Go Rail 9-1: Featuring Hozier

2019 • VOL:09 ISSUE:01

Picture This

Breaking records and topping the charts

Saoirse Ronan

Mary Queen Of Scots and beyond

Rachael English’s Favourite Train Journey

Hozier

HOW H E C ONQU E R E D T H E WOR L D

IT’S THR ILLER TIME

T H E F R IG H T S T U F F

I N H IS PR I M E

Tana French

Seána Kerslake

David McCullagh

Great places to Visit, Explore, Discover...

County Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24, D24YNN5 +353 1 4149000 tourism@dublinsoutdoors.ie www.dublinsoutdoors.ie

CONTENTS 2 01 9 VOLU ME 0 9 // ISS U E 01

MIGUEL RUIZ

PICTURE THIS PAGE 38 06 / Go For It A look at some of the biggest events happening up and down the country.

early career, fronting Ireland’s most-watched current affairs show and reporting on major stories.

16 / Train News All the latest happenings in the world of the Irish Rail Network.

32 / Tana French Hot off the success of her Dublin Murder Squad series, the crime writer discusses her highly anticipated seventh novel, the gripping The Wych Elm.

18 / Hozier Stuart Clark meets the Irish singer-songwriter to discuss his new album, Wasteland, Baby!, which debuted at the top of the US charts.

34 / Go Travel An in-depth look at the stunning Mediterranean gem Malta.

22 / Saoirse Ronan The acting superstar talks about the unique perspective of female directors, achieving a better work-life balance and her critically acclaimed film Mary Queen Of Scots.

38 / Picture This The record-breaking pop trailblazers discuss their five-night run at the 3Arena, their new album and LA craziness.

26 / David McCullough The Prime Time interviewer talks about his

42 / My Favourite Train Journey Irish broadcaster and author Rachel English

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talks to us about her fond memories of taking the train from Dublin to Limerick.

46 / Seána Kerslake The star of the harrowing Irish horror The Hole In The Ground discusses her rising fame and her desire to play complicated female characters, 50 / Celebrity Table We share a meal at Pacino’s in Dublin with rising Irish star Soulé.

54 / Fashion Roe McDermott explores spring’s biggest fashion trends, including western-inspired fringes and edgy denim.

58 / Sports Preview Paul Nolan looks ahead to what the summer has in store in GAA, rugby and soccer.

Credits

Editor's Letter

2019 VOLUME 09 // ISSUE 01 MANAGING Editor

Máirin Sheehy

Commissioning Editor

Roisin Dwyer

Contributing Editor

Paul Nolan

Contributors

Stuart Clark Peter McNally Peter McGoran Aoife Bradshaw Roe McDermott Lucy O’Toole Roisin Dwyer Paul Nolan

Design & Production

Design

Hot Press 100 Capel Street Dublin 1 Eimear O'Connor Lili Ferreira Karen Kelleher

Advertising Manager

Tom Corcoran

Group Advertising Manager

Catherine Madden

chief photographer

Miguel Ruiz

PUBLISHER

Niall Stokes

Printed by

Boylan’s Print

Go Rail is published for Iarnród Éireann by:

Osnovina Ltd 100 Capel Street Dublin 1

Contact Telephone (01) 2411 500 Fax (01) 2411 538 Email gorail@hotpress.ie Letters

The Editor, Go Rail Magazine, 100 Capel Street Dublin 1

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 Éireann.

All material © Osnovina 2018.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction of material without permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited.

HEAR YE, HEAR YE People who experience problems with their sight don’t hesitate to get their eyes tested - and we need to start applying similar standards to our hearing. Lend us your ears...

Isn’t it remarkable the extent to which we take things for granted? We wake up in the morning – or most of us do anyway! – and see the angle of the sun coming into the room. Already, we have a sense of what time it is.

Mostly, it is our hearing that gets us moving. The alarm rings. The noise penetrates our foggy, fuggy consciousness and we turn over in the bed. Reach out. Open our eyes to make sure that we don’t knock the glass of water on the bedside table over.

Find the button. Switch off the noise.

These things are done seamlessly. Our senses are awakening. If we are lucky enough to have a loved one to turn to, a final few minutes can be snatched.

We feel his or her touch, a final snuggle taking us up to the moment when we have to bite the bullet.

Breakfast awaits!

Downstairs, we turn on the radio. It might be to hear the morning news or to go with the musical flow. We taste the freshly squeezed orange juice and granola. We smell the coffee. We don’t think very much about our senses. They are in constant use. Every bit of knowledge or information is taken on board through them. Life’s pleasures too. We are dependent on our senses all the time, in every way.

So what happens if or when they don’t function properly? Anyone who has had cause to wear glasses will recall the feeling of having their eyes tested for the first time. It is only then that you realise just what you have been missing, and how badly. You don’t remember ever seeing the veins in the leaves on the trees before – but there they are!

Most people accept that glasses are an essential part of modern life, and treat them as a blessing.

Two centuries ago, if you were shortsighted, that was it: everything was a blur. Why would anyone subject themselves to that nowadays, when correctives are available? Two and a half billion people in the world have been diagnosed as short-sighted. The response is immediate: they get glasses or use contact lenses.

Our ability to hear is equally important. The stresses and strains on our hearing are just as great as those on our eyes. In fact we are so often subjected to loud noises in clubs, bars, venues and elsewhere that it may even be that our ears are more constantly pushed beyond their natural

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capacity.

Every sonic jolt, every screech of the brakes, every guitar feeding back is a risk factor in damaging our hearing. We do not exist in the kind of cocoon that would be required to protect our ears completely.

Hearing is a complicated business. The eardrums and the ossicles – three small bones in the middle ear – vibrate. The vibrations move through the fluid in the cochlea (or inner ear), causing the tiny hair cells to move. These hair cells really are tiny – but they need to be capable of changing that movement into the chemical signals required by the hearing nerve.

The information transmitted in this way is then sent to the brain via electrical impulses. There, this information is interpreted as sound. We hear a symphony!

It is an extraordinary, magnificent process.

Thinking about it, it seems a wonder that we can hear at all! What it should bring home to us too is just how many ways our ability to hear properly can be damaged or compromised.

It is an issue that impacts on people’s lives to an increasing extent as they get older. The wear and tear builds up. Very few people can hear as well at 60 as they could at 40. There was an attitude that it didn’t really matter – that we could muddle through.

But it has been demonstrated that this is a serious mistake.

Recent research has confirmed that people with moderate to severe hearing loss are five times more likely to develop dementia. It makes sense when you think about it. We keep our brain active and in good shape by being mentally active. By learning an instrument. By doing tests, crosswords and puzzles.

It might be our parents we need to think about and to help. It might be our children. Or it might be ourselves. If we get our hearing tested and come through with flying colours, well, hallelujah. If we need corrective action, then let’s do it.

From what I hear (boom, boom), it can make a huge difference to an individual’s quality of life. Throw in staving off possible dementia or Alzheimer’s and it is a win-win situation. We need to shout it from the rooftops: get your ears tested!

Now, where did I put those glasses.

EXPERIENCE

TRUE NATURE

• Guided tours

• Newborn Foals

• Meet our Living Legends;

• World Famous Japanese Gardens

• Restaurant

Beef Or Salmon, Kicking King

• St. Fiachra’s Garden

• Children’s Playground

Hardy Eustace, Hurricane Fly

• Fairy Trail

• Free Coach/Car Park

& Rite Of Passage

Irish National Stud & Gardens, Tully, Kildare, Co. Kildare Book your tickets online at www.irishnationalstud.ie T: +353 (0) 45 521617 E: reservations@irishnationalstud.ie

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Open 7 Days: 9.00am-6.00pm (last admission 5.00pm) until November 5th 2018. Located 30 miles south of Dublin in Kildare, off the M7, Exit 13 onto the R415.

G O FO R I T

A R U N D O W N O F W H AT ' S H O T & H A P P E N I N G B Y P E T E R M C N A L LY

ELBOW SW E E T S E N S AT I O N S Returning for its ninth installment, Forbidden Fruit’s 2019 line-up is again hugely impressive in its eclecticism. This year’s headliners include UK grime godfather Skepta; English indie legends Elbow; electronic artist Mura Masa; and German producer Paul Kalkbrenner. If that isn’t varied enough for you, the bill also includes the likes of electronic maverick Jon Hopkins; folk-country singers First Aid Kit; rappers Earl Sweatshirt and Danny Brown; and a huge contingent of top Irish artists – such as Saint Sister, Kojaque, Daithi and Pillow Queens. Located in the beautiful grounds of the Royal Kilmainham Hospital, Forbidden Fruit has become an established part of Dublin’s summer and is always a treat.

Need to Know...

WHEN:

June 1-3 WHERE:

RHK Dublin

F O R B E S T VA L U E FA R E S O N A L L I N T E R C I T Y S E R V I C E S C H E C K O U T I R I S H R A I L . I E

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HETFIELD OF DREAMS Metallica’s drummer and co-founder Lars Ulrich mentioned several times in the last few years that he would make it his mission for the band to perform at Slane.

Finally in September 2018, the announcement was made – and it was a dream come true for metalheads throughout Ireland and beyond, for whom Metallica are bona fide rock gods. James Hetfield and co. have earned a reputation for their barnstorming live performances, so whether you’re a metaller or not, this show – featuring monster hits like ‘Enter Sandman’ and ‘The Unforgiven’ – is not to be missed.

Need to Know...

WHEN:

June 8 WHERE:

Slane Castle, Meath Metallica

Where M agical Moments Begin…

Enjoy a 3 night Spring lodge break (sleep 6) from €250 per night Family Activities Live Music New Bistro Menu

For more family offers visit www.mountfalcon.com #MountFalcon Contact us today for more information: Mount Falcon Estate, Foxford Road, Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

Tel: 00353 (0) 96 74472 Email: info@mountfalcon.com

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F L O AT L I K E A B U T T E R F LY

AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REEL THING

DOCKLANDS OF HOPE A N D G LO RY

Fastnet Film Festival, Schull, May 22-26 The annual Fastnet Film Festival returns to the picturesque seaside village of Schull in West Cork for its 11th year this May. Over the weekend, screenings of Irish and international short films will take place across the village, with the village hall, pubs, galleries, shops and the sides of buildings all transformed into makeshift cinemas. These venues will also play host to an exciting selection of Q&As and workshops with world-class industry professionals. This year’s festival is set to feature events with Roddy Doyle; BAFTA-winning sound engineer Kieran Horgan; the cast of the West Cork-shot film Float Like A Butterfly; and the Schull Community College past pupils behind the 2018 Ed Sheeran documentary, Songwriter.

Madness Live At The Docklands, Limerick, May 31 With the band boasting 31 Top 40 hits in the UK, including classics like ‘One Step Beyond’, ‘Our House’, ‘It Must Be Love’, ‘Embarrassment’ and ‘Baggy Trousers’, Madness’ live shows are always hugely fun and memorable affairs. To this day, the Nutty Boys enjoy a reputation as one of Britain’s best and most enduring live acts. Emerging from Birmingham in 1979, Suggs and co. had huge success throughout the ‘80s and left an indelible mark on ska. If you haven’t caught them before, do yourself a favour and find out what the fuss is about.

V I L L AG E R S

O N YO U R M A R K S , O F F S E T, G O !

B I A H E R E N OW

Offset, Point Square, Dublin, April 5-7 Offset has fast become the country’s most inspirational conference for the design and creative industries. With roughly 2,500 attendees every year, the event has attracted design luminaries such as Massimo Vignelli, Peter Blake, Paula Scher and David Carson, to name but a few. Offset is committed to a multidisciplinary approach to curation, with guests from the fields of graphic design, photography, animation, illustration, fashion, film, industrial design and art. This year, Offset Dublin’s 10th edition will be hosted in a new venue – the Point Square. Confirmed speakers thus far include illustrator Edel Rodriguez, graphic designer Lance Wyman and photographer Rich Gilligan, with more announcements on the way.

Bia Lover Food Festival, Athenry, June 22 & 23 Celebrating the finest food and drink produced in Ireland, Bia Lover is set to bring the historic town of Athenry to life this midsummer’s weekend with its incredible annual showcase. The festival places a strong emphasis on recognising the diversity of Ireland’s food culture, with a particular focus on cuisine from the west of the country. With over 50 businesses offering a wide range of artisan products, local brews and some of the region’s best food trucks, Bia Lover offers something for every palate – and invites you to step out of your comfort zone to try exciting new dishes.

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CONOR HORGAN

CONOR HORGAN

G O

L E T ’ S DA N C E Dublin Dance Festival, Various Venues, May 1-19

E M M E T K I R WA N

Throughout May, Ireland’s leading dance festival will bring its exciting programme of contemporary choreography to venues across the capital. Since it was established in 2002, the Dublin Dance Festival has presented some of the world’s most influential dance companies and artists. The smash hit production RIOT, presented by THISISPOPBABY, with text from Emmet Kirwan and Panti Bliss, will headline this year’s festival with six shows at Vicar Street. The festival will also feature the Irish premieres of both Session, a collaboration between traditional Irish dance artist Colin Dunne and Flemish-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s Rosas danst Rosas, one of the most iconic dance performances of the late 20th century.

Breakfast ON HILTON

BOOK THIS OFFER AND RECEIVE THE FAMOUS HILTON BREAKFAST ON US DURING YOUR STAY

BOOK ONLINE AT HILTON.COM/BELFAST FROM £115 PER NIGHT*

Hilton Belfast is located adjacent Lanyon Place Station (formerly Central Station) in the heart of the city centre, next to the Waterfront Hall and within walking distance to St. George’s Market, Victoria Square, and the Cathedral Quarter. The perfect location for great shopping, restaurants, bars and local attractions, including the award-winning Titanic Belfast. Book the Breakfast on Us or by phone using Special offer/ promotion code PR20BB, phone: +442890277000 hilton.co.uk/belfast *Terms and conditions apply. See offer details on website. Rates may vary by date but complimentary breakfast available on all dates for guests booking this particular offer.

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MARK CARROLL

G O

BICEP LOA H

T H I S I S YO U R L I F E

HUNTING HIGH A N D CA R LOW

Life Festival, Belvedere House & Gardens, Westmeath, May 24-26

Ireland’s most revered electronic music festival, Life originated from the Glade Arena at Glastonbury, and became an event in its own right in 2004. Every year since, it has grown to become Ireland’s most anticipated dance music shindig. Previous venues have included Charleville Castle, Ballinlough Castle and Lough Cutra Castle, but the beautiful environs of Belvedere House – where the festival currently takes place – offer the perfect naturalistic escape. Highlights this year include Belfast house duo Bicep, American DJ MK, road rap artist Giggs, and many more of Ireland’s finest techno, house and dance acts.

Borris House Festival of Writing and Ideas, Carlow June 7-9

SPORTFILES

The Borris House Festival of Writing and Ideas, one of Ireland’s most unique literary festivals, brings some of the most fascinating minds from around the world to Carlow for one weekend each June. Although based primarily in the magnificent setting of Borris House, where visitors can enjoy a luxurious camping experience, the festival also spills out into the beautiful local village, situated at the foot of the Blackstairs mountains. An incredible line-up of writers and creatives has been announced for this year’s festival, including Mary Robinson, Carl Bernstein, Ben Okri, Donal Ryan, Kit De Waal, Julian Barnes, Lemn Sissay and Loah.

A S H OW M A N F O R ALL SEASONS

JAMES McCLEAN

EURO VISION

Hugh Jackman, 3Arena, Dublin, May 30 & 31

It’s a new era in Irish football with Mick McCarthy at the helm, and the team will be looking to pick up three points when taking on Group D minnows Gibraltar at the Aviva on June 10, as part of their Euro 2020 qualification campaign. With a couple of games taking place in Dublin during next year’s tournament, the stakes will be even higher than normal throughout this year. Ireland will be hoping for big showings from the likes of Jeff Hendrick, Robbie Brady and James McClean in Dublin, as they look to keep firmly on course for qualification.

Guaranteed to be an evening filled with Broadway bombast and Hollywood glamour, with a pinch of antipodean charm, Hugh Jackman is bringing his first world tour to Dublin for one night only. The Man. The Music. The Show will see Jackman performing hit songs from The Greatest Showman and Les Miserables, alongside plenty more hits from Broadway and film, all accompanied by a live orchestra. Given that the cast-recording album of The Greatest Showman spent a staggering 25 nonconsecutive weeks at the top of the Irish charts, this might be one of the most eagerly awaited concerts on Irish shores in recent years.

Ireland v Gibraltar, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, June 10

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CLEAN BANDIT

SIGRID

THIS IS THE SEA Known as Ireland’s biggest beach party, the Sea Sessions Surf & Music festival has been going strong for over 10 years now. Set in the surfer’s paradise of Bundoran and surrounded by the stunning Atlantic coastline, Sea Sessions has cemented its reputation as one of the summer’s hottest tickets. Headlining this year are Norwegian pop star Sigrid; electro-pop hitmakers Clean Bandit; and Bangor-made indie-rock band Two Door Cinema Club. Elsewhere, the likes of The Sugarhill Gang, Jax Jones, Columbia Mills, Inhaler and many more superb Irish acts will play across the weekend.

MICHAEL COLLINS HOUSE CLOICH NA COILLTE No. 7 EMMET SQUARE, CLONAKILTY, CO. CORK, IRELAND.

Contact Details Tel: 023 8858676 Opening Times

Summers Opening Times (May to September) Tues-Sat: 10am to 5pm Sunday: 12pm to 5pm (last admission 4pm) Winter Opening Times Wed - Sat: 10am to 5pm (October to April)

Admission Prices Adult €5 Family €12 Senior Citizens €3 Students €3 Children (U14) €2

Michael Collins House,

a new museum dedicated to Michael Collins and the history of Irish independence, suitable for all the family.

Interactive and audio visual displays suitable for all ages

www.michaelcollinshouse.ie

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Need to Know...

WHEN:

June 21-23 WHERE:

Bundoran, Co. Donegal

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T H E L I F E O F O ’ R E I L LY

The Coronas, Irish Independent Park, Cork, June 22 Dublin rockers The Coronas ascended to a new level with their 2017 album, Trust The Wire, which became their first Irish number one. On June 22, Danny O’Reilly and the boys will be playing their biggest Irish date of the year, when they headline Irish Independent Park in Cork. Completing the mouthwatering bill, the group will be joined on the day by Norwegian pop sensation Sigrid and homegrown synth-pop duo All Tvvins.

S P I C E U P YO U R L I F E

Croke Park, Dublin, May 24 May sees the Spice Girls make history by becoming the first ever girl group to grace the stage at Croke Park. Demand was so high for the ‘90s sensations that all tickets for the 82,000 capacity stadium were snapped up within two hours. The tour marks the first time the girls will be back together since they appeared at the 2012 London Olympics. Having sold over 85 million albums worldwide, the Spice Girls hold the record as the most successful female pop group of all time.

TA L O S

S O U L L O T TA L O V E Body & Soul, Ballinlough Castle, Meath, June 21 – 23 13 Dame Street D2 George's Street Arcade D2 180 Rathmines Rd Lower D6 11 Academy Street Cork City 96 Botanic Avenue Belfast

Woodlands, walled gardens and an enchanting lake serve as the backdrop for the Body & Soul festival – this year celebrating its 10th anniversary – where glittering late-night discos, bespoke art trails and soothing wood-fired hot tubs all come as standard.

And that’s before even mentioning the fantastic line-up. For 2019, highlights include music and video duo The Blaze, electronic duo Modeselektor, and American alternative singer-songwriter Santigold. There’ll also be the usual contingent of Ireland’s finest, including Talos, Soak, and more.

umifalafel.ie

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PHILOMENA AND PHILLIP LY N O T T WA X F I G U R E S

T H E W H O L E B A L L O F WA X Westmoreland Street, Dublin Dive into a magical mix of past, present and future at the National Wax Museum Plus. A unique experience, it presents visitors with a plethora of fun-filled and educational engagements that will fascinate children and adults alike. Exhibits include imaginative portrayals of Irish writers, musicians and renowned pop cultural personalities, as well as tributes to Ireland’s contributions in the domains of science and invention. Those looking for a thrill must visit the terrifying Chambers of Horror! Or for something more relaxed, hang out with James Joyce and Oscar Wilde in a literary bar overlooking the Spire. Also be sure to check out their sister museum The Irish Rock ‘N’ Roll Museum (Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2), which takes you through the weird and wonderful history of Irish music.

LO U T H A N D C L E A R Beaulieu House, Drogheda, May 31 – June 2 Located by the banks of the Boyne in the gorgeous grounds of a 17th century estate, Vantastival is a boutique festival like no other.

Comprised of mostly Irish acts, ranging across numerous genres, the festival’s first announcement for its 10th anniversary outing in 2019 already boasts established big hitters like King Kong Company, Lisa O’Neill, Jinx Lennon and Wallis Bird. But there’s also a wide array of up-and-coming acts on the bill too, including Louth’s own David Keenan, rising stars Just Mustard, Cry Monster Cry and many more.

It’s all set up for another memorable weekend in Louth.

Summertime in Cork City!

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K A Z H AW K I N S NURSE WITH WOUND

ALL THE DERRY BEST

A R T O F T H E M AT T E R

City Of Derry Jazz Festival, Various Venues, May 2-6

Drogheda Arts Festival, Various Venues, April 30-May 6

This annual tribute to jazz and big bands features artists from all over the world, with more than 70,000 revellers expected to attend this year’s jam-packed event. Highlights are set to include Kitty LaRoar, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, Jumpin’ Up!, The Jive Aces, Kaz Hawkins, and headliner, Soft Cell legend Marc Almond. The weekend also features jazz masterclasses and dance tutorials, while for the third year running, over 1,500 children across Derry and Strabane will be introduced to jazz through Live Music Now’s schools programme.

The Drogheda Arts Festival returns this year with another bumper line-up. With the town’s medieval streetscape as the backdrop, there’s the usual unmissable mix of poetry, drama, electronica, trad, street theatre, art and much, much more. Highlights of the action-packed programme include acclaimed group Nurse With Wound and the world premiere of Nicole Lizee’s concert Spielberg Études. For more info and the full line-up check out droghedaartsfestival.ie.

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E The Delights of Spring has finally sprung, and with it, thousands of people will flock to the coastal town of Dún Laoghaire to check out some of the exciting attractions and literary festivals happening in this beloved south Dublin town. Go Rail takes a peek at some of the best on offer.

THE DELIGHTS OF

Dún Laoghaire

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DUBLIN'S

O N LY 1 5 M I N U T E S F R O M D U B L I N ' S CITY CENTRE

Photo: Nicole Lindsey, IADT Dún Laoghaire

he always enjoyable Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival will take place in Dún Laoghaire during the last weekend in March.

The festival’s theme this year is ‘Speaking With Strangers’, and the line-up is one of the most jam-packed yet. Foodies James Kavanagh and William Murphy will be discussing their best-selling Currabinnny Cookbook; John Boyne, Kate Mosse and Hannah Beckerman will all sit down for a lively conversation with radio host and book lover Rick O’Shea; and Irish Laureate of Fiction, Sebastian Barry, will talk about nature and the natural world in his novels, with Evelyn O’Rourke.

Elsewhere, Go Rail’s favourite day on the Irish calendar – Bloomsday – returns on June 16. The Joycean celebrations will begin early in the morning at Sandycove. Here, hundreds of Ulysses lovers – many dressed in costume – will make a pilgrimage to the James Joyce Museum, in the Martello Tower, before enjoying breakfast out on the streets of Sandycove, where a party-like atmosphere always transforms this town for the day.

Bloomsday will coincide with the Dalkey Book Festival, which takes place from June 13-16. Previous attendees have included director Lenny Abrahamson, Man Booker Prize winner Marlon James, and musicians such as Bob Geldof and Bronagh Gallagher. Announcements haven’t been made for the 2019 event, but this festival – one of the most prominent literary festivals in Ireland – always produces a stunning line-up, with something for everyone.

Whether or not festivals are your thing, we can pretty much guarantee that Dún Laoghaire is worth a visit any day of the year. The Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre gives you the chance to experience what it was like to live in Middle Ages Ireland, while the Writers’ Gallery – also located in the Castle – features the work of creative artists from Joyce and Bono, to Beckett and Maeve Binchy. On top of that, the popular Dublin Bay Cruises offer you the opportunity to experience Dublin’s gorgeous bay from a unique perspective.

We’re also looking forward to trying out their new Cheese & Wine Evening Cruises, which begin in April!

For further information visit www.dlrtourism.ie

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T R A I N news HAZELHATCH WINS BEST STATION AWARD

ON IARNRÓD ÉIREANN NETWORK

JOIN IN THIS YEAR’S CYCLE AGAINST SUICIDE Patricia Bermingham from Hazelhatch & Celbridge Station (Overall Best Train Station in Ireland) and Ray Delaney from Portlaoise Station (Best Customer Service).

H

azelhatch & Celbridge has been named Overall Best Train Station at the annual Iarnród Éireann Best Station Awards.

The station plays a key role in the busy commuter town of Celbridge and the surrounding area. Since the opening of the Phoenix Park Cross City services in 2016, the station has become even busier. The station benefitted from a significant upgrade in recent years, but still maintains its old world charm. Customers were effusive in their praise for Patricia Bermingham, who works at the station. She was complimented for her helpfulness and friendly manner as well as her magnificent seasonal displays.

Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann said: “Winning the title of Best Station in Ireland is a high honour and I congratulate Patricia Bermingham, Tony Doran and all who work so hard to give our customers a positive experience as they pass through their station every day. Our customers are the most important part of our business, so it is fitting that they should choose the winner of the Best Station Awards.”

The winners are chosen by public vote, with almost 15,000 customers rating their stations as part of this year’s awards, by Customer Information, Station Appearance and Staff Helpfulness.

Munster saw Killarney win the top title. Catherine Cahill was proud to pick up the award. Thurles and Cork stations were highly commended by customers.

Sligo was victorious in the Connacht category. Station Manager Mary Connolly was delighted to pick up their award. Ballyhaunis and Ballinasloe were highly commended in the category.

Seapoint took the title for Best DART Station with Malahide and Blackrock highly commended by customers.

In addition to regional winners, Portlaoise won a specially crafted award for Best Customer Service. As a busy commuter station, Portlaoise provides customer care of the highest standards. Customers recognised this in the voting, giving top marks to Portlaoise for customer service. Ray Delaney and all the staff at Portlaoise were commended for their excellent customer service to all those who pass through the busy station. They always have a friendly smile and a helpful word, knowing many of the customers by name.

Regional winners

In Leinster, Drogheda – a key station on the Dublin/Belfast Enterprise service – emerged victorious, with Station Manager Conor Keane leading the team to collect the award. Heuston and Carlow were highly commended in Leinster.

Hazelhatch & Celbridge also collected the title of Best Commuter Station, beating off competition from Clonsilla and Donabate.

Conor Keane and David Maguire of Drogheda Station receive the Best Leinster Station award from Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Jim Meade at the company's Best Station Awards.

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Iarnród Éireann is delighted to again support this year’s Cycle against Suicide. Each year, thousands of people across the country participate in one or more stages of the event to raise awareness of mental health issues, and spreading the message that it’s ok not to feel ok, and it’s absolutely ok to seek help.

The cycle will take place over 10 days from Saturday, 27 April to Monday, 6 May. There are 20 legs on the route and you can register to cycle as many of them as you like.

You don’t need to be an experienced cyclist – the Cycle against Suicide supports all participants.

Check out this year’s route and register today at cycleagainstsuicide.com – together, let’s break the cycle of suicide.

RECORD YEAR ON IARNRÓD ÉIREANN NETWORK Iarnród Éireann has stated that 2018 was the busiest year ever on Ireland’s rail network, with 47.9 million passenger journeys, up from the previous record of 45.5 million in 2017.

There was growth in all businesses, including: Intercity – 12.4 million journeys (up 8.5%) Commuter – 14.6 million journeys (up 4.5%) DART – 20.5 million journeys (up 4.3%) Intercity growth was driven by increased traffic congestion to and from cities, and major events throughout the year including concerts, sports events and the Papal visit. DART and Commuter growth were driven by TaxSaver season ticket demand, especially outer Commuter locations such as Drogheda, Kildare and Carlow.

The continued growth demonstrates the importance of investment in fleet and infrastructure under the National Development Plan, with new fleet targeted to enter service from 2021 onwards.

T R A I N news REDISCOVER THE JOY OF THE TRAIN FOR YOUR SCHOOL GROUP A fun day out for your school group starts with the train.

Schoolchildren and teachers alike get a sense of occasion when you make travelling by train a part of your school trip.

There are tables at every seat and ample space for everyone to sit back and enjoy the journey – and whilst the scenic countryside rolls by, you might even get a game or quiz in along the way.

Iarnród Éireann offer school’s group discounts from 10 percent to 30 percent, depending on the size of your group. We also ensure that there is flexibility to amend

your school’s booking up to 24 hours before travel if there are any late changes.

Whether you’re travelling across the country, or doing a short-distance run, these are memories which will last forever.

To book your school group train travel you can book online at irishrail.ie, or alternatively you can call us on (01) 8366 222, or contact your local sales team at: Cork (021) 455 7020 Galway (091) 537554 or (091) 537539 Limerick (061) 217 318

Thank you for Helping More People Make it Home with

FOCUS IRELAND With your support, we have helped more people make it Home For Christmas.

Over the last two years, Iarnród Éireann has worked in partnership with Focus Ireland throughout December to help more people make it #HomeForChristmas.

Our Christmas campaign – which has included volunteer choirs, musicians and bucket collectors in our main stations, an option to donate while booking your rail ticket online, and advertising across our network provided by Exterion Media Ireland – has helped raise vital funds to provide essential services, and also raise awareness about the problem of homelessness in Ireland.

Sadly, the crisis worsened throughout 2018. Each month, in the Dublin Region alone, an average of 93 families became newly homeless, compared to 81 families per month for the same period in 2017. And more than 1 in every 3 people who are homeless is a child.

Focus Ireland Fundraising Co-Director Rachel Murphy said: “There are now nearly 10,000 people homeless and it is truly heart breaking to see that almost 4,000 of these are children. We must always remember that behind

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these shocking statistics are real people who need our help to secure a place to call home.”

With your help, an amazing total of more than ¤146,000 was raised during this Christmas’s campaign. As a result of these vital funds, Focus Ireland helped more than 15,000 people in 2018.

Barry Kenny, Manager, Corporate Communications for Iarnród Éireann said: “Focus Ireland prevent people from falling into homelessness and help those impacted. We are delighted to help Focus Ireland and the members of our society they support. Focus Ireland manages to secure a home for one family every day, but sadly that same day two to three more families – and other individuals – become homeless. Iarnród Éireann is proud to be supporting Focus Ireland’s work and we hope this campaign has helped the charity’s work to support more families to make the journey home.”

We would like to thank all who donated while travelling with us. With your support Focus Ireland can be there for those who are experiencing homelessness and work towards getting people home.

FEATURE

The Secret

of his Success

Hozier has ascended to superstar status with his latest LP, Wasteland, Baby!, which debuted atop the US charts. He talks about the inspiration behind the album, his hectic schedule, rubbing shoulders with the A-list, and more.

Interview: Stuart Clark Photography: Alex Lake & Miguel Ruiz

T

he landmark moments keep coming for Bray’s Andrew Hozier-Byrne. Already a major star, he’s gone truly supernova with his latest album, Wasteland, Baby!, which achieved one of the most sought-after feats in music – reaching number one on the US charts.

In the same week, Hozier was announced as one of the headliners for this year’s Electric Picnic. Elsewhere, there was another notable moment over the festive period.

Hozier was already having a very merry Christmas with friends and family in Wicklow, when word came through that one of Chi-Town’s funkiest had put him on his end of year Spotify playlist.

“Yeah, Barack Obama had ‘Nina Cried Power’ on there alongside some really cool stuff by The Carters, Leon Bridges, Khalid, Courtney Barnett and that brilliant Prince

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track they discovered in the vaults, ‘Mary Don’t You Weep’,” Hozier beams. “I saw him dance on the Ellen Show and the guy really has soul and rhythm, as does Michelle, who I remember seriously going for it at a Beyoncé gig!”

Earlier Hozier had apologised for turning up 45 minutes late for our interview in one of the Gaiety Theatre’s fin-desiècle bars. I’m delighted because it’s allowed me to have my evil way with the plate full of choccy biscuits and bars that have been provided for the elevenses he’s missed. You could say I’m Hobnobbing without the star.

“I think I’m arriving late for everything at the moment because subconsciously I know I won’t be able to be late again until halfway through 2020,” he smiles, nibbling away at the sole surviving Kit-Kat. “Starting in a few days, I’m going to have 18 months of being told, ‘You’re getting up at seven, breakfast at 7.30, down in the lobby for eight and in the car by ten past.’ There’s so much other stuff going on – gigs, TV appearances, interviews, whatever – that you simply surrender to the tour manager and then become a

HOZIER

disorganised mess when they’re not around!”

A date he most definitely wasn’t late for was March 7’s Love Rocks NYC benefit gig in the Beacon Theater, which last year paid for over 1.5 million meals to be delivered to vulnerable New Yorkers who are struggling to feed themselves.

“The line-up was outrageous!” Hozier grins again.

“It was me, Robert Plant, Sheryl Crow, Grace Potter, Buddy Guy, Keb’ Mo and Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top playing with a house band that included Paul Shaffer and Steve Gadd. You’re talking serious musical royalty. Outwardly I’m quite composed in those situations, but inwardly I’m going, ‘Oh my god, it’s Robert Plant!’

“The guy behind it was the menswear designer, John Varvatos, who turned the old CBGBs rock club in the Bowery into his flagship store. It still has lots of the original fixtures, and memorabilia on the walls.

“He’s got a very rock ‘n’ roll style. I did a shoot for John once, and he’s also worked with Jimmy Page, Gary Clark Jr., Paul Weller, Slash and Iggy Pop. They know they’re in safe hands with him. His charity has raised something like $5 million with their two previous gigs.”

Some people might develop a slightly inflated ego, hanging around with A-List-ers like that...

“Having met my manager, and some of my band and crew, you’ll know there’s zero chance of me getting a big head,” he laughs.

When Andrew ‘did an REM’ in September and played three rehearsal shows in Dublin’s Academy, the proceeds were divided between Safe Ireland, One In Four and the Peter McVerry Trust. Does he have any specific ideas as to how homelessness can be tackled?

“With all greatest respect, if we’re turning to musicians for answers, things are really bad. I try to avoid giving unsolicited opinions or advice because for half the year I’m living away from Ireland. The likes of the Peter McVerry Trust are in the trenches dealing with often life and death situations 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They’re far better to talk to than a musician. What I can do is give a platform or a signal-boost to somebody who I think is doing something positive. I’m hypersensitive about throwing my weight around, but I can only imagine the frustration of living in Dublin or Cork or wherever and seeing that there’s no affordable housing being built.

“There was an opportunity around the time of the Apollo House occupation for the government to do something, but they just kicked the can down the road. When we don’t deal with a crisis like this or, worse still, collectively normalise it, we inflict a serious injury on not just the homeless but also the whole of society. Nobody’s life should be cheapened.”

In amongst the political and social commentary on Wasteland, Baby!, on ‘Would That I’ – “I blink in sight of your blinding light / And the fire bright, let it blaze alright / Ah, but you’re good to me baby” – it sounds suspiciously like a falling in love album.

“It’s interesting, I’ve heard that from somebody else,” he responds. “I never considered that because to me it was always an end of the world record. I characterise it as ‘a squeeze of the hand’.

There are certain songs – ‘Be’ and ‘Wasteland, Baby!’ itself – that are dealing with a storm raging outside and possibly the end times. It’s always trying to do it through the personal, hence that squeeze of the hand. There are definitely reflections on love like ‘Would That I’ but I write from memory.

Sadly, I kind of hermit-ed myself away when I was making the album. I didn’t have anybody to curl up to.”

Such is the lot of a man who’s been living out of a suitcase pretty much non-stop for the past five years.

“The hard work and the sacrifice are part of it, that’s for sure. My advice to anyone wanting to maintain a stable, long-term relationship is, ‘Don’t be a touring musician!’”

Continuing on from all of ‘Nina Cried Power’s musical namechecking, ‘Almost’ references Chet Atkins, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme’ and Cole Porter’s ‘Night & Day’. Is Hozier just telling us what we should have in our record collections?

“Rumbled! I’m looking forward, on this tour, to doing the southern states of America, which is where a lot of the Wasteland, Baby! influences come from. I’m especially excited about playing New Orleans. There’s such a culture of people getting up and playing music there. It’s really, really cool.”

Is there anybody in Hozier’s band who shares the gaffer’s twin blues ‘n’ funk obsessions?

“Yeah, my bass-player and musical director, Alex Ryan. On the first tour, we listened to a lot of James Brown, Prince and neo soul as well. We were getting

“Having met my manager, and some of my band and crew, you’ll know there’s zero chance of me getting a big head.”

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into the nitty gritty of various D’Angelo tunes.”

What’s guaranteed to get him on the dancefloor?

“About five pints,” he deadpans.

“I’m a sucker for old soul music, so if I hear James Brown or Stevie Wonder I’m out there like a shot!”

Very spookily, I ran into Mike Scott on Grafton Street – he has a flat in town – just minutes after first hearing ‘To Noise Make (Sing)’, another joyous excursion into gospel, which finds Hozier plaintively crooning: “Honey the groove of it was whatever you’d choose / ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’ or ‘The Fisherman’s Blues’.”

“Mike Scott lives part-time in Dublin?” he resumes. “I did not know that. I met him at a festival and he was really, really sweet. ‘The Whole Of The Moon’ and ‘The Fisherman’s Blues’ are like blues standards to me, in that it feels like they’ve been around forever. You can’t remember not knowing them. Achieving that is every songwriter’s dream.”

The striking cover of Wasteland, Baby! finds Hozier immersed in a tank of water. I assume the water was real and that Rubyworks had someone there to extract their prize asset from it if he started drowning rather than waving.

“Yeah, it was real and they did. We took some photos of the walls in Loftus Hall, the stately home at Hook’s Head in Wexford where they’ve shot a couple of horror films. It has that dilapidated grandeur and is

supposed to be the most haunted place in Ireland. We printed those photographs in large form, submerged them in water and made a little room for me to sit in. It was a fun day but, because the wet suit didn’t quite work, freezing.”

At one of Hozier’s recent Olympia gigs I was sat next to a girl who having been all smiles before his arrival on stage cried her way through his entire set. Encore completed, the smiles returned. Has he ever been that emotionally affected by another musician?

“I’ve never cried like that – and whoever the girl was, thank you for connecting with my music – but I was genuinely obsessive about Tom Waits for a long time,” he reveals. “I wanted to be Tom Waits. I was in love with Tom Waits. I would’ve had my Hendrix phase, my Rory Gallagher phase and my Nina Simone phase – which never really ended – but as a teenager Tom Waits saved me in a lot of ways and turned me on to wanting to make music. None of my peers had any interest in Tom Waits or knew who he was, which made it even better. He was all mine!”

Hozier looks almost shocked when I ask if he’s met Pomona, California’s gravliest.

“I don’t think I’d be able to keep it together if we were introduced,” he confides. “I saw him eating dinner twenty feet away from me once in LA and I was terrified. My heart was doing backflips even seeing him that close. If I could get the words out, I’d ask him, ‘Does it get any easier?’ Two or three albums in, he stopped making beautiful songs in the conventional folk-rock way. He one eighty-degreed. As an artist, I’m always doubting and second-guessing myself. To be brave enough to reinvent yourself like Tom Waits did must be very liberating, but possibly also very frightening. I’d want to ask him about that.”

Were the teenage Hozier to somehow teleport to 2019, which current artist would be obsessing over?

“There’s a real golden age of hip hop taking place,” he proffers.

“There’s so much substance to the work of Chance The Rapper and Kendrick Lamar. To make it into the popular sphere like they have, while reflecting their lives and outlook so honestly, is a powerful thing.

It’s leading by example and people respond to that so, yeah, those two.”

Sadly not on Wasteland, Baby! is the cover of Van Morrison’s ‘Saint Dominic’s Preview’ that Hozier recorded in response to a dream that Blindboy had. Which requires a bit of explaining…

“I have a lot of respect for the Rubberbandits.

One morning Blindboy tweeted, ‘I had a dream last night that Hozier covered ‘Saint Dominic’s Preview’ and it was class.’ Saint Dominic’s Preview, the album, was one of the Van records I wasn’t particularly familiar with, so I started listening to it and was blown away. A few weeks later when things were a bit quieter, I started throwing some chords around and decided to post what was only 45 seconds of the song; I didn’t finish the cover to be fair. The opening line, “She’ll be cleaning all the windows / Singing about Edith Piaf’s soul”, is beyond beautiful.”

Something else I only discovered recently about Hozier is that he didn’t leave Trinity College of his own free will.

“That’s true, I had to be escorted off the premises,” he laughs. “No, I was a first year music student at Trinity when I got the opportunity to do some demos for the label, which coincided with an exam period. I chose to do the recording, and when requesting a year’s deferral was told that I hadn’t really earned that right. The time I was in Trinity I really enjoyed. I met some amazing people but, yeah, I’m a university dropout.”

So there you have it: a forensic hour-long examination of music, life and much else besides.

“Sometimes I really don’t like being a grown-up,” Hozier concludes, “but this is where I am in my life, and it feels pretty good right now.”

“Saint Dominic’s Preview, the album, was one of the Van records I wasn’t particularly familiar with, so I started listening to it and was blown away.”

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FEATURE

22

SAOIRSE RONAN

Queen of Hearts Irish acting superstar Saoirse Ronan discusses the unique perspective of female directors, achieving a better work-life balance, and her critically acclaimed film Mary Queen Of Scots. By Roe McDermott

A

sk anyone who has ever worked with, interviewed or just spoken to Saoirse Ronan and one word will always pop up, right after “lovely” and “humble”.

It’s “professional”. Having landed her first acting gig at age 9 on the Irish TV show The Clinic, the 24-year-old actress has grown into the consummate professional. Having starred in films like Atonement, Brooklyn, The Lovely Bones, The Grand Budapest Hotel and last year’s critical darling Lady Bird, Ronan’s professionalism has not only garnered her a Golden Globe award and two Oscar nominations, but a reputation for being incredibly talented, focused, and a canny player of the game that is Hollywood.

In interviews, she is always warm and personable, correcting the pronunciation of her name for the millionth time without an ounce of frustration and going along with jokes with great

“There’s something really wonderful about being able to disappear into another world.” humour (even that awful Oirish SNL skit). But she is also brilliantly adept at dodging questions about her personal life, never giving too much away, but never making it look like she’s deliberately being evasive – like only a pro can.

But what’s it like being a young woman in your twenties – a time where most young people are making absurd mistakes and figuring out what they want to do with their life – when you’ve spent the past decade establishing yourself as an actor and public professional? How do you define yourself beyond work you started when you were nine?

“I think I’m still figuring that out!” laughs Ronan, sitting on stage at the Google Foundry in Dublin. But she understands the question, having asked it of herself already. “I got to a point a few years ago, and it’s something that I’m still aware of, that I

23

love the work but I thought, ‘Is this sort of all I can do?’ It’s great to have work, but you don’t want to just be defined by that one thing either.”

Instead of succumbing to the very understandable public breakdowns and identity crises that some of her famous peers have gone through, Ronan allowed herself to embrace those feelings calmly and explore what she needed to do to bring more balance to her life, which involved spending more time with friends and having more fun.

“It was interesting for me to see when I did reach that point and start to give the rest of my life a bit more time, how relaxed I became at work,” she says. “Work is something that I do take very seriously when I’m doing it, and I’m definitely a perfectionist." But she tries to avoid feeling self-important about it, saying she adored Olivia Colman’s endearingly humble and understated acceptance speech at the Golden Globes this year.

“I like that attitude of ‘I just learn the lines and show up and do it.'”

Instead of approaching it like with the somewhat selfglorifying, awards-baiting ‘I Am Acting’ attitude that you can sense dripping off some actors, Ronan prefers to embrace the experience as a whole. “I almost go at it from a child’s approach, because it’s play, it’s imaginary, and there’s something really wonderful about being able to disappear into another world. You have to remember that.”

Ronan's latest movie is Josie Rourke's Mary Queen Of Scots, in which she plays the titular monarch, opposite Margot Robbie’s Elizabeth I. For Ronan, the chance to play a role that explored power and femininity was always an irresistible project – but its personal resonance has changed since she first read the script.

“I had signed up to it when I was 18 and we made it when I was 23, so there was about five years in between,” she explains.

“And loads of people have been asking me if I had made it at 18, would the film have been different, or would I have been a different Mary – and I really think I would have been. I’m so happy we made it when we did, because it was so important to show that Mary expected to be the leader that she wanted to be, and expected to get that respect from the people around her.

But she was a woman, and she enjoyed being a woman. And I also enjoy being a woman. And that’s something that was still new for me, at that age, in my early twenties.”

SAOIRSE RONAN Saoirse Ronan in Mary Queen of Scots

That time, a woman’s early twenties, are “an exciting and scary time”, Ronan says. So she was frustrated when she hit that age and discovered that despite her impressive filmography and obvious talent, there just weren’t many interesting and well-rounded parts for women her age.

“From the ages of 18 to 24, maybe, there just haven’t been that many characters out on screen that are female. That was such a frustration that I had in my late teens,” Ronan admits. “For some reason we weren’t being written about, and I didn’t know why. And that was the stage when I started asking ‘What’s going on, our voices are important!’ And everything is happening to you, it’s such an exciting and scary time – which was exactly the same for Mary Stewart. So to highlight that time in a woman’s life and honour it by playing someone real who experienced that was really exciting.”

Rourke’s film has received some criticism for historical inaccuracies, such as a meeting between Mary and Elizabeth that never happened, but it’s also being rightly lauded for its representation of the embodied female experience. Ronan is aware that Rourke fought hard with anxious studio executives to keep the female-centric tone, and is grateful.

“There’s obviously an innate understanding of a very particular female experience that you can only get from another female, obviously. But also just to think that that experience itself has some importance; that if someone doesn’t go through that, it could often go overlooked.”

However for Ronan, it’s more about sensibility than gender, and she appreciates writers and directors whose vision isn’t shaped by traditional gender roles, but empathy and curiosity.

“At the end of the day, I’ve worked with female directors who are quite masculine, or others who are more sensitive and delicate – and the same with men. The director I’m about to work with, Francis Lee, is the most sensitive, lovely man, and he’s about to direct two women in love in a film. I don’t think I could be in better hands. So it depends on the person.”

How does she feel about inclusion riders and other incentives to promote women writers and directors?

“I would hope that it happened naturally,” she sighs disappointedly. “Though I know it hasn’t and that’s why people

are pushing for it. I’ve been very lucky in that the first director I worked with was a woman, and I’ve continued to work with female directors since. That hasn’t been an unusual thing for me, but there just needs to be more of them, so that they can represent their own stories. And to be honest, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want that. It just means that when you go to the cinema, you have more of a choice. There’ll be a little bit of everything. I think it will start to change – I think it already has started to change.”

The audience at the Google Foundry is primarily made up of young people and professionals in their twenties, and Ronan is asked if she can share some tips for success – but as ever, she is humble and self-aware in her answer.

“There is a lot of it that is down to luck.

Anyone who is doing well at what they’re doing, regardless of the industry, will say that there was one person – one person who believed in you, who championed you, who gave you a chance.

And I’ve had those people. I was very lucky that I had a Dad who was already acting, so I was already introduced to that world at an early age. But there are also people like John and Ros Hubbard who are casting agents, and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. However once you start working, focus and love for what you do – and honestly a really good work ethic – is what will get you through it. I really admire people who give it their absolute best. And surround yourself with really great, ambitious people who will challenge you and make you work harder.”

Not that she needs the reminder – as she mentioned, she’s set to star opposite Kate Winslet in Francis Lee’s Ammonite, as well as playing Jo in Greta Gerwig’s remake of Little Women. She’s also just started working on Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, a musical set in France after World War II. But in an ideal world, what would her dream role be?

“I would pay to be in the sequel to Bridesmaids!” she says with the wide-eyed enthusiasm of an obsessive fangirl. “And I think it’s about time someone made a film about Countess Markievicz.

I’d like to play her. Or Queen Medb. So I can just use my own accent!”

“There’s obviously an innate understanding of a very particular female experience that you can only get from another female, obviously."

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LOGO

FEATURE

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DAVID McCULLAGH

The Prime of His Life Stuart Clark turns the tables on Prime Time interviewer David McCullagh, with the broadcaster discussing his early career, fronting Ireland’s most-watched current affairs show, reporting on major stories, and more besides.

I

Photography Miguel Ruiz

t’s a scary enough place on Saturday nights when all those Bridies, Pats and Marys are salivating over the money they’re about to get their paws on, but midweek with the lights off and props littering the floor, the Winning Streak studio is really putting the fear of God (and Marty Whelan) into me.

David McCullagh is walking me through it, in order to reach the less glitzy part of Television Centre, where for the past six years he’s co-presented RTÉ’s flagship Prime Time current affairs show. McCullagh is generally regarded as one of the national broadcaster’s sharper tools, who has little time for either guff or grandstanding.

At one point he quips “I’ve the face of Father Ted and the brain of Father Dougal.” In truth, however, he’s a journalistic heavyweight of the Orla Guerin/Andrew Marr/ Mark Carruthers variety rather than a rolling newsman whose qualifications for the job are perfect teeth and an ability to read a teleprompter.

But as we commence our chat, we can’t help wonder: is McCullagh ever upset by negative criticism on social media?

“If it’s not accompanied by a string of expletives, I’ve no problem with it,” he replies. “But if there are expletives, I make liberal use of the ‘block’ and ‘mute’ buttons. The important thing is ‘Don’t feed the trolls’, because the worst thing you can do with a bully is let them know that they’re getting to you.”

Social media hadn’t been invented when you got your first media gig in 1989 with the Evening Press. Do you come from a journalistic family?

“No, not at all,” says McCullagh. “I had my heart set on journalism from quite a young age, though. This is going to sound very nerdy, but I was fascinated by the three elections that Charlie Haughey and Garret FitzGerald fought in quick succession. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to be able to ask them questions about it?’ Reagan coming into office when I was 13 was a big moment. So after leaving Newpark Comprehensive in Blackrock, I went and did History and Politics at UCD. I wanted a job working for one of the national newspapers covering politics; broadcasting hadn’t entered my head at that stage."

So how did you get into one?

“I was three months into a journalism course in Rathmines when – bizarre story this! – my Dad was on a flight to London and found himself sitting next to Eamon DeValera’s grandson, also named Eamon, who was running the Irish Press. A screw had come out of Eamon’s glasses,

which, with him being an engineer and always carrying a small screwdriver, my Dad was able to fix. You wouldn’t be able to carry it onto an airplane now. Anyway, they got chatting and when Dad mentioned I was interested in journalism, Eamon said, ‘Tell him to write in’, which I did.

No reply for a while. Then I got called for an interview, which didn’t lead to anything. They had a change of heart, though, when one of the six journalists they did offer a job to dropped out.”

Rude question, but what was your starting salary?

“Around £15,000,” says McCullagh, “which was very good money for the time and a lot better than the £12 per shift plus tips I’d been getting as a waiter.”

I’ve heard more stories about the Irish Press than all of the other national papers combined.

"And for once most of them are true!

I was very star-struck being in the same building as Con Houlihan who was a legend, and wrote such beautiful prose about sport and literature and a whole host of other things. He was a lovely man. On top of having the thickest of Kerry accents, he was very self-conscious about his nose and held his hand over his face when he was talking. He was the only person in the place who wrote everything longhand. He was unimpressed with typewriters and even more unimpressed with computers when they eventually arrived in the building.”

The quantum leaps in technology since that time have been extraordinary.

"You try to explain this to young people nowadays,” says McCullagh, “but you’d be bashing it out on the typewriter and there’d be a copy boy ripping off each paragraph and running down to the typesetters. It was still hot metal in the late ‘80s. You could feel the printing presses thundering away. There were two mobile phones in the place the size of bricks, which had to be signed out. It was very All The President’s Men!” At the Press, McCullagh ended up reporting on the government of the day. The relationship between Dáil correspondents and politicians can seem a bit cosy. What were the rules of engagement during your time in Leinster House? "(Laughs) Maybe a bit of Stockholm Syndrome crept in, but I was there for 12 years and never felt I got too close to a politician,” reflects McCullagh. “I don’t see anything particularly wrong in journalists and politicians having a drink together, especially if it leads to you picking up a

"I had my heart set on journalism from quite a young age"

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FEATURE (Above) David McCullagh with Prime Time copresenter Miriam O'Callaghan and (below) Con Houlihan.

"It’s been tough but I think there’s a need – and will always be a need – for quality home-produced programming."

steer. But you can do that just as easily – and probably more productively – over a cup of coffee. The number one rule is if somebody says ‘off the record’, you can use the information but not reveal the source. Every now and then you’d think, ‘You’re really trying to play me here.’ But generally what you were being told was genuine.”

Was there anybody who really surprised you in person?

"Ian Paisley could be very good company. Trouble is there were six different Paisleys and you never knew which was going to turn up. He was also a consummate constituency politician. It didn’t matter what religion you were, he’d look after you. I remember reading a thing in the state papers, about an Irish diplomat in London saying, ‘Paisley is not at all as hardline as he likes to let on.

I think we could do business with him.’ It was written in 1971, so it took quite some time for the real Ian Paisley to reveal himself."

What was the most seismic thing you witnessed in the Dáil?

"Oh, the collapse of Brian Cowen’s government when the ministers all resigned and he tried to reappoint them,” says McCullagh. “The only thing I can compare it to is the Brexit shambles going on across the water at the moment.

The day she resigned, I interviewed Mary Harney for the Nine O’Clock News, got on the LUAS and before reaching my stop received three phone calls about different people who’d also resigned. I got to the end of the line, rang the

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wife and asked her to get the car ready to go. I drove to RTÉ at highly illegal speeds, ran up the stairs, ran into studio and sat down in the chair just as the late news intro jingle ended. The newsreader, Eileen Whelan, said, ‘So, David, what’s happened?’ and I almost started hyperventilating."

That’s not the end of the story!

"The next day, it had turned into a complete disaster because the Greens on whom Cowen was depending to prop him up said, ‘No, we won’t play ball.’ Nobody knew what was going on. The Tánaiste at the time, Mary Coughlan, was taking the order of business and had to say, ‘Er, well, could we have an adjournment for half-an-hour…’

People were openly conspiring against the Taoiseach.

Normally they’d have the decency to do it round the corner, but all the Fianna Fail TDs were milling around at the top of the stairs shouting, ‘This can’t go on, we’ve got to get rid of him!’ It was the culmination of the bank guarantee and the IMF coming in. That whole period was extraordinary."

Have you ever thought of donning a flak jacket and getting your hands dirty?

"Become a war correspondent? God, no! I’m a long-time coward and wouldn’t particularly want to get shot at. You need a certain set of skills to be able to do that.”

Away from Prime Time, McCullagh also keeps active with other projects, with the second volume of his Eamon DeValera biography coming out last year.

"I wrote it at the suggestion of my publisher, Fergal Toibin,” he explains. “I wouldn’t really have thought of it myself. Somebody asked me if it was a labour of love – well, it was a labour! Writing them took seven-and-a-half years.”

Finally, is it possible for RTÉ to get back into profit?

“The problem we have, as you know, is ad revenue. And Brexit isn’t helping. Just as we got over the recession, that hit us. It’s been tough but I think there’s a need – and will always be a need – for quality home-produced programming. RTÉ has an interesting place in Irish society. You can tell when we make a mess of something, how disappointed people are. If another broadcaster does something wrong, people will just throw their eyes up to the heaven. It’s very notable that when something huge happens, people come back to RTÉ. They believe they can trust us to give them a fair take on things.”

Warm Welcomes, Super Service, Great Memories Conveniently situated on Washington Street, Reardens is the cornerstone of Cork nightlife generating more social activity in one night than most bars produce in a year.

Sports

With our electric atmosphere, Reardens is the next best thing to being at the match.

Catch all sports live on our HDHQ screen the best quality you’ll find in Cork!

Reardens Bar, 26 Washington Street, Cork

Live Music

Loved by music fanatics in the city, some of the best bands in the country play on our stage weekly creating a vibrant ambiance to spend an evening.

Late-Night

Dance the night away in Reardens or visit one our other late-night options upstairs, including The Secret Garden A fairy tale for grown ups.

Tel: 021 4658100

www.reardens.com

Let us entertain you.

Look no further than the authentic Irish experience at The Oliver Plunkett.

Dedicated Whiskey Bar Experience our fantastic handpicked selection of whiskeys in a true rustic setting.

Taste the history and learn the heritage from our trained whiskey pro.

Traditional Irish Music Come experience the amazing “Ceol agus Craic” 7 nights a week with live Traditional Irish music & Irish dancing performances.

Authentic Irish Cuisine Serving Traditional Irish food all day, every day.

The Oliver Plunkett, 116 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork

Tel: 021 4222779

www.theoliverplunkett.com

BUSINESS SPECIAL FEATURE

BLAST OFF! A brand new event encouraging primary school students to think, wonder, investigate, create, design, explore and learn new skills, SCIENCE BLAST is the brainchild of the RDS. By Peter McNally

or over nine years, the RDS has promoted science education in primary schools through the hugely successful RDS Primary Science Fair.

Now, for the first time, in 2019, the RDS has teamed up with sponsors ESB to deliver a brand new standalone event that they hope will inspire entire primary school classrooms with the wonders of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Taking place in Dublin, Limerick (May 21-23) and Belfast (June 5-6), ESB Science Blast is a non-competitive education programme that challenges teachers and their classrooms to investigate a simple question about the world around them, using scientific methods of discovery.

They then present their findings at showcase events, which will be attended by hundreds of other classes – at the RDS, Mary Immaculate College Limerick, and the Waterfront & Ulster Hall, Belfast.

Michael Duffy, CEO of the RDS, explains the genesis of the idea behind Science Blast.

“An event like this comes back to the ideals which were central to the very foundation of the RDS,” he tells Go Rail.

“The Society was formed as an enlightenment organisation in 1731 and its whole mission was to further the economic and cultural development of Ireland.”

While the Young Scientist And Technology Exhibition has been a runaway success with secondary school students, since its initial outing in 1965, the RDS saw that there was a need to have a STEM education programme dedicated to students at an even earlier age.

“Through research, we found that it’s actually at primary school level where you can make the most substantial difference, in terms of getting children engaged and excited by science and involved with STEM in general,” says

F

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Michael. “Primary school students are still very much like a sponge, just soaking up information. To give them a positive experience of something like STEM, when they’re at that age, can open a whole world up to them that they may not have been exposed to before.”

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS Science Blast hopes to promote what they call, the ‘Four C’s’ of STEM education: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking and Creativity. “These are skills that manifest organically in each investigation,” Michael tells us, “and are not just science based – they’re skills that can be applied to any subject.”

Research, which has been conducted by the RDS, has provided some incredibly promising results. It showed that students who took part in the programme are increasingly comfortable with their abilities in STEM subjects. “Our research confirmed that science and maths skills were significantly improved,” Michael enthuses. “It was selfreported by 80% of the children that their maths skills have been improved. Gaining that confidence in maths is hugely important.” In science subjects, over 95% of the pupils polled reported having more confidence and better science skills. “To give them new confidence in those areas: that’s what Science Blast is all about.”

Judging by the questions that are being investigated by the participating schools, things in primary education have changed greatly since your humble correspondent was learning his 9-times tables! ‘How much CO2 does our school produce each year?’, ‘Does the colour of food impact our perception of taste?’, and ‘Will crossed handeye dominance have a positive or negative effect on your aim?’. Concepts such as these would have twisted my BMX-riding melon! What is clear, in other words, is that an

S P O N S O R E D CO NT ENT

GIVING IT BACK Quietly fulfilling their brief as an enlightenment organisation dedicated to the economic and cultural development of Ireland, the RDS run many of Ireland’s biggest events on a not-for-profit basis.

Massive events managed by the RDS, including the Dublin Horse Show and now the ESB Science Blast, are surprisingly run on a not-for-profit basis. The cost is underwritten by the success of the RDS venue, with Leinster Rugby, whose home is at the RDS; the massive summer concerts; and events like the Ideal Homes Show and Funderland. Here, we list just some of the great events that wouldn’t exist without the RDS’ status as a registered charity.

interest in STEM education is on the rise.

Encouragingly, according to Michael, “It’s not really about finding the right answer, it’s about what they learn in the process of the investigation.”

By all accounts, the Dublin leg of the event was a huge success. Close to 7,000 primary school children, from over 250 schools, were involved in presentations across the two days. “It really was a blast! I suppose that’s the quote you were looking for,” Michael laughs. “The feedback we have got from parents and teachers has been exceptional regarding the substantial difference it can make for a child – and indeed for the entire class. It’s not just the showing up on the day, it’s the engagement that they have with the project and with the investigation that they’re doing. It provides a lot of transferable skills that can come out in all sorts of cross-curricular ways, which they might not have expected when they initially embarked on the investigation.”

PRACTICAL EXAMPLES In addition to the school’s presentations, the team behind Science Blast has assembled a full programme of exciting and engaging talks and performers to entertain and educate students and teachers alike throughout the day. Some of the highlights at the Dublin event were the Rapper’s Guide To The Solar System and the Science Of Breakdancing. “We’re being shown the possibilities of chemistry, physics and biology through these amazing and fun presentations,” marvels Michael.

“We also had ‘I Wish’ involved. They are a programme for students in secondary schools, that encourage girls to take up STEM subjects for their Leaving Certificate, and on into later academics.”

At Science Blast a number of I Wish

“Primary school students are still very much like a sponge, just soaking up information.”

Ambassadors, most of whom were female transition year students, held a talk in the teacher zone. “They spoke about their experiences, or experiences they wished they would have had, and how that could have led to greater encouragement for them and their peers to take up science subjects. That was very much about trying to give practical examples and ideas to primary school teachers, from female students who have recently been through the primary school education system.”

Looking to the future, the organisers see the event growing, and going from strength to further strength. This year alone, close to 500 hundred schools signed up for the events in Dublin, Belfast and Limerick, but for next year it’s hoped that Science Blast will involve up to 700 schools.

“We want to make this open and inclusive for students wherever they are in the country,” says Michael. “It’s free to everyone involved and we provided €75 to every school that took part, to help ease the burden of travel expenses getting to the RDS, Limerick, or Belfast. Wherever the class is from in the country, whatever the educational expectations are from the school or from the home, we want them to see that STEM is a possibility for them, in whatever guise that may be.”

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The Dublin Horse Show One of the biggest and most renowned celebrations of the equestrian industry in the world, the Dublin Horse Show is an invaluable event to an industry which contributes in excess of €800m in economic value to the country. A hugely entertaining spectacle, famous faces spotted in the audience for the showjumping include The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen (who, of course, has also played the RDS).

RDS Rising Stars Concert & Music Bursary The RDS Rising Stars Concerts showcase new talent in Irish classical music. The RDS provides an audience and a venue for talented third-level music students to help them gain valuable performance experience.

The RDS Music Bursary has a prize fund of €30,000 and some unique performance opportunities to help talented classical music students progress their career.

RDS Craft Awards The RDS Craft Awards was established in 1968 and has contributed significantly to the development and growth of the craft sector in Ireland over many years. It now has a prize fund of €50,000, which goes directly to emerging craft makers, as well as one €10,000 award for an established maker.

RDS Visual Art Awards Providing a platform for graduating artists as they transition from student into early professional career, some of the best visual art graduates from all over Ireland are selected for inclusion in a curated exhibition, with the opportunity to win a share of the €30,000 prize fund.

RDS Spring Agriculture and Forestry Awards 2019 The RDS Spring Awards celebrate and promote the principles of climate-smart agriculture. They recognise the very best farmers, foresters and agri-innovators, and showcase the highest achievers in Irish agriculture, forestry and rural development.

FEATURE

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TANA FRENCH

Murder, She wrote

Hot off the success of her Dublin Murder Squad series, now being adapted by BBC One, crime writer Tana French talks to us about her highly-anticipated seventh novel, the gripping The Wych Elm. Interview Roisin Dwyer

“I

was interested in seeing the whole murder mystery process from another viewpoint,” says crime writer Tana French of her latest novel, The Wych Elm. “I’d looked at if from a detective’s point of view six times, and I kept thinking about all the other people who are involved in a murder investigation. You’ve got witnesses, suspects, victims and perpetrators – the whole process has to look very different from their point of view. I try to present each throughout the book.”

The Wych Elm is French’s first standalone thriller, following the six installments of her acclaimed Dublin Murder Squad series. It is the story of young Dubliner Toby, whose seemingly perfect life unravels when a body is found in a tree on his family property.

The story was inspired by a true-life tale, brought to her attention by her brother.

“It’s all his fault!” she laughs. “He sent me a link to the true story of Bella In The Wych Elm. In 1943, these kids were playing in a woods in England, and found a skull in a hole in a tree-trunk that was part of the skeleton of a young woman. She had been put there about 18 months earlier and nobody was sure how she died. Graffiti has appeared at intervals around the area saying ‘Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?’ He sent me this with a note that said, ‘This sounds like a Tana French novel’. I didn’t know whether to be flattered or disturbed – but he was right!”

French found the writing process both scary and liberating.

“It was most like writing my first book In The Woods,” she notes, “because in the others, I had already set up the framework of what the Dublin Murder Squad was like: who the State pathologist is, what the hierarchy is. It had a bunch of parameters that I couldn’t really break, but with this one anything went, and that’s very liberating. You’re feeling your way, like it’s your first book again.”

Before starting The Wych Elm, Tana had been exploring the idea that good fortune in life might actually restrict – rather than enhance – our capacity for empathy.

“I was really lucky to have a happy, loving childhood,” she reflects. “And while that was great, when I was a teenager, if somebody told me about having a really awful childhood, there was a part of me going, ‘Surely it can’t be that bad? They must be exaggerating a bit?’

“Not because I didn’t trust the person, but because it was so far outside my frame of reference, it didn’t seem real to me. When I grew up, I copped on that my reality wasn’t the only one. I started

thinking, ‘What if you were lucky in every way? What would that do to your capacity for empathy? And for realising that other people are living in a very different reality from you?’ So when my brother sent the story, I thought, ‘What if there was a guy like that who has been lucky in every way – until, one day, his luck runs out?’”

Luck – in terms of the class we are born into and its associated privileges – is also under the microscope.

“The resources you have at your disposal make an enormous difference to your life, but also to our expectations,” says Tana.

“There is a part in the book where Toby and a friend, who is working class, get into trouble in school, but are punished differently. Toby, being middle class, walks into every situation assuming it is going to be geared towards him, but his mate who has had to struggle for everything, knows that society is not geared towards him. Because his expectations are different, people pick up on that, so he’s playing life on a very different setting.”

French’s stories have seen her dubbed ‘the queen of Irish crime writing’. The first and second installment of the Dublin Murder Squad series will be coming to BBC One soon, with a cast that includes Killian Scott, Sarah Greene and Tom Vaughan Lawlor.

“I haven’t been part of that, so I have no idea what’s going to come out!” she says.

“It’s actually a re-imagining, not a straight adaptation, so I decided against visiting the set – I would just be stressing everybody out.

So I said, ‘Listen you guys know what you are doing’.”

Is she worried how her work will fare in the hands of others?

“I used to be an actor, so I know how hard it is to get work,” says French. “So for me, the idea of actors and crew getting work here off something that I initiated is amazing. I love that feeling. They are all great actors, and there are some great people involved, so whatever comes out, I have a feeling it’s going to be good.”

For the moment, French is hard at work on her next thriller.

“It’s another standalone, but it hasn’t taken shape to the point where I can really say anything about it,” she says. “The Wych Elm is very much a doorstop and it’s quite heavy on the introspection, so I’m going in another direction. I have always admired writers who are succinct and tight, and who can do things through action, with little introspection. So I’m trying to write something that is much more compact, where every sentence does its job and has enough weight that you don’t need as many of them. I hate to say this, because I can see myself in a couple of years handing in something that is 150,000 words long going, ‘I know I said it would be short – but this is short by my standards!’”

We’ll still savour every page regardless….

“With this book anything went, and that’s very liberating.”

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The Wych Elm is out now, published by Viking.

DESTINATION: VALLETTA, MALTA

Med Alert!

Less than four hours from Dublin and bursting at the seams with history, heritage, and jaw-droppingly gorgeous beaches, Malta – and its capital city Valletta – are everything you could ask for in a weekend city break. Go Rail takes a peek at a European gem that’s just waiting to be discovered.

V

alletta was bestowed the title of Europe’s ‘Capital of Culture 2018’. If that designation surprised you, then think again. Located in the Mediterranean, off the coast of Sicily, Malta is a place that is rich in history and culture, with art and architecture at the fore. Valletta ranks among the most wondrous cities in the world; it boasts an unsurpassed collection of original Baroque architecture, fortified city walls overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, and the spectacular St.John’s Co-Cathedral, which features intricately carved stone vaults and a famed painting by Caravaggio. It is little wonder therefore that Valletta is also a recognised UNESCO world heritage site, with the added bonus of English being the second official language.

Far from being just a monument to the past, however, the modern Valletta is a wonderfully vibrant place. It has been reborn in recent years, with events and festivals every weekend, and fabulous new boutique hotels, brilliant bars and lovely restaurants popping up in wonderful converted 16thcentury buildings. All told, it should be up there, at the top of people’s proverbial ‘bucket list’ for a perfect weekend break.

@beautifuldestinations

EVENTS & FESTIVALS 2018’s ‘City of Culture’ status heralded Valletta’s ascension as one of the top tourist weekend-break destinations of Europe.

For those who didn’t get to experience the city last year, the good news is that 2019 is set to be just as big. There is something interesting – and fun, of course! – happening every weekend.

For people who love popular culture, there’s a number of key high-points. Check out the line-up for Annie Mac Presents Lost & Found festival: yes, Ireland’s most famous international DJ hosts her own weekender in Malta, just outside of St.Paul’s Bay, between May 2-5 and it’s always a rip-roaring success.

For cinema lovers, the Valletta Film Festival (June 14-23) is an exciting opportunity to experience one of Europe’s best cinematic events in a location where some of the world’s most successful films have been shot, including World War Z, Murder On The Orient Express The Count of Monte Cristo and countless others.

Valletta regularly plays host to plays and concerts, as well as scores of exhibitions and street events; local bars are famous for their warm atmosphere and positive vibes. The Maltese people are really genuine, gracious hosts, and Valletta city is one of the most LGBT friendly cities in Europe. What’s not to like?

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Special Promotion THE ATTRACTIONS As you’d expect from a country with such a rich history, Malta – and its capital Valletta – have hundreds of attractions and places of interest to explore. Malta was first inhabited in 5,200BCE and so the Museum of Archaeology houses an exceptional collection of prehistoric artefacts.

Meanwhile, the War Museum at Fort St. Elmo – home to a renowned Sunday military parade, which involves a re-enactment with period costumes – is also well worth visiting.

Art and culture lovers can explore the hugely impressive collection at the National Museum of Fine Arts, see Caravaggio’s ‘Beheading of St. John’ at St. John’s Co-Cathedral and visit medieval Palazzo Falson in Mdina, with its fine collection of antiques.

FOOD & DRINK As Malta is located in the central of the Mediterranean, Maltese food has been influenced by the wide variety of cultures and civilisations, which have come into contact with (and invaded!) the Island over the centuries. Maltese cuisine, therefore, is a decidedly eclectic mix and exceptionally good, making the Island a paradise for foodies!

Traditional Maltese food is rustic and based on the seasons. Traditional dishes include the Maltese Lampuki Pie (fish pie), Stuffat tal-Fenak (rabbit stew), Kapunata (the Maltese version of ratatouille), and widow’s soup, which includes a small round of Gbejniet (sheep or goat’s cheese).

The Maltese also offer great snacks: you’ll want to try ‘hobz bizzejt’ (rounds of bread dipped in olive oil, rubbed with ripe tomatoes and filled with a mix of tuna, onion, garlic, tomatoes and capers); and pastizzi (a flaky pastry parcel filled with ricotta or mushy peas).

Maltese people are extremely passionate about their food, so whether it’s a high-end restaurant

“Maltese cuisine is a decidedly eclectic mix and exceptionally good, making the Island a paradise for foodies!” you’re visiting or the food counter of a local shop, you can be sure you’re getting something sumptuous.

The fantastic wineries in Malta and Gozo, most of which offer guided tours and tastings, are also worth visiting. In addition, you can explore Malta’s own, super-enticing ‘Gastro Trail’, which will allow you to eat and drink your way across the country, exploring the culinary history of the islands and eating excellent food at the same time!

GORGEOUS BEACHES Ramla Bay, a red sandy beach on the island of Gozo, regularly features on lists of the best beaches in the world. It’s unique in that it offers some of the most picturesque views of the Mediterranean, yet it retains a secluded and relaxed atmosphere that too many beaches elsewhere in Europe have lost due to overdevelopment along the seafront.

Elsewhere, the Blue Lagoon – situated in the small island of Comino – has become a hub for visitors, who flock there during the summer months to swim in its crystal-clear, azure waters.

There are fascinating caves surrounding the bay, and impeccable underwater visibility – making the Blue Lagoon a perfect place for snorkelers and divers to explore at their own pace.

THE IRISH CONNECTION With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, you’re almost guaranteed to step into a lovely, warm climate as soon as you touchdown in Malta.

Even better, there’s some eyewateringly good value flights to Malta currently operating out of Dublin and Belfast, with an exciting new connection set to commence from Cork in April 2019.

If it’s an inexpensive weekend city break you’re looking for, Valletta – officially the sunniest city in Europe – is surely the place to visit, while the whole Archipelago awaits if you are after a longer trip.

From top left: Revellers in Paceville; Maltese cuisine; and an aerial view of Valletta. (Opposite) City breakers exploring the streets of Valletta and swimming in Sliema.

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• Go to maltaireland.com for more info

DESTINATION

TRAVEL NEWS

The Whole Of The TUTANKHAMUN

King Tutankhamun

Bordeaux

Alicante

The largest collection of King Tutankhamun artifacts to ever leave Egypt is going on display in November in London’s Saatchi Gallery.

Running until May 2020, Treasures Of The Golden Pharaoh comprises of over 150 items unearthed almost a century ago

by British explorer Howard Carter, and his financier Lord Carnarvon.

This is three times the number that made the journey to London in 1972 and 2007 for previous exhibitions. tutankhamun-london. com.

One of Ireland’s leading travel insurance providers, InsureandGo offers single trip and annual multi-trip policies for travel across the world. Their online medical screening tool allows customers to disclose pre-existing medical conditions, an unique feature in the market here. They’re currently offering airport lounge access on all flights delayed over two hours, in association with Flyzen. For more information, call (091) 545 904 or visit insureandgo.ie.

Ryanair has announced a daily Dublin-Milan Malpensa service, which is likely to spark a price war with Aer Lingus who also fly there.

Also commencing this summer are twice weekly flights from the capital to Bordeaux, Gothenburg, Kyiv and London Southend, a four times a week service to Bournemouth.

The good news doesn’t end there with the introduction of weekly Knock-Tenerife flights, and winter services from Cork to Alicante, Budapest, Malta and Poznan.

One of the cities that hosted Irish fans at Euro 2012, Poznan is among Go Rail’s favourite Polish haunts with a Renaissance-era old town, stunning riverscapes and 130,000 students ensuring that the nightlife is 1). Lively and 2). Super-cheap!

Having also launched a Beijing service recently, Hainan Airlines is has introduced a twice-weekly Dublin-Shenzhen service.

Known as the “the Chinese Silicon Valley”, it’s located on the Pearl River not far Hong Kong and is among Lonely Planet’s 2019 Cities To Visit.

Its Nantou old town has several historical sites dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. hainanairlines.com. airBaltic are gearing up for the

Budapest

W H E N I T ' S T I M E T O G E T AWAY

JMG CRUISE JMG Cruise have announced a Buy One Get One Free offer on their 2020 cruises as featured in their new brochure, available on bookings made before May 2019. The latest brochure offers 31 exciting itineraries sailing from Dublin, Cobh and new for 2020 - Belfast.

With this amazing offer the first adult pays the full fare and the second adult, sharing twin accommodation, travels absolutely free.

Here’s some of our cruising picks from the summer and winter 2019 schedule: 19–Aug ’19 for 11 nights Summer Fjordland 30–Aug ’19 for 12 nights British Isle Discovery 23–Sep ’19 for 16 nights Baltic Cities & St Petersburg 12–Oct ’19 for 13 nights Iceland, Faroes & Land of the Northern Lights The price for each cruise includes en-suite accommodation, all meals on board, entertainment, port taxes and coach transfers to and from the ship. Check jmgcruise.com or call 0749135201 for a brochure.

See you on the seas!

March 31 launch of its Dublin-Riga service, which will operate four times a week. We’re massive fans of the Latvian capital which can be British stag party hell at the weekends, but the rest of the time is an absolute joy. airbaltic.com.

Returning to London and we’re seriously looking forward to Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition, which takes place in the Design Museum from April 26-September 17. It features props, costumes, set models and still photographs from all of his classic films including Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Dr. Strangelove. designmuseum.org

“NO FLY”

CRUISE.COM

CRUISING

Holidays from Dublin & Cobh

Licensed & Bonded

Tour Operators No. 214

www.jmgcruise.com Date

From

Destination

Duration

10-July 2019

Dublin

Iceland & Faroes

11 nights

21-July 2019

Dublin

Summer Gardens & River Seine Experience

7 nights

28-July 2019

Dublin

Grand Fjordland Splendour

12 nights

9-August 2019

Dublin

Spain, Portugal & Gibraltar

10 nights

19-August 2019

Dublin

Summertime Fjordland

11 nights

30-August 2019

Dublin

British Isles Discovery

12 nights

11-September 2019

Ringaskiddy Iceland’s Land of Ice & Fire

12 nights

23-September 2019

Cobh

Baltic Cities & St Petersburg

16 nights

12-October 2019

Dublin

Iceland, Faroes & Land of the Northern Lights

13 nights

25-October 2019

Dublin

River Seine Experience

7 nights

20-December 2019

Cobh

Christmas & New Year Canaries & Madeira (Marco Polo) 16 nights

5-January 2020

Cobh

Grand Africa & Indian Ocean Voyage (Marco Polo)

78 nights

Government Grants

After another successful 2018 Programme we are delighted to announce that “Magellan” is back HomePorting in Ireland for 2019.

For a brochure call 074-9135960 JMG Travel, Gortahork, Co. Donegal

Tel: 074 91 35201 Email: jmgtravel@eircom.net

105083 JMG Cruise Irish Rail 180x133.indd 1

For The Hard of Hearing

19/09/2018 16:42

Aids Digital Hearing 5* 7 4 € start from a with rant Government G

New amazing low cost digital hearing devices for improved hearing are now within everyone’s reach.

GOVERNMENT GRANTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED

GREAT NEWS It is good to know that in these days of cuts the Government remains committed to providing important health related grants. This includes the special grant that brings digital hearing devices within the reach of thousands of people who need help with their hearing.

Most people are unaware of the assistance available when their hearing worsens. The Government has recognised the benefit of helping people improve their hearing so they may live full and active lives and grants are now available for the self-employed.

Call your local branch today and check your eligibility for the government grant

82 locations nationwide Freephone: 1800 882 884 www.hiddenhearing.ie

The Department of Welfare manages the scheme that can be worth as much as €1000.

ACT NOW! Call your local Hidden Hearing branch today on 1800 882 884 and quote reference ADRD-1 or visit us online at www.hiddenhearing.ie *Price quoted is per hearing aid with government grant and is for the Bernafon Zerena 1 Digital Hearing aid.

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Quote Ref: ADRD-1

FEATURE

38

PICTURE THIS

The Bigger Picture Record-breaking pop trailblazers PICTURE THIS discuss their 5-night run at the 3Arena, their new album and LA craziness with STUART CLARK. Photography: Miguel Ruiz

R

yan Hennessy doesn’t appear particularly tortured when you meet him, but this man has suffered for his art. Severely.

“I got this tattoo done in honour of the new record,” says the Picture This singer, as he pulls back his bottom lip to reveal both gleaming gnashers and ‘MDRN LV’ inked there in spidery blue lettering. “I’ve never felt pain like it. It hurt sooooo bad!”

Getting its title inked onto one of his tactile sensory organs might seem extreme, but Ryan and the chaps are right to be excited about Picture This’ new album. MDRN LV is an all killer, no filler collection of pop tunes that matches the group’s stated ambition of becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. They proved they’ve got the live chops to do that last September when they played the gig of their young lives so far at Electric Picnic.

“It was crazy,” Ryan reminisces. “That was the most emotional I’ve ever felt on stage. There were a couple of times I nearly started crying. We sat in silence in the dressing room afterwards for like twenty minutes, maybe longer, and then just broke into laughter.

“That sea of faces singing every word back to us was so surreal.”

Scream – who, on his way to Kildare to pick up his Made Of Athy award, wanted to know all about these young Picture This whippersnappers who are also from Knockroe, Maganey.

“Mani from the Stone Roses was asking about us?!” Ryan splutters increduously. “That he even knows our name is insane. Them and Oasis are my two favourite bands of all time. Listening to (What’s The Story) Morning Glory aged nine or ten was my first ‘Wow, I know what they’re talking about here!’ moment. They were about really normal working-class stuff and I thought, ‘This is cool, this is amazing.’ I hadn’t really paid attention to music before then – it was just kind of on the radio – but Noel and Liam changed all that.”

Knowing them to be Picture This’ favourite Athy watering holes, I told Mani to pop into Anderson’s on Emily Square and the C.I. Bar on Leinster Street.

“Class!” Ryan nods approvingly. “We were out of town, otherwise I’d have gone down and met him and Johnny Marr, who was over the week before. I did see Frances Bean Cobain who was in Newbridge last summer for the Kurt Cobain exhibition. The Made In Athy thing is so cool.”

“Johnny Cash’s family is from there too,” Jimmy notes. “‘Walking the line’ is what we call it locally when you go walking down by the river. Johnny played a gig in the Dreamland Ballroom in Athy in the early ‘60s, apparently heard the phrase and shortly afterwards brought out ‘Walk The Line’.”

THE COLLABORATION GAME

Growing up, I never thought I’d be in a band, yet alone playing the Main Stage at something like Electric Picnic. To look out and see that sea of faces singing every word back to us was so surreal.”

Electric Picnic was only the beginning. The band are now set to play a record breaking run of five consecutive nights in Dublin’s 3Arena this March. Which given that Picture This’ last show in the capital was a 30,000 RDS sellout is almost their version of playing an intimate Whelan’s gig.

“We’ve never actually played Whelan’s,” Ryan says. “We completely skipped it. We started off in The Academy, so we’ll have to go back some time and do it retrospectively. With venues like that you can feel the history. I was confident that the 3Arena shows would sell-out, but not as fast as they did. Jimmy, who’s really good at gauging these things, thought it’d take weeks but it was hours. We were shocked.”

When you’ve only one album your set-list writes itself, but Picture This have some serious agonising to do re: what gets played in the 3Arena and what gets left out.

“I was trying to work it out the other day and it’s really tough,” Ryan admits. “I’ve no idea how bands like U2 who’ve been making records since the ‘70s do their set-lists. They must have some serious arguments!”

One of the more bizarre rock’n’roll conversations I’ve had recently was with Mani – of The Stone Roses and Primal

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Picture This will be spending a goodly part of 2019 in the US where they’re signed to Republic, the New York label whose roster also includes such other up and comers as Drake, Lorde, The Weeknd, Florence + The Machine, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande.

They must throw one hell of a Christmas party.

“We didn’t make 2018’s, but we were at a previous one when Ryan and I had just signed to Republic,” Jimmy smiles. “There were loads of famous actors there and Joe Jonas’ new band, DNCE. We kept expecting somebody to tap us on the shoulder and say, ‘You shouldn’t be here!’”

It was through Republic that Picture This were introduced to Jayson DeZuzio, the Tame Impala, Jason Derulo, Dua Lipa and AlunaGeorge co-writer/producer, who’s also sprinkled his magic sonic dust on MDRN LV. “We actually recorded an album between December 2017 and the end of January 2018,” Ryan reveals. “It was quite similar – actually, too similar – to the first record, except for the song that came last, ‘If You Wanna Be Loved’, which has made it onto MDRN LV. We stumbled on this different sound and approach and started leaning towards that. Because we’d finished so early, Republic said, ‘Look, we know you don’t write with other people, but seeing as you’ve time on your hands why don’t you come to LA and try it?’ So we did this writing session, and I absolutely hated it. It was some guy on a laptop doing all this rubbish. It took us six hours to do a verse and a pre-chorus.

“It’s funny because the first time we touched down in LA, I really hated it,” Ryan says. “Then when we went back I was like, ‘I want to live here’. I hate saying it because it sounds pretentious, but I find I’m much more creative when I’m there. Although it’s not easy writing a heart-wrenching breakup song when it’s 30 degrees and sunny outside!”

Have they had any ‘LA moments’?

“Loads!” Ryan laughs. “The first famous person we saw there was Chris Jericho, the wrestler. Then we were at dinner and Billy Bob Thornton was sat across from us.”

“We were at a party in West Hollywood,” Jimmy recounts, “and when we got home the next day my bed in the Airbnb we were staying in had disappeared. We eventually discovered it in a dumpster down the street, so we brought it back, got new sheets and pretended that it never happened. We suspect it was two other Irish lads we’d met over there that did it, but we’re not sure!”

The band have also managed to fit in a couple of epic North American road trips.

“On one of our first tours there, Ryan drove the van all the way from New York to Toronto, which is a ten hour trip and we couldn’t believe some of the places we went through – it’s so desolate and odd. You’re like, ‘This is the real America!’ When we’re over next in April, we’ve got gigs in Montana and Utah, which I’m sure will be eye-openers too.”

Ryan and Jimmy thought they’d died and gone to heaven last month when their RTÉ 2fm pal Eoghan McDermott asked them to interview The 1975.

“We’ve a serious bromance going on with The 1975!” Mr. Hennessy admits. “Eoghan couldn’t make it down to the 3Arena, so he sent us in his place.”

The lads doubtless switched into tabloid hack mode and pumped Matt Healy and the boys for salacious rock ‘n’ roll tales.

“Er, no, we got a bit muso-ish and asked them stuff about tour production and what goes on in their heads during the creative process,” Ryan confesses. “The fine balance they’ve achieved of being mainstream whilst at the same time extremely artistic is what we aspire to. From the artwork and the videos, to the stage sets and the songs themselves, everything is so meticulously planned.”

Any other bromances we should be aware of ?

“I’m blown away by Charlie Puth,” Jimmy shoots back. “I just assumed he was a manufactured pop act, but he writes all these brilliant songs and produces them himself. He’s been a big influence on me.”

“Snow Patrol last year in 3Arena were amazing,” Ryan adds. “My first time being blown away by them was in the Olympia. They’re able to go from 1,500-capacity venues to 14,000 ones and still make it feel intimate.”

Matt Healy and Gary Lightbody have both overcome serious addiction issues. Do Picture This understand how musicians can run into difficulty, as Matt and Gary did?

“There are a lot of pressures that come with being in a band,” Ryan responds. “There are also a lot of pressures that come with being in a 9 to 5 or being unemployed and needing a job. It all depends, I guess, on your circumstances. I’m glad that at this point in our career we’re in our twenties rather than our teens – you do learn from experience – and have a great crew, manager and each other to fall back on. The friendships in Picture This are really strong.”

These are wise heads on relatively young shoulders.

“Angry because of that, and the fact they’d lined somebody else up for us to write with, I rang our label guy and said, ‘I’m not doing another session!’ He was like, ‘Well, we have one booked and it’d be rude to cancel’. I said, ‘Okay, I’ll do the session, but we’ll cap it at three hours, okay?’ Anyway, the next person turned out to be Jayson. I said, ‘Look, we’re not starting a song from scratch here. We have songs, let’s just work on some’. So we worked on ‘Magnet’, which is also on MDRN LV, and straight away said, ‘Wow, this guy has to do the whole album!’”

“He’s like the extra 20%, isn’t he?” Jimmy proffers.

“The things he was doing production-wise were so shocking,” Ryan resumes. “Within 10 minutes he was on a laptop, taking our ideas and running with them. He was just so in-sync with our brains and had so much common sense when it came to what sounds good and what sounds terrible. He was so positive. Not once did he say, ‘I don’t like that chorus, I don’t like that lyric’. It was, ‘That’s great, but we can make it even better by trying this…’ The confidence you get from somebody who works at that level telling you, ‘This is a brilliant song!’ is incredible. Jayson literally changed my life.”

Whilst happy to bounce ideas around with Jayson DeZuzio, the singer by his own admission remains a control freak.

“Oh, totally!” Ryan concurs. “I’m a very controlling person; it has to be my way sometimes. We’re all the same. I think it’s a great trait that we’re so passionate about the band, but I have to calm down a bit!”

MDRN LV’s big ‘phones in the air’ song is ‘Somebody To Love’ – “Is there somebody with you / Does he make you feel warm and secure / Just how I used to do” – which finds Ryan pouring his broken heart out in the studio to Australian starlet CXLOE. All manner of emotional turmoil occurs before, phew, the girl gets won back at the end. I’m telling you now, oceans of tears are going to be shed over it.

“CXLOE is a star in the making,” Ryan notes. “People have crazy connections to our songs. They really relate to them, which is exactly what I want as a writer. When we put ‘Everything Or Nothing’ out at Christmas, I was shocked by the number of tweets we got saying, ‘Wow, you’ve exactly described my situation’. It’s all down to being honest and writing from a personal place.”

LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

Unfortunately for their fans on this side of the Atlantic, Picture This’ LA romance has developed to the point where they’re thinking of moving over.

MDRN LV is out now.

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SPONSORED CONTENT T H E G I A N T ’ S C A U S E WAY

BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY The world’s oldest licensed distillery is idyllically located beside the rippling River Bush. Savour the evocative sights, sounds and smells on a tour that celebrates centuries of the distilling craft, and its connection to the village and its people.

RATHLIN ISLAND Wild and beautiful Rathlin Island is only 20 minutes from the seaside charm of Ballycastle. Explore the island on foot, bike or by boat, and take in the three lighthouses and the RSPB West Light Sea Bird Centre, with its chorus of puffins, guillemots and kittiwake.

DUNLUCE CASTLE

COAST WITH THE MOST Not only has Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route been lauded as one of the world’s great road journeys, it was also named alongside Belfast as the #No 1 Region to Visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet. Here are our top picks on the stunning route...

THE GIANT’S CAUSEWAY

THE GLENS OF ANTRIM Situated within one of the nine Glens of Antrim, the breath-taking Glenariff Forest Park has superb walking trails and a threemile long ‘Waterfall Walkway’. If you’re lucky, you might see red squirrels and Irish hares on your way.

THE DARK HEDGES

T H E DA R K H E D G E S

This beautiful tree-lined avenue is one of the most photographed natural phenomena in Northern Ireland since it was featured in Season 2 of Game Of Thrones®. Be sure to check out more filming locations for the hit series in the area.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Giant’s Causeway is a spectacular location on every level. Walk through narrow pathways lined with tall hexagonal columns, climb to the top of the strangely sculpted stacks and clamber across rows of stones, each with six perfect sides, pounded by waves for millennia.

ROYAL PORTRUSH GOLF CLUB

CARRICK-A-REDE ROPE BRIDGE Test your nerve as you cross the swinging rope between the mainland and the fisherman’s island, with the waves crashing below you. Once across, you’re rewarded with magnificicent views of the coast and Rathlin Island.

OLD BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY

Ranked as one of the top championship links, Royal Portrush Golf Club will be the centre of attention in July 2019, when it hosts the 148th Open and welcomes the best golfers in the world to Northern Ireland.

• For information and ideas on where to stay and what to do, go to visitcausewaycoastandglens.com

DOWNHILL DEMESNE AND MUSSENDEN TEMPLE Mussenden Temple is a dream-like location, perched on a cliff above miles of fine golden sand. A short walk away, you’ll find the eerie shell of the once glamourous and thriving 18th century Downhill Castle. Afterwards, tour the 17th century thatched cottage in nearby Castlerock.

Perched on the cliff edge, this brooding castle, on the outskirts of Portrush, with its turbulent back-story of battling clans, is said to have its own banshee. Walk through the crumbling rooms, take in the dramatic sea views, and explore historical and archaeological exhibits.

C A R R I C K- A - R E D E R O P E B R I D G E

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GO DESTINATION:

Dublin-Limerick

The Beautiful South One of Ireland’s most accomplished broadcasters, Rachael English talks to us about fond memories of taking the train from Dublin to Limerick, as well as the paperback release of her new novel The Night Of The Party. Interview: Peter McGoran

“I know that it’s best if you’re on an early morning train and you see the horses out in the fields.”

M

ost commonly heard on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland programme, and currently a best-selling author, Rachael English keeps a busy schedule. But having started off in her writing and journalistic pursuits as a Communications student at DCU, she’s always happy to reminisce about her favourite train journey – the one that took her from the capital city out to her home in the south.

“That Dublin to Limerick train would be a journey I’ve made – oh I dread to imagine how many hundreds of times since I was 17 years old! I went to DCU when I was 17, and I remember I’d be able to use the student card and get the cheap fare.

“I’m from Shannon, but I always felt like that train journey was me, homebound. I’ve done it that many times that I feel as though I know every inch of the way,” she smiles, “I can measure it out, almost. I know all the picturesque parts when you go through the Curragh. I know that it’s best if you’re on an early morning train and you see the horses out in the fields.

“The stops along the way filled me with wonder as a youngster – all these places that I’d pass that I knew nothing about, but which I imagined must be important because they all had stations.”

Despite being past her student days, Rachael still enjoys taking the train now.

“It’s quite different now to what it once was!” she says. “When I used to take that trip, it was always either too hot or too cold,

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and you could never get a seat – there was always some drama or other! The big difference is for those who remember the smoking carriages, and how you’d walk into one and you’d barely see the person beside you. Taking the journey now is such a relaxed affair.”

As an avid reader, Rachael enjoys getting time to curl up with a book when she gets on the train. Now a successful writer herself, the paperback version of her new book, The Night Of The Party, is set to be released this April.

“It’s set not a million miles from the part of the world where I’m from,” she explains. “It’s a story set during the big snow of 1982, and it starts with a group of youngsters who sneak a few beers out to the back shed of one of their houses while their parents are having a party inside. Then one of the characters goes up the path to steal another beer from the house, because he’s trying to impress the girls, and he discovers the body of the parish priest on the kitchen floor. Initially he says nothing about it, because he’s scared that if he says anything, he’ll get himself into trouble, but he also believes that he sees somebody leaving the room. And so the story pivots around the fact that this character holds onto this secret for over 30 years, before events conspire to bring the youngsters who were in the shed that night together. That’s when the truth emerges.”

A real page-turner, expect to see it being read in train carriages near you soon!

The Night Of The Party is out on April 4.

FULLY CHARGED WITH ED & VALERIE

WEEKDAYS FROM 6.45AM

WWW.SPINSOUTHWEST.COM

BUSINESS

B

orn on August 4, 1977 in Dublin’s Rotunda Hospital, chef Dylan McGrath spent his first six years in Carlow before being transplanted to the Falls Road at the height of The Troubles.

After a brief spell at Portrush Catering College – Dylan admits he’s never been good in a classroom – he learned his chef-ly skills in Belfast’s starred Roscoff restaurant and in London, where he also received plenty of life lessons.

“I’ve seen punches thrown in a kitchen, headbutts and even a stabbing,” he told us when our paths first crossed a few years back.

After further stints in San Sebastian, Vegas and New York, McGrath returned to Dublin, opened Mint and started getting food critics in a right old tizzy with “three or four ingredients – bam, bam, bam!” dishes like Langoustine Ravioli, Braised Pig’s Head & Pumpkin Soup (which was even more glorious than it sounds). A Michelin star followed. And then the recession hit.

Inspired, rather than cowed, by the death of the Celtic Tiger, he subsequently took up residence in Dublin 2 where his Rustic Stone and Fade St. Social restaurants and bars have proved that top-notch food doesn’t have to be excessively pricey or riven with gourmand snobbery.

Indeed, everything was going very much according to plan, until in 2014, the former MasterChef Ireland judge was struck by a chronic back condition that ended up requiring major surgery.

“I was screaming at the top of my voice with pain,” Dylan revealed when he went public about what had been keeping him out of the kitchen. “My whole arm was numb.

I couldn’t feel one whole side of my body or eat. I thought my life was over.”

Thankfully, that illness is a thing of the past with McGrath cooking up a storm again in Shelbourne Social, the split-level polished wood and plush leather banquette restaurant that opened before Christmas in Dublin 4.

It’s a key component of the Number One Ballsbridge development where you’ll pay around ¤3,300 a month for a two-room apartment and upwards of ¤6,000 for one of the penthouses. Eye-wateringly costly or not, there have been plenty of takers.

Buzz-wise, the restaurant is pure Manhattan, chi-chi but not pretentious, with laughter, conversations and the clinking of glasses the overriding soundtrack. As for the food, well, let’s just say it’s another Dylan classic!

“There’s a brilliant pot of prawns with a corn stock that you mix at the table,” he says running through his current favourites on the menu. “We’re tossing the pappardelle into whole wheels of Parmesan. I’m doing a stew at the minute where we grill the raclette cheese and, again, scrape it into the stew at the table. You just rip up some good chicken we’ve smoked in-house and have it with, maybe, a little side-car of foie gras mashed potatoes.

They’re not high-end Michelin-pleasing dishes, they’re crowd-pleasers.”

Dylan hasn’t given up the Michelin Star fight, though.

“I’m actually in talks at the minute to do a small, little restaurant that allows a handful of guys to cook in a specific way,” he reveals “Very high end, you know, sweet breads and truffles.”

Asked how his health is now, McGrath involuntarily winces and says: “I was in a very bad way. I had an operation and my body didn’t heal properly. One side of it was just dead. It’s been a long haul, coming up to three

The Hunger Games The enfant terrible of Irish cooking, DYLAN McGRATH, has grown up but there’s still plenty of fire in his belly – and wildly inventive food coming out of his kitchens.

Interview: Stuart Clark Photography: Miguel Ruiz

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BUSINESS

LIFE AFTER DEBT

(Clockwise from top left) Shelbourne Social, breaking bread in Ballsbridge, an Ox masterpiece and Michael Deane.

“I love Ox and we had a lovely meal as well in Michael Deane’s Eipic.” years, to get back to some sort of decent health. When I could walk, I was hobbling around with a stick. I couldn’t exercise and put on weight. Fortunately, I was able to rely on the really good people I have around me to keep moving things forward.

I was in physio again today. I’m always watching what I eat, which at the moment is a lot of raw fish and straightforward meat and veg. Nothing past 7.30 at night.

As a young person your mentality is that you’re bulletproof. But you’re not.”

With all those twenty-hour days crouched over a hot stove, it’s not surprising that Dylan’s body eventually said “enough!”

“When I was in my twenties, all I did was work,” he recalls. “When I was doing Mint, and before that when I was in London with Tom Aikens, I’d sleep for three or four hours a night. It was relentless. I didn’t stop pushing my body, all day long. I was in the kitchen, not eating properly – which is ironic, I know – and working, working, working. I wasn’t looking after myself very well as a person.”

While too busy running his Dublin empire to contemplate opening up in Belfast, McGrath is a big fan of the city’s burgeoning food culture.

“Some of the people who are making it there are world class,” he enthuses. “I love Ox and we had a lovely meal as well in Michael Deane’s Eipic, which is that 20, 25-cover thing I was talking about.

Michael’s a bit like us in that he’s had to create all these different offerings – Meat Locker, Love Fish, Deane’s Deli – to make the overall thing work. He’s the definition of a food hero.”

And so say all of us!

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It’s an unfortunate fact that most people have some level of debt. However, when unpaid debt becomes such a burden that it prevents you from getting out of bed in the morning or brings a sense of dread when answering the phone or opening the post, it is time to take control of the situation.

The Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) is an independent government body set up to tackle personal debt problems.

The ISI regulates a network of qualified professionals around the country – Personal Insolvency Practitioners and Approved Intermediaries – to provide people with debt advice and work with creditors on their behalf to work out a solution.

One person who met with a PIP and availed of an ISI solution said, “After years of worry and sleepless nights, I finally felt like there was a light at the end of the tunnel. It was such a relief.”

She urges others “Not to let it go on another year, deal with it now.”

All of the debt solutions overseen by the ISI are designed to get a person back on track financially. At the end of the process, the person will be solvent again and can start planning their future.

For more information visit backontrack. ie freetext GETHELP to 50015 or call the ISI’s information line at 076 106 4200.

FEATURE

Breaking

New Ground Irish star Seána Kerslake on her rising fame, her desire to play complicated female characters, and why Ireland is ready for a new wave of horror films – including her stunning latest effort, The Hole In The Ground.

Interview: Roe McDermott

IF

you’ve had even a passing interest in Irish film and television over the past few years, you will already know how frighteningly talented Seana Kerslake is, and understand why she has become one of Ireland’s most exciting actors.

At 19, while studying English and Music at Maynooth, the Tallaght native was snapped up for the lead role in Kirsten Sheridan’s experimental drama Dollhouse, for which she got an IFTA nomination for Best Actress.

After a screen-acting course at the Factory in Bow Street, Kerslake appeared in a few features and on the stage – but it was in 2016 that she blew away both Irish and international audiences with a powerhouse performance in A Date For Mad Mary.

Darren Thornton’s Drogheda-based drama saw Kerslake play Mary, a young woman fresh out of Mountjoy after a six-month stint for assault, left feeling hurt when her best friend begins to ignore her. Mary was aggressive and defensive, but also fiercely loyal, confused, and searching for acceptance – the type of meaty, complex role

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that many actresses can spend an entire career waiting for.

“Oh a hundred percent, when I got the part I just went ‘Thank you!’ I was so ready to play it!” recalls Kerslake. “She was such a complicated character – she’s sad, she’s angry, she’s tough but also soft and vulnerable. She was such a unique character but her story just came back to the basics, that we all want to be loved for who we are and we all want to feel safe. It was such a pleasure to play – not always easy, but a dream role.”

Her performance was rightly hailed as revelatory, and she’s now making waves again with her role in Lee Cronin’s horror film The Hole In The Ground, which just premiered at Sundance to great reviews.

Kerslake is delighted to be part of the film, which is adding to the current resurgence of intelligent, complex and wildly entertaining horror – something she hopes to see more of in Irish cinema.

“Our culture, our myth, our folklore and even our landscape all really lend themselves to horror,” she asserts. “But horror can be tricky – there’s a certain perception of horror that is

SEÁNA KERSLAKE

Séana with co-star James Quinn Markey in The Hole In The Ground

slowly changing. It’s having such an interesting resurgence thanks to films like A Quiet Place, Hereditary and Get Out. Even series like Black Mirror and Stranger Things; they’re all really interesting, character-driven stories.”

I suggest that these films chart a return to psychologically driven horror, rather than the more shallow, gore-driven horror that dominated much of the nineties and noughties.

“Our culture, our myth, our folklore and even our landscape all really lend themselves to horror.”

“You’re so right,” says the 28-year-old. “They play on people’s real loves and anxieties. Even if the world is heightened, it’s still about our primal fears.

Because horror can be a such an intelligent genre – stories like The Shining, Rosemary’s Baby, all of Hitchcock. They appealed because they get at social issues and those primal emotions that connect everyone.”

The Hole In The Ground plays with an intriguing trope of horror that is also having a resurgence thanks to films like Hereditary and The Babadook; the relationship between a mother and child. Kerslake plays Sarah, a mum who moves to an eerie rural town with her young son, Chris.

When Chris begins acting strangely after a trip

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into the woods, Sarah starts to suspect that he is a changeling – a terrifying idea for any parent, which takes on an even more complex resonance when we realise that Sarah had been abused by her partner.

“It plays with the idea of reality, whether something is happening to the son or to the mother, while not falling into the trap of the hysterical, unstable female,” says Kerslake. “It’s about her knowing if she can trust herself, and examining what happens when you think you know someone inside out, but they do something out of character. It questions if we can ever really know someone, if we can really feel safe. Which is terrifying, the idea that we can walk amongst monsters. So the film plays with traditionally Irish ideas of changelings, but what I think audiences are really connecting to is the very human story of a single parent trying to find the best future for their child.”

It’s yet another fantastic role for Kerslake, who has also become instantly recognisable thanks to the success of Stephanie Preissner’s television series Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope. Kerslake plays Aisling, whose life and friendship with Danielle (Nika McGuigan) begins to unravel when the two young women move from Cork to Dublin. Like A Date For Mad Mary, the series explores the complex relationships between close female friends – a rare occurrence when women onscreen are all-too-often pitted against each other as romantic rivals.

“Yeah, they definitely pass the Bechdel test!” laughs Kerslake. “Playing three-dimensional women and representing female friendship is a huge thing for me. I want to explore both the great aspects and then what happens when the relationship turns toxic or co-dependent. And how two people in any relationship grow – and if they can grow together.

I’ve strong female role models in my life, but I grew up with rom-coms and Disney movies, princesses and things like that.

“It wasn’t until I was older that I found really strong film role models that made me say, ‘I want to be Gena Rowlands! I want to collaborate with my friends, like Cassavetes did with his friends!’

You only slowly come into that when you find your own voice. And still, I think we see a lot of stories about teenagers and young women in their twenties coming into womanhood, but there are still limited stories about women in their forties and fifties and what that journey is. It’s slowly moving, but we’ve still more work to do.”

EAT

Celebrity Table

Heart &

Soulé

Over a delicious meal at Pacino’s in Dublin, we catch up with one of Ireland’s most gifted young musical stars, Soulé.

Interview: Aoife Bradshaw Photography: Miguel Ruiz

P

acino’s is a distinctive blend of charm and sophistication.

As an Italian restaurant in the heart of the city centre – mere footsteps away from Dublin’s College Green – it provides both a stylish and relaxed atmosphere for lunch with up-and-coming electro-pop artist Soulé. Since the release of her first single ‘Love No More’ in 2016, she has gone from strength to strength, making appearances at all of the major music festivals, including Pride, Electric Picnic and Body & Soul.

For good measure, she has also earned two Choice Song of the Year nominations, and been streamed over half-a-million times on Spotify.

Her latest EP, Love Cycle, perfectly showcases her unique and vibrant musical style.

When we meet in Pacino’s, Soulé is sporting a wonderfully chic white denim jacket.

“It’s so hard to keep white though!” she confesses. “I have to wash it specially. If I just have to dress myself it’s fine, but I have to

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co-ordinate with the band and make sure that they feel comfortable. We all have the same style, but you want to make sure that they feel good in whatever they’re wearing. Especially the girls, who can be so hard on themselves: ‘I don’t want to wear this, or my bum looks big in this.’ You just want them to feel confident when they go on-stage.”

Indeed, team-work is integral to Soulé’s process and her ‘music family’ at Diffusion Lab – a production unit working with the upcoming generation of Ireland’s electronic/hip hop scene.

“It all happened very organically,” she explains.

“It’s really important in the music industry to work with people you vibe with. We’re so

EAT

blessed to be able to do what we love and work with people we can call family. In any working environment, there are going to be times when you don’t like what they’re saying, but it’s never out of anger.

“Even if you have an argument over something to do with the music, five minutes later you’re going out for coffee with them. That’s how we are in Diffusion Lab. I’ll call them the next day like, ‘I can’t find my eyelash glue!’ When you can argue with someone and still want to be around them – that’s real family.”

Granted, not all families have such exciting projects going on and Diffusion Lab are certainly at the centre of the emerging niche in the Irish music industry, as they also work with the likes of Jafaris, Erica Cody and Rushes.

“The thing is, it’s actually always been there,” Soulé explains. “It’s just now we’re at the forefront, in the media and on the radio. I have the best of both worlds, because I’m also a fan of people coming up. So it’s cool when they achieve stuff and we hear each other being played.”

Pacino’s ambience effortlessly blends

“It’s really important in the music industry to work with people you vibe with.”

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business lunches with social catch-ups and, fittingly, Stephanie – part of Soulé’s team – joins us as we soak up the delights on offer. Of course, there is an Italian focus to the dishes, complete with an extensive pasta selection on the menu. However, their lunch fare offers a range sure to satisfy any palate, from lighter options to fish, frittatas and more.

Their avocado on toasted sourdough bread combines the best of both, topped off with generous buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto and tomatoes. Their coffee is also top-notch – as is to be expected from an Italian restaurant.

Soulé tells me she is being more conscious of what she eats and opting for healthier choices.

As such, Pacino’s roasted salmon served with baby potatoes – on a bed of mixed baby leaves and cherry tomatoes – hits the spot perfectly.

I’m not successful in getting Soulé to try out some of my delicious sweet potato fries (despite repeated insistence), but I find this is simply a part of her disciplined nature.

“The thing about me is I’m a control freak,” she laughs. “I’m a Capricorn. We’re stubborn, ambitious and go-getters. It really has been a lesson for me in the music business to be able to trust people to take the lead sometimes.”

This perseverance crosses over to her schedule, which can often consist of 12-hour

EAT

“The best part is

performing because it’s all about the people that are supporting what I do” days.

“It’s unpredictable and fun, that’s the beauty of it,” enthuses Soulé. “But it can be stressful when you’re using your brain and vocal chords constantly for a six-hour studio session. It’s tiring, but a lot of the time you don’t want to stop. You’re like, ‘This is going to be a banger, people are going to love it - we have to finish it!’ But you just can’t. I’m very critical of myself.

Even now I could listen to the EP and rework all of the songs ten or twenty times over, but of course you can’t do that.”

Nor would we want her to. With catchy beats and relatable lyrics, Love Cycle is a reflection on love, providing snapshots of different moments within a relationship. While each track may have a different sound, they all contribute to the larger story, making it an EP full of intention and craft.

“It’s funny because the oldest song, ‘Waterfalls’, was written in 2015,” reflects Soulé. “It’s crazy that a song I wrote then still resonated with me four years later. ‘Don’t Hold Your Breath’ was the first single, but it’s the last song on the EP for a reason. It’s about going back and forth: I want you, but you don’t want me. Then you want me, but I don’t want you. So it’s the end of the story.”

But when asked which she prefers - performing or recording

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-, it’s a no-brainer.

“The best part is performing because it’s all about the people that are supporting what I do,” says Soulé. “They’re spending their hard-earned money on shows and I want to make them think that was the best ¤20 they’ve spent. Without them I wouldn’t be able to do this. I want to be good for them.”

Hugely inspired by Janet Jackson and her work-ethic, Soulé’s own brand of determination is infectious, and she is hugely passionate about inspiring young girls to achieve their dreams.

“We need to empower young women to do whatever it is they want to do,” she concludes, “whether it’s in music or anything else. To know that you can do it, and if you don’t have a support network around you, you can find one.”

The Love Cycle EP is available to stream now.

Pacino’s 18 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 Tel: +353 1 677 5651 pacinos.ie

The Damage Roasted salmon with baby roast potatoes and salad: €16 Avocado toast: €7 Sweet potato fries: €4 Latté: €3.50 Flat white: €3.50

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TRADITIONAL

IN NATURAL CASINGS

THE GRANBY STORY Nearly a century ago there was a handful of traditional sausagemakers in Dublin proudly making by hand, mouth-watering sausages that had a distinct taste you could only find in the city. Granby is the last of those original Dublin sausagemakers. We are in our fourth generation and still making, fresh every day, extraordinary sausages.

We’re still in Granby Place at the top of O’Connell Street as we have been since 1933. Still original, Still delicious.

This is the stuff of legends.

Granby. Dublin’s authentic sausages.

www.granbysausages.com

EAT

Stepping Up to the Plate Stuart Clark Brings You The Latest Foodie News

FOR THOSE ABOUT TO BLACKROCK Our sadness at the Michelin starred Heron & Grey closing has been allayed somewhat by one half of the duo, Damien Grey, now flying solo with Liath at the same 19 Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin address. The philosophy remains the same with 22 diners at a time treated to an exquisite €78 Tasting Menu, which changes at the whim of this very fine chef and his team.If you’re wondering about the name, Liath is the Irish for ‘Grey’! liathrestaurant.com

ALL WHITE NOW Celebrity chef Dylan McGrath is among those wowed by White Masu, a peanut, sesame, honey, crispy garlic and Korean chilli flake condiment that’s great slathered onto steaks and scrambled eggs, and even better eaten out of the jar. Their Walnut Miso, Pickled ‘Shrooms and Chilli Ginger Pickle are equally awesome. The culinary brains behind the operation is Katie Sanderson who grew up in Hong Kong before moving home with her folks. Meanwhile, if you’re a gyoza fan worried about carbon footprints, the good news is that these little Japanese parcels of gorgeousness

are now being made in Wicklow by Asian Artisan Foods. The Pork, Prawn & Chive fried dumplings are especially nibblesome. whitemausu.com/ asianartisanfood.ie

NICE & CHEESY DOES IT Long gone are the days when the only cheese you could buy in Ireland was Kilmeaden, Calvita and the ‘Parmesan’ that came in sawn-off toilet rolls and smelt like smelly feet. Handmade in Galway, Venezuelan-style Sabanero is a cross between Manchego and Pecorino and can be grilled, grated, baked or just eaten off the block with a cheeky glass of red. sabanerocheese.com

BEEFING IT UP If Aniar and Cava Bodega are tough foodie acts to follow, no one’s bothered telling JP McMahon whose small café with a massive heart, Tartare, has taken Galway by storm.

The emphasis is on small plate cooking with the signature tartares coming in both traditional beef and vegan beetroot form. Soundtracked by some choice hip hop ands R’n’B, the Dominick Street Lower eatery is deliciously fun and informal. tartaregalway.ie

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(clockwise from top left) Wicklow gyoza, sweet as a nut, pork belly at Tartare & say “cheese!”

@AnDulamanGin

Enjoy An Dúlamán responsibly.

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FASHION

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FASHION

SPRINGING I N TO AC T I O N

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Roe McDermott looks at spring’s biggest fashion trends, including western-inspired fringes and edgy denim.

L AC E A N D C R A F T S There will be no getting away from feminine folk trends this summer, as lace and crochet bring a genteel feel to the season. Light and airy pastel shades and natural hues dominated the catwalks, with sheer lace and fisherman weaves adding some delicacy to both evening wear and more casual attire.

Victoria Beckham deconstructed lace, playing with both form and occasion as she sent daywear ensembles down the runway.

The designs included blouses and shirts with patchwork layers of different types and colours of lace, for a modern take on the traditional fabric.

Christopher Kane also went for movement, sending skater skirts down the catwalk, with alternating strips of lace and sequin for a bouncy showstopper. Alexander Wang focused more on street style, embellishing plain t-shirts and joggers with patches of lace for an upmarket

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“ L AC E I S S E A S O N A L , U LT R A - F E M I N I N E A N D NEVER GOES OUT O F ST Y L E .” athleisure vibe, while Erdem put dramatic swathes of lace on its shirt-dresses, elevating office-wear into cocktail attire.

But lace wasn’t the only way that designers played with transparency and delicacy. JW Anderson brought fisherman weaves and crochet into his streetwear looks, and Oscar de la Renta made open waves look opulent for evening. Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini layered lace and crochet for an upscale, artisanal feel that upends the traditional image of lace as stuffy; indeed it felt modern and fresh, with a real sense of boho chic.

Of course, lace is a staple at spring and summer cocktail parties and weddings, with good reason – it’s seasonal, ultra-feminine and never goes out of style. But this spring, try layering your lace and crochet pieces. Mix crochet crop tops with a flouncy lace skirt, or keep your silhouettes full and flouncy with skater dresses and layered skirts, to add some movement to the fabric.

When it comes to colour, keep to pastels, neutrals and natural shades to avoid bringing any sense of vampiness or gothic glamour to your look – remember the season and keep it fresh as a daisy!

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1. Pale Blue Lace Crochet Trim Bodycon Dress ¤29.99, New Look / 2. White Lace Tiered Plunge Maxi Dress ¤95.00, Miss Selfridge / 3. Nine by Savannah Miller ¤40.00, Debenhams / 4. Pink Broderie Button Crop Top ¤32.00, Miss Selfridge / 5.

RJR. John Rocha Lace Skirt ¤82.50, Debenhams

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FRINGE BENEFITS After last autumn’s cultural obsession with the cowboy boot, this spring sees another westerninspired trend dominating the catwalks. Fringing and tassels will be adorning everything from jackets and skirts to bags and earrings, adding some fun and flair to your 2019 wardrobe.

This trend was all over the Spring/Summer catwalks, and designers found infinite ways to make fringe flirty and casual, as well as dramatic and showstopping.

Coach teamed gorgeously flowy sheer flares with fringed leather jackets, adding some edge to a soft and ultra feminine outfit. Tom Ford went for formal fringe, making silk skirts sweep and shimmy with full-length fringe detailing, pairing the statement pieces with corsets for a captivating clash of textures and movement. Prabal Gurung also went for showstopping pieces, with fringed sequin gowns that shimmered irresistibly.

“IT’S EASY TO ROCK SOME FRINGE N O M AT T E R W H AT YO U R S T Y L E . ” Cushnie kept it crisp, clean and modern, with sleek white separates with subtle fringe detailing; perfect for a sophisticated spring feel. Michael Kors went for a more casual, hippie vibe, with his tie-dye crochet looks, complete with fringe motifs, while Oscar de la Renta combined fringed scarf-inspired fabrics with impeccable tailoring for a striking look.

As these designers have shown, it’s easy to rock some fringe no matter what your style.

Classic western fringe is easy to wear thanks to leather fringed jackets, bags and boots, which all add some personality to a simple jeans and tank top ensemble. But fringe can also be softer and romantic, with fabrics like silk and chiffon giving a flowing quality. Sequin fringe and crystal tassels can also be given some streetwear edge when paired with graffiti motifs, patches and denim.

Of course, accessories are always an easy way to incorporate fringe and tassels into your wardrobe. Fringe bags are also a great buy, and can run the gamut from hefty fringed satchels, to cowgirl-style saddle bags, to more delicate tassel bags that can bring a touch of Roaring ‘20s glamour to an evening outfit.

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6. V by Very Fringe Studded PU Skirt ¤48.00, Littlewoods 7. Plus Red Sequin Tassel Sleeveless Plunge Bodycon Dress, Coming soon to Pretty Little Thing 8. Black Sequin Bead Tassel Bodycon Dress, Coming soon to Pretty Little Thing 9. Western Silver Studded Jacket ¤390, Topshop 10. Pink Fringe Circle Handle Bag ¤25.99, New Look 11. Sequin Tassel Cross-Body Bag ¤46, Topshop 12. Hula Girl Diamante Drop Earrings ¤11.99, New Look

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FASHION

THE NEW DENIM Our love affair with skinny jeans has been well-documented. But sometimes, even in a loving relationship, you long for the novelty of something new. So in 2019, we’re branching out with our denim. This includes embracing slouchy boyfriend jeans, the all-flattering straight leg jean, and the revived comfort of the Mom jean – but it also means so much more.

Keep an eye out for the various iterations of trouser-style denim hitting the shops this season. Usually high-waisted, often with sharp tailoring and a slacks-style pleat, these trousers are not jeans. Rather, they’re their own unique beast: cool enough for weekends, but sophisticated enough for the office. And if you’re brave enough to rock a double-denim look, Dior and Balenciaga were all about headto-toe denim, pairing oversized denim jackets with their jeans.

Embroidered and embellished denim is also set to be huge this year, and rather than going for feminine kitsch like other years, the 2019

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“KEEP AN EYE OUT F O R T H E VA R I O U S I T E R AT I O N S O F TROUSER-STYLE DENIM HITTING THE SHOPS T H I S S E AS O N .” trend is all about edge. Gucci and Vetements showed denim embellished with patches and graffiti motifs, as well as stones and studs.

Patchwork was also seen at Proenza Shouler and Stella McCartney, as were dramatically frayed hems. If you don’t want to splash out on an entirely new style, get out a scissors, some thread and a few old-school patches – and go wild.

Bleached in and even tie-dye washes gave a beachy, lived-in vibe on the catwalks of Isabel Marant, Acne, Alexander Wang and Nobody, so leave the dark and mid-washes in the wardrobe and lighten up this dreary season with some bleached out hues – or even branch out into soft greys and pinks. Isabel Marant also showcased another huge denim trend this season: the all-in-one ensemble.

From dungarees to jumpsuits and the classic boilersuit, these effortless statement pieces just require some great jewellery and a killer attitude to elevate them beyond garage wear.

Skinny jeans, we will always love you. But it’s time we see other denim.

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12. Embellished Denim Jacket, Topshop 13. High Waist Grey Denim Trousers, River Island 14. Belted Denim Dress, New Look 15. Pink Denim Romper, River Island 16. Exaggerated Sleeve Denim Jacket, River Island 17. Pink Denim Bustier, River Island 18. Mixed Denim Jacket, River Island

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BRENDAN MORAN/SPORTSFILE

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STEPHEN McCARTHY/SPORTSFILE

SPORTS

GETTING TO

THE PITCH OF IT

G AA , S O CCER A N D R U GBY

As spring heads into summer, Paul Nolan guides you through the feast of Irish sporting action on offer.

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RAMSEY CARDY/SPORTSFILE

(Clockwise from top left) Brian Fenton, Joe Canning and Jacob Stockdale.

“The All Ireland football championship looks set to be one of the most fascinating for many years.”

ith the league drawing to a conclusion, and summer on the way, the All Ireland football championship looks set to be one of the most fascinating for many years.

The dominant team of this decade, Dublin, are going for an unprecedented five titles in a row, although – for virtually the first time in manager Jim Gavin’s imperious reign – the champions’ spring league campaign offered some hope to their challengers.

Having suffered defeats to Monaghan, Kerry and Tyrone, the Dubs failed to make the league final for the first time since 2012. However, given their experience and squad depth – plus the proven brilliance of superstars like Brian Fenton, Ciaran Kilkenny and James McCarthy – the boys in blue remain deserved favourites to make history this August.

The contenders will feel they have closed the gap this spring, and leading the charge amongst the pack are Kerry. The Kingdom made their own bit of history last year when they secured five All Ireland minor talents in a row, and the major stars of that run – particularly playmaker Sean O’Shea and reigning Young Player of the Year David Clifford – are now beginning to make their presence felt on the senior stage.

After a very promising league campaign, Peter Keane’s charges are well positioned to mount a serious assault on Sam Maguire, Elsewhere, Mayo’s ongoing quest for the All Ireland has been one of the Irish sports stories of the decade, and having lost out to Kildare in the famous Newbridge Or Nowhere saga last year, the westerners – once again under the guidance of renowned manager James Horan – will likely be in the mix once again come the Super 8s quarter-final stage.

Other teams who’ll also be targeting the Super 8s and beyond include Mayo’s western rivals Galway; Ulster heavyweights Tyrone, Monaghan and Donegal; and the Leinster duo of Kildare and a resurgent Meath.

Meanwhile, the All Ireland hurling championship is in greater health than ever. Following the unforgettable one-two of 2013/14, when one of the greatest ever championships was followed the next year by possibly the best final of the modern era – the drawn game between Kilkenny and Tipperary in 2014 – many wondered if the sport could reach such heights again.

Well, we got our answer last year, when the reformatting of the championship to provide mini-leagues in the Munster

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and Leinster championships, resulted in another all-time classic summer. A series of rip-roaring contests between the game’s top sides culminated in a memorable final between Limerick and Galway, with the Munster men edging an epic contest by a point.

After a strong league campaign, John Kiely’s side will again be in the hunt for Liam MacCarthy in 2019, as will fellow Munster teams Waterford, Clare, Cork and Tipperary. Over in Leinster, meanwhile, 2017 champions Galway will be going allout to retain their title, and Kilkenny – still under the stewardship of the iconic Brian Cody – remain formidable.

In soccer, after a testing 2018 that saw relegation to the third tier of the Nations League and the departure of managerial duo Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane, fans of the national team are hoping for a new era to commence under Mick McCarthy.

With two Euro 2020 games being staged in Dublin, qualification is an especially tantalising prospect.

Ireland have some key Euro 2020 qualifiers in the Aviva this year. Though they will be expected to collect three points against Group D minnows Gibraltar on June 10, the encounters against Switzerland (September 5) and Denmark (November 18) will go a long way to deciding our fate. There will also be big interest in the League Of Ireland Premier Division throughout spring and summer.

The domestic scene has been dominated in recent times by the duopoly of Dundalk and Cork, but this season has seen a revived Shamrock Rovers sitting atop the table in the early stages, with Bohemians also in the mix.

In rugby, after a disappointing Six Nations campaign, Ireland’s provinces will be looking to raise spirits and regain momentum ahead of this summer’s World Cup in Japan. Leinster, Munster and Ulster all made the knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup, while the same trio, plus Connacht, are also in the hunt in the Guinness PRO14. After that, all roads lead to Japan for the World Cup, with Ireland commencing their Pool A campaign against Scotland in Yokohama on September 22.

But that’s all just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Irish sporting action this summer and beyond, with other highlights including, in golf, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in Lahinch, Clare from July 4-7; and, in racing, the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival at the Curragh, Kildare from June 27-29.

It’s guaranteed to be another hectic year of sporting thrills and spills, so whatever event takes your fancy, enjoy it to the full.

R E V I E W GO A L B U M S

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M O V I E S

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B O O K S

SOULÉ PAGE 55 / GO LISTEN

Soulé, David Gray and Jenny Lewis are among the highlights in our round-up of the best new albums.

PAGE 56 / GO WATCH

We pick out the best streaming options for comfortable couch consumption this spring, including acclaimed documentary Katie.

PAGE 56 / GO READ

Compelling efforts from Nicole Flattery, Christine Mangan and Tana French feature in our selection of the best new books.

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LISTEN

HEART AND SOULÉ THE DEBUT EP FROM IRISH ARTIST SOULÉ, THE NEW RELEASE FROM JENNY LEWIS, AND THE STUNNING RETURN FROM DAVID GRAY FEATURE IN OUR ALBUM ROUND-UP.

F Soulé

David Gray

or two decades now, California-based singersongwriter Jenny Lewis has been embedding her offbeat gallows humour into seemingly happy-go-lucky indie-pop songs.

While both her sound and wit are as sharp as ever, her latest offering, On The Line, sees her reflect deeply, and often darkly, on her own mortality in the wake of a major break-up.

Since emerging in the late ’90s, Lewis’ sound has been notoriously difficult to pin down. This album is no different, featuring effortless moves across Stevie Nicks and Cyndi Lauper territory, with an underlying countrysoul vulnerability not unlike Emmylou Harris.

The album certainly feels like a natural, though certainly more mature, follow-up to 2014’s The Voyager. Once again, Lewis uses a combination of poignant and witty lyricism to deal with the death of a parent – this time her mother, who is the subject of the stunning ‘Little White Dove’.

Lewis’ penchant for hilariously surreal, character-driven stories is also on full display, including an eventful ride in “A borrowed convertible red Porsche with a narcoleptic poet from Duluth” on opener ‘Heads Gonna Roll’. Her gift lies in her ability to somehow make these madcap lyrics relatable, largely through the raw emotion flowing through the stories.

Despite being backed by a band of legendary musicians, including Ringo Starr, Beck, Don Was, Benmont Tench and Jim Keltner, Lewis is the true star of On The Line. A deeply personal album, it contains some of her finest solo work yet.

David Gray’s first album in four years, Gold In A Brass Age, was born from the ambition to “do everything differently”. Aided and abetted by producer Ben DeVries, in a bid to reinvent his craft, Gray employed electronic soundscapes, hypnotic loops and a “cut and paste” approach.

Recurring themes include fragility, renewal, the unstoppable march

Jenny Lewis

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of time and a forced change of perspective. For fans, there’s a lot to devour in these nine songs. Opener ‘The Sapling’ is a strong scene-setter, which finds the singer trying out some new vocal tones, while the seductive title track features ambient rattles and whistles, wrapped around a pleasingly obtuse melody. In fact, there are interesting ideas and experiments throughout.

Though it doesn’t quite grab you by the lapels, Gold In A Brass Age is still a grower.

And finally, the first proper EP from Dublin artist Soulé proves that she knows how to write her fair share of seriously impressive pop bangers. Most of us knew this already from her Choice Song of the Year-nominated ‘Love No More’, and the followups, including ‘Good Life’ and ‘Troublemaker’. But the Love Cycle EP’s real success is that it features six songs and not a dud amongst them. It’s consistently top notch.

A lot of this quality is no doubt down to Soulé’s compadres in Diffusion Lab, who’ve sharpened their skills and become one of the tightest production outfits in the country.

But there’s a maturity evident in her songwriting too. The album details the inevitable cycle that comes with relationships and break-ups – the act of recovering, resurfacing, taking someone back, falling for them again, thinking it can work – and then inevitably getting hurt.

First song ‘Love Tonight’ – which features rapper C Cane – is an upbeat number with elements of tropical house, while ‘Waterfalls’ pays tribute to the TLC hit of the same name.

‘One Two Three’ stands out because it highlights just how versatile Soulé’s voice is now. Whereas before, the Balbriggan-based 2-step/neo-soul/ R&B singer – whew! that’s a mouthful – sounded stoic in the face of relationship trouble, here she explores her vulnerable side, allowing her voice to sound genuinely heartbroken in parts.

WATCH

PACKING A PUNCH ROE McDERMOTT CHECKS OUT THE BEST NEW MOVIES ON NETFLIX, INCLUDING REVEALING DOCUMENTARY KATIE, ENTERTAINING COMEDY I FEEL PRETTY, AND GRIPPING THRILLER GET OUT.

by familial stability and unmitigated success. Her shyness also demands an observant rather than interactive documentary style from Whitaker, which has mixed success. When effective, it shows Taylor’s faith as she tearfully prays before fights, and captures her determination and loneliness as she trains constantly.

But Taylor’s shyness on camera means her social and interior life also remain a mystery. However her talent, determination and sport-changing legacy are never in question, and you can’t watch Katie without respecting her deeply.

I FEEL PRETTY

Katie

I Feel Pretty

K AT I E During the opening of this documentary about boxer, Olympian and world-renowned athlete Katie Taylor, her promoter says “I don’t think many people know Katie Taylor.” But Ross Whitaker is going to try change that. Filming Taylor over 18 months after her defeat in the 2016 Rio Olympics, the director attempts to gain insight into the life and thought processes of Ireland’s most incredible athlete. Rio marked the first high-profile match that Taylor had fought – and lost – without her father and lifelong coach Pete Taylor, from whom she had become estranged. The personal and professional loss proves a devastating and transformative combination, and Katie plays like a coming-of-age story. Whitaker follows Taylor as she moves to America on her own, seeking out new coaches, new opportunities and a way to navigate a world no longer insulated

Renee Bennett (Amy Schumer) is a perfectly normal woman. She has an average body type, occasionally wears Spanx, and dreams of having a more glamorous job. And because we live in a society that rarely shows average women onscreen, Renee feels crap about herself. Until, that is, a freak accident causes her to see herself as one of the smoking-hot model-esque beauties she has always envied. Her physical appearance hasn’t changed, just her self-image – and with it, her confidence. Emboldened by what she thinks is her magical and magnetic newfound beauty, Renee chats up a cute guy Ethan (Rory Scovel), applies for her dream job as a receptionist at Lily LeClaire Cosmetics, and parties like a rock star, all while the people around her are left bemused by her self-assurance. Schumer is fearless onscreen, and her insecurities and aspirations will feel accurate to the average woman. There is a fundamental flaw in I Feel Pretty – that Amy Schumer is not unattractive – but the film acts like she is. However, the overall message about self-confidence, and how even attractive women are made to feel inadequate, is an interesting idea – and it’s a fun watch.

GET OUT Jordan Peele’s directorial debut has already made history, making him the first black filmmaker to ever make over $100 million domestically. Get Out is also the highest-grossing debut with an original screenplay in cinematic history – and deservedly so. A vicious satire on racism in America, the movie stars Daniel Kaluuya as Chris, a young black man in a burgeoning relationship

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with Rose (Allison Williams), on a weekend trip to her home. She comes from a wealthy, liberal family whose “wokeness” fills them with selfsatisfaction; they love telling black people how much they love Obama.

But micro-aggressions and awkward posturing aside, all seems fine – until Chris starts noticing how the few black people who work in and visit the house are all acting strangely. When a black party guest seems to have a breakdown and tells Chris to get out and save himself, Chris doesn’t listen – but soon wishes he had. Using psychological horror to dive into historical and modern iterations of racism, Get Out is entertaining and devastating at once. Impeccably crafted by Peele, the film is rich with symbolism, satire and clever cultural nods. The performances are incredible, elevating the intricate, intelligent and darkly funny writing.

Peele has created a new genre, that of real social horror, and it’s biting and terrifying all at once.

T H E L E G E N D O F TA R Z A N It’s the 19th century, and the man formally known as Tarzan is now a respected Earl living in London. Asked by the Prime Minister to visit the Congo as part of a PR move to promote the Belgian King’s humanitarian work, Tarzan returns to his jungle home and uncovers a plot to enslave the Congolese people – and kidnap him. This reimagining of Tarzan by director David Yates and star Alexander Skarsgard is subtly nuanced in politics, emotion and physicality. A leaner, more graceful Tarzan than the previous boxy iterations, he’s all efficient muscle and graceful movement. Gone is the loincloth and even Tarzan’s iconic yell.

Instead, the roar is just heard in the distance as a yell of despair and anger; transforming an outdated, camp image into something foreboding. Indeed, the film feels like a much more adult tale, with a true political backstory, sinister villains (Christoph Waltz, smarming up a storm as usual) and constant battles, which might make it too dark for children. One particular strength lies in the relationship between Tarzan and Jane (Margot Robbie). Robbie’s Jane is headstrong, smart and explicitly refuses to scream “like a damsel”. The exuberantly joyful foil to Skarsgard’s quiet soulfulness, their backstory and interactions feel organic, tactile and unapologetically sexy.

READ

GOOD TIMES ARE HERE TO STAY A COMPELLING SHORT STORY COLLECTION FROM NICOLE FLATTERY, THE DEBUT THRILLER FROM CHRISTINE MANGAN, AND A SUPERB EFFORT FROM CRIME AUTHOR TANA FRENCH FEATURE IN OUR ROUND-UP OF THE BEST NEW BOOKS.

S H OW T H E M A G O O D T I M E

TA N G E R I N E

T H E W YC H E L M

NICOLE FLATTERY

CHRISTINE MANGAN

TANA FRENCH

(The Stinging Fly)

(Abacus)

(Penguin Random House)

The debut short story collection from Irish writer Nicole Flattery will crawl under your skin and rattle your senses long after you’ve finished reading it.

Each of these darkly comic tales take place in a real world context, yet they’re all so disconcerting in tone, setting and characterisation, they’ll have you questioning your own perception of reality.

The title story focuses on a young woman working in an eerie rural petrol station, which feels like it’s migrated to a dystopian near-future, while ‘Track’ documents an abusive relationship in an entirely original way. Elsewhere, other stories deal with abortion, dating in the online age, and experiences of debilitation in college. All of these tales are funny, devoid of easy explanations, and told with impressive economy. Show Them A Good Time heralds the arrival of a major new talent.

Tangier, 1956. Alice, psychologically delicate as a result of losing her parents in a fire, is in an unhappy marriage with the adulterous John. The appearance of Lucy, an old friend from college who is clearly obsessed with Alice, sets events in motion.

As the novel progresses – the two women alternating as narrator – the full extent of Lucy’s obsession is revealed.

Morocco strives to gain its independence in the background, which distracts John – employed in some undisclosed governmental post – as the city crushes his wife and emboldens Lucy, whose moves become more audacious as she decides what she wants. The whole thing comes off as enjoyably high-concept hokum, combining Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley and the antics of Amy Dunne in Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl.

Scarlett Johansson’s already signed on for the movie.

Tana French’s departure from the Dublin Murder Squad series has already met with widespread acclaim. Her debut standalone follows Toby Hennessy – a well-heeled Dublin twenty-something working in arts PR – as his life unravels. He is convalescing in his uncle’s home (the Ivy House) after a vicious break-in, when a skull is discovered in the tree in the garden – and chaos ensures.

French’s ability to craft a riveting caper is undisputed, but here she also skilfully explores issues of identity and reality through Toby’s traumatic head injury, and the complexity of familial relationships.

At 511 pages, there is much to absorb, but the deft prose and imaginative structure – French examines the case from multiple viewpoints – means there is plenty to engage. A joy.

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MY IRELAND

Greystones Harbour, Co. Wicklow

Anna Daly Presenter, TV3 What’s your favourite thing about Ireland?

It has to be the people – we’re warm, fun and mostly easygoing. We’re able to laugh at ourselves which is so important!

Your favourite Irish town?

Greystones, Co Wicklow.

Of course I’m biased (I live there!), but it really has everything. You have beautiful seafront views, independent boutiques, gift shops, and incredible restaurants and cafes. There’s a warmth and a buzz to Greystones. It’s also home to the Happy Pear, where I regularly stop for a coffee or a quick bite to eat.

Best view in Ireland?

Mullaghmore, Co Sligo. It’s a gorgeous little spot that we holiday in, thanks to my kind uncle who has a beautiful holiday house there. I like to sit in the living room with a glass of wine and look directly over at the sea. It’s the most perfect view on a good day.

Thanks Uncle Jimmy!

Best bar in Ireland?

I love the cosiness of the Horse and Hound in Delgany village.

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Favourite weekend retreat?

Dromoland Castle, Co Clare.

Now that’s an escape!

Where do you shop for clothes?

Littlewoods are incredible for my on-air wardrobe – and also my clothes for the real world and being a mum!

My clothing can be vastly different depending on what day it is. I love Zara too.

Where do you pick up ingredients for cooking?

Local supermarkets, wherever is handiest.

Favourite Irish building?

I think the Aras always looks so stately and impressive – there’s a sense of pride about it.

What do you recommend to tourists?

The Guinness Storehouse; Trinity College (the library and courtyards especially); Grafton St; and Stephen’s Green on a sunny day. Going south, I think tourists need to see the likes of Inchydoney, and enjoy the charm of a village like Clonakilty. Have a pint of the black stuff and enjoy a late night singalong.

Nothing like it!

G O WI N GO RAIL COMPETITION

WIN A ONE-NIGHT STAY FOR TWO AT THE

SA N DY M OUN T HOT E L , DUB L IN 4 PLUS DINNER & DRINKS IN THE SHELBOURNE SOCIAL

Family run Sandymount Hotel, one of the last remaining traditional family run hotels in Dublin, is full of charm, style and comfort.

Founded in 1955 by George Loughran from Cookstown, Co. Tyrone and his wife Rosaleen Loughran from Downpatrick, Co. Down and now run by their son John Loughran, a recognised and respected hotelier, and his son Gerard.

Located beside the Aviva Stadium and Lansdowne Rd DART Station, you can be in Dublin City Centre or coastal villages in minutes.

The RDS, 3 Arena and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre are all within walking distance as is the stunning Ballsbridge Village and Sandymount Strand and Village.

Sandymount Hotel has evolved from a humble 4-bedroom B&B into the 4-star, awardwinning hotel. A home away from home, the hotel’s location makes it one of Dublin’s popular destinations for sporting events, concerts, city shopping and sightseeing to leisurely breaks.

Find out more www.sandymounthotel.ie

SHELBOURNE SOCIAL

The Prize: The winner of the Go Rail competition will enjoy a brilliant one-night stay for two in this top Dublin hotel. And there’s more! You will also win an a la carte dinner and pre-dinner cocktail in the Shelbourne Social, the brilliant new restaurant from Dylan McGrath, where you can enjoy delicious sharing plates prepared with the best seasonal ingredients.

Rounding out the night, you will also win an after-dinner drink back at the Sandymount Hotel.

To enter simply email your answers to gorail@hotpress.ie. Please include your contact details, and let us know on which train route or at which station you picked up your copy of Go Rail.

THE QUESTIONS: 1. Hozier recently topped the US charts with which album?

- Achtung Baby - Wasteland, Baby!

- Baby Come Back

2. Saoirse Ronan was Oscar nominated for her performance in which film?

3. Who recently took over as manager of the Irish soccer team?

- Kevin Moran - Ray Houghton - Mick McCarthy

- Brooklyn - Paris, Texas - Philadelphia

Terms & Conditions: The prizes are subject to availability. No cash alternatives will be offered. Entrants must be aged 18+. Go Rail may contact competition entrants with details of future special offers. Your details won’t be passed on to any third party. Please specify in your email if you would like to opt out of this.

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TED VO

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