Blanch

Blanch GAZET TE FREE

Discover Scotland’s cultural treasures TRAVEL: P14-15.

RECYCLE THIS COPY. KEEP DUBLIN TIDY.

YOUR COMMUNITY • YOUR PAPER

August ug g 25, 2011

INSIDE: Long wait is over for local NEXT STEPS: Our essential guide students P10 to your third-level options P17-23

Rosy outlook: Helping launch Carlton Hotel Football: Andrews denies move to soccer in Monaghan Page 32

THE ROSE of Tralee International Festival 2011 finalists helped celebrate the launch of the new Carlton Hotel in Blanchardstown with their annual ball. Formerly The Plaza Hotel, Tyrrelstown, the Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown was launched in the company of the 32 Roses.

Pictured at the event are the Germany Rose and Sunderland Rose with Declan Curtis, general manager, The Carlton Blanchardstown.

Full Gallery on Pages 8-9

Soccer: Local sides back in action as senior leagues kick off Page 30

ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ................8-10 TRAVEL..........................14 ENTERTAINMENT ..........16 MOTORS ....................... 24 BUSINESS .................... 25 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26

Big ¤6m boost for vital N2-N3 linkup Construction is set to commence next month

Q LAURA WEBB

CONSTRUCTION on a vital piece of infrastructure in Dublin West linking the N2 to the N3 will get underway this September following the allocation of €6million worth of funding by the Department of Transport.

Speaking to the Gazette, Transport Minister and local TD Leo Varadkar said: “This is a major breakthrough for the transport network in Dublin West, as the road will provide a crucial link between the N2 and the N3.

“The new road will relieve traffic on the N3 in the Mul-

huddart and Hollystown areas, and open up new industrial lands in north Blanchardstow n for job creation. The total cost of the project is €24 million, but some €15 million will be recovered from levies imposed on land owners and developers.”

2 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

EVENT: PRESTIGIOUS COMPETITION COMING

HIT-AND-RUN Player was tragically killed in 2003

Countdown is on for annual D15 awards Q LAURA WEBB

T H E c o u n t d ow n i s on for the annual D15 Chamber Business and Community Awards and businesses and organisations from the locality are being encouraged to take part in the prestigious competition.

The preparations for the annual awards’ ceremony are already underway and awards’ brochures have been posted to hundreds of businesses throughout the Dublin 15 area.

E a c h y e a r, l o c a l companies and organisations are awarded across a range of sectors.

This year there are 12 awards, including Contribution to Community Award by a Business, which is being sponsored by Blanchardstown Area Partnership, and Contribution to Community Award by an Individual that is being sponsored by the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown.

There will also be awards for Best Food and Drink Experience Award, sponsored by D15 Chamber, and Retail Premises of the Year Award, sponsored by Green Property Limited, along with Customer Service Team of the Year Award sponsored by AIB Bank.

Encouraging busi-

nesses and organisations to take part, D15 Chamber President, David Donnelly said: “We want to encourage all businesses and organisations in the D15 area to consider entering - there are no entry fees and you don’t have to be a member of the D15 Chamber.

“To enter, just log on to www.d15chamber.ie and download the entry form for the category you require.

“Alternatively you can email me – president@d15chamber.ie to request a brochure or entry form(s) which can be emailed or posted to you. You are welcome to enter up to three different categories.

“I would like to offer my thanks to all those who entered the awards in 2010 and, in particular, to congratulate those who were shortlisted and won awards at the Gala Ball Evening.

“The commitment to providing a high level of service and innovation, which was demonstrated by the quality of the entries, was very obvious to all involved,” David said.

The Gala Awards Presentation Ball will be held in the Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown on Friday, October 7. Booking Form is available on www.d15chamber.ie or 8900977.

Councillors David McGuinness, Ruth Coppinger and Patrick Nulty making a presentation to Corduff FC Clubman of the Year, Sammy Donnelly (second from right). Also in picture is Club secretary Johny Boothman. Cllr McGuinness’s brother John, was with David Lynch on the night of the hit-and-run

Plea made by club on fatal road accident Q MICHAEL HANNAN

A LOCAL club has launched a major appeal for information about the death of one of their former members, promising soccer player David Lynch who was tragically killed in a hit-and-run incident in 2003.

David Lynch was just 22 when he died. The Blanchardstown native played for Corduff FC’s senior side, having come up through the schoolboy ranks.

A we l l - l i ke d cl u b member, he was heavily involved with the committee and regularly helped out with the club’s youth teams.

John McGuinness, brother of local Fianna

Fail councillor, David McGuinness, was one of two other club members who were out with Ly nch on the night of the tragic incident, which occurred on Blanchardstown’s Main Street at around 2am on Easter Sunday night of 2003.

“I was on one side of the road and David was on the other; we were out celebrating Easter night and as he was crossing the road, a vehicle, it was either a hackney or a taxi cab, sped through and hit him,” recalls McGuinness.

Lynch was rushed to nearby Connolly Hospital where he was on life support for six days before succumbing to

the massive injuries he sustained.

Eight years on, his loss is still keenly felt, as McGuinness says.

“He was an all-round top bloke, only four years out of school. He was a very good player and came from a very respectable family.”

A year after the incident, the Garda (station), where Lynch’s sister works as a detective, launched an appeal, which produced no further leads.

No members of the public have come forward since.

Barely three months af ter Ly nch’s death, Corduff FC decided to honour his memor y by holding a summer soccer tournament for

both junior and senior teams.

The success of the i n a u g u r a l “ L y n c hy ” tournament led to the club holding it every year since then.

This year continued in that vein of success, pulling in, by McGuinness’ estimate, a crowd of some 2,000-3,000 spectators.

They were entertained by a tournament featuring 58 teams, 850 players and over 100 games in total. It is the largest off-season soccer tournament in Dublin.

Not only has it been of great benefit to the local community, but has acted as a catalyst for the club to reach out again to the public says McGuinness.

“It has left a real legacy, in that the admission fees raised means that the kids involved at the club only have to pay the match-day fees, and that’s very rare.

“The pitches, insurance and ever ything else are covered. After the tournament, we decided in the club to reopen the appeal, as in two years’ time, it’ll be the tenth anniversary of his death.

“Nobody’s come forward in the meantime and we just want to see if we can bring some closure to this.”

McGuinness has advised that anybody with information on the incident can contact Corduff FC through him on 085-7168009.

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 3

CYGNETS: BRUTALLY KILLED

5 young swans dead in bags Q LAURA WEBB

FIVE swan cygnets have been found dead after they were brutally killed and dumped in a plastic bag at a housing estate in Blanchardstown.

The dead birds were discovered by shocked park staff from Fingal County Council. The council workers found the dead cygnets last Thursday, August 18, one week after they went missing from the park at Waterville Tolka Valley, located near Connolly Hospital.

“It’s such a terrible, horrible thing to do. They were just cygnets, young swans,” one distraught council worker told the Gazette.

“We found them in dumped in plastic bags in an estate in Whitestown.

The swans had become residents at the park in Waterville. They were taken last week, either Friday or Thursday.

“They [the people who took the swans] are seen going up by Tolka Valley carrying them on their back. It is such a terrible, horrible thing to do. They were just cygnets, young swans,” he added.

T he DSPCA has described the incident as an “absolute disgrace”.

Miriam Kerins, of the DSPCA, said those who carry out such acts can be prosecuted. “Under the 1911 Animal Welfare Act wildlife is protected, and swans are wildlife.

Anybody who harms or causes distress to any animals, swans included, can be prosecuted. It is hard to know what happened to them, but if they were found in a plastic bag that would suggest something gruesome happened.

“It is an absolute disgrace that this has happened, swans are a protected species and anyone causing any harm or danger or distress or removing them from their natural habitat may be prosecuted,” she said.

LEAVING CERT The wait is over for local students

‘The hard work has paid off’ Q LAURA WEBB

THE nail-biting wait was finally over when thousands of Leaving Cert students received their results on Wednesday of last week in Dublin 15.

Proud principal at Blakestown Community School, Eileen O’Connor, was amongst one of the first to pay tribute to students saying: “We are just delighted for them all. The students worked really hard and it has paid off.

“We had 68 students sit the Leaving Cert this year and 12 Leaving Cert Applied students.

“I wish them all the best of luck and they know, we were telling

them all when they came to get their results, that they can come back for career advice whenever they need it.

“I think it is really important for the students to know that we are still here for them if they need advice on career choices or course options. They [the sixth-year students] were a great bunch,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Principal at Hartstown Community School, John Bean, said there were lots of happy faces at the school on results day.

“We were very happy with the results and they were in line with what we were expecting. One lad

Students from Blakestown Community School proudly show off their Leaving Cert results

got 550 points, and he was delighted with himself. “ We [ t h e s c h o o l ] had set ourselves a task to improve our maths results and we had a big improvement in ordinary maths this year, so we were delighted.

“Our international students, we do Polish, Romanian, Lithuanian and Russian here, and they did very well, and

all the students who sat Russian got A1 on Higher Level.

“Students who did transition year did particularly well, the extra year in school had certainly helped.”

Following the CAO o f f e r s o n M o n d ay, Principal Bean said a number of students were at the school, and a few phoned in to seek

advice or just tell the school how they did.

“Students were generally very happy with the options they got. I think they chose well, in that if they didn’t get their first option, they had a good second choice ready, so anyone that I spoke to is very happy.

“There was one lad who didn’t apply for the CAO because he didn’t think he

would get the points, and he was up with us today (Monday) because actually he did get the points for the course. He has now gone down to the college to see if he can do anything about it. I think it is a lesson to everybody, don’t give up, apply to the CAO, put in your application, and something might come up,” the school principal said.

4 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

CLONSILLA: WELCOME FOR DRAIOCHT An action-packed Autumn for local theatre IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

Expansion of petrol station PLANS to extend a local petrol station have been welcomed this week by Fianna Fail councillor David McGuinness who said improving the existing station would ensure a safer facility for the Clonsilla community.

Petrogas Group Ltd, the company behind the Clonsilla discount petrol station is seeking to demolish the existing domestic garage to expand the petrol station to facilitate a service area, parking, and boundary fence.

According to Cllr McGuinness, during the County Development Plan consultation period, councillors were asked to vote on a motion to allow the petrol station to make improvements and expand their business on the site in Clonsilla.

“The motion passed and this application represents the formal approval process that Petrogas need to com-

plete in order to facilitate these works.

“Anyone with experiences of the Clonsilla Road knows that the petrol station often has queues leading out onto the main road blocking traffic and causing gridlock. On days when a removal is taking place in the adjacent funeral home, the area gets overly congested, which has been a major cause for concern. These works will remedy these difficulties and provide a safer facility for the Clonsilla community.

“Fingal County Council has requested more information to complete this application. This occurs when insufficient information is provided to the council at time of application and can usually be dealt with in pre-planning meetings,” Cllr McGuinness said.

He is now encouraging all involved in the process to bring it to “fruition to ensure these important works are facilitated”.

Singer Brian Kennedy and comedian Deirdre O’Kane are set to take to the stage

Draiocht’s exciting line-up for autumn Q LAURA WEBB

AN action-packed and exciting line-up has just been announced by Dublin 15 theatre, Draiocht, for their autumn season which will include a mixture of comedy, dance, plays and much more.

It’s already been a hectic year for the popular theatre, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Upcoming performances will include virtuoso Julian Lloyd Webber, as well the wonder-

ful Karen Underwood with her tribute to Nina Simone and firm favourites Paddy Cole, Brian Kennedy and Dickie Rock.

Comedian Deirdre O’Kane is also set to take centre stage again, while the amazing Nualas will also tickle the taste buds of comedy audiences.

M e a nw h i l e , J a s o n Byrne will also make a return visit for two nights in January.

Local groups, including Coolmine Musical Society, Coolmine

Drama Circle and Spiders Ankles, are also set to have their own productions throughout the season.

The strong line-up of theatre throughout the season has the team at Draiocht looking forward to presenting shows like I heart Alice heart I, as part of the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival on Tour; Fight Night, Faith Healer and Brighton, while the Film Club is expanding to include afternoon films.

The packed gallery

programme includes exhibitions from Garvan Gallagher, who was Draiocht’s Artist in Residence March 2010–May 2011, print maker Caroline Donohoe and Amharc Fhine Gall VIII, a celebration of visual arts in the Fingal area.

As a local theatre, Draiocht always have children and youth arts programmes lined up and this season is no exception with performances for school and family groups as well as a range of workshops for

all ages.

The D15 Youth Theatre will begin again in October having run all summer.

For those who are interested in Drama, there is also an opportunity to work on a year-long drama project culminating in a show in Draiocht’s Studio space in November 2012 with actor and director Liam Halligan.

For further information on Draiocht’s new season visit their website at www.draiocht.ie

WE HAVE 146,000* READERS EACH WEEK *based on standard industry measurements

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO OUR READERS

CALL 60 10 240

W

Q LAURA WEBB

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 5

6 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

ESTATE Grounds continue to be a huge attraction

-------------------------------------------------------

Distinguished guests staying in the 14-bed room house include the Emperor of Japan and Monaco newlyweds, Prince Albert of Monaco and Princess Charlene Wittstock.

But the most high-profile and recent guests were Queen Elizabeth II and American President Barack Obama Farmleigh House attracts up to 300,000 visitors a year. Picture: OPW

--------------------------------------------

Farmleigh House is ideal for family visits Q LAURA WEBB news@gazettegroup.com

IT began life as a small Georgian country house and has been owned by one of Ireland’s most famous dynasties, the Guinness family.

Hugely extended by the first Earl of Iveagh, grandson of Ar thur Guinness, today Farmleigh House is in the hands of the Office of Public Works and along with taking a leading role during the recent visit of Queen Elizabeth II and US President Barrack Obama, it also attracts up to 300,000 visitors annually.

T he estate, which dates back to 1660s, originally belonged to the Warren family who received 459 acres in Castleknock following

the restoration of King Charles II to the English throne in 1660.

The estate later went through a variety of owners until it was purchased by the first Earl, Edward Cecil Guinness.

“It was a smaller Georgian house and then Edward Cecil took on the architect James Franklin Fuller to extend it and change the façade and add on extra rooms. The original house was incorporated,” explains Farmleigh’s Librarian, Julia Cummins.

Ultimately the house would be transformed

by Guinness into the sprawling Victorian mansion we see today.

In 1999, the Irish G ove r n m e n t p u rchased the estate from

-------------------------------------------------------

‘It was great to have the Queen stay here. An item from our Benjamin Iveagh library collection, an Irish primer book to learn Irish phrases – dating from 1580s that belonged to Queen Elizabeth I – was replicated and presented to Queen Elizabeth II’ --------------------------------------------------------

the Guinness Family for €29.2 million. It was renovated and refurbished by OPW. David Levins, assistant estate manager at Farmleigh, says the historic property has three roles: To provide official hospitality to official heads of state, it is for high-level government meetings and to provide access to the

public with its cultural programme.

The most recent building renovated at the estate is the boathouse, now a restaurant where many locals take time out to meet and catch up over lunch.

“There was originally a boathouse here and it was renovated in 2004.

Before the boathouse restaurant opened, we

had a cafe in the courtyard, the motor house.

It was originally were Edward Cecil Guinness would have had his cars,” says David.

Distinguished guests staying in the 14-bed room house include the Emperor of Japan and Monaco newlyweds, Prince Albert of Monaco and Princess Charlene Wittstock. But the most high-profile and recent guests were Queen Elizabeth II and American President Barack Obama.

“It was great to have the Queen stay here. An item from our Benjamin Iveagh library collection, an Irish primer book to learn Irish phrases – dating from 1580s that belonged to Queen Elizabeth I – was replicated and

presented to Queen Elizabeth II. When she said: ‘A Uachtarain agus a chairde’ in her speech here, that it is likely to have been inspired by that gift,” says Julia.

T he estate is now among one of the top sites to visit in Ireland.

It’s friendly environment and abundance of entertainment makes it the ideal place for families, who continue to come back time and time again.

David, who schedules the cultural programme for Farmleigh, says the estate is now open all year round, providing the public with a wider range of events.

“We have music every Sunday at the bandstand, and the food market is a great attraction.

“People from all over Ireland come to experience the food. Our plant fair is one of our biggest events, it attracted in the region of 30,000 last year.”

Another popular and “magical fair” is the Christmas Fair, but Farmleigh is always thinking of new ideas for its cultural pro gramme.

In recent times it held Drive-in Movies, which was “very popular”, with some 400 cars tuning in to watch films like Jaws and The Shining, an event they might look into holding again.

There are also tours of the estate available to visitors.

For more information on events taking place at Farmleigh visit www. farmleigh.ie

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 7

HERITAGE Exhibition of photographs and images

A little bit of Dublin history Q LAURA WEBB

A LITTLE bit of Dublin West history, depicted through photographs and images, is on display at the Blanchardstown Library as part of Heritage Week celebrations.

Local historian and Gazette columnist, Jim Lacey, was asked by the Fingal South West Heritage Society to stage a pictorial exhibition celebrating the history of the Greater Blanchardstown and Castleknock area for Heritage Week, which runs until August 28.

The exhibition was launched on Monday, August 22, by Mayor of Fingal Gerry McGuire, with over 100 people in attendance, including

Dublin West TD and Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton.

Delighted with the concept, Jim jumped at the chance to stage the exhibition.

“Having written A Candle in the Window, A History of the Barony of Castleknock, I had a large amount of material at hand from the research I carried out. When writing the book, I wanted every picture in my possession in the book and all in Technicolor and Cinemascope too.

“But the reality of publishing costs have to be taken into account and local history books don’t attract the same sales as thrillers or kissand-tell tales about

Gerry Clabby, Heritage Officer Fingal County Council, Jim Lacey, Joan Burton, Minister for Social Protection, and Mary Eustace at the exhibition

famous celebrities. So black and white is what I got and fewer illustrations than I wanted.

“When Fingal South West Heritage Society approached me, the prospect of being able to exhibit these prints and photographs in full colour, and at a decent size, was too good to be missed,” he said.

The 62 pictures and images on display include copies of paintings of the Dublin West area in the 1760s and 1780s by Gabriel Beranger, courtesy of

National Librar y of Ireland, and superb photos and paintings from retired local parish priest, Fr Eugene Kennedy, showing the history and growth of Blanchardstown and Castleknock through the decades, as well as its beautiful surroundings.

“The Strawberry Beds is one of the most beautiful locations on this island; the Tolka Valley, Dunsink Observatory, Diswellstown and its delightful Glen, the lovely Royal Canal Walk

– they’re all displayed in this exhibition.”

Jim’s favourite image is of Lady Ann Luttrell.

“This is great image courtesy of the National Gallery. She was a member of the Luttrell Family. She had a bit of a reputation, she would have had many lovers and she married the brother of King George of England, but King George wasn’t ver y happy with his brother marrying her because of her reputation.

“He introduced the Royal Marriage Act

af ter wards, that no other member of the royal family could marry without the permission of the monarch, that law is still there today.

“There are some really interesting things on display.”

According to Jim, it’s hugely impor tant to celebrate local heritage and, with so much history throughout Dublin West, the exhibition is a great way to bring the past into the future.

See the exhibition a t B l a n c h a r d s t ow n Library all this week.

CORDUFF

Laneway closure welcomed THE closure of access to a laneway in Corduff, which had been subjected to ongoing anti-social behaviour, has been welcomed this week by longsuffering residents who said they hope it will bring “peace and quiet” to their neighbourhood.

After a long campaign, access to a laneway at Corduff Avenue was finally closed off this month.

The closure has been welcomed by residents and Dublin West Sinn Fein representative, Paul Donnelly.

Commenting on the closure, Donnelly said: “Many other initiatives to address this problem area have been tried, including removing a wall, cutting back shrubbery, CCTV cameras and targeted policing operations.

“However, it was the easy access to the laneway that always facilitated the ongoing anti-social behaviour. I congratulate the residents who fought long and hard with the full support of Sinn Fein to ensure that this area of anti-social behaviour was finally eliminated as a gathering point.”

8 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

EVENT The Rose of Tralee Festival 2011 finalists helped

Finalists fall in to help out HE Rose of Tralee International Festival 2011 finalists helped celebrate the launch of the new Carlton Hotel in Blanchardstown recently.

Formerly The Plaza Hotel, Tyrrelstown, the Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown was launched in the company of the 32 Roses.

The Carlton Hotel Group is one of the main sponsors of the Rose of Tralee, and every year the Roses begin their Official Rose Tour at the Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport. They began their tour last Sunday, but this year the location of the ball was changed to the new Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown to coincide with its launch.

T

Peter Cooke, Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown, Sean O’Brien, Leinster Rugby player, Clare Kambamettu, Rose of Tralee 2010, Devin Hotel Group

Tipperary Rose and Declan Meagher, general manager, Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport

The Boston and New England Rose, Philadelphia Rose, Big Apple Rose and Queensland Rose

Anthony O’Gara, managing director of The Rose of Tralee Festival, Jean O’Connoll, director of Sales and Marketing for The Carlton Hotel Group, Declan Meagher, general manager, The Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport, Daithi O’Se, Clare Kambamuettu Rose of Tralee 2010, Michael Kearney, CEO of The Carlton Hotel Group, Declan Curtis, general manager of the Carlton Hotel The Toronto Rose and Audrey McDonald, from Aerlingus

Blanchardstown and John Varley, director of The Carlton Hotel Group

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 9

celebrate the launch of the new Carlton Hotel

The Wexford, Laois, Roscommon and Texas Roses

Rose of Tralee 2010 Clare Kambamettu with Darren Toner, Leinster Rugby player, Michael Kearney, CEO Carlton

Kearney, sales and marketing executive, Carlton

Germany Rose and Sunderland Rose with Declan Curtis, general

Hotel Group

manager, of The Carlton Blanchardstown

10 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

LEAVING CERT The long wait is over for local students

Anthony Bourached, David Toner and Jack Hurley

Jamie Sweeney, Darragh Power, Brendan Walsh, Coolmine

Examination

When the results come in OCAL students were at their schools early recently to collect their longawaited Leaving Cert results. It was a morning of mixed emotions as the results were opened and each student quickly reviewed what they had achieved, with clearly overjoyed while others expressed disappointment.

But there were also plenty of words of encouragement from staff and friends. Then out came the mobile phones as waiting parents and family were contacted to pass on the results of this milestone exam. But, no matter what the result, everyone can be proud of the hard work and effort they put in.

L

Sara Da Silva, Lucy Edwards and Laura McInerney

Avril Gallagher, Tara Hillen, Sinead Scullion, Kelli Howard, Coolmine Community School

The students of Blakestown CS

Killian O’Sullivan, Sam Carr and Cathal Peelo,

Jack Fogarty, Mikey Ebbs, Stephen Byrne, Joseph Crampton and

Headmaster Oliver Murphy, Anthony Bourached, David Toner, Jack

Castleknock Community College

Stephen Flynn, Castleknock Community College

Hurley, Nicola Cronin and James O’Loughlin

25 August 2011 GAZETTE 11

12 GAZETTE 25 August 2011

GazettePETS PETS

Brought to you by Miriam Kerins of the DSPCA

THE FACTS: EXOTIC PETS RETAIN NATURAL PREDATORY AND DEFENSIVE INSTINCTS

it’s difficult to provide for the physical, psychological and behavioural requirements

Owning an exotic pet XOTIC animals are unsuitable companion pets.

Honestly, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve said this to people.

And why are they unsuitable? I hear you ask.

Because, once in a captive environment, it’s difficult to provide for the physical, psychological and behavioural requirements of these unique animals and, in my opinion, this makes for an irresponsible, dangerous situation – even if exotic pet owners believe otherwise.

I mean, regardless of your belief on this issue, you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to realise that owning an exotic animal can prove dangerous for you and for the animal because you can never predict their behaviour…EVER!

E

Also, with the vast variety of companion animals available to potential pet parents, and who are at this moment sitting in rescue shelters waiting for good homes, you know, gorgeous f luffy cats, majestic, loyal dogs, cute, cuddly bunnies, et al, I have to ask myself why so many people still insist on seeking out these wonderful, yet highly unsuitable, creatures as pets.

You see, domestic animals are bred by humans over thousands of generations. They are dependant, predictable and controllable.

Howe ve r, d e s p i t e several generations of captive breeding, wild, exotic animals continue to retain their natural predatory and defensive instincts. Prey species become anxious during captivity, making them dangerous and unsuitable to living in an envi-

ronment with other animals and humans.

So, let’s ask ourselves the question: What is an exotic animal and how is it different from keeping a companion animal?

An exotic animal is a wild animal taken out of its natural habitat and bred in captivity. It may be sold as a companion animal, but it can never truly be a companion to a human being.

The Dublin SPCA understands the needs of companion animals and the veterinary care and specific requirements important to their wellbeing.

Suffering

Exotics often suffer immensely because most people don’t have the resources or knowledge to properly meet their requirements.

The exotic pet trade is big business and many

teens buy them as socalled status symbol pets or as novelties.

However, owners must remember exotic animals cannot perform tricks, they ignore their owners and are difficult to care for.

When selecting an exotic, people don’t consider how large they will grow and how long they will live. For example, animals such as macaws and box turtles can even outlive their human owners.

Also, when the novelty of owning an exotic diminishes, the reality of the high-care cost, lack of interaction, increase in responsibility, not to mention size, soon sets in. This leads to the animals being abandoned or surrendered to a welfare shelter such as the Dublin SPCA. If you insist on owning an exotic animal, despite

what I’ve advised, then have a look at my checklist below: • Will the animal create unpleasant smells?

• How long will this animal live?

• How large/long will this animal grow?

• What is the specific diet of this animal?

• How much enjoyment/pleasure will I get from owning this animal?

• What are the environmental requirements of this animal?

• Will this animal be a danger to me and others?

• What are the legal requirements of owning this animal?

• How can I provide specific veterinary care for this animal?

chlamydia, giardia, hepatitis A, rabies, ringworm, tuberculosis and scabies from owning certain exotic animals? And no, I’m not auditioning for Mastermind. I’m trying to inform all you wannabe exotic pet owners that keeping an exotic is bad for your health, not to mention your social life.

Some of the above

are very serious and some may even prove fatal, but one thing’s for sure – they’re all bound to diminish your list of Facebook friends faster than you can say Albino Burmese Python.

For more info log onto www.dspca.ie, consult your vet or email me at miriam.kerins@dspca. ie

And Another Thing…

Did you know you can get such diseases as salmonella, herpes B,

Unfortunately, some exotic pets can also carry exotic diseases, requiring extra attention from owners

25 August 2011 GAZETTE 13

GazetteGAMING GAMING Digging into a world of wonder For example, by attacking a tree with your bare hands, you can break off raw wood.

This wood can then be split to create sticks, or combined to create, say, a rudimentary wooden axe (to chop down trees faster), or a basic pickaxe.

With a pickaxe, the player can then mine some stone from the ground/hills, creating a stronger pickaxe, or mining blocks of stone.

By following this basic pattern of splitting some materials, or combining others, and by experimenting with combinations of raw materials, the player can rapidly create a wide range of tools and objects.

So, whether the player simply wants to build a tiny cottage, or a vast city – and teams of people

This randomly-generated Minecraft world is just waiting for the player to make their mark, whether by planting more trees, digging for treasure, building a canal or even an entire city – whatever the player wants

all over the world have created some truly vast cities and exotic worlds – Minecraft has more than enough scope to do so.

And, considering that the coders say that it’s clever enough for a single Minecraft world to be many times the size of the

surface of the earth, the players need never see, or do, the same thing twice, per “level” or world.

Started as a single programmer’s experimental dabbling with worldbuilding, Minecraft has, in a couple of short years, spiralled into a small

team of coders, programming and modifying this world-building program – it’s debatable if it can even be called a game – that has seen tens of millions of users pay for their own pre-release copy.

With games regularly lambasted as being too

violent, or mindless, repetitive and numbing, it’s a pleasure to highlight one of several titles that celebrates creativity, and one that is as unique as each individual user.

For further details, or to sign up, see www. minecraft.net.

gazette

group All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

.com

WITH a whole world of gaming to dig into, where to begin with a regular column? Well, by looking at a world that’s all about digging. Literally.

Minecraft has taken the widely-used gaming terms “open world” and “sandbox” to create a single genre of its very own on PC (with an IOS version also in the works).

Some clever coding randomly, yet procedurally, generates worlds that are made by uniformlysized squares, each of which has a different texture – such as for grass, earth, sand, etc – along with different physical and, in some cases, physics-related properties.

By wandering around the world like a modernday Robinson Crusoe,

Minecraft continues to create the world you’re wandering in.

Rivers, lakes, forests, seas, lava flows and more form as the player moves, complete with vegetation and wildlife, while day and night cycle through, and the weather changes, depending on whether you’re in a desert, forest or snow area.

And yet, the expansive surface of the world is only part of the Minecraft experience, as the world also generates vast cave and tunnel systems underneath, where coal, iron, gold and diamonds wait to be mined, and then used.

“Minecraft” relates to the way that the world works – by mining (or processing) away, the world is permanently reshaped by your actions.

www.

SHANE DILLON

14 GAZETTE 25 August 2011

GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel Cruising the Arabian Gulf with special travel packages from Thomas Cook Cruises CRUISING the Arabian Gulf is sure to conjure up exotic images in the minds of even the most seasoned of travellers, but a special package from Thomas Cook Cruises this December makes it a very accessible option for the everyday holidaymaker.

On board the distincAl Jahili Fort at sunset tively grand Brilliance of the Seas, the voyage takes in the famous names of this most alluring part of the world, starting in Dubai, moving on to Fujairah followed by two days in Muscat in the Sultan of Oman. Then it’s on to Abu Dhabi and back to Dubai. With endless sunshine and endless pre-Christmas shopping, a visit to the Emirates at this time of year makes for a complete getaway.

The 10-day trip from Thomas Cook Cruises includes flights from Dublin and an overnight stay in 4-star Hilton Hotel in Dubai, as well as port taxes and gratuities on board. For the December 5 departure, prices start from just €1,059 per person.

All Thomas Cook Cruise bookings are fully bonded so money is secured.

To book or to order a brochure call the Thomas Cook Cruise team in Dublin on 0818 200 101, or visit your local travel agent.

Discovering the cultural hotspots of Scotland MIMI MURRAY

STEEPED in history, Scotland is the perfect place for a whistle-stop tour of its many museums, cultural sites and iconic buildings.

We decided to pack our three-day trip with as much culture as possible and made our way from Edinburgh, to Stirling and back to Glasgow, devouring as much as we could.

There are a surprising number of brand new cultural hotspots that have opened or will open in Scotland in the next couple of months and visitors with an interest in arts and culture will be spoilt for choice this year.

We started out in Edinburgh, during the Fringe Festival, so the city was absolutely buzzing with creativity and excitement.

We were treated to a sneak preview of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, which will re-open on November 30, St Andrew’s Day, after a closure of two years. It is being massively upgraded and redevel-

oped in a project that aims to restore and reveal much more of the building than ever before.

The gallery will be able to show many more works of art, introducing a new, regularly changing display programme. The many iconic figures on show include Mary, Queen of Scots, William Wallace and Sean Connery.

Later that day, we stopped into the National Museum, which has undergone a multimillion pound refurbishment.

This is an awesome building, which is a perennial site to visit for locals and will be jaw-dropping for visitors.

This massively popular museum has reopened after a £46 million refurbishment with a new layout. This will enable much greater access to the collections, an improved visitor experience, as well as a greater appreciation of the iconic Victorian building.

An exciting display for kids are the flying animals and mammals. Other

An exciting display of flying animals and mammals in the National Museum of Scotland. Picture: Rob McDougall

highlights include Egyptian mummies, precious rocks and stones, as well as a mishmash of truly interesting artefacts that, in some way, connect to Scotland and its rich history.

The following day we made our way to Stirling.

It has just been given city status and the old town, which is on a steep drive to the castle, is extremely pretty.

The castle is very striking and majestic and locals say that if you held on to Stirling, you held on to Scotland. From the castle walls, you can see the iconic bridge where William Wallace launched his famous battle against the English and, even though the Scottish were outnumbered, they routed the English.

Mary, Queen of Scots, was born in the palace, which has been brought back to its former glory and re-enactments take place in the castle throughout the day. Our friendly guide told us that, in the morning, the staff regularly find an indentation on the bed in which Mary’s mother, Mary of Guise, would sleep. Every castle needs a ghost and this one sounds benevolent!

The £12 million project has returned the six ground-floor apartments in the castle’s Renaissance palace to how they may have looked in the mid16th century. The work has already uncovered fascinating historical finds and insights into this peri-

The spectacular Riverside

od of history, including the remains of what may have been a 15th-century knight killed in battle and buried beneath the floor of a previously unknown royal chapel.

Next it was on to Glasgow and the spectacular Riverside Museum, which was designed by star architect, Zaha Hadid.

This was her first major public commission in the UK and the characteristically bold, flowing shapes of the building are already winning fans. It houses the Transport Museum, which really is one of the most interesting and wellthought-out exhibitions I have ever been to.

Some nice places to eat in Edinburgh include Lancers Brasserie in the more upmarket area of Stockbridge. Di Maggio’s is great for families in both Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Stravaigans in Glasgow’s West End is great for brunch and the Ubiqitous Chip is definitely worth a look. We flew to Scotland with Aer Lingus, which operates several flights to and from Edinburgh and Glasgow each day.

For more information, go to www.visitscotland. com/surprise.

25 August 2011 GAZETTE 15

Edited by Mimi Murray

WeddingTravel Helping remove the hassle of planning a wedding abroad

National Museum of Scotland. Picture: National Museums Scotland

Museum, designed by architect, Zaha Hadi. Picture: Rob McDougall

National Portrait Gallery. Picture: National Museums Scotland

WHETHER you wish to marry in the beautiful Old Town of Dubrovnik, or at one of Cyprus’s romantic beachfront locations, Concorde Travel can offer assistance with arrangements and remove the hassle from the most important day in a couple’s lives.

The new Concorde Wedding brochure includes the ever popular destinations of Cyprus, Croatia, Montenegro and Malta and the new exciting wedding option of the Algarve in Portugal. Understanding that every wedding is unique and that organising a wedding abroad can be time consuming and demanding, Concorde Travel aim to offer a personalised service that is focused on making your day unforgettable and stress free.

The typical starting price for a wedding package abroad is €4,000 and includes wedding fees, travel and hotel for bride and groom, catering for 30 guests, photography, music, flowers, bridal hair and make-up. Visit www. concordetravel.ie to inquire or book your wedding with Concorde Travel today.

16 SWORDS GAZETTE 25 August 2011

GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT 1

GoingOUT GoingOUT PAVILION THEATRE 01 231 2929 Treasure Island BALLET Ireland’s annual summer school sets sail for the Pavilion Theatre with a twist on the classic tale of Treasure Island, which is being presented by the participants of the summer school.

Four highly-skilled dancers from Ballet Ireland’s core company are leading the participants, preparing and training everyone for the grand finale. Running this week, and concluding on Friday, August 26, the final show promises to be a wonderful treat for all ballet and dance fans. For full details, see www.paviliontheatre.ie

THE HELIX 01 700 7000 Summer Films AS PART of its summer season of family films, The Helix still has a number of favourites for all to enjoy. Running at 2pm, and priced €6, €4 conc, or €20 season ticket (phone booking only), Fantastic Mr Fox plays on Saturday, August 27; and Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory on September 3, with both films promising to bring a great conclusion to the enjoyable season.

THE MILL 01 296 9340 Mountains to the Sea DLR Book Festival 2011 ALREADY proving to be one to watch out for, The Mill is gearing itself up for the upcoming Mountains to the Sea DLR Book Festival 2011, which will take place at the popular Dundrum venue on Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8, and will see authors such as Roddy Doyle taking part. For full details of the festival’s events, see www.milltheatre.ie.

Jim Sturgess and Anne Hathaway cross paths, again and again and again in One Day, just one of a number of new films on current release

A mixed bag of films Still in the lull of late summer, there’s a variety of passable films out there, yet nothing especially eye-catching, says Kate KATE CROWLEY

IT OCCURS to me that, now that the school holidays are finally ending, and with colleges also soon to resume, we grown-ups will finally have a bit more peace and quiet at cinemas, once the bloomin’ kids are packed off to one educational institution or another.

So, as much as I’ll miss darling Crowleyetta once her studies resume, I’d like to flag up a whole range of films that a postsummer audience may wish to avail of – or to avoid, in some cases.

And, if any of your childer are still enjoying time off – or, indeed, if you’re one of our lovely young readers with an interest in cinema – there are a couple of films here which they may be interested in ...

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (PG, 89mins, ) is one that only the least demanding of chil-

FILMS OF THE WEEK: Various to (PG to 16) Directors: Various Starring: Spying children, an inventive Death, a Lovely Girl, one vengeful barbarian and lots of tuneful young people

OUR VERDICT: WHILE Cowboys and Aliens has been chasing, roping and then beaming up plenty of audiences at the Box Office recently, several other films have also charged onto the screen, with Kate warning that some are particularly avoidable, while the rest are merely passable. Still, she says: “It’s the summer season, so what else can we expect at the cinema?” Quite.

dren could warm to, as the long-running series gets reheated for, what, its 5th film? The 17th?

Cinemagoers can surely spy better family- and child-friendly films than this tired addition, which is full of clumsy editing, shoddy effects, noise and confusion. Spy Kids – it’s time to retire.

Moving on from children to teens and young adults, and Final Destination 5 (16, 92mins, ) is another franchise sequel.

Once again, some lucky youngsters somehow miss an accident

that was supposed to kill them – only to then find that Death has inventive ways of finishing them off, one by one, in unlikely scenarios.

Admittedly, this sounds like a carbon copy of the four prequels, but – sssh – that doesn’t seem to bother fans, directors, or the studios that keep bankrolling the sequels.

So, for those looking to see annoying characters struck by debris from an airplane, this is the film for you.

One day, we’ll be free of such cozily formulaic films – and, speaking of

cozily formulaic, here’s One Day (12A, 107mins, ), the latest Anne Hathaway rom-com vehicle attempting to persuade audiences to hand her the Lovely Girl crown.

Time and again, regular gal Hathaway crosses paths with posho Jim Sturgess on the same day, year in, year out, until they gradually come to realise that perhaps sweet, sweet love is why they keep meeting. Awww.

I expect this film to do marvellously, though I suspect that it’s a film that Mr Crowley, and his ilk, would have to be forced at gunpoint to attend.

He’d probably say much the same in reverse about Conan The Barbarian (15A, 112mins, ), which is continuing Hollywoods’ interest in rebooting old franchises or individual films.

Best summarised as “Single barbarian, seeks vengeance”, Conan wan-

ders through typically brutal fantasy lands, battling henchmen, monsters, a sorceress and Ron Perlman.

I can’t dislike anything with Ron Perlman as much as I should, so I’ll let this Barbarian pass.

Finally, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie (PG, 84mins, ) is one of those films that is practically review-proof, and review-redundant, as, much like a banana, everyone knows what Glee is, and what to expect.

As such, the hit TV show takes a turn on the big screen, with its stars delivering a concert experience that fans will doubtless love and enjoy, but not quite certain cinema reviewers.

And there you have it – a mixed bag of not especially tempting offerings, but not to worry, as once the school holidays are behind us, we can always bank on more interesting films being released.

25 August252011 August SWORDS 2011 GAZETTE 17

COLLEGEOPTIONS OPTIONS

Exploring THIRD-LEVEL education

| HIGHER EDUCATION |

New life begins for students Q DAWN LOVE

IT’S been a tough year for thousands of second level students in the Greater Dublin area.

Firstly, there was the build-up to the Leaving Cert, then the stress that comes from actually sitting it and then the weeks that follow, waiting anxiously for results.

T his week, in our s e ve n - p a g e C o l l e g e Options guide, we feature some of Dublin’s top colleges, including Maynooth University, Senior College in Dun Laoghaire, IT Blanch and St Laurence’s College.

Gazette reporter Hiromi Mooney recalls

LOCAL

MATTERS SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESS Access to higher education means a level playing field for students as they consider their options

her daunting first days at university, and some of our best-known TDs talk about their college years.

While many students will have obtained the

results they wanted, some will have missed out on their chosen courses and degrees.

This week, we speak to the President of USI, Gary Redmond, about

his top tips and advice if you didn’t get the points and the course you had hoped for.

He also gives some sterling advice on how to get through the first

few weeks of student life.

And, whatever course you decide on over the coming weeks, we wish all our students the very best of luck.

ADVERTISE WITH THE GAZETTE CALL 60 10 240

18 GAZETTE 25 August 2011

COLLEGEOPTIONS OPTIONS AIB launch a new student website AIB have announced they are launching a dedicated student website, www. stuff4students.ie, which will be offering exclusive discounts and offers for students, not only in first year but in all years in college.

The site will also contain information on managing finances for students.

One of the key components of AIB’s 2011 Student communication campaign is the ongoing dialogue with students through www.stuff4students.ie.

Some of the key features of the site will be the budgeting tool, weekly/ monthly competitions, relevant articles with advice and blogs on surviving your college years.

Exploring third-level education

| WHAT NEXT? |

Dun Laoghaire centre is the place for answers

Solid choices: Good advice from DIT SIOBHAN O’Donnell, a furniture design graduate at DIT, is just one

of the many graduates from the college pushing the envelope of their careers after attending the institution.

Students have never had such a range of CAO options to choose from, or so much advice from every quarter, and Head of Admissions in DIT, Frank Costello, said: “Before accepting an offer, be sure that you know what’s involved in the programme and that you are enthusiastic about undertaking it – after that, start looking forward to your college career!”

STUDENTS who have recently received their L e av i n g C e r t i f i c a t e results and are asking, “What’s next?”, can find answers galore in a new publication from Dun Laoghaire Youth Information Centre called What’s Next?

It provides information about the types of grants available, a list of colleges and courses, and where to repeat your Leaving Certificate.

The guide also contains information for former students who want to get a job instead of going to college, or who want to take a gap year, which can provide a breathing space or time

out from the pressures of studying.

The free publication explores all these options, and is available from the Youth Centre on Library

They have also produced information leaflets on student finance, accommodation and evening classes, as well as student guides to the

-------------------------------------------------------

‘The Centre is holding an exhibition on What’s Next? throughout the months of August and September’ --------------------------------------------------------

Road, beside Playcentre, in Dun Laoghaire .

Dun Laoghaire Youth Information Centre is also holding an exhibition on What’s Next? throughout the months of August and September in the Youth Information Centre.

Dun Laoghaire area.

For more information, contact the centre at info@youthquest.ie, or call them on 280 9363.

The centre is open every weekday, and the staff will be happy to help with any query you may have.

WE HAVE 146,000* READERS EACH WEEK *based on standard industry measurements

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO OUR READERS CALL 60 10 240

25 August 2011 GAZETTE 19

Essential reading for Leaving Cert students

Homeopathy workshop

| VIEW FROM THE USI PRESIDENT |

Next steps for college success Q GARY REDMOND

ALTHOUGH it has only been a matter of weeks, secondary school, and the stressful ordeal of the Leaving Certificate, must seem like a very distant memory.

The unbearable anticipation and long wait for the results has finally ended. In recent days, you’ve probably either been online or opened that all-important CAO letter. This represents a new chapter in your life.

So, what should your next step be?

If you’ve secured your place in college, the next

thing you must do is check if you qualify for a maintenance grant. All the information you need, including the application form, can be found on www.studentfinance.ie.

On this website, you will also find other helpful information on scholarships, bursaries and other financial assistance that may be available.

If you qualify for a grant, either download the form or complete it online, enlisting the help of your parents if necessary. Get your application in as soon as possible, so that you will receive your grant payment in good

time. The earlier you return the form, the more likely you are to receive your first grant payment close to the start of the college term.

Last year, due to a number of factors, many students didn’t receive their first grant payment until after Christmas and, in some cases, as late as March or even April.

If, on the other hand, you didn’t get what you expected either in your Leaving Cert results or in the CAO – don’t panic.

If you didn’t get your top choice on the CAO consider accepting a lower choice if it was

Gary Redmond is the president of the Union of Students Ireland

offered as you may still get offered a higher choice in the following rounds.

On the other hand, there are many PLC courses that will allow you entry into to college next year, and repeating the Leaving Cert is always another option.

The good news is that there are many differ-

ent options out there, so take the next few days to relax, think things over and seek advice from your career guidance teacher.

The key to college life is that you will reap what you sow, so get involved as much as possible: take up a new sport, join some college societies and try something that you’ve

never done before. Your student years will probably be the best years of your life - expect action, fun, but also stress!

And, through it all, bear in mind that you can drop into your students’ union at anytime and they’ll be happy to help keep the experience as memorable as possible.

Best of luck!

THE Irish School of Homeopathy will be running a Get Started in Homeopathy workshop at Milltown College in Ranelagh on September 4.

T h e wo r k s h o p i s designed for those who would like to use homeopathy at home for themselves and their families.

During the workshop, participants will be taught how to prescribe for common acute complaints (sudden and short-term conditions) such as coughs, colds, flu, and first-aid remedies. Also covered are children’s remedies for teething, stomach bugs and exam nerves.

For further information, contact Angie Murphy, Irish School of Homeopathy, on 01-8682581, or email info@ish.ie

20 GAZETTE 25 August 2011

COLLEGEOPTIONS OPTIONS Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge offered THE popular Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge programme at NUI Maynooth resumes this autumn.

Students of the course can expect to vastly improve their level of Irish through discussion and debate in classes, attendance at lectures on various aspects of Irish language and culture and a weekend in the Kerry Gaeltacht.

This course is suitable for people who already have reasonable competence in the language.

For those who may not be ready for this year’s enrolment, the Language Centre’s Teastas Eorpach na

Gaeilge (TEG) learning system will bring prospective Dioplóma students up to the required standard.

Assessment

TEG is a system of Irish language learning and assessment at five levels, from beginners to advanced.

This year, TEG Level B2 was given official recognition by the Department of Education and Skills as meeting the Irish language requirement for the colleges of primary education.

For further information, see www.nuim. ie/language or www. teg.ie.

Exploring third-level education

| ASHFIELD COLLEGE OPENS ITS DOORS |

Students welcomed THIS September, Ashfield College will open its doors to a new cohor t of fif th year, sixth year and repeat Leaving Certificate students from Lucan.

Not only will there be a new intake of students, there are other new faces at the college - and some less new than others.

With maximum class sizes of 25 students, Ashfield College, Templeogue, is building on its longstanding reputation for offering students the very best tuition in a friendly, and student-focused environment, with the return of the school’s founder, Joe Griffin, a familiar name throughout the local community.

Ashfield College has a fine track record of academic success

Griffin has 40 years experience as an educationalist and has been a mentor to thousands of students in their studies. From the beginning, Joe Griffin has put a focus on small class-sizes and individual student attention from top-class

teachers. Griffin says he is delighted to return for the 2011/2012 academic year.

“A s h f i e l d C o l l e g e has traditionally been a popular choice for Leaving Certificate students from Lucan,” said Griffin. “Since the school’s

foundation over 30 years ago I have had the privilege of seeing so many students from all over Ireland reach their potential under the guidance of some of the finest teachers in the country.

“It is an honour to witness a new beginning

for such a wonderful resource. I believe that now, more than ever, Ashfield College is the logical choice for ambitious Leaving Certificate students.”

Students will also be able to avail of comprehensive study notes covering the entire syllabus, which are provided on the first day of term, as well as video classes and class notes available online through Ashfield Online, the school’s e-learning portal.

Philip Burke, the new chief executive, who was a student of the school from 1990-1991, says that the community atmosphere he experienced during his Leaving Certificate year is integral to the school’s teaching ethos and success.

“When I prepared for my Leaving Certificate in Ashfield College in the early 1990s every teacher knew every student by name, and everyone was on first-name terms,” explains Burke. “The key to the school’s success is in its philosophy of individual attention. Every student is an individual, with their own specific requirements.

Potential

“Every teacher is a gifted communicator who is expert at helping students maximise their potential for exam success. It really is a community and that makes all the difference at such an important and often stressful time in young people’s lives.”

Founded in 1977, the school is situated on acres of landscaped gardens in a peaceful south Dublin location, away from the distractions of the city centre but easily accessible by public transport. It has been fully refurbished with state-of-the-art facilities, including specialised teaching rooms for all 21 subjects offered.

25 August 2011 GAZETTE 21

Essential reading for Leaving Cert students

Respond to UCD’s housing studies course Q news@gazettegroup.com

THE Respond! Housing Association, in partnership with University College Dublin (UCD). is set to offer mature students the opportunuty to study for a Bachelor of Social Studies in Housing & Community Studies (BSS), a parttime four-year degree.

The course is designed

for adult learners, who wish to return to education while maintaining a positive work life balance.

The Respond! offering is the only degree of its kind in Ireland.

T he BSS employs a multi-disciplinar y approach in its analysis of housing, community development, social policy and aspects of

management.

The degree is accredited by University College Dublin (UCD) and students gain professional membership of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), with access to work placements throughout the degree.

Lectures are delivered two days each month in Dublin at the Respond!

campus in Drumcondra, or the UCD campus in Belfield.

Tutorials are held in various venues in order to accommodate students.

Further information about the course can be obtained by visiting w w w.respond.ie, by contacting 0818 357901 or emailing bsscourse@ respond.ie.

A wide range of information technology courses are on offer at Dorset College

| CAREER OPPORTUNITIES |

Consider a future at Dorset College IN THESE challenging times, students need to consider things beyond the score of their immediate preferences when considering what courses to do in college.

Dorset College is striking out to meet the needs of students and future employers in its offerings, and the courses reflect the current requirements of the workplace and provide excellent prospects and career development opportunities.

In the information technology space, Dorset College is offering courses to enhance career opportunities, and meet the needs of the shortage of

personnel in the expanding Information Technology sector, from Beginner to Advanced level.

Options

With the likes of courses in Computer S y s t e m s E n g i n e e ring, Cloud Technology Professional, Oracle Java Programmer, Oracle Database Associate Administration, or taking the CompTIA A, +CISCO CCNA or Microsoft Server Administrator courses, there is a wide range of options for students.

Students also need to consider and ensure that they get the right quali-

fications to commence their career paths with security, financial rewards and mobility.

The full-time HETAC Higher Certificate in Business Level 6 will provide students with a strong foundation in a range of specialised business areas such as Business Management and Organisation, Information Technology, Finance and Law. The FETAC Nursing Studies, FETAC Social Studies and the Multimedia Production Courses provide an opportunity to acquire new skills, competencies and knowledge leading to a career path in

that field.

As an alternative to repeating the Leaving Certificate, these courses provide direct entry to third level Certificate and Degree programmes in the Institutes of Technology and Universities in Ireland.

The college’s suite of full-time programmes also includes the ACCA Diploma in Accounting & Business, ACCA Qualification, and Computer System Engineer (CompTIA A+ & CISCO–CCNA).

For further details, contact Dorset College at 01 830 9677 or log on to www.dorset-college.ie

www.gazette group.com All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away

22 GAZETTE 25 August 2011

COLLEGEOPTIONS OPTIONS

Minister for Children Where did you go to school?

I went to the Dominican Convent, Sion Hill in Blackrock Where did you go to college?

I did a Degree in Social Sciences, in UCD. A few years after that I did a Masters in the London School of Economics in Social Work and Social Administration.

Your first job after college?

After UCD, I worked in a small children’s hospital called St Ultan’s which has since closed. While there I worked with disadvantaged families whose children were being treated in the hospital. After that, I went on to do my Masters and to get Certified as a Social Worker.

Developing the skills for life LAST month saw the third set of Leaving Certificate students attend The Homework Club, and the club’s founder, Dr Naoise O’Reilly, is starting to see a pattern developing in the approach needed, to not only survive the trials of the exams, but succeed in your dreams.

“We feel everyone is not only good at something, but can use this experience to do anything,” said Naoise. “We try to develop the skills for life.”

The Homework Club, based in Main Street, Blanchardstown, takes a

more holistic approach to study.

“Before starting with each student, together we assess their strengths, aptitudes and potential to guide the students towards an achievable goal, one they desire and enjoy.

“We don’t believe in cram-learning and unnecessary stress,” says Naoise.

“The best analogy I can give you is making an omelette. If you wanted to make an omelette you wouldn’t worry about what goes in to it, you just simply open the fridge and see what’s to hand.

We never worry about learning off cookbooks.

For everyday meals we simply know from experience what works and may just check a few details like the temperature and cooking time.

“Study is exactly the same, regardless of the subject. If you understand it, and can relate to the material in a way, there is no need to learn off endless information.

You simply need to develop your own skills to remember the important details, like the cooking time! The rest will come naturally.

“Similarly, in this cur-

The Homework Club aim to deliver skills for all students’ working lives

rent climate it’s possible that you will get slightly challenging exam papers in June. This has happened for a number of years now, and seems to coincide with the increased pressure in the education system. We try to develop coping strategies in our students so they can survive in these situations. To go back to

our omelette analogy, you should find yourself in a position in the exams to simply open the fridge in your mind and pull out whatever ingredients you need.

“Being able to stay calm and focused, work your way out of the situation and relate what you do know to the questions you are being asked.

These are not only skills for the Leaving Certificate but for life after.

“We have seen almost all of our students thrive in the last three years with this very simple outlook.”

For more details on The Homework Club, contact Naoise at 085 1129660, or visit their website at www.homeworkclub.ie

gazette

photos

.com

Frances Fitzgerald TD

| THE HOMEWORK CLUB |

www.

Q&A

Exploring THIRD-LEVEL education

Joan Burton TD Minister for Social Protection Where did you go to college?

I went to UCD on a scholarship What did you study?

Bachelor of Commerce and then Chartered Accountancy.

What was your first job after leaving college?

Trainee Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse What advice would you give students heading to college for the first time this year?

Enjoy every moment and work hard!

Seen yourself in the Gazette?

All our galleries are now online for you to buy

Buy photos online now!

From only

€6.99

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 23

Essential reading for Leaving Cert students

| COLLEGE LIFE |

Facing your first year Gazette Reporter, Hiromi Mooney, recalls her first few days at University RIGHT, now that you’ve got your Leaving Cert and have gone through the CAO process, it’s now time to face your first year in college. Yes, it’s a big step – new surroundings, new people, and sometimes a new home.

I began my life in college two years ago. Of course, there are both advantages and disadvantages to whether you commute or live on campus. I chose to stay at home and commute by two buses – two hours each way. It was tiring and took a lot out of my day, but it was cheap and the journey was made shorter when I had an iPod – when the battery hadn’t died.

I went to college on my first day on my own and I knew nobody. A few people in my class knew each other or were from the same area, so they established their cliques very quickly, and I was completely out of my comfort zone.

It was very nervewracking. But the more I got talking to people, I realised that a lot of them were just like me – scared, feeling lost and wanting to make friends. And we did.

I then discovered that college life makes you completely responsible for everything you do.

You now have no teacher chasing you for your homework, or have your parents nagging you to study for your tests.

On your own

You are now in charge of making it to those 9am lectures, meeting deadlines, making your own notes and study plan, and, if you’re living alone for the first time, you have to start cooking your own dinners and doing your own washing.

But this gives you great independence and freedom. Plus, there’s a great social life in college.

When you hear college

Gazette reporter, Hiromi Mooney

people say “join clubs and societies,” take their advice on board. They can help you make new friends outside of your classes in college, take up a new hobby and learn some new skills – whether it’s dancing, juggling,

radio or surfing. Get involved and try something new.

Now I’m starting my final year in college and, looking back, I have achieved so much in the past two years. I have made a new circle of

friends, I’ve been able to balance the time between projects, social life, work and all that.

So, what’s my advice?

Embrace college life with open arms, enjoy every moment and make the most of it. Good luck!

24 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs TOYOTA TOPS US BRAND SATISFACTION INDEX: GENERAL Motors’ Cadillac brand and Toyota’s Lexus range topped the recent American Customer Satisfaction Index’s annual ranking of car companies. Toyota was the only nonpremium brand in the top five, tying with Cadillac and Lexus with 87 points on a scale of 100, followed

by Lincoln and Mercedes-Benz with 86.

BMW was in 11th place receiving 83 points, dropping three points to its lowest mark since an 80-point ranking in 1997. Volkswagen’s ranking showed the largest percentage increase, while the Ford brand also rose.

Among the seven Asian brands in the index, all but Mazda recorded an increase.

Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan all recorded increased rankings.

Toyota’s new Verso S is a practical and easy-to-drive mini MPV. The car has a petrol engine-only option that’s a big sluggish on the road, but the entry price is competitive at €16,995 for the basic version that has all of the safety features.

The practical Verso S If you are thinking of downsizing your motoring then the new Toyota Verso S may well be a car worth giving more attention to, as MICHAEL MORONEY reports following his recent test drive OYO TA’ S n e w Verso S was a car that I quickly got comfortable with.

I mean that, once behind the wheel, it was easy to drive and all of the controls were logically and conveniently placed. That gave me an instant good feeling about the car.

I found that I got used to this car easily and it was comfortable to drive.

The high seating position gives great visibility for everybody on board.

This new Verso neatly fills a gap in the Toyota range left after the small Yaris Verso of the past.

The new car is slightly bigger, more modern looking and uses a newer petrol engine.

T

SPECS: TOYOTA VERSO S 1.33 Top speed: 170 km/hr 0 – 100km/hr: 13.3 sec Economy: 18.1 km/litre (5.5l/100km) CO2 emissions: 127g/km Road Tax Band: B (€156) Euro NCAP Rating: 5 Star (2011) Warranty: 3 years or 100,000km Entry Price: €16,995

Toyota offers only one engine option for the new Verso S. This is petrolfuelled, which is a bit surprising as over 70% of all new cars sold are now diesel-powered. Toyota has some good diesel engines in its line-up, but not for the Verso S. The engine is a

1.33-litre, four-cylinder unit – it’s reasonably smooth and quiet in operation. It is rated at 99bhp and, like many petrol engines, needs to rev to 4,000 rpm to get the maximum torque.

When that is linked with a six-speed gearbox the car should be lively and thrifty. My test drive found the car not as lively as I had expected. The engine needed to go to 3,000rpm, even in sixth gear, to reach 120km/hr on the motorway, and that meant that it was not as thrifty as I had expected.

Relative to the competition, the acceleration performance at 13.3 seconds for a 0 to 100km/

hr race is reasonable. I found it somewhat sluggish from behind the wheel.

My test run of about 580km used a full 42-litre tank of fuel. That meant that I achieved about 20% less than the rated economy level of 18km/ litre (51mpg). That bit disappointed me because, if I had achieved the rated performance, the car could have driven on for over 200km more!

Some of that difference may be due to my driving style and the varied road conditions. Despite all of those variables, I was less impressed with its economy figures.

The CO2 rating at 127g/km puts the car

into Band B for road tax purposes and that means an annual road tax rate of just €156. Again, that’s as good as it gets for a small petrol-engine car.

Relative to the competition, which includes the Honda Jazz, Hyundai ix20, Opel Meriva and Nissan Note, the Verso S was the class leader in economy terms.

Everything else about the car impressed me. The second-level specification Luna version, which I drove, included the new Toyota, 6.1 inch, full colour, touch screen system called Toyota Touch. This provides drives with a comprehensive multimedia interface. It incorporates an AM/FM radio,

a CD/MP3 player, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity, a USB port for the connection of portable music players, a trip information screen and a rear view camera.

The Verso S has a comprehensive safety package on board. The car has seven airbags, driver and front passenger airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front side airbags and full-length side curtain shield airbags.

The Verso S comes with a three-year warranty and a service interval of 20,000km or 12 months. Those features will ensure low running costs, as servicing this petrol car should not cost more than €150.

Volkswagen is the new partner to Irish Rugby Team VO L K S WAG E N I r e l a n d h a s announced that it will be the official motor partner of the Irish Rugby football Union (IRFU) until 2016. This partnership complements Volkswagen’s existing relationship with Leinster

Rugby. The partnership also includes supporting the IRFU tag rugby programme, alongside Volkswagen’s Leinster rugby summer camps.

As rugby reaches fever pitch in September, Volkswagen will host a series

of Breakfast Roadshows prior to the games within various Volkswagen retailers across the country. These events will give Volkswagen customers the chance to watch the games with selected rugby heroes. The Breakfast

Roadshow will also include a competition, where Volkswagen customers will be in with the chance to bring five friends to an upcoming match involving one of Volkswagen’s brand ambassadors.

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 25

GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS Interview: Stephen Morrissey of Bathrooms Complete

Making bathroom dreams a reality STEPHEN Morrissey runs Bathrooms Complete, located in Blackrock village. It is a successful, familyowned business that has established a reputation for quality and excellence over the last 30 years.

Stephen saw that home improvement jobs can be a daunting prospect for most people, particularly when there are numerous trades involved.

That is where his experience enables him to find the right design and solution for bathroom designs.

A bathroom renovation by Stephen and his team always starts with the removal of the old bathroom and the preparation of the room with the highest standard of workmanship, seeing the job right through to the end with the minimum of disruption.

The average bathroom is fully renovated within five days, and, once it is complete, the client can relax with the peace of mind that Stephen’s commitment to quality materials and workmanship carries a Bathrooms Complete five-year guarantee.

Stephen’s showroom is open to customers, and he offers the latest designs in high-quality sanitary ware, shower enclosures, bathroom furniture, accessories, tiles and wood floors from leading European brands such as Grohe, Roca, Heritage, Jacuzzi, Merlyn, Dansani, Sonia and Boen wood floors.

Stephen’s technical consultants will call to a client’s home to carry out a free survey and help design a dream bathroom.

For full details, visit their web site at www.bathroomscomplete.ie or call them on 01-2832244.

Q: What was your first job?

A: Picking strawberries Q: And your first pay cheque?

A: 5p a punnet Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed?

A: Yes, picking strawberries Q: When did you start your present job?

A: 20 years ago Q: What is the best thing about your job?

A: Receiving compliments about our workmanship and finished product

Q: Have you achieved anything that you once thought you could not pull off?

A: Yes, getting my wife to marry me Q: What part of your working day do you ‘delegate’?

A: As much as possible Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be?

A: Stuff that I forgot to delegate

KEEPING DOWN THE TAX BILL ON A RENTED PROPERTY Q – I bought a house a few years back but moved away with work. I’m now renting out the house. I was told that I can deduct a certain percentage of the contents insurance value as an expense, thereby saving on my tax bill. Is this true? Stephen - Killester A - Yes, you can offset the purchase of your contents for your rented property as an allowable expense.

This does, however, also open a can of worms because, once you rent your residential property, you MUST make returns to the revenue each year by October 31 whether you are making profits or not.

There are a number of requirements, most of which can be offset against your Rental Income Tax Liability (RITL) including: • Registering your property with the Private Tenancies Registration Board (PRTB - costs €90 for the tenancy and must be registered within 31 days or the fee doubles to €180.

Multiple tenancies in one property costs €375) • Non Principal Private Residence Tax (NPPR - you pay €200 annually for every residential property that is NOT your home)

Stephen Morrissey, of family-owned Bathrooms Complete

Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

A: I wanted to be a binman when I was 4

ANSWERS TO YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE QUESTIONS

Q: Is there anything about yourself that you would like to set the record straight on?

A: No. It’s all true Q: What sport do you follow?

A: Golf

Q: What was your last tweet/facebook status?

A: Don’t have time for either Q: Describe your dream meal?

A: I’m very fond of a good Irish steak

Q: What sport can you play?

A: Golf

Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna?

A: I’d prefer to eat alone

Q: What habits would you like to change?

A: Missing three-foot putts

Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously?

A: What money?

Q: At the moment, what are you looking forward to?

A: The weekend and spending time with

Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A: I have a few

my family

Q: What is your guilty music, TV or movie pleasure?

A: The music of REM Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward?

A: David Norris Q: What music do you have on your iPod/iPad? A: Rolling Stones, REM, True Gritt Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook?

A: No one

Q: What was your worst holiday experience?

A: Christmas day in Lanzarote with my family in the hospital with a tummy bug

Q: Describe your dream holiday?

A: Driving a camper van across Australia

• Mortgage interest - you can claim 75% of the interest against your RITL • Maintenance - any expenses incurred in the upkeep of your property, eg changing the boiler, new taps, broken glass etc • Service charges - this generally incorporates buildings insurance for apartments and landscaping, et al • Buildings insurance - if it is not an apartment and stand-alone house insurance • Furnishings - you can offset the cost of your furniture, fixtures and fittings by 12.5% (or 1/8th) each year for eight years (keep the receipts) • Management charges - you may employ someone to look after your property. They may charge between 9% and 12% of the annual rent each year – this can be offset against your RITL.

with my family

Q: What would be your dream job?

A: Professional golfer Q: What do you plan to do when you retire?

A: That’s so far in the future I haven’t even thought about it

Contact John with your money questions at jlowe@moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor

GAZETTE

26 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

BLANCHclassifieds

To advertise, call us now on 01 60 10 240 Email us at sales@gazettegroup.com

BLINDS

BATHROOMS

WE HAVE 146,000* READERS EACH WEEK

GARDENING

*based on standard industry measurements

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS TO OUR READERS CALL

HIRE SERVICES

60 10 240 CLASSES

BUILDING BRICK, BLOCK AND STONEWORK 20 years experience ,living locally. Garden walls, sheds, brick piers, patio and paving. Decorative internal brick work, Plastering Insurance quotes. Call Dave anytime 0872917647

PET SERVICES PET MINDERS Safe, Cosy, Pet Boarding.

5 minutes from Castleknock, Blanchardstown, Lucan.

Call now for early booking.

Call 086 8126387/01 8223690. Reasonable rates.

DOG TRAINING AND KENNELING Residential training in obedience and behavior problems for all breeds ie pulling on lead, housetraining, aggression, recall, chewing, jumping up etc., also personal protection training. Over 20 years experience having trained in the UK, USA & Germany. Qualified master dog trainer, veterinarian & dog shelter recommended.

Highly trained security dogs for sale. References available,watch our dogs in action and read our many references at www.topdogtraining.com or phone 087 0514467

DIVORCE SERVICES

HANDYMAN

RECRUITMENT

DIVORCE BY CONSENT Separated 4 years ? Agree on all matters ? We will draft and process your divorce documents for Court. From as little as €600 per couple.

Separation Agreements fixed fee €500 per couple.

Contact: Damien Mara at 086-1211820 Email: damienmara@eircom.net Website: www. divorcebyconsent.com

MAINTENANCE From a leaking tap to a dream bathroom, We carry out all aspects of household maintenance inside and out, no jobs too small. Fully insured and registered with 35 years experience.

For more information, call Joe: 086 8256004.

SALES ADVISERS required to sign up Electricity and Gas customers to discounted rates. No exp necessary, full training provided. OTE €500/Week. john@billsave.ie or call 016619505

DVD SERVICES DVD TRANSFERS Cinefilms,Photos and Slides transferred to DVD with Music and Titles added.

Camcorder and Videotapes edited and transferred to DVD. Phone 01-2807838 Mobile 087-9132265

PAINTERS POLISH PROFESSIONAL PAINTING AND DECORATING Best quality.

Free Quotations. No job too small. Very reasonable prices. References available on WWW.MARKCOMPANY. IE find us on FACEBOOK Please phone Mark on 0879442445

ANN SUMMERS RECRUITMENT EVENING Want to earn €4,300 in the next 3 months? Join me at the Ann Summers recruitment evening on August 31st at 7pm in the Ardmore Hotel Finglas.

Interested in booking a party? Contact Sandra on 083 4093964 & receive your free party bookers goody bag.

SEWING CLASSES/ CURTAIN MAKING Beginners and Improvers 6 week Sewing Classes on Dress Making and Curtain and Roman Blind Making Starting Mid-September.

Half Day workshops also resuming in October. Book your course on www. sewgreat.ie, or call 01 822 7650. Curtain and Roman Blind making service at competitive prices. We reline and re-pleat all curtains; full selection of poles and rails available.

TILING A1 TILES AND BATHROOMS Complete Bathroom Refits from Design to Installation All Tiling work carried out: Walls, Floors, Kitchens, Halls, Bathrooms etc., supply & Fit Family Run Business over 30 years experience. All Work Guaranteed. Phone 086 8256003.

PLANNING NOTICE FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL Kieran O’Neill (Secretary) Castleknock Community Centre Association apply for Variation to existing conditions of the All Weather Pitch facility, Castleknock Rise, Dublin 15, to permission F02A/0007 for all-weather facility by extending hours of operation to new time, 7am until 10pm. Scoil Thomas NS will continue to retain preferential access but variation to make facility available to other users during school hours. Application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the offices of the Planning Authority during its public opening hours and a submission or observation may be made to the Planning Authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.

13366

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 27

GazetteSPORT

LONDON IN FOCUS: Exclusive interview with David Gillick on his 2012 hopes: Page 29

GAA: ETIHAD EXPAND BEST CLUB CONTEST TO AUSTRALIA FOR MATCH OF A LIFETIME

Fancy a trip Down Under to represent GAA? sport@gazettegroup.com

ETIHAD Airways, the UAE’s national airline and sponsor of the GAA Hu r l i n g A l l - I r e l a n d Senior Championship, is looking to send one club to Australia to play the challenge match of a lifetime.

Etihad is asking clubs around the countr y to tell them what their greatest achievement is.

Achievement comes

in many forms, not just silverware. Etihad wants to reward one special club for their greatest achievement; whether that is being the focal point of their community, or managing to keep the club going against the odds or even growing their club in recent times.

The winning club will get its first team flown all the way to Australia, where they will train with GAA legend

Nicky English ahead of the challenge game of a lifetime.

On October 28, the Best Club Down Under will play an Australian select team as the curtain raiser for the International Rules match between Ireland and Australia in the Etihad Stadium, Melbourne.

Lucan Sarsfields were the Best Club Under The Sun in Dubai in 2009, after netting the prized honour in that

Lucan Sarsfields were voted best club under the sun in 2009, and are seen here in Dubai

year’s equivalent competition.

Oz adventure Justin Warby, Etihad Airways Country Manager Ireland, said: “The GAA and hurling has spread far and wide across the globe and

is particularly strong in Australia. We, as an airline, are about connecting people around the world and the Best Club Down Under competition marries both these elements perfectly. We hope to see clubs from every corner

of the country entering The Best Club Down Under.”

As part of Etihad’s sponsorship of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2011, every club in the country is invited to nominate itself to become

The Best Club Down Under and the public will then be asked to vote for the club they feel deserves to win.

To enter this year’s competition just log onto www.etihadgaa.ie and fill out the form to nominate your club.

28 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

GazetteSport Sport

Stephen O’Shaugnessy at Westmanstown

Training camp

Paul Clarke passes on his wisdom to the young Gaels who attended his masterclass

Masters on the march

ESTMANSTOWN Gaels recently organised a series of masterclass sessions for their young players to benefit from the wisdom of some of the greats of the Dublin GAA scene.

The sessions were held over the course of last week and featured ex-Dublin footballers, Paddy Christie and Stephen O’Shaugnessy, trainer of the Dublin senior ladies, Barry Hogan, and former Meath coach, Paul Clarke.

The sessions were a great success and the players learned a great deal about the finer points of the game, and the club wish to thank all of the coaches for giving up their time to help develop the Gaels.

W

Each training course was an intensive work-out

The young players were put through their paces

The Gaels were attentive students

Westmanstown Gaels

Players learned a lot from the masters

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 29

in association with

Running for the dream again David Gillick took the tough decision to bow out of athletics to regroup for the 2012 Olympics , and ROB HEIGH found he is ready for the challenge TAKING a step back from an intensive training programme and admitting defeat is a galling thing for any competitor in any sport, but no more so than for an athlete of the calibre of David Gillick.

The Dundrum man has been the flag-bearer for Irish 400m running in recent years, twice winning the European indoor title and appearing in prestige events worldwide in recent years as he prepared to take on the ultimate challenge of the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

With that goal in mind, David decided to leave his base in Loughborough in England last winter to work with ath-

letics legend and coach to many of the leading lights in sprint, Lance Brauman, in Florida.

Brauman was the man who helped Tyson Gay rise to the upper eschelons of 100 and 200m running.

But a combination of circumstances have conspired to lead David to make the decision to bow out of competition for the season, and miss out on a place at the World Championships in South Korea, one that he explains he did not take lightly when he spoke excusively to Gazette Sport last month.

“I made the decision with medical advice, and with a view on London coming around. I felt that if I was to continue

David Gillick at Lucan Harriers recently

doing what I was doing, and hope that something would turn around, or skip the Worlds and race toward the end of the season, I was jeopardis-

and the times were not good again, and I knew there was something wrong.

“In my mind, I was thinking, “I’m not right,

--------------------------------------------------------

‘Qualification is well within my capabilities. I am getting into the training that I know is going to take me to London next year.’

--------------------------------------------------------

ing my health for next season. If I was in a hole now, I didn’t want to dig myself in any deeper. By making this decision, it gives me more time to get myself right, mentally and physically.”

David went on to explain the circumstances behind his diminished form this season.

“I tore my calf at the end of February, which put me out for about eight weeks. By the time I got back into full training on the track, it was the start of April. When I came back, I didn’t have much time, I only really had six weeks to regain my full fitness. I attacked it and did everything I could, but I had more niggles. But I raced anyway, and my times were going backwards.

“I knew in myself that I wasn’t right - I would be waking up in the morning and I would have pains in my legs. So I then raced in early July,

this isn’t good”, and mentally, you begin to panic. Especially with the Worlds coming up.

Two years ago I was sixth, and anything less than that would have been a failure.”

The experience of training with Brauman was one that was filled with positives, but there were also downsides to being so far from home and in a new training environment.

“I wouldn’t change what I did in the last year, I learned an awful lot from Lance, and I will bring that into my training going forward. Being in a group with Tyson Gay and Steve Mullins, world-class athletes, you pick up a lot. It’s positive as well to see the mental aproach from these athletes just how professional they are in how they approach things. It gives you a lot of hunger.

“I relocated to just outside Orlando back in

October 2010, to a new group and a new coach, and I was injured for that length of time. It was very depressing, not being able to do what I normally would be doing, and being away from home and the support network, the infrastructure of family and friends, and my own medical team I had built up, made it increasingly difficult.

“In America, I missed my friends, my family, and I missed Dublin.

“So I made a decision that I won’t be going back to America. I’ve decided I’m going to split my time between here and Loughborough. Coming into Olympic year, I want to be somewhere where I know it works.

I’ve a good relationship with the group, the coach in Loughborough, and that’s where I want to be.”

With less than 12 months before the start of London 2012, what are David’s thoughts on the year ahead?

“I’m taking a confident view on it. I know I’ve run within the A standard for the last four years.

Ideally, I would like to have done it this year, the year before the Games, like I did for Beijing. But I feel that the time is well within my capabilities, so it’s a case of getting into the training that I know that is going to take me there.”

FastSport

Power plays fundraiser for Temple Street kids DARTS legend, Phil “The Power” Taylor was in Donabate recently to take part in an exhibition tournament at the Waterside House Hotel.

Having recently won his fourth European title, Taylor pitted himself against 15 darts fans who had raised funds for Temple Street Children’s University Hospital for the opportunity to step up to the oche with him.

By his side, was another darts legend, Denis ‘The Menace’ Priestley.

Over 200 darts fans descended on The Waterside House Hotel to watch these champions in action, and a great fun evening was had by all.

30 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2011

GazetteSport Sport FastSport

Wonderful ’Duff: Soccer club hold annual tournament THE annual David Lynch memorial tournament once again drew in the crowds to Corduff FC as 50 teams and some 750 players took part.

The annual pre-season tournament is one of the highlights of the domestic calendar and drew in huge crowds to Corduff Park in the curtain-raiser for the new season.

The club are always open to new personnel across the spectrum. Contact the club via their website at www.cordufffc. com/contacts.

Coolmine set for return to action in Spencer Cup

SOCCER: A ROUND-UP OF THE FIXTURES IN D15 IN NEW SEASON

COOLMINE Rugby Club’s first XV are set to face Monkstown this weekend in their first competitive clash of the season. The Spencer Cup clash will take place at Ashbrook on Friday at 8pm.

The return to action comes after a busy summer that saw Coolmine manage to win both the inaugural Leinster and All-Ireland 7s’ titles, as well as hosting another successful summer fete, and a hugely popular tag rugby competition, which saw 30 teams taking part in the busiest competition yet.

Minis’ and youth’s registration for the club takes place on Saturday, September 3 between 10am and 1pm.

Erin Go Bragh get classic at the K Club THE annual Erin go Bragh golf classic will take place in the K Club on Friday, August 26.

The format of the competition will be a scramble.

To participate, a team of four costs €320.

For more information please contact George Burke on 087 9709 795.

Kennedy through to AllIreland semi HANDBALL legend Eoin Kennedy is set to contest his eighth consecutive softball title after he defeated

Meath’s Brian Carroll in Abbeylara last weekend at the quarter-final stage of M Donnelly GAA Handball All-Ireland Open Singles Championships.

He progresses to face Mayo’s Dessie Keegan in the semifinal.

The St Brigid’s star secured the opening game, 21-16. Carroll subsequently failed to match the heights he reached in the first set and fell to a 21-7 defeat in the second.

“I’m delighted with the win against Brian,” said Kennedy.

“He had me under severe pressure in the first game with brilliant killing from all over the court.

“Thankfully, I managed to weather the storm and he ran out of steam a bit in the second game.”

Castleknock Celtic will be happy with their opening day success at Grange/Woodbine, scoring six to take the tie in style

Fresh start for soccer sides sport@gazettegroup.com

CASTLEKNOCK Celtic got their season off to a dream start away to Grange/Woodbine, scoring six in their opening tie as they go in search of promotion to the second tier of AUL football.

Celtic will know that the task ahead of them is a tough one, as they will have to face sterner opposition than was posed on Sunday, with this division set to be keenly contested.

Teams like Collinstown United, who have picked up three wins from three already,

scoring ten goals in the process, Donnycarney FC and Trinity/Donaghmede all stand in the way of Castleknock should they make the leap to the second table.

Also in their way will be local rivals FC Blanch, who also got their season off to a flyer against Usher Celtic, matching Castleknock’s 6-1 scoreline.

For Celtic, the game was more or less over at half-time as they raced into a 3-0 lead at the break.

In the second half the goals continued to come and although they

conceded, Castleknock will be delighted their performance.

The highlight of the game was a top-drawer right-footer from Kevin Keane from 30 yards, which flew into the top corner and put Celtic four ahead in this away fixture.

Philip Cooney hit a brace, while James Haughton, Keith Pendred and Kevin Hynes completed the rout.

The intensive training programme from Peter Finn, manager, and Philip Zambra, coach, certainly proved a significant difference between the two sides

on the day, with Castleknock looking sharper and fitter on the day than their hosts.

Castleknock’s Division 2A Saturday side were not so lucky as a soft penalty gave Darndale a share of the points against a Celtic side that, up until then, had made a habit of winning.

Tommy Mooney got Celtic’s first, while Barry Doyle scored yet again from a corner kick and the game ended 2-2.

Following on from last seasons successes, Mountview United started the season with a new Senior Sunday

side to complement their Senior Saturday side.

T he Saturday side got their league season off to a flyer, overcoming St Pat’s Phoenix by three goals to one.

A l r e a d y w i t h t wo games in hand, Mountview sit three points behind local rivals Pinebrook and both sides will be gunning for silverware this year, with Pinebrook seeing off St Paul’s Artane, 2-0.

Mountview’s Sund ay s i d e , h owe ve r, went down 1-0 away to Simba FC in their firstever competitive game.

25 August 2011 BLANCH GAZETTE 31

in association with

AFL 2: WIN AGAINST ST BRIGID’S KEEPS SAINTS UP

.

CLUB NOTICEBOARD ST BRIGID’S THE final summer camp week will

Colleen Barrett, Sorcha Furlong,

run from August 22 to 25. Get your

Elaine Kelly and Noelle Healy in their

application form from www.stbrig-

All-Ireland quarter-final vs Cork

idsgaa.com.

this Saturday.

Congratulations to Paul Winters,

Senior footballers face Plunkett’s

and the Dublin minor hurlers, on

on Sunday at 10.30am in Mar tin

their superb win over Waterford to

Savage Park. Senior 2s face Per-

reach the All-Ireland final.

egrine’s in Blakestown on Sunday

Hard luck to Alan and Daire on

Junior A and B footballers also

Daire vs Antrim this Saturday in the

play league games on Sunday at

All-Ireland U-21 semi-final.

12pm in Russell Park.

Well done to Eoin Kennedy who

Club lotto is on its summer break

advanced in the 60x30 All-Ireland

and will resume on September 1

h a n d b a l l s i n g l e s . Eo i n f a c e s a

with a jackpot of €15,000.

quarter-final showdown vs Ducksie Walsh this Saturday.

Best of luck to Aisling McKenna,

St Peregrine’s win at Blakestown sees them clear of the relegation places, but St Brigid’s are looking vulnerable

Peregrine’s secure ALF2 place in derby St Peregrine’s St Brigid’s

2-15 0-11

sport@gazettegroup.com

ST PEREGRINE’S secured their AFL Division 2 status for another year with their second win in four days last Sunday.

Thanks to a stunning second-half performance, the Blakestown side saw off a determined challenge from local rivals, St Brigid’s, pushing their neighbours further into the mire, while climbing clear of the bottom four themselves.

The nature of both of their victories in the last week will please manager, John Lowndes, who saw his side come through two very tough examinations in the last week, and will also alleviate any worries about a relegation play-off fight this year.

The points that made it mathematically certain they would be contenders in the division

came at the expense of their local rivals, which will have been sweet for the Peregrine’s players who will now begin to focus on their last league game as a tuneup for the resumption of the Dublin Senior Football Championship, though when that will happen remains unclear, with the Dubs still in All Ireland contention.

Both sides were evenly matched in the opening half at Blakestown, with David Carroll’s magnificent point from the half-back position the pick of the early scores.

The difference at the break, however, was Robbie McCarthy’s well-taken goal, the clinical Peregrine’s marksman coolly converting from just inside the large rectangle.

That would leave the score 1-7 to 0-7, with Ciaran McGuinness picking up some beautiful scores for the home side.

To t h e i r c r e d i t , Brigid’s would not be pushed aside so easily and fought to stay in touch, trailing by just a goal at the break.

The second half, however, was all black and white as the home side outscored their visitors by 1-8 to 0-4 in the half hour.

Craig Lowndes was instrumental to the second half performance of Peregrine’s, his tally of 1-2 in the second half saw his side pull clear.

McCarthy, McGuinness and Ciaran Mur-

tagh all added to Lowndes’ tally, while St Brigid’s tried in vain to bang down the door.

T h e h o m e s i d e ’s b a c k l i n e w a s m a rshalled excellently by a commanding Shane Costello, who turned in an impressive performance at corner back.

Earlier in the week, McCarthy, in his first game since returning from America, kicked 1-7 as Peregrine’s pulled away late from Skerries Harps as Peregrine’s claimed the first of four valuable points.

Club night at the dogs will take place on Frida y, October 2 1, in Harolds Cross.

ERIN GO BRAGH THE annual Erin go Bragh golf classic

Maria on 087 238 0741 or Carol-Ann

will take place in the K Club on Friday,

on 087 629 2024.

August 26. The format is scramble. A

There was no winner of last week’s

team of four is €320. For more infor-

lotto jackpot. Numbers drawn were

mation, please contact George Burke

12, 15, 17 and 22. This week’s draw

on 087 9709 795.

jackpot will be €1,500. The draw will

Annual club dinner dance is taking place on Saturday, November 5 in Park Plaza, Tyrrelstown. Tickets are €60 per person (strictly over-18s).

LAFL DIV 2 CUP

at 10.30am.

their defeat to Tipp. Best of luck to

Five-course meal, band, DJ, and bar extension until 2am. Deposit of

be held this Friday in Kelly’s Bar in Ongar.

To be in with a chance to win the jackpot, please return your completed lotto tickets to the box in the Paddocks before 9pm this Friday.

€20 required and people can pay in

It is so easy to forget to return

instalments over the coming months.

your lotto tickets, so why not sign up

Contact Natasha on 087 959 5048,

to the annual draw membership.

ST PEREGRINE’S CONGRATULATIONS to Eric Lowndes and the Dublin minor hurlers on

All the best to Dan Smyth on his travels.

reaching the minor All-Ireland final.

Club lotto was not won; numbers

Hard luck to the Dublin senior hurl-

drawn were 6, 7, 11 and 26. Next

ers in their defeat to Tipp, they did the county proud.

Adult ladies were unlucky in their defeat in cup game last week.

Back to football this week: AFL 2 footballers are home to St Brigid’s on

week’s jackpot is €3,800.

Any member not buying lotto tickets, visit CNP.ie and support your club for only €2 a week, and is also available to play online using the link on the club website.

Sunday at 10.30am; AFL 6 footballers

Club shop is open on Mondays,

are home to St Sylvester’s Sunday at

Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 to

12pm; AFL 9 footballers also home to

7pm, and on Saturdays from 10am to

St Sylvester’s Sunday at 3pm.

12pm.

Tickets for the Dublin / Donegal All-

Club will be running a fundraising

Ireland semi must be ordered ASAP;

initiative, Take Me Out, based on the

please contact Ciaran Murtagh on

popular TV series. This is planned for

086 359 4194.

September 17.

Follow GazetteSport on Facebook and Twitter and online at www.gazettegroup.com

ALL OF YOUR BLANCHARDSTOWN SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31

STAYING UP: Peregrine’s secure their AFL 2 place with win in local derby P31

AUGUST 25, 2011

LONDON CALLING Exclusive interview with David Gillick P29

GazetteSPORT

Andrews dismisses Mon-sense STAFF REPORTER blanchardstownsport@gazettegroup.com

Confusion reigned last week when St Brigid’s and Dublin star, Paddy Andrews, denied making the switch to play soccer for League of Ireland side, Monaghan United.

United’s manager, Roddy Collins, appeared to have made the signing last week when he announced that he had lured the former Castleknock Celtic player to the Gor takeegan club.

The soccer side also stated, via their website, that the signing had been made, as part of Collins’ plan to “strengthen the squad ahead of the final phase of the season.”

But it would appear that any link with the Monaghan side is to keep his fitness up should the opportunity present itself for Andrews to return to the Dublin fold - he has not figured in

the senior football championship side who are facing their semi-final showdow n with Donegal this weekend.

Radio Ga-ga?

Collins had appeared on national radio, saying: “I spoke to Paddy a few weeks ago, and he wanted to play soccer as there was a break in the championship. He is a good soccer player, and I’ve seen him play a few times.

“I had a good chat with him, and he’s a good addition to the side. He trained and played half a game in a friendly game last week, and he’s definitely a benefit.

“He’s fit enough, he’s lightning quick, a bit raw in the football [soccer] sense, but he will be a good attribute to what we’ve got.”

However, Andrews was quick to rebut Collins’ statement, going on record to underline

his desire to return to Dub action as soon as possible.

“My only focus is playing for St Brigid’s. Gaelic football is my priority and always will be,” said Andrews. “Hopefully, if that goes well, I can get back into the reckoning with the Dublin panel for the 2012 season.”

Praise Collins was full of praise for the local footballer, saying that this would not be the first time he has seen this type of crossover: “When I played for Crusaders up in Belfast, Tony O’Connell the manager there brought in Mick Deegan, and people raised their eyebrows at a GAA player coming into the team. But he was a great addition to the side — strong and competitive — and I looked at Paddy and saw the same things in him. He has a winning mentality.”

Andrews says he is sticking to football of the Gaelic variety