Oct nov 2009 newsfour by News Four

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

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

CRISIS AT DUBLIN PORT

THE PAPER YOU NEED TO READ! After his great Olympic wins in 1936, Jesse Owens faced racism and poverty in his own country, says Noel Twamley on page 12

The great footballer Harry Gregg survived the horriﬁc Munich air crash and saved the lives of many others as well. See page 19

ith the strike at MTL still ongoing and no sign of a resolution in sight, MTL worker John Paul Murphy has written an open letter to the people of Dublin 4, thanking you for all of your support on page nine of this issue.

Pictured above, supporters of the MTL workers at a demonstration in Docklands in August. In September, Dublin City Council unanimously passed a motion calling on the Tanaiste to seek an end to the Marine Terminals dispute and ensure that the company engages meaningfully with its workforce.

Glenda trekked to the magniﬁcent Inca stronghold of Machu Picchu to bring you her experiences on pages 28 and 29

Twenty years ago this band had its ﬂash of fame, rubbing shoulder pads with Gaybo, Dave F and Larry M of U2. See page 38

Pictured enjoying the recent South Lotts Festival are from left: Ann Hayden, Lily Cox, Renee Saunders, Olive Farrell and Dolores Hall.

Deputy Lord Mayor Kevin Humphreys opened the recent Liffey Swim. This trio is just raring to go!

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NewsFour Managing Editor Christopher Sweeney Advertising Manager Grainne McGuinness Staff Harry Cavendish Nessa Jennings Louise Hanrahan Glenda Cimino John Fitzgerald Paula Young Jason McDonnell Contributors Shay Connolly Michael Hilliard George Humphries Joe Keegan John Paul Murphy Philip Tilley Noel Twamley Maeve Kelly Aisling Flood Peter Pick Therese O’Toole Jem Harney James O’Doherty Patricia McKenna Lucinda Creighton David Maudsley Pat Larkin Teresa Weafer Grennell Web Designer Andrew Thorn

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

The Editor’s Corner

ell, another couple of months flew past there and suddenly it is time for a new edition of NewsFour. A good few things have happened since we saw you last, the post office is gone for a start. NewsFour attended both marches and the meetings around the closure and it was a terrible pity to see the post office close. From the start, and despite all the meetings and marches, there was a terrible sense of inevitability about the whole thing. The last two months also saw the passing of two well-known local figures, both suddenly, and both far too young; John Devoy and Patrick Murphy. Both men are remembered fondly in this issue, as is Tom Sheridan who also died earlier this summer. Hopefully, you will find this issue as diverting as previous ones. Once again, we venture far and wide with our con-

Communities Against Cuts March on 30th September On 30th September, thousands of workers, employers, community activist and ordinary people are marching from Parnell Square to the Dáil to protest against the current and proposed cuts to the Community Sector. The Community Sector has already suffered a range of cutbacks this year. However, if the pro-

tributers; to Canada with Aisling Flood on page 21 and to Machu Picchu in Peru with Glenda Cimino on pages 28 and 29. Travels closer to home are also included as George Humpries takes a nostalgic tour of bygone pubs on page 27. Ann Ingle is back from her own tour of the world and has taken over the crossword duties once more, welcome back Ann. Many thanks to Patricia McKenna and Lucinda Creighton, who agreed to write pieces for and against the upcoming Lisbon referendum, we decided to go to press a week or so early in order to cover this event. Once again, if anybody out there wants to contribute an article, a poem, a short story or a photograph, we will be very happy to have a look at it. Donʼt be shy. Good luck everyone, see you again in the run up to Christmas. Christopher

posals of the McCarthy report are implemented it will devastate services to children, disabled, elderly, recovering drug addicts, youth, travellers, and women, our most disadvantaged communities. It is estimated that over 6,500 jobs will be lost in the Community Sector alone should McCarthyʼs proposals be adopted by the Government. The protest will assemble on Wednesday 30th September, 1pm at Parnell Square and march to the Dáil.

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 SHELBOURNE PARK RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION LTD Swimming in Sportsco

We have a Swimming Session Every Sunday Morning from 11am to 1pm in Sportsco. Price: €35 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.

Photography John Cheevers

Literary Evening

Design, Typesetting, Layout Eugene Carolan

The

Irish

Christian

Writersʼ Fellowship hosts a Literary Evening of

Community Services, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4.

Songs, Poems and Stories at Carmelite Community

Telephone: (01)6673317

Centre, Whitefriar Street,

E-mail: newsfour@gmail.com

Dublin 8, on Friday 20th

Website: www.news4.ie

7.30 to 9.15pm sharp. All

November

from

welcome. Enquiries to Michael at

NewsFour Newspaper is part of a FÁS Community Employment Programme. Opinions expressed in News Four do not necessarily represent the views of Community Services.

2009

086-2065986 or Joan at 01-4549237. Admission Free with a small charge Sue Anne Moore gives a gives a ʻmini-makeoverʼ to young Aline at the South Lotts Festival.

for refreshments.

Our address: NewsFour, 15 Fitzwilliam Street, Ringsend Phone: 6673317 • Email: newsfour@gmail.com Visit our website at: www.news4.ie

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 3

CENTRAL HAIR STUDIO, SANDYMOUNT

By Louise Hanrahan

n these hectic times, when the pace and pressures of life seem to have hardened peoplesʼ hearts to each other, small acts of care and kindness stand out so much more. One such happening caught my eye the other day when I was out shopping in Sandymount Village. Members of staff from the Central Hair Salon were helping an older customer with a walking frame in the door of the salon. When she got in, you could see she was getting a great welcome and everybody was fussing about her like she was the Queen of Sheba. Now that looks like a place worth checking out, I thought, so I did. Helen Gobender and Angela Doyle have been running the salon for the last ten years and there is a staff of ten workers. The salonʼs clientele comes mainly from Sandymount, Irishtown and Ringsend and they have many long-standing customers from all over the area. The regulars never fail to clock in for a local cut and blow-dry! They are familiar with the staff and have no longing to stray from this homely salon. With a few seriously skilled tweaks, Helen or Andrea can turn birdsʼ nests into manageable, stylish and modern creations, and create great styles that last for a long time, making the visit a real treat. There is a bustling, vibrant atmosphere about the place and welcoming, trend-trained staff await, so thereʼs no reason not to make this your regular haven for a snip, a colour and a spot of Dublin gossip. Another plus point, though I donʼt indulge myself, was the designated smoking area in a decked area of the back garden. Perfect for a ciggie while you are waiting for that new style to set. Central Hair Studio is at 89 Sandymount Road, Dublin 4. Phone: 01 6683309. Central Hair Studio staff are, from left: Kieran Doyle, Helen Gobender, Antoinette Manley, Jamie Kearns and Amy Doyle.

YMCA Sandymount Claremont Road Telephone: 01 607 7102

ONE GYM VISIT (NO CATCHES)

Classes during the week, (Prices Vary): Monday, 7pm, Pilates; Tuesday 6pm, Khai-Bo, 7pm, Zumba!; Wednesday, Pilates (Check Times); Thursday, 7pm, Trim ‘n’ Tone; Friday, 10am, Pilates; Saturday, 12.30pm, Ages 7-11 Rock Chicks Dance Workout

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NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

‘D UBLIN B IKES ’ TRANSPORTS OF DELIGHT ? By John Fitzgerald

unday 13th September last saw the launch of Dublin City Councilʼs latest cycle initiative known as ʻDublinbikesʼ. In 2006, Dublin City Council announced they had done a deal with Advertising giants J.C. Decaux to provide advertising spaces throughout the city in return for the provision and maintenance of bicycles and bike stations placed across the city centre. J. C. Decaux operates similar schemes in various cities across Europe including Paris, Lyon and Vienna. The deal was struck for fifteen years and is believed to be worth €1million per annum. The 450 purpose-built bikes are heavier than normal bikes and considered ideal for short city runs. Custom-made in France they are a unisex model with three gears and un-inflatable tyres. At a cost of €350 per bike the fleet is described as ʻdamage resistantʼ. The bikes will be docked at one of the 40 bike stations located between the canals. Stations will stretch from the Mater Hospital on the northside to the Grand Canal in the south, with Docklands being the station furthest east and Smithfield being the furthest west. 24 stations will be on the southside with the remaining 16 being north of the river. J. C. Decaux will have the use of 72 advertising spaces from the Council as their part of the deal. DCC spokesperson on the cycling initiative, Paul Heffernan says there is real excitement around the project, which is aimed at native Dubliners and visitors alike. To join the scheme, customers must log onto www. dublinbikes.ie. They then choose either a long-term subscription at €10 or a short three-day subscription

for a fee of €2. Credit card details are given and the customer is issued with a personal pin number which will allow them to get a bike from any station. The first 30 minutes of bike hire is free, and hire rates are then staggered so as to encourage short term usage. One hour costs just 50 cents, two hours €1.50, three hours €3.50, and four hours €6.50. Thereafter, each 30 minutes is charged at €2.00. When finished, the customer can return the bike to any station. The website was launched on 14th August last and has received a huge number of visitors, but not many visitors have gone on to subscribe. DCC are happy that the subscriptions have passed the 1000 mark. The bike stations are closed from 1.30am to 5.30am, so the bikes are available for 19 hours of hire a day. One long-time cyclist commented recently ʻat best, it is a start and things have to start somewhereʼ, but the scheme has raised many questions. Some motorists and cyclists claim the positioning of some of the advertising hoardings can impair the clear views at certain junctions and so are a danger. Stuart Fogarty of Irelandʼs largest ad agency HFA OʼMeara said the 72 ad sites were worth in excess of €100 million. Also, the ad sites are operating since last year, long before any sign of the bikes. In Paris the ʻVelibʼ scheme has 12 bikes for each station, in Dublin we get six. Paris also has more stations in proportion to population. The ratio of bikes to dwellers is one bike per 110 residents in Paris. In Dublin it is one bike per 1,124 residents. The bikes are located close to key tourist sites and areas yet there are none at Connolly Station, none at Heuston, and none at Busaras, where they would surely

be of use to commuters Complaints apart, Dublin is an ideal size for cyclists and lacks the steep terrain of other capitals, so our city can and should become a great place for cyclists.

G ETTING

The City Council must look to cities such as Copenhagen which lead the way in creating a safe environment for cycling. More and better cycle lanes are needed with safety being a huge

priority. It would make for a fitter, happier and healthier city, not the traffic jam full of angry motorists being dodged by two-wheeled prospective organ donors we have today.

IN SOME TRAINING …

Dublin sisters Holly & Rachel Cronnelly (ages 3 & 4) were out in the sunshine recently to support the 2009 Dublin Simon Fun Run and to encourage all Dubliners to take part in this great event on Saturday 10th October in The Phoenix Park. Register now at www.funrun.ie. Tel: 01 671 5551 or Web: fundraising@dubsimon.ie

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

NORTH TO FLEKKEFJORD

By Harry Cavendish

his summer, I went to see relatives in the most southerly point of western Norway called Flekkefjord. Flekkefjord is unique because, while being a large and deep Fjord (much bigger than our Killary), it is situated near what is called an amphidromic point. This means that even though the water is saltwater, there is almost no rise and fall in the tides. These amphidromes occur where there is interference in the ocean basins causing what is called the ʻcoriolis effectʼ. The result of the effect is an extremely safe harbour

not subject to the usual battering of the sea and tides. For the inhabitants of Flekkefjord, this stable sea allows them to build their houses directly over the water, with garages for boats underneath each house. Indeed, the residents use their boats to get around as much as they do their cars. Children in the area are taught from an early age how to handle a boat. The Fjord is well developed, with ship-building and engineering factories hidden in the sharply undulating landscape around the town. Industrial and residential zones are carefully separated with a typically Nordic sense of the quality of life. Beautiful classic timber cabins are dotted in the steep, wooded hills all

PAGE 5 around, some of them hundreds of years old and still in good shape. Flekkefjord has been in existence as a centre of commerce since 1580 and must have been a secure lair for the Vikings before that. The port was a point of exit for Norwegian stone supplied to the Dutch for street paving, and was an early centre of the herring trade before inland ﬁsheries were exhausted. Timber was, and continues to be, a staple export of the region. During the Napoleonic wars, smugglers shipped timber to the Dutch who were under French occupation at the time. The smuggling ships could move their cargo at any time of day or night because there were no tides to worry about. Nowadays, on the surface at least, Flekkefjord is the model of Scandinavian stability, relaxed people enjoying a good standard of living in astonishingly beautiful surroundings. But everything in the garden is not rosy; the political situation in Norway has become very unstable in recent years. Successive coalition governments have struggled to reach their full terms as the traditional left/ right political blocs have fragmented into smaller, more fractious groupings. To my mind, there is no real reason for Norway to be in this situation given they are sitting on the fourth largest reserve of oil in the

world. But the taxes and huge increases in the cost of living have slashed living standards, and public services that were once the envy of the world have deteriorated sharply. There was another general election in the last few weeks but the result again appears to have been indecisive. Hereʼs hoping whatever coalition emerges from post-election horse-trading manages to get the place moving again. Politics aside, living in Flekkefjord must be a little bit of paradise. You are surrounded by beautiful scenery, totally unspoilt, as it is real back country, far from Norwayʼs big cities, and is used by many metropolitan Norwegians as their rural bolt hole.

The atmosphere here is laid-back and friendly, with a wonderfullypreserved town centre that is accessible by both car and boat. Norway has never been a popular tourist destination for people from these shores, but in summer it is as good a place to visit as any of the southern European tourist traps. The nearest airport is Stavanger, about 100 miles north of Flekkefjord, so from Dublin I had to ﬂy to Oslo and then connect on up to Stavanger. Norwayʼs currency is the Norwegian Kroner and they are outside the EU, so avail of the duty free if you go. Left: Flekkefjord railway station in 1908. Below: Flekkefjord today.

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NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

TOM SHERIDAN RIP

became the prime mover in changing the name from Catholic Young Menʼs Society to Catholic Men and Womenʼs Society. Although not enthusiastically welcomed by all, it was nevertheless generally accepted by a majority that including women members would give the society a new lease of life. Tom would have been happy to see the new signage on the building. Within the CYMS, apart from his work for the Church, Tom was instrumental in organising many charitable events including his ʻLet the Children Liveʼ campaign set up in the UK branch to support Colombian street children. Tom and his team raised over €50,000 through church gate collections. This was only one of the charities to which Tom and his team gave support. Tom had a very active intellect. His favourite relaxation when he had time was listening to classical music, although he was very tolerant of modern music

enjoyed by younger people, with whom he always had a great affinity. In his younger days, Tom won the John McCormack gold medal for essay composition, a very prestigious and sought after award. In recent years, he was awarded the Bene Merenti Medal for long and exceptional service to the Catholic Church. The medal was presented to him by the Papal Nuncio at a ceremony in the Pro-Cathedral. Tom was especially chuffed to receive that! Over his lifetime, Tomʼs main priority was the church. He did trojan work for St Patrickʼs, Ringsend and was always at the forefront of everything that was happening. However, Tomʼs spirituality was not entirely confined to the church; he took it out onto the street and lived it there too. He had a total conviction that good would ultimately triumph over evil. But there was something else that made Tom Sheridan special and unique. Not eve-

rybody knew that against the background of Tomʼs tireless work, he had been plagued by continuous and terrible bouts of depression for 50 years. These had intensified coming up to his death. Although Tom battled bravely against this insidious illness for practically his whole life, he never did manage to overcome it. It is difficult to accept that Tom has gone but accept it we must. The man who could do no wrong, who could not say ʻnoʼ is no longer with us. But even in death Tom has left us all a precious legacy. He has left us a blueprint for living, for living the life for which we were created; a life of hope, forgiveness and love of our Christian faith as personified by Tom himself. Tom Sheridan, you may be gone from us now but your legacy to us remains. With Godʼs help, may we accept it, value it and try to do it justice during our own lifetimes. May you Rest in Peace.

W ILFIELD P ARK CELEBRATES 75 YEARS – IN STYLE

By Joe Keegan St Patrickʼs Branch CMWS, (formerly CYMS)

ow does one begin to pay tribute to Tom Sheridan? An almost impossible task given the stature of the man. Tom Sheridan, a giant of moral integrity, a man who, from the time he woke up each morning to going to bed at night, every thought and action motivated by his Christian values, was a man totally incapable of any wrongdoing. His sole purpose in life was to live, in so far as he could, in accordance with his unswerving Christian faith. His ultimate aim, which we now believe he has achieved, was a union with God in Heaven. Tomʼs life of 74 years included so many notable

events, it would be impossible to include them all here. Tom had a lifelong association with the church and clergy of St Patrickʼs, Ringsend and the CYMS, now CMWS. Tom was so deeply involved in the CYMS that he once jokingly said in his early years he firmly believed there was no salvation outside the CYMS! During his earlier years with the CYMS, Tom served in every capacity: Secretary, Propagandist, Vice President and President. Also, Tom was a very capable and much-respected Secretary of the Irish National Executive Council of the CYMS, a post he had to relinquish due to ill-health. Being a man of foresight, Tom recognised a decline in the national membership of the organisation and he

he residents of Wilfield Park, Sandymount celebrated the Park being 75 years young this year with a street party on Saturday, September 5th. Built in 1934, the first ads for Wilfield Park appeared in the Irish Times on the 17th of February 1934, offering a choice of five designs and you

could choose your own site. The builders, Kearon & Rothwell, had purchased the large gardens of the original Wilfield House (built c.1800) in 1933, when its lease from the Pembroke Estate had expired. The celebration was a real community success, with bunting and flags flying, a BBQ by their own celebrity

chefs, an overwhelming contribution from the ʻsalad ladiesʼ, face painting by the children themselves and acknowledgment of its longest residents Norman Reeves and Jim Reade. September 5th will long be remembered in Wilfield Park as a fun day, when we got to meet some of our neighbours for the very first time.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

T HE P EN C ORNER

By Louise Hanrahan

n an age when the computer and the mobile phone have almost completely replaced pen and paper, people are rediscovering the pleasures of writing in pen and ink on good paper. Taking the trouble to actually sit down and write a letter to a friend or relation in longhand rather than dashing off an email, makes the communication all the more special: for the recipient, getting an envelope through the door that isnʼt a bill makes for a nice change even before theyʼve opened the letter.

The old-fashioned fountain pen is making a comeback too; there is something reassuring about using a tool that only requires gravity and capillary action to produce beautiful results. The Pen Corner on College Green is the perfect destination for seekers after these retro delights. The shop has been run by the Fitzgerald family for the last 82 years and is currently managed by John Fitzgerald, pictured right. The old-style shop window display is wonderful and one could browse for ages through the bewildering array of goods

PAGE 7 on offer. High-end fountain pens are a specialty with famous brands like Mont Blanc, Waterman, Caran dʼAche and our own Cross pens vying for attention. Of course, there is a huge stock of more affordable writing instruments as well. While the upstairs part of the shop is concerned with pens, go downstairs for the paper. There is a big selection of writing paper and envelopes as well as beautiful leather-bound diaries, address books and notebooks. They stock the famous Moleskin brand of notebooks as used by Picasso, Matisse and Ernest Hemingway amongst others. Not actually bound with mole skins, animal lovers, but with sturdy oilcloth-covered cardboard. The Pen Corner emanates an old-school charm and I would recommend a visit. Personally, the 2500 Mont Blanc gold fountain Pen caught my eye. Would ﬁt alongside my diary quite nicely… Writing is for life folks! The Pen Corner Ltd, 12 College Green, Dublin 2. Phone: 01 6793641.

Have a happy Halloween from Dermot and Kevin

Cllr Dermot Lacey

Cllr. Kevin Humphreys

PEMBROKE RATHMINES

SOUTH EAST INNER CITY

087 264 6960 dermot@dermotlacey.ie

668 6854 kevin.humphreys@dublincity.ie

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NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

The Letterbox

Dear NewsFour There are few occasions in our lives when we can experience real, natural tranquility. The ingredients which are necessary for us to find this calm and serene state are different for particular people. My personal ingredients for finding tranquility are specifically to do with nature, location and partnership. I need a location near the coast, a natural unspoilt place. A place where a warm breeze is felt on the brow, as the sun sinks slowly on the horizon, and where I can smell wild blossoms. Finally, the right person to share such tranquility is vital, otherwise it is worthless. The first time I experienced tranquility was on a visit to Herm, a small Island off the coast of Guernsey, in the Channel Isles. The person who shared the experience with me was my maker, for this was just part of a religious retreat, where I had gone to relax and pray. I never can forget that occasion. The sea was very calm, though

the day was cloudy for most of the time on the island. Only the squawking of gulls occasionally halted my silent prayers. The second occasion was when I went to the same island, some years later, and when I joined my conﬁdant for a short visit on a memorable summerʼs day. I can say that there is nothing like conferring with a special friend in a most tranquil setting. We sat atop the hill looking out to the azure blue sea, as we talked privately of matters which concerned only ourselves. On the third occasion, just a couple of years ago, I took my wife to Guernsey for a short holiday. I asked Annie if she would like to visit Herm again. She said “Yes, I certainly would.” Though there were other places we planned to visit, we selected a day when the sea was calm and the sun was nice and bright. Then we climbed aboard the ferry for the trip to the island. At the jetty, Annie found the

disembarking difﬁcult, as the swell of the sea made stepping ashore a problem. But the ferry captain held the boat steady for her, and I stepped ashore at the same time. We walked up the steep hill, visited the chapel, and admired the views around us again. We visited a little shop where Annie bought gifts to take home, then we settled down to luncheon with wine at the White House Hotel. It was

at that moment in time when Annie took out her note book and wrote down the three little words, ʻThe Herm Experienceʼ. All these little visits to the island are still in my memory. Geoffrey P. B. Lyon Dear Editor, Reading News4 is always a huge pleasure, especially from here in Melbourne, so I hope it

goes on for ever. Reading recently about the Regal reminds me of a ditty we used to sing at the Star of the Sea, to the tune of ʻLay Down Your Armsʼ. Come to the Regal, Jump in the queue. Pay a lousy sixpence To get a lousy view. Then in the seats Where the ﬂeas have their hives, Lay Down your arse And theyʼll eat you alive! Wonderful education we had, didnʼt we?! Patrick Purcell Balwyn North, Melbourne Australia Top: Belvoir House on Herne. Left: The Regal still stands proud though no longer functioning as a cinema.

RODNEY DEVITT, D. P

OD. M., M. CH. S. I.,

PODIATRIST / CHIROPODIST Is now in private practice four full days at 62 Tritonville Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4

For consultation, advice and treatment for all foot conditions Telephone 6680485 for an appointment Monday to Thursday inclusive, 8am to 5pm The surgery is at garden level – no stairs Four minute walk from No. 3 bus (Star of the Sea Church) Off-road car parking – free

Singer and guitarist Martin Black is pictured at Ringsend Library performing ʻDublin Songs and Storiesʼ as part of National Heritage Week.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

A LETTER

FROM THE

By John Paul Murphy

n behalf of all the striking workers and their families at Marine Terminals, I would like to thank the people of Ringsend, Irishtown, Pearse Street, Sandymount and East Wall. These communities, in the truest sense of the word, rallied around a group of demoralised people who felt they had been mistreated, marginalised, and forgotten when facing an intractable employer, an employer that would go to ex-

PAGE 9

MTL STRIKERS

traordinary lengths to undermine and intimidate people that have, for years, served with loyalty. However, the support shown by the local community to those on the picket was overwhelming. The early days of this strike, that is now in its 11th week, were the darkest, beleaguered by managementʼs refusal to engage in negotiations, High Court injunctions and foreign mercenaries. Had it not been for the support received from our communities either side of the river, itʼs quite possible that we might not have had the resolve to continue.

There is a misconception with some that those on strike donʼt want to work or that they do so without any real thought about what theyʼre doing or the consequences for them and their families. This couldnʼt be further from the truth. Everyone who balloted for industrial action, did so only after great consideration and reﬂection, and in the knowledge that every other avenue except capitulation had been exhausted. I will not list for you here the whys and the wherefores of the dispute, but will say that every person who is on

Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centreʼs Summer Project Painting Class. Left to right, back: Zara Doyle, Toni Mocler, Shauna Manley, Nicolle Caulfield, Tutor Gary Pullen, Danielle McKeever, Rebecca Caulfield and Chloe Brien, Front: Tara Smith, Danielle Rooney and Ross Neville.

the picket never wanted to have to travel this road. To anyone who wants to know more about the dispute, run up to and details of its progression, I recommend a visit to a website set up by our supporters, www. mtldockers.com . One thing that we really need to convey to everyone who has come out in support of the strikers, whether by taking part in marches or expressing words of encouragement, other than the depth of our own collective gratitude on the picket, is to try and make you aware of how many people your displays of solidarity have touched on a broader scale. The website that has already been mentioned has chronicled the dispute and as a part of that, the actions of the local community in support of people on the picket. This has grabbed the attention of people all over Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK and beyond. We have literally received messages of support from all over the world, people overwhelmed by the courage and spirit of the local men and women of our communities who came to the assistance of their friends and neighbours in a time of crisis. The people in the community

should know that their generosity, determination and strength is as well known in other maritime communities as much as the dispute itself. When and how this dispute is going to end is not yet known. Those who are on strike will continue to stand up to this company as they have been doing since day one. They will continue to stand up for their right to be treated fairly, with the respect that is the birthright of every worker in this country, but at no point during this dispute has been shown. The only thing that is certain is that without the continued support of our friends and neighbours in the community we will not succeed in what is an issue of huge importance not just locally but on a national level. The outcome of this dispute will have enormous consequences for the industrial relations processes in this country. We have been extremely fortunate in the support that we have received thus far and know we can count on your support in the days and weeks to come. Sincerely and with the greatest of thanks, For and on behalf of striking Port workers.

PAGE 10

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

Positive Ageing Week Festival Cambridge Court Senior Citizens Complex In conjunction with Positive Ageing week, we invite you to join in our Festival from Friday 25th September to Saturday 3rd October 2009 Friday 25th at 2pm: Opening of our Exhibition by Deputy Lord MayorCouncillor Kevin Humphries, of Art, Pottery and Photography by local artists All ages welcome to exhibit their work. Digital Cameras available on loan Saturday 26th: Docklands Seniors Forum/ Service Providers Present Grand Evening Dinner/ Ball in Croke Park Cusack Suite, Big Band Sounds, 7 Till 11, Tickets €20, Transport. Contact your Community Group for More Details. Sunday 27th at 3 pm: B.B.Q, Music and Craic. Adjudicating of Exhibition, Presentation of Awards. Judges: Alice Leahy, Mannix Flynn, Robert Ballagh. Tuesday 29th at 11 am: Coffee Morning, Come along for a chat 8 pm Monster Bingo €10 book Wednesday 30th at 2pm: Introduction to Family History Research, Through Computers Let us help you get started Thursday 1st at 2pm: Fun Exercise Afternoon with W.I.I. Games. Join in a Game of Pool. Challenge our Champ Billy Burke. Friday 2nd at 8pm: Quiz Night in teams of 4 at €20 a table. This itinerary may be subject to change. We welcome any suggestions and help to make the week a success. We would love to hear from you. On behalf of The Committee: Willie Murphy, Christy Walsh, Laurel Hunter and Maureen Robinson. Telephone us at 087 2535 703

IN MEMORY OF PATRICK MURPHY

By Philip Tilley

atrick Murphy, a good friend to me and many others in Ringsend passed away suddenly recently. Patrick was a true Ringsend man, born, christened, first communion, confirmation, married and mourned all in St Patrickʼs Church in the parish of St Patrickʼs Ringsend. Patrick loved Ringsend and all its traditions like carrying the coffins over the bridge, sadly, this last honour was bestowed on him very early. Patrick was reared in OʼRahilly House. The Murphys lived in 45 and we were in 42, so I knew Patrick well from a very young age. After school we would hang around ʻthe forestʼ, the place where the I.G.B. was and new houses are now. Another favourite place was known as ʻthe dumpʼ. There were all kinds of treasures to be found there. Patrick could not afford to be seen there because his father was the bulldozer driver. His son Carl spoke about his father being a hard worker. It made me think about Patrick and all the little jobs he had as a boy. As head altar boy, Patrick had it all sewn up. When there was a wedding he was there, when there was a funeral he was there, so Patrick made a few bob that way.

Patrick also had a paper run for Sally Maguire, who sold her papers from a pram at the post ofﬁce corner at the junction of Bridge Street and Thorncastle Street. When I say ʻrunʼ I mean a marathon. Patrick used to deliver papers to all the ﬂats and Pigeon

House Road six days a week and collect the money on Fridays. Patrick could be seen delivering his papers in all weathers with his dog Prince, who was actually our dog but preferred to be Patoʼs best friend. At the height of Shelbourne Parkʼs popularity in the 60s and 70s, people would park their cars in the South Lotts Estate. Guess who was there to mind the cars? Pato. He was there Wednesdays and Saturdays, always on the same pitch which was the longest road, so he made the most mon-

ey. After that work was done, we always went to Ferrariʼs for our chips. When Pato left school he went to work for Irish Stained Glass, which was located on Hanover Quay. Pato worked there for a short period with his good friend Lar Ebbs. After this, Pato moved to a factory close by called Pel lreland, which made school furniture. He worked there for some years until our ﬁrst Recession came in the 70s and we were all laid off. Pato bought a car from his redundancy, which came in handy for travelling every day to the Shelly Banks. The summer was good that year. Thatʼs when Pato started to work on his tan– Pato loved the sun forever. In the meantime Pato was going with his childhood sweetheart Mary, who is also a true Ringsender. Pato and Mary eventually married in St. Patrickʼs Church and went on to have three lovely children Carl, Steven and Fiona. Our thoughts are with them. Pato went on to work for Dublin Corpo, as it was called then. Eventually, he made his way up the ladder, ﬁrst as chargehand and sometime later, with a little bit of extra study, he became Superintendent, which he and his family were very proud of. So after all that hard work Pato passed away after a short illness at the young age of 53. Now we all know what Carl was referring to when he made that excellent speech from the altar. May he rest in peace.

ʻDʼ Company, Dublin Brigade of the old IRA photographed in 1966 for the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising

Sandra Bridgeman dropped in this fantastic picture, taken in 1966 for the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. Pictured is ʻDʼ Company, Dublin Brigade of the old IRA 1916-21. Pictured standing, ﬁfth from left, is Sandraʼs Grandfather Michael ʻMikeyʼ Kavanagh who was 16 at the time of the Rising.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

P OETS

PAGE 11

IN PROFILE

H UGH M C F ADDEN

By Glenda Cimino How did you first get interested in poetry? In Synge Street School, the initial strong influences were English poetry– Shakespeare, Blake, Keats, Shelley, Wordsworth, and Coleridge; and Irish poetry in English– Mangan, Davis, Ferguson and, of course, Yeats, though Joyce influenced me more. He wasnʼt a great poet, but he was the first writer from his background with real genius, and he revolutionised prose. Later, I also admired Beckett. Other influences included poetry in Irish by such as Raftery, Eoghan Rua O Súilleabháin; and, in Latin, Virgilʼs Aeneid and Ovidʼs Metamorphosis. T.S. Eliotʼs poetry was a later influence. I went to study English at UCD in 1962, and switched from English to History and Political Science for my major, ending up with an MA in Modern History. The English course at that time was so old-fashioned: it stopped at the beginning of the 20th century. There was no Joyce, no Beckett, just a concentration on Yeats, and very little American poetry– though Denis Donoghue did introduce some modern American literary criticism and a few of Frostʼs poems. At UCD, I encountered people who later became well-known writers, such as Michael Hartnett and Paul Durcan. John Jordan was my favourite lecturer in English– many who attended his English Literature classes later became well-known writers: among them, Durcan, Hartnett, James Liddy, Macdara Woods, Brian Lynch, and Michael Smith. Poetry was being written by people I knew. Patrick Kavanagh was probably the single biggest influence on me after school and university. He influenced me at a young age and remains a powerful influence. I met Kavanagh on a few occasions, some not entirely happy and successful encounters. I spoke to Kavanagh about AE (George Russell) who was one of the first to publish him, as I was researching AE and the cooperative movement for an MA at the time. He told me that on his first visit to Dublin, he went

to AEʼs house in Rathgar, and AE gave him a present of half a dozen books. Jordan was one of Kavanaghʼs best friends in Dublin, and he didnʼt have many. Anthony Cronin, in a new book on Michael Hartnett edited by his son, Niall Hartnett, shared some memories of writers who socialised in OʼDwyers and MacDaidʼs in the early 60s. In the winter of 62-63, Cronin had just come back from teaching in a US university. He discussed with Jordan, Hartnett, Liddy, myself and others, the merits of the Beats– Ginsberg, Kerouac, and Ferlinghetti. At that time Ginsbergʼs HOWL could only be got in London. Cronin was not very favourable about the Beats, though he has since modified his view. Jordan and Liddy were enthusiastic; Hartnett didnʼt consider them a direct influence on himself. Years later, I had the pleasure of showing Ginsberg around Dublin on his visit in 1993. He loved Blake and was enthralled by Yeats. When did you publish your first poems? My first poems were published in a UCD magazine called ʻThe Studentʼ, in 63-64. I nearly made it into James Liddyʼs Arena, as Michael Hartnett, co-editor, had accepted my poems. But Liddy vetoed the acceptance because I used a pseudonym. That set back my writing for a while. John Jordan was editing ʻPoetry Irelandʼ magazine, but I hadnʼt the confidence to submit

anything to him after the episode with Liddy. Jordan, who later became a good friend of mine, was the ﬁrst major critic to acknowledge me as a poet, much later, about 1981, when he accepted some poems for the new ʻPoetry Ireland Reviewʼ. It was he who convinced me that I could write poetry. I began working in the ʻIrish Pressʼ in 1973, and I tended to regard myself as a news journalist and sub-editor– John Banville was Chief Sub-Editor, and I was an Assistant Chief Sub on his Desk. He was an extraordinarily disciplined person, working eight hours in a stressful job and writ-

ing novels in the morning before going to work in the evening. I tended to ʻsocialiseʼ a lot in those years with other journalists and bohemian literary friends. So I didnʼt publish as early as my compatriots. I had had some poems published in the 70s in ʻBroadsheetʼ, edited by Hayden Murphy, but it was only when John Jordan called me a poet and published my work, and then in 1984, your press, Beaver Row, published my book, ʻCities of Mirrorsʼ, that I began to think of myself as someone who wrote poems. In 1993, my second collection, ʻPieces of Timeʼ, was accepted and published almost immediately by Denis Greig of Lapwing Press in Belfast. As sometimes happens, Lagan Press of Belfast then got interested and in 1995, published my third collection, ʻElegies and Epiphaniesʼ. The elegies were often for literary or journalist friends who had passed away– including Jordan and Hartnett. I had been reviewing books for the Book Pages in ʻThe Irish Pressʼ, edited by David Marcus, so I was better known as a literary journalist than a poet. At the beginning of the 1980s, John F Deane approached Jordan to edit a re-founded poetry magazine to be called ʻPoetry Ireland Reviewʼ, which still exists. Jordan, one of our most eminent literary critics, then asked me to help him edit a selection of his literary criticism. I wasnʼt able to do it at that time because of work commitments. When John Jordan died in 1988, his brother James asked me to be his literary executor. I took this on as a labour of love.

So in 1991, Deaneʼs Daedalus Press published Jordanʼs ʻCollected Poemsʼ, which I edited, and Poolbeg Press published his collected stories. In 2004, I edited his selected prose, entitled ʻCrystal Clearʼ, with Lilliput Press. Pat Boranʼs Dedalus Press published the ʻSelected Poemsʼ last year. I am putting another volume together now around themes that interest me at present– political poems commenting on the state of the world and how it affects me. The working title is ʻAtomic Shadowsʼ. It includes anti-war poems, relating to events in wars from World War II to present conﬂicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the bombing of cities like Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dresden, London, and more recent atrocities from Northern Ireland to Iraq. As I get older, I begin to agree with Thomas Kinsellaʼs view that man has a propensity for violence and war, which seems intrinsic to his nature, as stated in his recent poem, ʻArgumentʼ . Do you have any advice for young poets starting out? I think it is so much easier for young poets to get published now that maybe some publish too early. Take your time, and publish in magazines a while before getting together a collection. Re-examine early verse and maybe rewrite before launching a volume. With the advent of poetry slams, some try to produce ʻinstantʼ poetry. This might sound well, but might not wear too well on the page. I discovered what Kavanagh meant when he said ʻI dabbled in verse, and it became my life.ʼ

The Dublin Fire Brigade marching band are photographed leading the South Docks Festival Parade from St. Andrewʼs, Pearse Street to Merrion Square for a Family Fun Day.

PAGE 12

By Noel Twamley

any of you will have enjoyed the world athletics meeting in the magniﬁcent Olympic Stadium in Berlin this August. This stadium was built by Adolf Hitler for the 1936 games and held 110,000 people, all seated. This is where Jesse Owens covered himself in glory. Jesse was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1913. His family moved north some years later. On 25th May 1935 he ran at the U.S Olympic trials for a place on the 1936 Olympic team, and how he ran! In the space of three quarters of an hour he smashed four world records and equalled a ﬁfth. In the long jump, he leaped 26feet 9inches. This record jump stood for 25 years. With this under his belt, he was a shoo-in for Berlin. In August 1936 he won four gold medals and was the star of the games. Much has been made by the American and British media about Owens being snubbed by Hitler. This has been proved a lie. What actually happened was Hitler would call all German winners to his box to congratulate them. The Olympic committee told Hitler he must call up all winners or none at all. Of course, nobody told Hitler what to do and nobody else got an invite to his box. Jesse himself said Hitler did not snub him. After one of his wins, “I passed the chancellor, he waved at me and I waved at him.” Despite Hitlerʼs feelings, Owens was cheered enthusi-

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

T HE J ESSE O WENS

astically by 110,000 people in Berlinʼs Olympic Stadium and later ordinary Germans sought his autograph when they saw him in the streets. Owens was allowed to travel with and stay in the same hotels as whites, an irony at the time, given that blacks in the United States were denied equal rights. Jesse was to say later his own president never congratulated

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him and he still had to get on the bus in his home town by the back door or ʻcolouredʼ section. Because of his skin colour, Owens got some appalling comments; in the American Ambassadorʼs box Mr Wolfe was heard shouting: “Owens is as black as tar. But what the hell, I was yelling for him.” When the games ended, the U.S. team sailed back home on the Queen Mary. Jesseʼs parents travelled to New York to welcome their son home, but there was no room at the inn– they were refused entry to every hotel because they were black. After a New York ticker-tape parade in his honour, Owens had to ride the freight elevator to attend his own reception at the Waldorf-Astoria. Jesse Owens was promised everything on his return, even a starring role in a movie called ʻCharlie Chan at the Olympicsʼ, but they were all empty promises. Unlike todayʼs track stars, Owens was soon strapped for cash. Newly-married and hard up, Owens took menial jobs like working in a laundry and as a gas station attendant. He also made a living as an entertainer,

STORY

at one stage racing against dogs and horses in Havana, Cuba. He even ran against his friend, heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis. He, of course, graciously let his friend Joe win. What a dreadful time he had trying to earn a living.

Because of World War II, there was a gap of 12 years to the next Olympic Games in London in 1948. But by that time, Jesse Owensʼs time had come and gone. Because of his winning smile and wonderful speaking skills, he later got a job for the U.S. Government working with young people. He divided his time from then on, working as a UN goodwill ambassador and training race horses. In the 1960s he went back to Berlin to see his name etched in the granite wall of the Olympic stadium. He was always fondly remembered by the people of Berlin and in 1984 a street close to the Olympic Stadium in Berlin was renamed Jesse-Owens-Allee, and the Jesse Owens Realschule/ Oberschule (a secondary school) in Berlin-Lichtenberg, was named for him. In this monthʼs games, I was delighted to see the entire U.S. track team had the initials J.O. stitched upon their shirt and vest; a ﬁtting tribute to a gentleman and an icon. After smoking for 35 years, Owens died of lung cancer in Tucson Arizona in 1980, aged 66. His modest tombstone reads ʻJesse Owens Olympic champion 1936ʼ. We shall leave the last word to the millions of readers of ʻSports Illustratedʼ, who voted Jesse the greatest athlete of the twentieth century. Above: Jesse Owens in action at the Berlin Olympics of 1936.

Zoe Doyle, Holly Rossiter and Kirsten Caulﬁeld (pictured) along with their friends Olivia Banable and Leah Walsh, raised €345 in a yard sale, selling their old toys in aid of Our Ladyʼs Hospital for children in Crumlin. Well done girls.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 13

P AULA ’ S MAKEUP MAKEOVER By Maeve Kelly

efore the makeup application Paulaʼs skin was cleansed, toned, and moisturised, then a primer was applied which acts as a base for foundation to sit on, which makes it last longer. A liquid foundation was applied all over Paulaʼs face and blended out towards the jawline, keeping the eye area completely clean, as a liquid eye concealer was used all over the lid and underneath the eye to hide any broken veins and dark circles. A small amount of a full coverage blemish concealer was then used sparingly around the nose and chin. Before applying any coloured shadow to the eye, a matte ivory colour was used all over the lid. The effect on Paulaʼs eyes was achieved by applying a shimmery stonecoloured shadow all over the lid and blending at the edges so the colour fades into the socket line. A deep brown/ bark colour was then used on the outer corners of the eye and blended into the socket for a clean finish. To achieve a soft effect for

the eyeliner, this brown colour was also smudged subtly along the upper and lower lid before a black pencil liner was applied. Finally, to give more definition a very small of amount of black shadow was applied at the outer, deepest part of the socket line and blended slight-

ly. A generous amount of mascara was then applied to the upper and lower lashes, followed by only three or four individual false lashes at the outer corner of each eye. Once the eye makeup was finished, Paulaʼs base was completed by applying a cream highlighter below the eyebrow and on the cheekbone, and a soft cream blush to the apple of the cheek. The look was then set by applying a small amount of powder to the nose and forehead area, but avoiding the outer part of the cheek, to maintain a hydrated, dewy look. To finish the makeup, a nude lipliner was applied all over the lips and finally a nudecoloured gloss was applied all over the lips. Thanks to NewsFour worker Paula Young for modelling for this assignment. My contact details are: phone, 087 9150275 and email maevekellymakeup@gmail. com My price for a call-out is €40 for one person, and €30 per person thereafter. Above: Paula before and after her makeover.

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Dublinʼs Lord Mayor, Cllr. Emer Costello, has taken to the airwaves. She will broadcast her ʻLord Mayorʼs Diaryʼ every Friday morning, 10-11am, on the ʻGood Morning Dublinʼ show on 103.2 Dublin City fm. “No Lord Mayor has ever done this before and we are delighted that she chose Dublin City fm,” said Mick Hanley, CEO of the station.

Private function room available– free of charge We can cater for Christenings, Birthdays, Anniversaries and all other occasions Finger food or full menu Open from 11am till late New Chef – Great food and amazing steaks

PAGE 14

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PHIL LYNOTT REMEMBERING

HIS

By Jason McDonnell

hilip Parris Lynott (20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish singer, bassist, instrumentalist, poet and songwriter, and frontman of Thin Lizzy. He was also a well-known Manchester United fan and used to hang out with George Best drinking till the early hours on many occasions. His ﬁrst bands were the Black Eagles, the Liffey Beats, Kama Sutra, Orphanage and Skid Row, a band that featured guitarist Gary Moore and bassist ʻBrushʼ Shiels. In 1969, Thin Lizzy was formed with guitarist Eric Bell and keyboard player Eric Wrixon, Their ﬁrst top ten hit was in 1973, with a rock version of the traditional Irish song ʻWhiskey In The Jarʼ, then in 1976 they had their big-

60TH

BIRTHDAY

gest international hit song ʻThe Boys Are Back In Townʼ. In 1978, Phil was featured in Jeff Wayneʼs Musical Version of ʻThe War of the Worldsʼ, singing and speaking the role of The Parson. And in 1980, he launched a solo career while still working with Lizzy in the background with the album, ʻSolo in Sohoʼ and the hit single, ʻKingʼs Callʼ, a tribute to Elvis Presley, featuring Mark Knopfler on guitar. His second solo venture, ʻThe Philip Lynott Albumʼ was a flop, despite the presence of the single ʻOld Townʼ and ʻYellow Pearlʼ, which became the theme tune to Top Of The Pops. In 1980, he married Caroline Crowther, the daughter of Leslie Crowther. Phil and Caroline had two daughters, Sarah, for whom the 1979 song of the same title was written, and Cathleen. In 1984, Thin Lizzy officially disbanded and Phil collaborated with former bandmate Gary Moore on a number of tracks including ʻOut in the Fieldsʼ and ʻParisienne Walkwaysʼ then later went on to form a new band called Grand Slam that did not have much success. Philʼs last hit, ʻNineteenʼ was released just a

few weeks before his death from heart failure at the age of just 36 in 1996. Philʼs death came as a terrible shock to his millions of fans but he had been struggling with drug and alcohol dependency for a few years. In 2005, a life-size bronze statue of Lynott was unveiled off Grafton Street, Dublin, outside Bruxelles bar. The ceremony was attended by former band members Eric Bell, Gary Moore, Brian Robertson, Brian Downey, and Scott Gorham, and by Philipʼs mother Philomena.

C OFFEE

This August, to mark what would have been Philʼs 60th birthday, there was an exhibition of limited edition art prints of the singer at the Green Gallery on the top ﬂoor of St Stephenʼs Green Shopping Centre. His mother Philomena Lynott was the guest of honour at the opening of the event with two live bands paying tribute to the late Philo: Glyder who recently supported Metallica in Marley Park, and a band called the Rockers playing covers of some of Philʼs many hits. Philomena was absolutely de-

lighted with the performances and really enjoyed celebrating her sonʼs 60th birthday with such a large turnout of dedicated fans. Phil will never be forgotten in Dublin. Above: Phil with Thin Lizzy in the 1970s. Below left: Jason McDonnell, Diarmuid Graham and Philomena Lynott (Mother of the late great Philip Lynott) at an art exhibition in St. Stephenʼs Green Dublin to commemorate Philipʼs 60th Birthday.

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Pictured at the Coffee Morning in Cambridge Court are Third Year Junior Cert Students from Ringsend Technical Institute. They are, at the back, left to right: Mark McKeever, Andrew Doyle, Nicole Bui Thi, Deborah Barry, Ryan Moylan and Dylan Reardon. In front, left to right: Chelsea Barry, Sorcha Moran-Doyle, Ash-

leigh Coughlan. The pupils are hosting a Coffee Morning on Friday, 25th September from 10.30am to 12.30pm. This event is in aid of Haroldʼs Cross Hospice and is part of their C.S.P.E. project. The project leader is class tutor, Barbara OʼRiordan. If you are interested in attending, contact Barbara on 086 6084838.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 15

THE ALCHEMIST CAFÉ – A SCIENTIFIC HUB

B y John F itzger ald

o you want to know more about the latest advances in Solar Energy conversion as a low-cost energy source? Do you want to catch up on the latest developments in Nanotechnology Applications and on their impact on the environment? The Alchemist Café Dublin is a forum for scientiﬁc debate and enlightenment that meets in the Mercantile Hotel on Dame Street, (opposite the Central Bank). Gatherings normally take place starting at 8pm on the ﬁrst Tuesday or Wednesday of each month, members of the public are welcomed and there is no cover charge. For the price of a coffee or a pint, anyone can attend and explore the latest ideas in the fast-changing world of science and technology. The meetings are held outside the traditional academic context

to encourage public engagement with science and to make science and scientists more accessible. The gatherings are more relaxed and informal than the traditional public lecture and the diverse audiences have one thing in common– an interest in science. Each event begins with a guest speaker (a scientist or science writer), giving a short talk on the eveningʼs subject, followed by an hour-long question and answer session with the public. The Alchemist Café is part of a Europe-wide organisation called ʻCafe Scientiﬁqueʼ which began in Leeds in 1998, with the objective of promoting science in a fun way amongst the general public. It soon spread to other cities across the UK and Europe and the Dublin branch certainly seems to be thriving. At the last meeting in July, Dr Steven Sullivan gave a talk on the use of stem cells for human therapy, cell replacement, drug screen-

ing and disease modelling. Currently a controversial and emotive branch of technology, Dr Sullivan highlighted common misconceptions concerning stem cell research in the media. Rumours abound that the true agenda of this research is human reproductive cloning and human farming, whereas the stated mission of most researchers is to serve patients who suffer from a wide range of currently incurable diseases and injuries. Such patients stand to beneﬁt from treatments being developed through stem cell research. Dr Sullivan also addressed the broader problem of the decline of fact-based science journalism and the rise of unsubstantiated blogging and the particular problem this represents to medical decision-making in general and those involving stem cell therapy in particular. The special characteristics of stem cells, what the different types of stem cells are, and how they are being used to treat human disease were all discussed. The Alchemist Café Dublin is free and anyone can turn up on the night. It is a non-proﬁt organisation and the speakers do not get paid a fee. Check out www.thealchemistcafedublin.com for details of coming gatherings Above: President Obama signs a bill promoting stem cell research. Left: Stem cells as seen by an electronic scanning microscope.

Swimming action from the Focus Ireland Triathlon

Geraldine M. Lynch (formerly of Irishtown Road)

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PAGE 16

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

Bookworm Reviewed by Nessa Jennings

ʻG

entleʼ, ʻa book of charmʼ say the reviews on the back cover of Anita Brooknerʼs ʻLatecomers.ʼ Brookner, who made her name with her fourth novel, the 1984 Booker Prize Winning ʻHotel du Lacʼ, has a reputation for genteel melancholy. But in ʻLatecomersʼ she demonstrates her ability to wield a scalpel, mercilessly dissecting the charactersʼ motives, exposing their desperation not to miss out on lifeʼs opportunities, revealing their increasingly limited choices during the business end of life, adulthood. The novel is about human relationships and their fragility, familiar territory for Brookner, and centres on two characters,

Hartmann and Fibich, lifelong friends, now in their sixties and their relationships with each other and their wives. Both Hartmann and Fibich had ﬂed the holocaust in the 1930s and met as schoolboys in London. Both charactersʼ families were subsequently killed during the war. Hartmann deals with this by becoming a ʻvoluptuaryʼ– “Why dwell on the past, particularly when the past was so uncongenial.” But Fibich, despite comfort and material success, cannot forget what he has lost. The two characters run a successful printing business together but anxiety is the prevailing atmosphere surrounding their homes and their marriages. Hartman has a studied disregard for personal insight, and so manages to uphold the disposition of ʻbon viveurʼ, and it is his original business idea which is funding the wives and children of

their bound-up personal lives. Yet no-one seems to be able to develop properly, even though their lives are unfolding, because they cannot locate the prime causes of their motives and character. Apart from the odd outing to London, the book is very much a one-room indoor play early on. This is a cruel novel, after the European style of writing. It reminded me of Vladmir Nabokov, and well worth reading for its word craft and observations, stripping everything back. The book is, above all, mature and a masterpiece. Towards the end, emotions open up, recalled dreams and fragments of childhood are pieced together in the quest for wholeness. Hartmann and Fibich have yielded to their past, and its effect on their lives and relationships. I ﬁnished the book in tears.

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By Nessa Jennings

irﬁeld is a 35-acre estate with working farm, formal gardens, a café and shop situated in Dundrum, Dublin. I visited on a sunny day ﬁlled with activity– a massive drumming circle and a gig in the Red Barn, with hay bales as seating. The very well-rehearsed and good-humoured North Strand Kontra Band were playing– I took a walk around the estate, which seemed extra special in the sun.

There were a lot of visitors, especially very young kids with no inhibitions, not afraid to dance or gaze at you with their huge eyes, joyous with the outing in the beautiful surroundings. Two big sheep looked mammoth, out on their own in fact. The Shetland foal is growing up, ﬁelds are seeding grass, and there seemed to be four times as many cattle and sheep as usual. On my walk, in the north west corner of the estate, and ﬁnding a body of water– everything seemed newly created– I was greeted by a

shy Belfast man, standing beside a small wooden house on a handsome raft, the artist in residence. He introduced himself as Andrew Dodds. And, after we were ﬁnished comparing the cost of living between London and Dublin, he invited me to take a look at the installation he had made in honour of the Overend sisters, Letitia and Naomi, who used to drive around Goatstown in their Rolls Royce, and who bequeathed the house and farm in its entirety, now called the Airﬁeld Trust. Inside the hut, I was greeted by the eyes of an uncommon red fox staring back at me, sitting on a shelf with rare stuffed birds, of which there were several. ʻWunderkammerʼ was the name of the exhibition, which I thought was a breed of bird, but actually refers to the cabinet of curiosities which wealthy people used to display in their homes objects they had collected from trips abroad. Andrew had assembled artefacts from the house in the same manner, and purpose-built the hut as their cabinet. On the left wall were bones of, probably, African animals. The smell of the wood inside and the view over the lake standing on the raft put you in mind of the Overends and their life together.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

By John Fitzgerald

rian Henderson w a s b o r n i n Wi c k low in 1950. Brian began painting and exhibiting his work at the very early age of 18 in the Living Art, Independent Artists and Oireachtas exhibitions in Dublin between 1968- 71. He has become known as an abstract artist, and is noted for his bold and vib r a n t u s e o f c o l o u r, s c a l e and structure. Joining in 1968, Brian was a committee member of the original Project Arts Centre; in 1971, he held his first one-man show there of large-scale paintings and was subsequently awarded the prest i g i o u s Wi l l i a m J . B , M c C a u l e y Tr a v e l F e l l o w s h i p by the Arts Council of Ireland, and to this day is the youngest recipient of this award. On receiving the award, Brian moved to New Yo r k , w h e r e h e c o n t i n u e d to live and work in loft Most exciting of all were the poems and letters in their handwriting which were on a tabletop under glass. Letitia and Naomi were artists, and one of them had composed a revised version of The Lordʼs Prayer… ʻThe Lord is my pilot I shall not want…ʼ on the wall was a large sheet of blue paper, a long scribbled list of the Overend kittens, and how each one had perished, evidence of the cruelty of a rural-type birth control. Airfield and Dun LaoighreRathdown commissioned Andrew Dodds to come over from London and do this residency and installation. The exhibition must have provided a talking point for visitors, as I am writing about it here. And it was nice to be able to talk to Andrew about the ʻWunderkammerʼ he had created. www.andrewdodds.com Airfield, Upper Kilmacud Road, Goatstown, Dublin 14. Pictures : 1) the hut 2) the bronze sculpture under the great oaks near the house ( dont know the artist) The house is 19th century on a forty acre estate, not exactly in the foothills of the Dublin mountains, but near enough. Ticket office: 01 2984301 Airfield and Overendʼs Cafe are open 7 days a week 11-5pm.

PAGE 17

BRIAN HENDERSON – ARTISTIC ABSTRACTION

warehouse studios in the C h e l s e a , S o h o , a n d Tr i b e ca districts of lower Manhattan. His immediate neighbours and acquaintances

at this time included Bob D y l a n , A n d y Wa r h o l , a n d J o h n L e n n o n . H e n d e r s o n ʼs work has been shown in many of the major galleries and bought by muse-

ums in the U.S.A, U.K, Europe and Ireland over the past forty years. He is also represented in many major collections worldwide.

In Ireland, his works are notably represented in the collections of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Ulster Museum, the Arts Council, UCD, the Bank of Ireland, the Central Bank, the Office o f P u b l i c Wo r k s , C o l eraine University and in the Contemporary Irish A r t s S o c i e t y. In 2007 Brian was made a member of Aosdána (the top honour for an Irish artist.) His current exhibition ʻPlanned Palimpsestsʼ (a palimpsest is defined as a parchment or other writing material from which one or more previous writings have been erased to make room for anothe r ) , a t t h e r e n o w n e d Ta y lor Galleries, 16 Kildare Street, Dublin 2, will be extended in the upper floors for another three weeks. The catalogue essay is by David Scott and the photographs are by Kate Horgan. For more info please go to wwwbrianhendersonartist.com

Joint Policing Sub-Committee, Ringsend Park Working Group

he Joint Policing Sub-Committee, Ringsend Park Working Group was set up with a view to reducing incidents of anti social behaviour in Ringsend Park and surrounding area. Its membership includes local public representatives, Gardai from Irishtown Garda Station, Community Representatives and Dublin City Council officials from Parks Section and South East Area and it has been meeting regularly since 2007. To date much progress has been made in promoting park usage and reducing anti-social behaviour in the park. Some of this progress includes: - The refurbishment of the childrenʼs playground - The installation of tennis courts and multiplay areas - The installation of an all-weather playing pitch Other actions include: - Drug Awareness Weeks, which make young people aware of the negativity of anti-social behaviour and the dangers of using drugs and excess alcohol. - The closure of a public right of way at Ropewalk Place - Increased patrols by the Gardai in the park and surrounding area. - A Ringsend Park Open Day in 2008 which involved sports activities, games, face painting, entertainers and music very much geared at the local community, particularly parents and children, to promote usage of the park. The group is currently investigating the possibility of organising a four-day Halloween Festival from 28th to 31st October 2009. It is planned to hold events in the park e.g. fancy dress football and Gaelic matches, music, dancing, karate and much more. It is hoped to have a Halloween Parade on Saturday, 31st October. It will finish in the G.A.A. club. Ringsend Park and other areas may suffer as a result of Halloween if bonfires occur. The aftermath of Halloween often involves much debris, litter and dirt following bonfires. This Forum appeals to all households and businesses in the area not to encourage bonfires by providing any material for the bonfire or by leaving anything outside your premises, which could be used as bonfire material. It is essential that the community take ownership of this excellent facility, thus discouraging the type of anti-social behaviour, which has plagued this park for a number of years. By Sheila Dunne

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PAGE 18

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

Film Scene By Michael Hilliard

‘District 9’

irector Neill Blomkampʼs first feature length movie, ʻDistrict 9ʼ is a masterpiece. A huge alien ship has hovered, stationary, over the skies of Johannesburg, South Africa, for twenty years. Its inhabitants– scaly, ugly aliens nicknamed ʻprawnsʼ– were evacuated, and then locked away inside District 9, a purpose built slum, separated from the human population. The aliens are deliberately made to appear disgusting: located somewhere between insects and crustaceans on the evolutionary scale, the aliens have hard shells, thin waists, sinewy joints and surprising strength. Humans call them ʻprawnsʼ because they are bottomfeeding scavengers who root around for food, especially cat food, to which they are addicted. The aliens speak in gurgling clicks, subtitled for our convenience, but they are understood perfectly well by the humans who have been oppressing them for twenty years. For a film set in South Africa, the symbolism of segregation is hard to miss. But Blomkamp chooses never to allude to the countryʼs past, allowing the audience to

draw whatever parallels they choose. A sign outside one South African playground orders, ʻNo non-human loiteringʼ. What the aliens apparently lack is a dark liquid that powers not only their ship but their sophisticated weaponry. The humans would love to control those weapons, but activation requires alien DNA. That doesnʼt prevent a Nigerian underworld boss, Obesandjo (Eugene Khumbanyiwa), from buying up the illegal alien weapons with cat food. The people of Johannesburg have had enough of these visitors and want them out of their city, so a new township is created for them far away: District 10. Relocating the thousands of ʻprawnsʼ is a job for a private contractor (Multinational United), complete with ruthless mercenaries using serious weaponry. Heading up the relocation program is a naive bureaucrat named Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), appointed by his father-in-law, who dislikes Wikus, and sets him up for a fall. An earnest Wikus wades into District 9, trying to get an approval signature from each of the aliens Multinational United (MNU) is moving, to maintain a semblance of legality,

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but of course, something goes wrong. Suddenly Wikus starts to experience strange physical symptoms, and the shoe is placed firmly on the other foot. Now on the run from MNU, he forms a relationship with Christopher Johnson, a prawn who seems to be smarter than the rest and who has been working for 20 years on a viable mechanism for flying home. District 9 is shot primarily as a mockumentary, largely through ʻnewsʼ footage, corporate videos, surveillance tapes and talking-head interviews. It works wonderfully in drawing the audience into the story and feels fresh and new, unlike any blockbuster youʼve ever seen. That is the key to District

9– itʼs different. From the location, to the accents, and particularly the comic touches, the film feels like something unique, despite the many nods to the invasion/ action movies that have come before it. Blomkamp, and producer Peter Jackson, knew that the film had to be hard-hitting (and indeed topical, if you take into account the not-sosubtle racism in the South African subtext) and therefore do not skimp on the violence. The excellent special effects are down to Peter Jacksonʼs involvement with the project. Post-production was done by the same New Zealand team that produced the ʻLord of the Ringsʼ trilogy. The pacing is perfect. A slow build to introduce the

back-story, followed by a frantic final third, there isnʼt a minute wasted. It must be noted that newcomer Sharlto Copley delivers a staggering performance– his first movie role (he is actually a director by trade) challenging him to get across a huge range of emotions, often without dialogue, not to mention the intensely physical aspects of the role. He is one to watch out for in future releases. This film is a stunning calling card from a major new talent. Well done Peter Jackson, for spotting his potential and backing his first feature. An outstanding debut for all involved, ʻDistrict 9ʼ is highly recommended viewing. Rating: 4.5 out of 5

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 19

H ARRY G REGG , MBE THE RELUCTANT HERO

By Jason McDonnell

recently watched a documentary called ʻOne Life: Munich Air Disaster ʼ about the 1958 plane crash that killed many United players. The British European Airways flight crashed just after take-off from Munich Airport. During the documentary, I heard that it was an Irish man who somehow found the courage to climb back into the burning wreckage of the plane to rescue a baby and young woman before pulling Bobby Charl-

ton and Dennis Viollet out of what was left of the aircraft and dragging them about 20 yards through the snow to safety. He had also saved the life of Vera Luki, a Yugoslav diplomatʼs wife, and her baby daughter Venona, as well as Sir Matt Busby and Jackie Blanchflower. To this day, Harry Gregg does not like to be known as the hero of Munich but it has to be said he certainly was. Twenty-three people died in the crash, including eight players from the Manchester United soccer

team, which had just qualified for the semi-finals of the European Cup. The Manchester United team at the time was led by Coach Matt Busby and his young players were known as the ʻBusby Babesʼ. Young Harry Gregg had started his career with the Windsor Park Swifts, the reserve team of Linfield, before signing for his local club Coleraine. And at the age of 18 he had earned a move across the Irish Sea to Doncaster Rovers, before transferring to Manchester United in December 1957. Gregg was capped for Northern Ireland 25 times. He was voted best goalkeeper of the tournament at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden ahead of renowned Russian keeper Lev Yashin. At the time of his transfer to Manchester United, he was the most expensive goalkeeper in the world. Gregg is rated by many as one of the best goalkeepers Manchester United ever had, yet he achieved no medals to justify this claim, which was made all the more frustrating for him by the fact that he played for the club during one of their most successful periods. He was ruled out of the 1963 FA Cup victory due to a serious shoulder injury, and a succession of injuries meant that he could not play enough games to qualify for a league championship medal in the 1964-65 and 1966-67 title-winning campaigns. He was transferred to Stoke City in the summer of 1967 then left Stoke City to manage Shrewsbury Town. Then he went on to become manager of Swansea City, resigning in February 1975 to join Crewe Alexandra, where he remained until 1978. He then had a spell with Manchester United again at the invitation of Dave Sexton as goalkeeping coach, where he stayed until Sex-

ton left. For some years after this he owned a hotel (fittingly called The Windsor Hotel) in the town of Portstewart on the north Derry coast. The documentary ʻOne Lifeʼ was made to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich Air disaster and in it, Gregg returned to the scene of the crash for the first time. On 1 July 2008, he was made an Honorary Graduate of the University of Ulster and awarded the degree of Doctor of the University in recognition of his contribution to foot-

ball, at their Summer Graduation Ceremony. Left: Harry Gregg after being awarded his honorary degree from the University of Ulster on 1 July 2008. Below right: Manchester United goalkeeper Gregg saves a shot from a Sheffield Wednesday attack during the FA Cup Fifth Round match at Old Trafford on 19 February 1958. Bottom: The wreckage of the Manchester United Elizabethan airliner which crashed at Munich Airport on 6 February 1958.

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PAGE 20

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

B OLAND ’ S M ILLS By John Fitzgerald

olandʼs Flour Mills, which stands deserted on Grand Canal Dock, is one of Dublinʼs landmark buildings. The mill, for the moment at least, dominates the local skyline. It is particularly imposing when viewed from the streets of the South Lotts. Built from stone in the 19th century for the famous Dublin bakery dynasty, it stands six stories high and contains 250 windows. Much of the old heavy machinery and equipment such as milling machines and wooden hoppers are still housed in the building. The stone structure was dwarfed in the 1940s by the addition of three giant concrete storage silos. Ideally located close to the docks at Charlotte Quay, the mill and storehouse supplied the nearby Bolandʼs Bakery, which has long since been demolished, making

way for the Treasury Building. At one stage, the mill had 150 dray horses stabled to deliver its loads. It was of course, the buildingʼs role in the Easter Rising of 1916 which earned it a place in Irish history. When planning the Rising, the rebel leaders were well aware of the strategic location of Bolandʼs. Overlooking the Grand Canal Dock at Charlotte Quay and MacMahon Bridge, positioning a garrison in the mills would allow defence of the three bridges spanning the Grand Canal; Lower Mount Street, Ringsend and Grand Canal Street, and so block the canal entrance to the cityʼs port. The garrison would also be strategically placed for attacks on both rail (Sandymount and what is now Pearse) stations serving the south of the city, and the main roads from the port of Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire), where the majority of British reinforcement troops would land.

A little before midday on Easter Monday 1916, a young mathematician called Éamon de Valera led a garrison of around 100 into the mills. He ordered the workers to take the rest of the day off and the rebels took up positions throughout the buildings. Under the command of De Valera, they held out until the following Sunday, when they reluctantly surrendered under orders from Pádraig Pearse. The Bolandʼs Mills Garrison were the last of all the Dublin city garrisons to surrender. Between

Mount Street Bridge and the mills, they had inﬂicted huge casualties on the British forces who were trying to reach the city centre. In 1984 the site, then in receivership, was acquired by food giant IAWS, but it ﬁnally ceased production in 2001. Later, the site was purchased by the Sean Kelly-controlled Benton Property Holdings. He had previously successfully redeveloped the old Adelaide Hospital site at Peter Street in Dublinʼs south inner city. In July 2006 it was announced

that a mixed development of ofﬁces, a boutique hotel and a restaurant fronted by British celebrity chef Gary Rhodes were to be built on the massive 7,149 square metre site. Planning permission was refused in 2007 and today the building sits quietly overlooking the city. It was destined to be one of the jewels of the docklands. Those plans have come to an abrupt halt, but while the future of Bolandʼs Mills may be uncertain, its past is part of who we are.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 21

C ANADA A TALE OF TWO CITIES By Aisling Flood

n our first day we oriented ourselves by taking a hop-on/hop-off bus tour through downtown Toronto. Starting at the bizarre ʻcastleʼ of Casa Loma– the mixʼnʼmatch folly of an early 20th-century entrepreneur– the tour took us south through the self-consciously affluent Yorkville area, the leafy museum and university district, the financial area of Bay Street, and finally the Lake Ontario harbour front. The cityʼs architecture is dominated by high-rises built from the 1960s on, peaking in the ʻ80s, with many of the older, Victorian buildings demolished to make way for them. Perhaps compounded by jet-lag, we found the overall feel of downtown oppressive and dated in a way that only once-futuristic cityscapes can be. Close to the waterfront is Torontoʼs biggest landmark, the CN Tower, which has suffered the ignominy of demotion from the worldʼs tallest building, to the tallest free-standing structure, and now to the tallest monolith in the Americas (who knew there were so many categories?). At the waterfront, we left the bus tour and took a boat trip around the harbour. The construction mania is most intense here, with countless ʻcondoʼ buildings craning for the best view of the lake. The boat took us to the Toronto Islands, tranquil parklands with minimal development where people come to relax, a world away from the city. On the second day, we took an 11-hour tour to Niagara Falls. The

Falls themselves are spectacular, especially seen from a helicopter, but the resort is quite tacky, crammed with casinos and allyou-can-eat food stops. A single and purely decorative Mountie mans his post (sans horse) in response to the tourist demand for photo opportunities. On the way back to the city we stopped at the pretty but slightly spooky heritage town of Niagaraon-the-Lake. Settled by loyalist refugees from the American War of Independence, itʼs lined with clapboard houses now home to shops selling pricey, ʻolde worldeʼ goods, including an all-year-round Christmas shop. On our last day in Toronto, we went to the Royal Ontario Museum, which has a fascinating Native collection, including four huge totem poles, and was hosting the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition, and the afternoon was spent wandering around the Queen St shopping area. The five-hour train journey to Montreal was through a flat landscape of endless cornfields. As we pulled into the city, though, it immediately felt more human-scale and comfortable than Toronto, enhanced by being a little shabby and rough around the edges. The largest city in French-speaking Quebec, Montreal has retained much of its historical fabric and has an unmistakably European feel. Taxi drivers and restaurant staff all addressed us in French and we responded in kind until we ran out and reverted to English, at which point they would charmingly express surprise that we werenʼt native speakers.

We took a walking tour of Old Montreal and saw the gothic Notre Dame Basilica, the silver-domed Bon Secours market and the Place Jacques Cartier. The latter is a pretty square lined with outdoor restaurants with colourful awnings, and the perfect spot for some lazy people-watching, where we noted a curious penchant among male Montrealers for Samuraistyle hair buns. More entertainment is provided by street theatre performances, although there can be congestion at times– a stoical magician was upstaged twice by a Turkish marching band which appeared from nowhere and did a lap of the square. There was an abundance of spontaneous-seeming public art and cultural activity, from the grafﬁti art on many of the buildings (much of it by students and sponsored by the city) to an urban garden on a vacant lot with ﬂowers sprouting from an old armchair and a toilet. While exploring the St Lawrence waterfront, we happened on a modern dance performance on a sailboat at the dock. With the aid of a sheet, the two dancers made clever use of the boatʼs rigging in an acrobatic display that was both

graceful and funny. On our second day we went to the Museum of Archaeology and History, which stands at the birthplace of Montreal, Pointe-Calliére, and ingeniously incorporates several archaeological layers from the continuing excavations in its structure.Two French missionaries are credited with founding the settlement in 1642, and the oldest level currently on public view has traces of the townʼs wooden palisade dating from 1684. We spent our ﬁnal day soaking up the atmosphere in the Old Town and window-shopping (Montreal-

ersʼ laid-back attitude extends to opening hours, and many of the shops donʼt open until 11 or even 12 oʼclock). Calorie-guilt had to be shelved as the city has a huge range of great-tasting and cheap café-style food. Finishing the trip with a boat tour on the St Lawrence, where we caught a glimpse of the 1976 Olympic stadium, we left Montreal wishing that we had a few more days there, the best recommendation for any destination. Top: Toronto skyline. Below: Niagara Falls.

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PAGE 22

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

P ETERSON

By Louise Hanrahan

n 1865, two brothers from Nuremberg, Friedrich and Heinrcsh Kapp, opened an elegant tobacconistʼs shop on Grafton Street, the shop was called Kapp Brothers. The brothers ran a successful business for a few years mak-

D OES

G RAFTON S TREET

ing high-quality Meerschaum and Briar Root pipes. One day in the late 1860s, a Latvian immigrant called Charles Peterson walked into the Kapp workshop and declared that he could make better pipes than they could. Armed with an imaginative flair for pipemaking and a craftsmanʼs background, Pe-

terson not only proved hiself correct, but became the third partner in the firm. Kapp and Peterson was born. Today, Peterson pipes are a globally-respected brand. The finely-crafted pipes are still manufactured in Dublin at Peterson house in Sallynoggin and are still sold from the flagship shop on Grafton Street. I met with the manager, Brian Tracey and I was introduced to a world of exclusive gifts, Peterson pipes, and a fine range of cigars, tobaccos and other artefacts that are dedicated to utter craftsmanship, elegance, and quality. Not surprisingly, the shop has the largest selection of Peterson pipes in the world and as such is a magnet for pipe enthusiasts from all over. Petersons also boasts the only walk-in humidor in Ireland. Peterson stock their own range of cigars made especially for the business in Honduras from a blend of Honduran and Nica-

raguan tobaccos. So if you are looking for gifts for the man or woman who thinks they have everything– there are delights to be had here for even the most jaded of palates. Provided they smoke, of course! They are open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm. Thursday 9am to 8pm. Sunday: 12 noon to 6pm. Pictured above are Brian Tracey and Glen Whelan of Peterson.

BROWN NEED OUR HELP ?

By Peter Pick

tʼs not about Gordon. He is beyond our help anyway, even if we cared. No, something even stranger is afoot. Somewhere in Portugal they are having a festival– (not surprising in itself, of course, somewhere in Portugal they are ALWAYS having a festival)– dedicated to the colour brown. There will be a performance by chocolate puppets. Poems will be read, and videos, photographs and paintings displayed. There will be music, and food, and all this in defence of the colour brown. You might think there is enough brown in the world already and that brown can look after itself, but this is not good enough for the organisers of this event. They call brown ʻthe under-rated colourʼ. Brown is not part of the rainbow. It is not in the colour wheel taught to schoolchildren in art lessons, it was not featured in the famous optical experiments of Sir Isaac Newton. Brown has never been ʻthe new blackʼ. Brown is neglected, then, it holds a tenuous, lowly place among the colours, a muddy mixture of a thing, related to unseemly bodily

functions and neither smart nor fashionable. But these lovers of brown are determined to change such perceptions. They declare shamelessly that brown is the origin of life, since grain is grown in the brown earth and baked into brown loaves, that brown is the sustainer, being the colour of wood, of the trunks of trees, that brown is the terminus, (the colour of rust), the destination, (the colour of earth), the desire, (the colour of chocolate) the ambition; brown is the colour we aspire to, lying in the sun. They are holding this festival in Perre, near Viana do Castelo in the north of Portugal, a beautiful region less disturbed by tourism than the south. It happened on the 19th and 20th of September, and artists and performers from Portugal, Holland, England, Turkey, Russia and Brazil were featured. Photographers from all over the world have contributed brown images. Perhaps after this we will look at brown with new respect. Perhaps brown will take on a new glow. But anyway, itʼs a good excuse for a party. And isnʼt whiskey brown? http://www.festivalofbrown. blogspot.com/

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

F ORTHCOMING E VENTS

PAGE 23 Tuesday, 8 December: The Bram Stoker Family– a typical 19th century Dublin Protestant Family? By Douglas Appleyard, Historian and specialist on the author of Dracula. Royal Dublin Society (RDS) Autumn Speaker Series The RDS talks take place on Wednesday evenings at 6.00pm, in the RDS Minerva Suite, Ballsbridge. Refreshments are served following the talk, in a friendly and informal setting, allowing for discussion and networking

nights.

opportunities. Admission to these lectures is free and open to the public, but advanced booking is required. Upcoming RDS Speaker Series events: Wednesday, October 7: ʻArthur Guinness– Founder of the Dynastyʼ by Patrick Guinness Wednesday, October 14: ʻByzantiumʼ by John Julius Norwich Wednesday, November 4: ʻAdolf Mahrʼ– Dublinʼs No 1 Naziʼ by Gerry Mullins Wednesday, November 11:

onʼt let the darkening evenings of autumn get you down. There are a lot of interesting lectures and discussions to hone your mind and brighten your

The Ballsbridge, Donnybrook and Sandymount Historical Society events, October to December 2009 Lectures below take place at 8.00 pm in St. Maryʼs National School, Belmont Avenue, Donnybrook. Parking is available. Members are free, and guests are welcome at €3.00 admission. Thursday, 15 October: The History of the Grand Canal: Colin Becker, Inland Waterways Association of Ireland Thursday, 19 November: John A. Costello– Compromise Taoiseach: Anthony Jordan Thursday, 3 December: The Annual General Meeting and Membersʼ Evening giving members an opportunity to talk about an item of historical interest. Members who wish to give a short presentation ( 5 to 6 minutes) should contact Gail Wolfe. For further information, see the website, www.bdshistory. org, or contact pembrokelibrary@dublincity.ie, phone 016689575. Genealogical Society of Ireland open meetings Also, if you are interested in tracing your ancestors, or someone elseʼs, the Genealogical Society of Ireland is holding some open meetings this autumn in the Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education, Cumberland Street, Dun Laoghaire, at 8 p.m. Subscription is €3. Tuesday, 13 October: Research Collections at Dublin City Library and Archive. By Dr Maire Kennedy, Dublin City Library and Archive Tuesday, 10 November: Researching One Family History in County Wexford. By Gaye Conroy, Members, GSI

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ʻEveryoneʼs Cup of Teaʼ. Tea tasting with Owen Dawson Wednesday, November 18: ʻThe Ernest Hemingway I Knewʼ by Valerie Hemingway Wednesday, November 25th: The ʻOld Dublin Societyʼ by Dudley Levistone Cooney For further information, or to book, please contact: Library Desk, RDS Library, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Tel: +353 (0) 1 240 7254 Fax: +353 (0) 1 240 7293 Email: librarydesk@rds.ie

PAGE 24

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

A STRONOMY I RELAND SATURN , THE BIG BANG , AND MORE

By Glenda Cimino

009 is the International Year of Astronomy, and Astronomy Ireland has several events coming up before the end of the year. Friday, 25 Sept at 9pm: Nationwide Jupiter Watch Jupiter Watches for the public will take place in various locations from 9pm on 25 September 2009. Astronomy Ireland will set up very powerful telescopes for the watch, with locations in Cavan, Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Louth, Mayo, and Sligo. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System and is a stunning sight through any telescope. Not only will its larger moons be visible, but the famous Great Red Spot, a storm hundreds of years old, will dominate the huge disc. Volunteers and coordinators will be available to answer any questions. Thursday, 8 October at 7:30 pm: Evening Classes begin and continue every Thursday for 8 weeks, from 7:30 to 9:30 each night.

Friday, 9 October at 8:00pm: ʻThe View From Saturn: Images From The Cassini Spacecraftʼ By Professor Carl Murray, Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Queen Mary, University of London. The Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn was launched in 1997 and entered orbit about the ringed planet in 2004. The project is a collaboration between NASA, ESA and ASI, the Italian space agency. The spacecraft is the largest ever sent to the outer solar system and it comprises the Cassini orbiter and the Huygens probe. In January 2005 the released Huygens probe descended through the atmosphere of Titan, Saturnʼs largest moon, and landed on its surface. The Cassini spacecraft has continued in orbit, transmitting data back to Earth about Saturn, its moons and rings. Carl Murray was selected as a member of the Imaging Team on Cassini in 1990. Carl, originally from Belfast, is the only UK member of the team. He has a particular interest in Saturnʼs rings and their gravitational interaction with small moons orbiting in the Saturn system. In the talk, he will discuss the Cassini-Huygens mission and show

some of the spectacular images taken by Cassiniʼs cameras over the last five years, emphasising what has been discovered about Saturnʼs ring system. Monday November 9 at 8:00pm: ʻThe Big Bangʼ By Dr. Cormac OʼRaifeartaigh, Physics Department, Waterford Institute of Technology. Originally proposed by Georges Lemaitre, and named by Fred Hoyle, ʻThe Big Bangʼ is a cosmological model of the initial conditions and subsequent development of the universe that is supported by much current scientific evidence and observation. The term ʻBig Bangʼ generally refers to the idea that the universe has expanded from a primordial hot and dense initial condition, or point, at some fi-

nite time in the past, for reasons unknown, some say 13.7 billion years ago, and continues to expand to this day. Dr. Cormac OʼRaifeartaigh will explore the evidence for the Big Bang theory and how our knowledge of the early universe has grown rapidly over the past few years. Dr. Cormac OʼRaifeartaigh teaches introductory cosmology and runs a weblog at http://coraifeartaigh. wordpress.com/. Saturday and Sunday, November 14-15th: Astro-Expo 2009 The biggest Astronomy and Space exhibition on this island. There will be information and displays on rockets, meteorites, imaging, telescopes, astronomy degree courses, and a full compliment of lectures and activities.

‘S ANDYMOUNT S TRAND ’

his slim anthology of local poetry was published first in 2006 and reprinted in 2008 by Deep Pool. It represents the work of six poets: Denis Leonard, Catherine Lloyd, Niamh Wallace, Margaret Horne, Daphne Flannery, and Michael OʼReilly. Their themes and inspirations vary: Sandymount Strand, the accidental death of a young man on the road, friendship, nomads, God, beauty of nature, reflections on personal and social changes. In ʻWanderer ʼ, Leonard juxtaposes the life of a nomad on his camel against the daily commute and wonders: ʻOh nomad, would you swap with us/ Who daily commute by diesel bus?ʼ Lloyd reflects on the character of a man who planted and then neglected a tree in The Pear Tree: ʻHe hated all these outdoor games/ that young boys loved to play/ and thought that with the little tree/ heʼd somehow spoil their day.ʼ Wallace in ʻBeware the Bullʼ eloquently describes a field which becomes a ʻdevelopmentʼ: ʻMarketing moguls next joined in the game/ De-

Monday, 14 December: Christmas Lecture. ʻThe European Southern Observatoryʼ (ESO) by Professor Tim de Zeeuw, Director General of the European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany. Tim de Zeeuw received his PhD degree from Leiden University. He worked at the Institute for Advanced Study and Caltech before returning to Leiden as professor of astronomy. His research focuses on the formation, structure and dynamics of galaxies. He directed the Netherlands Research School for Astronomy and Leiden Observatory, and served on oversight committees for AURA, ESA, ESO and NASA. He is currently Director General of ESO, an intergovernmental organisation for astronomy with 14 member states which operates telescopes in northern Chile. The talk will summarise the current programme and outline plans for the coming decade. ESO will cover some scientiﬁc highlights, and will outline the plans for the coming decade. Admission to lectures: €7 (€5 members and concessions) Location: Fitzgerald Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2. Near the Westland Row or Lincoln Place entrances. DVDs of lectures are €7 each plus €5 for P&P for any number of DVDs and can be ordered from Astronomy Ireland. For more information, contact www.astronomyireland.ie. Above: Jupiter.

AND OTHER POEMS

vising descriptions effusive./ “The desirable residence located here/ Offers a lifestyle elusive”.ʼ Horne in ʻHair ʼ amusingly follows a girlʼs emotional life through changes in her hair colour: ʻPraise be at last her hair reverted/ to that brown hue the Lord intended./For then she found her dreams came true/And married faithful Thomas Hugh.ʼ In ʻA Spring Breezeʼ, OʼReilly personifies the breeze and captures its mischievous quality: ʻHe bellied the curtains where maidens were dressing/ And freshened their dimples, soft places caressing.ʼ In ʻSimplicityʼ, Daphne Flannery says, ʻWe become artists when we see/ with our hearts and not our eyes.ʼ All of these writers are sincere in their quest and have produced an uncomplicated little volume, an ideal companion for a lonely bus journey. ʻSandymount Strandʼ is available through Books on the Green, Sandymount. Price €5.00

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 25

WINE: SPOILED FOR CHOICE! By Therese OʼToole Portuguese wines for Autumn With increasing numbers of Irish people visiting Portugal every year, it is no wonder top quality, reasonably priced Portuguese wines have become popular on the shelves in wine stores around Ireland. There are over 300 grape varieties in Portugal. Among them is Arinto, a popular white grape grown throughout southern Portugal, north of the Algarve. This grape gives good, crisp acidity and freshness on the palate with characteristics of lemons and peaches. The most common red grape varieties are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca & Tinta Roriz. The warmer climate in Portugal lends itself to grapes that yield full-bodied red wines which are ideal for enjoying in the Autumn season. Touriga Nacional is found in some great fortiﬁed Port wines of the Douro, but is also blended with other grapes to make full-ﬂavoured wines. Touriga

Franca, the fifth most planted grape in Portugal, also used in the making of Port, is lighter in style with perfurmed aromas. Tinta Roriz (also known as Tempranillo in Spain) is likened to a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, and is used as a single grape variety, or again, blended with other grapes for rounder flavours. Youʼll find more and more great Portuguese wines in Irelandʼs many independent wine stores, so donʼt be afraid to try something different. A couple of my recommendations are: Marquís de Borba White, 2007, Alentejo, Portugal, 12.5% abv, €13.99 A blend of Arinto, Rabo de Ovelha, Roupeiro grapes; this wine has aromas of honeydew melon with slight minerality. The palate is dry, with crisp acidity and a lemon and key lime finish. A good, structured wine suitable with chicken, salads and white seafood. Quinta do Cardo Red, 2005, Beira Interior, Portugal, 13% abv, €11.99

This wine is from Portugalʼs highest vineyard, at an altitude of 700m. A blend of Touriga Nacional & Tinta Roriz, the wine is aged for nine months in French oak, resulting in a fullbodied wine with soft tannins

and ripe fruit ﬂavours of blackcurrants and blackberry. This wine is best served with pasta dishes & light red meats. Available at good independent wine stores, including The Wine Boutique, Ringsend.

R USTING

RINSGEND RESIDENTS staged two marches to highlight the closure of their post ofﬁce during the summer. Hundreds of people took part on both occasions and there was widespread support from passing motorists, provided they didnʼt get stuck in the massive tailbacks the marches caused! One thing was for sure, all of South Dublin was aware of the situation by the time the protests were ﬁnished. Unfortunately, it was all to no avail, An Post went ahead and shut the branch as planned.

This October, The Wine Boutique in Ringsend will be introducing a new exclusive range of Portuguese wines from Douro Family Estates. Above: Therese OʼToole.

INTO OBLIVION

I RECENTLY took some photographs of the antique hand-driven crane behind Poolbeg Station. Dublin Port and Docks Authority appear to be allowing this 200 year old piece of industrial heritage to simply rust away. Old photographs and paintings of the lighthouse show the crane in action; it was probably used to take in supplies for the Red Lighthouse. In my opinion, this crane is completely salvageable and should be restored for future generations. By Jem Harney

PAGE 26

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

THE QUEEN OF ALL FLOWERS By James OʼDoherty

t was a beautiful autumn evening. The trees standing still were awaiting the pageant that is the falling leaves. As I walked and admired the beautiful gardens in Sandymount and its surrounding areas, one plant stood out for me. Despite the late season, it seemed our uncertain climate was welcomed by the queen of all ﬂowers– the rose. The rose is Great Britainʼs favourite ﬂower and is loved all over the world for its beauty; it is hard to think of any plant as colourful and versatile as the rose. The Chinese have been growing roses for thousands of years and the history of rose-breeding means that today we can enjoy a huge variety of these beautiful plants. Roses are tough and will grow for many years. They are a longterm investment and require a little attention. You can buy container or bare-rooted plants. Container roses can be planted all year round, bare-rooted from October to March. So how should you care for this investment? Give them a good start– they like rich ground, dig in plenty of well-rooted manure and it is a good idea to apply a general fertiliser when planting. Feed with tomato food during June and August at ten-day intervals. Roses like plenty of water, so water the beds thoroughly dur-

ing the summer, especially if the weather is very dry. It is a good idea when you buy your roses bare-rooted to put the roots into a bucket of water. Do not allow them to dry and plant bare-rooted roses until the end of March. Container plants can be planted all-year round. It is best to grow roses in dedicated beds. They can be planted in ﬂower beds, shrubberies, herbaceous borders and even containers. Make sure to dead-head at all times. Keep your rose plants strong by pruning and keep them disease-free. Use fungicides early as a preventative measure. You can also use cold water and soap to help. Pruning is essential and can be carried out between November and March. Remove dead and diseased wood, keep centre open, cut back hard– eight inches from the ground is ideal. And for standard roses, cut back tight to a nice, round head in late Autumn. The greatest rose of all time is in my opinion the Peace Rose– enormous blooms, big and bushy, and it grows anywhere. It was introduced in 1945 and is still growing strong– a must for your gardens. There are many types of roses, so let me choose some popular ones and suggest you select from this list for planting. Floribunda (cluster roses): Anna Livia– The Dublin Roses; Iceberg; Masquerade; Queen Elizabeth

Rambling and Climbing Roses: Albertine; Dublin Bay Shrub Roses– (great individual plants– robust growth so be careful) Ballerina; Graham Thomas; Nevada; Cardinal Hume Ground Cover Roses: Red Max Graf; Nozomi; Flower Carpet Patio planters and for edging beds: Anna Ford; Top Marks; Pandora Standard Roses: Silver anniversary; Ice berg Why not try a weeping standard or a half standard in a container?

There is, as you can see, lots to choose from and there are roses for special occasions. A ﬂavour of these includes; Wedding Day; Remembrance; Many Happy Returns; Remember Me; Irish Eyes. The 2009 rose is one to watch out for– Lucky– a lilac pink ﬂoribunda with the scented rose Absolutely Fabulous following in 2010. You can always visit the Rose Gardens in St. Anneʼs Park here in Dublin. It opened to the public in 1975 and is now a centre for international rose trials. It is well worth a visit. It took me many years to convince the then Dublin Corporation to commission a rose to honour the memory of the victims of the Stardust tragedy (two of whom were parishioners). Today, it blooms in the Stardust

Memorial Park, a lasting reminder of young lives lost. In 1988 during Dublinʼs millennium celebrations an official rose was commissioned– the Anna Livia. It was proposed to plant this in every park in the then Dublin Corporation area, but alas this did not happen. I have a dream that magnificent beds of this rose will one day bloom in Ringsend Park, Sandymount Green and all other parks in our city. It would be a wonderful way of making Dublin proud. And let me end on a whimsical note– when Dublin win the All Ireland and receive a civic reception in The Mansion House, the players would wear the official Dublin rose in their lapels. Did I say Dublin to win the All Ireland– surely thatʼs not a dream, itʼs a nightmare!

Eleven o’clock Swimmers Fun Mini Triathlon By George Humphries Once again, the Eleven oʼclock Swimmers from the Forty Foot at Dun Laoghaire are doing their annual fun triathlon in aid of cancer research. Last Year, the triathlon raised €30,000. The race, organized as usual by Christy Dunne and his team, will take place on Saturday November 14th at 11 oʼclock. The good news is there are no set distances to achieve, it will include a little swim, then a short cycle followed by a nice little walk or run. There will be plenty of food and refreshments available for contestants, laid on by the Forty Footers. It is all in aid of breast and prostate cancer research. Anyone interested in doing this triathlon, please telephone Monica on 0868696782.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 27

DUBLIN 4 PUBS PAST AND PRESENT

By George Humphries

ecently, when I was invited along to a family get-together, I was told that it was going to be in the Gasworks. At ﬁrst I thought I knew where it was but then I was told it was in the former Kitty OʼSheaʼs on Grand Canal Street. When I got to it and found a new hotel facing the old meat company works, it occurred to me that I never knew this pub as anything other than Ned Smithʼs. Many years ago, when I was in my teens, I used to up there for a few pints– it was a small, but very homely little pub then with a great, friendly clientele and Ned Smith was a gentleman. In those days, before the pubs started serving food, all you could get in this bar was cheese and cream crackers. On Sunday nights, the upstairs lounge was opened and I can never remember it being opened on any other days. It got me thinking there must be very few old-style Dublin pubs like Smithʼs left these days. The Beggarʼs Bush was another one of these little pubs that I used to go to. The Ryan family, who still own the place, were great publicans; it was another tiny pub that made up for lack of space and amenities with great company. We would often go up on Sundays or, when I was home on leave from the merchant navy, on week days for a few beers and a few games of darts

or dominoes, or sit having a chat with the other punters. There were always great characters in there, the craic was mighty, I can assure you. Ryanʼs was redeveloped some years back and it is now a ﬁne, spacious modern bar, but the same crowd still go there and it is still a ﬁne place to go for an evening out. Iʼm glad to see they still have the dart board in the bar and card games most nights. The atmosphere there is the same as it was in the old days when my late dad used to go there and some of my own family still go there on a regular basis. To my eyes, the pub scene has changed vastly in this area, in particular in the last few years. I gave up drink in the 1980s and left it all behind me. But way back then, I was a daily drinker in Clarkeʼs, Gleesonʼs and the Irishtown House to name a few. Clarkeʼs in particular was always jam-packed, especially at lunch-

time when you had a big crowd from the coal distributors and from the docks. Then you had the Bottle House crowd who always were there either going in to work or ﬁnishing their shift. Nowadays, with the CDL and the Bottle House both gone and the docks changed forever, the pubs have had to change too. What pubs that have survived have had to adapt, bringing in food and live music. Lots of pubs I knew and loved did not survive: Fitzharris in Ringsend and Seapoint House are two that spring to mind. I suppose other things have contributed to the changing pub culture too– harsher drink driving laws (no bad thing) and the smoking ban have had their effects as well. Still, I miss the old-style pubs we had back then, and the happy times I had in them. Above: The Beggarʼs Bush today and, below, in 1989.

Absolutely Clasaċ

By Jason McDonnell I WAS invited over to the Alﬁe Byrne Road in Clontarf to view the recently-opened Clasaċ centre and to sit in on a traditional music session last week and had a great time listening to the musicians, even joining in myself on a couple of occasions, it was a great evening of music and dancing. Clasaċ is a Regional Resource Centre of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and is open all week promoting Irish traditions, Irish music, song, dance, drama and native art forms, and is just across the East link bridge and around a 20-minute walk from Ringsend. The centre provides facilities for people who wish to learn Irish or a traditional instrument and is open to all ages. They also have regular live shows in the 300-seat theatre and dance and music sessions in the Tom Corbett room and in the Clasaċ Bar. So if you are interested in taking up a traditional instrument or sitting in on a session or learning Irish, maybe you should contact 01-8363060 for further details.

Cleaning up after the fire at Cambridge Court SHEDS AT the rear of Cambridge Court were gutted in a ﬁre late last Wednesday night. Youths, who had been using this corner of the grounds as a drinking spot, are thought to be responsible. Tools worth thousands of euros were destroyed in the blaze, and residents of Cambridge Court are understandably very upset and afraid. Maliciously starting a ﬁre is bad enough, but doing it at night in the grounds of an old folksʼ home is a new low. Whoever did this, shame on you.

PAGE 28

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

M ACHU P ICCHU THE ‘ LOST CITY ’ OF THE I NCAS

By Glenda Cimino

f you have only one chance to visit South America, and only one country, and only one sacred/ historical site– make it Machu Picchu in Peru. It has to be one of the most magical places on the planet. Unfortunately, the World Monuments Fund had to place Machu Picchu on its 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world because of environmental degradation resulting from the impact of tourism, uncontrolled development in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes, and the construction of a bridge across the Vilcanota River that is likely to bring even more tourists. Machu Picchu was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1983

THE NEWSFOUR

CROSSWORD COMPILED BY ANN INGLE

when it was described as ʻan absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilizationʼ. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was voted as one of New Open World Corporationʼs New Seven Wonders of the World. Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (8,000 feet) above sea level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. Huge strategically-placed stones have been cut to parallel the shapes of the mountains behind them. Ten days walk, I am told, through the mountains and

jungle will bring me back to Iquitos and the Amazon River. Frequent buses from the town of Aguas Calientes will carry you to the top of the mountain where Machu Picchu is well hidden.

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

If you are devil-may-care, you will enjoy the bus as it careens around ever-deepening dropoffs to the Urubamba river valley below. Otherwise, close your eyes til you arrive.

Or if you are hardy and ﬁt, you can join the tens of thousands of tourists who walk the Inca Trail to visit Machu Picchu each year, acclimatising at Cusco before starting on a two-to four-day journey

The winner of the prize for August-September was Lynsey OʼNeill from Blackrock, Co. Louth. Entries for this issueʼs crossword to be in by 20th November. The prize is a book token for €30. ACROSS 1 On this day of Christmas the maids of milking were given (6) 5 Comfort in distress (6) 10 ʻKing of Popʼ died June 2009 (7) 11 Umpire in football of boxing (7) 12 This could come off the old block or be bought from Borzaʼs (4) 13 Seeds can produce red flowers or opium (6) 15 An area of land used for growing crops or rearing animals (4) 17 The egg of a louse (3) 19 The expansion of a city if often referred to as an urban ------- (6) 21 A child without parents (6) 22 Ireland is one of these (7) 23 On this day of Christmas the turtle doves were given (6) 25 County in the south west of England (6) 28 Small viper (3) 30, 31, 32 An aid to help children navigate the roads (4,5,4) 35 Are they still dancing at the crossroads? (7) 36 Hated (7) 37 Sailing term meaning away to the rear (6) 38 Climb these to get to the next floor (6) DOWN 2 More irritating (7) 3 The sound 28 across might make (4) 4 Donʼt rush off (4,2) 5 Text of a play or film (6) 6 When this comes to an end you might need 24 down (4) 7 A boat made in the west of Ireland (7) 8 Sends or pushes out (6) 9 Paul ------ deceased US film star (6) 14 Famous Spanish artist (1881–1973) (7) 16 Versatile Irish singer and actress who started her career as one of a trio (5) 18 Setting fire to property (5) 20 Lucy in the sky with diamonds was what the Beatles called this drug (3) 21 Not even (3) 23 This Street was a famous childrenʼs programme on TV (6) 24 Wooden boxes used for burial (7) 26 Suffocate, stifle (7) 27 Following modern fashion (6) 28 Originated, came to oneʼs notice (6) 29 Book of the Bible written by David containing songs (6) 33 Not there (4) 34 Controversial Government initiative to take over land and development loans from banks (4)

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009 on foot from the Urubamba valley up through the Andes mountain range to the isolated city. Often referred to as ʻThe Lost City of the Incasʼ, Machu Picchu is one of the most familiar symbols of the Inca Empire and is considered a sacred place. The Incas started building it around AD 1430, but it was abandoned for unknown reasons by the Inca rulers a hundred years later, at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle grew over much of the site, and few knew of its existence. On July 24, 1911, Machu Picchu was brought to the attention of scholars by Hiram Bingham, an American historian employed as a lecturer at Yale University. Bingham was led up to Machu Picchu by a local 11 year old Quechua boy named Pablito Alvarez. Bingham undertook archaeological studies and completed a survey of the area. Bingham coined the name ʻThe Lost City of the Incasʼ, which was the title of his ﬁrst book. The site received signiﬁcant publicity after the National Geographic Society devoted their entire April 1913

issue to Machu Picchu. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction. Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu. In September 2007, Peru and Yale University reached an agreement regarding the return of artifacts which Hiram Bingham had removed from Machu Picchu in the early twentieth century. Theories about why Machu Picchu was built No one knows deﬁnitely how the Incas used Machu Picchu, which was constructed at the height of the Inca Empire. One theory proposed by Hiram Bingham, is that it was the traditional birthplace of the Inca ʻVirgins of the Sunʼ. Another theory maintains that Machu Picchu was an Inca ʻllaqtaʼ, a settlement built to control the economy of these conquered regions. Yet another asserts that it may have been built as a prison

PAGE 29 for a select few who had committed heinous crimes against Inca society. Research conducted by scholars, such as John Rowe and Richard Burger, has convinced most archaeologists that Machu Picchu was an estate of the Inca emperor, Pachacuti. Another theory is that it is an agricultural testing station, the purpose of which was to test different types of crops in the many different micro-climates afforded by the location and the terraces, which were not enough to grow food on a large scale, as much to determine what could grow where.

DO YOU DO SODUKO? No prizes for cracking the grid below, just the knowledge that you can!

I am partial to the theory of Johan Reinhard, who among others, presented evidence that the site was selected because of its position relative to sacred landscape features, such as its mountains, which are considered to be gods, and are aligned with key astronomical events that would have been important to the Incas. For instance, on the winter solstice (June 21st) the sun passes into the window of the Temple of the Sun, much as in Newgrange in the northern hemisphere winter solstice. The central buildings of Machu Picchu use the classical Inca architectural style of polished

dry-stone walls of regular shape. The Incas were masters of this technique, called ashlar, in which blocks of stone are cut to ﬁt together tightly without mortar (see below). The Incas were among the best stone masons the world has seen, and many junctions in the central city are so perfect that not even a blade of grass ﬁts between the stones. Their buildings were highly earthquake-resistant, too. Whether you arrive by bus or on foot, a visit to Machu Picchu is well worth a visit. But pleasevisit carefully, so that this magical place will be there for generations to come.

Mount Herbert Hotel ! * Tritonville Bar – Food served daily * * Cordyline Restaurant * * 9 Conference Suites * * Room only rates from €69.00 * * Free Parking * Christenings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, whatever the occasion we can cater for all your needs…

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PAGE 30

S TARS

OF THE FIELD FROM TIMES PAST

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

The top picture of Star of the Sea players from 1948 exudes victory. Sadly, we do not have their names. Mick O始Neill of Ringsend gave us the photograph below of the 1935-36 Shamrock Rovers Team pictured at Milltown. Standing, left to right: ?; David 驶Babby始 Byrne; ? Farrell; John Burke; Mick McCarthy; ?; Eoin Kinsella; ? Smith. Front: Paddy Moore; Sackie Glenn; Bob Fulham; Larry Chervi; John Joe Flood.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 31

THE POETRY PLACE

Emigration in the 1980s Itʼs very sad to see and hear, Of all the folks thatʼs leaving, Every county through out Ireland, From Monday to Friday evening. I sometimes have to stop and think, Is there a reason why, That these folk just pack up their bags, And to far lands they ﬂy. Itʼs dismal and depressing, To see them emigrate, The countryʼs in the doldrums, But for some itʼs just too late. Oh my oh my what have they done, To the rare old times we knew? It will never ever be the same, But what else is there to do? The rare old times have come and gone, Things may never be the same, The cutback and the taxes Will drive us all insane. And because of all the cutbacks, We all end up looneys We wot even have the will To join up with the moonies. So good luck to all you lucky folk Who leave for distant places, Your troubles will be cast aside, And youʼll end up with smiling faces. Now once again my parting friends I wish you fond farewell, You are moving towards Heaven, And leaving us in Hell.

Written in 1982 when there was a job crisis in Ireland And now itʼs repeating itself all over again By Sonny Kinsella

Down by the Shelly Banks (for Pato) Down by the Shelly Banks here in Ringsend I was always sure to meet my friend When the sun was out and the tide was in Pato was there with a big wide grin Now his spirit is here down by the sea Where he and Mary loved to be Down at the Shelliers beside the sea. By George Humphries

Natural high Through winter chill or searing summer heat, You cannot hope to know until you try, A dwindling world below your weary feet, Another summer night youʼll someday ﬂy, Your life is small; the endless sky is vast, You soar above red sand and blue-white ice, Vanish in rising wind, all sorrows past, You soar above red sand and blue-white ice, Now leave behind a life thatʼs closing in, To distant mountain heights you cannot gauge, Rise from your bed, worn body, and frayed skin, To distant mountain heights you cannot gauge, Your silver feathers sparkle diamond bright, Someday in a blue heaven youʼll alight. By Kevin Collins

Feeding the Fowl

Feet Free

I walk in bare feet where cool green grass massages thirsty skin.

Her aunt said “Donʼt let the ducks out Until the hens have eaten” Hens spindly legged, highheeled Picked at the food daintily.

My clogged head sheds peelings, leftovers gathered from the daily grind of winter months.

Fluffy chicks threw their heads back Beaks in the air The better to imbibe the water. The cockerel shook himself like a belly dancer Stretched his neck and crowed Proud fellow. The hens started to meander off, chuckling Leaving angled imprints in the damp soil. Time to let the ducks out They moved in a column Short legs, ﬂat heels, closer to the ground Their feet splattered muck A racket of quack quacking. Straight for the food The remaining hens moved away Toughies had arrived. Her aunt was right, ducks were greedy. By Carmel Mc Carthy © 2009

Addicted to spongy earth, later, I lie in cut meadow infusing rattling herbs dried out with summer sun By Mary Guckian

Snowing Opening doors to sleet showers seeing footpaths covered with snow air is chilled and refreshing as germs die by the score. Cold bites into our bodies freeing us from sweaty pores a starched white landscape shifts pollution from our streets Squashing through slop and slush global warming disturbs us, while we continue to leave our heating systems turned on high.

The Big Bang

By Mary Guckian

Banker, speculators and developers fall, The singularity of the black hole Pulverises their treasures of greed And everything turns to dust in their hands. The string effect stretches their gold As they hurtle into the nothingness, They are now in the zone of ruination And I laugh, welcome to the breadline boys. By Derek Murphy

And finally folks… some random haikus: 1 dreary horseradish diminishes crankily birds dreaming, proudly 2 canoes palpitate ﬂames lingering moist boulder fantasizes, pink 3 white harpsichord shines relentless barracudas defecate feebly generate your own at www.everypoet.com

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

Seagulls of the Liffey Boardwalk White breasted seagulls form an army of drummers on the painted handrails of the Liffey Boardwalk. They gaze around, then fly off, leave behind drops of guano that form graffiti patterns on shining wood. Stepping on to firm flooring cuts out abiding blare from traffic. Firm banisters save energetic children from tottering into the dark pulsating water. Ethnic groups bring glamour as they eat snacks, drink coffee, roll cigarettes, lick ice cream. Scent from the river Liffey tangles with perfume gushing from purple and pink petunias, shrubs plough through green foliage that hangs over the edge of flower pots. With the faint breeze fuschia bells dance gently for backpackers who read books, study maps, write diaries. Rowers paddle lanky oars seated close to the water the coxswain drills, words bursting from the loud hailer they stay in tune with the great river as it slides towards the Irish Sea. By Mary Guckian

PAGE 32

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

The Fontenoy Files By Shay Connolly

Kim Flood and Rachael Byrne in All-Ireland Final

s we face into the autumn and winter months, the playing season is coming to an end for some teams but for others it is reaching the critical stages. Last time out, the Camogie team were in the Junior A league final. They had already faced their opponents, Lucan Sarsfields earlier in the season and came a cropper for the first time in that match in Ringsend. Now they had to face Lucan again without the comfort of the green, green grass of home. Sharon Geraghty reports: On Thursday evening last, July 30th, the Clanna Gael camogie team travelled to the 12th Lock to take on a much-fancied top-of-the-table Lucan Sarsfields side. C l a n s w e re o n e p o i n t behind Lucan going into this match and needed the w i n t o s e c u re t h e t i t l e . Having been beaten at home earlier in the sea-

son by Lucan, the Clan l a d i e s w e re d e t e r m i n e d that they would not come away on the losing side again! The match was played at a frantic pace. The first half was nip and t u c k t h ro u g h o u t . C l a n s t o o k t h e l e a d t h ro u g h a f i n e p o i n t f ro m p l a y f ro m Elaine McDonnell, after excellent defensive work b y M a rg a re t M a h o n a n d Siobhan Joyce. A second point was sec u re d f ro m a p l a c e d b a l l and the stick of Jenny H e v e y, f o l l o w i n g g o o d w o r k b y C l a i re Wi l k i n s and Ann Marie Roche. Luc a n n o t c h e d a p o i n t f ro m p l a y i n re s p o n s e . Clans went two clear w h e n Ly n n D u n n e g o t o n t h e s c o re s h e e t w i t h a f i n e p o i n t f ro m p l a y, c re a t e d by Anne Corscadden. Luc a n b o m b a rd e d t h e C l a n s defence early on, but tenacious defensive play f ro m L i s a M u r r a y a n d S h a ro n G e r a g h t y e n s u re d t h a t L u c a n d i d n o t s c o re an early goal. Jenny Hevey added a f u r t h e r p o i n t f ro m p l a y t o put Clans four points to

o n e i n f ro n t . L u c a n t h e n s c o re d t w o u n a n s w e re d p o i n t s – o n e f ro m a p l a c e d b a l l a n d o n e f ro m p l a y. C l a n s n a r ro w l y m i s s e d goal opportunities when they hit the bar on two occasions! Unlucky Stunner! T h e f i n a l s c o re o f t h e f i r s t h a l f c a m e f ro m J e n n y H e v e y p o i n t i n g a f re e f o l l o w i n g g re a t w o r k b y t h e f o r w a rd l i n e . T h i s l e f t t h e s c o re a t h a l f t i m e – Clanna Gael 0-5 v Lucan Sarsfields 0-3. The second half was a n e r v o u s a f f a i r, w i t h b o t h sides giving everything i n a n a t t e m p t t o b re a k t h e d e a d l o c k a n d s c o re t h a t elusive goal. The goals did come, and thankfully when they did, it was C l a n n a G a e l t h a t s e c u re d them. Tw o g o a l s i n t h e f i r s t ten minutes of the second half helped Clans on their way to victory; the first g o a l w a s c re a t e d f o l l o w i n g a f i n e c l e a r a n c e f ro m Rebecca Collins. The ball was collected by Ann Corscadden and s e n t h i g h t o w a rd s t h e g o a l m o u t h . Ly n n D u n n e

connected with the ball in mid-air and sent it flashing past the Lucan keeper into the back of the net. The second goal, again, w a s b u i l t f ro m t h e b a c k . Donna Murray stalled yet another Lucan attack a n d f o u n d S h a ro n G e r a g h t y, w h o p i c k e d t h e b a l l and passed off to Jenny H e v e y. J e n n y l a u n c h e d t h e b a l l f ro m m i d f i e l d t o w a rd s t h e f u l l f o r w a rd line. The ball was collected by Janet White and s l o t t e d h o m e f ro m a d i f ficult angle. Lucan then piled on the p re s s u re a n d s c o re d 1 - 1 w i t h o u t re p l y t o t a k e t h e s c o re t o 2 - 5 v s 1 - 5 i n f a vour of Clans. The closi n g m i n u t e s w e re v e r y tense, with Lucan coming f o r w a rd i n d ro v e s . S u p e r d e f e n s i v e w o r k f ro m a n ʻout on their feetʼ back l i n e e n s u re d t h a t L u c a n w e re k e p t a t b a y a n d n o e a s y s c o re s w e re c o n c e d ed. Gill Earley in goal p ro v e d h e r w o r t h w i t h some fine saves and catches in the dying minutes of the game. The final point of the match was a much-

needed and well taken p o i n t f ro m p l a y f ro m A n n e Marie Roche. The final whistle was sounded, much to the joy a n d re l i e f o f t h e C l a n n a Gael team and supporters. The champers came out and the celebrations began… and continued long into the weekend! They are now going for the double as they have now reached the Championship final also after beating Naomh Caoimhin in the Semi Final. Ladies Footballers faced the Guards in the semi final of their championship last month. After a poor opening half which saw them trail by 9 points at half-time it looked curtains for the girls at that stage. But, in fairness, the lassies battled back and put their mighty opponents to the sword for the entire second half. Alas, they came up short by a point at the final whistle. They are still very much in contention for the league title and the Senior League is within their grasp. But the big talk-

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009 ing point from this team is the inclusion of two of the girls, Kim Flood and Rachel Byrne on the Dublin senior football squad a l l y e a r. This culminates in the All-Ireland Senior football final on Sunday 27th September between Dublin and Cork. It will be a great day for the club and the local area when the two girls walk out on to the hallowed turf of Croke P a r k a t 3 . 0 0 t h a t d a y. T h e very best of luck, girls, and the Club are proud of your achievements to date. U 14 girls entered all the competitions available during the summer and it has brought them all on in leaps and bounds. The future now looks a lot brighter for them. The Inter football team are going great guns altog e t h e r. S e v e n w i n s o n t h e trot has put them right up there in the play-offs position. They face a crucial tie away to Clontarf at time of writing. How great it would be that if thirty years on since this writer suffered the ignominy of playing in the last senior match for Clanna Gael that relegated us to Intermediate level that if the present boys could take us back up to Senior again. The Club day on August 6th was simply a fantastic day for all. From early on it was a hive of activity with all the ju-

veniles taking part in fun and games. Plenty of locals came along with their little bambinos and enjoyed the brilliant sunshine and activities, which included face painting, trampolines, bouncy castles etc. An adult seven-aside competition was the highlight of the playing activities. The Legend made a guest appearance in all four games and shocked many with his interview afterwards. He said “I am now relinquishing the title of Legend. The amount of physical punishment that I, as a 50 year old plus had to take in these events was incredible. Even more incredible were the cheers from the sideline every time I took a n o t h e r d i r t y b l o w. “Obviously the title of the Legend is getting up s o m e p e o p l e ʼs n o s e s a t this stage and it is time to relinquish it. I was disappointed at some of the cheap shots that were thrown at me but look, Iʼm still standing and Iʼm made of better stuff than the guys who threw them. I will still be a Legend in my own eyes and mind a n d t h a t ʼs a l l t h a t m a t ters,” he added with a tear dropping on to his brave heart. F i n a l l y, h e p a s s e d o n the throne to present Chairman Eugene Davey for 2010. Regarding the day itself, a great amount of credit is due to Jacqui

PAGE 33 McDonnell, whose organising skills on the day were outstanding. Those skills will be in action again as the Christmas bash is upon us once a g a i n . T h i s y e a r ʼs e v e n t w i l l b e h e l d i n D 4 ʼs B e r keley Court on December 5th. So Jacqui will soon be on the prowl again looking for entrance fees and the usual shenanigans of players locking themselves in the toilets to avoid the collector general that is Jacqui. But all joking aside, getting money out of some of our players is like getting a loan from the bank nowadays. Glad to tell everyone that the Hall is at present u n d e r r e p a i r. W h a t y o u will have at the finish will be a beautiful, warm and cosy place that will s e r v e a l l t h e c o m m u n i t y. Senior Hurlers have some crucial matches in the run-in to Christmas and need to be very focussed indeed. U 12 hurlers went to Parnell Park earlier this month and came home w i t h t h e C a m a i n t Tr o p h y. We l l d o n e t o S i m o n B e i r n e a n d h i s c r e w. U 16 hurlers are in the quarter finals of the Championship and have picked up some new players of late. Discipline boys– discipline! Juvenile registration opened up two weeks ago and remains open at present. Some fantastic facilities are on offer for your child and at €70 per child and a beautiful jersey thrown in, this represents phenomenal value. Phone club coach Johnny Sadlier at 085 7343066 and he will give you all the details. Check out our website at w w w. c l a n n a g a e l f o n t e n o y. i e News just in– Camogie team beaten by a point in Junior Championship Final. Oh the agony and the ecstasy of it all. H o w e v e r, f a n t a s t i c s e a son, girls. Hold your heads high. Inter footballers beat Clontarf by five points to move further up the table.

Page 32: The Tipperary Hurling Team in training at Clanna Gael. This page, top: Action from the Open Day on 6th August. Bottom: Under 9s versus Ballyboden St Endaʼs.

Calafort Átha Cliath

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

PAGE 34

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

L ISBON 2 –

PUTTING THE CASE

Speakers at the Feminist Open Forum on 3rd September debating on the theme ʻIs the Lisbon Treaty good for women?ʼ

THE CASE AGAINST By Patricia McKenna

e are not voting ʻFor ʼ or ʻAgainstʼ Europe but rather for what type of Europe we want for ourselves and our children. Those who want the Lisbon Treaty rejected are not anti-European. We want a better and, most of all, a more democratic Europe that puts people and their rights before the interests of big business and arms industries. Lisbon fundamentally changes the current EU– as our Constitutional amendment makes clear– and replaces it with an entirely new union. Some of the

key changes within this new union will have serious repercussion for small states. Lisbon– originally the EU Constitution rejected by French and Dutch voters– will increase the voting power of the larger countries at the expense of smaller ones. Irelandʼs voting strength will be reduced to less than one percentage point while Germany will increase its vote by over one hundred percent. Issues of concern last time are still relevant, as not one word of the Treaty has changed. The so-called legal guarantees or declarations ʻwill clarify but not change either the content or the application of the Treaty of Lisbonʼ (from text of Irish guarantees). The provisions within the treaty relating to taxation have not been removed and Ireland has no opt-out from them. Workersʼ rights and the EU policy of wage dumping– a key concern for people last time– still remains. The European Defence Agency EDA, set up at the behest of Europeʼs arms manufacturers, will be given legal status and key tasks, including the power to assess Irelandʼs military capabilities. Genuine fear about our economy is being used to frighten people into voting yes or things worsen. But Lisbon is based on a failed economic approach and cannot cure our economic ills. If we vote No we are still full EU members and we provide the opportunity for real EU reform.

THE CASE FOR By Lucinda Creighton

yes vote is in the best interests of Ireland. A yes vote is the ﬁrst step we must take to set Irelandʼs economy on the road to recovery. I disagree strongly with the Government on a range of issues, from Nama to Budget cuts, but I believe that a yes vote on the Lisbon Treaty is vital for this countryʼs future. The Lisbon Treaty itself will make the EU more effective, more efﬁcient and more democratic. It will allow us to work with our neighbours to deal with international problems like climate change and cross-border crime. It will give the EU the tools to respond to the challenges we are currently facing. These are challenges Ireland simply cannot tackle alone. A lot has changed since the last referendum 15 months ago. We have negotiated with our EU colleagues and secured the legal guarantees which are now included. These guarantees safeguard our complete control over our own destiny on matters such as neutrality, taxation and the right to life. We will also

have a guaranteed Irish Commissioner if the Lisbon Treaty is passed. Our economy has also changed dramatically since last year. A yes vote alone wonʼt cure the economic ills that we are suffering, but without a yes vote we have no prospect of recovery. Our commitment to the European Union has been at the centre of our economy since we joined in 1973. Companies invest in Ireland to get access through us to a 500 million consumer market. Voting no wonʼt kick us out of Europe, but international business will be left with the impression that we are becoming eurosceptic, a country more interested in attacking Europe than reforming Europe. And if our relationship with Europe suffers, investment will suffer. A survey by employersʼ organisation IBEC, found that 84% of the heads of major companies in Ireland believe last yearʼs no vote did major damage to Ireland. Jobs and economic recovery are the most important issues facing Ireland. A yes vote will lay the foundations for our economic recovery. The most recent jobless ﬁgures are a reminder of just how grave our present economic situation is. At a time when there are almost 430,000 people on the Live Register, we cannot afford to reduce our commitment to a European Union that has seen one million jobs being created here since we joined in 1973. For the 95,000 people under the age of 25 on the Live Register, a yes vote is essential. For the economy, for jobs, for the Irish commissioner, for the future, we need a yes vote on the 2nd of October.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

RINGSEND

John Devoy R.I.P. The Ringsend & Irishtown Centre Staff and Management were deeply shocked and saddened with the untimely death of staff member and colleague John Devoy. John, pictured right, had worked in the Centre for the last 10 years as a computer trainer and provided classes to hundreds of people from the local community– a job which he loved doing. John will be very sadly missed by all at the Centre. The Centre wish to extend their deepest sympathy to his family. May John rest in peace. RICC Gardens We are very proud to announce that the RICC Garden has won the Dublin City Council Community Environment Initiative for the South East Area City Neighbourhoods Competition 2009. The entry submitted was based on the allotments, which

AND IRISHTOWN

COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS

are situated at the back of the centre. Special thanks to our gardening team at RICC: Jack, Philip and Paul and all the members of the Garden Club which include groups and members of the community. We were also awarded a Special Merit in the Garden Category.

Youth Club RICC Youth Club for 7, 8 and 9 year olds is starting up on 30th September. All who have already enrolled will be contacted by post. Any other children interested please contact David at the Centre 6604789.

GARDENING CLUB (Growing Together) If you would like to become a member of our Gardening Club to learn and share information, please contact Barbara at 087 6230374.

Club/Afternoon Breakfast Programme RICC are delighted to announce that we are now managing the Breakfast Club and Afternoon Programme which takes place at St Patrickʼs Boysʼ/ Girlsʼ school. We look forward to working with the staff and teachers. We are introducing new programmes which will help encourage children to take part and enjoy. For information, please contact any member of the school programmes or the Centre on 6604 789.

Health Forum– 1st October in RICC The Primary Care Team in partnership with local groups is holding a Community Health Forum on the 1st October with presentations from different community and health services giving people the opportunity to discuss YOU and YOUR COMMUNITIESʼ HEALTH NEEDS with community and health workers. There will be two sessions morning and evening 10.00am to 12pm and 6.30pm to 8pm in

MUSINGS

PAGE 35

Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre. Now is your opportunity to learn and become the NEW you for Christmas! All are welcome to attend.

School of Rock Classes are starting back on Monday 21st September. New members are always welcome. Contact the Centre at 6604789.

F R O M A B U S S TO P

By David Maudsley

had something, in my hand, just now. A minute ago. what was it? Sure it was there. Never mind, itʼll show up again maybe. The rain, a gentle sound hitting the pools collecting around my feet. One thing about city life– lights look good reflected off pools of rain that collect around oneʼs feet. All that neon, looks good. And the blackness around it, moving. Where is that damn thing… lighter it was. Need a smoke. Metal mesh starting to get uncomfortable under my ass, but walking away seems harder than staying put. Ahh, couple more minutes, then make a move. Thereʼs a wooden bench a bit further down the road, a different feel to it, slightly lower down which I donʼt like too much. A bit too close to the ground. But I am sometimes too fussy about such details.

Found the damned lighter, in a pocket. Was sure it was in my left hand. Pocket full of

Grinds Grinds available FOC for Junior Cert and Leaving Cert students. For further details please contact the Centre on 6604 789.

chocolate wrappers and old bus tickets… got to keep hold of them, just to prove that youʼve

been going somewhere or coming back from somewhere to get there. And I donʼt throw

chocolate wrappers on the street like some people do, I store them on me until I find a rubbish bin. Canʼt stand litter thrown on the street. It spoils the view. Iʼd really like to just lie down now, but the seats are designed in such a way that itʼs impossible… they slope, for one thing. At just the right angle that as soon as you get comfortable, you relax to the degree that your body weight kind of settles to a critical mass where either you or the angle of the seat reach an algebra of incompatibility, and a strange twitch of gravity, momentum and kinetic energy act as one to tip you off… SPLASH! I donʼt know what to do. The wooden bench down the road is more comfortable, and more peaceful, away from the sounds of traffic. But somethingʼs keeping me here, even though I know the cops will be touring shortly. Iʼll have a smoke and think about it, reach some kind of decision.

PAGE 36

W ORD By Glenda Cimino Hey, What Day is it today? What day of the week is it today? What month? Do you know what time it is? These simple questions are actually answered very differently on different calendars in use today. In the modern world, we are obsessed with calendars, agendas, clocks, watches. Many of us are always running late, always in a hurry. Hours go by, then days, weeks, years… the older you get, the faster time seems to go. The English word calendar is derived from the Latin word kalendae, which was the Latin name of the first day of every month. Many different calendars have been developed over the millennia to help people organize their lives. According to a recent estimate, there are about forty calendars used in the world today, particularly for determining religious dates. Calendars are usually lunar, solar, or lunisolar, based on movements of the moon, sun, or both. The calendar we measure our time with, which leads us to believe we are in the year 2009, is called the Gregorian Calendar. It was implemented by Pope Gregory XIII, and it uses the 12 month, seven day per week system. It replaced the Julian calendar abruptly in 1752, when people ʻlostʼ 11 days, going reluctantly from Sept 2 to Sept 14 overnight. How would you feel if your birthday was in the deleted days that year? The Islamic or Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar based on 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days, used to date events in many Muslim countries. The current Islamic year is 1430 AH, from approximately December 28, 2008 (evening) to December 17, 2009 (evening). Its first year was the year during which the Hijra, i.e. the emigration of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, occurred. Each numbered year is designated either H for Hijra or AH for the Latin anno Hegirae (in the year

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

MAGIC of the Hijra). A limited number of years before Hijra (BH) are used to date events related to Islam, such as the birth of Muhammad in 53 BH. Years in the Hebrew calendar are labeled with the era designation Anno Mundi (Latin for ʻin the year of the worldʼ), abbreviated AM and A.M., and are numbered from the epoch that, by Rabbinical reckoning, is a year before the date of Creation. Early 2009 corresponds to Hebrew year 5769; the Hebrew year 5770 began at sundown on the evening of 18 September 2009. The Indian national calendar (sometimes called Saka calendar) is the official civil calendar in use in India, in conjunction with the ʻstandardʼ Gregorian. Scientists using reliable radiometric dating techniques on rocks tell us the earth is at least 4.5 billion years old. Bible scholars quote Bishop Ussher, who counted the generations in the Old Testament, made some adjustments, and decided the earth was 8,000 years old. Either way, the idea that we are in the year 2009– when you really think about it– seems a bit of a fiction. How Long Is a Week? ʻSeven days,ʼ you will tell me, looking at me as if I were an idiot. But historically, a week has varied greatly. The ancient Egyptians used a 10day ʻweekʼ, as did the French Revolutionary calendar. The Mayan calendar (pictured) which is making a comeback, uses a 13 and a 20-day ʻweekʼ. The Soviet Union used both a 5-day and a 6-day week. In 1929-30 the USSR gradually introduced a 5-day week. Every worker had one day off every week, but there was no fixed day of rest. On 1 September 1931 this was replaced by a 6-day week with a fixed day of rest, falling on the 6th, 12th, 18th, 24th, and 30th day of each month (1 March was used instead of the 30th day of February, and the last day of months with 31 days was considered an extra working day outside the normal 6-day week cycle). A re-

turn to the normal 7-day week was only decreed on 26 June 1940. Lithuanians used a week of nine days before adopting Christianity. The Babylonians marked time with lunar months. The major periods are seven days, quarter month, long. This seven-day period was later regularized and disassociated from the lunar month to become our seven-day week. The early Romans, around the first century, used Saturday as the first day of the week. As the worshipping of the Sun increased, the Sunʼs day (Sunday) advanced from position of the second day to the first day of the week (and Saturday became the seventh day).

The Mayan Calendar Perhaps the most intriguing of all calendars is the Mayan calendar. We hear a lot about this calendar today because of its uncanny accuracy (it is far more precise than our calendar), the prophecies associated with it, and the fact that it ENDS in the Gregorian year 2012. The very best, if long, explanation of this calendar I have seen is by the late Ian Xel Lungold, and can be found on You Tube. There is also a recent documentary ﬁlm, ʻBetween Two Worldsʼ, written and directed by José Jaramillo. He calls the Gregorian calendar “the greatest and most profoundly unquestioned instrument of control ever perpetrated upon the

people of Earth.” The Gregorian calendar suits the ʻold worldʼ (masquerading as the New World Order) of power, technology, and money, inhumane and useless, while the Mayan calendar shows a way to a ʻnew worldʼ of peace, love, unity, and harmony. For Ramon Mendoza, an artist and philosopher, “the Mayan calendar is a textbook, it is a map, it is a way to know who we are.” Jaramillo, whoʼs originally from Guadalajara but has roots in the Mayan Yucatan Peninsula, said that “reintroducing the Maya calendar is an emergency plan for people of Earth.” The date December 21st, 2012 A.D. (13.0.0.0.0 in the Long Count), represents an extremely close conjunction of the Winter Solstice Sun with the crossing point of the Galactic Equator (Equator of the Milky Way) and the Ecliptic (path of the Sun), what the ancient Maya recognized as the Sacred Tree. This is an event that has been foreseen for thousands and thousands of years. It will come to resolution at exactly 11:11 am GMT. Did the ancient Mayans see this date as the ʻend of the worldʼ– or simply a point beyond which they could not see the future? Will it be earthly climactic catastrophe, or an opportunity for transformation? Perhaps the future from there really depends upon what the people alive in ʻ2012ʼ, do to change our relationship to this planet and to each other.

Pictured at the recent South Lotts Festival were, left to right: Ajmal, Bruce, Ozzy The Ostrich, Howard and Liam.

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

PAGE 37

Y OUR

CHEATING HEART

By Glenda Cimino

he dictionary deﬁnes cheating in general as ʻto deceive by trickery, or swindleʼ. It goes on to say that to cheat is to ʻact dishonestly, or violate rules deliberatelyʼ. Cheating in a relationship cannot be deﬁned in absolute terms. It really depends on what the couple, two people in a partnership or marriage, agree is appropriate, or inappropriate behaviour. Problems mainly arise because

of a lack of communication. Many couples rarely talk about cheating, and when they do, it is usually not about what their expectations are, and what they feel is intolerable. These issues may arise only after an unspoken ʻruleʼ is broken by one or the other. That is when the room for error is allowed; you canʼt break a rule you didnʼt know existed– or can you? Some partners may very well try to use that to their advantage, which is why talking it out with your mate before a problem arises, is critical. Open lines for communication will

A By John Fitzgerald

dictionary deﬁnition of the word ʻweedʼ reads ʻa valueless plant growing wildʼ. When using the word ʻseaweedʼ to deﬁne our marine algae, nothing could be further from the truth. We have a vast range of plants thriving all around our coasts which have enormous potential. There are records of seaweed harvesting in Ireland dating back to the Pre-Norman 12th Century. It provided, in the form of dilsk or dulse and carrageen moss a nutrient-rich food source, and a fertiliser in the form of kelp and bladder wrack. From the 18th century, ash was extracted from kelp in special kilns dotted along the western seaboard. The ash was spread on the soil as a fertiliser and also used in the making of both soap and glass. It provided a valuable source of iodine. In solution, iodine is a powerful

not only breed a healthy relationship, it will also allow you to avoid the pitfalls of not knowing what was out of bounds until after the line was crossed. Problems arise when the two people involved have very different concepts of what ﬁdelity and cheating mean in the relationship. For instance, a more conservative person may deﬁne kissing another person on the lips as cheating. The other partner may consider that sex outside the relationship is okay as long as no ʻseriousʼ involvement with another person is

contemplated. Clearly, no matter what the chemistry or common interests, this relationship will not last long. For the first person, certain actions, regardless of intention, are infidelity. For the second person, the intention of the involvement with another person is what matters. The range of actions which are considered unacceptable contact with someone outside the relationship are broad and variable.For some couples, the issue is trust. When there is absolute trust, there is no need to try to regulate or ʻcontrolʼ what the partner does. However, the traumatic experiences of many people show such absolute trust is often unwarranted. Does it have to end in tears and recriminations? When one partner betrays the expectations of the other of what is acceptable in the relationship, the other will most likely feel hurt, misled, angry, deceived, cheated, or a host of other negative emotions. Their feelings, influenced by what they have suffered in the past, will influence their reactions more than logic. It is one thing to say, “let it go, forget about it”; quite another to actually forgive and/ or forget. The broader a personʼs definition of cheating, the more potential for suffering. The list of actions which cause emotional suffering for someone in a shaky or dishonest relationship may be endless. For example, some people feel it is improper for their partner to talk about sexual topics with someone

else, to deny or hide the fact that he or she is in a relationship, to develop a crush on someone new, to masturbate– especially while thinking of another lover, or to use pornography. More recently, the issue is complicated by the availability of virtual sex or an online affair on the internet. For some people, emotional infidelity is cheating. For instance, I knew a married woman who used to get drunk and tell a sequence of men that “when my husband dies, Iʼll marry you.” She didnʼt have sex with any of them. Some people would call this emotional infidelity and would pity her long-suffering partner. The list could be endless, but no matter what the act or how you define cheating, the result is always the same; the other person will end up feeling rejected and abandoned. If a person persists in staying in such a relationship, he or she is only reinforcing low self-esteem. With that said, before getting caught up in the many ʻsignsʼ of cheating, it is important to realise that everyone is different and no one action necessarily brands a partner as unfaithful. Make sure you talk to your mate about the relationship boundaries, and discuss what you each feel is or is not appropriate. This way you have a clear-cut view on how your partner feels, and can avoid either hurting them unintentionally on the one hand, or suffering false accusations that may lead to more mistrust.

FRESH LOOK AT SEAWEED

anti-infective and is often used to treat open wounds. It is also nutritionally vital for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Since the 1940s, seaweed has been harvested, dried and milled for use as an animal feed additive and a liquid plant food. The algae ascophyllum nodosum also known as knotted wrack, is harvested all along the west coast as the main ingredient in a high-performance fertiliser. This liquid feed is exported all over the world and is used in agriculture and horticulture, as well as on sports grounds and golf courses. This seaweed is rich in alginates, which are derivatives of alginic acid, a long-chained hetropolysaccharide. Over 100,000 tonnes of this seaweed are harvested per year. The red algae or rhodophyte agrose provide the agar which is so sought-after as a growth medium for micro-organisms and for biotechnological applications. Mankind has yet to invent a better growth medium.

Agar from Irish waters is exported to bioresearch laboratories worldwide. Currently, fresh seaweed is harvested in Ireland for use in horticulture, agriculture, cosmetics and food additives, as well as for biotechnology and as biofuel. Algae fuel, biofuels made from seaweed, are causing government agencies and innovative energy companies to examine the commercial viability of algaculture: the farming of algae as a massive source of energy.

Microalgae have a much faster growth rate than crops grown on land. Using seaweed as an energy source means land needed for food production is not transferred to biomass use for energy crops. Also, the per-unit yield of lipids (oil) from seaweed is believed to be seven to 30 times as great as the next best crop. Seaweeds can produce up to 60% of their biomass in the form of oil. Thankfully, the research and development of algae fuel is proceed-

ing at a frenzied pace, with the big players diving in. On January 8th last, a Continental Airlines twin-engine commercial jet consuming an equal mix of algae fuel and normal aircraft fuel in an unmodified engine took to the air. The flight was the first by US carrier to use an alternative fuel source. The International Air Transport Associationʼs goal is for its members to have a 10% input of alternative fuel by 2017. On the 19th June, a joint research and development project for Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland was announced by Northern Ireland Energy Minister Arlene Foster. This research into converting marine algae into a new green energy solution may well prove vital in the future, when fossil fuels have all been exhausted. It is time to look at the plants which live in our tides with the respect they deserve and maybe lose the ʻweedʼ word.

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R EMEMBERING THE B EATLESS

A reprint from The Dublin Diary of April 1989 about local band ʻThe Beatlessʼ

By Pat Larkin

id you hear about…? Paddy Irishman, Paddy Englishman, Paddy Scotsman were in a pub discussing the greenhouse effect on guitar strings and bass drum skins, when in walked Paddy American shouting fuck the greenhouse effect what about the effect Linda and Yoko had on Lennon and McCartney songs. The drink was spilled. The fists were flying and chaos rained until Paddy Irishtown said lets play the bleeding songs and find out. And

so began the legend of The Beatless who pioneered the ʻLiffey Beatʼ sound. When asked why they named the band The Beatless, Paddy Irishtown said “they wanted a name no one used before!” This is the band that played at the opening of a shoe shop ʻD18ʼ and got paid in shoes. Now they all wear new Chelsea boots, except Paddy Englishman who got a pair of size 16 Dock Martins by mistake. They also played a benfit gig on the DART while it went from Bray to Howth. It was run by ʻ2FMʼ in aid of the Children in Need Apeal. They are now sporting 2FM tracksuits. According to Paddy Scotsman they have even played for their supper. I met The Beatless in a pub

in Rathmines called Streets to ask them a few questions. They thought I was the taxman, so they made a dash for the door. When I shouted “Iʼll buy yis a drink” they cautiously came back. We held our impromtue interview in the back seat of a Renault 4 (pictured right) embedded in a wall inside the pub. There are a row of cottages, a milk truck and lots of other weird things inside this bar. The four members of the band, Paddy Irishtown, Robert (Ringo) Larkin from Dublin on Drums, Paddy Englishman, Nigel Williams on bass and lead vocals, from London. Paddy Scotsman, Hamish Campbell form, yes you have guessed it, from Scotland, and Paddy

American, Liam Ryan, who spent the last five years in New York. They all wore what they called Bavarian hunting jackets or, to the ordinary Joe, Beatle suits. Their first gig proper was the ʻLate Late Christmas Showʼ in 1988. Gaybo had spotted them busking in Henry Street. Robert, more used to playing drums with Dublinʼs leading cabaret artists told me the rest of the band made him wear a ʻLittle Drummer Boy outfitʼ on the ʻLate Late Showʼ. “who said I donʼt suffer for my art?” he said. The band took over the Dave Fanning Show on RTE radio twice. The second time for an hour and a half, with special guests including Larry Mullins of U2 on drums. The show was called ʻThe Valentineʼs Day Massacreʼ that night. The RTE switchboard was jammed all evening with requests for the band to play listenersʼ favourite songs. The Fab Four challenged that they could play anything, and they did. Nigel told me there are plans afoot for a live TV show for charity similar to the Fanning

Rock show phone-in. The Beatless have become a very popular choice at Student Balls, Debsʼ Balls, and Engineersʼ Balls, in fact said Robert “weʼre a band with a lot of Balls.” As well as their famous Beatles covers, they have some very good original songs, such as ʻItʼs over ʼ written by Liam, a song John Lennon would be pround of. Nigel writes most of the other originals like ʻLove is Hide and Seekʼ. The bandʼs influences range from Gilbert OʼSullivan (Liamʼs favourite), to ABBA and the Reynolds Girls. After a few more pints of the black stuff, Hamish mumbled something about being a 90s folk band. Robert said he was a Garry Glitter fan and Liam and Nigel were arguing whether or not to let Stock Aiken and Waterman produce the next single. At this point, I thought it was time to leave. They all accosted me and threatened that if I didnʼt mention where they were playing in April they would tell a certain Iranian Gentleman that I wrote ʻThe Satanic Verses, Part 2ʼ. They canʼt scare me…

NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009

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R INGSEND & D ISTRICT R ESPONSE TO D RUGS D RUG A WARENESS E VENT 2009

By Teresa Weafer Grennell

nce again RDRD hosted their Drug Awareness festival this year offering a wide range of fun and creative events. The aim was to engage as many young people as possible and members of the wider community to participate in the events and in turn highlight the drugs issue in the area. The project was successful in its aim in that quite a large number of groups and local schools got involved. The RDRD soccer event took place over a weekend in the Ringsend & Irishtown sports stadium.

B AND

NAME :

By Jason McDonnell

he other day, a friend of mine handed me a brilliant new album by a band called Reemo to check out and I was blown away at how good the album is. ʻColoursʼ is an energetic album that suits the mature listener, it is fast, heavy, fun and energetic with meaningful lyrics and impressive vocals and harmonies. It is a very

All who were there will agree that this was a very nail-biting, exciting experience with up to 80 young people participating. All teams put in a fabulous, energetic display. In the end, the team that won was a group of local boys who named themselves ʻBuckoʼs boysʼ. Runners-up was a second local team ʻBetsy Sevenʼ from the Ringsend & Irishtown Community Centre. Congratulations to all the teams who participated in the event. Teresa Weafer Grennell Manager of RDRD said that the highlight of the festival was the launch of their DVD on early warning signs

R EEMO . D EBUT

and also the Ringsend and District Response to Drugʼs closing event which the project held once again in the local Clanna Gael Hall. A number of local groups in the area were invited to participate in this event by displaying stalls and providing information on the service they provide. Minister John Curran met with all the different groups on the night. Each group was provided with an opportunity to meet with the Minister and discuss issues regarding their projects. The following groups displayed stands on the night. Ringsend & District Response to Drugs

ALBUM :

refreshing sound from the rock genre, with great melodic guitars and hard-hitting drum beats and awesome bass riffs. It was great to hear something so good coming out of Ireland. Reemo have only been formed a few years but they have developed a brilliant, ; tight sound together on this really well produced album. You may have already heard some songs by them like ʻWho you are/ Lineʼ and ʻRushin Manʼ and ëChocolate Covered Gorgeousʼ, which have received extensive airplay and gone down a storm on national and local radio throughout the country. Reemo are Steven Connolly (Vocals), Paul McGlue (Lead Guitar), Conleth Dunne (Bass Guitar) Alan Connolly (Percussion) and Igor Biasini (Key-

Ringsend Community Training Centre Ringsend Community Service Forum Ringsend Poolbeg Training– Rinn Voyager Ringsend & Irishtown Community Centre Money Advice Budgeting Service NewsFour Ringsend & Irishtown Playgroup and Créche Clanna Gael Fotenoy Irishtown Garda Station Ringsend & Irishtown Football association St Patrickʼs Rowing Club Stella Maris Rowing Club Coolmine Soilse Members of the St Andrewʼs Resource Centre also attended on the night. Betty Ashe and Deloris Wilson have been long-time supporters of the service in Ringsend. Special recognition was given to Jim Doyle (HSE), Ann Ingle (recently retired from News Four) Michael Kavanagh (FÁS), Anna Quigley (City Wide) and Brian Reynolds (Volunteer of the year award) for their outstanding and ongoing support to RDRD. Local Political representatives, Chris Andrews TD, Councillor Daithí Doolan, Councillor Kevin Humphreys, Councillor Sarah Ryan, and Maria Parodi were also present on the night. Chairperson Dermot Lacey and Colm Browne, Co-ordinator of the South Inner City Drugs Taskforce were acknowledged by RDRD for their work and commitment in support of the Drug projects across the

‘C OLOURS ’. R ELEASED

boards/ Guitar) The band have an eclectic collection of styles which they have put together very professionally to create a unique sound; it is very difficult to pin point exactly who their influences are for this album, but while the sound is very modern, I kept hearing echoes of eighties power pop. I found Steven Connolly to be one of the best vocalists I have heard in a long time. His broad vocal range is put to good use throughout the album and the rest of the members kick in with beautiful harmonies. They have obviously put a lot of thought into the structure of the album as each song bleeds into the next, creating a wonderful aural rollercoaster ride from start to finish. Strongly recommended. ʻColoursʼ has been in shops

BY :

city in trying to combat the drug crisis. The fun part was that each of the candidates on the night were given an opportunity to say in three minutes why the people should vote for them. Charlie Murphy from the Dublin Port Company facilitated the event and was standing by with a big school bell if any candidate dared go over the three minute time. The event ﬁlled the hall with local people and young people and it was very clear that everyone was of the same mind that is, we must stand in the way of Drugs. Minister John Curran presented the certiﬁcates to the participants of the Drug Awareness programmes and to the participants graduating drug-free with the project. A special thanks was given to the HSE and Dublin City Council for sponsoring the events. Special Guest Barry Murphy of Shamrock Rovers presented the winners of the RDRD Soccer league competition on the night. Winners received €250.00 along with a Cup and runners-up received medals and family cinema tickets. All the players who participated received a medal. Tom Crilly, chairperson of RDRD, thanked everyone on behalf of the Board and staff of the Spellman Centre for getting involved and making the week so successful. Even more importantly, it was a great occasion for all the groups that got involved and worked in partnership for the community. Anyone wishing to obtain a copy of the RDRD DVD, please contact Teresa Weafer Grennell in the Spellman Centre on 6677666.

R EEKUS R ECORDS

since the 18th September and the ofﬁcial launch party will be held on the 26th of September in The Village, Wexford Street with special guests Orphancode. Doors open at 8pm sharp and tickets are priced at €10. I would seriously recommend you check

them out, these guys are going to be big. Other future gigs by the band are on the 4th October at The Mezz, Temple bar Dublin and 22nd October at the University of Limerick, followed by a gig on 10th November at NUI Galway. See you there.

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NEWSFOUR OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2009