Go Rail May-July 2013. Vol. 03 Issue 03 by Hot Press Publishing

MAY - JULY 2013 VOL:03 ISSUE:03

KODALINE The New No. 1

Rock Sensations

KEITH BARRY His Favourite Train Journeys

JULIE FEENEY Dinner With

The Galway Girl

CONOR McGREGOR & CATHAL PENDRED Ireland’s Mixed Martial Arts stars

How

CILLIAN MURPHY Conquered Hollywood

PLUS: SPECIAL FOCUS ON CORK Go Rail Cover 3-3.indd 2

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CONTENTS GO

MAY - JULY 2013 VOLUME: 3 ISSUE: 3

C A T H A L P E N D R E D P28 6 GO FOR IT A rundown of what’s hot and happening throughout the country. 18 TRAIN NEWS Up-to-date train news from Iarnród Éireann. 22 MURPHY'S LAW Cork actor CILLIAN MURPHY opens up to Go Rail about his illustrious career to date. 26 CRACKING THE KODE As they get set to release much-anticipated debut album In A Perfect World, Dublin act KODALINE chat about Grey's Anatomy, the festival circuit, and playing alongside their hero, Bruce Springsteen. 28 THE FIGHTIN' IRISH Irish Mixed Martial Arts ﬁghters CONOR McGREGOR and CATHAL PENDRED explain how they got involved in this skilled and challenging sport.

31 THE MAGIC TOUCH Magician, illusionist and all-round mentalist KEITH BARRY on why he still loves the train journey to and from his hometown of Waterford. 32 THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX Irish actress MARY McEVOY explains how her new play about mental health – Box Of Frogs – came about. 34 WHERE THERE'S SMOKE... BIRGITTA AND PETER CURTIN take Go Rail on a virtual tour of their Burren Smokehouse & Visitor Centre. 36 FASHION FORWARD Our resident fashion guru Roe McDermott on how to work this summer's hottest trends. 40 PUT A CORK IN IT There's plenty to see and do in the People's Republic of Cork. Here, we've put together the ultimate guide to this vibrant and exciting county.

49 NICE TO MEET YOU Planning a trip abroad? We report back from the sunny South of France. 54 JULIE NOTED We sit down for a bite to eat at Dublin eatery Gallaher's with Galway singer JULIE FEENEY. 57 GOLDEN OLDIES From keeping ﬁt to exploring genealogy, we’ve got some fun tips to help you live retired life to the fullest. 60 BABY TALK Even before your baby learns to talk, there's plenty of ways for you to communicate with your bundle of joy. 62 GO REVIEW Our team of reviewers cast their eye over the latest albums, books and DVDs.

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CREDITS

Forbidden Fruit

MAY - JULY 2013 VOLUME: 03 ISSUE: 03 MANAGING EDITOR

Máirín Sheehy

COMMISSIONING EDITOR

Roisin Dwyer

CONTRIBUTORS

Stuart Clark Craig Fitzpatrick Maeve Heslin Johnny Keegan Roe McDermott Celina Murphy Colm O'Hare Marie Ryan Anne Sexton

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Hot Press 13 Trinity Street Dublin 2

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Graham Keogh

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PUBLISHER

Niall Stokes

GO RAIL IS PUBLISHED FOR IARNRÓD ÉIREANN BY: Osnovina Ltd 13 Trinity Street Dublin 2

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LETTERS

The Editor, Go Rail Magazine, 13 Trinity St Dublin 2

While every effort has been made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, the publishers cannot accept any responsibilities for errors. The views contained in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Iarnród Eireann. All material © Osnovina 2013. All rights reserved. Reproduction of material without permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited.

SUMMER LOVIN' S

ummer is i-cumen in. It is the first line of a medieval ‘round’, a clever form of song composition that involves one singer leading and others entering at a preordained point in the verse, beginning the song again in a set sequence so that they all end up ‘harmonising’ but at different places in the lyrics. The song was written in or around 1280, in a dialect of Middle English. Reputedly the oldest known musical composition featuring six part polyphony, it is still being sung and recorded. “Summer has come in,” we would say today, “Loudly sing, cuckoo/ The seed grows and the meadow blooms/ And the wood springs anew.” It makes sense that this is one of the songs that has survived. Especially in this part of the Northern Hemisphere, we have always had a fascination with and a yearning for summer. The winter seems long. All that darkness and the prevalence of rain wears the spirit down. The sun when it does finally show is like a healing balm. And so songs about summer have always been part of the popular consciousness. The names – and the lines – trip off the tongue. “Summertime,” the old song, written in 1934 by DuBose Hayward and George Gershwin for the opera Porgy & Bess, goes, “and the livin’ is easy/ Fish are jumpin’/ and the cotton is high.” Wouldn’t it be nice if that vision of contentment could be easily realised? This is how we want to think of summer – as an imagined idyll during which all of our cares can be forgotten at least temporarily while we enjoy, for however tantalisingly short a time, the good life. We want to roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. We jump on a train that takes us way off down the track and think about summer love, adventures that have about them an element of fantasy and escape. The boys of summer watch the girls in their summer

clothes, with endless summer nights in mind. Love is in the air. And why not? Over the coming months, all over Ireland, there is a huge amount to see, do and get involved in. It is probably true that there have never been so many diverse festivals, each with its own character and ambition. You could say that it reflects our eternal optimism about these three months that all over the country people are thinking and organising so positively. And it does: beginning with Forbidden Fruit in the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, and Listowel Writer’s Week, both at the start of June and running through to Electric Picnic in Stradbally at the end of August, there is a seriously packed calendar. There are so many different types of event that no one should be left scratching their heads looking for that elusive something special to suit their taste! Some festivals are commercially driven. Others are community based. Many are fuelled, variously, by a love of the arts, music, culture, literature, fun, food, sport and, of course, the sun! What’s really impressive, however, is the huge amount of thought, effort, energy, planning and commitment that goes into making them all happen. And so, in that unquenchable summer spirit, the best thing we can do is join in, participate, and help to make all those dreams of happier times come just a little bit closer to being realised. Not all summer songs are happy ones. ‘Summer Wine’ tells a story of betrayal, loss and longing. There is just a single shift in the alphabet to get to ‘Summer Wind’, which also deals with the pain of love gained and lost forever. And, as Eddie Cochran sang, in one of the best known songs of the early rock ’n’ roll era, “There ain’t no cure for the summertime blues.” There is no guarantee of happiness. All we can do is our best. Be careful out there. And enjoy yourself...

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Sub

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Returning to Kilmainham for its third year of musical magic, Forbidden Fruit 2013 boasts some of its biggest headliners to date. Rock behemoths Kasabian will make the festival roar on Saturday, along with the likes of electro duo Crystal Castles and dubstep poster boy James Blake. Sunday welcomes performances from two of the most influential acts of the last few decades, genre-hopping demigods Primal Scream and disco legends Chic. Taking place at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on June 1 – 2, the event also offers a bill of side-splitting comedy, a selection of mouth-watering gourmet food and free buses to the festival, not to mentions some new, unexpected twists. The perfect way to spend your bank holiday in Dublin.

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DUB STEPPING ARTY PARTY Stephanie Lake and Larissa McGowan performing their Skeleton show

Taking place in various venues around the city from May 14 – 26, the Dublin Dance Festival is a must for fans of rhythm and movement. It has an incredibly vibrant programme, featuring artists from as far afield as Australia and as close to home as Poppintree. The bill includes some of the world’s most highly-praised choreographers and landmark contemporary dance works, alongside less conventional activities, namely film screenings, brick throwing and even a pyjama party! It will open with renowned Finnish choreographer Tero Saarinen’s Stravinsky Evening at the Abbey Theatre, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first performance of the Rite Of Spring. Dublindancefestival.ie has more.

An annual two-week demonstration of why Galway has the deserved unofficial title of ‘Arts Capital Of Ireland’, the Galway Arts Festival returns to the City of the Tribes from July 18 – 28, with the usual mix of music, theatre, art and street performance. A massive coup is getting adored American indie merchants Grizzly Bear, whilst Josh Ritter will continue his love affair with the Irish. On the homegrown front, Glen Hansard (above) and Imelda May play. Also set to take place is the Irish premiere of Howie The Rookie, a stunning production written and directed by Mark O’Rowe and starring Love/Hate actor Tom VaughanLawlor It runs at An Taibhdhearc from July 22 –27. Go to galwayartsfestival.com for the lowdown.

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GOFOR IT

TICKLING THE IVORIES

DESPERATELY SEEKING SAMBA

IN WEXFORD The peaceful riverside town of New Ross celebrates the humble piano this September with a very special fourday music festival connecting the classical and the contemporary. Now in its eighth year, the New Ross Piano Festival will welcome masters from Ireland and abroad during the weekend of September 26 to 29, for high-energy concerts, street performances and everything in between. Three of the headlining pianists at this year’s festival hail from Russia, in keeping with the country’s enduring status as a source of iconic piano music; international favourite Lilya Zilberstein, who has performed in Mexico, Japan, Korea and Brazil, as well as all over Europe; 28-year-old Denis Kozhukhin, whose CV includes turns with the Vienna Symphony, Baltimore

Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Scottish Symphony and the Bournemouth Symphony and 21-year-old prodigy Nikolay Khozyainov, who won the Dublin International Piano Competition last year. Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts will also make the trip to New Ross, joining the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet for one exclusive performance. Plus, in honour of an exciting year in New Ross, which is celebrating the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s visit to the town of his ancestors 50 years ago, the festival is looking forward to an all-American solo programme played by pianist Alexander Bernstein. Keep an eye on newrosspianofestival.com for the full line-up.

Celebrating two decades of dancing, the Drogheda Samba Festival will once again bring rhythm and colour to the Boyneside town this summer. As a Gathering Flagship Festival, organisers have attracted close to 300 samba drummers for the event, as well as bands from France, Germany, England and Scotland to complement our own groups. Three West African dance troupes, from Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria, are also hoping to make the trip. The three-day festival runs from June 28 to 30, with a carnival parade on the final day. June 29 will see five hours of non-stop performances on Drogheda’s main street, whilst there will be workshops, beer garden gigs, a samba mass, and late night fringe festival club ‘Global Grooves’ running throughout. Go to droghedasamba.com

Waterford - Ireland’s oldest city Bishop’s Palace

Have you discovered Waterford City? You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much there is to see and do in Ireland’s oldest city! From Viking Towers to crystal blowers, historic cathedrals to exciting festivals, award winning restaurants to super shopping, and all at great value for money! Check us out on: www.DiscoverWaterfordCity.ie

House of Water ford Crysta l

Med ieval Museu

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WATER

WEEKEND The city of Waterford will be abuzz this June Bank Holiday weekend, with a plethora of family-friendly activities, entertainment and sport taking place. The party gets started in style on Friday, June 28, as Imelda May, Alabama 3, Jack L, Jerry Fish and Propeller Palms all play. Don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep however, as the second annual Waterford Viking Marathon kicks off at 9am on The Mall. The 26 mile slog finishes at the Waterford Regional Sports Centre. Live music and street entertainment will then bring a celebratory feel to the city, as Raven’s Rock Rally takes over the quays on Saturday evening. Run by the CarrickOn-Suir Motor Club, it encompasses three circuits, 150 teams and 500 drivers. That night will be, quite literally, Madness. The ska-pop legends headline a bill that also includes King Kong Company and the Natty Wailer Band. The Coronas bring a weekend of music, mirth and marathon to a close on Sunday evening, with support from Solar Taxi. Go to discoverwaterfordcity.ie for more information.

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GOFOR IT

HOW (CAR)LOW

CAN YOU GO?

Not one, but three eclectic arts festivals will descend on Carlow in June, adding to the already-teeming programme of exhibitions and events promised throughout the summer. The action centres around the annual Eigse Carlow Arts Festival, which comes to Carlow town from June 7 – 16. Boasting a varied line-up which includes events from across a range of genres including theatre, music, comedy, film and contemporary dance, the festival is a firm favourite with locals and tourists alike. Irish songstress Bronagh Gallagher and her band will open the festival on June 7, with poet John Cooper Clarke (13), funnyman Andrew Maxwell (14, pictured right) and record-breaking musical Les Misérables (12) among the main attractions. And, for the second year running, the Borris House Festival of Writing and Ideas (June 8 and 9) and The History Festival of Ireland (June 15 and 16) will add to the fun, both bringing a myriad of unique talks and performances to the town. Mercury Prize-winning musician PJ Harvey will speak as part of the Borris House bill, along with novelists, film-makers, journalists, musicians and political commentators from around the world, while the history festival welcomes Gerry Stembridge, Myles Dungan and Ruth Dudley Edwards for performances and debates. Some of Ireland’s best known illustrators (Stephen Maurice Graham, Niamh Sharkey and The Project Twins, to name but four) will come together for a show in the VISUAL centre entitled Extinction in September, while the Eigse Festival’s annual open art submission is bound to attract a host of fresh talent, offering a €3,000 prize to the winning artist. See eigse.com for full details.

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FAMILY FUN Su mme r 2 0 1 3

FFR REEE

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Movies On Demand Car Parking WiWi-Fi & Broadband Use of The Pier Health Club Use of sansanaSPA Thermal Suites*

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‘Summe nk merr Fun’ Dri rin

* subject to availability

Family Fun 20113 3

Thrre eee Bed & Breea akkfast plus T hrree Din Th inneerrs

Midwe k frfrom €199 ps / weeek 99p pp Weeke d ffrroom €219p ken nd 9pp pss plu er n luss €20 per chi hilld p pe niight

Q UOT Adu hilild drre en FUN 20 0113 3-2 2A dullttss & 2C 2Ch n QU OTEE:: FAMIILLYY FU ROYAL MARINE HOTEL DUN LAOGHAIRE CO DUBLIN

T : +353 (0)1 2 3000 30 E : reservations@royalmarine.ie W : www.royalmarine.ie

LISTOWEL WRITERS’ WEEK 2013 29th May to 2nd June 2013 Ireland’s longest running literary festival renowned for bringing together writers and audiences at unique and innovative events in the cultural landscape of Listowel, Co. Kerry. Readings – Lectures - Literary Workshops – Theatre – Art Children’s’ Festival - Literary Tours & Music Here is a selection of guests who will feature at our 2013 Festival: Nadeen Aslam, Dermot Bolger, Lucy Caldwell, Gianrico Carofiglio, Cathy Cassidy, Marina Chapman, Emma Donoghue, Robin Dunbar, Thomas Keneally, Gene Kerrigan, Colum McCann, Martha Long, Andrew Miller, Rebecca Miller, Paddy Moloney, John Montague, Alison Moore, Peter Murphy, Audrey Niffenegger, Sunday Miscellany, Colm Tóibín and Willy Vlautin. Full details and bookings are available on www.writersweek.ie We are pleased to offer special group rates/packages, please contact us for more details on info@writersweek.ie or 00 353 68 21074.

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GOFOR IT

PAWS FOR

BODY BEAUTIFUL LAUGHTER The ultimate ‘mature’ music festival, this bespoke event is the perfect place for music lovers who like their live summer gigs to come with a cool, laid back atmosphere and plenty of other interesting distractions. Taking place beside beautiful Ballinlough Castle in Co. Meath, Body & Soul 2013 will feature an incredibly eclectic line-up between June 21 – 23. Nick Cave and

& The Bad Seeds are reliably excellent, John Lydon brings his PiL to the party, whilst there is a rare Irish appearance from Beyoncé’s hotly-tipped sister Solange. Music aside, punters can expect a carefully selected pop-up restaurant, spoken word events, performance art, theatrics, soul kids and a host of other unique and exciting activities.

The Cat Laughs Festival has been transforming Kilkenny into the comedy capital of the world in early summer for nearly two decades and its (laughing) stock has never been higher. Having started in 1994 to showcase the golden generation of Irish stand-up talent, it now attracts comics from around the globe. The homegrown heavy-hitters this year include major Hollywood star Chris O’Dowd and the massively talented, hugelyrespected Dylan Moran, alongside circuit mainstays such as Aidan Bishop, Andrew Maxwell, Kevin Bridges and Neil Delamere. The likes of Rich Hall, Michael Redmond and Dom Irrera make up an illustrious and irreverent international contingent. It runs from May 30 – June 3 in various venues around the city.

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ROSCOMMON GOES FRENCH IN JULY Now in its fifth year, the Percy French Festival is one of the most popular attractions west of the Shannon. A week-long celebration remembering the life and works of multi-talented Roscommon man Percy French, the festival hosts music, theatre and spoken word events in some of the county’s finest reception rooms, including an original theatre room in the magnificent 18th Century Castlecoote House. This year, the festival is addressing such issues as the decline of rural Ireland and the role the church will play in the Ireland of the future. Prominent speakers include Mark Patrick Hederman, Abbot of Glenstal, Dr. Ethna Regan, Mater Dei Institute, Liz Wall, National President of the ICA, Former TD Mary O’Rourke and many more. Naturally, there will be plenty of music, too, with maestro Bill Golding and harpists extraordinaire the O’Donnell sisters heading the bill. Visitors can also look forward to a fun-filled family

day, with face-painting, puppetry, storytelling, tennis competitions and many more activities for children. Elsewhere, Carnation Theatre brings high jinx, life size puppetry, and clowning to an interactive tale set in the Roscommon of the 1940s, full of old favourites from the Percy French repertoire. For more information, see percyfrench.ie, contact info@percyfrench.ie or phone +353 (0)90 666 3794 for a free brochure.

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GOFOR IT

BON VOYAGE

WALKING FOR DIABETES Style Blogger Lorna Claire Weightman, Ambassador for Diabetes Ireland

Slane returns after a year away to reclaim its title as the most legendary name in live Irish music. To do so, they’ve brought in the big guns. One of rock’s biggest draws, Bon Jovi are primed and ready to grace the same Meath field that The Rolling Stones, Oasis, U2 and Bruce Springsteen have all conquered over the years. They certainly have the tunes to get the crowd going – you can expect mass singalongs to the likes of ‘It’s My Life’, ‘You Give Love A Bad Name’ and, of course, ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’. Irish support comes from Ham Sandwich, The Coronas, and The Voice Of Ireland’s Bressie. Tickets for the June 15 gig are priced from €79.50.

The good folk at the Diabetes Federation of Ireland have planned a jam-packed schedule of events for the Summer months, starting with the National Lunar Walk series, which has already kicked off in various spots around the country. Next up, it’s Cork and Dublin’s turn to host the 20/30km walks, which invite fundraisers to discover their city by the light of a full moon, on May 25 and June 22 respectively. Also in the works is a musical concert featuring members of the UCD Ad Astra Academy Performing Arts Programme, which comes to the Church of Ireland in Rathfarnham on May 24. Rounding

off the Summer entertainment bill is a National Activity Day for teens with diabetes on July 12, giving young people an opportunity to try out new sports and hobbies. Events will take place in centres nationwide, including Blackwater Activity Centre, Cork, Shielbaggan Outdoor Education Centre, Wexford and Zipit, Loughkey, Roscommon, with buses scheduled to travel from various locations to the venues. Young people aged 10 to 16 are invited to sign up by phoning 1850 909 909 or emailing info@diabetes.ie. For more information on any of these events, see diabetes.ie.

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ATTRACTIONS

Jackie Clarke Collection

THINGS TO SEE

And Do

here are many exciting stop-offs around the country, each steeped in historical and cultural heritage. Here, Go Rail takes a look at four essential trips that are guaranteed to brighten up your summer!

JACKIE CLARKE COLLECTION The most important private collection of Irish historical material is now open to the public. The Jackie Clarke Collection has come to Ballina, comprising over 100,000 items from four centuries. Artefacts from Theobald Wolfe Tone are presented alongside letters from the likes of Michael Collins, Douglas Hyde, Charles Gavan Duffy, Michael Davitt and O’Donovan Rossa. Joining all of that in the new cultural attraction centre located in the former Provincial Bank on Pearse Street, are rare books, poster, pamphlets and political cartoons, works by Sir John Lavery, maps, hunger strike material and personal items from the leaders of the 1916 Rising. It is all thanks to the late Jackie Clarke, a local businessman and genius collector. In 2005 his widow, Anne Clarke, gifted his collection to

Mayo County Council. The Genius Collector room presents a short film on the man himself. Elsewhere, there is a maps room, a beautiful library, a space dedicated to hundreds of prints, posters and political cartoons, and The Repository, which offers in-depth access to the collection. The centre also boasts a spectacular Urban Walled Garden, a preserved Victorian-style space for relaxation, exploration and education. General tours are available at 11.30am and 2.30pm daily. Specialist tours for more than three people can be booked by phoning +353 (0)96 73508 or email clarkecollection@mayococo.ie. Opening hours: 10am – 5pm daily from Tuesday to Saturday Web: clarkecollection.ie

THOMOND PARK Sports fans will do well to squeeze in a visit to the majestic Thomond Park during their next trip to Limerick, where a stadium tour takes you to places usually only accessible to players and officials. From a seat in the home dressing-room to a

walk down the tunnel, the tour gives visitors a unique opportunity to experience how the Munster players feel on big match days. The Full Stadium Tour consists of a museum visit and film, plus a pitch-side visit and look at the Munster dugout, as well as the home and away dressing rooms and post-match interview areas. The interactive museum showcases the proud heritage of Munster Rugby and features an impressive range of memorabilia. A specially commissioned film, We Are Munster, portrays the tradition and history of the club, and the unique bond it shares with its loyal supporters. You can even enhance your spectator experience by taking in a visit to The Munster Interactive Museum on match days. The museum opens its doors two-and-a-half hours before kickoff, until just 30 minutes before. There, you can relive all of Munster’s past successes, practice your lineout skills in an interactive section and see memorabilia from Munster’s famous history. Just remember that there is no access to the pitch or dressing-rooms on match days, for obvious reasons!

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Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre

Both walk-in and bookings are welcome but booking is recommended in advance in order to avoid disappointment. Ticket prices start at €8. Quote GO RAIL when booking to avail of a 20% discount. Opening hours: Monday - Friday, 10am - 5pm Tel: +353 (0)61 421 109 Email: museum@thomondpark.ie Web: thomondpark.ie

STEPHEN’S GREEN SHOPPING CENTRE A shopping stalwart that doubles as a historical and architectural marvel, Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre gives the impression that it has stood proudly on its city centre site forever, but in fact, it was only completed in 1988 – making it 25 this year! Prior to that, the site was the home of the Dandelion Market, another famed Dublin hangout in its day. Back then, an archway on the Georgian west side of the Green led people along an alley of shops, eventually leading out onto an open courtyard, housing more stall holders. In the late ‘70s, a makeshift stage was created towards the back of the enclosure, for up and coming bands to perform on, including a then little-known outfit called U2. It’s fitting then that when a new venture was being planned in the ‘80s, developers decided to create a haven for shoppers. Boasting thousands of panes of glass and a pitched glass roof, the current building’s distinctive design is based on the features of a Victorian greenhouse. Decorative ironwork is displayed throughout the Centre, along the elegant staircases and first-

floor, where semi-circular balconies protrude over the ground-floor. The interior is made all the more striking by the impressive dome and huge glass centrepiece clock (thought to be the largest in Dublin, the clock is an essential inclusion for any time-conscious shopper!) For every Dubliner, the Centre has created its own impression and memories. Many a love match has begun with a tentative initial suggestion to meet up at Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, while the Kylemore cafe offers spectacular views of the park; the many Dubliners who start their day with an early breakfast there can also enjoy the privilege of watching the city come to life. Opening hours: Monday - Wednesday, 9am 7pm, Thursday, 9am - 9pm, Friday and Saturday, 9am - 7pm, Sunday, 11am - 6pm Tel: +353 (0)1 478 0888 Email: info@stephensgreen.com Web: stephensgreen.com

TULLAMORE D.E.W. VISITOR CENTRE Visitors from across the globe have already flocked to the newly refurbished Tullamore D.E.W. Visitor Centre, which is set on the stunning banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore. The world-renowned whiskey tour blends audiovisual technology with traditional storytelling to reveal Tullamore D.E.W.’s journey from humble beginnings to the present day, with archive footage and interviews with workers from the original 19th century distillery. “We wanted to create something really special and unique for our visitors,” explains Marketing

Thomond Park

Manager Cathy Sullivan. “We’ve transformed the original 19th century bonded warehouse into a state-of-the-art centre, where visitors can explore the fascinating story of Daniel E. Williams, the man who made a whiskey that was so good, he gave his name to it.” Visitors can enjoy an immersive tour, beginning with a video in the main auditorium where the story of Daniel E. Williams sets the scene for the rest of the visit. The film ends to reveal a giant drying kiln for malted barley, which visitors are then invited to enter. This area becomes the fulcrum around which the tour revolves, as visitors move up the stairs through the mashing kettle and washback to explore the distilling process from ingredient selection to treatment. The tour concludes with a complementary whiskey tasting, when visitors can sample the triple distilled, triple blended Irish whiskey. Opening hours: Monday - Saturday, 9.30am 6pm, Sunday/Bank Holidays, 11.30am - 5pm Tel: +353 (0)57 932 5015 Email: info@tullamoredew.com Web: tullamoredewvisitorcentre.com

WIN A TOUR OF THE TULLAMORE DEW VISITOR CENTRE! To be in with a chance of winning a free tour for two to the Tullamore DEW Visitor Centre, simply answer the following question: What do the initials DEW stand for? Send your answers to gorail@hotpress.ie. Good luck!

Tullamore Dew

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GONEWS

The Mooney Show’s Derek Mooney and Ray Foley, station manager with 2nd class pupils from Scoil Iosaef Naofa, Cobh; at Kent station, Cork, for the launch of Iarnród Éireann’s 2013 programme of The Journey’s On Us

THE JOURNEY S ON US 2013!

FREE GROUP TRAVEL FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS

arnród Éireann has launched the 2013 programme for ‘The Journey’s On Us’, an initiative to support organisations and groups in the voluntary, community, sporting and charity sector.

‘The Journey’s On Us’, will provide up to 100 groups with a free group travel return journey for up to 50 people per group during 2013, meaning 5,000 free journeys are on offer across any of the company’s services. The travel facilities will be ideal in particular for organisations bringing a group to a special event, or as part of a specific support to the members of the group which requires travel. Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive David Franks said: “Voluntary organisations are the life blood of communities across the country. However, like everyone, their budgets have been cut. We know there are youth, sports, music, voluntary, charity and other groups in the community who would benefit greatly from being able to undertake

initiatives which involve a travel cost, but have had to scale back. We in Iarnród Éireann, through The Journey’s On Us, want to do what we can to help such groups achieve their goals, and say thank you to the organisations which play such a vital role in the daily lives of communities.” The company has invited all community, voluntary, sporting and charity groups to apply for the 100 group travel trips available. Entry forms are available at all Ianród Éireann stations or online at irishrail.ie/journeys . Entry forms can be filled out online, emailed to journeys@irishrail. ie or by post to Corporate Communications, Iarnród Éireann, Connolly Station, Dublin 1. The closing date for receipt of entries is Friday, May 3, at 5pm. Last year, over 700 groups applied for the scheme, and organisations ranging from Men’s Sheds to choirs, Special Olympics to Girl Guides, and groups representing youth and elderly, benefited from The Journey’s on Us.

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David Franks, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann (left) with Noel Brett, Chief Executive of the Road Safety Authority and Gerald Beesley, Railway Safety Commissioner (right), pictured at the launch of the new RSA/Iarnrod Eireann/ Railway Safety Campaign

STAY SAFE AT LEVEL CROSSINGS A public awareness campaign for road crossings unveiled.

he Road Safety Authority, Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission have launched ‘Safety at Level Crossings’ a new public awareness campaign aimed at making road users aware of the correct behaviour at railway crossings and the dangers posed by their misuse. Speaking on the new campaign Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar said: ‘Tragically there have been four fatalities at level crossings since 2007. Road users should always be conscious of the dangers posed by level crossings. The State also has a duty to raise awareness of the risks, so I’m very pleased to see the RSA, Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission joining forces for this lifesaving campaign’. “These rules are there to save lives. Your own actions at a level crossing can have a significant impact on your own welfare, and the lives of others. Something as simple as leaving a gate open at an unattended crossing can have disastrous consequences for anyone who follows.” The key information to remember at level crossings is: - Always approach railway level crossings with care, - Slow down and prepare to stop, - Obey signs and road markings, - Never stop on the railway tracks, - At Unattended level crossings – be wary! - Stop, look, listen and give way to trains, - Open all gates before driving across, - Shut and fasten the gates after you – it’s the law and you could save a life!

While the last fatal incident at a level crossing was in 2010, there have been 96 “near misses”, where a train driver made an emergency brake application, in the past three years in response to a hazard. It is vital that road users understand that they must approach a level crossing with care and then slow down and be prepared to stop. Some people may not realise that you must obey the signs and roadway markings at a level

crossing. It is highly dangerous to zigzag around the barriers of a crossing or stop on the railway tracks. The ‘Safety at Level Crossings’ campaign includes the publication of a new information booklet which will be available for download from the websites of the Road Safety Authority, Iarnód Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission.

SEECHANGE CHALLENGING THE STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS It’s time to talk about mental health.

ee Change, the National Stigma Reduction Partnership and its 70 partner organisations will be rolling out a month long national green ribbon campaign to get people talking openly about mental health problems in May 2013. The ask of people is to wear the green ribbon and support a movement to spark a national conversation about mental health in boardrooms, break-rooms, chat rooms, clubhouses, arts venues, college campuses and around kitchen tables throughout Ireland. SeeChange’s aim is to make the month of May every year synonymous with challenging the stigma of mental health. The Green Ribbon campaign is simply about raising awareness and challenging the stigma of mental health problems. Green ribbons will be

distributed nationwide free of charge and will not be associated with any fundraising activity. Donations are welcome on orders of 500 ribbons or more. Iarnród Éireann is proud to be a distribution partner for SeeChange, and Green Ribbons will be available at stations throughout the month. How to get involved: • Contact ciara@seechange.ie to secure your order of free green ribbons to distribute among your family, friends, colleagues and community, • See Change can supply flyers, posters and promotional materials on the green ribbon initiative, • See Change can provide a variety of online badges and backgrounds that can be uploaded to supporting organisations’ websites and individuals’ social media profiles, More information is available at seechange.ie

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GONEWS

NEW ENTRANCE OPENED AT PEARSE STATION

Pictured are Patrick Prendergast,Provost of Trinity College Dublin with Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport, Dr. Leo Varadakar T.D and David Franks, Chief Executive, Iarnród Éireann.

A new entrance has been opened at Pearse Station, which brings customers directly from the station through the Trinity Bio Sciences Building and onto Pearse St.

he entrance work and upgrading of the station was funded by the National Transport Authority and has many customer benefits including: • Access to the Trinity Bio Sciences Building and onto Pearse St., • Improved visual appearance of the station, • New lifts and escalators, • More commercial units within the station, • 11 new ticket validation gates and four new ticket vending machines, • Bicycle parking facilities for 20 bikes on northbound platform, • Full accessibility for persons with reduced mobility, • Allow for growth in passenger numbers into the future. Speaking at the opening Minister

WI-FI IN STATIONS WITH EIRCOM

Varadkar said: “This is an important project for passengers because Pearse Station is Iarnród Éireann’s busiest commuter station. As we can see today the results are impressive. It’s a good example of how the Government is prioritising public transport at a time of limited resources, through projects which encourage more people to take the sustainable option.” Pearse Station is Iarnród Éireann’s busiest commuter station with seven million passenger journeys in 2012. The station serves DART, Maynooth and Northern Commuter services as well as Rosslare Intercity services. The new entrance will be open from 7am to 7.30pm daily from Monday to Friday, and 9am to 6pm on Saturday, and is in addition to the main entrance on Westland Row.

Wi-fi rolled out to 70 train stations. You may have tried Wi-Fi on our trains, now we have Wi-Fi in 70 of our stations! Eircom has announced that it has extended its WiFiHub network and has rolled the service out at 70 stations, with more to follow over the coming months. 58 train stations and 12 Dart stations have already had Eircom’s WiFiHub service installed including key stations such as Heuston, Connolly, Cork and both Limerick and Limerick Junction train stations. Regional train stations including Sligo, Mallow, Gorey, Nenagh, Drogheda and Leixlip have also been enabled,

ensuring travellers right across the country can enjoy Wi-Fi as they travel. First-time users need to register to use the service, but once this has been completed users can automatically log on at any eircom WiFiHub hotspot. Users can also download the free eircom WiFiHub app which is available from the Android and Apple stores. To find out more or to register for the eircom WiFiHub service visit eircom.net/wifihub eMobile and Meteor customers can simply send eircom a Text with ‘WiFi’ to 50003 to get their username and password for their free Wi-Fi Account.

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SUPPORTING THE GATHERING – SPECIAL TOURIST TICKET LAUNCHED

NEW TICKET SCHEME FOR ‘GATHERING’ TOURISTS

arnród Éireann, together with Bus Éireann is launching a new ticket, targeted at tourists in Ireland throughout the year of The Gathering.

Right through 2013, Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann will jointly sell The Gathering Travel Ticket, offering: - Three days of unlimited travel across Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann services for just €99 - Seven days of unlimited travel across Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann services for just €199 The Gathering Travel Ticket enables holders to have unlimited travel across Bus Éireann’s 300 city, town to town and inter-city routes, and Iarnród Éireann’s Intercity, DART and Commuter services in the Republic of Ireland for three days or seven days. Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar TD said of the new ticket: “This unlimited travel offer should encourage visitors in 2013 to see a bit more of the country than they would otherwise. I have asked our tourism agencies to make information on this offer available through tourism ofﬁces and internationally, as I’m certain that visitors will be interested.” The Gathering bus and rail travel tickets from Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann are available to purchase from ticket desks at main bus and rail stations nationwide from March 17th until the end of 2013. If you have someone coming home for The Gathering, tell them all about it!

RAIL TRAVEL

GREENER THAN EVER! EFFICIENCIES LEAD TO FURTHER COST SAVINGS.

Iarnród Éireann has saved ¤16 million in annual energy costs at current prices through a range of energy efficiency initiatives implemented at the railway company. The distance covered by the trains (measured in train-kilometres) has varied little over the past five years, maintaining service for our customers in the face of the economic downturn. The energy consumed to provide this service – the vast majority of which is for diesel and electricity to power trains – has reduced by over one-third in the same period, through actions including: - New trains incorporating improved energy efficiency, - Automatic shutdown of train engines to reduce idling,

- Competitive tendering of electricity supply - Extension of regenerative braking on the DART, - Reduced train sizes where demand has decreased, - Improved infrastructure with fewer speed restrictions, - Implementation of improved lighting, heating and fan controls in depots, - Changes to lighting in station car parks, - Temperature and lighting control systems in buildings to prevent wastage. In total, energy usage in Megawatt hours has reduced from 793,400 in 2007 to 526,800 in 2012, a reduction of almost 34%. This is particularly important in the context of the rising costs of diesel and other energy sources in recent years.

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GOFEATURE

22 Cillian Murphy GoR 1

10/05/2013 15:14:18

LAW MURPHY S

MIXING INDEPENDENT WORK WITH MASSIVE BLOCKBUSTERS, CILLIAN MURPHY HAS MORE THAN MADE HIS MARK IN HOLLYWOOD. THE CORK ACTOR TELLS ROE McDERMOTT ABOUT PROTECTING HIS PRIVATE LIFE AND HIS EARLY DAYS AS A ROCK N ROLLER.

n Irish acting stalwart at just 36, Cork native Cillian Murphy is one of Ireland’s most respected thesps, and with good reason. Since his breakthrough performance in Disco Pigs in 2001, Murphy has proven himself as a comic talent in dark and surreal comedies like Intermission and Breakfast On Pluto; a dramatic force in The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Cold Mountain and Girl With A Pearl Earring; an intimidating and exhilarating villain in Batman Begins and Red Eye; an everyman-turned-hero in 28 Days Later and Sunshine; and a star of one of this decade’s most cerebral, action-packed successes, Inception. As well as this, Murphy has continued to make intriguing choices in small independent films and continued a hugely acclaimed theatre career. Completely grounded, humble and down-toearth, Murphy is also fiercely private, eschewing Hollywood for a quiet life with his artist wife Yvonne McGuinness and their two children. His personal choices have been to the benefit of his career. Remaining an enigmatic figure, he has a chameleonic ability to disappear into each of his diverse characters while still harnessing an intelligent, thoughtful energy – a soulfulness that’s further emphasised by those trademark big eyes. This summer sees the DVD release of Rufus Norris’ Broken, where Murphy stars alongside Tim Roth and newcomer Eloise Lawrence in a layered drama about three self-destructive families living in a Home Counties cul-de-sac. Murphy plays Mike, a commitment-shy teacher who is friends with 11-year-old Skunk, the bright but unassuming heart of the film. Later this year, Murphy will also star in the new BBC drama Peaky Blinders. Set in 1919, the crime drama sees Murphy star as Thomas Shelby, the violent leader of the Shelby clan’s intimidating criminal gang.

ou’ve played such a huge variety of roles over the course of your career, but with the huge success of films like The Dark Knight Rises, Inception and Red Eye, mainstream audiences have come to know you as a manipulative and terrifying villain... It is a weird thing, because really I’ve only played two villains in my whole career. I never feel like I’ve been typecast or anything, because it’s been two characters out of about 30 movies. They were fun parts to play, but I’ve always been more attracted to playing normal people who are under pressure. My character in 28 Days Later or in Sunshine, they’re normal people in weird situations and very alarming situations, and I’ve always been interested in what that does to people, and how they react to it. Do you find it important to go a bit method and stay inside the characters’ heads, or once your preparation is done, is it easy to slip in and out of character? It’s different for each character. In Broken there’s a lot of me in that character. Because he’s so grounded and normal, it’s a variation of my own personality. Whereas with a character like Kitten in Breakfast On Pluto in particular, or other more transformative roles, you have to spend a lot more time researching. I just did this television show at the end of last year [Peaky Blinders, set at the end of WWI and due for broadcast this year] and that was a big transformative performance too. You just spend ages researching and focusing on the external aspects of the characters and kind of find the character that way. Whereas with others they kind of slip on fairly comfortably, you just have your script and your instinct. But as for staying in character, there’s levels but I’m not really the guy who walks around set staying in character. Do you play favourites with your characters? Are there any you particularly loved playing?

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(l to r) Cillian in Breakfast On Pluto and Batman Begins

Cillian Murphy: not caught up in the Hollywood treadmill

NOSTALGIA IF YOU RE A CREATIVE PERSON IS REALLY DEATH. YOU CAN T KEEP LOOKING BACK AND GOING

I look back on some characters with a lot of affection, like Kitten in Breakfast On Pluto, because the whole film was a great experience, but I do think nostalgia if you’re a creative person is really death. You can’t look back and go, ‘Ah sure, wasn’t I great?’ You have to keep on keeping on, and pushing yourself. You’ve had the privilege of working with Danny Boyle and Christopher Nolan, who really take opposite views on the recent digital film Vs. celluloid film debate. Boyle is a digital champion, and has said 28 Days Later couldn’t have been made without it. However Batman Begins director Nolan says he’ll never use digital, that something about the art of filmmaking is really lost by using digital film. First of all, how is the experience acting with these two artforms? Digital film directors can shoot for hours non-stop, so for one thing, actors get far less downtime on set. Actually yeah, Peaky Blinders was all shot on digital. This is an old cliché, but it’s the waiting around that they pay you for – the acting you do for free! I love it when it’s all go and you’re acting the whole time – though again, that may be an offshoot of doing theatre work. I like being in character for a while and am used to it, but I can definitely see how it could be a culture shock. So personally I don’t feel for me it’s impacted the way films are shot hugely, I don’t feel like digital directors are taking advantage of the fact that they can make me work for hours non-stop or anything! Do you have any preference for celluloid or film? Does it bother you that celluloid film is being used less and less? I definitely notice the difference in the aesthetic. I mean for digital, they still have to light it like a film, unless they’re shooting it on the street where they can shoot with virtually no extra lights, which is amazing. But to make the film look really beautiful they still have to light expertly, and that set-up still takes time. I bemoan the demise of film, but I know that there are people like Christopher who resolutely refuse to use anything other than film, so the fact that he’s championing it is amazing. I still think it will survive, but it’s just the draw of budget and also expediency of being able to digitalise and transfer everything right away. It’s an interesting time. Would you have any interest in directing?

WASN T I GREAT? I wouldn’t rule it out, but I feel like it’s not going to come for a while. Someone told me: ‘You know when you read a script and think that no-one else should do it other than you?’ That hasn’t happened yet. And I think I’ve a lot to prove as an actor. It will come, but there’s no rush. You seem a very private person who feels it is important to do theatre and small films. Not get too caught up in the madness of the Hollywood machine. Oh yeah. I mean really the big studio pictures are few and far between in comparison to the rest of the work I do. My bread and butter seems to be in independent film. The bigger pictures get a wider audience obviously so people may recognise me from those few, but there are far less of them than the independent films and theatre. It’s harder to find good, interesting, satisfying characters in the studio films. They are there, and there are some brilliant films coming out of Hollywood every year, but my bread and butter is in the independent world. If the other work can be more satisfying and easily keep you employed, what’s the draw to studio films when they mean giving up a level of anonymity and having to engage with the world of celebrity? I never make any connection between the consequences of making a film and the film itself. If I go make a film like Inception, I’m just excited to be a part of the film because it’s an amazing script with an amazing director. So you’re not thinking about the aftermath or the personal ramifications, you’re just thinking about the work and trying to make the film as good as it can be on that set at that time. It is just about the work, and the studio films look after you so well that it’s a great experience. But it’s just the work, so whether it’s a role in a studio film or a supporting part in a gorgeous film like Broken or a one-man-show in Galway – as long as it’s good, I want to do it.

You started off performing in bands as a teenager before moving into acting, it’s clear performing has always been in your blood. Where does that drive come from? I dunno really, I really don’t know. None of my family do it. Well my brother is a musician and was in the band with us, but I dunno. It’s kind of innate, and hard to explain logically. I think it is just a gene you have, in my family it just skipped a few generations obviously but it was always there. Back in the nineties, your rock band The Sons of Mr. Greengenes got offered a five-album deal with Acid Jazz Records. Do you ever regret not trying your hand as a rock star for a few years? Ha! And Acid Jazz are having a bit of a moment now, they’re having a revival, we were just 20 years too early! No I don’t regret it, I think I knew my limits as a songwriter and a musician, so when I discovered acting it was more exciting. I didn’t know what it could lead to, and was really excited to be able to express myself in a different way. And it’s an awful industry, the music industry. It’s cruel, particularly nowadays. Well actually, now I suppose there is more freedom in that you can make your own music on a laptop in your bedroom, whereas back then they were going to own us, own everything. I’m still obsessed with music and the fact that you can access so much music now is amazing and means that small bands can actually get their stuff out there which is great. But I think trying to make a living out of it then would have been horrible. I don’t think I would have been friends with my bandmates now. We’re all still great pals, but I think had we gone and done that, it would have all come crashing down – and we would have inevitably been dropped. Are you still writing songs? Occasionally, yeah. Are we ever going to hear any? No! It was all pre-internet, thank god!

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GOFEATURE

26 Mary McEvoy GoR 1

10/05/2013 13:54:42

TALKING ABOUT

MENTAL HEALTH

DOESN’T HAVE TO BE ALL

DOOM AND GLOOM

Twenty years after the fact, Mary McEvoy is still famous for Glenroe. But she retains her passion for acting and is enthusiastic about her current project, which aims to tackle the stigma of mental illness. WORDS Anne Sexton PHOTO Graham Keogh

“I

t’s a happy show about being sad,” says Mary McEvoy about her current play, Box Of Frogs, a comedy about the rather serious topic of mental health and depression. Box Of Frogs opens on May 9 in Town Hall Theatre in Galway and tours around Ireland with a final performance at Drogheda’s Droichead Theatre on June 21. McEvoy credits the show to her fellow performer Dil Wickremasinghe. “The idea came about because of The Vagina Monologues. We were talking and said we should do something similar, where you could be open and funny about mental health. Dil is a dynamo, so by the end of the day it was a runner!” If you have suffered from mental health problems or have a loved one who has, you may be concerned about the idea of a play treating the subject in a light-hearted way. However, all the performers have a history of mental health issues. McEvoy has suffered from depression and anxiety for years, and has discussed this in her memoir, How The Light Gets In. Writer Isobel Mahon interviewed McEvoy and her fellow performers John Moynes and Dil Wickremasinghe and used their stories as the basis for the script. “Isobel wrote them up in monologue form, interspersed with funny sketches and messing. It’s an honest portrayal of people struggling with mental health but you are never more than a minute away from a laugh,” explains McEvoy. “With the play we wanted to get bums on seats, for people to see it and learn from it. If people were moaning about their lives for an hour no one would want to see it, but it is a very funny show. “There is also a bigger question of how you can use humour. Humour is a great way of allowing people to cope with your problems. There are certain situations where I don’t feel comfortable. When people say, ‘Why won’t you come to this?’ I say, ‘Look it, I’m bonkers!’ It makes them laugh and allows me to explain I’m not really able for it.”

We all have coping mechanisms, Mary explains, but some of these, such as drinking or taking drugs, can be destructive. Other behaviour can be indicative of mental health problems too. “You see it all the time – the person in the pub who is always ribbing and making people feel awkward. They cope by turning the bonhomie up to 19. A man on a galloping horse could spot they are lying to themselves. But will they admit it? In the end the rest of us have to cope with their coping mechanism and I think to myself, ‘Please just get help.’” Alleviating stress and avoiding situations that make you anxious where possible can certainly help, but this has its downside as well. “You can’t have too much of a comfort zone. You can’t become a recluse. A lot of people do. I have to mind that. I hate small talk. I’m not good at it. If I’m in a situation like that, that I can’t avoid, I sometimes make the excuse that I need a glass of water and I’ll go outside, look at the sky, take a few deep breaths and calm down. I give myself a little breather. “A lot of people are very hard on themselves – ‘I have to put myself through this’. I used to be like that and think it was character-forming. But I’ve been there, done that and it doesn’t work. The gentler way works.” Quite often we try to ignore our emotions because we don’t deserve to feel that way, Mary explains. “Last week my partner was away. On Sunday I was feeling a bit ‘home-alone-Mary-with-thesheep’ and once I gave myself permission to feel that, I felt better. I went for a drive and ended up going to a vintage fair, and by happenchance I met one of my friends there. You have to allow yourself to admit that you’re down or tired some days.” It’s important to look after your physical comfort as well. “If I’m feeling rotten I ask myself, am I tired, hungry or cold? It can be that basic at times. Sometimes these can result in dark thoughts or

feelings of loneliness and if you fix them you feel better.” For many years Mary has been open about her problems with depression and anxiety and she believes attitudes are slowly but surely changing. “The stigma is partly around the words we use that are so disparaging – you know, the ‘madhouse’ or the ‘lunatic asylum.’ People often went in and didn’t come out whereas nowadays that’s not so. With medications and counselling, there are so many different avenues to get help. But it does mean being open about your problems. “Unfortunately families can be ashamed. Suddenly it is no longer something ‘out there’ but in here and they don’t want anyone knowing.” Mary argues that we need to change what we see as ‘crazy’ – which is often the only sane response to an unfeeling world. “I’ve often said that we look at the issue the wrong way around. We, people like me, we’re not the crazy ones. The crazy people are the ones that screw the world up and the rest of us have to cope with it. I don’t think it’s crazy to be upset about the mess we’re in. “We live in a dog-eat-dog world,” she conclues. “There’s often terrible cruelty, bullying and hatred of others for no real reason – that’s crazy and we ought to realise it. Crazy is not the people who suffer. Modern life can be part of the problem and it can feel dehumanising. We have so many different ways to communicate, yet we don’t talk. We live in a world full of information but with very little wisdom.” Box Of Frogs was developed with See Change, the national organisation that works to remove the stigma around mental health problems. The show opens on May 9 at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway. See Change rolls out a month-long Green Ribbon campaign in May. They are asking people to wear free green ribbons to help promote an open discussion on mental health.

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GOFEATURE

C R A C K N G T H E

K O D A L N E I

t’s extremely likely you’ll know the faces of these four Dubliners by now, such is their current ubiquity. With high chart placings, YouTube smashes and TV appearances both at home and abroad, they’re a pop band on the march. However, if you have a sneaking feeling that you recognise a couple of them from elsewhere, you’re not going mad. For, once upon a time, Kodaline were fresh-faced bunch 21 Demands. They reached the final of RTÉ talent show You’re A Star in 2007, going on to become the first act in Ireland to have a No. 1 single on downloads alone. Despite making the record books, modern incarnation Kodaline cringe at their teenage selves today. “When we look back now, we realise the music was awful!” roars the generally hushed, fair-haired frontman Stephen Garrigan. “All our songs now are about personal experiences. So we had to live a little. For example, ‘All I Want’ was written about my ex-girlfriend. We hadn’t had any of those life experiences back then.” Taken from their self-titled debut EP, ‘All I Want’ received plenty of attention late last year, with its ‘romantic tale with a twist’ video pushing it over the edge. It was a perfect

showcase for a new, maturing Irish act eager to clink glasses with the likes Coldplay and Snow Patrol in the soft rock VIP area. That number featuring in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy could only help them along. By then, the old skin had well and truly been shed. They did indeed live a little, and also found new bassist Jason Boland. Guitarist Mark Prendergast and Boland had crossed paths when they worked on a Forbidden Fruit slot with Bipolar Empire. At the time, the then-sound engineer’s four-string ability was a secret, so a series of disastrous bass auditions had to be endured before the final line-up took shape. “We sent people tracks going, ‘This is what kind of band we are,” recalls drummer Vinny May. “Then we’d have guys coming in with sixstring basses, playing funk!” Prendergast continues: “This one guy came in with ridiculously baggy trousers and told us he was only really into hip hop and rap.” When they finally jammed with Boland on an Etta James tune, the connection, Garrigan says, was instant. As for the Kodaline name? It does sound like something you’d either take for a headache or something more illicit you’d try at a German rave. The singer reveals the more prosaic truth.

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Proving there’s life after Irish reality TV, Kodaline are the country’s newest musical ‘high hopes’. The down-to-earth Swords quartet talk famous encounters and ignoring the hype. PHOTO Graham Keogh

“It doesn’t mean anything. We just wanted to literally ‘create’ a name. Something that had no connotations associated with it. Though now you mention it, I suppose it does sound like a drug! We did come up with names which really meant a lot to us but then you’d look online and 3,000 other bands would have it! Or it’d be a company or something.” Business is good. Their debut LP In A Perfect World will be aiming to soundtrack the summers of many, and they’ll be hitting the festival circuit, including gigs at Dublin’s Longitude and Cork’s Indiependence. The most monumental summer night for the boys, however, is destined to be one involving New Jersey’s finest export. “We’re doing Hard Rock Calling with Kasabian and Bruce Springsteen is playing the Sunday,” says Garrigan. “Now, I worship Bruce Springsteen. Like, I worship him. Someone sent our songs to his producer Jon Landau and apparently he asked for us to play on his day! Pretty incredible, isn’t it?!” For such a young band, a remarkable raft of illustrious figures have already had cameos in the Kodaline story. The debut album was completed last December in Studio Two, Rockfield Studios, Wales. Pixies were in Studio One. After years of speculation, it seems that they’re working on new material. “Yeah, we could hear them jamming,” Garrigan says matter-of-factly. What did it sound like? “It sounded like Pixies!” laughs Prendergast. “Over breakfast you’d hear the bass and drums rattling. Or you’d walk by them with a cup of tea and just go, ‘Alright, how you going?’ We met Frank Black properly one night. We were going over to see this massive reverb chamber they have at Rockfield and he just walked over to us in a pair of shorts and went, ‘Hey

guys, what’s up?!’ Legend.” Meanwhile, Billy Joel popped up in LA. “It was really random,” says Garrigan. “I’d walked into a bar...” And he was in the corner on the piano? “He was! He was playing ‘Piano Man’! No, he wasn’t... I didn’t notice him at first, then I clocked that it was Billy Joel. I just walked up to him and we ended up having a good talk about music and life. It was pretty cool and very strange.” As if that’s not enough, a Beatle kid is a fan. “We met John Lennon’s son Julian in LA, too. We all got chatting to him but Mark’s been messaging him and stuff since.” “He came to our New York show,” Prendergast explains. “We were doing the soundcheck and he was just there taking photographs of us! So bizarre.” America holds massive appeal for them. They know it’s the holy grail for every band and incredibly hard to break, but they’ve vowed to “give it a shot.” More than anything they want longevity, to still be in the game decades from now. You imagine they’ll corner Bruce for tips if they get a chance this June. “A lot of artists just stop when they get to that stage,” nods Garrigan. “Or they become nostalgic. Whereas his stuff is still relevant. And he’s jumping around doing back flips at the age of 62!” Boland smiles. “We’d be happy just crawling around the stage by then!” Kodaline play Longitude, Dublin (July 20) and Indiependence, Cork (August 2)

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GOFEATURE

L 30 MMA GoR 2-7 1

10/05/2013 13:48:59

Law

MARTIAL Giving fresh meaning to the term ‘Fighting Irish’, CONOR McGREGOR and CATHAL PENDRED are two rising Mixed Martial Arts stars that will soon be household names. The country’s twin hopes in the fastgrowing sport talk to JAMES O’BRIEN about their love for the ‘ground and pound’. CATHAL PENDRED PHOTOS Graham Keogh

s debuts go, it was pretty spectacular. In his first ever Ultimate Fighting Championship bout in Stockholm this April, Conor McGregor defeated his opponent via TKO in an astonishing 67 seconds. It was a statement of intent from the 24-year-old Dubliner, announcing him as a serious contender in the increasingly popular world of Mixed Martial Arts. It has grown as a sport in the US thanks in large part to the small screen success of UFC – the largest MMA promotion company in the world – whilst remaining a relatively cultish pursuit in Ireland. All that is soon to change, and homegrown practitioners like Conor McGregor will be key. The cool-headed McGregor is a fine ambassador for MMA, talking down the more violent aspects and arguing that the main reason to get involved is to avoid conflict. “Self-defence has always been in my mind,” he says of his initial interest. “It’s why most men get into this game, to be able to defend themselves in an unarmed combat situation. I was always the little kid. I wanted to be able to whoop ass and didn’t want no-one to be able to whoop my ass. So that’s how I started doing it.” The Stockholm victory was a watershed moment for a young athlete who is keen to represent Ireland and promote his sport at home and abroad. “I’m leading the pack. It fills me with joy to be

representing our country, to show that we can compete with these guys. People always say in combat sports or in martial arts, America is the place to go, you have to move to America to become good and to do this. Now I am flying the flag high for our country, hopefully bringing in a new era showing we can do it all over this neck of the woods, we can do it all, you can do whatever you want to do.” McGregor has been involved in MMA for five years now, but his new multi-fight deal with UFC (his next contest is in Boston on August 17) moves him up to the next level. He’s made no bones about his burning ambition. “I don’t want to be a millionaire, I will be a millionaire,” he asserts. “If you want something you are going to be left wanting because that is the vibe you are putting out. I want to lose weight, I want to do this, I want to do that, want is what you are putting into the universe. I already felt like a millionaire, strutting around like I had millions even though I had €2 in my pocket. I feel like a world champion, I feel like a king. I don’t want anything, I have it all and I’m grateful for what I have.” His goals are clear at this point. “By the time I’m 30, I will be pound for pound the greatest mixed martial artist to grace the world. I feel that that’s the path I’m heading down. Anderson Da Silva is the pound for pound number one middle-weight champion of the world. He’s 38. I believe when I am 30 I will be talked about in the same light that he’s talked about now.” Does he feel any risks when fighting? “There is risk in everything,” he counters. “Maybe that’s the Irish mentality to focus on what could go wrong, I focus on what could go right. Doing that, I made more money in 67 seconds than people make in a good couple years full-time. So I don’t focus on what the dangers or the risks are, I just focus on the sport. This is not what people think, two tough

guys getting in a cage; this is dedication, this is martial artists in its purest form. The people who go out looking for trouble are not true martial artists. True martial artists are peaceful.” When McGregor recently appeared on the Late Late Show to spread his message, he was joined by fellow MMA fighter Cathal Prendred. On March 9, Pendred defeated Gael Grimaud in a sold-out London HMV Forum head-to-head. In doing so, he became the Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion. His next fight is in the Helix, Dublin on June 1, when he will defend that title against Che Mills, a highly experienced UFC fighter. Pendred is unbeaten in over two years and is currently Europe’s best welterweight. If he can take Mills, he’ll be well on his way to becoming one of UFC’s biggest names and earning multi-million dollar purses. Pendred’s story started when he decided to leave a Business course in DIT, and headed for San Diego with his best friend. “I’d always watched UFC – but never did anything about in Ireland,” he explains. “But in America, I popped into a gym – there’s loads in California – and I absolutely loved it. I returned home, looked more into it on the internet, and there were MMA gyms around Ireland. I had my first amateur fight after about three or four months and did really well.” After a year, he made the decision to go pro, taken on by coach John Kavanagh of Straight Blast Gym. Straight Blast has earned a reputation as the best breeding ground for MMA talent in Ireland. It currently boasts Chris ‘The Killing’ Fields among its number, whilst 16-year-old James Gallagher, known as ‘The MMA Kid’, is an exceptionally promising young talent also under Kavanagh’s tutelage. As for Pendred, today he argues that money doesn’t motivate him: “What motivates me is to be the best.” Like McGregor, however, Pendred is honest

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about the financial rewards that can be reaped. “I’m 25 now. I’ll be a millionaire before I’m 30. Getting to the UFC is the next step and that opens up the door for a lot more money. The champion welterweight – per fight, he makes reportedly seven-and-a-half million. When I’m the champion I’m sure that will come with it. I’m not getting caught up in the money thing, but I want as much money as I can get out of it. I want €50 million if I can get it!” Still, he is quick to dispel the notion that he feels like a ‘rock star’ when he walks out for a fight. “The thing inside me is the competitiveness. I just want to be the best. I know when that happens everyone will know my name. In America at the moment MMA is huge. In Ireland, MMA has just started to blow up, but it’s only going to get bigger and the top guys in the sport here are going to be huge stars – and I’m going to be one of them.” He puts his certainty down to the “fighting spirit” of the Irish. “I know it’s only going to get bigger and better here. Even though we are a small nation, we have a great history and there is a fighting spirit in the Irish people. I don’t want to get political, but the whole thing of us not wanting to be part of Britain – we stood up for

ourselves and because of that we are a Republic. It’s a fighting spirit Irish people have and it’s unmatched and it translates well into fighting sports.” He says that he brings that sense of nationality into fights. “Absolutely. Now I am competing on an international stage, I might not be wearing a green shirt but I’m representing my country and I’ll be bringing the flag down to the octagon with me every fight. I do it with pride. When I win it’s not just for myself, it’s for my country.” Is UFC a glamorous sport? “It’s like boxing. At the top end, there’s a fight and then they play some music, if you drink you have a few drinks. They make a night of it and I think that’s why the fans love it. Anyone I know who goes to an MMA for the first time has loved it. I suppose you could call it glamorous.” These two hugely successful MMA fighters are currently strutting their very considerable stuff in a new gladiatorial arena, which incorporates elements of Brazilian jujitsu and shoot wrestling, as well as boxing, kick-boxing, taekwondo, muay Thai and karate. Pendred is quick to distance the competitive sport from the showy entertainment of WWE. “This is a proper competition. There is no

fight-fixing, at all. The only thing you can relate WWE to UFC in is that people hype fights, they sell a fight in a similar way – but it’s not choreographed. I am fighting on an international stage, I am moving into the UFC. I am representing my country with pride. I really see the Irish people getting behind this. I get hundreds of messages and tweets. I just want to say thanks to everyone.”

Martial awe: Conor McGregor & (right) Cathal Pendred

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GO DESTINATION: WEXFORD

TRAIN TRICKS Magician KEITH BARRY recalls honing his craft while riding on the rails.

nternationally-renowned magician, mentalist and all-round entertainer, Keith Barry is no stranger to accolades and awards – not to mention sell-out live shows. He’s appeared several times on prestigious US TV programmes such as The Ellen Show, The Jimmy Kimmel Show and The Sharon Osbourne Show among others.

In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Merlin Award for ‘Mentalist of the Year’ from the International Magicians Society, while that same year saw him scoop the title, ‘Best Magician in Las Vegas 2009’ as voted for by the Las Vegas Review Journal critics, following his five-week residency at Planet Hollywood. In 2010 the pilot of his own TV show, Deception With Keith Barry aired on the Discovery Channel, doing so well in the ratings that it was picked up for a full series. Meanwhile, he has just completed work on a major US movie, where he acted as magic consultant, while he begins a 12-night run of his latest stage show, The Dark Side, at Dublin’s Olympia Theatre in July. A longtime fan of rail travel and a regular rail user, both home and abroad, he recalls regularly taking the train from his home city of Waterford up to Dublin with a group of friends. He also reveals how he found those journeys the ideal time for practicing card tricks. “I would have been on the train every other week back then,” he remembers. “Usually a bunch of us were going up to a concert or something like that. Anytime I travelled with friends we’d have a bit of a card session on the way which would have usually started out with a game of poker or two but invariably it would soon turn into a bit of a magic session.” He remembers very clearly one time when he performed a trick that, in his own words, “blew the minds” of almost everyone in the carriage. “I got four of my friends to sign a card – it was the two of hearts, if I remember correctly. I put it back into the deck, shuffled it a few times and then threw the deck up against the window of the train. All of the cards fell down onto the table, except the signed two of hearts, which was stuck on the outside of the window of the fastmoving train. It kind of messed with their minds for the rest of the journey!” Though he now lives just outside Dublin and uses the car to get around locally, he still takes the train whenever he can. “If I’m going to say, Galway for the weekend I’ll jump on the train – it’s the handiest way of getting there. And I’ve a mate up in Ballyhaunis in Mayo and I’ll get the train up there to seem him every so often. Anytime I’m abroad, it’s invariably the train, the tram or the underground that I would use to get around. In fact, A few weeks ago, forty-two of us went to Berlin for a stag party and about 25 of us were on the same plane and we all got the train in from the airport which was a bit of craic. “Very often if I’m on a train I’ll bring the laptop or a book – it’s just such a great way to escape and relax for a couple of hours. Not too long ago myself and my wife got the train down to Killarney

to see a concert. We were in a bit of a party mood so we enjoyed some very nice wine with cheese and crackers along the way. We arrived very refreshed and it was a fun way to travel”. Barry uses the train too when in the US, especially in the New York area. “My sister lives in New Jersey about an hourand-a-half out from Manhattan and I hop on a train when I go out to see her. Los Angeles where I spend a huge amount of time unfortunately doesn’t really have a decent train system – it’s very much a car city.” He’ll be back in New York shortly to attend the premiere of the film project he was recently involved in. Now You See Me is, he says, a heist movie involving a team of illusionists with

magic and mentalism involved. “It’s a big movie with people like Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in it – a whole bunch of A-listers in other words. I was one of the advisors and was teaching the actors how to act as mentalists and I also advised the screenwriter. I’m the Chief Mentalist Consultant for the movie – that’s what my title will be on the credits. There was a lot of competition for the job and they interviewed most of the big-wigs in my industry. They even gave me a cameo role which I’m not sure will be in the final cut – I’ll just have to wait and see!” Keith Barry’s latest show The Dark Side begins a run at Dublin’s Olympia on July 10.

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10/05/2013 14:37:52

GOBUSINESS Quality street: Birgitta Curtin

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THANK YOU FOR

Smoking Go Rail meets BIRGITTA and PETER CURTIN, the driving forces behind the awardwinning Burren Smokehouse & Visitor Centre. They also brew a mighty fine beer!

or 24 years now, Birgitta Curtin has been running the Burren Smokehouse with her husband Peter. Born from a desire to provide quality, locally-sourced and produced artisan fare to the people of the region, the business is now a national and international brand synonymous with quality and excellence. In 1994 they opened the Burren Smokehouse Visitor Centre in Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, which has become one of the region’s top tourist attractions. Now, in 2013, their Smoked Irish Organic Salmon – we particularly like ours on a toasted bagel with capers, chopped dill and a squeeze of lemon! – is gracing dining tables as far away as Shanghai, Kuwait and the US. Birgitta and Peter couldn’t be anywhere else but by the ocean; it’s in their blood. Growing up in a hunter-gatherer community on the east coast of Sweden, Birgitta understood the importance of the sea and food preservation from a young age. Over a thousand miles away, on the ruggedly beautiful west coast of Ireland, Peter was serving in the merchant navy, as well as regularly fishing in Galway Bay for scallops, lobster and mackerel. Opening a smokehouse seemed like a natural progression. “We travelled around Sweden and Ireland visiting several smokehouses and married the two smoking cultures together,” explains Birgitta. Starting out from scratch with just themselves, the business has grown steadily and they now employ almost 20 people. “We try to have a core of people that we employ all year round,” she explains. “In order to produce the best, we need that steady team behind us. Every single person here has their heart in what we’re doing and want to bring the smokehouse product to the best standard it can possibly be.” The process of achieving these high standards begins early in the morning, with the delivery of the raw ingredients. “Any fish that comes in has to be thoroughly checked. If it’s not up to standard, then we’ll reject it. That doesn’t happen too often because we have great suppliers, but it’s part of our strict quality control. We use 100% Irish, that’s our philosophy. Not just because it’s Irish though, but because Irish is the best quality. Everything we use is sustainably produced. And most of it is locally-sourced, so we’re putting money back into the local economy.” This philosophy has earned the Burren Smokehouse an eco-tourism award, and their passion for sourcing locally goes way beyond just the raw ingredients. The three smokehouse kilns were designed and built in Limerick to their requirements and are crucial to the smoking process which Peter has actually patented. “Nobody else in the world has the ovens that we have,” Birgitta proudly declares. The secret ingredient, however, is the

Burren itself. “We seem to have a very moist product, and part of that is down to our micro-climate. We have a small river running beside us, and Lisdoonvarna is an old spa town, so there’s lots of water around. And of course we’re pretty close to the ocean too. All of that affects the micro-climate inside the ovens.” Before the salmon is ready for smoking, however, it must be salted for four hours and air-dried for eight hours before master-smoker Paddy Reilly takes over. “Paddy comes in between 2am and 4am, depending on what time the drying started at. He adds the sawdust, and the smoking begins. He’ll check it every 20 minutes and constantly stoke the fire. If it’s a rainy day, we smoke for a little longer because of the humidity. If it’s a dry day, then it would be a little quicker. All that has to be taken into consideration. So Paddy is constantly checking inside the ovens.” That passionate attention to detail doesn’t stop there. Once allowed to settle, the succulent fillets are pin-boned, trimmed, and then hand-sliced later that day. The finished product is usually available in three flavours; honey, whiskey and fennel; honey, lemon and dill; and honey, lemon and pepper. As well as the salmon, smoked trout and mackerel, the smokehouse shop also stocks locally produced cheese, jam, chutney, chocolate, wine and bread from Fabiolas Bakery in nearby Doolin. Phew! “It’s very much a shop window for local produce. That’s what we want to be,” says Birgitta. You don’t need to travel to Co. Clare though to sample their wonderful smoked salmon. Avoca, Donnybrook Fayre, Morton’s of Ranelagh, McCambridge’s in Galway, and Superquinn all proudly stock Burren Smokehouse produce. One of Birgitta’s proudest moments came when Michelin-starred chef Ross Lewis of Dublin’s Chapter One restaurant requested some smoked wild salmon for the recent state visit of British monarch Elizabeth Windsor. “It was our first wild salmon since 2005, literally four fish, eight sides, specially smoked for the event. It was a Monday, they came out of the smoker in the morning, and we drove them up to Dublin that afternoon. It was a really special thing to be a part of.” As well as running the smokehouse, Birgitta’s husband Peter is also mein host at the nearby Roadside Tavern – the Curtin family name has been above the door since 1893. In spring 2011, Peter opened the Burren Brewery under the same roof. And only here can you enjoy his three delicious microbrew creations: Burren Gold, Burren Red and Burren Black. “It’s getting very popular,” admits Brigitta. “You can have dinner or lunch there and sample all his beers, and then ramble up to the Visitor Centre and see what we do there. Everyone who comes

in gets to taste some smoked salmon. So we’re kind of a one stop shop really. It’s a great place to visit and spend the afternoon sampling fine Irish food and drink.”

SMOKEHOUSERECIPE BURREN SMOKEHOUSE SALMON FISH CAKES

This recipe from The Daily Spud is an homage to potatoes and Burren Smoked Irish Salmon, both of which blogger Aoife Cox loves. She has been writing The Daily Spud since October 2008 – a blog which won the award for Best Food/Drink Blog at the Irish Blog Awards in 2009 and 2011. She also does some freelance food writing and is a contributing editor to the Bridgestone Irish Food Guide. INGREDIENTS: 200g Burren hot Smoked Irish Organic Salmon with Honey, Lemon & Dill 200g plain mashed potato 2 tsp finely chopped chives 2 tsp lemon zest coarse salt to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 egg, beaten vegetable oil, for frying METHOD: Flake the salmon and mix it with the mashed potato, chives and lemon zest. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. You can add a little chopped parsley or some additional chopped dill if you like. Mix in the beaten egg and shape the mixture into small patties. If you like, you can leave these to chill in the fridge, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Place your frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add vegetable oil to coat the pan. Fry the fish cakes for around 5-6 minutes on each side or until golden brown, and serve straight away with a green salad or whatever else takes your fancy. Makes around 8 x 5cm round fish cakes, and serves 2-3, with salad or other accompaniments.

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10/05/2013 15:12:19

GOFASHION

Flower

Power 10

THIS SUNNY SEASON (HERE’S HOPING), FASHION IS ALL ABOUT MAKING BIG AND BOLD STATEMENTS. FROM NEON PRINTS TO DARK FLORALS, LUXURIOUS GOLDS TO DECO JEWELS, ROE MCDERMOTT TELLS YOU HOW TO WEAR THE SUMMER’S HOTTEST TRENDS.

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DARK BLOOMS Though floral prints bloom on the catwalk every year, this season they’ve come up with some thorns! No longer the meek and mild wallflowers we’ve seen for so many seasons, this sharper, edgier look is just the right combination of sweet and sexy. Combining dark ebony tones with bright prints gives these blooms a sophisticated edge that can bring you from the office to the bar with a quick change into some killer heels. Look out for designs that combine small patterns, dark colours and tribal highlights for a darkly irresistible blend of Grecian and Cherokee influences. Or, if you like your flower power strong and blooming, make sure the bold print is splashed on a straight silhouette, for a truly modern look.

OPULENCE AHOY! This summer is all about opulent fashions – the spectacular, the rich, the extravagant and outrageous. Luxurious-looking but affordably priced, this unconventional and daring trend is the ultimate form of statement-making fashion. Bejewelled dresses, lace, floral appliques, fringe, statement jewellery, bold patterns and couture-worthy embellishments can be coordinated, clashed, layered and loved as subtly or sumptuously as you like. Be sure to keep an eye out for gold tones. The only key to wearing this look and not letting it wear you is to keep silhouettes simple and structured. Clean lines will allow the embellishments to do the talking, so look for straight lines and then start layering the accessories!

GOING GRAPHIC Prepare to go bold this summer with daring graphic prints that demand attention. Unlike previous seasons, graphic isn’t synonymous with monochrome. This sunny season, we’re looking for shocking pops of colour. Think about the bright, clashing hues of tribal designs, or the unapologetic primary colours of pop-art. In order to keep this trend accessible but not cloyingly colourful, we’re loving pieces with dark undertones and backdrops, grounding the eclectic patterns and giving this potentially bohemian trend a more adult, edgy feel. An easily adapted favourite is the artistic yet office-friendly ensemble of a white shirt featuring a graphic print, teamed with flattering black trousers. Or Native American or tribal patterns can update a traditional black leather skirt, for a unique take on an old classic.

FASHION DECO Another art-inspired trend that will undoubtedly make you the muse for any budding fashionista, art deco-inspired designs will be huge this summer, and are a fantastic way to add some sophisticated glamour to any outfit. Look for strong, square shapes, bold black outlines and strong bursts of colour. While you can buy dresses with bold deco prints, an easier (and more re-usable and recession-friendly) way is to splash out on some deco-inspired jewellery, which will act as a striking highlight to any sleek black outfit, and will remain a classic wardrobe staple.

BRIGHT LIGHTS AND NEON BRIGHTS We may not have the tropical weather but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some suitably bright neon prints this summer. Teamed with floral prints, these canary colours can create a bright summer sensation, or can be dressed down with some washed-out denim and chunky boots for a grungier ensemble. This look can also be surprisingly grown-up, with more pastel neon hues hitting the catwalk. Look for soft and sophisticated fabrics such as tweed or wool for a sweeter take on a strong trend.

Neon tied t-shirt dress ¤95, River Island

Jewel Print Skirt ¤30, Awear

Floral Maxi ¤70, Awear

Black leather cameo bracelet ¤120, Boticca.com

Elle dress ¤229, Fran & Jane

Bold Gold necklace ¤39, Boticca.com

Crescent bib necklace ¤144, by Jennifer Loiselle at Boticca.com

Native Navajo Necklace ¤406.50, by Sweetlime at Boticca.com

Jandy laser cut skirt ¤19.53 missguided.co.uk

10. Jonathan Saunders Neon-Tweed jacket ¤123, Debenhams

STOCKISTS A-wear 26 Grafton St., Dublin 2 Henry St., Dublin 1 Edward Square, Barrack Lane, Co. Galway 110 St. Patrick St., Co. Cork 69 – 71 William St., Co. Limerick BOTICCA.COM DEBENHAMS Henry St., Dublin 1 Blanchardstown Shopping

Centre, Dublin 15 Mahon Point Shopping Centre, Co. Cork 4 Eyre St., The Docks, Co .Galway DUNNES STORES St. Stephen’s Green SC, Grafton St., Dublin 2 William St., Co. Galway North Main St., Co. Cork Parkway SC, Dublin Road, Co. Limerick

MISSGUIDED Missguided.co.uk RIVER ISLAND 102-103 Grafton St., Dublin 2 Unit C1 – C7, Ilac Shopping Centre, Henry St., Dublin 1 14 – 15 Shop Street, Co. Galway 39 Patrick St., Co. Cork 9 Cruise’s St., Co. Limerick

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THE RING OF CORK

GLORIOUS CORK

Cobh

In our special feature on Cork, DR. MICHAEL MARTIN celebrates the historic towns of Cobh, Youghal and Middleton while ANNE SEXTON discovers the sights and sounds that make The Rebel County such a memorable place to visit.

estling on the banks of the River Lee, Cork is a vibrant city, and some would argue, the real capital of Ireland. With a buzzing nightlife boasting excellent restaurants and live venues, not to mention an incredible variety of pubs, it’s no surprise if visitors to the ‘People’s Republic’ might be tempted to stay within the city limits. This is understandable, but it is a mistake. County Cork has much to offer, including small towns and villages, unspoilt landscapes, outdoor activities, sailing and water sports, historic sites and ancient buildings, gardens, arts, crafts, music, good food and with over one hundred festivals and events annually, there is plenty of the all-important craic. The great Irish writer and son of County Cork, William Trevor, once wrote of a character that “he travelled in order to come home.” That is the dual nature of travelling – it takes us away

from our everyday lives, shows us wonders and yet makes us appreciate home all the more. Travelling through the east and south of County Cork, you cannot fail to be moved by the breathtaking beauty of the landscape and delight in the fact that wherever you live on the island, Ireland is your home. The ‘Ring of Cork’ covers the south and east of the county and includes the towns of Cobh, Midleton, Youghal, Carrigaline, Ballincollig and the surrounding areas, such as Blarney, Crosshaven and Ballycotton. The coastline offers a number of sandy beaches such as Redbarn and Front Strand in Youghal, Ardnahinch and Ballynamona in Shanagarry and Fountainstown in Crosshaven. The quaint port of Ballycotton is famous for its magnificent cliff walk and blue flag beach. If the weather is too wet for sunbathing, consider visiting Ballycotton’s Wildfowl Sanctuary, which is inhabited by rare seabirds

during stormy weather. Crosshaven is home to the Royal Cork Yacht Club, the oldest of its type in the world. The area is popular for shore or deep-sea angling, wreck fishing, and if you’re a keen sailor, boat and yacht charter is available. Just upriver from Crosshaven you’ll find Drake’s Pool, named after the wily Sir Francis Drake, who escaped from the Spanish Armada by sailing upriver at Crosshaven. Monkstown is a picturesque village with an historic castle built in 1636. In years gone by the Monkstown railway line ran along the shore. The old line has been converted into a walk offering incredible views across the harbour to Great Island. There’s a lot packed into this small corner of Ireland – and we have only scratched the surface so far! Here we take a look at the history of the area and some of the most popular attractions and activities in this unspoilt part of the country.

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THE RING OF CORK

YOUGHAL HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE

Often overlooked in favour of the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s western region, East Cork is in fact a travellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise in its own right, with countless irresistible attractions.

rains have been making their way from all over Ireland to Cork and Cobh for over 150 years now. Much has changed in the intervening period. Technology, political configurations, cultural practices and ways of life have all undergone immense transformation. However, there are a number of concepts that have remained the same. People on holiday look for varied, interesting and different things to do. Families want broad-based activities that engage the whole range of ages from children to parents. People travelling on business want facilities and efficiency that will allow them to complete their work successfully. Everybody still wants good food at reasonable prices. Visitors are still enthralled by local festivities and all enjoy immersing themselves in the rich culture and heritage that is often overlooked in busy working lives. On all these counts, East Cork has much to offer. In some respects, it is the undiscovered jewel in the crown of tourism destinations in Ireland. The towns of Cobh, Midleton and Youghal form the three urban destinations from which the broader East Cork can be explored and enjoyed. Each have their own charm and attractions. A visit to one, two or all of them will enrich any

Youghal Harbour

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GOPLACES holiday experience. The area boasts a sea angling hub, multiple associations with the Titanic, a family attractions hub and an East Cork driving ring to rival the Ring of Kerry. The entire area is easily accessible. The rail corridors to Midleton and Cobh are augmented by the national road infrastructure of the N25 which crosses the area in an East-West direction. Ferries, cruise liners, yachts and leisure craft can all access the heart of East Cork from the magnificent and expansive Cork Harbour, reputed by locals to be the second largest natural harbour in the world after Sydney in Australia. The town of Youghal and its magnificent beach was for many years a favourite daytime destination for the people of Cork city. In the past, there was a rail link between the southern city and the town. Trains rumbled along the line all summer long, laden down with children wielding buckets and spades and adorned with colourful sunhats and heavy barrier cream. Parents were relieved when the train finally arrived and disgorged the yelping children towards the expansive beach where a day of sandcastles and seawater would sap energy and ensure a quieter journey back home.

“Is there a ship in today?”

lthough the rail link was discontinued, Youghal’s beach is as good today as it was then. However, Youghal is much more than just a place with a beach. The former walled medieval town has maintained much of its heritage while embracing modern attractions, shops and some international standard seafood restaurants. Accommodation is plentiful and visitors are well catered for with everything from self-catering to hotels and traditional B&Bs. The town has the ominous distinction of being the last place from where Oliver Cromwell left Ireland. His dark shadow was however somewhat lightened by another Youghal resident, that of Walter Raleigh who is credited with bringing the potato from South America and introducing it to Europe. Dark shadows and dietary impoverishment have long since gone from Youghal and here you can enjoy a vibrant seaside town with lots of places to eat, sleep, drink and generally keep you and the family occupied and entertained. A former rail link that has recently been restored plies the short distance from Cork to Midleton. A long-time market town, Midleton has numerous ‘satellite’ attractions including an all-weather holiday destination. In the centre of town there is a distillery making a world-famous brand of Irish whiskey. Not only can the visitor take a tour of the facility, if they are very lucky they can end up being a certiﬁed whiskey-taster! Midleton itself is a bustling commercial hub for the many rural areas that are in the wider East Cork geography. Festivities such as the annual Food Festival and the weekly farmers’ market attract all who search for traditional value and truly organic produce. A number of restaurants for the discerning eater have operated in the area for many years. The Ballycotton cliff walk can provide a healthy outdoor activity combined with possible glimpses of whales and dolphins. In the heavily-forested farming countryside that surrounds Midleton, it is not unusual to spot grazing deer in early mornings or late evenings. An Open Farm provides a opportunity to see wildlife close up! Between Midleton and Youghal, the quiet village of Castlemartyr is noted for the proximity of an expansive hotel and spa with rolling grounds and property that includes its own little castle! From its ﬁrst arrival in Cobh in 1862, the railway has brought millions of people from

The Granuaile

“EAST CORK IS THE UNDISCOVERED JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN IRELAND.” all parts of Ireland to this most interesting of places for a great diversity of reasons. Back then it was known as Queenstown, reflecting the fact that British monarch Victoria set foot in Ireland for the first time there in August 1849. The name changed to its current form with the arrival of political independence from Britain. Now, as then, the main town is perched on the steep south-facing slopes of Great Island and it commands a panoramic view of Cork Harbour. Over the centuries, sailing craft, Viking Longboats, exploratory clippers, military fleets, convict ships, emigrant vessels and passenger liners have made their way in and out of this magnificent waterway. Every ship and each fleet imprinted their own indelible mark on the rich fabric of history that permeates every little cove, sandbank and estuary of the great harbour. That history is cherished today and has become a part of modern Cobh. A series of attractions highlight this maritime heritage and focus on some of the more wellknown and perhaps not so well-known elements

of the harbour’s diverse past. Established in 1998, the Titanic Trail Guided Walking Tour of Cobh is Ireland’s earliest operating ‘Titanic’ attraction. Although the story of the Titanic’s visit to her last port of call is recounted with amazing insight, there are many other parts of the story of the harbour shared with visitors. The tour is recommended by all leading guide books and has featured on dozens of television and radio documentaries over the years. It has been one of the top attractions in Cobh since it was founded. It operates every day at 11am and can be easily booked online at titanic.ie More recently, a new Titanic Museum has opened along the waterfront and being one of three museums in the town, the visitor will never be short of accurate and interesting information about the great ship and her very real associations with the town and harbour. Cobh and Cork Harbour were the Titanic’s last port of call. It was there on April 11, 1912 that the ship called to collect her ﬁnal passengers and mail before setting off on her fateful voyage into the North Atlantic. Just three-and-a-half days later, the ship struck the iceberg. Over 1,500 passengers were lost when the ship ﬁnally sank in the early hours of the morning on April 15. Three years later, another maritime tragedy was to be associated with the town when the passenger liner Lusitania was struck by a torpedo off the

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THE RING OF CORK South Coast during the First World War. Most of the victims and bodies that were rescued and recovered were brought back to Cobh. The town’s memorials resonate with the history of a maritime past. On the way to Cobh from Midleton or Youghal, visitors will pass delightful roadside restaurants, a world-famous wildlife park and a fantastic hotel, spa and golf club that has hosted none other than the Irish Open. For many, Spike Island is the jewel in the crown of the region and the harbour’s amazing history. A monastic site in the seventh century, it may have been attacked by Vikings in the ninth. Later it was occupied by the Normans and following the American and French Revolutions, the fortiﬁcations were upgraded in the late 1700s to create a magniﬁcent star-shaped fortress that still stands today. During the Great Famine, the island became a convict depot where those bound for transportation to Australia were held until prison ships took them on the arduous journey to the other side of the world. During the Irish War of Independence, Spike Island became a place of internment for those suspected of being involved in that struggle. It was handed over from the British Army to the Irish Army in 1938. The Navy took over the island for use as a training facility in 1979 and were ordered to leave by the government six years later when it was decided to utilise it as a prison. The use of part of the fortress as a place of detention was discontinued in 2004, by which time an active campaign had begun by people in Cobh to save and preserve the island as a heritage site. That campaign was successful and now an historical walking tour operates on the island in the summer months. The Spike Island

Titanic Pier, Cobh

guided tour departs at 2pm every day from Kennedy pier in Cobh in the months of June, July and August. In April and May, tours are offered just at weekends. It should be noted that several parts of the fort, such as the six-inch coastal artillery gun emplacement and the John Mitchel cell-block are only accessible on the tour and not open to the general public. These tours can also be booked online at titanic.ie or by calling the author at +353 (0)21 481 5211 An unexpected treat for visitors taking the Spike Island Guided Tour is the breathtaking view of the multicoloured tiered housing of Cobh from the water, with the magniﬁcent St. Colman’s Cathedral dominating the skyline. East Cork clearly has a huge amount to offer

visitors. In the accommodation sector, there is everything from camping and hostes to luxurious spas and five-star hotels. Eateries vary from great traditional fish and chip outlets to worldrenowned seafood and slow-food restaurants. Castles abound and history, heritage and fun activites are around every corner. Whether visitors are interested in fly-fishing or golf, sea angling or surfing, whale watching or hill-walking, East Cork will sate their curiosity and meet their needs. A stay of a few days or a few weeks can be either action-packed or totally relaxed, the choice is yours. It is not surprising perhaps that the first ever sailing club established in the world was formed in 1720 in Cork Harbour. This was a new approach to go sailing for leisure. Today, the Royal Cork Yacht Club (founded originally as the Water Club) is based in Crosshaven and keeps alive that spirit of fun, activity and pleasure, the essential ingredients of any holiday. The region is also within easy reach of cities like Cork and Waterford, and the beautiful scenery of Kerry is only a couple of hours’ drive away. Cork is blessed to still have the centuries-old English Market selling the very best meats, fish and cheese the region has to offer. More recently, a more diverse set of Irish palates and tastes have resulted in a new array of exotic spices and Mediterranean products such as olives sold in this quirky insight to a world of yesteryear. But don’t attempt to travel further afield until you’ve explored and enjoyed all that East Cork has to offer; you will not be disappointed. Dr. Martin is the author of Spike Island, Saints, Felons and Famine (Dublin, 2007), and created and operates the Titanic Trail and Spike Island Guided Tours. For further information see titanic.ie

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GOPLACES THE RING OF CORK

THINGS TO SEE AND DO You’ll never be lost for activities to occupy the mind, body and soul in Co. Cork. Here’s a few of our favourites...

VISITOR ATTRACTIONS

The east and south of Cork are home to a number of popular attractions. These include Glenbower Forest Park, which offers walks and a lake; the Round Tower at Cloyne is part of an ancient monastery, which proved popular with Vikings as they sacked it five times between 822 and 916 AD; Lough Aderra near Castlemartyr is popular for trout fishing; and Barryscourt Castle at Carrigtwohill dates from 1206. Of course, the most famous castle in Cork, and possibly in all of Ireland, is Blarney Castle. BLARNEY CASTLE Blarney Castle dates back to 1446 although a stone fortification is believed to have been on the site from the 13th century. The stories and myth about the castle are almost as old as its history. Legend has it that Queen Elizabeth I had her eye on the castle and sent the Earl of Leicester to commandeer it for the crown. The earl attempted a peaceful takeover but the King of Munster Cormac McCarthy kept the earl at bay with wine, food and song. Her Majesty was not amused and dismissed the earl’s excuses as ‘blarney’, meaning pleasant but deceptive talk. The Blarney Stone is set in the battlement walls. To kiss it you have to be a little bit brave and lean backwards from the parapet walk. It’s not dangerous however – there is a strong iron railing to hold on to. The castle and grounds have much more to offer than just the famous stone. From the top of the battlements you can enjoy panoramic views of over sixty acres of parkland and gardens. These include the Rock Close, supposedly the site of an ancient druidic

settlement; the Poison Garden, which as the name indicates, is home to poisonous plants such as wolfsbane and mandrake; the Arboretums contain specimen trees, some of which are the largest of their kind in Ireland; and the Woodland Walks is a circuit around the 21-acre Blarney Lake. You should arrive early because you’ll want to investigate Badger Caves as well as see the dungeons, walk through the tunnel, be awed by the two waterfalls and give the Wishing Steps a try. See www.blarneycastle.ie for more information. Blarney may be best known for its famous castle but it is also home to Blarney Woollen Mills. The mills were originally built in 1832 and

Titanic Pier, Cobh

Blarney Castle

produced tweeds and knitwear until 1973. They were later bought by Christy Kelleher, who had worked in the mills as a young man and today, Blarney Woollen Mills is one of Ireland’s largest gift stores and stocks knitwear, crystal and china. TITANIC EXPERIENCE COBH Before setting off on its ill-fated journey across the Atlantic, the Titanic collected a final 123 passengers from Cobh. The Titanic Experience Cobh is an audiovisual tour retracing the final steps of the 123 passengers. Located in the original White Star Line Ticket Office, the tour includes replica set designs allowing you to experience what life would have been like on board for these passengers and discover what happened to them. Interactive exhibits and graphics recreate the disaster and you can learn about the various factors contributing to the sinking of an “unsinkable” ship on her maiden voyage. The exhibition also includes artefacts from the passengers, which lends poignancy to the tour. These include the recently acquired Odell family collection, including an original postcard showing the survivors. See www. titanicexperiencecobh.ie. FOTA HOUSE ARBORETUM AND GARDENS It’s hard to believe that Fota House was originally a small hunting lodge. The house and island originally belonged to the Smith Barry family – lucky them! Fota House was a holiday home for the hunting, fishing and shooting so beloved of the English upper classes. In the nineteenth century John Smith Barry remodelled Fota in the Regency style and the house now has over

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Fota House

seventy rooms and boasts many fine examples of craftsmanship including plaster detailing, gilt, marble work and painted ceilings. Fota’s arboretum and gardens are renowned worldwide and home to one of the best collections of rare trees and plants in Ireland. These are open all year round. Special events and concerts are hosted in the grounds. See www.fotahouse.com for details.

FOOD

BALLYMALOE COOKERY SCHOOL There are several reasons to visit the Ballymaloe Cookery School. First off, it is world famous, and justifiably so. Secondly, it is run by Darina Allen, one of Ireland’s best-known chefs. Thirdly, it is unique being the only cookery school in the world set on its own 100-acre organic farm. Ballymaloe runs a number of different courses, including a 12-week certificate course and over 60 short courses including afternoon and halfday courses. Cookery demonstrations take place every weekday afternoon and best of all, you get to taste all the wonderful dishes prepared. Before you leave, stock up at the farm shop on

Fota Wildlife Park

delicious homemade soups, pates, sauces and stews made with ingredients grown on the farm. See www.cookingisfun.ie for details. FRANK HEDERMAN’S BELVELLY SMOKEHOUSE Located in Cobh, Frank Hederman’s Belvelly Smokehouse is the oldest traditional smokehouse in Ireland. It specialises in fish and products include smoked salmon, mackerel, mussels and silver eel. The famous foodie Rick Stein called Frank’s smoked eel one of the world’s top ten foods, and if it’s good enough for Rick Stein… The smokehouse is open to visitors between 10am and 4pm during the week. For details see www.frankhederman.com. MIDLETON FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL The 2013 Midleton Food and Drink Festival will take place on September 14. This open-air market showcases food products from Midleton and the surrounding areas and includes whiskey tasting and cookery demonstrations as well as all sorts of entertainment for young and old. If you can’t make it to Midleton then, remember that the Midleton Food Market is one of the oldest in Ireland and takes place every Saturday.

FOTA WILDLIFE PARK Just 20 minutes outside Cork City, Fota Wildlife Park is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions with thousands of local and international visitors every year. It’s not hard to see why. This 75-acre wildlife park is home to thousands of animals, many of whom roam free. Larger animals are housed in paddocks allowing you to see how they interact in a natural environment. Family favourites include monkeys, gibbons and macaques; wallabies and kangaroos; red pandas and meerkats; and birds such as penguins and macaws. Fota Wildlife Park is a fun day for the whole family, but the guided tours of the park make it one of Ireland’s most popular educational experiences as well. The tours teach the importance of biodiversity and conservation and are tailored for all age groups, from junior infants to over 65s. EIRE BASS, COBH The largest natural harbour in the world is in Sydney, Australia but the second largest is much closer to home in Cobh. If you’ve considered trying your hand at saltwater fly-fishing, Cobh is the best place to give it a go. As it is a natural harbour, shelter can be found even if conditions are stormy and you will be in safe hands because your guide is Commander Richie Ryan (Retd) of the Irish Navy. ROCK CLIMBING The name may confuse you but Kerry Climbing in East Cork teaches comprehensive rock climbing courses for beginners on the stunning sea cliffs of Knockadoon Head or, if you’d prefer at the Go Safari activity centre in Carrigtwohill. You’ll learn all about movement and technique, knots and ropework, safety and more. All equipment is provided making this an easy and inexpensive way to learn.

OTHER FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

With over one hundred festivals and events happening over the year there is always something to do in south and east Cork. Here are some of the upcoming highlights. Midleton Agricultural Show Society, 26 May Spoirtfest, August Youghal Medieval Festival, 18 August Spike Island Jailbreak Triathlon, 25 August Cobh Blues Experience, September East Cork Early Music Festival, September Cobh International Sea Angling Festival, 2 – 6 September Youghal Celebrates History, 27 – 29 September Youghal Mackerel Festival, 30 September – 1 October Cork Small Boats Festival 20 – 27 September Darina Allen at Ballymaloe Cookery School

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GOPLACES Shanagarry Design Centre

Kodaline

ARTS & CRAFTS

SHANAGARRY DESIGN CENTRE, SHANAGARRY Set in a stunning location with a dramatic coastal backdrop, the gallerystyle Shanagarry Design Centre lends itself quite naturally to Kilkenny’s long tradition of supporting Irish art and crafts. The KIlkenny shop is filled full of the latest in Irish design and craft innovation, while the Kilkenny Café provides a new dining experience in the Centre. Overlooking the famous Ballycotton Lighthouse, this new extension to the Kilkenny Café provides seating for up to 50 people, so customers can enjoy the menu offerings in style. Call in and enjoy the wonderful views, a perfect location for group bookings, communions, and other special occasions. Open seven days a week from 10am.

MUSIC

INDIEPENDENCE 2—4 August, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork The music returns to Mitchelstown this summer, as the Indiependence Festival gathers some of the world’s finest artists together in the Galtee Mountains-backed, tree-lined setting of Deer Farm. Now in its eighth year, the bill includes rap icons De La Soul, Bastille whose hit ‘Pompeii’ is soundtracking many people’s summer, We Are Scientists and The Fratellis, who are always good for an anthem or two. The Irish contingent boasts the likes of rising pop rockers Kodaline, critically adored Northern outfit And So I Watch You From Afar, and Dublin hip-hop trio The Original Rudeboys. See indiependencefestival.com

THE COURTYARD CRAFT CENTRE, MIDLETON Located just off the Main Street in Midleton you’ll find the Courtyard Craft Centre. The Courtyard stocks jewellery, art, antiques, ceramics and much more. CHRISTY’S IRISH STORE, COBH HERITAGE CENTRE Christy’s Irish Store in the Cobh Heritage Centre specialises in crystal, souvenirs, accessories, jewellery and clothing.

BALLYMALOE COOKERY SCHOOL

Come and Learn to cook at Ballymaloe. Next 12 Week Course starts 16th September.

SUMMER SIZZLER One Night Dinner, Bed & Breakfast for

€49 per person sharing

Short Courses throughout the year.

Complimentary Access to our Leisure Centre 10% Discount in our Wellness Centre To Avail of this Rate Please Quote ‘GORAIL’ *Valid until 8th of July 2013

www.cookingisfun.ie

T: 021 4635 100 E: resv@midletonpark.com www.midletonpark.com

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�� Cobh, County Cork, Ireland

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BEST OF

IREL AND ��

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MICHAEL MARTIN'S GUIDED TOURS of COBH AND SPIKE ISLAND Learn the fascinating background to Cobh & Titanic. Walk on and learn the dark secrets of Spike Island. Daily tours throughout the year. Groups and individuals catered for.

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Contact MICHAEL MARTIN at Tel: +353 87 2767218 or visit: www.titanic.ie

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9 772009 607009

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The WatersEdge is number 1 on Tripadvisor for the region and we pride ourselves on our customer service and overall home from home experience.

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SPECIAL PACKAGES FOR MAY AND JUNE 2013 Bed and breakfast from €45.00 per person sharing 2 nights bed and breakfast plus one evening meal €135.00 per person Watersedge Hotel, Yacht Club Quay, Cobh, Co. Cork Tel: 021 4815566 Info@watersedgehotel.ie www.watersedgehotel.ie

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GO PLACES

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The Cote d’Azur is one of the great European holiday destinations. Mougins and Nice make a great combination of places to stay, if you want to experience the region at its best… WORDS & PHOTOS NIALL STOKES

ther destinations come and go. The attractions of the south of France endure. It truly is a remarkable part of the world. There are so many places to bed down in, the hard part is choosing. All along the coastline are rightly famous towns and small cities. Nice, St. Tropez, Menton, Antibes, Cannes, Eze – every way-station has its own particular history and charm. It is a place where rock stars and movie directors hang out. Within a day of landing you rediscover why: it is one of the world’s great centres of civilised living. And, more often than not, the weather is gorgeous. There are few better locations from which to explore the region than the lovely environs of Mougins. Nestled in the hills north of Cannes, it is a gorgeous destination in itself. There are numerous fine hotels in the area, including the world renowned Hotel le Mas Candille (which houses the very fine, Michelin-starred Restaurant Candille) and the Hotel de Mougins – but there is none more peaceful and relaxing than the Manoir de L’Etang, which has been accurately described as “an oasis on the Riviera.” It is also fantastic value, a three-star hotel that performs like a five-star. We first stayed there 15 years ago and loved it. A chateau, a couple of kilometres from the village of Mougins itself, it sits above the local common. In the morning, breakfast is served on the terrace, where – depending on the time of year – you can bask in the morning sunshine, look down on the riot of treetops and enjoy jus d’orange, croissants, fruit and excellent coffee to get the day started. The commons, where kids play and dogs walk their owners, is a great space for ambling, running or just lazing around, at any time of the day or night. The Manoir was taken over a few years ago by Camilla Richard. She is completely hands-on, bringing a huge amount of personal charm and warmth to the task of keeping guests happy. I can’t imagine that anyone leaves less than 100% satisfied. There is a lovely, gentle, personal quality about the way in which everything is approached. The rooms in the hotel are simple and clean. We were located in a beautiful, large room in a side building, more than twice the size of a standard double in most hotels. It was comfortable and cool, even with the sun basting the surrounding area, making it a perfect oasis in which to laze around, read and play the guitar. There is never any rush here. Mougins is such a brilliant food mecca that there are dozens of counter-attractions every evening, but the food in the Manoir de L’Etang is really good and well worth staying-in for at least once during your stay. Below the village – you need to drive or get a cab – is the renowned Moulin de Mougins, Alain Llorca’s very fine Michelin-starred restaurant, which also has rooms. The waiter on our table had done a stint in Patrick Guilbaud’s, and so he had a very good feel for what the Irish like. It is towards the upper end of the scale in price terms, but the food is very good indeed. No matter where you are in the region, the village of Mougins is a lovely spot to hit for an evening meal. You park in the car park on the edge of the village and climb up to the main drag, perched on a height, the lights of Cannes

twinkling below in the distance. Beyond the village there is nothing. The only way out of Mougins is down. Along the main street of the old village, there are numerous restaurants vying for your interest. How busy they are likely to be depends on the time of year and what is happening below in Cannes. During MIDEM or the Cannes Film Festival, Mougins is buzzing and most restaurants are packed every night. In the off season, however, you can usually get a table in most places. While the quality varies, some of the restaurants on the strip are brilliant and there is generally a fine atmosphere of indulgence and enjoyment. People are here to enjoy life to the full. Try La Brasserie de Mediterranee – we had a great meal there – or L’Amandier de Mougins… Our preference is always to have a car available and – once you’ve got wheels – Mougins makes a great base from which to explore the wider region. We took a trip to Grasse, where we explored the perfume factories of Fragonard and Molinard. The guided tours are well worth taking and you are unlikely to want to leave without sampling some of the fragrances. Located high in the hills, there is a square from which you get a panoramic view of the entire area around Grasse. The old town is an intriguing honeycomb of ancient streets and there are plenty of nice restaurants in which to have a good lunch. In particular, the Cafe Des Musees, which is just across the road from the Fragonard visitor centre, is superb and relatively inexpensive. There are so many possibilities in terms of day trips from Mougins. You can take a longer run into Provence, as far as Aix-En-Provence, home of Cézanne – though the distances are such that you might need to overnight. The Gorges du Verdon, Europe’s largest river canyon, is spectacular and a foray there and back in a day is eminently manageable. You can get a cable car to the plateau at the top of the Gorges, where you can walk peacefully to your heart’s content. In the summer remember to bring the suntan lotion! Another great, but very different, adventure is a trip to Saint-Paul de Vence, a lovely village in the mountains, which has a very strong artistic heritage. As night begins to fall, it’s a good time to wander through the vielle village and check out the art galleries. One we visited had an original Andy Warhol, as well as work from dozens of other recent and contemporary greats. At the far end of the village you can photograph the surrounding area through colour filters, a nice touch. A visit to the Foundation Maeght is absolutely essential. With art from Joan Miro, Chagall, Giacometti and Braque, among others, it is a beautifully presented exhibition of brilliant and challenging works from some of the finest European artists of the 20th Century – with special exhibitions from leading contemporary artists adding to the experience. The best known restaurant in the village is the Colombe D’Or, famous for the fact that well-known artists paid for their meals there with paintings and sculptures, which now hang on the walls and adorn the courtyard. Among those represented are Picasso, Modigliani, Miro, Chagall, Braque and Fernand Leger. A large

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GO PLACES The gardens of the superb Le Manoir de L’Etang in Mougins; silhouette of a garden sculpture in Foundation Maeght; Niall, beside a Chagall at the Foundation Maeght in Saint-Paul de Vence & breakfast in the Hi Hotel in Nice

ceramic by Irish artist Sean Scully was recently commissioned for the swimming-pool area. There is a hotel upstairs, where Jacques Prevert stayed. The food in the restaurant is good rather than spectacular but the atmosphere – and the lingering air of fun and decadence – makes it a place well worth stopping off in.

f you are visiting the South of France, especially during the summer, it makes sense to spend a bit of time in a town close to the sea. In the past we really enjoyed stints in Cannes and Villefranche. But really, there is nowhere to match Nice itself: described by Emma Donoghue as an almost perfect place to live, it is a city with a multiplicity of worldly charms. There are lots of good hotels in Nice. We stayed previously in the Hotel Windsor and in Hotel La Péruse, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. This time we chose the Hi Hotel, a funky establishment just off the main drag, with quirky rooms, a vibrant ‘jellybean’ colour scheme, organic food and music in the basement on occasion in the evenings. The design is futuristic, with concrete floors, beds that are set high off the ground and lots of formica and metal surfaces. That might sound forbidding but it works really well, delivering a space that has oodles of character. Our room had a spiral staircase that led up to a veranda where you could bask in the sunshine and read. It was a great place to chill out. The organic breakfasts are self-service, so you can load up on fruit, cereals and yoghurt to whatever extent feels right. You make your own coffee at a machine, so the double espresso is as good as you are at finessing it. The Hi Hotel is about 500 metres from the beach that runs below the Promenade des Anglais. They also have a beach bar and slice of the beach area, which residents are entitled to use, providing an excellent base on the strand where your belongings are safe. In the evening it turns into a well regarded restaurant and bar. There is also a small pool on the roof of the hotel. The Promenade des Anglais is one of the greatest streets in the world, a wonderful stretch that runs right along the seafront, literally for miles. Overlooked by classic Nice hotels like the

wonderfully ornate Hotel Negresco, it is a roundthe-clock show of human activity of all shades and stripes from early in the morning till late at night. During the day people walk, run, rollerblade and cycle along the beachfront, which becomes a kind of people-go-round, of human life at its most fascinating in full flow. The beach itself is a stony, shingled thing. It is so painful on the feet that it can seem completely forbidding. Fear not, however! Get yourself a pair of swimming slippers and hey presto! What had been a real chore is made immediately and immensely pleasurable. The water deepens quickly and the swimming is superb if you’re up to it. We went every day, at different times, once early in the morning, another late at night, and the rest anywhere in between, depending on what else was on the agenda. In the evenings, the action on the promenade changes. Pleasure seekers pour into and out of the hotels, bars and restaurants. Sex workers ply their trade conspicuously and no one in authority seems to bother them. There is a buzz of energy about the place, which matches the architectural and cultural beauty of the city. Returning after a gap of a decade and a half, I thought it felt again like one of the truly great cities. During the day, the shopping is good, in the old town and on the streets which form a kind of honeycomb, just inside the protective old walls of the town or along Avenue Jean Medecin. In the evening, there are great restaurants in which to hang out. On our first night we found Restaurant 11 Eme Art on Rue Meyerbeer, within a ten minute walk of the hotel. We sat outside and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city, eating wonderful food, pitched at a very reasonable price. The following night we asked for a recommendation and the concierge in the hotel immediately recommended Restaurant 11 Eme Art. We had a good laugh over that. On Sunday, a lot of places are closed. Les Viviers Bretons (22 Rue Alphonse Karr Tel: +33 4 93 16 0048) came to the rescue, welcoming us in to take the last table and treating us royal. In truth, Nice is packed with fine places to chow down. There are lots of touristy places along the Rue de France, but many of them are of a decent standard. But slip off the main drag and you’ll find real gems like Don Camillo

Creations, on Rue des Ponchettes (Tel +33 4 93 85 6795) and L’Univers de Chriatian Plumail, on Boulevard Jean Jaurés (Tel +33 4 93 62 3222) – there’s great food in both at reasonable prices With art such a powerful force in the south of France, the Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain is well worth a visit, offering a potent insight into what has been happening in French creativity over the past fifty years. Equally worth checking out are the Musée Matissse and the Musée National Message Biblique Marc Chagall. Meanwhile, in the Musée des Beaux-Arts you’ll find works by Monet, Fragonard, Sisley and Rodin, as well as a fine collection of Raoul Dufy works. Great art is everywhere… You can also use Nice as a base for exploring the coast. The corniche drive, along the coast, is still as breath-taking as I had remembered. Further along the coast are Menton, Monaco and, as you push east, suddenly you are in Italy. First up is the lovely old seaside resort of Ventimiglia, where you can stop and have coffee. We travelled further to the town of Alassio, where we had a beautiful swim in fabulous sunshine, in what felt like a different world entirely. But, of course, it was, at least, a different country. We spent five glorious days in Nice and enjoyed every minute of it. The trip reminded me again of just how wonderful the south of France is, with its unique mix of beautiful countryside, chic cosmopolitanism, fine food and a liberal ethos that makes you feel that, really, humanity isn’t so bad after all. As we headed for Nice airport on the way back, the heart strings were already playing a sweet melody which had as its refrain: we will be coming back soon. In fact very soon. If you haven’t been, there’s no better time to book than now. A wonderful adventure awaits you…

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Manoir de L’Etang in Mougins (66 Allez Le Manoir, Mougins Tel: + 33 4 92 28 3600 manoirde-letang.com) is one of the most attractive and best value hotels you’ll find on the Cote d’Azur. The Hi Hotel in Nice (3 Avenue des Fleurs, Nice Tel: +33 4 97 07 2626 hi-hotel.net) is also more than a bit special.

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE DUBLIN Through its innovative website and app, DublinTown.ie is helping locals and visitors alike see the capital from an entirely new perspective.

ith the goal of highlighting everything our capital city has to offer, DublinTown.ie launched in April 2012. The website, now approaching one year old, has achieved a large following and picked up two gongs at the Irish Web Awards, including the highly coveted ‘Most Innovative Website in Ireland’. The site fills a gap in the online landscape for a one-stop information source for city-centre life. Both website and app have been stylishly crafted to not only provide a comprehensive reference point for visiting the city but also serve as an enjoyable online read.

Featuring sections on food, bars and clubs, hotels and shopping, culture and ‘what’s on’, along with essential information on city services and transport, DublinTown.ie is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. The interface contains stunning photography commissioned by DublinTown.ie, which serves to remind locals (and teach visitors) of the true beauty of Dublin’s city centre. In addition to insiders’ top picks for where to go and what to do, DublinTown.ie features a blog and ‘Stories’ section. These short, interview-style reads are uploaded regularly to give an insight into not only the businesses but the people that make Dublin’s streets tick. DublinTown.ie is a collaborative effort between Dublin City Business Improvement District, local creative talent and business owners. DublinTown is available to both locals and visitors as a knowledgeable source of information. Following the success of the website, the DublinTown.ie team launched a multifunctional

app also called Dublintown, available to download for free from the App Store and Google Play. The app puts the places and events you need to know in Dublin Town right in the palm of your hand. Key features include: • An ‘I’m in mood for’ section that highlights the city’s great offerings under Food, Bar, Culture, Shop, Club and Services. • A very comprehensive ‘What’s on’ section where users can ascertain what’s on today, tomorrow, next week or the coming months. • A ‘Getting around’ section that contains essential information on city transport in one place, including live twitter feeds from Luas, Dublin Bus and Irish Rail – all within the app. • A ‘Stories’ section that gives the user an insight into the owners of some well-known businesses, reminding us that it really is the people who make Dublin Town the exciting hub of activity it is today. • A ‘Nearby’ section where, using built-in GPS mapping, the app can pinpoint your exact location and bring you details of things to see and do in the vicinity. The user can also search for a business, view full details including pictures, get directions from their current location or call the business – all from within the app. • A clever feature of the app is that it has the latest ‘Augmented Reality’ capability built in, enabling the user to explore the city with their smartphone, detailing what’s around them as they move the camera 360 degrees. All of this and more makes the DublinTown App a great tool to keep you updated on what’s happening when you’re on the go... in Dublin town!

STORIES

TOM PALMER MANAGING DIRECTOR, PETERSON’S OF DUBLIN ‘Enjoying the Pipe in Good Old Dublin’ I travel a lot but love to come back to Dublin because of the wonderful architecture and well-known good humour of Dubliners. My favourite area is around Grafton Street, beautiful Merrion Square with Georgian houses, South Anne Street and Duke Street. There is that ‘big city feel’ in a small city. I think that’s what probably describes Dublin best. When strolling around town, I like to have a pint in Kehoe’s or the International Bar, both Dublin landmarks with a cosy relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant scene is so rich and diverse. With a wide range of cuisines, you can enjoy dishes from around the world at a reasonable price. My picks would be Dunne & Crescenzi, Bang Restaurant and Cliff House. They have a nice ambience and delicious dishes. The Peterson shop is a landmark in the city visited by people from different paths of life. In the past, our factory was located just around the corner, in South Stephen’s Green. Previously on Grafton Street, we have recently moved to a beautiful listed building on Nassau Street. All these events emphasise our close relationship with the city centre. What’s more, it’s also one of the oldest businesses in Dublin, which soon will be celebrating 150 years in business. And we believe it’s just the beginning.

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GOPLACES

FIT FOR A KINGDOM

With a host of leisure, sporting, entertainment and cultural events to suit all ages, Tralee is a hive of activity this Summer season.

rom exciting outdoor pursuits to the breathtaking scenery, it’s easy to see why Kerry is among Ireland’s most popular holiday destinations, and why the town of Tralee is the county’s crowning glory. Perched on the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, Tralee town centre is just a five-minute walk from main line rail and bus stations and a 15-minute drive from Kerry Airport, 90 minutes from both Shannon and Cork Airports. As well as providing an idea base for exploring, Tralee boasts a wealth of all-weather attractions

for all the family, including the Aqua Dome, The Playdium, Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre, Tralee Sports And Leisure Centre, Bowling Buddies and Greyhound Racing. In Tralee’s town centre, you’ll find more than 350 shops, cafes, pubs, attractions and hotels, not to mention a wealth of history. The awardwinning Kerry County Museum takes visitors on a trip back in time to medieval Tralee, when Celtic royalty commanded fearsome battles and a primitive community revolved around the town’s bustling markets. Tralee even offers visitors an opportunity to

(l - r) Festival parade, and the Kerry Activity Experience

walk in the footsteps of a Saint who discovered America before Christopher Columbus! A new walking initiative from Tralee to Dingle via Camp and Annascaul, the Kerry Camino following the footsteps of the town’s remarkable explorer, St. Brendan. The cultural value of Tralee is recognised all over the world through the work of Siamsa Tire, the National Folk Theatre of Ireland which is located in Tralee Town Park. Siamsa has been entertaining locals and visitors alike for over 40 years, as well as passionately furthering their mission to protect, explore and develop traditional art. Meanwhile, a 15-minute drive is all that separates visitors from some of the country’s most beautiful Blue Flag beaches, and the same drive in the opposite direction will land you right in the middle of the stunning Ballyseedy Wood, which offers walking enthusiasts a tranquil retreat through 80 acres of forest that dates back to the 16th century. Cycling and fishing tours are also popular pastimes in the Kingdom, with equipment, guides and maps available locally from the Fáilte Ireland Tourist Office on Tralee’s Denny St. We don’t need to tell you that the town is home to the world famous Rose of Tralee International Festival, which, along with the Rose Gathering in 2013, will take place from August 14 to 20, featuring a wonderful line-up of free and affordable entertainment. Expect dynamite performances from soon-to-be-no-more pop sensation JLS, a rousing show from Irish rock legends The Stunning, an air display, fireworks, parades and of course, appearances from Roses past and present. But before the Roses gather, Tralee will play host to a number of exciting events and festivals throughout May, June and July. Among these are the Kingdom Alliance Sportive on June 1 to 3, which will attract pedal pushers from around the world to take part in the biggest leisure cycling event in Ireland this year. Continuing on the leisure theme at the end of June will be the new Kerry Activity Experience, which takes place from June 28 to July 13.

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JLS

Described as the “Glastonbury of Sport”, it will attract leisure and sports enthusiasts of all ages to participate in a packed fortnight of running, walking, cycling, Gaelic games, soccer and greyhound racing at various locations throughout Kerry. June 12 to 17 marks Heroes Week Ireland, which will see heroes throughout North America, Britain and Europe descend on the Emerald Isle for a celebration of their bravery. Another major attraction is the Arnold Palmer-designed Tralee Golf Club, overlooking Tralee Bay. One of the most spectacular 18-hole links courses in the world, it’s kept company by gorgeous 9-hole courses nearby in Ballyheigue and Ardfert. The jewel in the Kingdom’s crown offers all this, plus majestic mountains, stunning landscape, wonderful restaurants and lively pubs, making it a destination you won’t want to leave. Luckily, for a taste of real Kerry hospitality there are multiple firstrate guesthouses within easy walk of the town centre. For a hands-on holiday, self-catering options are available, while camping and camper vans are welcomed at the award-winning Woodlands Park facility. If you long for the more luxurious comforts of a lavish hotel than you’re also in luck! Amongst the best are the Brandon and Bally Garry House. The award-winning Bally Garry is an exquisite four star spa experience, currently offering a three-night bed and breakfast (with two evening meals) deal from Ð199 per person. That includes Sunday night dancing, a visit to Kerry county museum, a spa taster treatment and full access to the thermal spa facilities, making it the ultimate in relaxation. “No matter what age you are, you’ll quickly discover that there’s so much to see and do in Tralee all year round,” says Kieran Ruttledge, CEO of Tralee Chamber Alliance. We can’t help but agree...

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You’ll find lots of information about the town’s accommodation providers and attractions online at tralee.ie, gokerry.ie/locations/tralee and on Facebook. Contact Tralee Chamber Alliance on +353-66-7121472 or email info@tralee.ie for more.

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Dáithí Ó Sé and 2012 Rose of Tralee, Nicola McEvoy, at this year’s launch

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GOEAT

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JULIE Choice Music Prize winner JULIE FEENEY catches up with STUART CLARK over some fine dining in Gallaher’s while discussing Colin Farrell, Steven Spielberg and the art of bread-making. P H O T O S

G R A H A M

“Y

OU’RE JOKING ME?”

K E O G H

Sticks, Julie opts for Tomato & Avocado Bruschetta with Mozzarella & Pesto for starters, while I take the Lissadell Mussels with White Wine & Chive Cream route. Both are just what the food doctor ordered – the mozzarella of the right fluffy buffalo variety, and the mussels plump and not over-cooked as so often happens. There’s also delicious homemade bread to assist with mopping-up duties. Cork is a mere hop, skip and a jump from home for Julie, who’s been commuting back and forth over the Atlantic this year. “I did a run of ten shows in Manhattan, which earned me a brilliant New York Times review,” she beams. “I’m getting ready to release my Clocks album in the States as well as the UK and Germany, so there’ll be a lot of playing live there! I also got to perform in Los Angeles as part of the pre-Academy Awards Oscar Wilde Honoring The Irish night that JJ Abrams, the Lost and Star Trek director, puts on. I’ve never in my whole life worried so much about what I was wearing! I arrived a bit earlier than I should have, and had to walk down the red carpet on my own with all these well-known Hollywood photographers snapping away.” Inside, the partygoers were strictly of the A-List variety. “I got chatting to Colin Farrell who’s a really down to earth guy; no arrogance or graces at all.” There then followed one of those wonderful ‘pinch me, am I dreaming?’ moments. “I was singing my song ‘Impossibly Beautiful’ when I saw this guy filming me with his phone who looked a bit like Steven Spielberg. Then I realised it was Steven Spielberg! Thank God no one had told me he was there beforehand because I would have been too nervous to perform! He came up to me afterwards and said, ‘Hi, I’m Steven, I really loved your performance!’ I can’t remember what I said back…” We break off to enjoy our mains – the Pan-Fried Cod with Mash Potato, Baby Spinach & Crab Butter Sauce for madam and Grilled Spicy Lamb Burger with Tomato Salsa, Cream Cheese & Skinny Fries for sir. Again, they’re both cooked to perfection and accompanied by some delicious dips. Located a Book Of Kells throw from Trinity College, Gallaher’s

“No” “Really?” “Yes!” Nope, myself and Julie Feeney aren’t swapping salacious music industry tittle-tattle. The awardwinning Galwegian singer is aghast and, indeed, agape at me telling her the wondrous things a modern bread-making machine can do. “You just put the flour, yeast, sugar and water in and it does everything else for you?” she enthuses. “I’m off to Brown Thomas tomorrow to get myself one!” At present, Ms. F doesn’t spend too much time in her Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 kitchen. “I’m a terrible cook,” she admits, “but I love the idea of baking. Is a bread machine cheating though?” A little, but allowable given how busy a lady Julie is at the moment. Arriving at Gallaher & Co. with a wheely-case in tow, she explains, “I’ve just come from Cork where I’ve spent four days shooting the video for my new single, ‘Dear John’. Part of the filming was done in Greenes Restaurant in the Hotel Isaac, which has this amazing outdoor waterfall. Here are some of the props…” Julie proceeds to whip out a wonderfully flamboyant blue hat and an ornately decorated book that looks like it’s stepped out of a Harry Potter film. “I’m really excited about it!” she coos. Feeney is a lady who’s perpetually excited; her positivity one of the reasons she’s achieved so much without a major record company or music Svengali backing. “I just say ‘yes’ when people ask me to do things, and worry about the practicalities later!” she laughs as we browse through the bistro menu, which is heavy on locally-sourced ingredients. “Sometime over the next few weeks I’ve got to do the notation for all the members of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra who are playing with me on August 9 in the National Concert Hall. I’ll worry about that tomorrow though!” Whilst respectively tempted by the Deep Fried Squid with Coriander Salsa, Rocket & Aioli and Sweet Chicken Wings with Cashel Blue Dip & Celery

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GOEAT

A MATTER OF TASTE ST UA RT C L A R K B R I N G S YO U T H E L AT E ST FO O D I E N E WS CROSS YOUR ARTISAN Keep your eyes peeled for The Craft Collection, a new fellowship of artisan beers, which has just arrived in Irish pubs and offies. It includes Worthington’s Red and White Shield, Blue Moon’s Belgian White and Valencia Grove Amber and three tipples developed by Cornwall’s Sharp Brewery in conjunction with celebrity chef Rick Stein – Doom Bar, Chalky’s Bark and Chalky’s Bite. The last on the list is a spicy 6.8% ABV Belgian Abbey Ale, which gets its aforementioned bite from the fennel seeds added to it, and goes wonderfully well with fish. See facebook.com/CraftCollection

the Munster rugby squad. See realitalianfoodies.com

OUT ON A LIM It’s been a very good few weeks for La Cucina with the Limerick eatery picking up yet another Best Casual Dining gong at the Irish Restaurant Awards, and going nationwide with their Real Italian Foodies range of sauces. Weighing in at no more than 69 calories per serving, the range includes Tomato & Basel, Tomato & Chilli, Bolognese and – our fave – Creamy Tomato. Packed with genuine homemade flavour, you’ll find them gracing the shelves at SuperValu. Meanwhile, back at their Castletroy HQ Lorraine Fanneran and Bruno Coppola continue to minister to their regulars who include hungry (but not for long!) members of

READ ALL ABOUT IT South African-born but Irelandresiding chef Rozanne Stevens escapes the kitchen with Relish BBQ & Al Fresco Food, a finger lickin’ 280-page cookbook destined to make your summer a whole lot more tasty. A regular contributor to Today With Pat Kenny and the Irish Independent, Rozanne has divided the tome into 10 themed chapters with titles such as as Mexicanish, Thaiish, South Africanish, Chineseish and Indianish. We’re particulary fond of the sharing platter of Ribs, Wings, Sausages, Cabbage, Squash & Mushrooms, which is a sweet ‘n’ tangy delight. See rozannestevens.com

IN THE NICK OF TIME MasterChef Ireland contestant Nick McClune has landed himself a fulltime gig at Café H, a modern yet full of character docklands eatery that may very well have the best Piementos de Padron, Gambas Al Ajilo and Albondigas in town. In addition to classic Spanish tapa, they also have a short but sweet list of daily specials; the Sole with Mediterranean Vegetables in particular a ‘musttry’ when it’s on. (Grand Canal Plaza, Dublin 4. Tel. +353 (0)1 899 2216, cafeh.ie)

Rozanne Stevens’ tempting BBQ Platter

is both modern and full of character – a combination that’s hard to get just right. We forgo the extensive and well-priced wine-list to have a non-alcoholic Erdinger (for Julie who’s got a stupid o’clock start tomorrow) and a draught Leffe beer (I on the other hand don’t have to be anywhere until noon). The portions being so generous, we forgo desserts, but the Vanilla Créme Brulee with Homemade Biscuits and Sticky Toffee Pudding which arrive at the neighbouring table look divine. “I’m a terrible cook, but I love eating out!” Julie confides. “I’ll often go to a really fancy place and just have a main so I can enjoy the ambience. It’s nice being from there that one of the best meals I’ve had recently was in Anair, the only Galway restaurant with a Michelin star. The food’s amazing but it’s not pretentious. I’ve really enjoyed my meal here tonight; the room’s beautiful. I’ll be back!”

THE DAMAGE

GALLAHER & CO. BISTRO & COFFEE HOUSE, D’OLIER CHAMBERS, D’OLIER ST., DUBLIN 2 TEL. +353 (0) 1 677 0499, GALLAHERSBISTRO.COM Our two a la carte dinner starters and two mains came to a very reasonable €49.60. The two and three-course Pre-Theatre Menu are €17.90 and €21.90 respectively. The wine-list is from €21.90 upwards.

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GOFEATUREw Enjoying a night at the movies thanks to Bonovox

GETTING ACTIVE IN

YOUR GOLDEN YEARS

Life does indeed start at 50! We’ve some great ideas on how to stay active, healthy and save money into the bargain! BOWLED OVER Finding the motivation to exercise can be a chore at any age, but getting involved in a group or club activity makes things much more fun. Bowls is a firm favourite among Ireland’s Active Retired community, who even have their own tournament to prove it! 64 teams will face off in Kerry for the Active Retirement Cup, in the fourth consecutive year of the Specsavers National Bowls Competition. Taking place from May 20 to 24 in the INEC, Killarney, the tournament will see more than 450 retired men and women from all around Ireland battle it out for the coveted title. Ranging in age from 50 to 95, competitors will take part in two competitions – one for big bowls and one for small. According to Maureen Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Active Retirement Ireland, the National Bowls Competition presents a welcome opportunity for retired people to stay active through the medium of a fun and competitive activity. “Bowls is of special importance in promoting a healthy lifestyle among our membership,” she says, “as it’s a sport that people of almost any age can participate in, regardless of physical ability.” Kavanagh also points out the social benefits of team sports like bowls for older people. “Some of our members have become extremely competitive and have been taking part in local competitions during the course of the year to prepare for the tournament,” she

explains. “We have also seen how the event has helped build a sense of camaraderie among the participating teams and among different Active Retirement Associations.”

CHASING HISTORY Most of us long to uncover the secrets of our ancestry at some point, but retirement provides the perfect opportunity to take up genealogy as a hobby. There’s good news for history buffs from findmypast.ie, which has just launched its online memorial of the Great Irish Famine to coincide with the National Famine Commemoration 2013 taking place in Kilrush, Co. Clare this month. This online assortment of records highlights the many aspects of Irish life that were affected during The Great Irish Famine (1846 – 1852). Researchers can sift through a number of record categories including emigration, land and newspapers and piece together their own ancestor’s story during the period. “This commemorative record collection is a chance for people to remember their ancestors and reflect on what life was like for them during this harsh time in Ireland,” says Cliona Weldon, General Manager of findmypast.ie. The online memory bank provides the opportunity for people to delve further into their own family history by searching through record sets from the time as well as fascinating stories covering different aspects of Irish life during the Famine. One such story is that of a young, deaf Irish boy, Edward Murray, who

escaped the hardship of Ireland with his family in 1849 by emigrating to the United States. Using US Census records on findmypast.ie, he was subsequently traced through four decades to a farm in Iowa where he had gone on to create a successful farming career, a feat which may not have been possible had his family stayed in Ireland. You’ll find many more heroic and harrowing famine stories online at findmypast.ie/articles/ famine-commemoration-collection.

BEYOND THE SEA An ideal active retirement leaves plenty of room for kicking back, and the Carlton Atlantic Coast Hotel is one of the very best places to do it. Situated on the shores of Clew Bay, this boutique establishment is the only waterfront hotel in Westport, giving visitors a chance to relax and enjoy the best of everything the West of Ireland has to offer. It’s just a short walk from the vibrant town centre, yet provides guests with instant access to the tranquillity and beauty of Westport Harbour. The Quayside Fishworks Café Bar serves an extensive selection of dishes where the emphasis is on fresh fish, while the rooftop Blue Wave Restaurant offers a magnificent view of Croagh Patrick, Clew Bay and the Harbour. Guests are also invited to relax in the Ayurveda C Spa, where they can sample the ancient secrets of the oldest system of health and well-being in the world. There, therapists from Kerala, India, the home of Ayurveda, will leave patrons feeling refreshed and revitalised. And there’s even more good news in the form of the hotel’s Nifty Fifty offer. For just €99 per person sharing, guests 50 years and over can

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avail of a two-night stay including breakfast and two evening meals, plus discounts to local visitor attractions. For more information, or to book, phone 098 29000, email reservations.atlanticcoast@carlton.ie or visit atlanticcoasthotel.com.

after-care service. It’s also a wholly owned subsidiary of Widex, the first company in the world to introduce a digital hearing aid, and a leading manufacturer of hearing aids which are currently sold in over 100 countries. Widex’s exclusive True-Input Technology gives the new DREAM™ ALL EARS family of hearing aids the capability Hearing loss poses a problem for of letting sound in as it is, without many active retired people, but changing the quality or nature of it needn’t stop the over 50s from the sound, allowing for clarity of attending their favourite social speech. Even in complex listening or sporting events, according to environments such as parties, Ireland’s longest-established hearing sporting events or cinemas, this aid specialists, Bonavox. unique technology preserves the The company, which has been human voice, allowing the user to providing professional hearing care hear more words and less noise. in Ireland since 1967, offers advice Widex has also developed a and treatment for hearing loss, cutting-edge range of hearing tinnitus, ear–wax removal, ear-mould accessories to makes watching TV, fittings, hearing protection, industrial listening to music and using the screening and rapid hearing aid phone, easy, clear and comfortable repairs. Bonavox has branches at for everyone. With TV-DEX and the Dundrum Shopping Centre and Phone-DEX you can watch the North Earl Street in Dublin and on TV and listen to music without Stephens Street in Waterford. It missing a word and receive phone also operates 26 regional clinics, calls you can hear clearly, easily partnering with well-established and comfortably at the touch of a opticians, pharmacies and medical button, thanks to clever, wireless surgeries throughout Ireland. technology. There’s even a feature As well as stocking a wide range to turn off your hearing aid’s of digital hearing aids and assistive microphone to cut out background listening accessories, customised noise for even clearer sound. for each individual hearing loss, For more information on the lifestyle and budget, Bonavox prides DREAM™ range, DEX™ solutions itself on free hearing tests, impartial or other Bonavox products and    advice and unrivaled hearing aid services see www.bonavox.ie.

Travel

13th Sept� 2013 in conjunction with Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines 10 Nights

2013 Sunny Iberia & Gibraltar Cruise No Flying, direct departure from Dublin Port PACKAGE INCLUDES: • Regional coach transfers to/from your Ship • All onboard entertainment, including well known Irish Bands

For bookings or more information contact JMG Travel. Telephone: 074-9135201 Email: info@jmgcruise.com Web: www.jmgcruise.com

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