease of removal so everything has to come off, although you can tear them at the sides but this can be both difficult and messy. A further recommendation for the older child who is using the toilet by day but not quite adept at stopping wetting by night is Huggies Dry Nites which are for up to ten years old. A point that everyone made was that some children use the recycled brands such as Moltex. Frequently these brands can be delivered, so this is an extra incentive to buy them. These recycled brands are as good as any of the other nappy brands with the added benefit of being environmentally friendly and biodegradable. It is worth thinking about this possibility as an average child can use around 1,500 nappies in a year and all of these are going to landfill where the non-biodegradable ones can take hundreds of years to break down. Additionally, many children suffer from sensitive skin problems such as eczema which can be aggravated by the bleaches in everyday nappies. Such chemicals and bleaches are generally not used in biodegradable nappies. With bin charges in existence now, it is a very good time to look at alternatives ways to cut down on waste volume, including a return to cloth nappies– but not as we know them! The old-fashioned difficult to use cloth nappy is gone and in its place are new easily-washed versions with velcro fasteners or snaps just like disposables. Itʼs worth thinking about the different possibilities, especially if you are just starting out in nappy land.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

O’B RIEN G OES B ACK T O B ASICS W

delighted that a player of Niallʼs calibre conducted our Winter Programme and it was great to see him put so much back into his own Club.” Niall returned to Kent in early January to meet up with new Director of Cricket, Graham Ford and prepare for the challenging season ahead. Young players back in Dublin will be looking to follow Niallʼs season with interest, while he himself will no doubt be interested to ﬁnd out if all the time and effort spent during the wet nights from October to Christmas will pay dividends at Park Avenue and other venues in 2005. As Niall was heading back to Kent, younger brother Kevin was setting off for a six-week stint at the Cricket Academy in Port Elizabeth University, South Africa. In the busy Sandymount household, Sister Ciara having assisted Railway Union knock out Pegagus H.C., Cup holders and favourites from the Irish Senior Cup, embarked on a week-long training camp with the Irish Squad in Spain where she was handed the captainʼs armband for the warmup matches versus Holland. Above: Brian Lara joins in the action with Niall OʼBrien at West Indies v Kent match in 2004.

hile his county colleague at Kent CCC, Geraint Jones was busily preparing to travel to Zimbabwe and South Africa, the other Kent wicketkeeper, Niall OʼBrien of Ireland was travelling in a different direction. Niall went back to his roots, spending a well-deserved break at home with his family in Sandymount, Dublin. However, it was not all rest for Niall as his time in Dublin allowed him renew acquaintances with National Coach, Adi Birrell and members of the Irish Squad preparing for the ICC Trophy in 2005. Home Club, Railway Union were not slow to spot an opportunity and very shortly after arriving back in Dublin, sister Ciara, the Irish Hockey International, had Niall assisting every Monday with coaching hockey with the boys from Willow Park in Blackrock. After hockey each Monday, it was a quick dash to St. Conlethʼs College in Ballsbridge where Niall conducted a Winter Cricket Coaching Programme for the U-11 and U-13 players from Railway

Union over eight weeks. The Programme was modelled on the same lines as the LCU Winter Programme for younger underage players, with a strong emphasis on skill development as being a key component in training sound cricketers of the future. Basic bowling, batting and ﬁelding skills were tutored and practised

time and time again. Mastering basic skills at a young age will set the foundation for future success and enjoyment within the sport for these players. Each session ﬁnished with the obligatory ʻgameʼ with Niall and Kenny also getting involved. Needless to say, these were keenly contested and parents were often

left waiting until a satisfactory outcome in the game could be contrived. David Carroll, Club Youth Representative from Railway Union was delighted with the response from players and parents to the Winter Programme and paid tribute to the quality of the coaching over the eight weeks. “We were

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 15

T HE M AN M E M OTHER M ARRIED G ROWING

UP WITH

N OEL P URCELL (P ART 3) to himself, inflecting this way and that. He would sit with his long legs crossed, so Tuppence and I, not at the same time, of course, would hop up into Dadʼs lap through the hole and sit quietly as he did his work. When Dad was at home, he was great at taking whatever children were there out with him when going shopping for something. He was brilliant, with his carpentry skills, at home improvements. I remember going with him to Ringsend Docks, where the Hammond Lane Foundry was breaking up a ship for scrap. I donʼt know how, but I remember the ship was the ʻQueen Elizabethʼ. I was flabbergasted that it was so small after hearing about this huge liner. Turns out this was an old Paddle steamer of the same name, from Scotland I

By Patrick Purcell The man me mother married had a figure like a prince, If it really was the Da, heʼs changed a good deal since. His chest has slipped a little bit, His feet are kinda flat, And where he used to bulge wid muscle, He bulges now wid fat! The man me mother married used to send her Valentines And lovely little poems, she still remembers lines Full of gentleness and sweetness, The words, they nearly sing, But the Da sez “Aw good sufferinʼ duck” If you mention such a thing.

rowing up in the Purcell household was, I now realise, very different to others, one reason being Dadʼs changes of appearances for various roles. He is probably most well-known around the world for his magnificent beard, seen in movies shot all over the world, in various shapes and sizes, but of course, one could not have a beard, dress in drag and play the Dame in a panto! So it was quite an adjustment to see Dad with his beard leave one day and come home days, weeks or even months later with no beard. Also, of course, when it happened in reverse. It would sometimes take two or three days to finally accept that this geezer kissing Mum was the one and the same Da whoʼd gone off somewhere to do something. I remember some occa-

think. Anyway, Dad was there for the shipʼs crew bunks. We were in quite a small house at 2 Newbridge Drive and there were Dad, Mum, Granny Marmion, Michael, Glynn and myself with Victor just born living in it. So Dad had the idea of getting bunks for the four boys, so we could all sleep in one room. He got the bunks and, using his cabinet making skills, modified them so we all had our own. The bunks had drawers underneath for all our clothes and toys, beautifully finished. I wonder whatever happened to them. On left: A beard-less Noel Purcell, pictured in his dressing room at the Theatre Royal about 1940, prepares to play the Dame in pantomime.

FIANNA FÁIL sions when he was growing a beard, because he used to rub his bristles up my face, which tickled. He was very loving in many ways, although, having grown up in the 1900s, he was not one to say to any of us, “I Love You, Son”. For all that Edwardian reticence, he used to be so patient when at home learning his lines and putting up with our little grabs for attention. We had a cat, which had been part of a troupe of 10 performing moggies until their owner died and the cast of the show took them home so they wouldnʼt be put down. The cats, all jet black, were named from Penny up to Tenpence. We got Tuppence and he lived with us for many years. Dad had a favourite chair for learning his lines and many days he would sit there with his tea, cigarettes and script, muttering away

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

B ANKING ON P EMBROKE ! By Stephanie Costello

aving is a vital method to getting the things we want in life. We all need to save in some shape or form whether it is for that new top or even as far as that new house. Thatʼs why six girls from Pembroke School decided to set up a school bank. We believed this would be a great opportunity for young people to get a real feel for banking, to encourage and promote widespread saving and responsibility

within the students and also to promote team building. The team consisted of; Caroline OʼConnell (bank manager), Rachel Ivers (assistant manager) Hazel Fanon (auditor) Stephanie Costello (marketing ofﬁcer) Isabelle Kennedy and Charlotte Dean (bank tellers). Of course, to start our bank off with a bang we all decided it would be essential to have an exciting and interesting launch day. On the 15th of December after weeks of preparation and an exhausting start, our launch day

ﬁnally started to come together, with the much-appreciated help from the whole class and teacher. We completely covered the classroom in mounds of streamers, balloons, confetti and anything else we could ﬁnd. In the end the classroom really did look the part and we even had two special visitors to cut the ribbon: David Shormann from AIB and

Tatiana Moore who plays Alana in Fair City. Also many thanks must go to Debbie and Liz who helped tremendously with our project. After the ribbon cutting our bank manager Ms OʼConnell gave a speech to all the invited classes and the launch was well underway. Music played in the background, information was handed out and a rafﬂe was held.

Everyone got to meet our special mascot Leroy the Celtic tiger. But what really stole the show were the mounds of chocolate cakes and buns laid out on a huge table for people to take leisurely, and that they really did… Well, a little chocolate persuasion can go a long way. In the end, do we really think people will start to save with us? You can bank on it!

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PAGE 17

he government has decided to let the Poolbeg Incinerator project go ahead. No political decision to stop this facility being built in Ringsend has been taken. On the contrary, the City Council Manager has been given the green light and all it needs now is ʻto go through a planning process.ʼ Does this mean Minister Michael McDowell has failed to stop the incinerator at political level, despite his many promises to the people of Dublin South East? Ruairi Quinnʼs Labour colleague in Dail Eireann, Eamon Gilmore, TD extracted the above facts from Dick Roche, TD, Minister for the Environment, with a priority question in the Dail on Wednesday 9 February. Mr Gilmore: I thank the Minister for his reply which sets out the procedures that will need to be followed to allow an incinerator to be built in Poolbeg. From his answer, can I take it that the Minister is conﬁrming what he recently told Ursula Halligan on her television programme that the incinerator in Poolbeg will proceed? Mr Roche: As I said to the

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Deputy, the incinerator project needs to go through a planning process. Mr Gilmore: We all know that. Mr Roche: Obviously if it gets the green light in the planning process, it can proceed. Mr Gilmore: From the Ministerʼs reply, can I take it that no political decision has been made by the Minister or the Government not to build the incinerator in Poolbeg? Mr Roche: The Deputy can

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indeed take it. So now it is ofﬁcial. The Dublin City Manager is proceeding with the Incinerator. The Labour Councillors, including Kevin Humphreys and Dermot Lacey, along with the majority of elected representatives, 32 to 5 voted against the proposal on 14 September 2004. Despite that democratic opposition, it is now proceeding through the planning process with government support.

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THE SCHOOLS in Ringsend are getting together to raise funds for a Buy a Fishing Boat appeal in the wake of the tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka. A non-stop 4 hour sponsored football match was held on Friday 4th February in Ringsend Boysʼ School (above) and the Girlsʼ School will be holding a Dancathon for the same cause on 3rd March from 10 to 2 pm. Please give generously to this very worthy cause and support the young people who are looking for sponsorship.

Railway Union Cricket Club FRANCIS X. CARTY, President of Railway Union, would like to express his sincere thanks to all who contributed so generously to the success of the Quiz Night for the victims of the Asian disaster and to those who organised the event. Francis was delighted with the response from the entire Railway Union family as well as from friends in other clubs. Thanks are due also to the sponsors who donated prizes for the quiz and for the raffle. €3,220 has been lodged to the Ireland Sri Lanka Trust Fund where the money will be put to good use, especially for the rebuilding of the countryʼs fishing fleet.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

G RANNY V ISITS A USSIE

By Maggie Neary

y son invited me to visit for Christmas. Eager to avail of the opportunity to reacquaint myself with my now 10 month old granddaughter, I put aside my horror of the long ﬂights involved, donned my granny hat and took to the skies Perth in Western Australia gave me some glorious days of mid-twenties heat. I loved to drive along the gorgeous coastline enjoying the cool breezes from the brilliant blue sea dotted with surfers and sailors. At Scarborough by the ocean we dined in open-air restaurants on succulent fresh crayﬁsh and salads. The former, known here as lobster, is very affordable ʻdown underʼ.

On Christmas morning the temperature was 38ºC but cooling relief came in mid-afternoon when thunderstorms lashed in from the ocean and lightning flashed in forks. Sitting on the decking, eating turkey and ham and swigging a very fine Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon I was a happy camper amongst the localsʼ moans at the pernickety weather. On January 29th my son, his partner, their daughter and I flew to Sydney. Flying in over the city by daylight we had a sweeping view of Sydney Harbour, the famous Opera House seeming from high up to be dipping its white wings into the waters. Sydney is generally cooler than Perth but the extremes Iʼd encountered back there now began to take their toll and finally on New Yearʼs Eve I went down with a severe virus.

I took to the bed but at 9pm managed to drag myself to the apartmentʼs fifth-floor balcony to catch a glimpse of the famous Sydney fireworks exploding high into the skies. Three days later I was up and ready to go again, albeit at a gentle pace. Having visited Sydney some years ago Iʼd already done the touristy things so could now devote my time to kith and kin. Morgan, my granddaughter, and I began to get seriously acquainted. Initially, she was very wary. The first time her parents went away for a few hours, she crawled around the apartment weeping out her heartbreak over her seeming abandonment. Gradually, grandmother and Morgan got used to each other. She loved to go out in her buggy and I cherished these times alone with her. She and I explored our Sydney neighbourhood

of Surrey Hills. An old area, 15 minutes walk from the city, it was until recently down-at-heel and has now become popular with the trendy young things. Its two main busy thoroughfares are interlinked with marvellously quiet tree-lined streets and cul-de-sacs claiming names such as Tudor Street, Withers Lane and Collins Avenue where the houses are bijou, balconied, terraced 2 storey charmers. New 7 to 9 story high apartment blocks house the ever-burgeoning yuppie population. Behind a small park near our apartment, rose public housing apartment blocks of 14 storeys which were built in the mid 20th century and which still appeared solid and perky. Beryl, an 80 year old lady, whom I met in the Park, has lived in these apartments for 50 years. They were, she said, for a long time the highest buildings in Sydney. She, a Swede by origin, married an Irishman and though left to bring up her two daughters alone, she was still a bundle of energy and happy reminiscences. Another local I spoke with claimed that the majority of houses in the area are now occupied by higher earners with just a few long-time dwellers remaining. Drug and alcohol-based crime is a big issue. The placement of formerly institutionalised people into the public housing high-rise ﬂats makes for what he politely described as “incredibly bizarre conversations mainly monosyllabic, outside on the streets, in the very small hours of the mornings.” Greek grandmammas and papas occupied the same benches in the park every day and I gathered from my futile attempts to communicate that they spoke little or no English. Smiles and oohs and ahhs at Morgan had to sufﬁce. The local population was doggie

mad. The park resounded to the yelps of delirious dogs and their owners playing chase the ball. The humans were a colourful mix of old and young, hetero and homo, and the ever-present winos in their favourite corners under the shade. People commented that the park was not safe, yet I found myself very at ease both there and in the whole locality and happy that doggie poohs were instantly removed by their owners. Crown Street, the main thoroughfare in Surrey Hills, offered fantastic diversity in shops, cafes, restaurants and a small park with a childrenʼs corner. Art deco in ceramics, fabrics, furnishings and woodturning was on offer in highly sophisticated old-world-charm premises, beautifully air-conditioned. Specialty restaurants offered a variety of dining experiences, reflecting the multicultural society living in Surrey Hills. Breakfast in ʻLemonʼ was a delight and lunch in ʻWood and Stoneʼ offered tasty wood-fired pizzas. On my last night all three of us went to ʻYAIʼ, a spacious open fronted Thai restaurant. My eight king prawns, coated in coconut, fried and served on a bed of lettuce with a mild chilli sauce are still a mouth-watering memory. Equally satisfying dishes, three each, were had all round and the bill came light at a mere €60 for all. The majority of restaurants are BYO (bring your own wine), which tends to help both the pocket and the palate. Morgan and I became good friends. Parting from my family was intensely sad. The 36 hours door-to-door return journey was arduous, but what a marvel it all is. Hopping into a great big machine and finding oneself at the other side of the world in the bosom of oneʼs family, new and old. Iʼm not complaining. Above: Maggie with baby Morgan and, below, the rest of the family.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 19

A N E XPLOSION OF C OLOUR IN D OCKLANDS

he Luminarium is a giant and very colourful inflatable maze, which will be staged in Dublinʼs Docklands as part of this yearʼs St Patrickʼs Festival. Designed by UK-based Architects of Air, the Luminarium is a brand new maze which is being unveiled for the very first time in Dublin as part of the Festival. The Luminarium in Docklands will be staged on a specially-built platform on

Georgeʼs Dock, in the IFSC, just minutes from OʼConnell Bridge. Extending to over 100 square metres, this giant structure, viewed from the street will provoke curiosity and have a spectacular impact. On entering, visitors experience light and colour and are invited to wander barefoot through the labyrinth of tunnels, mazes and domes in a peaceful and hypnotic atmosphere or just lie back and enjoy the spectacle.

Loretta Lambkin, Director of Marketing at the Docklands Authority, said, “The Luminarium in Docklands is a great opportunity for people to experience a truly unique piece of street theatre. It has been described as a combination of light, sound and architectural form. We expect it will be a must-see attraction over the St Patrickʼs Festival.” The Luminarium in Docklands will be open to the public from Wednesday, 16th March to Sunday, 20th March from 10 am to 6 pm. Tickets are €6 plus €0.50 booking fee and are available through The Box Office, The Central Ticket Bureau, 33 Eden Quay, Dublin 1, Tel: 01-872 1122 and Web: www.centralticketbureau.com.

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PAGE 20

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

The Jukebox Review MUSIC

and Cathy Davey have earned recently. Radiohead fans will be happy to hear that their ʻMy Iron Lungʼ EP (Parlophone) has ﬁnally been released in Europe. If youʼre into the band, itʼs worth a look– the acoustic version of ʻCreepʼ is pretty good, as is ʻPermanent Daylightʼ and ʻThe Tricksterʼ.

By Dan Hegarty

he problem with a lot of compilations is they arenʼt what they claim to be. Some say they have ʻfreshest new soundsʼ or the ʻhottest new bandsʼ, where in reality these ʻfresh new soundsʼ arenʼt particularly new, and the ʻhot new bandsʼ are lacking any trace of warmth. ʻMusic For People With Long Earsʼ (Sofa) is a compilation worth checking out. It features some of the best under-exposed acts around at the moment. The highlights here include Stanley Super 800, Sunday Morning, and The Siam Collective. It was compiled by former Emperor Of Icecream vocalist John Haggis, and just might introduce you to bands youʼll come to love. The Others have had quite a few months with the singles ʻLackeyʼ and ʻStan Bowlesʼ. They put out their debut album last month, which should help them keep their momentum moving in the right direction. The only hitch with ʻThe Othersʼ (Vertigo) is that it seems to run out of steam in patches. Thereʼs no doubt the band are talented– maybe they need to get rid of some of the weaker tunes and focus on the better ones. If youʼre looking for an early contender for album of the year, then take a listen to LCD Soundsystemʼs self-titled album. ʻLCD Soundsystemʼ (DFA) sits somewhere between their label mates The Rapture, and The Fall. See the article opposite for more about them. The Chemical Brothersʼ last studio album ʻCome With Usʼ is best kept in the dustier part of your record collection. The duoʼs latest record ʻPush The Buttonʼ (Virgin) is a return to form. The lead single ʻGalvanizeʼ (featuring Q-Tip) opens proceedings perfectly, with ʻMarvo Gingʼ and ʻLeft Rightʼ standing out as songs youʼll want to have on repeat each time youʼre near your stereo.

RECOMMENDED

Fearghal McKee. Similar things can be said about ʻLanguage. Sex. Violence. Other?ʼ (V2) by Stereophonics. To say that their last two albums werenʼt the best would be an understatement. This, their ﬁfth album is one that contains songs from both extremes. The decent parts of this album out-weigh the bad, however that horrendous pub rock sound still haunts some of their music. ʻRed Hot & Crueʼ (Universal) features Motley Crueʼs glammiest and greatest moments. Yes,

some of the songs are ʻimportantʼ in the annals of rock history, but does the world really need another Motley Crue compilation album? Fans of AC/DC might want to pick up the current Burning Brides record. ʻLeave No Ashesʼ (V2) leaves nothing to the imagination with guitars and screams all the way. Even when compared to bands like The Vines and The White Stripes, Burning Brides need not feel in the least bit inferior with this record at their side.

IN BRIEF Fans of the defunct Whipping Boy are going to love ʻWhat You Wanna Start?ʼ The debut single from former Whipping Boy vocalist Fearghal McKee sounds like ʻHeartwormʼ updated. ʻGeorgeʼs Street Arcadeʼ (Ivy Court) is the name of the new Tadhg Cooke, but donʼt let that put you off. Cookeʼs second album is due out shortly, and should bring him the kind of popularity that Declan OʼRourke

Estel ʻMy Dreams Are Like Rabbits...ʼ (Little Plastic Tapes) Bloc Party ʻSilent Alarmʼ (Wichita) Adam Green ʻGemstonesʼ (Rough Trade) Brendan Benson ʻThe Alternative To Loveʼ (V2) M83 ʻBefore The Dawn Heals Usʼ (EMI) Gavouna ʻStings & Dum Machinesʼ (Arable) Matt Sweeney & Bonnie Prince Billy ʻSuperwolfʼ (Domino) Gibby Haynes ʻGibby Haynes & His Problemsʼ (Surfdog) Stoat ʻThe Saltee Tangoʼ (Stoat) The Postal Service ʻWe Will Become Silhouettesʼ (Sub Pop)

ESSENTIAL LISTENING

God Is An Astronaut ʻAll Is Violent, All Is Brightʼ (Revive) Imagine a band that encapsulate the sounds of Mogwai, Whipping Boy, and Chemical Brothers, and youʼll get an idea where God Is An Astronaut sit in musicʼs stratosphere. ʻAll Is Violent, All Is Brightʼ is the second album from the Bray-based band, and it conﬁrms their status as a one of the most exciting acts in recent memory. www.godisanastronaut.com

The Kills ʻNo Wowʼ (Domino) Itʼs rock, but not quite as gritty as their last record. Donʼt view this as a criticism though, ʻNo Wowʼ should prove a difﬁcult album not to like. The US/UK duo have widened their sound, which just might allow them slip into the viewﬁnders of those whoʼve been lapping up the music of Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, and The Killers. www.dominorecordco.com

Various ʻHallucinations – Psychedelic Pop Nuggets From The WEA Vaultsʼ (Rhino) This is part of a series of compilations that unearths some forgotten treasures from decades past. ʻHallucinations...ʼ is by far the wackiest of them – seamlessly blending together artists Kim Fowley, The Holy Mackerel, and The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. This lush concoction is a trip man! www.rhinohandmade.com

66E ʻFall Down Seven Times Stand Up Eightʼ (Underfoot) They came to many peopleʼs attention a few years ago under the name The 66 Electric. If youʼre looking to be pleasantly surprised by a record, this is it. 66E have put together a beautiful debut album that balances those sweet, tender sounds with abrasive rock noise. www.66earehome.com

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 21

Heat Seekers

The Chalets, The Go! Team, Mainline and LCD Soundsystem.

Franz Ferdinand and Mylo made names for themselves last year, but what are the names that weʼll be talking about this year? Itʼs really a guessing game, but take note of these acts– 2005 should see them blossom. The Go! Team: The UK groupʼs album ʻThunder Lightening Strikeʼ was one of the last yearʼs surprises. Although it didnʼt catch on commercially, all the indications suggest that The Go! Teamʼs quirky sound (like The Avalanches mixed with The Supremes) will hit a wider audience on both sides of the Atlantic in the coming months. www.thegoteam.co.uk

79Cortinaz: Thereʼs a theory that the best way to build an audience is by word of mouth. This has definitely worked for Carlowʼs 79Cortinaz. Their debut single ʻDeirdreʼs Songʼ became the darling of night-time radio during 2004, and has built them quite a following. www.79cortinaz.com LCD Soundsystem: Much like The Rapture a couple of years ago, LCD Soundsystem have tapped into the 80s retro sound with a great deal of success. Theyʼve just released their debut selftitled album, which with the help of singles ʻDaft Punk Is Playing At My Houseʼ and ʻMovementʼ promises to be huge. www.lcdsoundsystem.com

The Foamboy Deluxe Arkestra: In the last two years The Foamboy Deluxe Arkestra (AKA Geoff Topley) has recorded three astonishingly good albums. The only hitch is that none of them have been made widely available. The latest ʻSpotlight Kidʼ is his strongest– if it does reach a wider audience, itʼs only a matter of time before this music is embraced and cherished. The Beat Up: The band formerly known as The Beating are about to unleash their debut album, which has been produced by My Bloody Valentine & Primal Scream genius Kevin Shields. Their single ʻMessed Upʼ was a big hit on MTV 2 and The Amp last year, and all indications suggest that 2005 will be a big year for them. www.fantasticplasticrecords. com

Mainline: If youʼre into Spacemen 3, The Jesus & Mary Chain, or more recent bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, youʼll love Mainline. The Dublin bandʼs single ʻBlack Honeyʼ has featured heavily on Irish and UK radio, and gives us a glimpse of whatʼs to come. They may wear their inﬂuences on their sleeve, but youʼd be a fool to overlook this band. www.mainlinesounds.com The Knife: The Swedish brother and sister duo Karin and Olof Dreijer list Peaches, electronic body music, dirty south rap, Prince, and Kate Bush as inﬂuences! Their two albums ʻThe Knifeʼ and ʻDeep Cutsʼ are best described as electro-pop that shreds all the rules, and brings you music that truly sounds deranged! www.theknife.net

Betamax Format: Theyʼre another Irish act to watch this year. Their debut single ʻXXX Robotʼ is due out shortly, and is something that will win them many fans. So many groups try and make the guitar/electronic crossover work, but few make it sound this good. www.betamaxformat.com The Chalets: The Chalets have been ready to explode for the last couple of years. With a debut album almost ready, things look seriously promising for them. Few bands have been able to put together pop tunes as clever as ʻTheme For Chaletsʼ, ʻKiss Chasingʼ, and ʻSexy Mistakeʼ– theyʼre like The B52ʼs after a late-night consultation with Yeah Yeah Yeahs. www.thechalets.com

NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS • NEWS

ete Pamf ʼs track ʻTripping In The Meadowʼ has been chosen as the music for the forthcoming Murphyʼs TV commercial. The song is taken from Pamf ʼs debut solo album ʻProne To Abuseʼ, which was released last year. ʻTripping In The Meadowʼ has become a popular choice on late night radio over the past few months. Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan has been working on a solo project under the name Mono Band. Along with being invited to play at the forthcoming South By Southwest music festival in Texas, thereʼs a Mono Band album due for release later this year. Those expecting a Cranberries-like sound will be quite shocked at whatʼs coming– you can find out more by logging on to www.

monoband.co.uk. All 160,000 tickets for U2ʼs two Croke Park dates sold out in less than an hour earlier this month, setting a new record for ticket sales in Ireland. Those left without tickets were initially hoping for a third U2 concert, however this has been ruled out. Those wondering what Jason Falkner has been up to might like to know that the former Jellyfish guitarist and Air collaborator has recently put out an EP in the US. ʻBliss Descendingʼ is Falkner ʼs first solo release since his 1999 album ʻCan You Still Feel?ʼ The EP was released on the Wreckchords label– check out Falkner ʼs website for more– www.jasonfalkner.com. You can expect new albums from Estel, Joe Ches-

ter, and former Prayer Boat vocalist Emmet Tinley this month. ʻMy Are Like Rabbits, They Built Tunnels, Fell On The Pavement & Diedʼ from Estel wins best tile, and is the bandʼs follow-up to the superb ʻA Guide In A Time Of Great Danger ʼ. Joe Chester ʼs ʻA Murder Of Crowsʼ is released on February 18, while Emmet Tinleyʼs solo debut is due in March/April– he also appears on selected live dates with Mark Geary this month. Finally, get ready for the Meteor Ireland Music Awards, which takes place in The Point Theatre on February 24. Live performers include Snoop Dogg, Bell X1, and The Thrills– while each category promises to be a hotly contested battle zone.

PAGE 22

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

S ANDYMOUNT AND M ERRION R ESIDENTS A SSOCIATION By Frances Corr

public meeting on the proposed 1.5 billion euro ʻmini cityʼ to be built on Poolbeg, Sean Moore Park and Irishtown Nature Park was one of the most well-attended in the history of Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association (SAMRA).Over 400 people gathered in Lakelandʼs School, Sandymount including Labour Party TD Mr Ruairi Quinn, Green

Party TD, Mr John Gormley and local councillors Dermot Lacey (Lab), Lucinda Creighton (FG) and Wendy Hederman (PD) to discuss the proposed area which is to be called ʻSouth Bankʼ. SAMRA residents association planning ofﬁcer Lorna Kelly provided an overview of the controversial Strategic Development Framework and plans for the proposed ʻSouth Bankʼ development. Ms Kelly showed slides of

the plan to the audience and explained the various zonings, breaches in planning and the proposed high-rise development. The destruction of the Nature Park, high-rise development and a road on Sean Moore Park where the ﬂoodlit pitches now stand was discussed along with possible interference to tide patterns, potential ﬂooding issues and the dangers of building on a low coastal area. Engineer and environmentalist Maurice Bryan pointed out the lack of infrastructure in the plan. He spoke of the lack of feeder routes into the area, the lack of public transport and the bizarre suggestion that parking spaces in existing

local communities should also serve the new town. Mr Byrne said the longawaited Eastern Bypass was barely mentioned in the plans. The lands set aside to facilitate access and feeder roads to connect the M50 to the proposed Eastern By-Pass had now been allocated to other uses in the Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Councilʼs area Development Plan. Some of those who attended the meeting expressed disbelief at the South Bank proposals. John Gormley TD called on all political parties to work together to defeat the plan. Ruairi Quinn, TD said his own home had been ﬂooded in the past and it was an experience he would not wish to

repeat. “The increased ﬂooding risk, the trafﬁc problems, soil contamination and lack of public transport in the plan are seriously worrying,” he said. He added that part of the Poolbeg Peninsula would inevitably be used for development, particularly the Glass Bottle House site, but that local people must be consulted at an early stage and be involved in any future plans for the area. Anyone with objections should make their feelings known by contacting their local representatives or Dublin City Council. (See Page 36 for the reaction of the Combined Residents Against Incineration (CRAI).)

Where’s the Fire?

TIMES PAST

DUBLIN…

The Vintage

PRESIDENT MARY MCALEESE received a lively and noisy welcome at the Esat BT Young Scientist and Technology awards in the RDS. She praised the hard work put in by all the students in the researching of their projects. Dublin 4 was well represented in the awards by local schools and students. Pictured above from left are Teacher Ms Ruth Hickey, Rory McGlynn from Ballsbridge, Jack Toner and Stephen Noone from Sandymount who represented the Catholic University School, Leeson Street. They won 3rd place with a remote control ﬁre extinguisher. Vincent Grace from John Scottus school, Donny-

V ERY A CTIVE

brook was awarded 3rd place for his individual project ʻThe application of artiﬁcial neural networks and fuzzy logic to autonomous navigationʼ. Emmet Kilberd and Andrew Linnie, also from John Scottus, won 2nd place with a project to prove that an ancient form of maths called ʻvedicʼ can be used to improve computer speeds. St Conlethʼs had winners also. Dane Colin Pieri and Cillian Murphy won a prize with their project ʻAnatibacterial protection of keyboards using titanium dioxideʼ. Neil McDermott won 3rd place in the biological and ecological section with his project on ʻThe effects of caffeine on co-ordinationʼ.

AT THE

CYMS

74 Irishtown Road

LUNCH SERVED 12.00 – 2.30PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY BEER GARDEN SMOKING AREA TO THE REAR

AT THE recent Active Retirement party at the CYMS, Irishtown Road, from left: Margaret McGovern, Dorothy Chambers, Margaret Finn, Kathleen Redmond, Lily Cunningham, Kathleen Handley, Kay Whelan and Maureen Robinson.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 23

Film Scene •••By Michael Hilliard

‘Meet the Fockers’ Director Jay Roach (The Austin Powers movies) has returned along with the original cast of his 2000 hit comedy, ʻMeet the Parentsʼ. A smart, consistently funny and well written script ensured its success, with both the director and actors mining the comic concept of meeting your partnerʼs parents for the first time. Back again are Ben Stiller as hapless male nurse Gaylord ʻGregʼ Focker, his girlfriend Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo), Robert De Niro as exC.I.A. agent and Fockerʼs future father in law, Jack Byrnes, and Blythe Danner as Jackʼs wife Dina. Due to Gregʼs fear of the inevitably calamitous results, Jack and Dina have not yet met his parents, sex therapist Roz (Barbara Streisand) and stay-at-home father Bernie (Dustin Hoffman). But Greg and Pam have become engaged and have invited the Byrnes to Focker Isle in Miami for the weekend. The stage is set for culture clash comedy gold, as the incredibly laid-back and impossibly embarrassing Roz and Bernie set about getting to know the Byrnes. ʻMeet the Fockersʼ is a pointless sequel whose only real purpose seems to be to tarnish the reputation of its predecessor and its cast. The focused script and well-timed gags of ʻMeet the Parentsʼ have been replaced with a sloppy story, overlong unfunny set pieces and some lazy, phoned-in performances by its stars. Robert De Niro was undoubtedly the star of the first film, lampooning the threatening hard-man role to which he is most closely associated–

a fact obviously not lost on the creators of the sequel. This time out he resorts to pulling funny(?) faces to elicit laughs in the absence of any real jokes from the screenwriters. De Niro needs to ﬁre his agent and start reading scripts before he signs on the dotted line. Itʼs a shame that the greatest living American actor insists on repeatedly damaging his reputation by choosing these dire roles. ʻMeet the Fockersʼ is one to avoid. Hugely disappointing in almost every way, Ben Stiller seems to have forgotten how to be funny. With this, the abysmal ʻDodgeballʼ and the painfully average ʻStarsky and Hutchʼ, Stiller needs a hit. Hoffman and Streisand are criminally wasted here, and make one wonder what could have been, had the script not been a shambolic mess of clichés. 2 out of 5

‘Oceans Twelve’ In 2001, director Steven Soderbergh (ʻSex, lies and videotapeʼ, ʻTrafﬁcʼ, ʻSolarisʼ) remade the 60s rat pack movie ʻOceans Elevenʼ. He delivered pure entertainment in the form of a starry Hollywood heist movie, a smartly-written and satisfying addition to his resume. A sequel was inevitable after the success of ʻElevenʼ, and rather impressively, Soderbergh has managed to persuade the entire cast to reprise their roles. When we last saw these characters, they had just pulled off an incredible robbery of three of Las Vegasʼs largest casinos in one night.

The casinos belonged to Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who also happened to be seeing Danny Oceanʼs (George Clooney) ex-wife, Tess (Julia Roberts). As we get re-acquainted with these characters, we learn that the eleven are now enjoying their fortunes in various parts of the U.S. Benedict, however, has discovered their whereabouts and has set about regrouping his stolen fortune, with added interest of course. Forced to come up with the money they owe Benedict within two weeks, Oceans Eleven decide to relocate to Europe and get back to work as they are ʻtoo hotʼ to steal at home. The first hour of ʻOceans Twelveʼ is promising. We feel at home with these characters almost immediately and their onscreen chemistry is palpable. Some witty small talk works well, such as Clooneyʼs question, “What age do I look?”, but is ultimately pointless and serves no purpose in furthering the story. There are also a plethora of in-jokes which presume you have a good, in-depth knowledge of the first film. Certainly entertaining in small doses, for those who have seen and enjoyed ʻOceans Elevenʼ more than once, but Soderbergh pushes it too far. There is a moment in ʻOceans Twelveʼ where everything starts to fall apart. All the promise shown and confidence in the story crumbles at this point. Trying not to give too much away, a certain character is used as a decoy in assistance to the team. The manner in which this character is used is a post-modern, pretentious cop-out, which is so ridiculous that it actually draws you out of the film, in sheer disbelief. We begin to realise that the writer obviously had no idea in which direction he was heading, and from this point on just made it up as he went. ʻOceans Thirteenʼ? No thanks! 2 out of 5

For Your Consideration… ʻAssault on Precinct 13ʼ Starring Laurence Fishburne, Ethan Hawke and Gabriel Byrne, ʻAssault on Precinct 13ʼ is quite a surprisingly effective remake of John Carpenters 1970ʼs slow burning siege movie. Offering nothing particularly new to the genre, this is nonetheless a relentlessly entertaining popcorn movie. 3 out of 5 ʻCloserʼ Mike Nicholsʼs movie adaptation of Patrick Marberʼs play is a meditation on the nature of modern relationships. Starring Jude Law, a

scene-stealing Clive Owen, Julia Roberts and Natalie Portman, this is certainly not the fluffy romantic comedy it is being marketed as. ʻCloserʼ is gripping and thoroughly enjoyable. 4 out of 5 ʻThe Aviatorʼ Martin Scorseseʼs great Oscar hope this year, ʻThe Aviatorʼ is a magnificently well-crafted movie. With a revelatory central performance from Leonardo Di Caprio as Howard Hughes, billionaire industrialist and visionary filmmaker, and great supporting cast, this is Scorseseʼs best since ʻGoodfellasʼ. 4 out of 5

PAGE 24

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

W HEN THE P IDGEONS F LEW THE C OOP By Denis Murphy

round the year 1760 The Ballast Board built a blockhouse that was used mainly as a storehouse for workersʼ tools and wreckage. A year or so later they employed John Pidgeon to watch over it and the surrounding compound. Pidgeon, his wife and their three children were provided with free lodging in a wooden house along with a small salary. The mail packet ships from England berthed there and the family provided the weary travellers with light refreshment. When the completed Great South Wall became the new wonder of the day, day-trippers from the city soon ﬂocked down to view the sights. John and his son Ned would ferry them from Ringsend and in turn were amply remunerated for the service.

Father and son regularly caught fresh crab, ﬁsh and lobster, which his wife and daughters cooked

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daily and their excellent cuisine soon brought in welcome extra revenue. So popular did it become that soon the Ballast Board, following gentle persuasion from eminent notables having enjoyed their visits to the site on occasions, issued John a liquor licence to provide alcoholic beverage for serving along with the meals. Wits of the day began calling this new rendezvous ʻThe Pigeon Houseʼ. It soon became common knowledge to city thieves and vagabonds that John Pidgeon and his family were acquiring a nice little nest egg in what was then an extremely isolated and harsh location. One wet, miserable stormy Saturday night the Pidgeon family was aroused by cries for help from outside. Rushing to give assistance, they discovered three men in a boat appearing to be in difﬁculty. Getting them safely into their home the Pidgeons were attacked by them. The intruders tied up John and his wife and then threatened the safety of their two daughters, wanting to know the whereabouts of their savings. Ned, having moored the rescued boat, came into the house and was at once pounced on. Fighting them off gallantly as the thieves threatened the girls with a sword in their quest for fortune, Ned grabbed the blade, severing an artery in his hand.

Despite his obvious pain and loss of blood, he ran to obtain help, wrapping his neck scarf around his hand to stem the ﬂow. On returning, he found the thieves had made good their escape with everything of value they could lay hands on. There was also no way that he could follow them as they had staved in the bottom of the family boat. This being the main transport used to ferry people to the construction site, a collection was quickly started by wealthy townspeople to purchase another boat for them. Business resumed shortly afterwards. A few days after the attack John and Ned pulled a body from the Liffey. In a pocket he found his fatherʼs watch leading both of them to believe that he was one of the thieves. A day or so later a body was washed ashore of another thief, leading the Pidgeons to assume that the robbers fell out after the robbery, perhaps over their share of the spoils. John never recovered his fortune and about 1786 he died, before the Ballast Board were about to award him a deserved pension. A short while later his wife died, leaving the girls and Ned to run the business. Nedʼs injured hand caused him a great deal of distress forcing him to hire two men, to help ferry passengers from the city to the Pigeon House. One day while

sharing a lunch break on the boat with his two employees, he noticed that one of them had a pearlhandled knife identical to the one his father had owned. When Ned began to question the man, an argument broke out between them, the accused attempting to jump overboard, with the knife held menacingly in his hand. Ned lunged for him and was unfortunate to catch his injured hand on the sharp blade. The captured thief admitted to his crime and was hanged the following day. Gangrene quickly set into Nedʼs hand, causing his agonising death a few days later. With the death of their brother, the girls soon showed their indomitable Pidgeon spirit. They took over the place and continued to give the same service their father and brother had provided. It became even more popular with the men-folk now that there were two very attractive young ladies at the helm of the boat. On an October night, a heavy storm developed, beaching an American vessel that had been driven onto the North Bull. The only survivors were the vesselʼs Captain and a rich American gentleman along with his three-yearold son. Despite the danger of the storm and the lateness of the hour, Rachel and Mary rushed at once to provide any aid they could. The gentleman could not be moved immediately, having broken three ribs and the sisters nursed him back to full ﬁtness. They tenderly cared for the gentlemanʼs son who began to develop a great deal of affection for them both. As the patient slowly began to recover his health he revealed that his wife had died recently in Philadelphia and he was bringing his son to Ireland to be raised by relatives. So impressed was he by the sistersʼ kindness and dedication towards them, he fell in love with Mary and proposed to her. She accepted and when he had recovered his full health she set out for the Americas with her husband-to-be and his son. Her sister Rachel followed shortly after and is believed to have married well and prospered, never to return. The last of the Pidgeonʼs had ﬂown the coop, but this one time haven for stranded and weary seafarers will forever be known as ʻThe Pigeon Houseʼ. John Pidgeonʼs name can be seen still to this day in the records of the Ballast Board ledgers. Top : The Pigeon House Fort, a sketch from about 1800.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 25

GREER IN TOP GEAR

By Derek Buckley Irishtown V Cashel F.C. 4:1

rishtown over 35s were playing with the possibility of a result, which would put them into the quarter finals of the Clifford Cup. League-wise the Ringsend seniors are currently in second place and the visit of Cashel to Ringsend Park, a premier side should be trouble for home team manager Kevin Reynolds, but full credit to his pre-match attitude “Weʼre as good as anyone”. The game started brightly for the home team and with only minutes on the clock they squandered quality chances through David Hughes and Peter Byrne. Moments later, the worst happened, Cashelʼs midfielder, with his run down the right flank delivered a perfect cross and yes 0:1 for the away team as the Cashel striker netted with a perfect header, and whatever happened after that, if it wasnʼt for Damien Jenkins, Irishtownʼs goalkeeper, Cashel could have put the game beyond the home team by half-

time. For the last half-hour of the first half, Irishtown players looked like they were on an O.A.Pʼs day out as they failed to realise where they were! Thanks to the ref ʼs weird decision, the home team got a controversial penalty which Patrick Kavanagh finished with precision, 1:1. Before half time, manager Reynolds had no option but to change tactics as off went Mark Merrigan and Peter Byrne for Joe Murray and Damien Byrne. The second half was a completely different scenario as the home team sprang into life and played ball worthy of their current league position. Right from the re-start, David Greer let the Cashel defence realise that himself and his squad mean business as his solo run gifted his team the possibility of an early second half lead but his effort was fractionally wide. By now the team had exploded into life and on came Damien Duff, oh sorry, Damien Byrne, he may as well have been Damien Duff as he ran riot on the right side. By now, there was shape in the team. Linking up well in

defence was Steven Caulfield and Jason Floyd, the middle of the park was dominated by Greer, John Butler and electric legs, Charlie Byrne. Irishtown took the lead from another penalty as Greer was dragged down in the box and back on came Kavanagh with the American-style rules to make no mistake, 2:1 and off he went straight after it (for the record these

Always a winning team

rules are allowed in the over 35s league). At this stage, Cashel couldnʼt find a way out of their own half and Damien Byrne made it 3:1 as he was fed through by Greer. Greer got his reward for his performance and ended the game as a contest with a breathtaking 35-yard volley which thundered in the top corner, 4:1. Now Irishtown were into the quarter finals and man-

ager Reynolds realised to advance further his lads must produce 90 minutes of football and not only 45 minutes! Star Man: David Greer From top left, clockwise: Irishtown FC Over 35s, David Greer in action and Team of the Month Cambridge Under 8s, recent 13:1 winners over Ballaly. Manager of the team is Liam Behan.

PAGE 26

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

The Fontenoy Files Pencil Saturday 26 February in your diary!

By Shay Connolly

he big day for the official opening of the Clubhouse, Pitches and Floodlights is Saturday 26th February.With many Juvenile matches going on throughout the day, including a visit from Cappaghwhite Minor hurlers, the big match between Dublin Senior Footballers and Monaghan will be the highlight of the evening with a 7.00 throw in. Heads of Government, Ministers and GAA Presidents will all be in attendance in what promises to be a wonderful day. Everyone welcome. The floodlights went on and lightened up our Christmas and New Year here at the Club. On the 20th December at 6.45 we turned them on for the first time. Gerry Kelly and Matt Bolton from the DDDA came down. So too did Jimmy Carolan from Dublin Port Company as well as local dignitaries to witness such a wonderful sight. People upstairs looking down on the proceedings compared the pitch and the lights to a giant snooker table. And from that cued a phenomenal response to our facilities over the past month or so. During that month, a lot has already happened. The Dublin senior hurling team played Westmeath and won comfortably. The Dublin Senior Football team played their final two trial matches amid a large attendance of autograph hunters. All young members are now used to seeing Jayo, Ciaran Whelan, Paddy Christie and all the stars around the place. The kids barely say hello to them now! On one of his nights off the legend went to see Planxty at the Point Depot. Sitting in front of him were five GAA All Stars in the name of Anthony Daly of Clare, Christy Heffernen of Kilkenny, Michael Duignan of Offaly, Bernard Flynn of Meath and Stephen OʼBrien from Cork. On spotting the legend in the seat behind them, they followed him after the show. And where else would the legend lead them only to Clanna Gael Fontenoy. A

The Legend among legends. left to right: Stephen OʼBrien (Cork), Anthony Daly (Clare), Michael Duignan (Offaly), Bernard Flynn (Meath), Christy Heffernan (Kilkenny), Loughlin Kelly (Offaly), Legend (Dublin). great night was had by all with patron Ann OʼConnor falling head over heels for Christy Heffernen. A big welcome to all the lads from Donnybrook Gaels who joined up with the Club on January 1st. We wish them an easy passage as they integrate themselves among all the lads. This integration will see the Club ﬁeld three adult football teams for the ﬁrst time ever. We also welcome Stephen Foran from East Wall. In hurling we welcome back Denis Nagle and we wish him and his co-selectors Paddy Joyce and Joey Dalton– all the best for the season ahead. The Juvenile presentation turned out to be a fantastic evening for all concerned. The clubhouse was packed to the rafters as Dublin Port Co. representative, Charlie Murphy made the presentations. Afterwards, Charlie said that the whole front row of the Irish International Rugby team could not have put in a more testing hour as kids jumped up on his neck, bit his ankles, tore at his hair and pulled at his ears. A Disco was held in the hall downstairs and a great evening followed. A big thank you to all

who helped out. All Juveniles are back in action with the adult section commencing in a few weeks. As we enter into the fray for yet another year we hope that the facilities now available at the club will make each member proud of the jersey they wear and the community they represent. As always, the club caters for all types of parties from weddings, 21stʼs, engagements, Christenings, ofﬁce parties and any other function you may care to think about. Phone Shay anytime at 087-9011716. BACKCHAT: * Paul Kennedy sacked his election agent after the recent A.G.M. Who he was still remains a mystery. After intense lobbying around the Club in the months leading up to the election, Paul was beaten into second place by a veteran, seasoned campaigner and Fianna Fail hack. Asked for the reason for his sudden collapse of votes Paul explained that his shortage of ʻbrown envelopesʼ was a contributory factor. Methinks a bunch of sour grapes is his daily diet nowadays.

* Sad to hear of Brendan OʼBrienʼs bout of sleepwalking lately. Brendan can be seen walking in the early hours of the morning, pyjamas and all, through the streets of Ringsend repeating the same mantra over and over ʻLegend me ass– I am the true legend of the Club.” * The Clubʼs Dating Agency

is up and running. Formed to try and bring together the lads and lassies who play for the Club, it is simply delighted at its recent success story. Martin Neville, on the shelf for many a year now, has teamed up with the belle of the Camogie team, Lynn Dunne. This pair can be seen in every nook and cranny in the locality holding hands and sharing great sporting moments together. Martinʼs mother Noeleen, when asked to comment about her sonʼs new scalp, said she was looking forward to having Lynn over for Sunday dinner in the near future where they could discuss the wedding dress over Black Forest Gateau. * At the recent AGM, outgoing treasurer Jackie Hayesy Rae was asked to stand up as he could not be heard at the back. When Jackie stood up he couldnʼt be seen because the chair was in the way. So he stood on the chair and continued his oration. * Staying with the AGM, Paddy ʻThe Fieldʼ Joyce had an unusual motion in this year. The Field asked for the AGM to be held on Christmas Day from now on. Speaking on the motion Paddy explained that Clanns is the gaelic for family and seeing that Christmas day is a family day… Next motion please!

Chairman of the Development Committee Frank White switches on our new ﬂoodlights…

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 27

RINGSEND LIBRARY Free Art Classes for children 7 - 12 years of age 10.30 - 11.30 Saturday mornings Booking essential, Telephone 6680063 RINGSEND AND IRISHTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE THORNCASTLE STREET, DUBLIN 4 Under the spotlights, left to right: Gerry Kelly DDDA; Frances Corr; Matt Bolton DDDA; Jimmy Carolan, Dublin Port; Frank White, Development Committee; Pat Kane, Chairman; Shay Connolly, Development Committee. * The Moan of the Year award is upon once again. The usual suspects are in the running for the star prize but a few dark horses have entered the race in the last six months. The duet of Albert Hannon and Des Markey are an unlikely pair but such are the moans from them that they are very much in the hunt. ʻWhy are the lights not brighter for our teamʼ and ʻwhy is the grass not greener for our teamʼ they groan daily on top of a litany of complaints about lockers, nets, flags, footballs and hurlers. Backchat has installed them as clear favourites.

* Good to hear that Ciaran Murphyʼs music career has taken off. He recently joined the new rock group ʻThe Mood Swingsʼ. Aptly named I say. * We wish Jackie McDonald every success in her new role as PRO. Groomed for the job over the past while Jackie toured Australia for a year in preparation for this lofty position. Whilst there she teamed up with PR guru, Monica L. Does she think sheʼs getting paid I wonder? * Recently re-elected Chairman, Mr Patsy Clyne… eh sorry Patsy Kane, has been warned by locals not to be turning on the floodlights in

the middle of the night. Patsy has taken to sneaking out of bed at all hours and tippy-toeing over to the clubhouse just to have another gawk at them before morning comes. The price of diesel– I ask you. * Congratulations to Conor Dodd on being the first Clansman to have his name entered into the Guinness book of records. Conor got his name in print for the most motions ever submitted to a meeting in the history of the earth. Conorʼs sixty six million, four hundred and eighty six motions is ironically the same number as the number of bricks in the Great Wall of China.

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PAGE 28

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

T HE A FFAIR WITH H EALTH C LUB

By Maggie Neary

ix months ago I took a serious review of my weight and girth and decided to join a health club. Having spent some enjoyable weeks gathering information and feeling all good and positive, I choose West Wood in Sandymount, which is a convenient distance from where I live. When I visited, the club appeared new and clean and offered the usual scenario of classes and gymnasium equipment, the latter, I must admit even then, leaving

me with a cold feeling inside. However, the hook that caught this fish lay in the basement of the club where hides a dreamy 25 metre heated salt water pool with poolside hydrotherapy jets, beautifully tiled Turkish bath and caldarium, and a well fitted sauna. The Club offers a good deal for the over 55s and I signed up immediately, committing myself to monthly contributions of €45 for one year with a registration fee of €130. That is, for me, a hefty financial commitment. A ʻOne 2 Oneʼ with a trainer helped identify my various weak-

nesses and needs, establish some ʻrealistic goalsʼ and lay down the appropriate gym programme for me to attain these. My own ﬁrst ʻrealisticʼ goal was to learn to swim. I arranged a lesson with Esme, a wonderful teacher, who had taught my son to swim way back in another era, and who still offers her teaching skills in Marian Pool. I had always loved being in the water but could never manage the breathing bit of the swimming and found the breast stroke torture on my body. After a single one-to-one with Esme I had garnered sufﬁcient corrective tips about my swimming to go it alone. Initially I enthusiastically approached the gym to follow my programme. But the original ʻcold feelingʼ reappeared and would not be shifted. Over the weeks and indeed months, I tried and tried to convince myself that these sessions in the gym were

ʻgoodʼ for me, I reminded myself to ʻrememberʼ how it would be to lose that superfluous weight, to increase energy levels, to gain the promised strength and flexibility. During all this period each time I went to the pool, my body did a complete turnaround. My aches and pains dissolved with the hydrotherapy, my heart raced gleefully in the new swiftness with which I tread water and all ills fell away when I lay me down in the glorious wet heat of the Turkish bath followed by the soothing dry warmth of the Caldarium where one can lie prone on the comfortingly heated tiled bench. Hours would fly by like minutes in these hedonistic pleasures. I had a second session with a trainer to discuss my progress. I wafted lyrical about the slight weight loss and my feeling of greater well-being. Not diverted by this, the trainer asked how my development went in the gym, I stuttered some nonsense about not having the time, and was reprimanded. “Most people,” she said “do not like going to the gym but to gain results it is necessary.” I meekly acquiesced, was given a new regime and led by the hand, as it were,

to the gym where this enthusiastic and determined young lady accompanied me through the workings of my prescribed machines with instructions of great precision and deliberation. I murmured my thanks and resolved to try again before I slunk gratefully away to the pool. After a few more tearful tries and much inner debating I eventually threw my guilt about the gym to the proverbial winds and now just go all out to enjoy my newfound relationship with water. For those of you with better resolve, West Wood offers along with the gym routine a plethora of classes to support and enhance physical dynamism. For example, Body Balance which claims to incorporate a mix of Thai Chi, Pilates and Yoga; Box Circuit to burn away the fat; Body Pump which combines weight training with aerobic conditioning and Body Attack, the ultimate cardiovascular challenge. You could also climb the perpendicular thirteen-metre high indoor climbing wall or pay extra to the new ʻRe:Freshʼ Spa where it is promised Thalassotherapy, salt water treatment, will work wonders for oneʼs overall wellbeing.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 29

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

Everyone Has Got A

WHETHER YOU’VE seen him buying a few rashers in the corner shop or downing pints in Clarke’s, you’d want to be a hermit not to realise that we have a living movie legend in our midst. We at ‘News 4’ felt it was our duty to pay homage to our most internationally famous Irishtownian, the delectable and talented Mr Colin Farrell. Local resident and Sunday Independent journalist Sarah Caden has kindly agreed to let us publish her article on her various Colin sightings. She swears she is not a stalker. We believe you Sarah! We also resurrected an article which Denis Murphy did on the then budding star. Colin lives in a tiny cottage in Irishtown, a far cry from the luxury Brad Pitt style of living in Los Angeles but then you can’t get a single of Iannelli’s chips on Sunset Boulevard!

FARRELL FLASH Colin has brought more Hollywood royalty to the area than anyone else, most notably the lovely Val Kilmer. Let’s hope he does a movie with Brad Pitt soon and decides to do a spot of sunbathing in Ringsend Park with him.

‘I must insist this is not stalking’ Ir ishtown r esident and jo u r n al i s t S a r ah C ad e n o n w h at i t ʼs like to ha ve a Holl ywood A - l i s te r as a n e i g h bo u r. T h i s ar t i c l e was f ir s t publish e d i n t h e S u n da y I n d e p e n de n t .

t started with a knock at the door. A journalist from one of the tabloids looked crestfallen when my husband answered. “Oh,” he said, “A kid out on the main road told me Colin Farrell lived here.” Being relatively new to Irishtown ourselves, we were no help to the celebrity seeker, but his quest left me curious. I too had heard Colin Farrell had a house in the area. Heʼd been telling Hollywood reporters, with an almost boasting tone that suggested this was the place to buy and live in Dublin. Having bought there ourselves, I suddenly wanted to compare my lot to Colinʼs. Sad, but true, and the sizing up only got worse. Before this goes any further, I must insist this is not stalking. To be a stalker, you have to at least laid eyes on the person. At least once. I, on the other hand, have never so much as caught a glimpse of Colin Farrell. In fact, itʼs through the other Farrell family members that I really keep apace of how things are going for him. Soon after the knock at the door, I spotted something at the newsagents. It was a small piece on the front page, a photo of a sports car outside a familiar-looking bungalow. The newsagent and I swapped information and he told me this cottage, Colinʼs cottage, was only a short detour on my way home. I took the time out and did a walkby. Only the sports car set the house apart from the others on the street and it wasnʼt there for long. Well, he hardly wanted a landmark parked outside for rubberneckers. Yes, like me. Then, someone else told me Colinʼs brother, Eamon, lived only up the road. I wasnʼt even seeking this information, by the way, thereʼs plenty of Colin chat around here without me going looking for it. Initially, I was a bit disappointed with the brotherʼs set-up. You see, he wasnʼt in Irishtown, but across the invisible border into rather more upmarket Sandymount. Worse, a friend lives on that self-same road and, worse again, her teenage daughter

spotted Colin one night. And she wasnʼt even watching out for him. Once Iʼd taken stock of the brotherʼs set up, however, I noticed myself shifting focus. The fact is, it wasnʼt out of any burning admiration or hopeless lust that I wanted to set eyes on Colin. By no stretch of the imagination do I fancy the man, for reasons ranging from Cuban heels to wonky woolly hats, but I wanted to see what a ﬁlm star looked like in a habitat I inhabit myself. Would he stand out as special; would his clothes and car and basic carry-on set him apart from the rest of us? The word around Irishtown was that he ﬁts right in. Drinkers in Clarkeʼs pub said he is always very friendly and even bought a round– again unsolicited chat, in the chemist of all places– and there was the rumour that when a local girl was celebrating her Special Olympics victory, Colin joined in. All news was good news, but what I began to enjoy even more than word of Colin was keeping up with how the family was getting on. Iʼm particularly attached to Colinʼs mother, it has to be said. Obviously, I recognised Catherine Farrell from premiere photos with her famous son. Obviously, she doesnʼt know me from Adam. Which also means she has no idea the delight I felt when she got a new sports car,

proof, I decided, that Colin wasnʼt all talk, he really loves and looks after his mammy. I experienced absolutely sad gratiﬁcation when I noticed her at my gym one day; I was chuffed to see her enjoying champagne and Dublin Bay Prawns (the kitchen donʼt shell them for everyone) with Eamon at a local restaurant and donʼt like to see her lugging too-heavy groceries at the supermarket. In the interests of avoiding stalker territory, be assured I refrain from peeping in the basket. Recently, a newspaper ran photos of Colin Farrell in Dublin with a load of laundry. According to the caption, this was proof even movie stars bring their washing home to mammy. I nodded knowingly, aware that this was Eamonʼs house he was entering and oddly unperturbed I had missed a chance to see the man himself. It dawned that I didnʼt really want to see him anymore, that I prefer observing the peripheries, the family of fame rather than fame itself. Where my nosiness once wished to root Farrell in my neighbourhood, he now seems as out of this world as Julia Roberts or George Clooney. People not like us. People who would never live in Irishtown. And as far as I can discern, he can keep Hollywood, the real fun is being had by the Farrells at home, fair play to them.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

PAGE 31

Colin Farrell Story By Denis Murphy

oung local actor Colin Farrell, at age 24, has amazed Hollywood ﬁlm moguls by turning in a tour-de-force performance in Joel Schumacherʼs low-budget movie, ʻTigerlandʼ, which focuses on the training and indoctrination of soldiers destined for the Vietnam war. Schumacher, the director of the Batman blockbusters and Brat Pack ﬁlms, tested him for a part in ʻTigerlandʼ, and was overwhelmed by his powerful screen persona. He was so impressed that he offered him the leading role of Texan Roland Bozz. After his contract was terminated in the television series Ballykissangel, in which he played Danny Byrne, and with no acting toles on the horizon, he moved to London. Here, in a few small-time stage produc-

FARRELL FLASH Colin likes nothing better than joining in a singsong at the new smoking area in SandHouse. ymount He can serenade us any time!

tions he continued to learn his craft. Oscar winner, Kevin Spacey saw his performance one night and noticed a quality young Colin did not know he possessed. He mentioned it to his agent and the rest is now history. Insiders are predicting that he could be the latest Irish movie superstar, to follow in the footsteps of Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne. Despite rave reviews for his role in ʻTigerlandʼ, ever-modest Colin is determined to keep his feet on the ground. He admits that he has been very lucky and, despite studio offers to move to Hollywood, is quite happy to stay in Dublin: “There are a few pubs and a chipper near me, really thatʼs all I need”. At present he is working in the Czech Republic with Bruce Willis on an up-and-coming blockbuster, ʻHarts Warʼ. According to Colin, they hit it off straight away: “Heʼs really cool and I was so excited. I grew up with the ʻDie Hardʼ films, so itʼs mad to end up in a room with him. I was nervous doing my first scene with him, and then he fluffs a line, and I think, ah Iʼm grand. He gave me great advice, telling me to stick to my guns and never take it too seriously, have a good time With ʻHartʼs Warʼ almost completed, his next project is to star alongside one of the worldʼs highest paid actors, Tom Cruise. It is a futuristic thriller and will be directed by

Flashback to Summer 2001… C OLIN W OWS H OLLYWOOD

the legendary Stephen Spielberg. He admits to finding his new success a little overwhelming and continued: “Itʼs getting crazy, you couldnʼt give it too much thought or your head would be destroyed. Itʼs mad getting to work with all these big names. Iʼm having a laugh”. Joel Schumacher, the film director who gave him his first big break, remarked that Colin oozes star quality. “When I met him for the first time he filled the room with humour and charm, so I decided to give him the lead role”. With both feet firmly planted on the ground, young Colin seems destined to make quite a name for himself in Hollywood. Having waited on tables while he was in between jobs, he is now earning deserved acclaim for his acting ability, and friendly smiles from his bank manager. It couldnʼt have happened to a nicer guy. Keep smiling Colin, and best wishes from ʻNews Fourʼ.

A Dream Date with Colin A WOMAN who wishes to remain anonymous– weʼd be telling the world!– has a brilliant story about the night she shared a few cans with Colin in her Ringsend flat a few months ago. Her husband was out drinking in Clarkeʼs and got talking to the star, (as you do), before inviting him back to his gaff to continue the nightʼs drinking. On arrival at the flat he told his wife who he had with him but she was more concerned with the fact that her husbandʼs dinner had been ruined because heʼd stayed too long in the pub. It wasnʼt long though before she realised the enormity of the situation and called a Colin-mad friend to tell her news. It was 1am and the friend was half-asleep when the she took the call. She was told that Colin Farrell was in the flats and she was to get dressed and come over straight away.

While Colin and his new best friends partied the night away, the lady of the house was amazed that her friend didnʼt show up to ogle, sorry, join in the fun. The next day she phoned. “I had a ridiculous dream last night,” she said. “I dreamt that you rang me to tell me that Colin Farrell was in the ﬂats and that I was to get dressed and come over”. Her reaction when told that it wasnʼt in fact a dream is unrepeatable in a family newspaper. Maybe next time! Our showbiz reporter Grainne McGuinness has been looking for an interview with Colin for three years. “I actually did meet him in Clarkeʼs but I didnʼt have my notebook with me,” she told us (did you ever hear such an excuse). Subsequently, Grainne left pleading letters in his letter-box in an attempt to get the much sought-after exclusive, all to no avail.

FARRELL FLASH Colin’s father and uncle both played for Shamrock Rovers football team in their day. He’s obviously not the only ﬁt member of the family!

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Rovers v Shels and the ‘Hoops Horse’ By Sammy Best

hile watching the Cup Final on television and having a love for football, my mind wandered back to that great team Shamrock Rovers. We were in good company in Patrickʼs Villas Ringsend when we mentioned Father Tom Fulham. Ringsend would be bedecked with ﬂags when this local and learned gentleman visited Ringsend. Maybe it was his religious inspiration that brought ʻThe Hoopsʼ to the heights they achieved. The names of Bob Fulham, ʻSackʼ Glen, Marlow, Fagan, Flood, etc will go down in Ringsend history. While Rovers and Shelsʼ supporters were working mates, on Cup Final day they were poles apart. Traditionally, to be a Shamrock Rovers supporter you would live the chapel side of the bridge in the village. Shelbourne dominated the other side of the

bridge, their stronghold. Visualise a large, open area in Ringsend village known to us as ʻthe gapʼ. On Cup Final day it was an assembly point for ʻHoopsʼ supporters en route to Dalymount Park. The Ringsend Library and recent environmental work has taken over this hallowed ground.

We were very posh in those days. We had a pipe band and a pipe major belting out instructions to the legion of Shamrock Rovers supporters. We also had a horse. Yes, a Hoops supporter horse! Living in Patrickʼs Villas was a Shelbourne supporter by the name of Slodger Maginn who

owned the horse and had a hackney cab business. As the Chapel bell rang out 12 oʼclock it was the signal for our pipe major to send us on our merry way to Dalymount Park. But wait a minute! Is this a horse trotting up Patrickʼs Villas painted with green and white hoops around its belly. A Shel-

bourne horse supporting Rovers! The horse had been tethered at Ropewalk Place and the paint job done by ʻHoopsʼ supporters. It was all in good fun and the horse took its place at the head of the procession, guarded and guided by Rovers supporters. If you were to ask me what happened the horse during the Cup Final, I can honestly say I donʼt know. Iʼm told it didnʼt see the match. But this I do know, Rovers won the Cup, Shelbourne reminding us that the Cup was only on loan to us for twelve months. Slodger Maginn and his wonder horse were reunited to continue their successful hackney cab business. Above: Pictured in August 1964, Shamrock Rovers team and ofﬁcials with the FAI Cup, League of Ireland Championship Cup, League of Ireland Shield, Leinster Senior Cup and Dublin City Cup, which they won in the highly successful 1963–64 season.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

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G OOD T HINGS COME IN S MALL P ACKAGES

By Nicola McMahon

here is a new taste sensation happening in Seafort Avenue, Sandymount. The Italian Dunne and Crescenzi opened there before Christmas and despite the fact that they donʼt have the name sign up yet, hordes of people have uncovered this gem. In terms of size of both place and menu, the phrase ʻgood things come in small packagesʼ comes to mind. The charm of the restaurant is enhanced by small tables placed close together to accommodate the

queues of people waiting to dine. The décor is very simple, clean yet warm with dark wood contrasting with lighter paintwork. Everything on the shelves around the walls is on sale– wine, cheese, chocolates, biscuits and coffee. The artwork adds to the elegance of the place, most of it is for sale if you feel like adding to your art collection. When my dining partner Anja and I arrived at 6 pm the place was quiet, but by 6.30 pm this had changed and for the remainder of our meal there was a constant ﬂow of people waiting to be seated.

It is definitely advisable to book well in advance, especially if you canʼt be flexible with time. I have passed at various times during the day so I know that it remains busy from after 6pm until 10pm especially and throughout lunch time every day. The staff are efficient and friendly so you will be accommodated as fast as possible and meals arrive promptly. The wine list is extensive and I was informed that it covers the entire Italian peninsula. I was most impressed by the prices which suggested a very moderate mark-up unusual in most restaurants. We went

for the house red at €11 which was very good in taste and value. The menu is relatively small and this is because it is not an average restaurant menu with starters, main course and dessert, although you can choose to eat in this manner. Dishes on the menu include portions of cold salami, parma ham, braesola, smoked Irish salmon, olives, cheese, different salads, paninis, some hot pasta dishes and the nightly specials. We decided to share two dishes as starters: the crostini with Italian paté made from black olives, pesto and artichokes and the insalata ricca which consisted of mixed lettuce, tomato and artichoke dressed with virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and parmesan shavings. When our starters arrived we realised that these could work as main course dishes as they were generous. The patè provided a full, ﬂavoursome taste complemented

perfectly by the peppery fresh rocket leaves with which it was served. The simplicity of the salad ingredients were delightfully enhanced by the dressing. For our main course I ordered the pasta special, which had a creamy tomato sauce with courgette and ham and Anja had the pasta with fresh tomato and basil. My pasta was good but Anjaʼs pasta was somewhat lacking the fresh basil taste she expected. Looking around at other orders I saw that some had chosen the other special of the night: wild rabbit and I was informed that it was absolutely delicious. There are two desserts on offer, but without hesitation we chose the tiramisu to share and it really was a perfect ending to our meal– it was beautifully moist with a melting texture. The bill arrived and at €49 for all the courses and wine, we were impressed and will deﬁnitely be making a return visit.

What’s Going On ••• What’s Going On ••• What’s Going On Saturday and Sunday 19 to 20 February THE COIN FAIR at the RDS Ballsbridge, (Anglesea Road Entrance), Admission €5 Children €3. Tuesday 22 February 8pm YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH– A community information evening on prevention and early detection of cancer at St Andrewʼs Resource Centre, Pearse Street, Dublin 2. Tuesday 22 February 2.30pm MARIE KEATING FOUNDATION visits Active Retirement, CYMS, Ringsend. Wednesday 23 to Sunday 28 February THE ALLIANZ BOAT SHOW at the RDS, Simmonmscourt www.expo-events.com Friday 25 February 8 pm JOHN SPILLANE, winner of the prestigious Meteor Ireland Music Award in the Best Folk/Traditional Act category, appears at The Green Room, Holiday Inn, Pearse Street. €15 (Booking 6703666) www.greenroomdublin.ie Saturday 26 February JAZZ NIGHT at Poolbeg Yacht Club (you can become a member or associate member on the night).

Sunday 27 February 5.30pm YOUʼRE A STAR at the Mahony Hall, The Helix. €30, €25 www.rte.ie/star Sunday 27 February 8pm VOICES OF IRELAND An evening of early Irish legends and folk tales in excerpts from well known Irish plays and poetry combined with songs and music at Airfield, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dundrum €15 (Booking 298 4301) www.airfield.ie Friday 4th March 8pm RECITAL OF POETRY, RECITATIONS AND THEATRE by Patrick Duffy at South Lotts Room/Millennium Room under The Ocean Bar, Charlotte Quay, Ringsend Road. Admission €5, €4 concession. Friday 4 March 8pm THE GYPSY CAFÉ ORCHESTRA– an Irish band with international attitude and a reputation as one of the best live acts in the country at Airfield, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dundrum €15/€12 (Booking 298 4301) www.airfield.ie

Saturday 5 March 5.30pm YOUʼRE A STAR at the Mahony Hall, The Helix. €30, €25 www.rte.ie/star Saturday 5 March 12 noon and 2pm SINBAD THE SAILOR PUPPET SHOW A family show with rod and glove puppets by Julie Rose McCormick at Airfield, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dundrum €6 (Booking 298 4301) www.airfield.ie Sunday 6 March 5.30pm YOUʼRE A STAR at the Mahony Hall, The Helix. €30, €25 www.rte.ie/star Sunday 13 March 2.30 to 3.30pm NATIONAL TREE WEEK A guided tour of interesting trees at Airfield, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dundrum www.airfield.ie Wednesday 16 March 8pm RACE NIGHT at Murrayʼs of Bath Avenue in aid of St Matthewʼs National School. Thursday 17 March 12pm FESTIVAL PARADE, Irish and International marching bands, street theatre companies et al will gather for ʻMischief, Mayhem and Madnessʼ.

Thursday 17 March 2.30pm to 6pm CÉILÍ MÓR– Kilfenora Céilí Band and Seamus Beagley will provide the music and the experienced and inexperienced will join forces to stomp up a storm to rival Riverdance. Friday 18 March to Sunday 20 March MIND BODY SPIRIT FESTIVAL at the RDS, Ballsbridge. Friday 18 to Saturday 19 March 8pm BRENDAN GRACE with special guests Aideen OʼDonnell and Na Daoine at The Helix. Box Ofﬁce: 7007000 online booking www.thehelix.ie Friday 18 to Sunday 20 March 10am to 6pm FESTIVAL MARKET in OʼConnell Street (location to be conﬁrmed). Local produce, arts and crafts, food, jewellery and more presented by vendors from all corners of Ireland. Saturday 19 March 10am to 5pm DENNY TREASURE HUNT, starting point City Hall. A fun event that encourages participants to rediscover the city while unravelling riddles, deciphering clues and competing for lots of spot prizes. Registration in City Hall between 10am and 1pm.

Saturday 19 March at 8pm SKYFEST– A breathtaking pyro-musical show over the River Liffey on the North and South Quays. Tuesday 22 March 10.30am to 12.30pm ART WORKSHOP: CRAFTY CARDS Ages 7 to 12 Create special stained glass-effect Easter cards when you join Elizabeth Kelly at The National Museum of Ireland, Kildare Street. Free of charge. Booking is essential (6486332). Saturday 26 March 11am to 4pm EASTER EGG HUNT at Airfield, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dundrum www.airfield.ie Tuesday 29 March to Friday 1 April 10am to 2pm FUN ON AIRFIELD FARM AT EASTER Four days to make and do on the farm for children 5 to 12 (three separate age groups) at Airfield, Upper Kilmacud Road, Dundrum (Booking 298 4301) www.airfield.ie. Fee: €80. All materials supplied. Friday 1 April to Sunday 3 April IRISH INTERNATIONAL ANTIQUE AND FINE ARTS FAIR at the Main Hall, RDS, Ballsbridge.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

Hederman welcomes new speed limits A MAJORITY of Dublin City Councillors has already agreed with Councillor Wendy Hederman (PD) that the speed limit on residential laneways in the Pembroke area must be reduced. Wendy Hederman says: “I welcome the new 30km/hour speed limit and will be taking steps to have it applied to the narrow residential laneways in Ballsbridge and other parts of the City. What we are talking about are the narrow laneways that are now intensely residential but are barely wide enough for two cars to pass, or in places not wide enough for even one car and a pedestrian to pass safely. There are no footpaths on most of these lanes, such as Waterloo Lane, Raglan Lane, Heytesbury Lane, and so pedestrians, particularly parents with their children and buggies, have to pin themselves to the wall to avoid the cars speeding up the lanes.” She says that it is absurd for the same speed limit to apply to Waterloo Lane as on Waterloo Road, a big wide street with footpaths either side and space for all road users. The residents of these lanes have asked her on numerous occasions what can be done to control the speed of cars in these areas. Owen Keegan, director of trafﬁc for Dublin, has said there may be merit in having the 30 km/h speed limit on OʼConnell Street, which has “high pedestrian volumes”. If so, it is Wendyʼs opinion that there is deﬁnitely merit in having a speed limit of 30km/h on the narrow residential laneways which do not have footpaths, plazas, pedestrian crossings and space for all road users.

THE STARDUST MEMORIAL PARK

By James OʼDoherty

t is hard to believe that next year, will be the twenty-fifth anniversary

of the fire that destroyed Dublinʼs Stardust nightclub in the early hours of St. Valentineʼs Day 1981. The fire resulted in the death of 48 young people and injured and disfigured a hundred more. Even to this day, survivors and the bereaved continue to suffer. The fire had a tremendous impact on Dublin people and most of those killed came from the immediate vicinity. Thelma Frazer of Bath Avenue and Carol Bissett of Ringsend were two of the victims who came from our area. On the tenth anniversary of this disaster, Dublin Corporation were asked to design and develop a memorial park to commemorate the tragedy. Located between Greencastle Road and Adare Road a space of 20 acres traversed longitudinally by the Santry River was chosen on account of its proximity to where the tragedy occurred. The main aim was to provide a park with a memorial, the design of which would be relevant to the tragic event. The memorial is a circular pool, 8 metres in diameter, the principal feature of which is a bronze sculpture of a boy and a girl dancing, designed by sculptor Robin Buick. Water is pumped by 48 jets in the illuminated fountain which surrounds the sculpture. The pool is faced with lime-

stone, which is also used as paving material around the pool. This area is enclosed by an incomplete circle, symbolising the short life of the 48 victims. The incomplete circle of 270 degrees forms an enclosure 20 metres in diameter around the entrance and its boundary is comprised of limestone piers with 48 railing panels symbolising the number of young people who lost their lives. An avenue of lime trees is positioned 30 metres from the centre of the memorial. The park also contains a junior football pitch, an all-weather floodlit pitch, a playground, walks and plenty of tree planting all enclosed with mild steel railings on a pliant wall. The Stardust memorial park was opened on the 18th September 1993 on a lovely sunny day by the Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr. Tomas MacGiolla, in the presence of hundreds of local people. Also present was former Taoiseach Mr. Charles Haughey, credited with starting it all and who had performed the sod turning ceremony on this site on May 30th 1991. It took me a few years but I eventually convinced the City Council to commission a new rose, called the Stardust Memory to honour the victims of this awful tragedy, which will be planted in this park.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

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THE POETRY PLACE I Didn’t Do A Tap All Day

Buried Treasure

I didnʼt do a tap all day The time just seemed to slip away I canʼt believe itʼs true but the minutes they just ﬂew And I didnʼt do a tap all day

Iʼm digging in my garden And my heart begins to sing, As Iʼm burying my treasure That Iʼll ﬁnd again in Spring.

I didnʼt do a tap all day Now I ﬁnd this very hard to say My head was in a tizzy I was really very busy And I didnʼt do a tap all day

Iʼve handfuls of gold dust That Iʼll scatter near the gate, And underneath the cherry tree Are ʻpieces of eightʼ.

Every single morning, without any warning When I roll out of bed From my feet up to my head thereʼs a rhythm oozing in me

If the weatherman says ʻBlizzardsʼ, Snow– or any other thing, I wonʼt worry, as my treasure Will be safe until the Spring.

Well it must be the season ʻcause without any reason When I arose to-day The rhythm had gone away and now itʼs confusing me

Iʼll have daffodils and crocuses, And my heart again will sing As I see my ʻtreasuresʼ blossom I will thank God for Spring.

My day wouldnʼt be complete If I didnʼt get to tap my feet So, excuse me for a minute ʻcause you see the time thatʼs in it And I didnʼt do a tap all day By Michael Green

Is it Just Me? I remember the time when poems would rhyme And I could understand them But nowadays itʼs all a haze The words seem all at random. The Moon in June and Love from Above Always went together But now it seems you donʼt need dreams You can just talk about the weather. Theyʼve an awful cheek to write as they speak And then call that a poem That to me is not poetry Or, should I be in a home? By Michael Green

Self Talk When I watch ʻMeʼ What do I see? Whatʼs going on in ʻMeʼsʼ head? It could be the arguments of yesterday, The pros and cons and explanations, Disagreements with relations, Or even the revelations, I heard on the TV stations If I watch ʻMeʼsʼ head, while itʼs thinking, I get a very good inkling About what ʻMeʼ is at As I hear the self chat. And itʼs very interesting to ʻIʼ To ﬁnd out what going on with ʻMEʼ. By Carmel McCarthy

Tsunami All Mighty Nature shows her hand A wave of terror strikes the land. It tears all peace and joy away That Tsunami, on Saint Stephenʼs day. The Indian Ocean, Its earth crust broken, Lashes, with violent might, Young, old alike, No time for ﬂight, Sucked in by the torrent, Leaves only torment, Survivors, seen in TV shots Distraught, stunned, shocked, How can they understand? Mere mortals feel abandoned.

By Marie McAuliffe

Little Christmas The excitement of seeing new faces visit our small farm completed for another year as relations and neighbours calling for Christmas cease. Feeling lonesome for the red berried holly and the crib packed away with the brass candlesticks, the cosy atmosphere of coloured crepe paper decorations, cards and posters depicting Merry Christmas, Happy New Year placed in old shoe boxes. Letters that came with parcels from America put aside For acknowledgement. Having to wait twelve months for Christmas cake, plum pudding and the extra groceries purchased from Murrayʼs shop in the town and the local Co-op, time seems inﬁnite.

ʻTheWestʼ now responding, as is right With very many, many ﬂights Of aid, to ease their plight. In years to come, I hope, weʼll see These lands, of sunshine smiling By Carmel McCarthy

After Sunday Mass After Sunday Mass, good men would gather, to greet with welcoming hands, talk of the week just goneall that was lost and savedʻtil one would say, when on his way, “Weʼll get no breakfast here”. By Thos. Maher

Love / Hate You are selﬁsh, annoying but loving and kind I think you are one thing then I change my mind I want you to leave but then I want you to stay I love when you speak but hate everything you say You drive me crazy completely insane I hate you I love you I just cannot explain You are pushy and grumpy but generous and caring I love how you dress but hate everything youʼre wearing Now that youʼve read this hereʼs what to do Realise I love the things that I hate about you. Therese Murphy (aged 16)

By Mary Guckian

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

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2005

A NDREW F LINTOFF

By Patrick Duffy

ndrew Flintoff is tall and broad, from Lancashire, which has produced generations of cricketers from traditional working class areas. He is hailed as the new Botham in cricket

circles. Born on 6 December 1977 in Preston, he made his test debut in 1998 against South Africa at Nottingham in the 4th Test. Nicknamed ʻFreddieʼ or ʻFlintyʼ, he is an entertainer rather than a showman. He bowls with passion and power. But batting better expresses the exuberance of his personality. He became the 50th recipient of the Cricket Writerʼs Club Young player of the year award in 1998, PCA Young Player of the year 1998, Lancashire Player of the Year 2000, Vice Captain of Lancashire 2002, Man of the Series v South Africa in 2003 and one of the five cricketers of the year included in Wisden Cricketers Almanac 2004. Flintoff scored his fastest international century in the ICC Champions Trophy against Sri Lanka making 104 with a sensational 53 runs of the last 18 balls.

No Fast-Tracking for Incineration THE EXCLUSION of the proposed Incinerator for Poolbeg from the fast-track planning process legislation is being hailed as a victory for the Combined Residents Against Incineration (CRAI). Local residents in Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount lobbied the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, and other local politicians to stop incineration from being included in the Governmentʼs plans for fast-tracking infrastructure of national importance. Mr McDowell who has always supported CRAI in its opposition to the siting of an incinerator on the Poolbeg, conﬁrmed that the proposed incinerator planned for Poolbeg will not be fast-tracked. It will go through the normal planning process and he has conveyed this to the Assistant City Manager Mr Matt Twomey. Although the Incinerator is still a burning issue, the proposed plan to site a 500,000 ton waste burning factory on the Poolbeg Peninsula is still part of the waste management plan. CRAI feels it has a very good chance of defeating any planning application for incineration in our community. The Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche was reported to have said that while he intended that crucial waste facilities such as incineration would come under the plans, the special proposal for a municipal incinerator on Poolbeg would not. While speaking at a press brieﬁng in Shanghai during a trade mission the Taoiseach, was reported as saying when asked about Irelandʼs Infrastructure, he would be more than glad to have the powers of the Beijing Mayor when it comes to building roads and incinerators. Instead of having to deal with a myriad of planning boards, followed by High Court and Supreme Court challenges, he could simply decree it. It is a long time since we had offal factories in Ringsend, and the last attempt to site an Incinerator in 1995/1996 to deal with hospital waste was defeated by the communities with the assistance of Mr McDowell and our local politicians. The people of the area defeated the last planning application for incineration purely on existing planning law. Neither the law or the basic infrastructure of the area has changed since 1996 and there is even more transport on our over-crowded roads. CRAI are very hopeful that they will defeat the proposal to build an Incinerator on the Peninsula. By Frances Corr

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