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castleknock • Blakestown • Hartstown • Tyrrelstown • Laurel Lodge • Corduff • Mulhuddart • Ongar

INSIDE: Gallons of coffee and a zest for his work fuel Today FM presenter Anton Savage’s everyday life P11

competition: You and a friend could win a fabulous trip to Cornwall See P24

Game, set, match: Tennis champs make a racquet Football:

Brigid’s crew all set for Dublin’s Leinster final Page 31

a smashing time was had at The

Castleknock Lawn Tennis Club recently when the club ran a ladies’ day which featured plenty of action on court as well as a prize-giving ceremony and a special lunch. Pictured having a ball are Bernadette Hearns, Marjie Flood, Miriam Rogers, Catherine Murphy, Marie McGee and Mary Fogarty.

See Gallery on Pages 8-9

Swimming:

NAC’s Keane swims trio of personal bests Page 31

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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES....................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE....................11 OUT&ABOUT...................17 CLASSIFIEDS.................26 SPORT............................28

Ongar in spotlight as council eyes courts Work estimated at €1.8m needed to bring area up to proper condition

 Keith Bellew

Fingal County Council has said it is considering pursuing HCC Insurance through the courts in order to obtain a planning bond from the Ongar develop-

ment which the company is holding.

The council wishes to take Ongar in charge but cannot do so until a series of works estimated to cost €1.8m are carried out to bring it into a condition in which it can be

taken in charge.

The council has been unable to progress the process since last year as neither Kavanagh Fennel Insolvency the receiver for now defunct developer Manor Park Homes, nor HCC

Insurance has engaged with them.

A council spokesperson said: “Fingal County Council are considering pursuing this matter through the courts if necessary.”

Full Story on Page 4

2 BLANCH Gazette 16 July 2015

Education Late news on staff allocations draws criticism

Local schools to get extra SNAs A number of primary and secondary schools in Dublin 15 will receive an extra allocation of special needs assistants for the 2015-16 school year.

Among the primary schools in Dublin 15 receiving new SNA posts are Scoil Bhride, Hansfield Educate Together and Powerstown Educate Together, while at secondary level, Riversdale Community College, Colaiste Pobail Setanta and Castleknock Community College are also receiving extra SNAs.

 keith bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

This is part of a nationwide allocation of 610 approved by Cabinet and announced by Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan recently.

Dublin primary schools will receive an additional 127 SNA posts, secondary schools an additional 41 posts, and there

will be an extra 22 posts in special schools.

Tanaiste Joan Burton welcomed the allocations saying the new posts would make a real difference to pupils who most need them.

“Thanks to the recovery in our public finances, we now have the additional resources to lift the cap on the number of SNA posts.

“It will rise from 11,330 this school year to 11,940 next year, meaning an additional 610 SNA posts.

“It means that since

coming into Government we’ve overseen a 11.7% increase in the number of SNA posts.

“Every child with an assessed care need will get SNA support. That has been our commitment as a Government, and I am glad to see this borne out with increased support in Dublin 15 and elsewhere.”

Cllr David McGuinness (Ind), who is a secondary school teacher who taught at Riversdale Community College for a number of years said it was very positive that the department had acceded to the requests of schools for additional SNAs. “Schools will identify students who have special needs and will put in an application to try and secure the number of SNAs that they need to help the students that they have.

“Invariably in recent years, you might ask for five and you could get

Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan announced the allocation of more special needs assistants

two or three, and sometimes none.

“Now it seems that they’re finally, probably giving schools the amount of SNA’s that they actually need, and that’s positive,” he said.

However, he went on to say that the Department had left it quite late to announce the allocations, which gave schools little time to make the necessary arrangements for the upcoming school year.

“Schools are on their holidays, principals are probably leaving their desks at this stage and there are SNAs that would probably have left in May and don’t know whether they have a job in September.

“Schools have been critical of the Department because they have been very lackadaisical giving the allocations to schools, and giving an allocation in July is very late,” he said.

A spokesperson from the Department of Education said the National Council for Special Education requested all schools to submit applications for SNA support in March 2015.

Following this deadline, each application had to be assessed by the NCSE, before they were in a position to advise the Minister on the number of SNAs that would need to be allocated to schools for the coming school year.

Hospital parking set to be reviewed  Keith Bellew

The HSE ha s sa id that it is reviewing the pay-and-display parking system at Connolly Hospital with the development of the new children’s satellite unit on site and will continue to monitor and respond to any concerns from patients and visitors.

This comes following a four-hour protest organised by Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) recently

during which he paid for the renewal of anyone’s parking space if their time ran out before they returned from their appointment.

“The patients and visitors were informed that if their ticket ran out that we would pay for any extra time required and therefore no cars could be clamped.

“This was a completely peaceful action that was 100% successful,” he said.

Dublin Gazette Newspapers, Second Floor, Heritage House, Dundrum Office Park, Dublin 14 Tel: 01 - 6010240. Email: sales@dublingazette.com news@dublingazette.com web: www.dublingazette.com twitter: @DublinGazette Visit us on Facebook at DublinGazetteNewspapers

“Clamping patients and visitors whose ticket has run out is not acceptable under any circumstances.

“I have written to the hospital management in relation to this issue and have requested that clamping should cease as soon as possible.

“I have heard from staff, patients and visitors of the stress and anxiety caused by the fear of the clampers,” he said. One person, said the councillor, had contacted him had to leave their dying family members bedside to go to the garage on the Navan Road for change.

A HSE spokesperson said consideration was

given to installing a system whereby payment would be made on leaving the car park.

“However, due to the layout of the campus it was not feasible to install pay on exit to all the satellite car parks on the campus.

“Connolly Hospital is reviewing this further and is presently getting a revised quotation on a pay and exit system which would involve enclosing the car parks.

“T his will require capital funding,” said the spokesperson, adding that the system is being reviewed to coincide with the development of the new maternity unit.

16 July 2015 BLANCH Gazette 3

exhibition

social homes: councillors raise issues being faced by residents

Draiocht to show local art

Council can refuse anti-social families  Keith Bellew

THE council has said that it has the authority to refuse to allocate or defer the allocation of a social home to persons known to have engaged in antisocial behaviour.

This comes in response to Cllr David McGuinness (Ind) questioning what measures are available to the council when dealing with cases of anti-social behaviour by families on Fingal’s housing list but living in private rented accommodation He raised the question as a result of ongoing issues with Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) tenants in a particular estate in the Mulhuddart ward. RAS is a scheme in

which the council pays a private landlord to house people or families who are currently on the waiting list for a council house.

Both Cllr McGuinness and Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) have raised issues faced by residents in a particular estate as a result of the behaviour of certain RAS tenants in the area.

Residents have complained of raucous parties with underage drinking which continue into the early hours of the morning often resulting in violence. They have also alleged that they have been harassed on numerous occasions by tenants of a particular RAS property.

Cllr McGuinness said: “Essentially there have

been complaints at public meetings about a family that are on the RAS scheme, and I believe we have to come to a situation whereby the council can impose a sanction on that family if it continues to disrupt the quality of life of those around them.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “Under Section 14 of the Housing Act 1997, a housing authority may refuse to allocate or defer the allocation of a dwelling to a person where the authority considers that the person is or has been engaged in anti-social behaviour or that an allocation to that person would not be in the interest of good estate management.”

Setting standards: Highlighting and celebrating achievements farmleigh OPW was among seven of Ireland’s museums which were recently recognised for high standards of management, care of collections and visitor services by the heritage council under its Museum Standards Programme for Ireland. Pictured is Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys with Michael Starrett, chief executive of the heritage council presenting an award for maintenance of full accreditation for Farmleigh to Margaret Gormley and Julia Cummins of Farmleigh OPW. Picture: Gary O’Neill

An exhibition of works by local artist Marc Guinan will be launched at Draiocht at 7pm on Thursday, July 23 and will remain open until Saturday, October 3.

The exhibition which will be launched by Dr Tim Scott, lecturer in art history at Dublin Institute of Technology School of Art, Design and Printing, features painted forms created using PVA and various other types of paint, like gloss, metal paint, emulsions, industrial grade paints and oil paint.

Layers of paint are let dry over time and peeled from various surfaces like acetate and glass, creating a solid piece.

For more information on the exhibition visit www.draiocht.ie

4 BLANCH Gazette 16 July 2015

planning bond Works needed to bring village up to standard

Council considers courts to take Ongar in charge  Keith Bellew

Fingal County Council has said it is considering pursuing HCC Insurance through the courts in order to obtain a planning bond from the Ongar development which the company is holding.

The council wishes to take Ongar Village in charge but cannot do so until a series of works are carried out to bring it into a condition in which it can be taken in charge.

It has been unable to progress the process since last year.

The council previously said it would cost around €1.8m to bring Ongar Village up to a standard to allow it to be taken in charge as there are issues in relation to the deterioration of the buildings, the fabric of the roads, and road markings on the Main Street of the village. Much of these issues are the result of the use of building materials which contained pyrite.

T he cost of these works is normally the responsibility of the d e ve l o p e r, b u t t h e developer (Manor Park Homes) went into receivership. Fingal County Council has a planning bond for the village valued at €3m and this bond is now with a UK insurance company with whom the developer took out its policy.

Back in December 2014, following queries from councillors, the council said: “All efforts to engage both Manor Park Homes and

the receiver (Kavanagh F e n n e l I n s o l ve n c y ) have proved fruitless.

The council has also had difficulties with the bond holder (HCC Insurance) to the extent that the council has had no option but to engage the legal section to progress the bond option to finance the completion of outstanding works.”

Another aspect of this issue is that, because of the fact that the council does not own the land, it is up to the receiver to provide basic services.

The council has had to negotiate with the receiver on behalf of residents to get basic services, which is a lengthy process. Because of this there were no school traffic wardens in the area for the first six years of its existence.

Cllr Jack Chambers (FF) recently asked the council to rectify what he described as “the dangerous nature of the roads around Ongar Village” saying residents have said that it is in a very bad way and needs to be repaired as soon as possible. He said that residents have told him the roads are destroying the tyres and tracking of their cars.

A council spokesperson responded saying the development has not yet been taken in charge and the council is only responsible for maintaining ser vices and areas that are taken in charge.

Cllr Chambers said: “It is disappointing that the road surface and red tarmacadam in Ongar Village have been left in a dire state

The council wishes to take Ongar Village in charge

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

‘It is disappointing that the road surface and red tarmacadam in Ongar Village have been left in a dire state and in urgent need of repair and rectification’

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

Cllr Jack Chambers (FF)

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and in urgent need of repair and rectification.

Unfortunately, this issue continues to remain we d g e d i n b u r e a u cratic red tape where the council is trying to

pursue a bondholder to fund the outstanding works to rectify this.”

He added that he would continue to raise this issue with the council until it is properly

addressed and rectified.

The council went on to repeat the previous statement about the attempts to engage the receiver, developer and bondholder proving fruitless, and added: “Fingal County Council are considering pursuing this matter through the courts if necessary.”

Cllr David McGuinness (Ind) welcomed this statement of intention by the council saying it represented a huge move forward in this situation which he

described as a debacle.

“While the council have always favoured engagement and dialogue, this latest aggressive stance by the council is to be welcomed and will be followed closely by residents in other housing estates, which have not yet been taken in charge, to see the outcome.

“It’s refreshing to see the council bringing developers and receivers to task,” he said He added that it was e s p e c i a l l y we l c o m e

because communities were paying property tax but getting no service in return when the estate was still in the hands of the developer/ receiver.

HCC Insurance stated that the company’s policy was not to comment on individuals insured or the specific details of individual policies.

At the time of going to print Kavanagh Fennel Insolvency and Manor Park Homes had not responded to request for comment.

16 July 2015 BLANCH Gazette 5

don’sdublin Oldest museum in State yet hardly anyone knows it It is the oldest museum in Ireland and, until recently, a place that I had not known about. The Zoological Museum, in Trinity College, was established in 1777, although records show that there were collections of “natural history objects” dating back almost 100 years before. The museum was originally based in the Regent House and was established to house Polynesian artifacts from the South-Sea Islands, many of which had been brought back from the expeditions of Captain Cook.

A new building was erected in 1876 to house the growing collection, but due to renovations and the demand for space the museum is now on the first floor. However, much of the collection is intact and it is a vital resource for students.

Over the years there has been a number of curators with Whitley Stokes (founder of the Botanic Gardens and co-founder of Dublin Zoological Society) appointed in 1792, and Robert Ball in 1844.

He was the most influential appointee and was responsible for amassing most of what the museum now holds. And in that same year, when it was declared extinct, the museum was presented with a specimen of Ireland’s Last Great Auk. This flightless bird, a relative of the puffin and razorbill, was hunted by man for its fine feathers.

Only a few specimens remain in museums today, and it is one of the most treasured items in the museum’s 25,000 piece collection.

The great thing about visiting the museum is that you handle many of the items, and if you like (or dare!) you can have your photograph taken in the jaws of a giant shark.

Now that’s different!

From birds and butterflies to a royal elephant there is much to see and enjoy in this little museum.

And, appropriately for a zoological institution, there is a rare Charles Darwin item in a glass case at the entrance. Don’t miss it.

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

The Zoological Museum in Trinity College was established in 1777 and houses a 25,000 piece collection for all to enjoy

volunteer Bringing experience to Papua New Guinea

Class act Eoin to educate children F or m e r a s s i s t a n t principal of Castleknock Community College Eoin O Maoileoin recently set off to Papua New Guinea where he will be teaching some of the world’s poorest children.

He has decided to volunteer his extensive education experience

with VSO, the charity that recruits professional volunteers to work with poor and marginalised communities in the developing world.

O’Maoileain is a secondar y physics and maths teacher and will be working as a teacher trainer with VSO partner St Peter’s Chanel Teach-

er’s College in the southwestern pacific country.

Upon his retirement from 33 years of teaching, he has decided that engaging in challenging development work is the next new challenge for him.

“I am excited about working abroad and confident that I will

learn a lot from the experience. My parents lived in Malaya for three years before I was born, so I have always been drawn to the idea of exploring that fascinating part of the world,” he said.

He went on to encourage others to sign up for volunteer work with VSO saying: “Volunteer-

ing isn’t just taking time out; it’s using your skills and getting experience in international development. My costs are covered by VSO which puts me at ease - it’s a professional organisation.”

For more information on volunteering see www.vso.ie or call 01-6401060.

6 BLANCH Gazette 16 July 2015

radio Station celebrates anniversary with Blanchardstown Family Fun Day

Phoenix still flying in its 25th year in operation

2015 is a monumental year for Dublin 15’s 92.5 Phoenix FM as the community radio station celebrates its 25th anniversary.

This year also saw an increase in the stations broadcasting hours and the launch of its new logo and branding.

Those 25 years have seen

FastNews

Tiger Stores opens in Blanch Danish brand Tiger Stores opened its 17th Irish store at Blanchardstown Centre on July 15 with the creation of 25 jobs. Tiger Stores sell own brand, low-cost lifestyle products, from homewares to toys, stationery, toiletries and accessories.

Operations manager Gillian Maxwell said Blanchardstown centre was chosen as the location because it is a thriving commercial hub with a footfall of around 15 million shoppers annually. For more information on Tiger Stores visit www. tiger-stores.ie.

Park named after Mick Ladyswell Park will be renamed after the late Mick Walsh, at a ceremonial event on Saturday, July 25, at the Dromheath entrance to the park.

Respected Walsh worked tirelessly for his community up until his death in 2012, and was a highly respected figure in the area.

The renaming will coincide with a Community Fun Day at Mulhuddart Community Centre.

Activities will include bouncing castles, local displays from community groups,f ace painting, food, music and more.

the station grow from first obtaining its licence and broadcasting from a small premises next to Ryan’s Garage on Main Street Blanchardstown, to their current studio and offices in the Blanchardstown Centre.

To mark the occasion, 92.5 Phoenix FM partnered with

Fingal County Council to host the Blanchardstown Family Fun Day in the Millennium Park on Sunday, July 5.

The free family event saw children and parents alike enjoy a great day out which featured face-painting, minigolf and bouncy castles.

Local acts and groups were

also given the chance to show their talents to the audience on a live stage, as well as being broadcast live on air.

Rachel Devlin, chairperson of 92.5 Phoenix FM, summed up the importance of community radio, saying: “Community radio has the capacity to reinforce what is good about

Irish Society and to help find solutions to its failings.

“Volunteers, young and old, with all abilities, backgrounds, and interests, can come together to make a difference to their community.”

According to the station its programming is based on

community access and participation, and aims to promote inclusion and to link community broadcasting, planning, production skills and training with community development needs and activities.

Follow the station’s progress at www.phoenixfm.ie or Facebook.com/925PhoenixFM.

launch: Ireland’s new postcode system receives a mixed reception

Major delivery companies say they won’t use Eircode  Keith Bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

The new Eircode postal system was launched this week and Dublin homeowners and businesses will get their new Eircode address in the post in the coming weeks.

Eircode is a location code for all Irish addresses, which, unlike standard postcodes that define clusters or groups of addresses, will identify an individual address and show exactly where it is located. Each Eircode comprises seven characters that are unique to each mailing address. The seven characters are divided into two parts - a routing key and a unique identifier. For example, Dublin Zoo’s Eircode is D08 WF88.

According to Eircode this new system will make the delivery of services and goods to households easier, and will enable emergency services to accurately and quickly identify an address.

However each code for each address is generated randomly, so the codes for neighbouring properties bear no resemblance to each other. Major delivery

companies like FedEx, DHL and UPS, have said that they will not use Eircode for this reason.

The Irish Fire and Emergency Ser vices Association has said this could “cost lives” as the random design cannot be learned and codes are not predictable so that emergency services can find localities easily from memory.

They have also warned that an error in relating the code could result in emergency services being sent to the wrong location.

Up to 50,000 placements are inaccurate or completely missing from the system because they are in the Irish language.

Cllr Roderic O’Gorman welcomed the idea that Ireland s h o u l d m ove t o a postcode system, but expressed concerns about the system that is being implemented by the Government.

“It would appear that the new system has been designed to work with the GeoDirectory that An Post uses to manage their postal routes. This might suit An Post, but it won’t suit delivery companies and most importantly, the emergency

Minister for Communications Alex White (right) launched Eircode at an event in Dublin with Liam Duggan, director of Eircode. Picture: Paul Sherwood Photography

services,” he said.

“I’d also be concerned that the whole system is being operated by a private company. Is this going to charge to sell the important information it has back to public and State bodies?”

While the Irish Fire and Emergency Services Association has criticised Eircode, a

spokesperson from the Department of Communications said it had been strongly welcomed by the national ambulance service (which is operated by the HSE) because it will help save lives.

“Eircode will allow the emergency services to quickly identify and verify the precise loca-

tion of premises, especially in rural areas. The Department has been in continuous contact with the emergency services throughout this project,” said the spokesperson.

T he spokesperson went on to say that while some delivery companies had criticised Eircode, others, like Nightline, the country’s big-

gest delivery company, fully supported it.

The system is optional, but landlords can make it mandatory for tenants. Homeowners do not need to apply for it, and the new code will not eliminate existing addresses. Home and business owners can look up their new code on www.Eircod.ie.

16 July 2015 BLANCH Gazette 7

policing Past cuts to service must be considered - Donnelly

Blanch station set to get five gardai  Keith Bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

A local councillor has said that any allocation of additional gardai in Blanchardstown is to be welcomed, but the cuts to the force in recent years must be considered.

Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) made these remarks following the announcement that five new gardai have been allocated to Blanchardstown Garda Station. This coincides with the recent allocation of two new vehicles.

Between 2010 and 2014 Garda numbers in Blanchardstown were reduced by 120 due to a nationwide recruitment

embargo. This embargo was lifted last year and 300 new gardai entered Templemore training college which will be followed by a further 250 this year.

“Any guards are welcome in the area, I think it’s important that we see an increase.

“We all know that it has been very difficult over the last number of years with Garda resources and the pressure that has been put on the guards,” said Cllr Donnelly, citing increases in burglaries and the difficulty in policing the various parks in the area. He said this has been very difficult for the community.

“Five guards are very welcome but I think it needs to be looked at in the context that we have lost a significant number of guards over the last number of years which haven’t been replaced.

“It also has to be taken in the context that Blanchardstown has a population of 100,000, and Blanchardstown and Dublin West only have one,” he said.

Blanchardstow n Garda Station covers the entire K-District which also covers Finglas and Cabra, and Cllr Donnelly pointed out that there were other parts of the country

which had populations only slightly larger than Blanchardstown, but had more than one garda station.

A spokesperson from the Department of Justice said the Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan is now in a position to deploy new gardai for the first time since 2009.

“The first set of new gardai were assigned to stations throughout the country in May and a further group of new recruits will attest as gardai at the end of July 2015,” said the spokesperson.

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar welcomed the allocation saying it is further evidence of the

Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF): “Any guards are welcome in the area.”

Government’s commitment to tackling crime locally and nationally.

“I’m delighted that five new gardai are being assigned to Blanchardstown Garda Station. They will help the ongoing efforts to combat crime

in the area. Already this year 14 new Garda vehicles have been assigned to the district in a concerted effort to boost resources,” he said.

He went on to say that the Fine Gael/Labour Government is commit-

ted to providing resources to assist gardai in fighting crime.

“We are also implementing the EU Victims Directive, and new Garda victim support offices will be established in every Garda division,” he said.

8 BLANCH Gazette 16 July 2015

gazetteGALLERIES

Lesley and Jenny McDonough and Eileen Ring pictured at a recent Ladies’ Day at The Castleknock Lawn Tennis Club. There were tennis matches from 1.30pm to 2.30pm followed by a prize giving event and a special lunch. Pictures: Stephen Fleming

Castleknock tennis club: having a ball at ladies’ day

Jemma Sinclair

Having a smashing time battling it out on court

Evelyn Ahern, Mary Martin, Mary Sharkey and Mary Barrett

Jackie Caroll and Caroline Armstrong

Ladies Captain Bernadette Hearns

16 July 2015 BLANCH Gazette 9

Anne Marie Madden and Joanne Moran

Mary Martin, Liz Brennan, Ann Fitzgerald and Jemma Sinclair

Ciara O’Dea of Allergy and Treatment Clinic giving a talk on nutrition

Sorcha Raoff, Eadaoin McLoughlin, Sarah Tiernan and Rachel Greene

Miriam Rogers and Catherine Murphy

10 gazette 16 July 2015

gazetteGALLERY

Orna Collins and Julia O’Leary

Karl Fitzpatrick and Elaine Hanley, Catherine Lonergan and Clodagh O’Hea

Alexandra Moore

Leah O’Donovan, Margaret O’Halloran and Grainne O’Sullivan. Pictures: Brian McEvoy

Having a ball and helping out charity W

ell-known faces from the Irish modelling business turned heads at the June Ball in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association recently at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dublin.

The glitzy event was attended by over 700 guests and was a resounding success raising more than €60,000 on the night.

The association is the primary support

Maya Geller and Dan McNamara

organisation for people living with motor neurone, their family and carers. Key services include home visiting by a motor neurone disease nurse, financial assistance towards home care, funding towards research and the provision of specialist medical equipment on loan to clients. Funds raised on the night will be divided between these crucial services that the charity provides.

16 July 2015 Gazette 11

HEALTH P14

asdfsdaf law P27 P16

dublinlife Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week



Gazette

feature P13

what’son can you bear to miss a special day with your teddy bear?

THE tenth Teddy Bears’ Picnic will return to Blackrock Park on July 19 for children of all ages.

Also being celebrated on the day is National Playday, and there will be lots of fun and games taking place all around the park.

Broadcaster Anton Savage: “The only major part of my morning is having huge, vast quantities of coffee”

A DAY IN THE LIFE: tune in to popular broadcaster’s coffee-fuelled show

A Savage day for presenter  ian begley

ANTON Savage, the accomplished, suit-wearing presenter of Today FM, has built up quite an impressive CV over the years, working vigorously to deliver entertaining and informative shows to thousands of listeners from around Dublin each day.

This week The Gazette caught up with Savage to see what a day in his life is like.

“I usually get up at about 5.40am every morning. I don’t have much of a breakfast and have a mindless brain stem routine that just about gets me to the car. The only major part of my morning is having huge, vast quantities of coffee.

“I have one of those cheap Dunnes

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‘When I get home, I go through the usual routine of finding something edible to force into my face’ -----------------------------------------

Stores coffee machines in my house, and drink about a half a pint before I leave the house and bring the other half with me in the car.

“I have a quick detour into a coffee shop before I get into the station, which would probably be the equivalent of another pint of coffee.

“The best thing about having to get up early is that the bus lanes are still open, which means that it only takes me about

12 minutes to get into work.

“Whenever it’s lovely and sunny outside, I say to myself that I wish I had a bike but on the days when it’s raining and dark, it’s lovely to be in a warm, comfy car with a cup of coffee listening to Paula [MacSweeney] and Ian [Dempsey] on Today FM,” he said.

Arriving into the Today FM studios at about 7am, Savage said he researches all the news of the day and helps to choose what stories would be best suited for the show.

“We go on air at 9am, and are done at noon. After the show, we would sometimes do a pre-record of the following day’s show or maybe I would interview a guest.

“I would then shoot across to the Communications Clinic, except on Wednes-

days when I would spend the afternoon writing a feature for The Herald.”

Savage, who lives on the northside of Dublin, usually gets home by 6pm and says that it would be very rare that he would have a day shorter than 12 hours.

“When I get home, I go through the usual routine of finding something edible to force into my face, and by the time it’s Friday I’m very eager for it to be the weekend.

“I’m becoming a huge fan of Netflix, because of the huge variety of documentaries that are available on it.

“I usually head to bed extremely early.

When I was doing Ireland AM, I was going to bed at about 8.30pm, but nowadays if I go to bed later than 9.40pm then it’s a miracle,” he said.

Check-ups Families are invited to bring their bears and blankets along on the day, where there will be free bear care and check-ups from the Bear Doctor and the Teddy Bears’ Hospital.

Teddy bears will be treated to minor repairs to give ailing grizzlies a new lease of life.

There will also be a DJ, face painting, bouncy castles and inflatable games for all ages, entertainment at the Lake Stage, a make and do area and picnic facilities with plenty of goodies on offer.

The event will start at 1pm and finish at 5pm. The Teddy Bears’ Picnic is a free event. For further information, see www.dlrevents.ie.

Gazette

12 Gazette 16 July 2015

dublinlife

DIARY

A very cheeky remark Government TDs and Ministers were appalled and outraged in the Dail recently when Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said a bold word.

Speaking in the Dail during a discussion on the Environment Bill, to which the Government had tacked on some new water charge legislation, Deputy Adams alluded to the Coalition’s preelection promise of a democratic revolution sayingL “Democratic revolution my arse.”

The Coalition members were disgusted by the remark, or went to great pains to appear so at least.

Enda Kenny’s answer to Don Corleone’s Luca Brassi, Government chief whip Paul Kehoe (FG), led the charge of indignation saying: “Shame on you, shame on you.”

A s u s u a l G e r r y ’s loyal Deputy Mary Lou McDonald was thrilled with her leader’s performance laughing away at his side and tweeting his remark with the kind of pride Mary Todd would have felt for Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

clampers hamper new lord mayor IT’S probably fair to say that Dublin Lord Mayors and clampers don’t mix

– as Sinn Fein’s newly elected Lord Mayor Criona Ni Dhalaigh found out when she was clamped recently.

In an ironic twist of fate, it occurred as she was parked outside Dublin City Council’s Wood Quay headquarters.

Just three months ago, her predecessor Cllr Christy Burke (Ind) said that he was opposed to any increase in the fees for the removal of clamps, saying that any increase would only work to serve the company operating the clamping service.

“It would appear to me that the requested increase is certainly to boost the profits,” he said.

While it is unclear whether the clampers in question knew whose car they were attaching the automotive fetters to, average citizens can take solace in the knowledge that even the Lord Mayor cannot escape parking regulations in this fair city.

a healthy way to learn about city Dublin City Council’s community initiative, Let’s Walk and Talk, is a great way for people to stay healthy, meet people and learn a little something about Dublin City.

This initiative com-

prises weekly walks in various parts of the city, themed historical walking tours and other special events.

To mark the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue last year, a new “leg” to this initiative was launched entitled New Shores, Ancient Footprints, which was aimed to educate Irish people about other cultures that exist in the city.

Felip Garzon from Mexico said these walks helped him greatly to improve his English “When I came to Ireland, I wanted to meet Irish people and learn about Irish culture but it was very difficult.

“These walks have given me the chance to do this as well as helping me improve my English,” he said.

For more information about these walks visit www.dublincity.ie/letswalk-and-talk.

a musical fable of Broadway The highly-acclaimed production of Guys and Dolls by the Chicester Festival Theatre production will come to Dublin next April following its run in London’s West End. The musical production will run at Dublin’s Bord Gais Energy

Gerry Adams struck a bum note in the Dail with some inappropriate language. Picture: Cathy Weatherston

Theatre from April 26 to 30. The story, which is based around the prohibition-era of New York, is a hugely popular and multi-award winning musical.

It is based on the colourful stories by American journalist Damon Runyon who was renowned for his vivid fictional depictions of gamblers, hustlers and nightclub singers of New York.

Tickets are available

from the Ticketmaster from July 3, 2015, and are priced at €20.

Come out to play at Curiosity fest The Festival of Curiosity will take place this July and as it was a sellout event for the last two years, now is the time to snap up a ticket.

During the day there is a list of events that are free for families including treasure trails, Lego building, rocket launches,

shows and workshops.

By night Dublin city will light up in a curated programme including a lively fusion of science, arts, culture and technology.

There is a special theme to the festival this year about making memories, and inviting people of all ages to come out to play and to try new things.

Ellen Byrne, co-founder and creative director of the festival, said:

“Going into year three at a festival – with two sellout festivals behind us and over 40,000 people visiting each year – it’s really wonderful to see a home-grown Dublin festival exploring science, arts and technology spread its wings so far so quickly.”

The festival will take place from July 23 to 26.

For more information information about the festival at www.festivalofcuriosity.ie

16 July 2015 GAZETTE 13

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM: ACTRESS AND AUTHOR KATIE KIRBY

Happy to exercise her thoughts  AISLING KENNEDY

KATIE Kirby is a busy woman who alongside her acting career in both TV and theatre, has just recently finished her first novel, Could It Be You. She also has a onemonth-old baby and a two-year-old, so finding time to relax and unwind is very important to her.

The Gazette spoke to Kirby to find out how

she manages to escape the mayhem of motherhood and deadlines.

She said: “I exercise as much as I can. I like to keep outdoors as much as possible, especially if the weather is good.”

Out and about

Kirby said that her two daughters keep her on her toes, and that she always likes to be out and about with them.

“My two-year-old in

par ticular loves being outdoors, so she’s a great motivator to get me out of the house!

Today, we’re visiting Glenroe Park to feed the animals, so I’m always trying to stay as active as possible with them.”

Kirby is also a big fan of Tracy Anderson exercise videos, and throughout her pregnancy she

kept herself relaxed and fit by completing the workout videos three days a week.

“I’ve been using her exercise videos for many years; she’s my fitness guru.”

Kirby said that since she had her second daughter four weeks ago, she has yet to get back into her fitness regime.

“I’ve been walking and things like that, but we have a very awake baby the second time around, so she’s giving us a run for our money.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to normal soon. I remember before my first baby was born, I used to think exercising was a bit of a chore but now, after I’ve had my children, I think: ‘Oh, I want this, an hour to myself to relax’,” she said.

Kirby’s biggest pleasure for relaxation is watching tennis in the summer months.

She said: “I don’t watch much T V, but when I do sit down to watch it, my guilty pleasure is the French Open and Wimbledon. I love watching tennis.”

K irby’s first novel, Could It Be You?, is a romance novel and is available to buy now as an eBook for £2.99 on Amazon.com.

Katie Kirby; right, her romantic new ebook, Could It Be You?

GAZETTE

ESCAPE THE MAYHEM

Gazette

14 Gazette 16 July 2015

dublinlife Micro-triathlon: Dublin people share their stories

Give it a Tri, raise  Keith Bellew

Pictured at the launch of Give it a Tri for Arthritis was Edel McCabe, communications manager, Arthritis Ireland and Arthritis Ireland volunteers Alison Paisley and Sinead McGuinness. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography

Arthritis Ireland is holding a micro-triathlon this October 11 at Sportslink, Santry, to coincide with National Arthritis Week.

The micro-triathlon is the first of its kind in Ireland and consists of a 3km run or walk, a 3km cycle and three lengths of a pool or a 30-minute aqua-aerobics class. It is open to everyone, of all ages and all exercise levels.

To promote the event and raise awareness of the difficulties faced by those who suffer with arthritis, a number of Dublin people have shared their stories of coping with the condition.

One such person is 29-year-old Alison Paisley, from Walkinstown, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at age 16.

She said that due to her condition, even the most basic tasks which others take for granted can be a trial for her.

“I can’t do the same things other people my age could do. Basic things like showering, washing, drying my hair drained me.

“Constant pain and discomfort wake me up constantly, never fully enjoying a deep, relaxed sleep.

“Some nights I get no sleep and some mornings can be very difficult as I’m so stiff and feel like I haven’t even gone to bed,” she said.

She went on to say that apar t from the physical effects, a condition like fibromyalgia takes a huge emotional toll, which leaves her with a feeling of guilt.

Aged 31, Peter Boyd, from Ballbriggan has also decided to share

his story to raise awareness of the condition.

He was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid ar thritis when he was 27.

He was working and living in Scotland and working as a personal trainer at the time.

A fter he was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and later with rheumatoid arthritis, he was forced to give up his job and move back home.

He described the difficulty faced by those living with a debilitating condition which does not show up on the surface.

“For a long time, I felt

trapped by my physical symptoms and beaten down by the emotional onslaught.

“It has been said that ‘in space no one can hear you scream’. Well, confronted by fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, no matter how hard I screamed no one saw, understood or heard the pain, fatigue and exhaustion I was feeling,” he said.

He is now doing the micro-triathlon as part of his goal to become more active once again.

According to Arthritis Ireland, a cornerstone of its philosophy is “moving is the best

medicine”.

With this in mind, it has launched a unique initiative to engage the Irish public to get out and get active.

Another reason this i n i t i a t i ve h a s b e e n launched is the need to tackle the growing problem of obesity in Ireland.

According to figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ireland is on course to become one of the most obese countries in Europe.

Figures show that 85% of Irish women will be overweight and 57% will be obese by 2030.

16 July 2015 Gazette 15

of coping with chronic conditions to promote three-stage charity event

awareness of arthritis

John Murray, RTE Radio One presenter and Arthritis Ireland volunteers Alison Paisley and Sinead Mc Guinness at the launch

Around 89% of Irish men will be classified as overweight, and 48% will be obese.

A study from the UK

by Dr Stephen Messier shows that for each pound of body weight

lost, there is a 4lb reduction in knee joint stress among overweight and obese people.

Researchers say the results indicate that even modest weight loss may significantly lighten the load on your joints, which is of great benefit for those who suffer with arthritis.

RTE Radio One presenter John Murray, has got on board to lend his support to the initiative.

“T his is a fantastic idea from Arthritis Ireland. I have been a strong advocate of the benefits of exercise for many years, and with the alarming statistics released from the WHO the micro-triathlon couldn’t come at a bet-

ter time.

“Ireland has to reverse the ticking time bomb of obesity and the micro-triathlon is the ideal goal to help us achieve this,” he said.

S t e p h a n i e C a s e y, head of community development at Arthritis Ireland said: “We know that exercise is the magic pill for arthritis and fibromyalgia.

But for many people living with chronic pain, even a short walk can be a huge challenge.

“We have designed our micro-triathlon to suit everyone, whether they have arthritis or simply want to get

fit over the summer months.

“We believe that everyone has the potential to be a micro-triathlete!”

Interested

Those interested can take part as an individual or as a team.

Registration is €30 for a team and €15 for an individual entry.

For more information log on to www.arthritisireland.ie/microtriathlon.

For more information on fibromyalgia and rheumatoid ar thritis visit: www.arthritisireland.ie.

Gazette

FEATURE

Home for cats sought The DSPCA has made an appeal to the people of Dublin to assist them in their attempts to re-home some of the 160 cats and kittens currently under their care.

One such cat is Allie, who came into the DSPCA over a month ago from Ballymun.

She was shot with a pellet gun and as a result of this coupled with a suspected related fall she seriously fractured her front left leg, which had to be amputated.

If you would like to know more about the cats and kittens looking for homes, would be interested in offering a temporary foster home or are not yet a monthly supporter, check out www.dspca.ie for details.

Gazette

16 Gazette 16 July 2015

dublinlife

FEATURE

New Companies Act 2014 analysed  Noreen Maguire Solicitor, Maguire Muldoon Solicitors, Clonskeagh, analyses the New Companies Act 2014, and its main points

Why did we need a new Companies Act? The new Act was nec-

essary because the previous legislation was cumbersome, having been

amended 30 times in 50 years.

The original company legislation was aimed at PLCs – more than 86% of companies in Ireland are private companies limited

by shares, and at long last they are centre stage.

What does it mean?

The 2014 Act, broadly speaking, has five different types of company, as

follows: 1. LTD – Limited company 2. DAC – Designated activity company 3. CLG – Company limited by guarantee (charities and clubs) 4. PLC – Public limited company 5. UC – Unlimited company Here, I am going to deal exclusively with points one and two, above.

DAC and LTD The DAC is the closest to our usual understanding of what a private limited company is. The DAC has a memorandum and articles of association with an objects clause and a minimum requirement of two directors.

The new animal is the LTD. The memo and arts are changed to a onedocument constitution – most importantly, there is no objects clause – so the old idea of a company acting outside its powers, “ultra vires”, is now removed.

A company can be treated like any individual: it can enter into a contract and do anything it wants to do, as long as it is legal.

The other big change is that the LTD can have a minimum of one direc-

tor, but it must also have a company secretary. In both the DAC and LTD, a majority written resolution can now be passed.

For both the DAC and the LTD, the company name must be changed to include “DAC” or “LTD”, as appropriate, so if you opt for the DAC-type company, this will have implications for your website, stationery, etc.

The LTD no longer has to hold a physical AGM – it can adopt a written AGM .

What do we have to do?

A private company needs to decide whether to convert to the new LTD-ty pe company, “opting-in” to the legislation and its rules and regulations. Alternatively, a company can choose to “opt out” and become a DAC. The DAC-type company will be more suitable for special purpose companies: joint venture companies and regulated financial institutions, or where the members of the company would prefer to limit the scope of the company’s powers.

The third option is to do nothing. Once the time limits pass, all private companies will then

automatically convert to an LTD regardless.

So, you may ask, am I better doing nothing?

You should make a decision. If you don’t opt in or opt out, you are effectively in breach of your director’s duties under the new legislation, and this can have implications for a director.

What are the deadlines?

June 1, 2015 – Commencement of Act. August 31, 2016 – Deadline for opting out and becoming a DAC. Hold your EGM, and if agreement is reached by ordinary resolution, fill out the documentation required by the CRO. November 30, 2016 – You have until this date to opt in and become an LTD. Draft your new constitution – hold EGM, pass special resolution, and lodge in the CRO. After November 30, 2016, technically you will be in breach of legislation, you will convert to LTD regardless.

In the meantime, you are governed by the rules attaching to a DAC. Finally, our advice: be proactive and decide – deadlines approach quickly, so put it in your diary for next January.

Solicitor Noreen Maguire: “The new Act was necessary because the previous legislation was cumbersome, having been amended 30 times in 50 years”

16 July 2015 Gazette 17

style P20

asdfsdaf P27 music P23

OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week



Gazette

health P19

Pets C’mon – give timon a great new home

Dara O Briain speaks at his BBC Science Club during The Festival of Curiosity

Dublin City: annual festival of science, art, design and technology

Ignite your curiosity  Keith Bellew

The Festival of Curiosity returns to Dublin from July 23 to 26 with a cultural feast of science, art, design and technology for all the family to enjoy.

Now in its third year, the festival will see Dublin City come alive with a free daytime family programme and a lively and curated nighttime programme.

During the day, the city will transform into a carnival of curiosities with lots of free family events including curious treasure trails, Lego building, rocket launches, shows and workshops where all ages can go on a city wide adventure in science, play and curious technology.

Step inside Smock Alley Theatre and experience the wonder of science

through an exciting carnival of handson workshops, adventures in electronics, interactive installations and games for all the family.

One daytime event which is sure to attract big crowds is Rawar! Digging for Dinosaurs: a palaeontology exhibition presented by world leading palaeontologist Jack Horner at The Round Room in The Mansion House on Friday, July 24 at 1pm.

By night the festival will light up Dublin City in a curated programme with a lively fusion of science, arts, culture and curious technology.

The Moon Cycle on Friday, July 24 promises to be one of the most interesting of the nighttime events, and is a must for stargazers.

Some of Ireland’s finest astronomers

will pack their telescopes and take participants on a nighttime sojourn through Dublin to Dunsink Observatory.

The party leaves from Smock Alley Theatre at 9pm and cycles for 45 minutes to Dunsink Observatory taking in the Phoenix Park on the way before bedding down for a picnic under the stars.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival is an event called, Ugly Animals: The Search for Dublin’s Minging Mascot, which will be held at The Mansion House on Thursday, July 23 at 7.30pm.

Based on the premise that cute animals get far too much attention, a selection of Dubliners will be championing a series of ugly endangered species, one

of which will be honoured with the title of Dublin’s Minging Mascot.

Both previous instalments of the festival were sell-outs with over 40,000 people visiting each year. Co-founder and creative director Ellen Byrne, said it was great to see a home-grown Dublin festival exploring science, arts and technology establish itself so quickly.

“We have a special theme this year about making memories, and inviting people, of all ages, to come out to play and to try new things - which sees our Curious Nights (adult programme) expand later into the night and the beginning of a new and exciting flagship #Grandpals programme,” she said.

For more information visit: www. festivalofcuriosity.ie

The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs.

Our Dog of the Week this week is Timon, a four-year-old male lurcher crossbreed.

Timon has been at Dogs Trust since 2013, and will require lots of time, love and commitment from his new owners.

He is a really playful fellow, both on his walks with his carers and in his kennel, keeping visitors to the centre entertained with his shenanigans! Timon is looking for a home with older children.

If you think you could offer Timon a loving home please contact Dogs Trust on 01-879 1000. They are based in Finglas, just off exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website www. dogstrust.ie. You can also find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ dogstrustirelandonline or Twitter @DogsTrust_IE.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTH

FURTHERPREPARATION FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO GET READY FOR THE ROAD IN CONFIDENCE

The cycle will be a challenging part of your triathlon – so be sure you’re bike-ready IT WILL always be more effective to have a professional carry out your adjustments for you, but in the meantime, see below some simple fitting tips that anyone can do at home on their triathlon bike.

These great tips come courtesy of Jimmy’s Bike shop, Malahide.

Shoe cleats: make sure the middle of the cleat is just behind the ball of your foot, and just ahead of the fifth metatarcel.

Also ensure the cleats point very slightly outward.

Saddle height: a quick test to ensure an approximate height is to sit on your saddle and place the heel of your foot on the base of the pedal, in this position your leg should be fully extended.

Saddle position: when sitting on the bike with your right foot clicked in and positioned at three o’clock, your knee should be 2.5-3cm ahead of the pedal axle.

A good tip is to use a plumb line to gauge

this distance correctly.

Arm angle: when in the optimum cycling position, your shoulder to elbow angle should be about 90 degrees – or slightly less for longer distances on the bike.

Arm pad position: again, in the optimum position, arm pads should rest on the base of your forearm and generally they should be as wide as your shoulder width.

So, the combination of these little adjustments can have a significant effect over a half Ironman distance of 90km. It will also improve your comfort and ability to stay on the bike for longer periods of time.

Look out next week for Gary Crossan’s tips on basic bike maintenance.

Vanguard Wetsuit – male €550 The Zerod Vanguard is an advanced triathlon wetsuit. It is constructed of high-quality Zerod Flex 395 neoprene, and has an SSS coating to reduce friction and drag.

Zoggs Predator Mirror €29 Super-soft silicone seal for ultimate comfort and fit with easy-adjust silicone strap for fantastic strength, comfort and durability.

Compressport Swim cap €6 Along with the official swim cap, try the new Compressport classic swim cap for extra warmth. It, too, is designed for comfort in the water.

Zerod ISuit Black & Orange €175 The iSuit will be your most important ally when competing at Half Ironman and Ironman. The use of technical fabrics such as “water wear weapon” and mesh makes it super light, breathable and very efficient.

Bodyglide Anti-Chafe €14.50 BodyGlide protects against chafing and rash and it makes wetsuit entry and exit easier and faster.

These products are all available from Base2Race, Unit 46, Fashion City, Ballymount, Dublin 24, which offers the following quick tips for swim gear and accessories: 1. Place your goggle strap just above the widest part of your head. If they move down during the swim, they will become more secure rather than

loosen.

2. Ensure your hands are lubricant-free before to putting on your goggles.

Sticky lubricant on goggles can impede your vision.

3. Wetsuits are expensive, so try and swim in your wetsuit before purchase.

Height and weight guides do not factor in body shape.

Triathletes will need to be at the top of their fitness when they take to the water at Scotsman’s Bay, Dun Laoghaire

IRONMAN: PART 1 OF 3 TO GUIDE YOUR TRAINING

Top tips to help your race go swimmingly  TRIATHLON IRELAND

YIKES! With just over five weeks to the start of Ironman Dublin 70.3 on August 9 and, with most of the training done, it’s time to start thinking about what the day involves.

This week, GazetteHealth talks to Gary Crossan of Triathlon Ireland about the swim section of the event. His helpful hints for first or umpteenth-time triathletes are set out below. Onwards to victory in Ironman Dublin 70.3!

Participants will begin with a 1.9km swim in Dun Laoghaire’s scenic Scotsman Bay. Gary Crossan says this is probably the event’s most intimidating element.

Most important, he says, is to be prepared by knowing what to expect.

Everyone must complete the one lap swim in under 70 minutes, otherwise they will not be permitted to complete the rest of the event. Every athlete

gets a wave to start in and these run over a period of 75 minutes. Positioning for the start, sighting and drafting – these are the key points to consider here.

A simple thing like positioning at the outset can have a huge bearing on how the rest of the day will go. If you get it right, it can go swimmingly!

But, get it wrong, and you can find yourself being punched, kicked and half drowned. This doesn’t make for a fun start to a long day.

The stronger, faster swimmers get themselves up front and at the centre of the wave. Weaker ones should be more to the back and side of each wave, so things are less crowded and you can avoid the melee which is part and parcel of triathlon swimming.

Next up for consideration, says Crossan, are sighting and navigation.

You may not have had to deal with these while

doing your weekly training in the pool.

Good sighting prevents zig zagging and wasting valuable energy needed for the bike and run sections that follow.

Before diving in, get your bearings – where the buoys are and, if possible, a landmark on the shore.

Having a landmark means you don’t have to sight as often, which effectively means less interruption to the rhythm of your stroke.

The word “drafting” is frowned on in the triathlon world, says Crossan, but only in the bike section. It is perfectly legal in the swim and is a great way to save energy while also improving speed.

It is all about being able to swim as closely as possible to the person in front without constantly hitting their feet. It takes skill and practice, but can be worked on in the remaining weeks of training.

Another point to consider when drafting is to

make sure you keep sight of where you’re going. Do not just blindly trust the person you are following, as they might be going the long way round!

Crossan maintains that the last part of the swim is where you can most definitely gain a few positions if you do it well – that is the exit.

On the final 100m of the swim, kick your legs very hard to get a bit of blood back up to the top of your body (as being horizontal for up to 30 minutes-plus can leave you dizzy if you stand up too suddenly).

So, kick like mad, swim until your hands can touch the seabed, stand up slowly and then, when you have your balance, run with high knees out of the water.

At this point you will start to unzip your wetsuit and make your way to your bike, where you will get set for the next section – the 90km cycle. More on that next week ...

16 July 2015 Gazette 19

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

Three staple make-ups to help your summer look M&S Earrings €17

M&S Playsuit €35

I JUST love summer beauty products, including fresh floral fragrances, eye shadows in gun metal grey and some bright sheeny lips.

Here are three of my current favourites. You don’t need to overthink it – just a couple of key products will have you looking as fresh as a daisy in the morning ...

7.50 d Jacket €12 River Islan

 MIMI MURRAY

Urban Decay Revolution lipgloss €19

Jacket €80

Littlewoods Ireland Bag €45

on jumpsuit €22 Therapy Chiff

River Island

8

YSL Couture Mono No 15 Frasque €31

Littlewoods Irel and Jumpsuit €4

The Body Shop Italian Summer Fig parfum €29.95

16 July 2015 Gazette 21

Gazette

STYLE H&M Boots €149

1,469 Jumpsuit € Roksanda

6 Boohoo Striped blazer €2

Be A

 mimi murray

SEVENTIES fashion has been floating around all summer and is set to continue into autumn. While I’m not really a flares and funky floral prints kind of girl, I do love a bit of high-glam disco, and I’m sure Studio 54 would have been my spiritual home had I been born in the right decade and country.

Our Lust buy

Boohoo Striped trousers €34

Disco DIVA

Hey ho ....

In channeling my inner diva, I’ve picked some of the key items for a good old Donna Summer strut across the floor. There’s lots here to make you feel super sexy.

The black and red number, with some uber glam heels, will make an appearance at my next dressed-to-the-nines event – if I win the Lotto that is! We should be dancing ... yeah ...

M&S Dress €40

.99 €39

2 Alice + Olivia Floral trousers €42

ress

MD

H&

Gander for a look GRAPE & GANDER is a new luxury Irish sportswear brand designed for women who want to work out in comfort and style.

Co-founders Grace O’Rourke and Aoife Connolly from Dublin have created an exclusive three-piece collection featuring pants, sleeveless top and jacket.

The collection will officially launch on July 23 and will be available via www. g ra p e a n d g a n d e r. com.

r

de Gan & e p Gra et €95 a J ck

Gazette

22 Gazette 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

FOOD&DRINK

The spaghetti vongole with cockles, mussels and clams was bursting with taste

Picky Eater PASTA and pizza are too often regarded as “the lazy options”, or lie nondescriptly on those “fusion” menus so beloved of Dublin diners these days.

Not so at Pizza Stop, where “ersatz” is stopped at the door and the genuine Italian experience awaits.

You could pass the restaurant by on Chatham Lane, off Grafton Street – and what a mistake that would be.

Picky and friend met midweek for a quick bite before a gig. As oregano, yeast and vino tinto perfumed the air, we perused the familiar menu, happy amid the red gingham tablecloths and kitchen bustle.

Skipping the antipasti on display (a large cured ham, grilled courgettes and other sundries), we went for a shared tomato and mozzarella bruschetta and a plate of meats from the menu.

The former were the right combination of juicy and dry; the latter moist and tasty.

A glass of house red (each) helped the lot go down nicely. We were

ready for our main dish.

Picky’s pal toyed with the idea of roast suckling pig, but a night of music and beer beckoned so he turned instead to a good old-fashioned pizza with all the trimmings.

A basic margharita was piled high with olives, anchovies, more cheese, pepperoni and peppers.

It emerged fragrant, crisp and even, not buckling remotely under the weight of extra toppings.

Picky went for the spaghetti vongole with cockles, mussels and clams.

A liberal sprinking of black pepper and parmesan (yes, yes, we know you shouldn’t) delivered taste even towards the last mouthful.

The spaghetti was deliciously al dente, and reminded us of Roman holidays: sun, sea and the taste of salt. (It can do this

even in the depths of winter, bless it.)

The accompanying garlic bread and mixed salad were fresh and simple – ideal companions.

Replete and entering the digestive phase, Picky and friend concluded that there’s nothing like a good Italian meal and nothing better than good company to savour it with.

We rounded off our early supper with an inky espresso and Americano laced with sugar.

It can be a tight squeeze in Pizza Stop, and sometimes you can feel a little too close to your neighbouring diners for comfort. But the more you tuck in, the less of a problem this seems to be.

Our bill came to around €50 all in. For cheap, cheerful, tasty and atmospheric fare, you just can’t beat Pizza Stop.

Conclusion SOME may find the venue a bit of a squeeze, but the food on offer at Pizza Stop (at 6/10 Chatham House, Chatham Lane, Dublin 2; tel 01 679 6712) makes it worth dropping into. It doesn’t needlessly tinker with old staples, delivering instead truly tasty fare.

16 July 2015 GAZETTE 23

ALBUM: HOW BIG, HOW BLUE, HOW BEAUTIFUL

Florence learns to live and love in the world  COLM MURRAY

FRESH from her headlining slot at last month’s Glastonbury festival, Florence and her cohorts, The Machine, return with album number three.

For Florence Welch, the success of her first two Florence and the Machine albums Lungs (2009 – Album of the year, Brit Awards 2010) and Ceremonials (2011) meant five years of back-to-back recording, promoting and touring. Lungs ran straight into the making, promoting and touring of the Grammy-nominated Ceremonials, an album written while on the road and recorded straight after coming off tour. The shows were getting bigger, the hair redder, and the success wider and wilder.

A pop star at 21, with two international hit albums behind her, Florence discovered that in giving seven years to her music, some elements of real life had been left by the wayside. Coming back from tour and moving out of her mother’s Camberwell home, Florence reengaged with normal life: going out, falling in and out of love, and simply trying to learn how to look after herself outside of the hermetic bubble of life of the road.

“It was sort of a crash landing.” Florence freely admits.

“I guess although I’ve always dealt in fantasy and metaphor when I came

to writing that meant the songs this time were dealing much more in reality.

Ceremonials was so fixated on death and water, and the idea of escape or transcendence through death, but the new album became about trying to learn how to live, and how to love in the world rather than trying to escape from it.”

And so the new Florence, and her songs, started to swim into focus.

The result is How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, a collection of songs, written and recorded over the course of 2014.

Produced by Markus Dravs (Björk, Arcade Fire, Coldplay) the third album

by Florence is live-sounding, tune-rich, unhinged in all the right places and powerful in all the best ways. In voice and, ultimately, outlook, Florence has never sounded better. Anthemic hooks and bombastic orchestras are the foundations for the album as her vocal theatrics take the songs to the next level.

A prime example is the future Florence classic Ship To Wreck: it opens the album, and showcas-

es Florence and Dravs’s enthusiasm for reframing her distinctive voice.

The music is not unlike upbeat Cure hits from the 1990s – all polished and tight with catchy hooks.

The dynamics then shift with the first single What Kind of Man, topped off with brass section by lifting and building the momentum throughout.

The themes of love lost and breakups display world weariness from Florence who recalls the fights, drunken night and blissful moments of sadly defunct relationships.

Elsewhere, on Various Storms and Saints, the delivery is stunning, with dusty guitar and occasional keyboard humming accompanying Welch for the first two minutes or so, letting focus fall on Welch’s voice. It’s this restraint which is in contrast to the directness of the first two albums which Florence has learnt to harness. Third Eye is one of her most complete songs as Welch swaps between an uplifting chorus, and verses filled with her roaring near spoken word declarations with the horn section highlighting Welch’s wail of “You are flesh and blood!

And you deserve to be loved!”

An album full of shimmering tunes cl o s e s w i t h t h e uplifting and rocking Mother, leaving us in no doubt there is still a lot more to come from this formidable artist.

Florence and The Machine are set to headline this year’s Electric Picnic

GAZETTE

MUSIC

Gazette

24 Gazette 16 July 2015

OUT&ABOUT

mayo: cong’s most famous ‘son’ is just one attraction

A relaxing break that even The Quiet Man would praise  mimi murray

IN THE early 1950s, an American screen legend came to County Mayo to make one of the most famous movies ever made on these shores.

The Quiet Man starred John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara and was set in the stunning village of Cong on the Mayo/Galway border.

This movie has effectively kept the village going for the past 65 years with a strong tourism industry growing out

of the movie, with Quiet Man tours taking place in the village every day, and busloads of tourists stopping to pay homage at all the film’s famous locations.

Cong is also known as the location for one of Ireland’s most renowned castles/hotels, Ashford.

Ashford Castle may not be within a lot of people’s budgets, but the lodge is.

Situated within the 350acre estate, The Lodge at Ashford Castle overlooks beautiful Lough Corrib.

It was originally built in

1865.

We arrived in Cong on a grand, soft day – translation: grey and wet, but as we all know in Ireland, it doesn’t take long for dull weather to move off in another direction, and we were able to ramble around the estate and take in all the lush scenery and magnificent countryside.

My other half was determined to teach our young son how to skim stones, and what better place than Lough Corrib: a serene lake, with the only thing breaking the

silence being a fisherman tinkering at his boat.

After plenty of fresh air, it was back to Wilde’s restaurant for dinner. This place is more on the side of fine dining, so probably not the best place for our almost three-year-old, but there is a bar serving food, which is probably better with young kids.

However, they do have a really adventurous menu for kids in Wilde’s, which impressed us.

Our meal was to be filled with lots of little surprises. Between all

courses there are small plates, selected by the chef and brought to the table, which allows you to sample so much more of this great chef’s cooking.

For starters I went for Johnny’s King Crab with mango and euchalyptus, sea urchin and coriander, while hubby went for pan-seared scallops with bacon, truffle, honey and apple.

My main was wild turbot with monks beard, leek and grape, while my other half went for venison.

Ashford Castle’s Wilde’s restaurant offers a great view over Lough Corrib, complementing the fine fare

I was impressed by the presentation and attention to detail, and the flavours married well together.

Our family suite was perfect, with lots of space for our son to run around, and we all got a great night’s sleep after a busy day of travelling and sight-

seeing.

If you plan a trip to Mayo, or are a Quiet Man fan, Cong is not to be missed and the Lodge is a great base.

For further information on Cong, see www. congtourism.com, and for the Lodge at Ashford, see www.thelodgeac.com.

16 July 2015 gazette 25

America: the perfect adventure destination

Gazette

TRAVEL fastTRAVEL

The best of culture, food and scenery Located in the south-west region of India, Kerala offers honeymooners the best of culture, food and scenery on their romantic getaway.

Unwind and allow all of your wedding nerves to float away in this destination, which boasts postcard-perfect beaches, shady coconut groves and lush paddy fields.

With GoHop.ie, you can spend 14 nights in Kerala in five different resorts from €2,280pp from October to April. Spend two nights in the Old Harbour Hotel in Kochi, two nights in the Windermere Estate in

There’s a lot more to this vibrant city than meets the eye

You should want to leave for Las Vegas  ian begley

With 10,000 Irish fans making the trip to Vegas to see Conor McGregor take on Chad Mendes last week, we take a look at some of the things Irish fans could expect to do on a trip to Sin City.

Famous around the globe for its world-class entertainment and casinos, there’s a lot more to this vibrant city than meets the eye. From incredible shops to fantastic scenery, you won’t be stuck for things to do in and around Las Vegas.

American Holidays has compiled a list of the most exciting activities and excursions to ensure you have a great trip.

1. Check out the incredible free water display at the Bellagio Fountains.

Water shoots up to 460ft in the air, perfectly choreographed to the tunes of Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. The Fountains of Bellagio were destined to

romance your senses.

Take in a complimentary Las Vegas show of water, music and light thoughtfully interwoven to mesmerise its admirers.

2. Find out all there is to know about America’s most famous criminals, such as Al Capone, and learn about the origins of the FBI at the interactive Mob Museum.

The museum provides a world-class, interactive journey through true stories. From the birth of the mob, to today’s headlines. Whether you like it or not, this is American history.

3. Experience the immense beauty of the Grand Canyon on a helicopter tour. Be wowed by the canyon’s breathtaking canyon which stretches as far as the eye can see. Enjoy the scenery of all the rims of the canyon where you can see the Colorado River, lush forests of the Grand

Canyon National Park, as well as the high deserts of the West Rim. 4. Built in 1931, the Hoover Dam draws millions of visitors each year and The Hoover Dam Tour offers a unique way to see, learn and appreciate what Hoover Dam is all about. This tour offers guided exploration into lesser known parts of the dam.

5. For a truly life-changing experience and adrenaline rush like no other, complete your visit to Las Vegas with a tandem skydive. Take in the stunning views of Mount Charleston and the strip as you free fall for 60 seconds.

6. Venture into the desolate and abandoned Area 51, journey along the infamous extra-terrestrial highland and learn about legends of aliens and UFOs on a special tour.

7. Shop til you drop on the Las Vegas strip. You’ll find everything from highend designer boutiques to

fun souvenir stores.

With the vast quantity of things to do in Las Vegas, you can spend six nights in the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino from €689pp in August.

For those looking to travel during the winter you can spend five nights in the Excalibur Hotel and Casino from €695pp in December.

If those who want two holidays in one, you can spend three nights in the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas and seven nights in the all-inclusive Occidental Grand Xcaret in Mexico, from €1,579pp during the month of November.

Or for a thorough American experience spend four nights at the Circus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and three nights in the Ramada New York/Eastside in New York from €815pp.

For more information on these deals, visit www. americanholidays.com.

Munnar, two nights in Cardamom County in Kerala, two nights in Backwater Ripples in Kumarakom, one night in Lakes and Lagoons in Alappuzha, and five nights in The Leela Kovalam in Kovalam.

Highlights on this tour include soaking up the picturesque port town of Kochi, exploring the tea plantations and pristine valleys of Munnar, gliding along the Kumarakom backwaters and relaxing on the golden beaches of idyllic Kovalam.

To find out more about this offer, visit www.gohop.ie.

26 BLANCH GAZETTE 16 July 2015

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Gazette

28 Gazette 16 July 2015

SPORT Patterson all set for Euro debut

FastSport

softball: stillorgan called into ireland’s first slowpitch side

McGee back in irish davis cup tennis team:

CASTLEKNOCK’S James McGee will lead Ireland’s Davis Cup team to face South Africa in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Euro/Africa Zone Group II relegation play-off.

The Irish number one will be backed up

by Sam Barry and they will be joined by doubles specialists James Cluskey, from Swords, and David O’Hare for the tie which takes place at the Irene Country Club in Centurion, South Africa from July 17 to 19.

The Irish Davis Cup captain Conor Niland said: “I am very pleased to announce a strong team for this tie against South Africa.

It is great to have James McGee back in the squad and we are excited at the opportunity to play in South Africa.”

Ireland lost both their previous outings against the South Africans and need a win to avoid dropping into Europe Zone Group III for the first time since 2007.

 sport@dublingazette.com

THE inaugural women’s Irish National Fastpitch Softball Team will be competing in its first international championship at the European Softball Federation’s 2015 European Championships in Rosmalen, Holland on July 19 to 25.

Following the recent announcement by Softball Ireland, Ireland will be anchored by longtime Stillorgan resident, Jennifer Patterson (nee Bohan). She grew up in Lakelands and currently resides in Coolnevaun with her husband, daughter, and pets.

Patterson has qualified from an extensive

panel of players that will form the first ever women’s national team.

“To represent Ireland again is a great honour and one that I had hoped to do again.

So, to compete on an Irish Team that is brand new… it’s all the better,” she said. “This team has an opportunity to establish a benchmark for future teams to challenge. It will also provide the foundations for several young women and girls to participate in softball for years to come.”

She credits her love of sport to the success she had whilst playing hockey and rounders in the fields of Lakelands.

She and the teams from the estate had won

a number of All-Ireland championships in their respective age brackets.

Patterson began playing softball in the mid 1990s, and was selected to represent Ireland in the European Coed Slowpitch Championships in 2000 and 2004, in Maynooth and Linz, Austria respectively.

Those Ireland teams earned bronze and silver medals in their respective years. Patterson has followed those selections, with three national titles with her club, the Oddsox Greens.

She is also a core member of one of the most successful teams in the UK. Her team there, H2O Heroes, has won the national soft-

Jenny Patterson in action

ball league four times and garnered three silver medals in the British National Championships.

She has travelled to the USA, London, Jersey and Czech Republic to compete in further high profile championships.

The 2015 ESF European Championships is the most prestigious competition in Europe for this format of softball, the majority format played on the continent. It is also the largest development focus for the European Softball Federation (ESF) across many delegations within the breadth of

Europe. The ESF hold similar championships for men, and a number of age bracketed events across several divisions for both girls and boys youths.

With the selections now made for this initial Women’s Irish National Team, Team Ireland has been training regularly, both midweek and on weekends. They also took part in a tournament in Belfast, competing against teams of men and women, where the Irish ladies finished as runners up.

Although this is Team Ireland’s initial foray into women’s fastpitch softball, the team has

lofty aspirations. This year’s team is looking to achieve both a European and world ranking.

It is hoped that they can achieve a ranking in the top 15 in Europe, while its standings globally will depend on results elsewhere. Softball Ireland has already negotiated an at large bid to compete in Canada at the 2016 Women’s World Championships.

For Patterson, her involvement is also a family affair as her husband, Stephen, who is originally from the United States, acts an assistant coach for the team.

Four Dubliners called into Irish women’s hockey team  sport@dublingazette.com

Kate Lloyd is one of four Dubliners to join up with the Irish senior women’s hockey team. Picture: Adrian Boehm

FOUR Dubliners have been added to the Irish senior women’s hockey team panel for the EuroHockey Championship II in Prague as part of seven changes to the panel made by new coach Graham Shaw.

Shaw took over as head coach from Darren Smith in the wake of last month’s World League Round 3 in Valencia when 2016 Olympic hopes were dashed.

In the intervening fortnight, Railway Union’s Kate Dillon and Emma Smyth both

announced their retirements while UCD’s Nikki Evans is recovering from a broken jaw sustained against South Africa.

With Anna O’Flanagan, Lizzie Colvin, Aine Connery and Emma Gray unavailable too, it leaves Ireland shy half a dozen players with over a century of caps.

In their absence, opportunity knocks for a series of newcomers to stake their claim for a place in the side. Ards’ Kerri McDonald is the sole debutante while Railway’s Kate Lloyd has only two games under her belt

and is in line for a maiden tournament She comes into the panel along with UCD duo Deirdre Duke and Emily Beatty while Pembroke goalkeeper Stella Davis comes in as number two goalkeeper and Ayeisha McFerran will likely be the number one in Gray’s absence. Naomi Carroll is the other incoming player to the panel.

Speaking about the selection, Shaw said: “The objective of this tournament is a top two finish to secure promotion back to A Division.

“This is very important for this squad and the path we want to take.

“The squad selected has flexibility with multiple players able to operate in more than one position and physically fit to cope with the heat in Prague.”

Ireland - currently ranked 14th in the world - are drawn in Pool A with Czech Republic (world rank 35), Ukraine (26) and France (24) for the competition which starts on July 18.

The latter two sides have both been comfortably beaten by Ireland in the past year.

16 July 2015 blanch gazette 29

Gazette

Two out of three ain’t bad for Dublin clubs

FastSport

Both Shamrock Rovers and UCD made it through to the second round of the Europa League qualifying stages with wins over opposition from Luxembourg in the past week Dozen Dubs named in  nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

FOR the neutrals, it was a case of two out of three ain’t bad for Dublin’s League of Ireland sides in Europe last week with UCD and Shamrock Rovers advancing to the second qualifying round of the Europa League.

Obviously, St Patrick’s Athletic fans will be disappointed after the Saints were booted out of Europe by Skonto Riga after a 2-0 defeat in Richmond Park last Thursday resulted in a 4-1 win for the Latvian side on aggregate.

But, for Rovers and UCD, the glamour of European football is set to last a little bit longer at least.

Rovers followed up

their 0-0 first leg draw against Progres Niederkorn in Luxembourg with an emphatic 3-0 win in Tallaght last Tuesday night.

Dave Webster scored his first goal for the Hoops while a Marty Waters double secured Pat Fenlon’s side route to the next round where they will face Odds Ballklub of Norway.

Speaking af ter his brilliant brace in the second leg last week, Waters praised the work ethic of his Tallaght teammates.

“From the first minute, we worked hard,” he said. “We came out in the second half and we started well, which had been our downfall in the last two or three games.

But we started both halves well, and we were

well on top. We got the result we wanted.”

Rovers famously reached the group stages of the competition in 2011 and the flying winger is aiming for a similar story this season.

“It would be amazing, going from watching some of the games to playing some of the games.

“But we’ll take the next games as they come. We’ll see how we can do,” he added.

With the second qualifying round due to begin this Thursday, Waters insisted he and his teammates had no time to rest on their laurels.

“You have no time to think, so we’re straight into training, and we’ll hopefully, hopefully, get

UCD will be hoping they can add to their excellent opening round victory when they take on Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava. Picture: Ed Scannell

a result over there.”

The first leg of Rovers’ second qualification round tie against Odds Ballklub is in Tallaght Stadium this Thursday, July 16, at 8pm, with the return leg in Norway a week later.

Collie O’Neill’s stud e n t s p r ov i d e d t h e

advantage and on 43 minutes Joel Pedro levelled things up with a brilliant effort from 20 yards.

O’Neill must have been just thinking about getting his side in level at this point and drilling instructions into them for the second half but

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

‘It would be amazing to go from watching the [Europa League] games to playing in them’ - Marty Waters

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

shock of the night when they beat F91 Dudelange, also of Luxembourg, in their first leg two weeks ago thanks to a great finish from Ryan Swan.

The second leg was played in Dudelange last Thursday and while Shamrock Rovers struggled to play in the Luxembourg heat, the Students took the lead once again when their matchwinner a week earlier, Swan, headed past Joubert after Jamie Doyle had f licked on Mark Langtry’s throw-in.

The game was turned on its head on 28 minutes when UCD’s leftback Sean Coyne was shown a straight red card for a lunging tackle on Kevin Nakache.

It wasn’t long before the hosts began to use their extra man to their

Dudelange had other ideas.

Three minutes into injury time, Nakache headed in a long-throw from Da Mota to leave it 2-1 on the night, and 2-2 on aggregate but with UCD still ahead on away goals.

Despite an onslaught on Niall Corbet’s goal in the second half, the 20-year-old keeper dealt with absolutely everything, turning in a heroic performance which inspired the other nine UCD men on the pitch as they held on to book their path in the next round.

T he Students will travel to Slovakia to take on Slovan Bratislava this Thursday in their second qualification round first leg before the return leg in Belfield next Thursday, July 23.

Irish rugby Sevens panel TWELVE Dublin-based players will be looking to help the Ireland women’s and men’s sevens rugby teams keep their 2016 Olympic dreams alive as the squads for this weekend’s Rugby Europe Olympic Repechage tournament in Lisbon are named.

The women’s side features a high volume of Dubliners with Railway Union’s Emma Murphy and Stacey Flood, Old Belvedere’s Hannah Tyrrell, pictured above, and Jenny Murphy and Blackrock’S Katie Fitzhenry in the panel.

They are in an initial group with Belgium, Romania and Ukraine in their 12-team competition.

The men have seven Dublin-based players including UCD’s Adam Byrne and Harry McNulty, Lansdowne’s Tom Daly, Ian Fitzpatrick and Mark Roche along with St Mary’s College’s Steve Toal-Lennon and Terry Kennedy. Their pool sees them up against Georgia, Italy and Russia.

Both teams must finish in the top three in Portugal to qualify for next year’s World Olympic Repechage, which will determine the final teams to travel to Rio 2016.

Speaking ahead of the tournaments, Anthony Eddy, IRFU director of Rugby Sevens, said: “Both squads have developed well and this weekend will be a real test as they face up to some of the best teams in Europe.

“This tournament is arguably the most important one of the season so far for both teams, and with a place at the World Olympic Repechage the prize for a top three finish I am sure they will give everything they have.”

Women’s captain Lucy Mulhall commented: “We have been training well and made steady progress this season, so we hope to put all that work into practice this weekend as we target a spot at next year’s World Olympic Repechage, where we hope to compete for a place at Rio 2016.”

Men’s skipper Tom Daly added: “This is a great opportunity for us to measure ourselves against some of the best Sevens teams in Europe. We are an ambitious team and our preparation, training and tournament experience to date have been great.”

Gazette

30 BLANCH gazette 16 July 2015

SPORT

FastSport

Athletics: donore runner called up for international event

Castleknock Celtic host successful summer camp CASTLEKNOCK Celtic hosted another successful summer soccer camp last week in association with the FAI at their headquarters in Porterstown Park.

With 106 children participating, boys and girls, this was Celtic’s largest attendance at any of its summer camps over the years.

All the boys and girls had an enjoyable week of football games, learning the basics and developing their skills with the guidance of the FAI and Castleknock Celtic coaches.

Each day, a coaching programme was implemented by the coaches under the direction of Antonio Mantero, who coaches Celtic’s Under15s who were promoted to the DDSL Premier division having this year won the Major division.

Spirits were not dampened on Tuesday when the rain fell hard but instead seemed to invigorate the children. On Wednesday, the FAI’s Summer Soccer Schools mascot, Rua, who is supposed to be a football-mad red fox, visited the camp and he demonstrated his football skills, going into goals for penalty shoot-outs.

At the end of the week, all the children received their course certificate certifying that they had successfully completed the 2015 Sports World FAI Summer Soccer Schools Programme.

Memories of the week can be relived by visiting Celtic’s website www.castleknockceltic.com.

Celtic’s next summer soccer camp is expected in mid-August. For more info, go to the club’s website or email info@castleknockceltic.com.

Their schoolboys’ and girls’ teams covering almost all grades will be resuming training in the first week in August and new members are always welcome, including for the club’s Under-15 Premier and Under-14 and Under-16 Major teams. There will be teams competing on both Saturdays and Sundays. The AUL adult teams who play on Saturdays and Sundays have resumed training and new members are also welcome to their sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.15pm in Porterstown Park Celtic’s children’s academy for four- to sevenyear-olds continues during the summer months and it takes place each Saturday at 10am beside their clubhouse in Porterstown Park.

The academy prepares children for joining the club’s teams participating in the Dublin District Schoolboys League.

Donore Harriers’ John Travers, right, with Thomas Barr prior to the World University Games

Rudden Kelly in Irish team sport@dublingazette.com

CASTLEKNOCK Community College’s Jack Rudden Kelly has been named in the Irish schools athletics team for the upcoming Schools’ International on Saturday, July 18 in Grangemouth Stadium, Scotland.

The event features the best young athletes from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to compete in a wide variety of track and field events.

Rudden Kelly will compete in the 100m hurdles following his fine performances in the All-Ireland schools

competition in May. The Irish team features the best and brightest of Ireland’s School athletes.

Elsewhere on the boys’ team, David Murphy and Kevin McGrath feature as part of the team. Murphy won the 100m intermediate at the national schools with an excellent time of 11.14.

McGrath taking part in the 800m took command of the race earlier in the year when he claimed the national 800m school title in 1.57.22.

Brendan O’Donnell and Stephan McCorry take part in the ham-

david lynch cup Corduff name dates for annual tournament corduff will host their annual David Lynch senior memorial 11-a-side tournament on August 8 and 9 at their home in Damastown.

The tournament is open to 16 teams with an entry fee of €200 for a maximum of 20 players per team. If you are interested in entering, contact either Damien Walsh on 085 757 5489 or Keith Mooney 087 914 9457. The tournament is sponsored by Ger Conroy, personal trainer and fitness expert.

mer throw; the athletes battled it out at the Irish schools throwing 59.42m and 58.75m respectively. Shane Martin won the pole vault at 4.15m.

On the girls’ side of thing, sprinter Molly Scott leads the team.

Lauren Ryan and Janine Boyle also compete in the sprints, two athletes who have performed consistently throughout the year in both school and club competition.

The athletes both ran impressive times in the sprints at the All-Ireland schools and will look to continue form into the coming weekend.

Elsewhere, Rudden Kelly’s Donore Harriers club mate John Travers had to overcome a huge emotional hurt as he lined out for the final of the 1.500m at the World University Games in Gwangiu, South Korea last Friday.

Having qualified for the final two days earlier by placing second in heat three in a fine time of 3.44.48, Travers had an outside chance of making the podium.

Less than 48 hours to the final and the news from home was that his father Stephen had passed away following a long-term illness.

Travers, who described his father as “a truly great friend and the most inspirational person in my life”, could not be faulted for sheer determination in the final.

The fast pace throughout the race did not suit his usual tactic of relying on his lightning finishing speed.

The leaders passed the 800m mark in 1.58.16 with John in four th place.

However, a continued fast pace saw Travers slip to ninth before he rallied again in the closing stages to place eighth in a fast time of 3.42.63.

16 July 2015 BLANCH gazette 31

Gazette

football: kildare seen off in under-21 decider

Club Noticeboard st brigid’s CONGRATULATIONS to Daire Plunkett,

The team assisted in a reconstruc-

Alan Nolan and the Dublin senior hurl-

tion of the event which was aired on

ers on a great win over Limerick in

Monday evening.

Thurles on Sunday.

are available to St Brigid’s members

Ryan and the Dublin senior footballers

in first year (those just finished and

on their Leinster football final victory

those beginning in September) and

in Croke Park on Sunday.

second year pupils. Course dates:

Best of luck to Sorcha Furlong, Noelle Healy, Ciara Trant, Colleen Barrett

 nathan kelly sport@dublingazette.com

FOUR St Brigid’s players look set to be involved as Dublin ladies’ senior footballers take on Westmeath in this Sunday’s TG4 Leinster Championship final in Dr Cullen Park.

Ciara Trant, Sorcha Furlong, Colleen Barrett and current All-Star Noelle Healy make up the Blanch contingent in Gregory McGonigle’s panel.

Dublin booked their place in the final with 1-17 to 1-7 win over Laois in the semis in what was their first competitive senior fixture in nine weeks.

Speaking ahead of the final, Dublin boss McGonigle revealed how you manage to keep a side ticking through such a gap.

“Well, we had the Under-21 side winning the All-Ireland final a couple of weeks ago and we’ve a number of players still in that squad so they would have been kept going,” he said.

“Having such a strong underage side benefits your senior team in times like that too because it allows you to have very intense and competitive internal games.

“This is a Dublin that’s come through serious transition.

“I’m only here two years myself but even going back five years, there are only four or five players still in the squad from back then, which is quite a turnaround in personnel at this level.

“We didn’t train overly hard for the full nine weeks; it was around five weeks before the championship kicked off where we really start getting the group back together for some serious work,” added McGonigle.

W hile Dublin are looking to win their 11th Leinster title, their opponents Westmeath are hoping to win their first provincial crown, but did manage impressive wins against Laois and rivals Meath en-route to the final.

“They have come on a

lot in the last couple of years,” said McGonigle.

“We watched them in the earlier rounds and they’re a very fit team and a very organised team. We’ll need to be very focused to retain our title.”

It was starring forward Healy who got Dublin’s goal in the semi-final and it came at a crucial time too.

With the score at halftime 0-11 to 1-2 in Dub-

lin’s favour, it was Laois who managed the first score of the second half however and for a couple of minutes threatened to really get back into the game.

But Healy effectively ended any serious hopes of a comeback with a well taken goal shortly after.

Dublin then showed their strength in depth and ran out comfortable winners eventually.

087 6339238.

The St Brigid’s GAA summer camps

the Leinster final this Sunday versus

will run for three weeks in July and

Westmeath in Dr Cullen Park.

August. Week 1: club camp - July 20-24;

break and will return on August 29.

Lowndes helps Dubs land Leinster crown

July to August 9. Contact Stephen on

and the Dublin ladies footballers in

Our club nursery is on summer

St Brigid’s Noelle Healy, left, with Westmeath’s Jenny Rodgers ahead of the final. Picture: Peter Hickey/GAAPics.com

Additional Gaeltacht scholarships

Well done to Paddy Andrews, Philip

week 2: Kellogg’s Cul camp - August 10-14; week 3: nursery Camp - August

The club lotto jackpot remains a

18-21 (Tuesday Start) for age four to

massive €15,000 with the reserve ris-

seven. For bookings and more infor-

ing to €8,200 for this week’s draw in

mation, contact Paul on 087 9154748.

Russell Park on Thursday, July 16.

The St Brigid’s minor hurling team featured in an RTE documentary

The full range of St Brigid’s GAA gear is available on our online shop on the club website.

about Cork man Dessie Fitzgerald who

For up-to-date St Brigid’s GAA fix-

was injured in a hurling championship

tures and results, visit our website

match in Cork.

www.stbrigidsgaa.com.

castleknock CONGRATULATIONS to Ciaran and the

Mary’s in Saggart on Saturday at

Dublin footballers on their Leinster

6.30pm; all support welcome.

final win over Westmeath and also to

Sincere thanks to all who helped out

the Dublin hurlers on their great win

at the Castleknock Cul Camp last week;

over Limerick.

a week of great fun was had by all.

Well done to all our U-16 camogie

The Castleknock nursery is on a

players who represented Dublin over

well-earned break and will restart on

the weekend and also the eight girls we

August 22. Sincere thanks to all who

had on the U-13 and U-15 Dublin cam-

have helped out at the nursery since

ogie development squads who rep-

Christmas.

resented Dublin in the Paul Beecher

Our next summer camp is on August 17 to 21; please e-mail brendan.phelan.

Cup. Great result by our adult A hurlers

gpo.dublin@gaa.ie to secure places.

who had an exciting, one-point win

The club family day date is set for

over Faughs. Good win also for our

September 5. Remember to keep sup-

minor A footballers over Craobh Chi-

porting the SuperValu kits for clubs

arain.

and also our own cash for clobber

The adult A footballers play St

promotions.

Naomh peregrine THERE was no winner of this week’s lotto draw. The numbers drawn were

picking up another Leinster medal.

There is a car boot sale in the club next Sunday morning and spaces are

3, 7, 8 and 19.

The senior hurlers had a good win on Sunday against Thomas Davis to bring them back into playoff contention.

Well done to Eric and the Dubs on

still available from Aileen.

There is a bag pack in Eurospar on August 1 and volunteers are



required.

Got a story? we want to know!

Call our sport team on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 3 Sorcha Furlong in Dublin action

or email sport@dublingazette.com

GazetteSPORT all of your blanch sports coverage from page 28-31

final countdown: Brigid’s crew well set for Dublin’s Leinster showdown with Westmeath P31

july 16-22, 2015

European ambition: Shamrock Rovers and UCD pass Luxembourg tests P29

NAC’s Ellen Keane following her heat in the women’s 100m Breaststroke SB8 where she finished in a personal best time in Glasgow. Picture: Ian MacNicol/Sportsfile

Keane’s personal best

NAC swim club starlet swims faster than ever before three times at the world championships in Glasgow but just misses out on podium  nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

NAC Swim Club member Ellen Keane produced a number of lifetime bests at the Paralympic Swimming World Championships in Glasgow on Tuesday but ended up just shy of a medal in the 100m breaststroke final.

The Dubliner began her championships on Monday morning and recorded another personal best in her 100m backstroke heat with a time of 1.18.69.

The Beijing and London Paralympian subsequently swam faster than ever before in her preferred breaststroke event.

She completed her 100m breaststroke (SB 8

class) heat in 1.22.97, which left her first in the heat and shaved two hundredths of a second off the previous time she set at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Keane subsequently took almost another half a second off that later on Tuesday evening, recording a hugely impressive 1.22.50.

Having won her heat this morning Keane was hopeful of contesting a place on the podium but in an incredibly tightly fought race barely a second and a half separated silver from fifth as double Paralympic champion and world record holder Olesia Vladykina took gold in a new championship record of 1:17.47.

Speaking after the race Keane said: “Although I’m really pleased with my two PBs

today I’m disappointed with the result. I know I have more in me but it was just such a tough race and it just didn’t go my way. I’m already thinking of what I can do to improve and close that fine margin.”

Reflecting on the result, team manager Hayley Burke added: “That was such a tight contest there for Ellen. She’s swum three big personal bests in two days and it’s just a pity it wasn’t good enough for the podium.

“She can’t do any more than swim her fastest race and it really just did come down to the touch tonight and luck just wasn’t on her side.”

Fellow NAC swimmer James Scully started the championships for Ireland on Monday

morning in the 50m backstroke S5 class and recorded a time of 45.18.

Thirteen-year-old Nicole Turner was another to shave time off her best with 1.48.07 to finish fifth in the 100m breastrstroke SB6 final that was won in world record time by fellow 13-year-old Tiffany Thomas Kane of Australia in 1.34.95.

These championships are a key milestone on the road to Rio 2016 Paralympic Games qualification.

Swimmers who win gold and silver in their events earn automatic qualification slots for their country. For the others the highest possible finish is vital as the remaining slots are allocated based on world rankings in 2016.