NewsFour_2006_02 by News Four

FEBRUARY 2006

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

COMMUNITY GAIN FUND – BRIBE OR BENEFIT?

ublin City Council will establish a Community Gain Fund if an incinerator is built in the area. This will be ﬁnanced out of the proceeds of the incinerator. The purpose of the fund is to enhance the Ringsend, Irishtown and Sandymount area and thereby compensate for any perceived or real inconveniences associated with the location of the incinerator in the area. The fund will comprise several million euro over the initial years and continue at a substantial level thereafter for as long as the plant is operational. On the face of it this sounds like a good proposition, however, some residents look upon it as a bribe. The Combined Residents Against the Incinerator (CRAI) has suggested that the ʻCommunity Gainʼ initiative is an attempt by Dublin City Council to buy off opposition to the proposed Poolbeg incinerator. May Kane of Ringsend and Irishtown Residentsʼ Association said: “Why should we be expected to roll over and accept the incinerator to get public amenities? Itʼs the duty of public authorities, which we elect and fund with our taxes, to provide such amenities. Accepting an incinerator in return for public amenities was not in the manifesto

of any party for which we voted in any election that I recall. We want amenities but we do not want an incinerator. Itʼs about time the council got that message.” Catherine Cavendish Secretary of the Sandymount and Merrion Residents Association, said: “We should not be deflected by the authoritiesʼ cheap tactic. Letʼs keep our focus on the main issue: the people donʼt want an incinerator, with good reason. “Incinerators produce dangerous dioxins. They actually discourage recycling and reduction because a private company stands to gain the more waste there is to burn. The huge increase in traffic taking hazardous waste and ash in and out of the incinerator will cause a traffic nightmare in the area. In a democracy, the people are supposed to be supreme. We will fight this anti-democratic disregard for the peopleʼs views.” To find out what the views and needs of the community are, Dublin City Council has asked Trutz Haase to identify initiatives that could enhance the area. Trutz Haase, is an independent consultant whose task it is to see what improvements can be achieved for the local communities. Mr Haase says: “As the Community Gain Fund would be directly related to the incinerator, I will

naturally also take into account peopleʼs views on the incinerator itself. However, the main emphasis will be to ﬁnd out what kind of community services or facilities are particularly lacking in the area.”

Mr Haase will be holding meetings every Wednesday afternoon from 3 to 5 pm in the Ringsend Regional Ofﬁce of Dublin City Council, Cambridge House, Cambridge Road, Ringsend. Everyone is welcome to attend or you can email thaase@iol.ie to express your views. ʻNewsFourʼ would like to receive your views on the building of an Incinerator on the Poolbeg Peninsula and the Community Gain Fund. Pictured above: Children at St Andrewʼs, Pearse Street rehearse for the musical ʻHonk.ʼ Left: Great fun at the annual Active Retirement party in the CYMS, Irishtown Road. Right: On page 6 Jim Byrne asks why some of our historic street furniture, unlike this Georgian lamp post, is completely neglected.

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NewsFour Managing Editor Ann Ingle Advertising Manager Grainne McGuinness Staff Brian Kelly Maggie Neary David Hussey Grace McKenna Brian Rutherford Dorothy Cole Miriam Holmes Contributors James O’Doherty Michael Hilliard Christy Hogan Elizabeth Hutcheson Jimmy Purdy Saoirse O’Hanlon Tobin

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

The Editor’s Corner

SPRING IS here or on the way depending on whether you go by the Equinox (20th March) or if you believe that it starts on 1st February, St Brigidʼs Day. An Taisce would have us believe that Spring starts at the beginning of April when their National Spring Clean commences. They are encouraging clean-ups throughout April by schools, business people and the general public. More information about this can be obtained from the National Spring Clean Manager, An Taisce, Swiftʼs Alley, Dublin 8 (Tel: 4002220/ email:nsc@antaisce.org). Everyone who registers gets a free pack with materials and information. If you do get involved let us know and we will cover it in the next issue in April. The Fontenoy Files are missing for the ﬁrst time in many years from our pages today. Because of pressure of work, Shay just wasnʼt able to do it for us. Hope this will be sorted out for

the next issue. Despite the talk of spring, it still feels like winter to me and I keep wishing I could see the blue skies of Gran Canaria again (page 36). Elsewhere we have articles about the joys of a walk in Killiney, the blossoms of cherry trees and Saoirseʼs piece on life in France (page 20). We hope that this edition of ʻNewsFourʼ will brush away the winter blues and warm the cockles of your heart! The number of letters we receive from readers keeps increasing. We love to receive them so please do keep writing to us at 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4 or email: newsfourscs@eircom.net. Our advertisers, as usual, have been very generous and we want you all to know how much your support is appreciated. Take care of yourselves. Ann Ingle

Fun Science at RDS

Music Correspondent Brian Kelly

SHELBOURNE PARK RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION LTD 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.

Guitar Lessons Professional Teacher Contact Tony at 087 9743775

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

DUF-CIT PRODUCTIONS

LENT ON THE GREEN

PATRICK DUFFY

A series of ecumenical talks at lunchtime

PRESENTS IN

A RECITAL OF POETRY, RECITATIONS AND THEATRE IN A 40 MINUTE SHOW AT

UNITED ARTS CLUB, 3 UPPER FITZWILLIAM STREET, DUBLIN 2

SATURDAY 25 FEBRUARY AT 8.30PM ADMISSION: €10

FOR GROUP BOOKING AND FURTHER INFORMATION

TEL: 661 1411

Christ Church, Sandymount Green From 1.05 pm to 1.30 pm

Theme: Faith Support in Times of Need Wednesday 8 March – Faith in Crisis Wednesday 15 March – Facing Loss Wednesday 22 March – Healing Relationships Wednesday 29 March – Praying for Healing Wednesday 5 April – Hope Soup and rolls available (Donations accepted)

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

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

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

T WO

INTO TREES DID GO

ART SCHOOL graduates, Barbara Nealon and Tara Kennedy, created a forest on the beach with Christmas Trees in early January. The proceedings were filmed with a view to making a short film.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

CRAI

combined residents against incinerator

NO INCINERATOR IN POOLBEG

Public Meeting Tuesday 28th February at 8 pm, Clanna Gael Fontenoy, Sean Moore Road Act now before itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too late! People power can win! Combined Residents Against the Incinerator (CRAI) Contact: Frances Corr 6674580, Catherine Cavendish 6682430, May Kane 087 699 4279

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

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FAVOURITE PLACE

Anne Frank: A history for today By Brian Kelly

illiney in county Dublin is the place I love returning to. There is no doubt in my mind it is the most scenic spot in the entire county. The view from the top of Victoria Hill, the park close to Fitzpatrick Hotel in Killiney, is simply spectacular. Even on a dull day, you can feel your soul enriched at the almost never-ending horizon in front of you. On one side of the hill, you get a commanding vista of the entire city. Turn towards the sea and you can take in a good portion of Dublin Bay plus half the Irish Sea. On a perfectly clear day, the

S URF ’ S

Welsh mountains are just about visible. If you turn your head a further 90 degrees south, the Wicklow Mountains and the two Sugar Loafs complete the extraordinary panorama. From Victoria Hill, which was opened by Queen Victoriaʼs son Albert in 1887, one can follow pathways, which lead down onto Vico Road and from here the beach in Killiney is easily accessible. Generally, I like my beaches to be sandy but I make an exception for Killiney. Its stony surface can make walking a little awkward but the lack of crowds, even in the summertime, more than compensate for the lack of

UP AT NEW

sand. The tide never covers the beach here either, which means it is possible to walk all the way into Bray, a good six miles away. That is one walk I have yet to complete, instead I follow the coast for a mile or two before stopping to admire the view. Making a seat for myself among the stones to watch the wading birds and the waves of the Irish Sea breaking gently on the shore is one of my favourite pastimes. Twenty minutes here is like a spiritual bath. After soaking in Killineyʼs serenity, I return home relaxed, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world again. Above: The view from Killiney Hill Park over the bay.

A VERY interesting travelling exhibition designed by the curators of the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam is on display in the Dublin City Library in Pearse Street. The exhibition tells the story of Anne Frank and her family and shows the history of the Holocaust through the testimony of contemporary witnesses. Admission is free. Booking is essential for group visits. For further information phone: 6744888.

C YBER C AFFE

Ford Main Dealers TO CELEBRATE the opening of the new Cyber Caffe in Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre, Thorncastle Street you are invited to visit the ʻstate of the artʼ facility there. When you visit you will receive FREE internet access for one hour. You may set up a free email account, email friends and relations around the world and surf the internet. You will be able to book holidays and airline tick-

ets on-line, research your college projects and much more. This free offer is available until February 28th. When you visit you may extend your surf time by purchasing access at €1 per 15 minutes. Alternatively you may become a member and get 10 hours access for €20 (no membership applies during February 2006). For details please call the centre at 6604789 or email: ricc@dublin.ie.

Beach Road Sandymount Dublin 4 Phone: 6686011

Sales and accident repair centre For your new Ford ʻ06 car or commercial We also have a large selection of quality used cars

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

The Letterbox

from An Bord Gais. So the question is who is responsible, or who owns them? If no one owns them then we the citizens of Dublin will have to claim them, and charge the ESB €1 per pole per week rent plus service charge plus VAT, so that we can have them painted! Jim Byrne Sandymount Dear Madam Iʼm trying to locate an old friend of mine whom I have lost touch with. His name is Donncha Cleary and he was featured in a news brief that you did back in 2004. I am in the US, and am having difﬁculty getting in touch with anyone in Ireland. What I am asking of you is to know which Scoil Mhuire he teaches at, and how to contact them to see if he still works there. I really appreciate any assistance you could provide. Matthew Babb 425.879.8804 babbm@edmonds.wednet.edu Can anyone out there help Matthew Babb in his search. Ed

Dear Madam All around the city we still have the old gas lamp holders, and the old electric tram-poles that supported the overhead cables that powered the old electric trams. These old electric poles can be seen along Strand Road, and along into the city centre, and further aﬁeld. Now the question is this: Why

are these old historic electric poles, and gas poles so neglected? They are never painted to preserve them for another hundred years, as they are now over a century old, 1896 for the electric poles and 1870 for the old gas lamp poles. A query to the ESB by phone received a negative answer. They said they were not ESB property. The same answer was received

Beach Road Tyre Services (Rear Kilroy College)

CAMBRIDGE ROAD, RINGSEND, DUBLIN 4 PHONE: 6683805

Computerised Wheel Balancing Fast Puncture Repair New & Remoulded Tyres Stocked

FREE FITTING ALL WORK DONE WHILE-U-WAIT Open 6 Days a Week • Phone 6683805

Dear Madam I want to say a big thank you through your newspaper to everyone who supported the sponsored Avon Walk Around The World for Breast Cancer in October. Many of my customers and Representatives took part with hundreds more becoming involved by pledging donations to their friends and relatives who completed the 5k event in Phoenix Park, Dublin. With some outstanding pledges still to come in, the walk has so far raised a phenomenal €94,000 for the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, in association with our longterm charity partner ARC Cancer Support. This includes a one-off donation of US$25,000 (approx €21,000) from the Avon Foundation, the charitable arm of the company that works to improve the lives of women everywhere. However, we all know that charity begins at home and I am so proud of all my colleagues and their family and friends who gave their time and support so willingly. The money will be used to develop and fund the ongoing work of the specialist Avon Breast Cancer Nurse Counsellor who works with women and their families from all over the country. Four women are diagnosed every day so every cent counts. Thank you so much. Carol Wright Avon Area Manager Dear Madam It is easy for the Democratic Party and anti war groups in the

US to criticize George W Bush and the Republican Party for the on-going war in Iraq. There has been strong anti-war sentiments in Britain and here in Ireland as well. But it is the troops in the front line who pay a terrible price in the name of democracy. While initially having mixed feelings about the conflict in Iraq I feel once the troops were in there, they deserved the publicʼs support. Only a soldier can know the full horrors of war, the day to day conflict seeing colleagues and friends injured and killed. The awful separation from family and friends. This scenario is vividly brought to life in the new excellent fictional US drama ʻOver Thereʼ now showing at 10 oʼclock every Tuesday night on Sky One. Gritty and realistic it shows in graphic detail the full brutality and dehumanising effects of warfare. Let us hope that there is a speedy conclusion to the Iraq conflict and western troops can be restored to the bosoms of family and friends. Thank God we live in a democracy where free speech and freedom are sacrosanct. Derek Sandford Ringsend Dear Madam Regarding the Star of the Sea School photograph in the December edition of NewsFour, my daughter claims, and I agree, that I am wearing the largest tie in your photo. Michael Brennan, late of Oswald Road, is seated beside me. This class received First Communion the morning after the North Strand bombing. Miss Monahan charmed and instructed her class: an exceptional teacher who converted this pupil from ciotóg with the aid of head line copies purchased in Frosts shop, Sandymount village. Somewhere among us are Jackie Stakeburn and Brian Carpenter and just a few who suffered poverty and deprivation. I moved on to Scoil Ullmhucháin in Parnell Square after my communion year but the happy start under Miss Monahan remains with me.

Fiachra MacFhionnlaoich Formerly 20 Wilfield Park, Sandymount Dear Madam I have been given NewsFour by my brother-in-law, Arnold OʼB. There is a picture of a play taken about 1948 not 1943 (see photo below). The man reading the paper was Joe Furlong. Sam was behind him, the cap on the side of his head. Celine Maguire was Mise Éire in the white dress, the girl in uniform of Cumann na mBan was Moira Murphy and the other in uniform was Rose Smith, beside her was Liam Murphy, brother to Moira. On the right side of the picture was Donal and Colum McKenna and behind them was Barry Kavanagh, Derville Maguire is the young girl. I forget the others but the people in charge were Liam Timmins and Paddy Maguire. I was a member of that club. Mrs Whelan taught us Irish dancing and we were looked after very well. I was married to Sam, he died June 1966. Yours truly Madge OʼByrne Clonskeagh Dear Madam I have been living on Strand Road for the last fifteen years and have been fascinated by Sandymount Strand, with all its activities and scenery. I thought you might be interested in the enclosed poem for the Poetry Place in NewsFour. In it I have tried to express some of my thoughts and observations on the area. I will not be disappointed if you do not think it suitable, as I have had good fun writing it in any case. I find NewsFour most interesting and informative and congratulate you and all your team on an excellent paper. Yours sincerely Eric H. de Courcy Thank you for your kind words and the poem which has found its way into the Poetry Place. Ed

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

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B ABY S TROKES AT M ARIAN C OLLEGE By Elizabeth Hutcheson

abies are born with a natural afﬁnity for water that they often lose over time. Early introduction is one way of ensuring they maintain their natural enjoyment of it. Even so, plunging into a swimming pool with a new-born in tow can seem daunting. So why bother? Well, one good reason is that most parents report marked improvements in sleeping and eating patterns. My four month old daughter, Aʼisha, napped for three blissful hours following our ﬁrst dip in our local pool at Marian College. Needless to say, we kept going back! Marian College has special baby swim sessions on Thursday at 10am and Saturday at 3pm. The water and changing rooms are warmed up for extra comfort and instructors are on hand to give support and guidance. The aim of the classes is to encourage gentle water familiarisation for babies and help parents gain

confidence. I was a bit nervous on our first visit but thanks to some patient instruction, I soon managed to relax. Aʼisha, relishing free independent movement for the first time in her short life, quickly discovered the joys of splashing adults. Like most of the other

ﬂoating tots, the only time she cried was when we had to get out. The emphasis is on aiding parents to learn gradually how to have fun safely with their water babes and get maximum enjoyment from one of the few sociable activities they can do togeth-

T ONY REPRESENTS I RELAND AT B IENNALE

er, face to face. Babies can be brought swimming from birth, however most mothers prefer to wait until a few weeks after delivery. Parents should only go, though, when they feel ready and never when a child is unwell. Current government health

guidelines state that babies can be in the pool prior to immunisation, as the chlorine kills off any germs that might be present. However, leisure centres and pools have differing policies on permitted starting ages, so it is a good idea to check first. Disposable swim pants are a must and most pools insist they are worn. Ordinary nappies are not suitable, as they swell up on contact with water and can weigh the baby down. Special pants, at reasonable cost, can be ordered online at http://www.splashabout.net or purchased direct from Marian College. According to many experts, swimming regularly can make a baby mentally sharper, improve strength and coordination. Certainly, frequent swimming has numerous benefits, but the most important one of all is that itʼs just a great way to spend a couple of hours with a young one. The added bonus is, of course, that young dippers definitely sleep and eat better on swimming days. So, if you are tempted to take your little bundle on an aqua trip, remember to pack a snack and bring along plenty of towels. For further information contact Gwen Bolger on 01-668 9539.

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

New Constituency Office: 60 Upper Grand Canal Street, Dublin 4. (Above Washboard Launderette, opposite Slattery’s) RINGSEND ARTIST Tony Gunning, above, recently returned from Florence where he represented Ireland at the ﬁfth Biennale Internazionale DellʼArte Contemporanea. (December 2005). The Biennale, organised under the patronage of the Italian President, is a highly prestigious international art exhibition. Tony was invited to participate with artists representing 72 countries from around the world. John T. Spike, art historian, critic and Director

of the Biennale, said of his work: “Tony paints in a realist style reminiscent of Fairﬁeld Porter. I really like this work”. Tony exhibited one large canvas titled ʻAbandoned Autoʼ. The painting forms part of a new body of work which examines the theme of human intervention in the landscape. The work will be exhibited at venues around Ireland in 2006. Selected works by Tony are currently on view at the Martello Restaurant in Dun Laoghaire.

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

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

Tenors And Basses Tenors and Basses – St. Andrews Choir, Westland Row, are looking for you! Yes You! We rehearse on Thursdays from 8 to 10pm, and sing Mass on Sundays at 11.30. If you are interested contact the Parish Ofﬁce @ 6761270

Karaoke Night Vintage Inn, Irishtown Friday 10th March in aid of Special Olympics Irishtown Athletic Club The 2006 Special Olympics Ireland Games takes place in Belfast from 21st to 26th June. It is hoped to bring 9 athletes and 3 coaches to the games at a cost of €400 per person. Please support by either sponsoring an athlete or giving a donation towards expenses. Contact: Carmel Malone at 6606231 or the Treasurer Debbie Nolan at 6606147

The Yacht Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, 6680977

‘For a Quiet Pint in comfortable surroundings and a friendly atmosphere’

T HE GIFT OF THE COUNTRYSIDE Rock Shadow by Máirín Diamond

By Grace McKenna Often, a country-breeze in the city lovingly blows from a land I cannot see. Today, on Dublinʼs Sandymount Strand I smell the fruits of Irelandʼs green land. Far from the Shannon, Suir, Bann and Lee I am breathing wafts of natureʼs purity: lovely fragrances of rural hedgerows, hills and woods. Well-worked fields and meadows are preserved in the balmy breeze that gives us gentle summerease. It often sweeps across the emerald plains Carrying earthey odours of plants and grains. Oh let us bless the countryside; it sends to concrete city, its fine essence!

áirín Diamond grew up in Renvyle, Co. Galway. She started writing when she was seventeen and went on to study literature and philosophy at the University of Sussex. She now lives in Dublin. Her first collection of poems ʻThe Testimony of the Bonesʼ was published by WideAwake Press in 2000. Her second and recent volume of poetry, ʻRock Shadowʼ, is a collection of fifty-six poems written over a period of thirty years. It is essentially a celebration of nature, people and place with many of the poems attempting to catch the drama of the changing light in Ireland through the four seasons. But what perhaps is most interesting about the writerʼs work is her attempt to literally preserve a rapidly changing Ireland, which in the writerʼs view has seen Irish culture and traditions become increasingly under threat since the nineteen sixties.

Although Máirín does not frown upon the progress of land development, she does lament the sacrificing of beautiful landscapes in favour of boastful mansions. Nature is the life blood of many artistsʼ work so itʼs not surprising one might seek to protect it any way one can. But itʼs not just natural landscape Máirín seeks to protect and preserve through her latest collection of poems. Modern times has seen a decline in traditional Irish craftmenship. Building currachs was a common skill to learn as a young man. Nowadays, the skill is rarely practised thanks to the use of trawlers which have also put the livelihood of small fishermen under serious threat. There are also fears for the art of basket weaving in Connemara as, according to Máirín, the only man still practising the art is now in his seventies. But Mairin admits that change can be a positive thing too. She welcomes the fact that the Catholic Church is a less dominant influence on Renvyle people. This is

partly due to the disenchanting legacy Bishop Casey left behind him but more so because of the influx of tourists and new residents who constantly inject the area with new energy and spiritualism. Máirín Diamondʼs ʻRock Shadowʼ is a beautiful collection of poems capturing fond memories of her undying affection for the Connemara ponies and the young men who toiled in the bogs. Máirínʼs personal favourite from the collection is a written tribute to the Irish heroine, Grace OʼMalley. I was proud of the majesty of my mind, and blessed with the grandeur of life at sea. I needed no palace, all clustered and rife With luxurious excesses of life! (GRANUAILE, SEA QUEEN OF THE WEST, Grace OʼMalley c.15301603) ʻRock Shadowʼ is on sale at Books on the Green, Waterstones and Easons. You can also order a copy of the book by emailing WideAwake at maida@eircom.net

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

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Dublin Waste to Energy Project Dublin City Council invites you to… Scoping Session 2 Project Update - Transport Studies Community Gain Update 25th February 2006 12.00pm - 4.00pm

Scoping Session 3 Meet the EIS Team 8th April 2006 12.00pm - 4.00pm

Summary of Statutory Process 27th May 2006 12.00pm - 4.00pm

Venue Ringsend Technical Institute, Cambridge Road, Ringsend, Dublin 4 The purpose of these sessions is to provide up-to-date information about the Dublin Waste to Energy Project and to scope issues for EIS (Environmental Impact Statement). For further information please contact: Elizabeth Arnett, Ringsend Regional Ofﬁce, Cambridge House, Cambridge Road, Ringsend, Dublin 4 Phone: 01 2815918

ALL ARE WELCOME

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

O N A SUNDAY MORNING SIDEWALK By Christy Hogan

voiding the crowds and hullabaloo of hostelries, I welcomed in the New Year in a tranquil manner. A few glasses of Bud, turkey and ham sandwiches, and the not-to-be-missed Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, plus a big dollop of Ryan Tubridyʼs New Yearʼs Eve party. I stayed at home, my first domestic New Yearʼs Eve in a long time, and it was smashing. Peace, perfect peace. There was no queuing at the bar, no raising of voice to compete with Eminem, Coldplay or Sugababes and no mad rush when last orders were announced. There was no one planting a ʻsmall oneʼ beside my pint knowing full well I donʼt like shorts, and wishing me a happy new year, and again a happy new year, and once more with knobs on a happy new year. For Godʼs sake, how many times does he have show his

largesse and keep spouting “happy new year” like a broken record. Yes home was the hero on New Yearʼs Eve. And thatʼs the reason I was up bright and early at eight o clock on Sunday morning, New Yearʼs Day. It was a cold, fresh morning and Mum and I legged it over to 9 oʼclock Mass in Ringsend, the first early Mass Iʼd been to in decades. There was a modest attendance of about forty souls, mainly middle-aged and elderly. The Mass was late starting and the anticipatory coughs were in full swing. There was the “whatʼs keeping him” cough and the “I hope heʼs alright” cough and the “I canʼt wait much longer” type of cough. Anyhow, Mass commenced a few minutes late and sure what matter. After Mass I went across the road to the shop and purchased the Sunday papers. Then it was straight home for the crispy rashers, the brown bread and the piping hot tea, gorgeous. After breakfast I decided to go into town. Some shops had ad-

T HE

vertised a ten oʼclock opening and I had a couple of vouchers burning a hole in my pocket. At this juncture things began to go awry. The shops werenʼt open– at least the ones I had vouchers for werenʼt open. At 11 oʼclock I was in Moore Street where some newsagents and bric a brac shops were open. You could be forgiven for thinking that this was Moore Street, Lagos, or Moore Street, Beijing, or Moore Street, Mogadishu, nary an indigenous Paddy in sight. There were Africans and Asians peering out from all angles. Anyhow, I left cosmopolitan

Moore Street and meandered across OʼConnell Street and into Earl Street. Alas, there were no clothes shops open, the vouchers were scorching the lining of my jeans pocket, pleading to be spent. They would have to remain incarcerated for another little while. Iʼm not into power walking so I plodded my way towards the Stephenʼs Green Shopping Centre. With my destination approximately one mile away I began to view the delights of Dublin City post New Yearʼs Eve. Just as a sentence has commas, question marks and full stops, my journey was

LOVELIEST OF TREES

By James OʼDoherty

knew that nature was being gloriously transformed and the miracle that is Spring was upon us again as my eyes were gladdened by the sight of the most spectacular of flowering trees, the cherries coming into bloom. Their contribution to the floral pageantry of Spring is unquestionable. They are beautifully shaped, graceful with lovely foliage, handsome bark and magnificent colour. They deserve their world-wide popularity. After the last war thousands of them were planted in England and indeed if you visit the White House in Spring there you will find glorious cherries in bloom. Our older residents may recall the avenue of these lovely trees planted in Ringsend Park in the late forties, now sadly all gone. In Japan this is the most popu-

punctuated with vomit, beer cans, urine and the ubiquitous discarded and unfinished takeaway. And to complement all this ʻmorning after the night beforeʼ, a big disgusting, Godless, uninspiring Spire. The previous incumbent, Nelsonʼs Pillar, had at least an historical relevance and an artistic bent, even though considered by some as an adversary. The late Luke Kellyʼs rendition of ʻDublin in the rare ole Timesʼ began to resonate in my mind and Kris Kristoffersonʼs ʻSunday Morning Coming Downʼ seemed the perfect musical companion.

lar street tree. There it ﬂowers in early April and is called the Yoshino of Toyko (Prunus Vedoensis). Fifty thousand of this widespread specimen are planted with its lovely delicate pink ﬂowers, arching branches and dark green leaves.

A large family of small trees, there is one for every location: small garden, street trees, parks and open spaces. Most of the varieties we are familiar with come from Japan or China. The biggest inﬂuence on the introduction and elevation of ﬂowering cherries

during the past sixty years has been Captain Collingwood Ingram. Some horticulturists complain that cherry blossom is transient but surely that applies to everything? What other family of trees can boast of a variety that

flowers from November right through to April, as does the flowering cherry autumnals. This tree recorded in Japanese legend dates back to AD 408 and in 1594 cherry viewing parties were hosted by the Japanese Emperor. It did not arrive in England until 1900. It is possible that many cherry trees will be lost to cultivation and I would hope that public parks and horticultural institutions would plant collections of as many varieties as possible. A park planted as suggested would become a pilgrimage at blossoming time. In Japan they appreciate cherry blossom so much they have public holidays so people can view the lovely trees at their leisure. If you want to plant one in your garden the Lombardy Cherry Prunus Amanogawa is ideal. A very slim outline, it grows bolt upright with its double pale pink flowers. It is an ideal focal point no matter how small the garden.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

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IRISH JERSEYS FRIGHTENED OPPOSITION

By Jimmy Purdy

illview United was a very successful soccer team and operated in the AUL League around 1952/53. Hillview, under the guidance of Paddy Keenan, Jackie Herbert, Billy McKenna and Tommy Kirwan may have been there at this time also. Hillview in the 1952/53 season had a very young side and were made up of players from Pearse House, with a few more from the surrounding area. Around this time, the AUL League introduced a new cup called The Smyth Cup and Home Farm met Hillview United in the ﬁnal at Dalymount Park, with Hillview causing a big upset by beating the Farm, who would have been made up of players from all over Dublin. But my story is about the jerseys worn by Hillview, as each one is an Irish International jersey of that time. They were the heavy woollen type with a simple shield-like crest with the shamrock on it. At the time, replica jerseys were not produced and unless an Irish player gave you one they were impossible to get. So how come Hillview had a full set of these very treasured Irish jerseys? Well, the jerseys came from Eddie Gannon, who was transferred to Shefﬁeld Wednesday from Shelbourne and was con-

sidered the best right side halfback playing in England at the time. Eddie was capped for Ireland many times, probably more than the ten jerseys worn by Hillview Opposition teams would look in wonder when Hillview arrived on the pitch to play them and I often thought Hillview had a ten minute start ahead of other teams in their league who were looking in awe at the jerseys. As I write this story, I hope Eddieʼs family have a jersey of their famous father, who wore them with distinction as I saw him play many games in Shelbourne Park and Dalymount for Ireland. On one occasion, a team Hillview played in a league match complained to league ofﬁcials that the Irish jerseys were being belittled by being worn by Hillview. This was not true as Hillview were proud of their Irish strip. As I watched the game with my pal Seamus Donnelly at Dalymount, I think the jerseys spurred Hillview on to win their game in the Smyth Cup ﬁnal against Home Farm. This Hillview team was made up of ex-Brugh Phadraigh Boys. The Brugh was in Mount Street and, in later years, in Herbert Street and when you reached eighteen you had to leave. The photograph shows clearly the Irish jerseys worn by Hillview United. The team, back row: Billy McKenna, Jackie Herbert, Tommy Walsh. Middle row: Jimmy

OʼBrien, Jimmy Butler, Con Barter, Terry Dillion, Matt Ward, Lar OʼByrne, Paddy Keenan. Front row: Clem Behan, Paddy Donnelly, Paddy Butler, Donal Moroney, Bunny Nealon.

Are you an active citizen? THIS YEARʼS Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) conference in Killarney concentrated on the theme of active citizenship. But what is active citizenship? It is something that many of us have been doing as a matter of course all our lives. Every time you offer to sit on a committee, organise a cake sale, look after an elderly neighbour, help out the local scouts or offer your services voluntarily you are involved in Active Citizenship. A healthy society exists where individuals are willing to come together, without reward, for the purpose of improving situations or helping others in need. Being an active citizen also means that you exercise your right to political participation by voting and engaging in improving the quality of life at a local level. The National College of Ireland and the DDDA have joined together to sponsor a course which focuses on the theory, practice and skills of active citizenship. The main aim of the course is: ʻTo enable all local people, but perhaps in particular those working in a paid or unpaid capacity in the ﬁeld of community development, to work more effectively by increasing their understanding and practical knowledge of, and skills for, active citizenship.ʼ At the conference Cathy Moore, who completed the course in October 2005 said that she jumped at the opportunity to avail of an NCI qualiﬁcation. She found it challenging and felt that the content of the programme was up-to-date and relevant to the rapid social change we are all experiencing. The Active Citizenship for Local Development course will run from February to July 2006, one evening a week, and further information may be obtained from Michéle Ryan of NCI at 449 8544 or email: mryan@ncirl. ie. There are still places available and there is no fee involved. By Ann Ingle

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

March / April Lectures in the RDS Beckett Centenary In 2006 the Speaker Series commences in March when on Wednesday March 8, Barry McGovern, who is regarded by many as the leading interpreter of the work of Samuel Beckett, will give a talk entitled ʻSamuel Beckett: His Life and Workʼ. Barry McGovern has appeared in many of the Beckett plays, including ʻWaiting for Godotʼ, ʻEndgameʼ, ʻHappy Daysʼ and ʻKrappʼs Last Tapeʼ. His Beckett one man show ʻIʼll Go Onʼ has played all over the world. He has recently recorded the three novels ʻMolloyʼ, ʻMalone Diesʼ and ʻThe Unnameableʼ on CD for Beckettʼs Centenary year 2006. In April he will play Vladimir in ʻWaiting for Godotʼ at the Gate Theatre, which will also be part of the Beckett Centenary celebrations. This talk is an event that will

have informative views for both the regular theatre-goers and those who have in the past found Beckett difficult or forbidding. Flora, Fauna, Rocks and Things in Aran and The Burren The above title is that which Dr Con OʼRourke, who was chairman of the RDS Science Committee from 1996 to 1998, has chosen for his talk on March 22. A former President of the Institute of Biology of Ireland, for almost forty years he worked in An Foras Taluntis (now Teagasc) as a plant pathologist in the Oak Park Research Centre and later in its HQ on research planning and as an editor of scientific publications. He has also organised natural history courses in the Aran Islands for second-level students, trainee teachers and tourists. The talk will coincide with

the publication of his ʻNature Guide to the Aran Islandsʼ in the early part of 2006. This beautiful publication will bring together in its accompanying illustrations, insights into the forces of the natural world that have shaped the Aran Islands. Dr OʼRourke will share the unique Aran/Burren environment and how its renowned flora has been influenced by geology, climate and farming. Resident and migratory birds will be described, as well as plant and animal life of the seashore. This talk promises to be a visually illustrated feast of that

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very special part of Ireland, from which so many of us are inspired with awe and wonder. Music in 1731 In the 275th year of the Societyʼs existence a unique insight with audio excerpts is offered to us by Ian Fox in his lecture ʻMusic in 1731ʼ. On April 5 he presents a picture of the musical scene in Dublin that year. It is illustrated with recordings of some of the works one might have heard at the time, including the music of Roseingrave, Vivaldi, Geminiani, Scarlatti, Handel and others. Ian Fox wrote his first criticism for The Irish Times in

1969 and was music critic of the Sunday Tribune 19862005. In 1969 he created and edited ʻCounterpointʼ for the Music Association of Ireland, the countryʼs first classical music magazine. He is a frequent broadcaster on RTE Radio One and Lyric FM and his programme ʻThe Lyric Collectionʼ can be heard each Saturday morning at 10 am. To book seats or for any further information for any of these events, please contact Gerard Whelan on 01 240 7256 or via e-mail at ger. whelan@rds.ie.

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PAGE 13

WEE BIT OF COUNTRY

By Grace McKenna

was twelve years old and had just got out of school for my Summer Holidays and already my future was looking pretty bleak. Three months of hang sangwich making was to be followed by a six-year stretch in a carbolicsmelling convent. Thankfully, secondary school was still months away. But in the meantime, a clatter of farmers needed feeding out in the hay fields– so I buttered another leaning tower of white batch in my Grannyʼs kitchen. To this day, country kitchens still haunt me. Youʼd open a biscuit tin and instead of finding pink fluffy Mikados inside, thereʼd be a stack of memoriam cards unfolding like dying butterflies. Tea-time conversations were even less inspirational. My fatherʼs family could talk endlessly about ʻlast nightʼs drop of rainʼ or whoʼs ʻgetting their feet

washedʼ at tomorrow nightʼs mass service. I sliced my last white tower into triangles, deciding thereʼs no way Iʼm going to spend my summer holidays feeding farmers. Iʼd rather go work in the bog than have to listen to another red-necked update on how my child-bearing shanks were developing. My brother Paudge worked in the bog and was being paid three pounds twenty a day! And according to my friend Lorraine (who worked in the bog too) John-Jo was a great boss to have. He could drink a bog hole dry, which meant he spent more time doing business in the ditch than he did in the ﬁeld. Horsinʼ round a bog ﬁeld sounded good to me but not to my brother– he preferred I hang out in the kitchen. ʻTomboysʼ were taboo and a sure sign of worse things to come– like bra burning, lesbianism and mad cow. We struck a bargain. The bog

Pictured above is Dan Redmond in Confraternity uniform in 1944.

manʼs number in exchange for a kiss from Lorraine. Paudge gave me John-Joʼs number and told me to shout down the phone because “the manʼs as deaf as a door post”. I really liked the sound of this boss. The next morning, I pulled on my wellies and hopped into the boot of John-Joʼs overcrowded orange Avenger. Paudge was still in the kitchen rubbing Sudocrem into the burst chilblains in his feet. John-Jo blew the horn again, calling my brother every name under the sun– but he wasnʼt leaving without him because young, agile bog workers were hard to come by. The exhaust pipe bounced off the potholes as we sat with our legs hanging out of the boot. JohnJo told us to keep quiet until his crawling rust box drove by the tiny Garda station at the edge of the village. After that, John-Jo heard nothing. Somebody pulled his hearing aid out and hid it. By the time we got to Bragan Bog, everybody had eaten their jam sandwiches and were as high as kites. John-Joe lost his patience trying to get us to line up like greyhounds on a racing track. I asked him if I could have the row of turf next to Lorraine so she could show me what to do. He granted my request on the condition that I warn him if I heard a helicopter ﬂying close by. I didnʼt know what the hell he was talking about but agreed anyway. Not long after, there were cries from the bottom of the ﬁeld “Helicopter! John-Jo thereʼs a helicopter!” Of course John-Jo couldnʼt

hear them so one of the skinnier lads leapt over the mounds of dry turf and ran to warn him there was a helicopter ﬂying above. Seeing the lad pointing up to the sky, John-Jo scarpered down the ﬁeld like a frightened maxi rabbit. We all laughed as he disappeared

through a ditch and into the next field for cover. Lorraine giggled and lay down on a mound of turf to rest. I looked up into the sky but couldnʼt see any helicopter. There was no helicopter. It was just a ploy to get rid of John-Jo. Lorraine and I lay on the turf chatting while the others had a turf fight. When John-Jo finally emerged from the ditch, we got back to work. We cried helicopter a few times that day sending JohnJo running for cover. Later that afternoon, we heard a dull engine in the far distance and the whole bog stood still. When the British helicopter came into view, we all dropped the turf we were holding and ran down the field shouting “Helicopter!” We didnʼt see John-Joe after that until it was time to go home. At the end of that week, Paudge got his kiss and I got sixteen pounds. Seems that was the going rate for harbouring a boss wanted in connection with a recent bomb attack. Certainly explained his hearing problem.

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

T HE POSITIVE POWER OF TOUCH

tatistics show that in every Irish classroom there is at least one child with a learning difﬁculty which can adversely affect their progress in education and life. Because of this, and with their futures in mind, there has been an increased interest in treatments which could help. Research at a renowned complementary therapy centre in Sweden, the Axelsons Gymnastic Institute Stockholm, has found that massage combined with co-ordination exercises can bring about great improvements in children who suffer from dyslexia, behavioural and emotional problems and poor concentration. Recently introduced in Ireland this Swedish-developed 12 week programme is called the Axelsons techniques. Irelandʼs leading practitioner is Katie Losty who works from the Sandycove Health Clinic in Co. Dublin. Trained at Axelsons Gymnastic Institute, Katie treats individ-

uals with learning disabilities like dyslexia through massage therapy, acupressure and co-ordination exercises. These coordinated movements (jumping, eye movements, ﬁnger tapping and pen movements) help increase the speed of the nerve impulses from the brain to the muscles, thus enabling the brain to function more effectively. In addition, the extra element of massage has been noted to increase serotonin levels, which can help decrease heightened dopamine levels in children with ADHD or other attention disorders. Many of these movements have already been incorporated into other exercise programmes for children with learning difﬁculties, however, the unique aspect here is the addition of the massage therapy. Katie Losty returned to Ireland after six years working and training in Sweden. “Initially, I started going for massages myself,” she says, “as massage therapy is so popular there,

and then, because I enjoyed it so much, I began to do some courses. I became convinced of the healing and positive power of touch.” Sophie, a nine year old, recently completed the therapy programme with Katie. Her mother Amanda says the changes in her daughter are amazing. “Sophie had ear infections constantly from the age of three months, and was always in and out of hospital as a baby. Her hearing was very badly affected and therefore so was her speech. She didnʼt speak until she was ﬁve years old,

so school was greatly affected. Sophie went to a special school for a couple of years before moving into mainstream education two years ago.” Because of the problem with her ears, Sophieʼs balance and co-ordination were affected. “She used to fall a lot when she was younger, and she skipped the crawling stage, which I now realise is common in many kids with learning difficulties,” says Amanda. “When Sophie started the therapy, she couldnʼt do any of the exercises without falling over.” Three months later Sophie is now perfectly poised, balanced, and coordinated, and has even started doing gymnastics. But there are other benefits too. “Her confidence has greatly increased,” says Amanda, “and she is much more content in herself. She is sleeping much better, and homework time is reduced because she has better comprehension of what to do and better concentration. Her spelling, reading and writing have all improved, also cutting down on homework time.” Losty is encouraged by the results sheʼs seen with children like Sophie, and feedback from other parents whose children have completed the programme indicate

similar benefits. Here in Ireland the Axelsons techniques are fast gaining recognition. The findings of a recent study by the Department of Psychology in Trinity College were very positive, indicating significant improvements in reading ability and postural stability among the test group. An initial consultation with Katie Losty establishes whether the child with signs of learning difficulty can benefit from the programme and from there the 12 week course may commence. The sessions are on a one-to-one basis and Katie believes the success of the programme is due to its holistic approach. A significant issue of all this is the cost. The weekly hour-long sessions each cost €60 so while this may be affordable to some families, it may not be an option for many. Whether or not these treatments will ever be made available through the health services in Ireland remains to be seen. For further information contact: Katie Losty, Sandycove Health Clinic, 57a Glasthule Road, Sandycove, Co. Dublin. Tel: 087619 6340. E-mail: katielosty@eircom.net Pictured: Katie Losty with Jolie Fitzpatrick from Donnybrook.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 15

C AIRDE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre Activity Schedule Spring 2006 Monday 0900-1600 Day care clinic 0930-2130 Cyber Caffe 0930-1600 Computer Training 0900-1700 Loose Cannon Theatre Co (Mon-Fri) 1715-1815 Shooting Stars 1830-1930 Karate

EHB Internet/Cyber Access Beginners, IP3 & EDCL Drama Rehearsals Hip-Hop Dancing School Juniors

Tuesday

By Brian Rutherford

o meet Todd James, pictured above at a Cairde meeting, is to meet an honest man, who believes in the truth, the Bible and helping his fellow man. Todd James came to Ireland in 1980, along with his wife, from the USA. He was originally a basketball coach and planned to do the same here, in fact he won Basketball Coach of the Year in America and after living here for a while managed to get Coach of the Year here too. His parents had wanted him to be a dentist, little did they know that he would be a basketball coach, let alone a lay preacher far outside their native country. When he ﬁrst came to Dublin he began to take part in the Dublin West Christian fellowship in Blanchardstown, where he and his wife set up home. These meetings were to be the inspiring light that drove Todd on to what is Cairde today. Cairde has been going in Ringsend for three and a half years. It used to be called the Gospel Group, but Cairde, meaning friends in Irish, seemed more appropriate. Todd, along with his friends in Dublin West, realised certain key factors were missing in todayʼs society. They believe that not enough people are reading the Bible and becoming aware that Jesus died to offer us a gift, the gift of salvation. Todd believes in the way, the truth and the life, that is to show the way, to believe the truth and to live the life, and also to ask our-

selves, what would Jesus do? The Cairde Christian Fellowship is open to everyone and is non-denominational. The meeting lasts about one and half hours during which a number of hymns are sung. On the day I went along there were 20 to 30 people in attendance with two guitar players, tambourine and other instruments, with everyone taking part. I felt myself humming along, which is testament to the sort of welcome a stranger will get. One person has a medical complaint and the group is helping her through her pain. The group consisted of children of all ages and their friends and parents. After about a half hour of singing, the children leave to do some art, and the remaining adults talk about a chapter of the Bible, led by Todd who has studied it in great detail and is a great speaker. He teaches nothing radical or extreme, just simple explanations of the way of Christ through the scriptures. Everyone is free to express their problems

or say simple things about life that they have experienced. The chapter of the Bible at this particular meeting was Thessalonians, explained in a very matter of fact manner. Todd also takes time out to talk to children in schools about not accepting drugs and basic lessons in values. He sees it like basketball court lines, just as the lines control the game, people have to control their lives. The atmosphere is fun, the people are decent folk and the overall feeling at the meeting is self-expression and overall understanding of the Bible and the help that a meeting can bring. There is an element of trust at the Cairde Christian Fellowship in Ringsend Community Centre, and as Todd James says, “Weʼre all on this journey together.” Cairde meet at 11 am on Sunday mornings and Todd can be reached at 8217916. Below: Some of the children who attend Cairde Christian Fellowship show off their artwork. From left: Noah Brabazon and Rachel, Niamh and Amy Tyler.

0900-1600 Day Care Clinic 0930-2130 Cyber Caffe 0930-1600 Computer Training 1500-1800 Free Counselling Service 1800-1900 Tae Bo & Tone 1900-2100 Art Classes 1900-2240 Ladies Club 2000-2200 Waters Edge

EHB Internet/Cyber Access Beginners, IP3 & EDCL By Appointment Keep Fit Regime All Welcome Every 2nd Tuesday Amateur Drama Group

Wednesday 0900-1600 Day Care Clinc 0930-1600 Computer Traning 0930-2130 Cyber Caffe 1700-1900 Weight Watchers 1830-1945 YOGA 1900-2100 Politiciansʼ Clinic 1900-2100 Karate 2000-2100 YOGA

EHB Beginners IP3 & EDCL Internet/Cyber Access All Welcome Beginners Fianna Fail, Labour, Sinn Fein Intermediate Advanced

Thursday 0900-1600 Day Care Clinic 0930-1600 Computer Training 0930-2130 Cyber Caffe 1900-1930 Politiciansʼ Clinic 1930-2030 Step Tone 2000-2100 Pilates

EHB Beginners IP3 & EDCL Internet/Cyber Access Green Party Keep Fit Well being Exercise

Friday 0900-1600 Day Care Clinic 0930-1600 Computer Training 0930-2130 Cyber Caffe 1500-1800 Free Counselling Services 1930-2145 Alcohol Free Disco

EHB Beginners IP3 & EDCL Internet/Cyber Access By Appointment None Adult

Saturday 1100-1300 Childrenʼs Parties 1600-2100

Irish Dancing Asian Festival

Susan Hudson School By Arrangement Asian Gathereing (per schedule)

Cairde Fellowship Fiasco Productions

By Arrangement Gospel Group Drama Production Company

Sunday Childrenʼs Parties 1100-1300 1300-1900

PAGE 16

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

Film Scene •••By Michael Hilliard

‘Munich’ Steven Spielbergʼs latest, ʻMunichʼ explores the impact of the brutal terrorist attacks on the Israeli athletics team at the 1972 Olympic games. Adapting the book ʻVengeanceʼ by George Jonas, the script was written by Tony Kushner (ʻAngels in Americaʼ), whose treatment of the main characters lends an insightful astuteness to the proceedings. Within the ﬁrst twenty minutes, Spielberg recreates the violent sequence of events of the day, by deftly combining existing news reel footage, with his own. The scene where we see one of the terrorists stepping out onto a balcony in the background, while witnessing the same scene on

a television in the foreground, from inside the room he just stepped out of, is an incredible example of both technical proficiency and the manner in which weʼre completely drawn into events on screen. The remainder of the running time, is concerned with the response of Israelʼs secret service (the Mossad), to the attacks. Our main character Avner (Eric Bana) commits to the mission, working alongside South African Steve (Daniel Craig), ex-toy maker turned bomb maker Robert (Matthieu Kassovitz), morally conflicted Carl (Ciaran Hinds), and Hans (Hanns Zischler). The men officially donʼt exist in the eyes of the Israelis, and are left to their own devices, to slowly but surely track down

the men behind the Munich attack, and eliminate them by any means necessary. Dealing with some truly untrustworthy, international contacts, they set about executing their hit list of Palestinian prey. The cast is stellar. Eric Bana (ʻHulkʼ, ʻTroyʼ) delivers an incredibly emotionally involving portrayal of a man who has left his life behind, including his pregnant wife, to devote himself to revenge. The scene where Avner cries upon hearing his childʼs voice over the phone is as devastating as his ability to execute his targets with such determination. The exceptional supporting cast cannot be underrated here, as it is by their subtlety and skill, that we are completely drawn into their world. Of course, there have been accusations of the film-makers expressing political agendas, artistic licence abuse and then thereʼs that last shot of the film, which tries to force the point home, just in case you missed it. The pacing of the film feels a little off, and many think it is overly long. As a factual portrayal of the events that occurred, the film may not hold up to close scrutiny, but as a piece of dramatic entertainment, it delivers. 4 out of 5

‘The New World’ ʻThe New Worldʼ is inspired by the legend of John Smith (Colin Farrell) and Pocahontas (newcomer QʼOrianka Kilcher). Filmmaker Terrence Malickʼs epic interpretation of this tale is about as far removed from the Disney version as possible. Telling a story of love, loss and discovery, and the effect of the British landing in America for the first time, Malickʼs film is a deeply flawed but touching effort. Portrayed as a pristine, untouched land of innocence, Malick (ʻBadlandsʼ, ʻDays of Heavenʼ, ʻThe Thin Red Lineʼ) clearly sets down his issues with the colonisation of a free world. Disgraced John Smith arrives with his fleet, in chains, under the command of Christopher Plum-

merʼs Captain Newport. Their intention is to develop the Jamestown colony, but of course, after an initial friendliness with the ʻnaturalsʼ or natives, things take a turn for the worse, when the natives foresee the inevitable boatloads of new settlers to come. Smith is sent to investigate the culture of the natives, and when he is captured and subsequently has his life spared at the request of a beautiful young native girl, romance ensues. ʻThe New Worldʼ is a film more concerned with prolonged sequences of wildlife, gushing water, and slow motion frolicking in grassy fields, than with dialogue. Many of the characters contribute through overly long inner monologues, presented as narration, which begins to grate after a while. The main issue with ʻThe New Worldʼ is that there simply isnʼt enough dramatic storytelling to keep the sloppy mid section afloat. Stricter editing may have fixed this problem, but as it is, the film is undisciplined.

The return to England in the third act comes way too late in the day, and only serves to upset audiences even more, with yet another monologue by Christian Bale, who by now, everyone has forgotten was even in the ﬁlm! Performance wise, the actors succeed in holding our attention, for a little while at least. Farrell is convincing as Smith, but looking confused and bewildered for the entirety of the running time was hardly a stretch. Kilcher however, brings an effortless charm to the screen in her ﬁrst ever role. The language barrier obviously prevents these characters from much verbal communication, but the physical interaction between them is well done, if a little too frequent and obvious. The New World then, is not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, with arguably the main draw being the stunning cinematography of Emmanuel Lubezki. 2.5 out of 5

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 17

D EKE ’ S D INER ‘Halt Cuisine’ for long distance lorry drivers

By Brian Kelly

pproaching the East Link Bridge from Ringsend, your gastronomic juices may be aroused by the sight and smells emitting from Dekeʼs Diner, situated off the South Dock Road. Otherwise known as the Hound Dog Café, this double-named eatery is a very popular port of call for truckers, travellers, taxi drivers, school children and anybody else who happens to be passing through the South Docks area. Set up by former port manager and erstwhile Elvis impersonator, Deke Rivers, (a name he borrowed from a Presley movie), the Hound Dog Café has been open for business in its current premises since last August. Operating from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday and recently Saturday morning as well, Deke along with his assistant Jackie provide breakfast, lunches and snacks throughout the day to all comers. There is space for people to enjoy their food and drink in the diner but a lot of Dekeʼs clientele take the ʻmeals on wheelsʼ

approach and opt to consume their cuisine in the cab of their lorries. Deke describes his produce as ʻRyanair foodʼ in that it is basic, no frills attached but very good value for money. A typical meal consisting of meat and two veg would cost you €6.50. Doubtless Michael OʼLeary would be impressed with that low cost. As you might expect from its locality, Dekeʼs Diner attracts customers from many different countries. A Polish flag flies proudly over the premises and Deke is in the process of printing the menu in at least two east European languages, which must be a first for any Dublin dining facility. A popular character within the area and very much involved in the local community through his support and sponsorship of CYMS football club and St. Patrickʼs Rowing Club, Deke also has plans to expand into outside catering. There is also a Dekeʼs Diner on the northside of the docks to be considered. In the meantime, Jackie and Mister Rivers, pictured right, will always find the time to rustle up some good, honest grub for you. And if you are lucky, the king of catering might even sing you an Elvis number while you wait!

Poolbeg Peninsula must be developed for all the community. Homes and a future, not incineration!

PAGE 18

P UBS

By Brian Rutherford

he new age is here and the pubs of old are being torn down, to make way for the new look. The Bunit and Simpson at 12 Bridge street Ringsend sold for €2.5 million

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

OLD AND NEW

with an adjacent shop unit and is now a new public bar called The Raytown with a function room, lounge and off licence named Hobblerʼs End (above). They still sell good beer and food and there is a very friendly atmosphere. However, most of the new

pubs such as The Coyote Lounge of DʼOlier Street , Fireworks of Tara street, The Mint of Westmoreland Street, Eamonn Doranʼs Of Temple Bar are all a bright reﬂection of the old ones but are they as enjoyable to the people of Dublin? I donʼt think so. They seem to

lack the intimacy of a bygone era, indeed an era when Dublin was built. Almost every one has a burly character on the door who can, if he wishes, refuse you entry. The new drinks available are a bit extreme with alcopops and other weird drinks on the list. The old pint of porter has been left to traditional pubs, and there are still quite a few of them around such as The Bridge Bar of Westmoreland Street, Davy Byrneʼs of Duke street, the Palace of Fleet street, McDaidʼs of Grafton Street, Mulliganʼs Of Poolbeg Street

and The Old Stand of Exchequer Street to name a few. These are pubs, along with many on any backstreet, who will serve you without doormen or service charges. I still prefer these older pubs if I feel like a drink. Iʼm not very old but I grew up with these landmarks of Irish history and cannot change my ways to ﬁt. I would need to buy a trendy shirt, have a shave and get a cool haircut and to be honest I donʼt feel like doing all that. The age of bright lights and worldliness is here, are you up for it?

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 19

C OMFORT K EEPERS By Maggie Neary

omfort Keepers is a company offering a service to help the elderly live securely in their own homes. The idea was spawned by Bob and Austin Power as a consequence of the difficulties they themselves experienced when endeavouring to find quality home care for their father. They opened their first office in Baggot Street last October and started providing home care before Christmas. Fees are charged on a perhour basis and the client or relatives may be entitled to claim income tax relief at 42% rate of tax. Basic service packages start at €18.50 per hour and with tax relief that can come at €11.00 per hour. Bob and Austin come from a background of caring for the elderly, having managed and operated four nursing homes in

the Mid-West region of Ireland for many years. After their personal difficulties in finding homecare for their dad, they proceeded to research the situation and came across Comfort Keepers which has 500 offices in the United States. They were satisfied with the high standards and quality care offered by Comfort Keepers and felt such a service would benefit the Irish. In addition to Baggot Street they plan to open 10 other offices. When I spoke to Bob he said that he and his brother are passionate about caring for the elderly and are proud of the high quality and standards they have implemented in the service they offer. Given the vulnerable situation a client could be in, the company must run six different rigorous background tests on every carer employee. Some carers have VETAC or care assistance qualifications, whilst some may come from a

A FTER C HRISTMAS

background of caring for a relative and Comfort Keepers also provide their own additional training to ensure that high standards are sustained. Sinead Johnson, the Group Operations and Training Manager, has 15 years experience in elderly and palliative care, both in the UK and here and was instrumental in the creation of the Baggot street office. Quality of service is aided by a computer monitoring service which can, for example, alert the office if a caregiver is late, allowing for phone contact to be made with both carer and client, thus resolving the difficulty without undue alarm to the client. Extensive quality con-

TREES …

ELEPHANTS !

MAGNET ENTERTAINMENT wanted to promote their new triple-play service– broadband, digital TV and telephone through a single connection. Their slogan is ʻalways settle for moreʼ, and what more can you get than two elephants on Sandymount Strand! One of the gentle giants is pictured here with Elaine McCarthy, Marketing Manager of Magnet Entertainment.

trol is carried out in the home, both when the carer is there and with the client alone. Should you require their services, Bob assures me that each case is assessed by Sinead, who looks at the environment, surroundings and individual needs of the client so that appropriate care is offered from their range of services which run under the headings of companionship, homemaking and personal care. I asked if it would be possible to chat with a client but Bob and Austin decided it would be intrusive at this stage, as the company was running only two months. At Christmas, Bobʼs father

expressed his contentment with the caregiver in his life, stating that he could not imagine how he could manage without her. She comes to provide breakfast and dinner and do light housekeeping. Bob emphasises that the companionship aspect is also important and Comfort Keepers endeavour to employ caregivers who might come from the community and can share local news with the client. If you require any further information call 1850 818 100 or email dublin@comfortkeepers. ie, website: www.comfortkeepers.ie. Pictured above, from left: Austin Power, Noreen OʼCallaghan and Bob Power.

Walk for RNLI

PICTURED AT Stella Maris Rowing Club are, left to right: Gerry Brannock, Paul Healy of Stella Maris RC, Kieran Brown and Vincent Totterdell with George the mascot who raised funds for the Lifeboat Association in a walk from Howth to Dun Laoghaire.

PAGE 20

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

L ETTER FROM F RANCE By Saoirse OʼHanlon Tobin

ello, my name is Saoirse. I am 13 years old and live in the French Basque country just on the border with Spain. Iʼm from Sandymount, and came to France in 1999 to live. My nana still lives in Sandymount, and sends us ʻNewsFourʼ. When I ﬁnish school in France, I wish to come back and go to university in Dublin, to study journalism. Iʼm just going to let you know what life is like for someone my age in France. In school, I learn English, itʼs compulsory from the age of 8. I say the younger you start, the easier it is to learn. I also learn maths, French, music, sciences, physics, sports, art, technology, history, geography, and civics.

Iʼm in 2nd year in secondary school. Secondary school is divided in 2 levels, College for 4 years (11-15) and Lycée (15-18). At the end of Lycée, you do your Bacc a Lauréat, which is the equivalent of the Leaving Certiﬁcate in Ireland. In 3rd year, we learn our second foreign language. In my case, it will be Spanish. I eat in school, lunch is from 12:30 to 02:00, and the meals are served to us. The food is mostly nice, and the menu is very well balanced. Dinner is a bigger thing in France, it is a meal where the whole family gets together, and stays for something like an hour around the table, talking about their day, what they would like to do tomorrow, etc. There are a lot of restaurants in France, no chippers, and very few fast food restaurants. During the summer, all the restaurants stay open, because everyone else is on holidays, and there

are a lot of tourists, so this is their most important time of the year. I get my school holidays at the start of July, and go back in September. In France, there are all sorts of radio stations, classical music stations, rock stations, jazz stations, news stations, rap/rhythm ʼnʼ blues stations, trafﬁc stations– a bit of

everything! Music is a very big thing for me. A lot of English-speaking groups are big here, all my friends know U2, and the ones who didnʼt like them are big fans now because of me. I also listen to Greenday– theyʼre huge here. I canʼt always listen to

the radio because my radio doesnʼt always receive the signal, as I live in the middle of the western Pyrénées, which is 20 minutes from Biarritz. From December to January, the mountains are full of snow. It is beautiful and looks like a chocolate cake with a lot of white icing

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006 on top. It made me feel very cold and very Christmasy. For Christmas, chocolates are a great present here. I canʼt remember how many boxes we got this year, and I donʼt really feel like counting them. The French just love chocolate. They wonder what life would be without it. Before the holidays, I went to see ʻHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fireʼ. The film itself was great, but in French, it wasnʼt the same. I have the three first films, and always watch them in English, so to see it in French, it was different. They all sound a lot younger, and the translations arenʼt always the best. I always watch films in their original format, as long as itʼs either French or English. This year, Iʼm coming home to Ireland with my family, for a gettogether. And I just canʼt wait to see how much Ireland as changed since I was last there as everybody tells me, it has changed a lot, especially around Sandymount and Ringsend. See you all then. On left is (from left to right) My little brother Bríain, Me, and my younger sister Dearbhla taken in Biarritz. The mountains behind are in Spain, with San Sebastiao at the other side.

PAGE 21

‘THE TOUGHEST WHITE MAN ON THE PLANET’

By Brian Kelly

his book is the autobiography of Joe Egan, champion heavyweight boxer from Ringsend, who represented Ireland at senior and junior level, but missed out on a potentially brilliant career as a professional due to a serious accident outside the ring. ʻThe Toughest White Man on the Planetʼ is not just a box-

ing book though. Still relatively young, Joe has led a dramatic life, which sometimes reads like the script of a Hollywood movie. His name has featured heavily in the tabloids in recent years because his then ﬁancé Lisa Murphy left him for Michael Flatley. When Joeʼs professional boxing career ground to a halt, he moved to Birmingham and managed a public house in the city.

The pub was successfully run but gangsters in what was a rough area got wind of the pubʼs success and began demanding £500 a week ʻprotectionʼ money. Events soon began to spiral out of control, culminating in a vicious battle outside the pub with guns, knives, axes and machetes all used in the frenzied attack on Joe and his friends. Despite being shot at and without starting any trouble, Joe was charged with attempted murder. Luckily the charges were dropped by the police only for the big fella to fall foul of the law a second time and be jailed for two years for his part in a luxury car-ringing scam. After his release from prison Joe attempted a comeback in 2004. Despite winning his ﬁrst ﬁght back, fate was not on his side and when an old wound was freshly opened in training, he threw the towel in on professional box-

ing for good. A tough and proud man, Joe is not shy about revealing his successes and glories inside the boxing rings of the world. Equally, he is not afraid to let his guard down and reveal a tender side. After a particularly brutal sparring session with Mike Tyson, the author tells us he cried with the pain.The title of the book is Tysonʼs description of Joe after the same sparring session. This is a very frank account of a man who seems equally blessed and cursed by fate. The highs and lows of an extraordinary life are well documented over a short but absorbing read. Just as revealing is the character of a man who, though flawed, you canʼt help admire and respect. ʻThe Toughest White Man on the Planetʼ is currently available in all good book shops.

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PAGE 22

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

M OZART ’ S 250 TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT THE NCH By Lindsay Lloyd

man whose birth and music is being globally celebrated this year.

his year there will be hundreds, if not thousands, of concerts played around the globe celebrating the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who was born on January 27th, 1759 in Salzburg, Austria. One among the many concerts in Dublin was the Dublin Choral Foundationʼs Mozart Anniversary Concert at the National Concert Hall on Saturday 28th January. Not only was this a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the composerʼs birth but it was also the conductor, Ite OʼDonovans 50th birthday and the 10th anniversary of the Dublin Choral Foundation established in 1996. The Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso made up the choir and were accompanied by the Orlando Chamber Orchestra. In the ﬁrst half there were two choral works (one of these, the Te Deum, was composed when Mozart was just thirteen years old), and his violin concerto number four played by the leader of the ensemble Gillian Williams. In the second half they performed the famous Mass in C minor, which was probably worth the

Information on the Piccolo Lasso (Childrens Choir) Dublin Choral Foundation (established 1996) is the only musical establishment in the country, which combines both childrenʼs voices with adults in full professional performances of major works. Piccolo Lasso, pictured, is the junior section of the Lassus Scholars and caters for boys and girls aged between 9 and 16. Members of the junior choir receive specialised training in sight singing, notation and theory, vocal technique, interpretation and repertoire and are guided through a training scheme leading to bronze, silver and gold awards. The boys and girls sing as equals with the men and women of the Lassus Scholars. Members of the Piccolo Lasso childrenʼs choir sang in the chorus of the recent Opera Ireland production of the Queen of Spades at the Gaiety and at the NCH in works by Beethoven, Delibes and Bizet. For more information on how to join contact Ite OʼDonovan at 014539663 or check out their website at www.dublinchoralfoundation.ie.

entrance fee alone. It is something singular hearing a large choir sing and everyone should try to listen to the Mass in C minor. The powerful opening ʻKyrieʼ and the ʻSanctusʼ are breath-taking and the men, women and children of the Lassus Scholars and Piccolo Lasso did the entire mass justice on the night. Bail Ó Dhia ar an obair! Mozartʼs music, especially his recognized masterpieces, are brilliant and beautiful and are rightfully regarded as true works of genius. Sometimes, though, in the concert hall, any concert hall, the serious atmosphere can detract from the pleasure and delight of the music. It can unwittingly stiﬂe the freedom and joy that was originally

hoped to be expressed. Some members of the audience if not familiar with classical concert conduct may ﬁnd that sitting grimly in serried rows watching the orchestra and choir perform this form of music a little too austere and (especially if the concert is lengthy), uncomfortable. They may come away disappointed. With this in mind a small Berlin Music company, the Winter-Garden Variety Company, has put on a production of Mozartʼs music but with a difference. With an ensemble of musicians playing a selection of his lighter works in the background, the front stage is occupied in turns by a mixture of different performance artists.

These include trapeze artists, comic jugglers and magicians, among others, who perform their own personal interpretations of whichever musical work is played at the time. Of course, there is a proper manner of presentation and comportment for the more serious works, the masses, the concertos but this innovative take on Mozartʼs music gives the young and old an accessible evening of enjoyable entertainment, especially for children who otherwise might not have found listening to classical music tolerable. While some may argue that it takes away from the music, one who perhaps would disagree is the

M OZART –

A MINI BIOGRAPHY

By Lindsay Lloyd

ozart was the seventh and last child born to Leopold Mozart and Maria Anna. Only Wolfgang and his older sister Maria Anna, the fourth born, survived. As a young child Mozart showed extraordinary ability in music. These precocious talents were carefully nurtured by his father, a gifted musician and composer in his own right. Documentation from the period reports on a concert played in 1763 by the 7 year old and remarked on the kind of performance given. He could play in an adult manner, improvise in various styles, accompany at sight, play with a cloth covering the keyboard, could play a bass part to a given theme and name any note that was sounded. Before he was ten, the young prodigy along with his parents and sister had toured most of Western Europe. He also

spent 15 months in England performing to notable royalty. As a 14 year old he spent 15 months performing in Italy. He continued composing and performing up until his death by rheumatic inflammatory fever in Vienna at the age of 35, by which time he had composed over 650 works. In his time he was not perceived as being the genius he is regarded as today but he left masterpieces in almost every genre, be it opera, solo piano, symphonic, concerto, chamber music or religious works and then there was the lighter stuff, the serenades and divertimentos, music for the background at banquets or important parties. Mozart died young, and if we are to believe the stories he died penniless and was buried in a pauperʼs grave. In reality, he was buried in a mass grave as was in accordance with Viennese custom of the day and although he did have debts he was not completely penniless and left his wife and two young sons some financial wealth.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

Chris Andrews is selected by Fianna Fáil

PAGE 23

‘HONK’ FOR

THE

HELIX

CHRIS ANDREWS has been selected by the Fianna Fáil party to contest the next General Election in the Dublin South East constituency. Speaking after the hotly-contested battle he told party colleagues that Dublin South East could decide the shape of the next Government: “The seat will be won on the pavements across Dublin South East– listening, communicating our messages, acting on issues, delivering on them and leading people in a manner than beﬁts Fianna Fáilʼs proud history,” he told delegates. “Experience has taught me some very valuable lessons. Iʼm taking nothing for granted. We cannot leave anything to chance. I am up for the challenge and I intend to deliver on the faith you have placed in me tonight.” Mr Andrews is the son of former TD and MEP Niall Andrews. He lost his Dublin City Council seat last year. The partyʼs constituency committee will now decide whether to add a candidate and, if so, who that should be. Garry ʻHonkʼ– a musical extravaganza and contemporary story of the Ugly Duckling in rehearsal at St Keegan, Mary White, Jim OʼCallaghan and John Hanaﬁn Andrews. This is a Dublin Docklands Project taking place in the Helix on 22 February. Pictured left front is David Murphy of Saint Laurence OʼToole School. have all expressed an interest in being added to the ticket.

CHRIS ANDREWS SELECTED TO REPRESENT FIANNA FÁIL IN DUBLIN SOUTH EAST

‘I will be working with Eoin Ryan MEP to best represent residents in Dublin South East’ If you have any concerns that you would like to raise with me, you can contact me on 087-2851515

PAGE 24

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

BT Y OUNG S CIENTIST AND T ECHNOLOGY E XHIBITION

By John Cheevers

n January the RDS in Ballsbridge hosted the largest BT Young Scientist and Technology exhibition on record. President Mary McAleese performed the opening ceremony, with able assistance from ʻTitanʼ, a walking, talking eightfoot robot. Local schools participated with distinction in the competition. James Clifford, Daniel Ferrick and David Hogan captured intermediate group 1st prize for St Michaelʼs College in the Technology category with their project ʻMuscle Wire– Its Practical Usesʼ.

Emmet Kilberd and Andrew Linnie (pictured right) from John Scottus secondary school came 2nd with their project ʻTurbo Boosting Computers with Vedic Mathsʼ, as an intermediate group in the category Chemical and Mathematical Sciences. Rory McGlynn and Sam McGlynn from Catholic University School were awarded 2nd prize with their project ʻIs the route the cause of the problem?ʼ as a junior group project in the Social and Behavioural Sciences category. St Conlethʼs College and Alexandra College were also represented in the Exhibition. The BT Young Scientist overall winner for this year is Aisling Judge from Kinsale Com-

munity School, Co. Cork. For her winning project she devised a warning device built into food packaging that can warn the consumer if the food inside has gone off. Aisling is 14 years old and the youngest ever winner in the 42 year history of the competition.

The best group project winners were Keith Florea and Adrian Chisa from Romania and Sandeep Sigag from India. They represented Synge Street School and for their project they devised a more accurate way to calculate the position of an orbiting satellite.

The Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, and Mike Maloney, Chief Operating Officer of BT Ireland, presented the awards. Throughout the exhibition, students and visitors were entertained and informed by a host of attractions. The worldʼs greatest optical illusions were demonstrated. Gladiatorial robots fought in the arena. The more peaceful ʻRobby the Robotʼ from the 1950s film ʻForbidden Planetʼ contrasted with the next generation state-of-theart ʻTitanʼ. Creepy crawlies from giant stick insects to tarantulas were introduced to young audiences. Astronomers examined where among the stars we may look for life on other planets. But the real stars of the show were the young scientists with their diverse and imaginative projects.

R AILWAY U NION PREPARE FOR E UROPEAN C LUB C HAMPIONSHIPS

s winners of the Leinster indoor hockey championships last year, the Railway Union menʼs hockey team will represent Ireland in the European Indoor Hockey Club Championships C Division next year. The tournament takes place on 17, 18 and 19 February 2006 in Gothenburg, Sweden and Railway Union will be competing against the national champions of Belgium, Finland, Turkey, Sweden and Wales. This will be the second time that Railway Union has represented Ireland in a senior European club competition, having previously competed in the same competition in Brussels in 2001. As part of the clubʼs preparations for competition at European level, the team, sponsored by Nissan Ireland, travelled to the Midlands Invitational Indoor Hockey Tournament in Birmingham, England at the start of January. The club has appointed the current National menʼs outdoor coach and high performance director, David Passmore, as the squadʼs coach. In Birmingham, Railway Union defeated one of last yearʼs semi ﬁnalists, Kingston-uponHull, and Birmingham University in their group and narrowly lost out by four goals to three when they faced the winners of the previous yearʼs tournament,

premiership team, Bournville. In the classification matches on the Sunday, Railway Union were rocked by a four goal blitz early in the second half against top Scottish side, Dundee Wanderers, before losing 6-2 and came back from a five goal deficit in their final match to defeat top English side Cannock by ten goals to eight. Overall, the team achieved a very credible finish of 7th place out of the 16 teams competing with Paul OʼBrien leading the teamʼs scoring charts with nine goals followed by the teamʼs key forwards, David Jenkins (captain) with six goals and Brendan Parsons with five goals. The Leinster league competi-

tion commenced on 15 January when Railway defeated Dublin University in their opening league match by nine goals to five. The National Basketball Arena played host to the Leinster menʼs indoor cup on 22 January, which was won by Railway Union defeating Three Rock Rovers 8-7 in a closely contested semi final and YMCA in the final by nine goals to seven. After slipping behind early in the game, Railway rallied strongly to draw level 5-5 at half time and four goals from Paul OʼBrien and set-piece goals from Kenneth Carroll, Karl Kinch and David Jenkins ensured that the trophy would be heading back to Sandymount.

Railway Union ladies take hockey indoors After a long number of years without ladiesʼ indoor hockey, Railway Unionʼs senior team have started attempts to revive the sport in the province. The ladiesʼ team travelled to Birmingham in early January to compete in the Midlands Invitational Indoor Hockey Tournament. This was their ﬁrst experience of tournament play indoors and they faced a stiff challenge against top premiership teams, Slough and Sutton Coldﬁeld. Four very tight games in their pool saw them unluckily lose out twice in the dying seconds. The young Railway team also nar-

rowly lost out to Sutton Coldfield by three goals to two and by two goals to nil against Englandʼs European representatives, Slough. A stronger performance on the Sunday, with Kate Dillon dominating midfield exchanges, saw Railway outplay and defeat Penarth, the Welsh National champions, by six goals to two. Goalscorers for the team were Kate Dillon with four goals, Sinead Walsh with two whilst Karen Clarke, Emma Smyth, Cathy Kenefick, Beth Maguire and Isobel Joyce chipped in with one goal apiece. Ladies indoor hockey travelled to the National Basketball Arena on 22 January and the initial match saw Old Alexandra playing against Railway Union. Two early goals from Old Alex saw them leap into a 2-0 lead, but team captain Kate Dillon drove her Railway team back into the game with four goals as Railway dominated the remainder of the game, running in six unanswered goals and winning 6-2. Later in the day, Railway maintained their unbeaten run drawing 1-1 with Sandymount rivals, Pembroke Wanderers. For more information on hockey at Railway Union contact: Mens hockey– Ger Dooley (gerard.b.dooley@aib.ie) Ladies hockey– Deirdre Reid (ladies_ honsec@railwayunionhc.com) www.railwayunionhc.com

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 25

BT Young Scientist 2006 Aisling Judge from Kinsale Community School, Co. Cork with her weighty trophy.

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PAGE 26

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

Music4

Forthcoming Attractions March

By Brian Kelly

Albums Whatever People Say I am, Thats What Im Not

Arctic Monkeys

So what have we got here then? Four scallywags from Sheffield create the biggest selling debut album of all time in the UK and they are barely out of short trousers. This album is the musical phenomenon of the decade and the little Monkeys have achieved it all through word of mouth on a small independent record label. Incredible. The good news is last yearʼs I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor was no fluke. Whatever People Say is a first-class effort from a band with the music world at their mercy. Itʼs life in a northern town on every track as we follow the progress of lads and ladettes doing their thing on the streets of Sheffield every weekend. All human life is here with nothing escaping the sardonic pen of singer/songwriter Alex Turner. Imagine Mike Skinner of The Streets with a combination of The Fall and early Oasis as his backing band and you get some idea of what this monkey juice sounds like. Up the north!

First Impressions of Earth

The Strokes

A t 52 minutes long, The Strokes new long player feels like a double album especially after the short, sharp shock of Room on Fire. First Impressions of Earth retains the trademark riff-laden, tightly packed Strokes sound, while also attempting to move their songwriting into pastures new. To this end they employed David Kahne, a man previously responsible for producing 80s hardcore act, The Bangles. FIOE feels like a struggle between the natural instincts of the band and the producer trying to re-locate their noise to somewhere close to the middle of the road. Thankfully, Julian and the boys win out over most of the album with the ﬁrst six songs in particular sounding like The Strokes at their riveting, unrivalled best. Things turn a little lite and radio-friendly halfway through before the band rip through the overproduction on tracks like Fear of Sleep and Izle of the World. Some nip ʻnʼ tucks here and there and this could have been a stonking Strokes album. As it is, it is merely extremely good.

Morrissey comes home for Easter

Kooks are coming

Stephen Morrissey has conﬁrmed three Irish concerts at Easter. The INEC in Killarney (April 13) will have the privilege of hosting the opening night of his UK and Ireland Spring tour. This will be followed by shows in the Olympia, Dublin on the15 & 16th. Tickets for these gigs have already sold out. The dates mark the release of his new Tony Visconti-produced Ringleader Of Tormentors album.

The Kooks (pictured right) are another young band from England set to make an impact this year. They pay their ﬁrst headlining visit to Ireland in May. The Village on Wexford Street is the venue. You can judge from their soon-to-be-released debut album Inside In/Inside Out if there is any substance to the music industry hype.

New Dylan album on the way

The Who go around the world

Continuing the old masters theme, Bob Dylan is recording his ﬁrst album of new songs in ﬁve years. The album will be the long-awaited follow-up to 2001ʼs Love & Theft, and follows the success of the soundtrack to Martin Scorceseʼs 2005 biopic, No Direction Home.

The Who have announced details of a new global tour. Guitarist Pete Townshend said that the group will be hitting the road this year for an extensive worldwide trek. “There will be a tour,” he said. “We already have European festival dates slotted in June and July.” In a posting on his ofﬁcial website www.petetownshend.co.uk, he said The Who would then head Stateside for a North American tour which will feature “three– or even four– legs” and will run from September and December. He added: “We go on to the rest of the world in 2007.” Townshend also revealed that fans could expect a new album from The Who in the near future.

Snowed under with demand

Snow Patrol who play Dublin Castle on April 29 as part of the Heineken Green Energy Festival will release their new album Eyes Open in late April. It will be the bandʼs ﬁrst release since 2003ʼs enormously successful The Final Straw. Tickets for their ﬁrst UK gig this spring sold out in half an hour so if you havenʼt got a ticket for Dublin Castle, make haste.

The Waterboys

Olympia March 3,4

Tony Christie

Olympia March 5

Human League

Vicar Street March 14

Buzzcocks

Village March 24

The Australian Pink Floyd Point Theatre March 25 Henry Rollins

Vicar Street March 28

April The Saw Doctors

Olympia

Mary Black

Olympia April 5,6,7 8

Sharon Shannon

Olympia April 13

Westlife

Point April 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19.

Don Williams

Olympia April 21, 22

Chris Rea

Olympia April 28

Snow Patrol

Dublin Castle April 29

April 1

Jeff Wayneʼs War of the Worlds Point April 30

ATTENTION ALL LOCAL BANDS!

The Kooks.

Got a gig you want to promote or a CD youʼd like to tell the world about? Music4 would love to hear from local bands in the area, so drop your details into us and weʼll make sure thousands of punters in Dublin get to hear about you– for free! Send your stuff to: NewsFour, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4. Or email us at newsfourscs@eircom.net

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 27

TOUR WITH T URNER By Maggie Neary

hough I in no way consider myself a connoisseur of art, I do enjoy strolling through the National Gallery or the Hugh Lane, when it is open, allowing myself be drawn into the worlds of the artists. Each year during the month of January, the Turner Exhibition goes on show and focuses on a different aspect of his painting. This yearʼs ʻOn Tour with Turnerʼ was based on Turnerʼs enthusiasm for travel and depicted the dynamic changes that occurred during his lifetime in both his style of painting and the modes of travel on offer at this time. The National Galleryʼs Turner collection was bequeathed to the Gallery by the wealthy art collector, Henry Vaughan, in 1900. Part of the conditions set down by Vaughan was that the collection be shown only during the

F RIENDS

month of January with free public access. My visit this year started with a 10.30 lecture by Niamh McNally. The highlight of that for me was the slide show which afforded an enlarged version of Turnerʼs works as in the exhibition hall the lighting is dimmed to protect the paintings. Turner (1775-1851) was brought up in Covent Garden and was said to have never lost his Cockney accent. His earlier tours were conﬁned to England, Wales and Scotland due to war between France and Britain. In 1802, on declaration of peace, at age 27 he went on his ﬁrst continental tour but with the onset of the Napoleonic wars his continental travel ceased again from 1803 to 1817. The onset of summer, with the closing of the Royal Academy exhibition, was his signal to depart and he returned to London each October to produce exhibition

and commissioned works from the data in his sketchbooks. It is said that Turner was precise in his travel preparations, always travelling lightly and economically, consulting the latest practical guidebooks. He carried rolled-up sketchbooks of which about 300 survive, pencil sketching being his favourite medium to capture the essence of his subject, and often adding written notes on colours. These sketches could be worked on in the studio years later. He also had an umbrella with a dagger concealed in its handle to ward off would-be marauders. Delacroix, the French painter, on meeting Turner in

AND NEIGHBOURS

Some years ago the Pembroke Ladies Club published a Friends and Neighbours Cookery Book. It was an excellent publication and below is a recipe from Marion Nugent which serves four and is sure to warm you up in this cold weather. Curried Lentil Soup 8 oz/200g red lentils 1 large onion diced 1 red pepper diced 1 green pepper diced 1 carrot diced 1 potato diced 1 tbsp oil 1 tbsp curry powder 1 clove crushed garlic 3 pints stock or water 1 tin of tomatoes ½ tsp basil Heal oil. Saute onion for 3 minutes. Add curry powder and garlic and stir in. Add lentils and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add stock, stir well and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and cook until tender. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty wholemeal bread.

And for tea time why not try Sister Salomeʼs Porter Cake. 1 lb flour ¼ lb margarine ½ lb raisins ½ lb sultanas ¾ lb brown sugar ½ stout 4 eggs 1 tsps mixed spice ¼ lb peel Rind and juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp bread soda Put flour in a large bowl. Rub in margarine until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add fruit, sugar, lemon and mixed spice. Heat stout to blood temperature and add bread soda. Mix quickly and pour into centre of dry ingredients. Add well-beaten eggs. Put in greased loaf tins and bake for 2½ - 3 hours at gas mark 3 or 170c.

Paris about 1829 remarked that Turner looked like a farmer, rather coarse, with big shoes and a hard, cold manner. Turnerʼs paintings and watercolours depict places and modes of transport which he observed and experienced directly. One can glimpse the risk of boat travel of that time in the mad swirling seas and skies tossing the boats in ʻFishing Boats entering Calais Harbourʼ circa 1816. He described himself as being “nearly swampt” on various Channel crossings. On his ﬁrst continental tour, Switzerlandʼs majestic mountains represented for Turner his

most perfect concept of a sublime landscape and he ﬁlled nine sketchbooks with 500 drawings. The etchings ʻLake Thunʼ and ʻMont St Gothardʼ encapsulate his fascination with the storms he witnessed in these mountains. 18th century travel was painstakingly slow whether by land or sea allowing Turner to make numerous sketches of the everchanging scenes. The 19th century brought about a revolution in transport forms with the building of new roads and canals and the arrival of the railway and steamboats, all of which Turner incorporated into his paintings. In 1821 with the ﬁrst steamships, sea crossings to the Continent became somewhat less dangerous My favourite in this yearʼs exhibition was ʻThe Bay of Uri, Lake Lucerne, Switzerlandʼ, 1841, a pencil and watercolour done towards the end of his career. Its soft, muted colours, showing the misty lake, distant mountains and clouds wafting dreamily across the canvas, conveyed a sense of tranquillity and peace. Above: ʻThe Junction of the Thames and the Medwayʼ by Turner (1807).

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PAGE 28

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

Crossword

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

Across 1 5 9 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 26 29 30 31 33 34 35 36

Famous Irish playwright (5,5) Donʼt go on (4) In the nursery rhyme all three of them are blind (4) To command not to (6) Cry with a catch of the breath (3) Lights are low in the room and brain (3) Stephen --- , Irish actor, co-star of Breakfast on Pluto (3) Local Sinn Fein Councillor (6) Patsy Clineʼs hit song (5) Help (3) Donʼt stay (2) ------ of Mary. Lay Catholic organisation. (6) Adamʼs partner (3) Irish Republican paramilitary organisation (3) Criminal plea of being elsewhere (5) Third sign of the Zodiac (6) Almond, brazil, etc. (3) Over the hills and --- away (3) Small busy insect (3) Quantity of paper (4) New version of 32 down (4) Volcano in Sicily (4) I scream, you scream we all scream for --- ----- (3,5)

Down 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 10 11 16 21 23 27 28 30 32 34

Wise old birds with large eyes (4) One of the oldest universities in the UK (9) Small in the north (3) It goes with gloom (4) These waves are potentially dangerous (6) Deﬁes explanation, spooky (10) A rectangle that is not a square (6) Along with snap and pop this jingle suggests breakfast (7) Itʼs the street where your local newspaper resides (11) Tyrone has it for the time being (3,7) A feeling of intense dislike for something (8) A native or inhabitant of India (5) A head in Donegal (5) A clumsy or foolish person, an anorak (4) Device for creating a current of air (3) Used to be drawn by horse before it went electric (4) River in Cork (3)

A book token will be given to the ﬁrst correct entry opened after 15 April 2006. Please send entries to Crossword, NewsFour, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4. Entries from our overseas readers welcomed.

Beach Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4 Telephone: 6605150 • Fax: 6608499

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 29

F IGHTING T ALK NewsFour enjoys some verbal sparring with Big Joe Egan. By Brian Kelly

ingsend-born Joe Egan recently launched his autobiography ʻThe Toughest White Man on the Planetʼ which is reviewed on page 21. Joe has now retired from boxing and works as head of security for a large payroll company in Birmingham. He recently paid a visit to his hometown, which is where Newsfour caught up with him. Can I ask you first how the idea of the book came about? It was through friends of mine, Charlie Hale of Sky TV and Ken Purcess, who is a big fight promoter in the UK. We were just sitting down one day and I was telling some stories and they both encouraged me to write it down. They introduced me to Cass Pennant, who has written several books including some best sellers. I sat down with Cass for months and months and told him my story and together with Ranald Gramham, who wrote the screenplay for ʻLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrelsʼ and ʻSnatchʼ, the two Guy Richie films, we had a nice format for the book. It was a great team effort. The book launch was an event in itself, I believe. We had Mike Tyson, who has been a friend of mine for nearly 20 years over for the launch in London last November. We also had ex-Irish World Champions Steve Collins and Barry Mc Guigan as well plus the likes of Chris Eubank, Alan Minter and Frank Bruno. There is a great camaraderie among boxers and I have got to know quite a few of them over the years on the circuit, so it was great to see so many great boxers there, lending their support. We had hundreds of people there, some queuing up for hours just to see Tyson and sign the book. It was an unbelievable occasion. Iʼm still pinching myself. They said it was the biggest sports book launch last year.

You grew up in Ringsend. Where did you get the idea to start boxing? My dad was an amateur boxer. He encouraged me and my two brothers to box. I started boxing with Donore Amateur Club and won several Irish titles, including a junior title and four senior titles and I represented my country on a number of occasions, which I am very proud to say. I always had great support from the people in Ringsend through my career. I love the place and will always come home to it. My mam still lives here in Ringsend. How did your trouble start with the Irish Boxing authorities? I had a very good amateur career. I didnʼt really want to turn pro but I was sort of forced into it because I was banned by the Irish Amateur Boxing Association for six months. The reason I was banned was I was picked to go to America to box for Ireland, but I had just come home from America after living there for a number of years and also I had started a good job in Delta Airways and my boss wasnʼt too keen on me going. The IAWA told me I didnʼt give them enough notification of deciding not to go– which is not true– so they suspended me.

You mentioned in the book about missing out twice on boxing in the Olympics for Ireland. In the 1984 Olympics, the

IAWA said I was too young despite me being Irish Champion and beating the number four in the world at the time. I wasnʼt given the chance. I think I spoke my mind and told certain officials what I thought was right for me and they didnʼt like it. In 1988, I beat the number one American choice, Bruce Seldon in an amateur fight. Again I was Irish Champion and in great shape. They couldnʼt say I was too young for the Olympics this time, so they came up with the excuse there was only so many boxers we could send and our best chances lay in the lighter weights. I felt I was robbed in my chance to represent Ireland. When did you decide to turn professional? I turned pro in 1990. I didnʼt really want to turn pro as I said, but because of my dispute with the IABA, I had little choice if I wanted to keep boxing. Barney Eastwood signed me up. He gave me a good deal and it was very harmonious with Barney. I felt good in my boxing ability. I have toughness and durability and could give anyone a great fight over three rounds, but I knew in my heart of hearts

BADRA

I didnʼt have the potential to be a pro. I didnʼt have a knockout punch needed to be a champ. As an amateur, you could get away with not having a great punch over three rounds but over longer distances, that big punch means an awful lot. Looking back on your boxing career, are you happy the way events turned out? I would have loved to get to the Olympics. I t was heartbreaking not be involved. Just to be at the opening ceremony: to walk out under your countryʼs flag, with all the best athletes from all over the world, that would have been special. To win a medal would have been a dream come true, but just to be part of such a unique sporting event, I would dearly have loved to be there. If I could have changed anything in my career, it would be that. I missed out on two Olympics and I earned the right to be there because I was national champion, so I am quite bitter about that. They say time heals all wounds, and the scars from boxing in the ring will heal, but the fact I was deprived of my place in the Irish Olympic team, I donʼt think that wound will heal. Above: Mike Tyson and Joe.

CELEBRATIONS

John Gormley TD, Wendy Hederman and Chris Andrews at the recent dinner of Bath Avenue and District Residentsʼ Association.

PAGE 30

I SSUES W

hen Julie Woods had to take a rest for ten minutes after having a shower this young, normally vibrant woman knew she had to find something that would stop her feeling like an old woman. Having gone down the conventional path, her doctor told her that it was a virus that would run its course but, not convinced, Julie went to see homeopath Elaine Shaw. This visit was to change her life. Not only was she introduced to phytobiophysics, she was cured within a matter of weeks. Convinced by her own well being that phytobiophysics work, Julie had to find out more.She rang up Professor Dame Diana Mossop in Jersey, whose plants and flower formulas are based on the science of phytobiophysics. When Mossop answered the phone herself Julie got all the information she needed. Having researched and documented her work for more than twenty years Mossop discovered these formulas could harness the vibration energy of plants to release energy blocks in the human body in order that the balance

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

IN YOUR TISSUES

is restored on all levels of consciousness, spiritual, emotional, mental and physical. The result gives the body the ability to heal itself. Having experienced the beneﬁts herself Julie then decided to train in Phytobiophysics. A qualiﬁed nurse with Psy-

P OLITICIANS Doolan demands City Council action on halting sites Sinn Féinʼs Dublin Spokesperson on the Environment, Councillor Daithí Doolan, has tabled a motion calling on Dublin City Council, “to fit fire and smoke alarms in all caravans in Council halting sites.” Cllr. Doolan said: “Following the recent fire tragedy accident which saw two young children in Clondalkin lose their lives in a caravan fire it is now imperative that local authorities fit fire and smoke alarms in all caravans in halting sites. It is unacceptable that in all other local authority accommodation residents are provided with smoke alarms of the highest standard yet travellers still live in fear of fires in their homes. This is an issue that cuts across all political parties.

Lord Mayor’s increase FG General Election candidate, Councillor. Lucinda Creighton, has condemned Sinn Féin for

TALKING

questioning an annual increase of 5% in the expenses allocated to the capitalʼs Lord Mayor. At a recent meeting of the City Council the Council voted on an increase in the Lord Mayorʼs allowance, which is in line with the annual rate of inﬂation. Creighton said: “Sinn Féin Councillors have been rumbling on about this increase, in their usual sanctimonious tones, for a number of weeks now. They are grasping at predictable populist straws in order to gain cheap headlines.” When asked to comment Doolan said: “I believe the Lord Mayor, Cllr. Catherine Byrne, has done an excellent job since she took ofﬁce in June of last year. But the increase is totally unwarranted. Particularly when you consider that the increase is way above what any employee would receive in the workplace today. It sets the wrong example and sends out the wrong message, that the Lord Mayor should receive a far greater increase in salary than the ordinary person she claims to represent.”

chology and counselling training, Julie always had an interest in alternative medicine and was a qualiﬁed Reiki Master. At the time she was working in research and development for UCD in the Coombe hospital. Julie then decided to study

Lock-out of residents Following the sudden lock-out of residents from the public park in Dartmouth Square, Dublin 6, Green Party Chairman and local TD John Gormley (Dublin South East) has called on Dublin City Council to verify the land ownership status of all public parks in its charge. Deputy Gormley said that, “Residents were shocked to learn that Dublin City Council did not own this important public amenity, despite the fact that it has been maintaining the space since 1987. People are entitled to expect that ownership disputes should not lead to the closure of public open spaces, which is why the City Council must verify the ownership of all their public parks. Where potential disputes are identiﬁed, immediate steps must be taken to ensure that parks can remain open in any event.”

Tenant purchase of Council flats in Dublin 4 After many years of campaigning it looks like progress is ﬁnally being made on tenants of Council ﬂats right to buy their homes.

with Mossop in Jersey, London and Galway. For Julie this was a life-changing experience. Having looked at her own life to see where there was disharmony, Julie embarked on a process that has led her to open her own clinic. On a miserable, cold January morning I went to visit her in her bright, cheerful rooms in Sandymount. I was curious to find out about this science which is part of the world of natural healthcare. In the warm, quiet, relaxing atmosphere with the beautiful scent of oils wafting throughout the house, Julie takes a full medical history, taking note of any traumas you may have suffered. She firmly believes that whatever has happened to you on all levels physical, mental and emotional remains in your body. So we all have issues in our tissues. Without getting too technical a healthy body has a constant flow of energy at a specific level. When this energy flow is blocked it can result in disease, an indication of imbalance in your life. Your first consultation can be quite a revealing experience. Initially you are asked to select from the heart lock box of little bottles the colour that most appeals to you. Each colour is at-

tached to the top of a little bottle that when diagnosed holds the identity of what ails you. I was surprised to see that the results were correct. Then an in-dept health analysis by Electro-Acupoint testing through contact points on your hands or feet enables Julie to get the combination of formulas that will work in order to restore harmony within your body. Phytobiophysics formulas correct the imbalance to restore health on all levels of your life. The time passes very quickly and soon youʼre leaving clutching these little bottles that hold the key that will unlock the blocked energy to hopefully give you a quality of life you may only have dreamed of. I found it a fascinating experience and will be very interested in the results. Each person is different and a course of treatment could take from two to six sessions depending on the individual. Julie was very generous with her time which helps get a complete picture of each personʼs needs. So allow a good one and a half hours particularly for the ﬁrst session. Julie Woods works from 92A Sandymount Road. For appointment contact Julie on 086 3805656.

At a special session of the City Council convened to deal with this issue local Labour Councillor Dermot Lacey strongly supported the right to buy. Along with other Councillors he asserted that this issue was one about “Rights”. The right of long-standing tenants to have the same entitlement to buy as those in houses and the right of those tenants who wished to remain tenants of the City Council to do so. He stressed that the final cost must take into account ability to pay and the length of time that people have waited for this to come about. According to Councillor Lacey “There is still some distance to go before a final resolution of this is achieved. However the members of the City Council have given our support and it is now up to the Government to get on with the job and deliver the goods.” Councillor Daithí Doolan welcomed the report from the City Council. He said: “This will now give local residents the opportunity to buy their own Council flats. This is in line with the practice of tenants buying their Council houses, which has been in place for many years.”

Lansdowne Road Stadium Over the last eighteen months or so residents and public representatives have met with the Lansdowne Road Stadium Redevelopment Company, through the Lansdowne Stadium Forum Group and have secured some limited changes. However local feeling is that there is still a long way to go before any such proposal would be acceptable. Local Labour Councillor, Dermot Lacey, who initiated the Forum and who, in general supports the retention of a Stadium at Lansdowne Road, has more recently expressed his concern at the impact of the final design. “When I saw the final submitted drawings I was quite simply horrified at the extent to which they impinge on the immediately adjoining residents. Unfortunately, the insistence of the Redevelopment Committee in keeping the second back pitch at Lansdowne Road is leading to a situation in which they are trying to put a litre into a pint bottle. Most of the issues could be resolved and a satisfactory Stadium provided if this impediment was removed.”

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 31

R ESTAURANT R EVIEW

Joss Stone at the R.D.S.

I TSA 4 6 A S ANDYMOUNT G REEN

t is 2pm on a Thursday afternoon in Sandymountʼs latest epicurean adventure, Itsa4, and spare seats are at a premium. “Have you got a reservation?” we are asked as soon as we walk through the glass door. We reply in the negative and are banished to the bar to reflect on our lack of forethought. No sooner had we sat down and taken off our coats and we were whisked away to a nearby table. It might be busy in Itsa4 but the traffic certainly flows. While we wait on our order, my companion and I have time to consider why this restaurant is flavour of the month in Sandymount. New restaurants are supposedly slow to pick up business (and there are already two other restaurants in close proximity as well as two cafés) but judging by what we witnessed in our ʻoff peakʼ visit, this place could sell

customers to its competitors. The restaurant creates the impression of an up-market diner with a series of booths towards the back complementing the more conventional seating upfront. The parallel arrangement of tables makes for a cosy, clubby ambience although winter makes an unwelcome appearance whenever the front door opens. Some draught exclusion would not go amiss here. Skipping starters, our main course consisted of a Chargrilled Burger with melted Swiss cheese and organic French fries for moi and Tart of the Day with green salad for Dorothy. Perfectly cooked and full of ﬂavour, the burger had a lovely homemade quality about it and I couldnʼt get enough of the accompanying fries. The tart was served at room temperature and consisted of spinach, feta cheese and cherry tomatoes. I thought it tasted delicious

but Dorothy was not as effusive in her praise. I think she regretted not going for her ﬁrst preference, the steak! For dessert I went for the Chocolate Mocha Tart with Vanilla ice cream while D had the Warm Sticky Toffee Pudding with Créme Fraiche. The texture of our selection couldnʼt have been more contrasting. I found my tart a little heavy on the palette while the pudding was lovely and light and tasted divine. We ordered tea and cappuccino to accompany our desserts but I had to remind the waitress to bring them to the table. Our bill, including an extra portion of French fries, came to a not insubstantial €44.80. With fresh, organic food in abundance and a quirky selection of starters and main courses, Itsa4 has quickly found a niche for itself among Sandymount foodies. Despite slightly erratic service, it was a very pleasant and satisfying lunch. A return visit for dinner is already on my mind, as is sinking my teeth into more of that Sticky Toffee Pudding. Mmmmmm! Itsa4 is open from 10am to 5pm, 7 days a week for breakfast, brunch and lunch. From February 16 the restaurant hopes to serve dinner at the weekend. Phone 219 4676 for reservations.

By Brian Rutherford

o see Joss Stone in photographs makes a person think of a young, melancholy woman. How wrong can you be! Joss Stone takes to the stage in an explosion of tension and excitement. Every part of her is moving throughout the concert as she catches every beat and rhythm. The concert at the RDS was big time America, a taste of Hollywood for the surprisingly young audience. It was also a long way from the talent contest she entered at thirteen on the BBC from her home in Devon. Joss is now 5 foot 10 inches tall and at eighteen lives in New York. Joss has two albums, sold four million copies worldwide with one of them, being nominated for three Grammies and winning two Brits. She has performed duets with Mick Jagger and Robbie Williams and has modelled for Gap magazine. She says she wants 5 children. On the night, the support band Mattafix was an all-male band who performed a lazy set of downbeat jazz. Miss Stone took her time taking to the stage as her multi-ethnic band played the intro to ʻSuper Duper loveʼ, (Digginʼ on me), a song taken from her first CD, ʻThe soul sessionsʼ. She danced barefoot throughout the concert and had to stop the opening to one song due to screams from the front of the audience which seemed to overcome her. She also sang ʻThe Choking Kindʼ, another favourite of the Irish audience. Joss can really let go, and involved the audience as much as possible, with chants following her lead. After forty five minutes the band entered into a fifteen minute version of the hit, ʻSome kind of wonderfulʼ. The world is this nymphetteʼs oyster and I wish her all the best, she is a welcome relief from egotistical bands that may excite with their lifestyles but fail to strike any real chord with men and women in relationships . If you are expecting a slow blues gig youʼll be more than surprised.

PAGE 32

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

WORDGLOSS

A CULTURAL LEXICON BY JIM O’DONNELL

f you have an interest in the English language the new edition of ʻWordglossʼ by Jim OʼDonnell is an essential addition to your bookshelves. First published to acclaim in 1990, this lively and engaging reference book has been extensively reworked and extended. Through its mini-essays, it explores categories that embrace law, politics, science, technology, literature, philosophy and the arts, illuminating each with its store of wisdom. Sometimes in conversation when I want to express something I ﬁnd that only one word will encapsulate the exact meaning of what I want to express. Such is the uniqueness of every word. Skilled writers use words the same way artists use paint to create a picture in order to give perspective and understanding to the concept of their art. Often we use words and phrases in our

daily lives without any knowledge of their origin. Each entry in ʻWordglossʼ gives an insight into the origin of well-known words and phrases. OʼDonnell feels that because so few study the classics in our education system there is a lack of understanding of the roots of Greek and Latin that suffuse the vocabularies of the traditional core disciplines– philosophy, law, medicine, history, geography and mathematics and looks at how the newer disciplines like psychology, sociology and linguistics develop their terminology that is used in their particular science. There is a danger that each faculty in third level institutions can develop a verbal universe sufﬁcient for its own students which can undermine the cultural exchange in these centres of learning. Do you ever wonder when you use phrases such as ʻDraconian

measureʼ or ʻPandoraʼs boxʼ how those sayings came about? One of my favourite entries concerns the Greek myth of Narcissus who was such a beautiful youth that many fell in love with him, both men and women, but he rejected them all. One disappointed lover prayed that Narcissus himself would fall vainly in love. Nemisus, a mysterious Greek goddess personifying retribution, heard and granted his prayer. One day while Narcissus was out hunting, he came upon a spring and as he cast himself down beside it to quench his thirst he fell in love with his reﬂection. He tried to embrace and kiss the youth who confronted him, but then realising it was his own image he became infatuated and lay there gazing at himself hour after hour, day after day. He ate and drank nothing and slowly wasted away, ﬁnally laying down his head on the grass

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and dying. The ﬂowers with white petals and a yellow centre that grew round the pool are called narcissi. Hence the word narcissism, meaning an exceptional interest in or admiration for oneself. It came as a surprise to me that English borrowed quite a number of colourful words from the Irish. For example Blarney meaning honeyed talk meant to deceive, came into the English language during the time of Queen Elizabeth I of England when the lord of Blarney, a village in county Cork, was Cormac MacDermot. He found himself under intense pressure from the English Government, which was then moving towards the total conquest of Ireland, to renounce the Gaelic system by which he held his titles and acquired his privileges and to accept tenure of his

lands from the English Crown. Blarney gave the impression that he would concur with the policy but from day to day put off doing anything about it “with fair words and soft speech”. Finally Queen Elizabeth became exasperated. “This is all Blarney!” she declared. “What he says he never means.” Today, you can visit Blarney Castle where there is a magic stone that is believed to have the power to confer eloquence on all who kiss it. ʻWordgloss– A Cultural Lexiconʼ is a wonderful reference book, not just for students, but writers, politicians, speechwriters, readers in fact anyone that speaks English. This treasure trove of knowledge and information is in all good bookshops and is published by Lilliput Press. (ISBN 1-843351-073-1) at €20.00).

Winners of the Ruairí Quinn Competition

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We have two winners of the competition that was set by Ruairí Quinn in the December edition. You may remember the question was: ʻThree people have held the post of Taoiseach or Tánaiste while a TD for Dublin South East. Name the three and which position they heldʼ. And the answer is: John A Costello, Taoiseach; Garret FitzGerald Taoiseach; and Seán MacEntee, Tánaiste. The lucky winners are Christy Hogan of Ringsend and Dolores McGilligan of Donnybrook. ʻStraight Left A Journey in Politicsʼ by Ruairí Quinn is on the way to you!

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

R INGSEND C

hristina Kinsella was talking to us recently about her memories of Ringsend. Rev. Michael Byrne (1899 to 1964) is Christinaʼs second cousin. He was ordained in June 1926 and went on to become a Monsignor in California. He served his time as an altar boy in St Patrickʼs Ringsend. Whenever he returned to Ireland he was greeted enthusiastically by all his friends and relatives. Christina remembers that he always wore a scarf as

PAGE 33

MEMORIES he found it so cold here after California. Above: Michael Byrne, front, second from right, is pictured here with the Fleetwood, Byrne, Reilly and Kinsella families. Many people living in the Ringsend area are related. Below: Michael Byrne holding the ball for St Patrickʼs Football Club. Far right: Rev. Michael J. Byrne (Dot Byrne) consecrated the house at 7 Thorncastle Street where Christinaʼs mother

lived. When the houses were demolished she had to move to Beggarʼs Bush and Christina has told us that her mother “thought she was in Canada” as she was so far away from her beloved Ringsend. When Whelan House was built Mrs Kinsella moved back and the picture of the Sacred Heart hangs on the wall in the flat to this day. Below, right: This crib is made of cardboard and was purchased over fifty years ago from Mrs Walker in the Post Office on the bridge (beside the café now called Bridge the Gap). It has been lovingly brought out every Christmas and looks as pristine as the day it was purchased.

PAGE 34

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

F ROM S ANDYMOUNT TO S OWETO J

ust before Christmas, Railway Union Cricket Club captain Kenny Carroll (pictured right) had the privilege of coaching cricket in the township of Soweto in South Africa. Kenny was part of a 23-player group, drawn from six countries, who were attending an 11-week long residential Winter Training Camp held in the High Performance Centre at the University of Pretoria, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The six countries, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands and Scotland have similar needs in preparing for the next World Cup in March 2007, when they compete with the elite Test Nations and the Camp was organised by the ICC to offer coaching, technical, physical and mental training needs for players involved. The Camp was staffed by top-class coaches with the ability and awareness to bring the players from the lesser nations to the same levels as that of the Test playing nations. In addition to cricket-speciﬁc training, the Camp included work on physical ﬁtness, nutrition, vision, psychology and recovery. In addition to Kenny, two other Irish players attended the Camp: Eoin Morgan, Irish Under-19 captain, an Irish International since the age of 16 and

now playing with Middlesex and also Trevor Britton from Bready C.C. near Derry. During their time in the Camp, players had an opportunity to complete their level two Coaching awards and the trip to nearby Soweto was an opportunity for the players to put their coaching skills into practice. It was very much a special occasion for Kenny to visit the unique township of Soweto, where there is one street where you can ﬁnd the houses of two Nobel Prize winners; Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tuto. Soweto Cricket Club, where the players coached, had another link with Sandymount as it was from this Club that a promising young cricketer, Walter Masimula, came to play for Pembroke Cricket Club a number of years ago and who tragically died some time later at the early age of 26 Now safely back in Dublin, Kenny who is one of four Railway Union players in the extended Irish Cricket Winter Training Squad is looking forward to the new season with anticipation. “It will be great year for Irish cricket,” says Kenny, “with Ireland competing against nine top English counties in the C & G Trophy, with the highlight being the ʻOne-Dayʼ International versus England in Belfast on June 13th.”

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 €13.01 per hour (gross) to visit and care for vulnerable elderly in the community For further information, phone Brenda Dempsey at 087- 9292119

More Cricket news Kevin OʼBrien has returned to play for the Club full-time, having spent two seasons away with Young MCC Cricketers in Lords. In addition, Conor Mullen is currently playing well in Sydney and will be in good form on his return to Ireland. All of last yearʼs squad, who reached the Irish Senior Cup Final, will be back and it is possible that two new players will join to strengthen the squad.” Club President Maurice Whelan reports that John Anderson, Club Overseas player in 2005 is returning from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in February and will be involved with pre-season training and will coach the youth players throughout the season from Easter Holidays until August.

In addition, John will be supporting Leinster Development Ofﬁcer Brian OʼRourke in Star of the Sea BNS Sandymount each week and will also be introducing cricket to the girls in Scoil Mhuire, Lakelands and will be available to coach in other local schools on request. John, incidentally, comes from the same town in South Africa and attended the same school as Kevin Pietersen, who plays for England. Maurice tells us that Railway Union are delighted to announce that Park Avenue will be the venue for the ﬁrst Round ties of the Leinster 20/20 Cup involving Railway Union, Merrion Cricket Club, Competition holders and North County Cricket Club, Irish Cup Winners 2005 on Sunday June 18th.

BADRA CELEBRATES 30

YEARS

20/20 is the new exciting short format of the sport where coloured clothing is worn and a white ball is used. It promises to be a memorable day for the entire family with special entertainment and a BBQ. Railway Union will also host the ﬁnals of all three Leinster 20-over Cup Competitions on Sunday July 16th. This will be another special day in the Club with a large attendance expected and there are excellent opportunities for any local Dublin 4 businesses to get involved with sponsorship on the day. New members of all ages will be made very welcome at the Club. Adults should contact Team Secretary Derek Carroll, Mob. 086 062 2999 and boys and girls should contact Elaine Coburn, 087 235 2426.

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 35

THE POETRY PLACE Sandymount Strand Inch by inch creeps in the flowing tide Around the smiling bay on every side. Then day by day it gently ebbs away, For sun and moon will never let it stay. Wave after leaping wave, on a windy day White horses dance and prance in the stormy bay. To and fro, on their boards wind-surfers waft With energy and skill their flying craft. Here and there small children play on the strand. Castles are built, and rivers are dammed with sand. From near and far bright shells are picked with care, Or maybe a football match is played out there. Hot or cold, thereʼs always water here In which to paddle or swim without much fear. Back and forth and twisting in the sky, Multicoloured kites are made to fly. Line by line, when the weatherʼs warm and fine, On the sunny seats it must be reading time. Old and young enjoy the fresh sea air In buggy, pram or maybe their own wheel-chair. Hand in hand, on the strand the couples walk, Or face to face, or arm in arm they talk. While hour by hour, past the old Martello Tower, The joggers run and test their muscle power. Wet or fine, in the rain or hail or snow Itʼs time for the daily doggie-walkersʼ show. Hither and thither their pets dash to and fro To fetch the soggy doggy balls they throw. Winter and summer, on dark and stormy nights, Ships are guided home by the lighthouse lights. Baily, Kish, Dun Laoghaire and Poolbeg Safely see them on their final leg. Seen and unseen, underneath the mud Are worms and shellfish– tasty birdie food. Again and again, the bird songs do not pall, Piping turnstone or curlewʼs plaintive call. Black and white, the oystercatchers wait, Probing, with orange bills, for tasty bait. Large and small waders of every kind Search in the mud to see what they can find Years after year from their Arctic breeding ground Hundreds of Brent geese hungrily feeding are found, Sweet and sour to them is the green eelgrass Which at low-tide is found on the shore en masse. From dawn to dusk the sky is full of changes, From sunrise red, to blue or dark it ranges, Clouds black or white or grey, and then at night, If the sky is clear, the silver moon shines bright. If east to west, or north to south we go To mountain top or wooded valley low, For mile after mile throughout our lovely land, No place is quite as good as Sandymount Strand. By Eric H. De Courcy

Blue eyes

Let in the Light

When ﬁrst I saw those eyes of blue, They always seemed to smile, Clearer than a crystal, Your smile made life worth while. I saw the love light in those eyes, So honest and so true, I couldnʼt help but fall in love With eyes of heavenly blue, Should sadness ever once appear? Into those eyes of blue, Unhappy would my poor heart be, Thatʼs my concern for you. Donʼt ever let the sparkle fade, From out those eyes so just, They speak to me in many ways, In them Iʼll always trust. Tears may fall from eyes sincere, And roll down dimpled cheeks, Could bring both joy and sadness, No words could ever speak. Remember eyes so true so blue. I will always love you so, From the start you stole my heart, And Iʼll never let you go. The years may pass and we all grow old, My love for you will never decline, Throughout married life you were a loving wife, And youʼll be in my heart till the end of time By Sonny Kinsella, written for his wife Mary who died in December 1961

Good Morning Good Morning inner critic How do you do inner coach? I read about you two And Iʼll be keeping an eye on you Excuse me, an ear Listening Inner critic you have been with me a long time Youʼre the one who trawled the earth looking for threats Scanned the world for scares You grew up with me Fed by remarks like ʻNot smartʼ ʻToo fatʼ ʻNeeds helpʼ ʻLook what sheʼs just done!ʼ Now, you look out inner critic You have had it good for too long I gave you too much houseroom You paid no rent Iʼll throw you out Maybe I canʼt Iʼll demote you I shall face you in the morning Be aware of you through the day Inner coach, sorry I neglected you It was lack of awareness But thatʼs over now So make room to expand. By Carmel Maguire As always, we welcome contributions to The Poetry Place, which can be sent to the ʻNewsFourʼ ofﬁces at 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4.

Obscured by rain and a palette of grey, I donʼt think I saw the sun today. Charcoal clouds kept us dimly sealed, The golden light was never revealed. By Brian Kelly

Happy New Year There are many pubs in Dublin All have sights to be seen. None compare to OʼReillys Close to Sandymount Green To have a Guinness pulled by a King Might seem a bit looney Or a Heineken by the prince of Seafort The dashing Dessie Mooney I would love to be there Having a chat and a beer However I am not so the next best thing Is to wish them all a happy new year. By Dick Pollard

Gan Teideal Tháinig mé abhaile agus dúirt sé, -Ca raibh tú inné?-Bhí mé i lár na farraige,dúirt mé, -gan bia gan ól gan cairde.-Agus cá bhfuil tú anois?duirt sé. -Anois tá tart agus ocras orm ach tá áthas orm mar inniu tá sé go breá, tá mé ar an talamh agus anois tá snámh agam.By Patrick Shanwick 2006

The Men of Ringsend I mind when they shut the city gates And locked us outside in the cold, For we were ʻmere Irishʼ, a Papish mob Idolators, not of the fold. I mind when they told us the Liberties Were not for our kith or kin, And drove us south of the Dodderʼs Banks To the place that was called the ʻRinnʼ. I mind that we prospered and built it up By ﬁshing off Merrion shore, And lived and grew tall and bold and tough ʻTil our village was poor no more. I mind when we moved onto ﬁrmer soil And there built our Irish Town, To vie with the town that they kept us without Then ruled by a foreign crown. I mind when they shifted their boundary And asked us with Dublin to blend, But I mind it was they who locked us outside And made us proud men of Ringsend. By Séan MacBrádaigh

PAGE 36

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

S UNSHINE IN D ECEMBER I

By Ann Ingle

arrived in Gran Canaria at 7 pm one December evening with the rain lashing and the wind howling. Apparently they had never experienced a tropical storm on the island before but I had brought one with me. The next day dawned with blue skies and brilliant sunshine and I was able to view the hotel, H10 Playa Meloneras Palace, in a new light. The view from the balcony looked over one of the swimming pools and beyond I could see the sea. It was quite breathtaking and I couldnʼt wait to explore. In fact, I spent the whole week exploring as the hotel is so vast and my sense of direction a bit awry. The hotel looked and felt as if it had been designed by a Gaudi-inspired architect. At night as the sun was setting the view from my balcony was even more spectacular.

It wasnʼt really necessary to leave the hotel at all because everything was there. A spa, a shop, three bars, a beauty salon, tennis courts, table tennis, two swimming pools as well as a childrenʼs pool and much more. There are three restaurants in the hotel but I usually ate breakfast and dinner in the Tamadaba Restaurant which has a buffet menu with chefs on hand to cook specially for you. Personalised omelettes for breakfast, I was in heaven. There was a vast array and variety of food and the cuisine of different countries were featured regularly. Lunch was served at the poolside restaurant and it was great to drink coffee in the sunshine after a swim. I did manage to drag myself away from the hotel eventually and the walk along the seafront to the Lighthouse was a lovely way to end the day, stopping off for a nightcap in one of the many bars. Meloneras beach below the hotel was small but

never crowded and the restaurants on the sea front specialised in seafood at extremely reasonable prices. I spent a whole day going on a tour to the middle of the island and visiting Las Palmas, the Capital of Gran Canaria on the way back. The scenery changed dramatically as we travelled from the beach to the mountains. There is so much more to see on the island than sand, golf courses and swimming pools. A week is not enough to do it justice and I could have spent several days in Las Pal-

mas alone visiting the museums and gardens, not to mention the shops. One day I took a taxi to Puerto Rico and then a boat to the harbour at Mogan. This is a beautiful little harbour town and should not be missed on a visit to Gran Canaria. I found a wonderful restaurant, Que Tel, where a leisurely tapas lunch with gorgeous wine distracted me from sun-bathing on the beach. I had never been on a winter holiday before but an annual visit to Gran Canaria in December now seems the only way to spend the

run-up to Christmas. In fact, as I face the chill wind on my way home after work I wish I was there right now. For more information on Gran Canaria: www.grancanaria.com H10 Playa Meloneras Palace, C/ Mar Caspio, 5, Urb. Las Meloneras, 35100 San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria. Tel: †00 34 928 12 82 82 Fax: 00 34 928 14 60 32 E-mail: h10.playa.meloneras. palace@h10.es Website: www.h10.es

The Shelbourne House 2 Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4 Telephone: 6676380

Sunday lunch 12 mid-day to 5 pm Weekday lunch 12 mid-day to 3 pm Evening meals 5 pm to 8 pm

Group playing on Sunday evenings from 6pm Zoom Joker Texas Holdin’ Poker Tournament Prize: Trip to new York or Viva Las Vegas for two February 24th at 8pm sharp DJ Eddie on Saturday night playing 80s music

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

PAGE 37

Star of the Sea c1941

LOCAL SCOUTS GIVE ‘GIFT OF PEACE’ By Grace McKenna

ny of you who have or have had a Scout member in your family will know that the crux of the Scouting organisation is to promote peace in the community. 2007 sees the 100th Anniversary of this organisation and to mark the occasion, the World Bureau of Scouting has launched the Gift of Peace project. Every Scout group around the world will partake in this initiative– which will span a three-year period– and be centred on peace from a local, national and international perspective. One group contributing to the peace project is Ringsendʼs 4th Port Dodder Sea Scout Group, one of the ﬁrst Scout groups to form in Ireland. I spoke to Geraldine Smith, one of the Sea Scout Leaders, to ﬁnd out what projects they had in store for the Beavers, Sea Cubs and Sea Scouts in their group. The ʻGood Deedʼ challenge is a project that will run from the 17th March until the 2nd of April, 2006. During this time, each Scout will carry out a daily ʻGood Deedʼ for someone in the community. Good deeds can be as simple as washing dishes or

making someone a cup of tea. It is similar to the old Scouting challenge, Bob-A-Jobbing, except there is no money involved in any part of this project. Any reward received is from the good feeling experienced by doing something for another. To ensure the groupʼs safety and wellbeing, the younger Scouts will undertake their ʻGood Deedʼ challenge at home while the older ones will offer their services to neighbours and the elderly.

The effect of this challenge should not be underestimated because if every Scout successfully completes this challenge, at least one quarter to one third of the Irish population will have experienced an act of kindness. But thatʼs only part of the ʻGift of Peaceʼ project. Another important part of the project includes the filling of Aqua Boxes– an idea that arose after the Tsunami disaster. This project involves each Scout sourcing items from home e.g. cooking utensils, to fill a dual-functioning aid box. When filled, the box will con-

tain all the essential items a family of six would need to survive in an emergency situation. When emptied, the box can be used to ﬁlter approx 1,000 litres of clean water. Each of the boxes is numbered and will be tracked to its aid location so that the Scout group will know how their efforts have helped people in need. We would like to wish Geraldine Smith and her Sea Scout Group all the best in the undertaking of this special project. Under the guidance of Geraldine and other Scout leaders, young people learn to appreciate people and nature which empowers them to become better citizens. Geraldine is keen to dispel the notion that Scouts are all uniform and badges and judging by the amount of good work they do, nothing could be further from the truth. Itʼs heartening to know that such a worthy organisation has survived a sometimes cynical and mistrusting world. ʻHow wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single minute before starting to improve the worldʼ. Anne Frank (In honour of my late Uncle Benny, Scout Leader of Donagh Parish, Monaghan, who organised many fun-ﬁlled camping trips to Larch Hill in Dublin).

Pictured above is another of our backward glances. This time we feature boys from Star of the Sea School from about 1941.

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Health Sector Studies and Supply Chain Management are two new courses which will lead to gainful employment or higher education opportunities for all learners. Website: www.ballsbridgecollege.com

PAGE 38

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

D OMINI AND PEACHES O

HIT THE SPOT

n a bitterly cold night on Sandymount Green while people waited for the Christmas lights to be turned on, Domini Kemp was finishing the wine tasting that would decide the wine list for her as yet

unopened restaurant Itsa 4, the latest offering from herself and her sister and business partner Peaches. In true Christmas spirit Domini, pictured right, decided to make mulled wine in her brand new kitchen and serve the hot toddy to

the crowd of appreciative merrymakers. Thus the start of their new business venture had just begun in a happy and festive mood. With the twinkling lights of Christmas and the result of many months of hard work their dream of expanding their business had finally come true in the shape of Itsa4. This is a restaurant with a difference. The interior includes design features with unique touches. Diners have the choice to sit at the counter or at the tables with the option of booth seats with leather ʻsink inʼ upholstery. Speakers are placed discretely to ensure piped music allows private conversations to remain private. Domini and Peaches liased with Ingrid Smith of Cooney Architects regarding every detail to ensure this upmarket spacious diner creates the environment and atmosphere that caters for everyone. In designing Itsa4 emphasis was given to comfort and staff practicality. The

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NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006 food is simple and tasty with absolute attention to detail. This is a place where people can feel relaxed and can talk to each other or come in alone and feel welcome. Talking to Domini on a grey day in the friendly, bustling atmosphere of Itsa4 it must seem a million miles away from the golden sandy beaches and blue skies of her childhood in the Bahamas. When her Scottish father, who was an accountant by profession died her mother who was Irish, brought her back here to live. Though culturally it was a million miles away from the Bahamas Domini was familiar with Ireland as she regularly visited her grandparents here over the years. She boarded in Alexandra College and she still keeps in close touch with the friends she made there. With a passion for horses that developed as a little girl, Domini had a saddlery business and competed full-time on the show jumping circuit. To keep on top of the game requires an awful lot of time, money and a good support system. With sponsorship difficult to secure, catering was her way of financing it but eventually she had to make a decision. Showjumping is a tough and expensive business and Domini felt that at a certain level she had no control over circumstances that often govern horses. For example, it was not unusual to travel 200 miles for a show jumping event to find the horse had a sprain or was off form which meant months of training were wasted. Having made this lifechanging decision and with her love of food, Domini went to study in the School of Food and Wine in London. Then on a chance weekend over here Domini met chef Conrad Gallagher who had just returned from New York. Delighted to move back, Domini became his partner and worked with him for three fast and furious years, moving Peacock Al-

PAGE 39 ley to the Fitzwilliam Hotel. She was also involved in writing Gallagher ʼs first cookbook. During that time they had a daughter who now lives with Domini in Sandymount. With a love of food running in the family, Peaches ran a catering company in Dublin, having completed a course with Alix Gardner. Although they fought like cat and dog as children the two sisters have become very close as adults. Both dreamt of opening their own restaurant which became a reality in 1999 with Itsabagel, an upmarket bagel bar with outlets in the Epicurean Hall and the Pavilion, Dun Laoire. This hard-working pair also runs Feast catering. Having worked with Trevor White on 101 Best Restaurants in Dublin, Domini has now started writing for Image magazine. Wondering how she combines single parenthood with such a busy schedule, Domini acknowledges the wonderful team of people that work every day to keep their operation the success it has become plus an understanding sister and a very helpful Mum allowing her the freedom to take time out when necessary. Domini loves her work which motivates her to stay abreast of what consumers look for. With a passion to please the customer and aware of the responsibility for 70 staff, Domini maintains a lifestyle that ensures she herself is in top form. Gone are the days of wining and dining till four in the morning. This girl has certainly got her feet on the ground and is committed to her work. Happy with their success in Dublin an ambitious eye is looking towards Cork or Galway for their next challenge. Both Kemp sisters would love to expand even further to serve their own brand of posh nosh. But meanwhile Itsa4 proves there is a market for top quality, low cost dining in a friendly and informal atmosphere and itʼs on your doorstep on Sandymount Green.

L OST W ORLDS BY

M ICHAEL B YWATER

By Maggie Neary

ichael Bywater is a writer and broadcaster, whose column ʻLost Worldʼ is in the ʻIndependent on Sundayʼ and whose book ʻLost Worlds– What Have we Lost and Where did it Goʼ is now in the book shops. It is quite a tome with many obscure and infrequently used words. Its opening chapter titled Prolegomenon, meaning preliminary material in a book, is full of them. I read on and frequently needed to look up a wordʼs meaning. This can be beneficial, however the content of his introduction was a tad too dark for this reader, page three, paragraph three, for example: “You may deny that your life has been, as much as anything, a process of loss; but it has. From the moment you were born, a Universal Process of attrition has been waged against you, internally and externally. If Jesus wants you for a sunbeam, that far older deity, Nature, wants you for a dunghill.” All no doubt unarguably true, and perhaps Bywater is writing from a ʻtongue in cheek positionʼ but after a few more pages of the same ilk I skipped at random through the remaining 250-odd pages, a method I would highly recommend for this book. An excellent index is found to the back of the book, although many of the references would lean heavily towards a more British experience of things e.g. Fug– a good fug requires pipe smoke, B.O., a London fog, the windows tight shut, cabbage boiling on the stove and everyone in front of the coal fire, getting chilblains, and central heating just will not do. I really got the hang of how nostalgic this book can be with the section on L.Ps. Bywater recalls the cover art, the sleeve notes on the back, and the smell. Ah yes, I find myself drifting off into memory lane. I recall that smell, and the fragile feel of the record, the careful

handling to place it on the turntable, choosing the 78 or 45 speed setting, the picking up of the needle while listening and feeling for the click that began the record circling and then lowering the needle with great precision so it would not slide and cause scratches to the vinyl. Ah yes, I found myself remembering how we smooched, clinging to one another to the rhythms of ʻSmoke gets in your eyesʼ or how we roared along drunkenly to ʻall in all weʼre just another brick in the wallʼ. On another occasion the book opened at Bang-Bang, I got excited thinking ʻthis is about Dublinʼ but no, it bewailed the loss of various old british transport systems. I remembered the Dublin BangBang and this was a man. He was one of Dublinʼs ʻcharactersʼ, tramping the city streets waving his stick, shouting “Bang-Bang” and scaring newcomers and tourists. More characters came to mind: the lady decked out totally in black walking the streets with a huge cross carried on her shoulder; the tall, bee-hived blond whose patch was under Nelsonʼs Pillar where she berated the rushhour pedestrians, promising hell and damnation. A friend of mine says she regrets the demise of “old fashioned manners” when people would. for instance, hold doors open for each other. Another younger woman bemoans the loss of a politeness which would ensure pregnant women and older people seats in public places such as buses and trains. A colleague regrets the disappearance of the milk bottle and my mouth still waters at the memory of the Flash Bar and Urneyʼs Two and Two Chocolate Bar. Stephen Fry said of ʻLost Worldsʼ: “This marvellous and valuable book transforms itself as you read from a quirky miscellany into something wiser, nobler, deeper, sadder and more remarkable.” See what you think. It is available in most Dublin book shops or may be obtained from www.amazon.com or www. shopireland.ie.

PAGE 40

NEWSFOUR FEBRUARY 2006

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