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Gazette BLANCH

November 3 - 9, 2016

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‘Connolly Hospital is the best place for sick kids’

Former St James’s doctor who survived cancer as child warns against

 IAN BEGLEY A CHILDHOOD cancer survivor has warned that the proposed city-centre children’s hospital will have a detrimental effect on children having to travel from

outside Dublin.

Dr Eamonn Faller was diagnosed with cancer when he was just 14, and says one of the most visceral memories he has is of “crawling” through Dublin traffic on his way to hospital for treatment.

The Galway-born doctor, who previously worked at St James’s Hospital, was speaking on behalf of the Connolly 4 Kids Hospital (C4KH) campaign group at Leinster House last week.

The C4KH group were

granted a public meeting with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health, who also heard the views of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board.

Full Story on Page 8

2 BLANCH GAZETTE 3 November 2016

FINGAL | UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF HOMELESSNESS IN COUNTY

€198 million fund to tackle housing crisis  IAN BEGLEY AND SYLVIA POWNALL FINGAL council will spend close to €200m on tackling the housing crisis over the next three years, it has emerged.

The council has laid out an ambitions €324 million capital spending programme over the next three years, preparing to fund 186 projects across the county and sinking well over half of that sum into tackling Fingal’s housing crisis.

A staggering €198m of that capital budget will be spent by the housing department as it strives to make a dent in Fingal’s lengthy social housing waiting lists and tackle an unprecedented level of homelessness in the county.

Over €95m of that capital

housing fund will be spent in 2017 with almost €58m scheduled to be spent on housing in 2018 and some €45m in 2019.

The capital housing fund will be spent on the construction and acquisition of social housing, construction works under the Capital Assistance Scheme, supporting voluntary housing bodies in delivering housing and the management of existing housing stock as well as the travellers programme.

Nine projects costing almost €42m will deliver 234 new social housing units built by Fingal County Council but the local authority aims to provide hundreds more new homes by other methods, for example, the council predicts that some 150 new social housing units will be delivered through so-called “Part V”

acquisitions which relate to the obligation on developers of housing estates to allocate a number of units to social housing. There is also a 200% increase in the funding to support voluntary housing bodies.

The bulk of the funding is coming in 2017 to meet Government targets set for Fingal to deliver 1,376 social housing units between 2015 and 2017. Up to the end of August, the council is almost half way to that target.

Meanwhile, a €2.2m investment has been allocated to bring vacant housing back into use in Fingal. This is expected to being 143 vacant properties brought back into use as vital social housing.

“Much of this funding has been allocated under a new programme

to restore social housing that started this year, as one of the key planks of the Government’s housing strategy,” said local Minister Leo Varadkar.

“Other measures are also coming on stream nationally.

The Housing Agency has been awarded €70m to purchase social housing, while local authorities can also restore vacant properties under a new repair and leasing initiative. And a new buy and renew initiative will help local authorities and approved housing bodies to buy and upgrade private housing.

“There’s no doubt that housing is one of the biggest crises afflicting Ireland, but it’s one that the Government is determined to tackle. And the Rebuilding Ireland strategy is starting to make serious inroads,” he said.

FASTNews

wA

Youths at a bonfire in Fingal on Halloween night

Busy Halloween period as Dublin Fire Brigade responds to 872 calls Dublin Fire Brigade’ responded to 872 calls between midday on Bank Holiday Monday and 6am on Tuesday, an increase of more than a 100 calls on last Halloween’s number.

“It was full-on all night,” DFB mobilisation officer Donal Petherbridge told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland on Tuesday. “Nearly all the incidents were bonfires and Halloween related, though there were five domestic fires.”

In Quarryvale, Clondalkin a car was driven into a bonfire, but DFB said there were no casualties during the incident.

Despite the volume of calls, spokeswoman for DFB said there had been no incidents of fire officers injured over the Halloween period.

She added: “There’s been no issues of any of our crews being under attack, nothing like that.”

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A huge crowd of Justin Bieber fans – Beliebers – saw the four talented Dublin children do their dance steps

They danced for Justin?

You better BELIEBE it!  SYLVIA POWNALL

FOUR Dublin kids who got to dance with Justin Bieber on stage at the 3Arena on Tuesday still can’t BELIEBE their luck.

Molly Fitzpatrick (9), Kyle Hall (10), Holly Lloyd Pete (11), and 12-year-old Jacob Keogh are still on cloud nine after they were chosen as part of a global search for skilled dancers.

The hip hop-mad quartet – all from House of Swag Dance Studio – won their place on stage at the Irish gig after they filmed themselves performing Bieber’s Children dance routine.

The tour’s creative director and choreographer said he was looking for “high-energy and clean dancing”, and the Swag champs fit the bill.

Choreographer and dance teacher Nelly Kelly (22) told The Gazette: “They just couldn’t contain their excitement. We just saw it online and thought it would be a good idea to put it on YouTube. We just did it for exposure, but we didn’t think we were going to actually get it. They are still in a state of shock! It’s been a week of excitement.”

It’s been a busy week for the dancers, who celebrated House of Swag’s move to its new studios in Metro Business Park, Swords on Monday, just two weeks after representing Ireland at the World Hip Hop Dance Championships.

The four, accompanied by their parents, spent all day Tuesday rehearsing at the 3Arena before their going on stage as part of Bieber’s Purpose tour.

Nelly said: “I’m over the moon for them. They deserve it – they come here every day to train.”

A huge crowd of Justin Bieber fans – Beliebers – saw the four talented Dublin children do their dance steps

Streets ahead with their hiphop moves ...

Molly Fitzpatrick, Kyle Hall, Holly Lloyd Pete and Jacob Keogh

4 BLANCH GAZETTE 3 November 2016

TRAGEDY | BLANCH TEEN RICKY OSAGIE GIVEN HIGHEST HONOUR

Local heroes honoured at National Bravery Awards  IAN BEGLEY

Blanch heroes Lee Weir (above) and the late Ricky Osagie (below)

BLANCH teen Ricky Osagie was given the highest honour at the National Bravery Awards after he died trying to save the lives of two young girls from drowning.

The 13-year-old hero was the only recipient to posthumously win a gold medal at the ceremony in Farmleigh House for his selfless act of bravery.

Ricky, who was an avid football player, was playing with his friends in June 2014 when they noticed the teenage girls struggling in a manmade lake in Waterville Park, Blanchardstown.

Tragically, the young teen got into difficulty and

drowned while desperately trying to save them.

Thankfully, some older teens playing football nearby (Lee Weir, Sam Musu, Yosuf Bologun, and Ionut Plesca) were able to rescue the two girls. They all received certificates of bravery at the awards ceremony.

Lee, who was 16 at the time, told us how the tragedy on that fateful summer’s day unfolded.

“Myself and my mates were playing football when someone ran up to us and started shouting that there was a girl drowning in the water.

“When we got there we noticed that there were actually two young girls in big trouble. I jumped

in immediately to rescue one of them and saw that the girl’s head was face down in the water. When we brought her to the bank we gave her CPR and thankfully she regained consciousness.

“My mate who also jumped in and managed to save the other girl from drowning.”

Lee he re-entered the water to look for Ricky, but could not see anything because the water was too muddy.

“I couldn’t see a thing even though I tried my best to look for him. We were there looking for Ricky for ages and there were adults just standing around watching – it was unbelievable. We were screaming at them to help, but it took them like 5 or 10 minutes to literally do anything.

“When the fire service

arrived it even took them about a half an hour to find his body. In my mind nothing seemed real. Seeing Ricky’s lifeless body being pulled out and his dad screaming gave me a lot of bad memories, but at the same time I was glad I was there because I helped save the two girls.

If I wasn’t there it could have been three people who had died.”

Lee added that he keeps in regular contact with the girl he saved, saying that her mum dotes over him whenever she sees him.

The now 18-year-old is studying Sport’s Management in Colaiste Ide where life guarding is an essential part of his course.

Ricky was just one of 10 recipients of gold medals since the National Bravery Awards were established in 1947 to recognise deeds of courage.

Christmas lights in Dublin

Over one million lightbulbs are put to the festive test OVER a million lightbulbs are being tested across the city ahead of the Christmas lights being switched on.

With 30 streets to decorate across 4.5km of the city centre, it takes a DublinTown team of 20 people, working throughout the nights, over 200 hours to completely install the lights over the city for the festive season.

There are 47,350 individual light bulbs on Grafton St alone and they will be illuminated for over 1,000 hours from November 13 to January 7.

Henry St and Mary St will be getting brand new lights this year also. It is estimated that 25 million people will walk under the Christmas Lights in Dublin City Centre.

DublinTown’s Richard Guiney said: “Putting up the Christmas lights in the city centre is the most carefully planned and coordinated operation we do each year.”

FASTNews

Big-hearted Sean to raffle off AllIreland final balls A DIE hard GAA fan is holding a charity raffle night on Thursday, November 17 in Wetherspoons, Blanch – with loads of prizes up for grabs including a signed semi-final ball between Dublin and Kerry. Never missing a Dublin match, Blanch local Sean Clarke first snatched the ball during the semi-final against Kerry, then another at the tied final against Mayo, and amazingly once more in the replay. The charity night is to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Kidney Association (IKA). The IKA is particularly close to Sean’s family as his younger brother Niall is currently on the waiting list to receive a kidney. Sean is still looking for more raffle prizes on the night and is asking anyone who would like to sponsor to contact him at 0852409406 or email kevin@jetrocker.com.

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GazetteGALLERY

| FIREWORKS AND FANCY DRESS AT THE FESTIVAL OF FIRE

Thanks a lot, ghouls, for this memorable shot

Megan and Angela Gary

A particularly spectacular explosion of fireworks is framed wonderfully by Swords Castle. Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon

Irina Webb with her daughters, Mila and Jets of flame added to the visual drama

Patricia

A spectacular show in the heart of Fingal

L

OUD screams echoed around the historic stone walls of Swords Castle on Monday night, with some frightfully loud bangs soon drowning them out. However, there was nothing torturous going on at the castle – instead, screams of delight, cheers and ripples of applause were the order of the evening as the community gathered for the Festival of Fire. Even by the standards of fireworks displays, the onlookers were treated to something extra special on the night. The boys and ghouls, mummies, daddies, vampires and other monstrously dressed people enjoyed the spectacular display, with everyone who had come from all across Fingal, and beyond, delighted with the show.

The fireworks blazed away in lots of vivid colours

Paul Fisher and son, Elliot

Some of the large crowd, waiting for the show

Horribly good make-up

3 November 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 7

AS THOUSANDS GATHER FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT DISPLAY FOR HALLOWEEN

Jason McCarthy and Catherine Thornton

Fingal Mayor Darragh Butler looks the part, though he’s not in fancy dress - unlike these characters

Gerry, Caroline and Abigail Grandadam

Another beautiful display of colour

Emma Doyle looks Maleficent

Devilishly entertaining music from the live band

8 BLANCH GAZETTE 3 November 2016

COURTS | SUSPENDED SENTENCE

HEALTH | GROUP MAKE THEIR CASE FOR RETHINK

Attacked pastries Calls for Connolly in a Londis store A 25-YEAR-OLD man who broke eight coffee jars and damaged 46 pastries in a Londis store has been given a three-month suspended sentence.

Eric Keenan, of Ross Court Heights, Lucan was brought before Judge David McHugh at Blanchardstown Court for his confectionary and coffee rampage in the Fontill, Clondalkin store on November 18, 2015.

She said that at 10.39am, Keenan entered the Londis and picked up a bottle of Pepsi before launching it against the Subway coun-

ter. The bottle rebounded against the counter and did not cause any damage.

Howe ve r, K e e n a n turned to the display of coffee and pastries, and wreaked €68 worth of destruction, damaging the products to the extent that they could not be resold.

Keenan also pleaded guilty to the possession of a knife in June, 2015; he had carried it into the same Londis store while drinking a can of beer.

The presenting sergeant said Keenan tried to walk away, but gardai stopped and searched him and dis-

covered the knife.

The sergeant said Keenan had received the probation act previously in Blanchardstown Court for criminal damage.

Keenan’s solicitor, John O’Doherty, said his client is “a sad case”. He added that Keenan had been homeless at the time of the offences and is now back living with his father.

Judge McHugh sentenced Keenan to three months in jail, suspended for 18 months for the criminal damage, and took the other charge into consideration.

kids hospital laid before Oireachtas  IAN BEGLEY A CHILDHOOD cancer survivor has warned that the proposed children’s hospital site in the city centre will have a detrimental effect on children having to travel from outside Dublin.

Dr Eamonn Faller was diagnosed with cancer when he was just 14 years old, and says one of the most visceral memories he has is “crawling” through Dublin traffic on his way to Crumlin hospital twice a week.

T h e G a l w ay - b o r n doctor, who previously worked at St James’s hospital, was speaking on behalf of the Connolly 4 Kids Hospital (C4KH) campaign group at Leinster House last week.

For the first time, campaigners calling for the new children’s hospital to be built at Connolly in Blanchardstown were given the chance to express their views at Leinster House.

The C4KH group were granted a public meeting with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health, who also heard the views of the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board.

Speaking at the committee, Dr Faller said that an extra hour in traffic for children travelling from

outside Dublin would only add to the misery they already face.

He said: “Upon the most visceral memories I have is being spread out on the back seat of my parents’ car, feeling nauseous and weak, and having to crawl through Dublin traffic wishing every moment of that car journey would go away.

“This is something not particular to me – it is something that will resonate with families up and down this country. There is no doubt that an enormous amount of patient hardship would be saved by locating the hospital in Connolly instead.”

Aisling McNiffe, from Kildare, also told the Oireachtas committee about her experience of hospitals as a parent of a child with special needs.

She said: “Children like mine cannot go on a Luas or bus. My boy is in a wheelchair, on a pump, and requires oxygen, so public transport is out of the question.

“This hospital is for the sickest of children – it’s not for kids with broken legs. You need the M50 hard shoulder – St James’s does not offer that. Parking is also very important.

“Can you imagine having nowhere to park? You can’t just park in Crumlin and walk up – you know

The Jack & Jill Foundation’s chief executive, Jonathan Irwin, stood outside Leinster House in protest at not being invited to air his views on situating the new children’s hospital at Connolly

what the weather is like in Ireland. If you have a vulnerable child, he can’t get wet.”

Meanwhile, Jack & Jill chief executive Jonathan Irwin stood outside the gates of Leinster House during the meeting, as he wasn’t invited to attend.

Claiming to be “locked out”, Irwin said that he was very hurt not to have been in attendance.

He said: “I am also so disappointed that the Health committee is not

calling on Senator James Reilly to explain his rationale for choosing St James’s as the location [for the new hospital] – a location that never did make sense.

“They’ve got to take note of the parents’ voice and the 60,000 signatures on the Connolly For Kids Hospital petition against the St James’s site, and I wish our friends in that group the very best this morning in presenting their case.”

FASTNews

Man in serious condition after being shot in Cherry Orchard

A 42-YEAR-OLD man is in a serious condition at St James’s Hospital after he was shot in at a house in Cherry Orchard on Tuesday night.

The victim was hit at least once shot in the attack, which took place around 9pm at a house on Raheen Drive. The injured man

was taken to St James’s Hospital, where his condition is described as serious. There have been no arrests in connection with the attack, and gardai do not believe the attack was gang-related.

The scene has been preserved for forensic examination by the Garda technical bureau.

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GazetteGALLERY

| UP TO 17,000 TAKE PART IN THE LONG RUN AROUND DUBLIN

Men’s winner Sergiu Ciobanu and Women’s winner Laura Graham after winning The august setting of the historic Phoenix Park provided a welcome break from the city grind

the Irish National Championship during the marathon

Malahide man Frank Moore has a celebratory drink after his run

Karen Broom sets a comfy pace

Siobhan and Brendan Loughlin

Bravo for marathon efforts on Sunday A

Elation for James Casserly and his coach, Mark Lacey, as they reach the finish line

At key hills and corners, crowds cheered the runners on

LTHOUGH runners in the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon faced more than a few miracle miles and heartbreak hills as they made their way around Dublin, the large amount taking part were delighted to do so, with Lucan lad James Casserly (left) summing up the marathon’s inclusive spirit. The 10-year-old didn’t let his cerebal palsy get in the way of setting an historic achievement – being the first child to take part and complete the marathon. With a little help from his personal coach, Mark Lacey, the dynamic duo raised an incredible €40,000 for Barrestown – one of a large number of charities gaining from the running, walking and plodding power of participants. The pair of pals were just two of an estimated 17,000 people taking part, with the shift to Sunday, rather than the traditional bank holiday Monday, seeing a significant surge in the number or runners.

Were you there? The first of a number of waves of runners rolls away from the starting point. Pictures: Sportsfile

3 November 2016 GAZETTE 11

GAZETTE

12 GAZETTE 3 November 2016

DUBLINBUSINESS MOTORING | FAMILY FUN DAY TO LAUNCH BUSINESS AT TURVEY

Car dealership drives 15 jobs with Linders Renault  IAN BEGLEY

At the presentation of the Maternity and Infant awards were Brian Ormond; Daryl Divilly, chief executive, Inhealth.ie and Inhealth.ie brand ambassador Emma Murphy

Baby thermometer was fighting fit to claim a win at Boots awards BLOGGER Emma Murphy was congratulated on Inhealth.ie’s success at Boots’ ninth annual maternity and infant awards.

The brand ambassador collected the award at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, from Brian Ormond on behalf of Inhealth.ie, which won Best Thermometer of The Year.

Speaking of how thrilled the company was with the win, Emma said:

“I am extremely proud to be part of this company.

As a mother of two, I use my inferred dual mode thermometer so much and it has been a great help in my household, as it has to many other mothers in Ireland.”

The awards are voted for by parents, with a focus on the best products, services and creches in the industry, as well as highlighting the unsong heroes in the maternity and infant sector.

Noteworthy €30,000 win for music business  EMMA NOLAN

DUBLIN-based team Shane McKenna and Killian Redmond, have won the prestigious Social Entrepreneurs Ireland (SEI) award for DabbledooMusic.

DabbledooMusic focuses on innovative technology for music education that makes music more accessible, engaging and fun for teachers and students, with workshops and online resources to allow teachers to engage fully with the music curriculum, regardless of their musical experience. The award consists of €30,000 in funding and support.

Speaking about the award, McKenna said: “Winning the SEI award gives us the support structure to reach our aim of providing a better standard of music education for children nationwide. It means being supported by a network of enthusiastic and experienced people who believe in our project.”

IN CELEBRATION of the grand opening of their newest dealership in Turvey, Donabate Business Centre, Linders Renault are extending an open invitation to all in the area to come on down and visit the brand-new dealership on Saturday, November 5.

From 12pm to 3pm, the grand opening is set to be a fun-filled day with the incredibly popular Renault brand ambassadors, The Happy Pear, joining Linders to help ser ve up some dishy treats.

Adding to the party mood to help keep everything motoring smoothly along, the 98FM Thunderbus will be broadcasting from the dealership on the day.

There will be plenty to keep the kids happy, with treats and face-painting and a great party atmosphere, while the grownups will appreciate checking out the vehicles and deals.

Linders Renault &

David and Stephen Flynn (aka The Happy Pear), with Paddy Magee, country operations manager, Renault Ireland

Dacia is a family-run business established in Smithfield in 1938. The business has grown to be one of the longest established car dealerships in Dublin, with locations now in Chapelizod, Finglas and Swords Turvey.

Over their almost 80 years in business, Linders have prided themselves

on their customer service and with building customer relationships that have literally lasted a lifetime.

T he firm say they believe in understanding the individual needs of each customer to ensure they select the car that is right for them.

Patrick Magee, coun-

try operations manager, Renault Ireland said: “North Dublin is a very important catchment area for Renault and we are delighted that Linders has expanded with its third new branch in Swords Turvey, as well as Ireland’s first Renault Car-Store, in the Pavilions Shopping Centre,

Community Credit Union apoints Maureen Brogan as its new CEO MAUREEN Brogan has been appointed as the new chief executive officer at Community Credit Union, following the departure of Aidan O’Brien after a 17-year tenure.

Community Credit Union was formed in 2010 through the pioneering merger of Premier Credit Union and Clonsilla Credit Union. Following another merger in 2015 with West Cabra Credit Union,

Community Credit Union now has four offices, 42 staff and a membership exceeding 35,000, with assets of circa €98 million, offering a wide range of services through its offices and online at communitycu.ie.

Commenting on her appointment, Brogan said: “I am delighted to take the helm at an organisation that I have enjoyed working in for over 14 years.

“Credit unions have long held an important role in Irish society and amid all the challenges we have faced over the last few years, the future also presents some exciting opportunities.

“With the support of management, staff, volunteers and the Board of Directors, I look forward to steering our credit union and meeting member needs into the future.”

Swords.

“With almost 80 years in business, the Linders name, of which Renault is very proud to be associated with, has been linked to the very best in customer service and quality in the motor industry and, very importantly, 15 jobs will be created as a result of this new dealership.”

3 November 2016 GAZETTE 13

TRAVEL P18

DUBLINLIFE

HALLOWEEN P20

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

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GAZETTE

MUSIC P15

CHARITY: SEE THE CITY IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT AS YOU RUN ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE

Take to the city streets for a run in the dark and support spinal cord injuries

 IAN BEGLEY

AS DARKNESS falls on November 16, tens of thousands of people from around the world will put on their running shoes and hit the road to Run in the Dark in aid of the Mark Pollock Trust.

Part of a global event to fast-track a cure for paralysis, the 5k walk or 10k run will be taking place from Custom House Quay in Dublin city centre at 8pm.

Participants will feel a real sense of comradery with their fellow runners as they wrap up against the cold and feel the wind across their face as they run the streets of the capital.

T here’s something particularly meditative

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‘There’s something particularly meditative about running in the dark, and running in the dark with thousands of people is truly a unique feeling’

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about running in the dark, and running in the dark with thousands of people is truly a unique feeling.

Unbroken by blindness in 1998, Mark Pollock suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury in 2010 that left him paralysed.

As Mark strives to walk again, his most complex journey is ahead of him – to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, both for him and the millions of paralysed people around

the world.

The Run in the Dark event plays a vital role in funding the Trust’s mission to find and connect people around the world to fast-track a cure for paralysis.

Up to this point, it has proven impossible to discover a cure for paralysis, yet history is filled with accounts of the impossible made possible through human endeavour.

This is why the Trust is

This pair of plucky participants made some light work of another Run in the Dark past Custom House Quay

exploring the frontiers of spinal cord injury recovery, working with the world’s greatest scientists for the cause.

If you’ve already started to help by signing

up to Run In The Dark, you can take it one step further by creating a JustGiving page for your run and asking your friends and family to support you on the run.

The organisers strongly advise against the use of iPods, earphones or any similar device while participating in the Run in the Dark, as it may restrict hearing impor-

tant instructions and communication with other participants.

Tickets are priced at €29, and can be purchased at www.runinthedark.org/dublin.

GAZETTE

14 GAZETTE 3 November 2016

DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

Whiskey lovers will pore over this special festival for them WHISKEY Live Dublin – Ireland’s premier whiskey tasting event – is set to take place on Saturday, November 5 at Dublin Castle.

The afternoon session will take place from 1.30 to 5pm, with an evening session from 6 to 9.30pm.

There will also be additional master classes, for

which it will be possible to purchase tickets for at a later date.

The event will showcase both the long established and new arrivals to the Irish whiskey scene.

In addition, there will be wonderful food pairings and cocktails provided by some of Dublin’s best bars and restaurants.

The event will also feature the ever growing range of other Irish craft spirits and some whiskey barrel-aged craft beers.

This event is intended to be enjoyed by anyone who likes whiskey – from the occasional drinker, to those heavily involved in the Irish whiskey trade.

Tickets for this event

are priced at €42, and can be purchased from www. whiskeylivedublin.com.

OH HONEY, HAVE WE GOT A SHOW FOR YOU FOR the sweetest show in town, make sure you buzz down to the Dublin Honey Show and Craft Fair, the Dublin beekeepers’ annual event on Saturday, November 5, from 10.30am – 4pm.

Held in the beautiful surrounds of Christ Church Rathgar, there will be plenty to see and do for people of all ages, including a craft fair, lectures and demonstrations, and even a hair-raising beekeeping competition.

Current beekeepers can vie for a prize, while future honey farmers of Ireland can learn everything they need to know about beekeeping.

Don’t forget to take along your sweet tooth for a spot of tea and cake, with all proceeds going to local charities. Tickets are priced at just €2.

DOGGEDLY CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR PET

JAMIE Heaslip is calling on all dog owners to clean up after their dogs and always use a dirt bag.

Dog fouling is one of the biggest issues raised

by Dubliners. Dublin City Council have set up a new campaign – AntiDog Fouling Awareness – which aims to raise awareness about dog fouling.

Speaking about the campaign, Lord Mayor Brendan Carr said: “The aim of this campaign is simple: always carry a bag to clean up after your dog.

“Dog waste is not only a nuisance, but it can carry diseases which are harmful to humans. I would encourage all dog owners in the city to act responsibly and have respect for their dog, their neighbours and their community.”

Jamie said he always makes sure to clean up after his dog, Jay Z, and is encouraging others to do so too. He said: “We need to take responsibility for

our dogs and look after our neighbourhoods and communities.”

YOU’LL REALLY LOVE THIS BAZAAR MARKET ONE of Dublin’s biggest Christmas markets will be taking place in Smithfield this December.

The Christmas Bazaar Market will be one of Dublin’s biggest indoor Christmas markets, with more than 100 stall holders, a food market, live music and DJs and a popup Christmas cafe.

The bazaar promises visitors the chance to find Christmas presents, stocking fillers and hand-made produce from some of the best local craft makers and producers in the area.

There will be top-notch vintage sellers and collectors, and shoppers can rummage through stalls full of old games, comics, vinyl records and lots more treasures.

It’s all taking place from December 9 to 11 at Smithfield Square.

METROPOLIS SOUNDS TO GET YOU GROOVING CITY festival Metropolis is back for the second year in a row this weekend.

Taking place in the RDS, star ting today, November 3, the festival will run all weekend with some incredible acts lined up for the festival.

Acts such as Grace Jones, Groove Armada, Crystal Castles and The Sugarhill Gang are set to wow attendees.

Doors are at 7pm on Thursday and 3pm on Friday and Saturday. The festival finishes up at 11pm on Thursday, and 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday.

Tickets for the mostly indoor festival are available from www.ticketmaster.ie. The two-day early bird tickets are now sold out, but day tickets, twoday tickets and three-day tickets are still on offer.

Tickets for Friday and Saturday are €79.50 each, the two-day ones are €145, and the three-day ones are €164.50.

Whiskey galore! Dublin Castle will soon play host to a festival dedicated to the tipple of choice for many connoisseurs

3 November 2016 GAZETTE 15

GAZETTE

MUSIC

“Ho, Hey!” It’s The Lumineers

Deady’s southern soul set to impress  MIRIAM DOONA

HAILING from West Cork, Brian Deady has recently signed to Decca Records and is accumulating high praise from many corners of the music industry.

His album, Non-Fiction (above), is due out on November 25. Growing up with a love of music, being surrounded by it and the desire to create it is the foundation of his career and creativity, he says.

“Not that I like to choose between one or the other, but I love the Motown sound and the Philly sound as well; the Philly sound is a big thing for me.The harmony is a massive draw for me. I have always been interested in that and exploring that sound.”

Brian is currently on tour, with recent gigs bringing him to Whelan’s, and down to Cork Opera House for The Cork Jazz Festival.

On the new album, he said: “It is a bit of a revealing album. To get the material, I had to work through my own personal stuff and then the music and the songs became boats, guiding me through it.

“The tone – in a word, I would say ‘bare’.

I wanted it to be a lyrical album, and that was the plan from the start – to be sparse, without it being too sparse.”

The Lumineers: Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites and Neyla Pekarek

 IAN BEGLEY

THE Lumineers are one of the unlikeliest success stories of the past few years. As an independent Americana trio out of Denver, they were launched suddenly into the limelight with their trademark anthem, Ho Hey, in 2012.

Since then, the band has been storming stages around the world, performing in front of their legions of fans including at the 3 Arena in Dublin last week.

Wesley Schultz (vocals, guitar) told The Gazette he has a very soft spot for Ireland, saying it’s one of the most picturesque countries he has ever been to.

“It’s really great being back in Ireland. I was here

for a wedding a few months back and got to eat again at my favourite restaurant – The Winding Stair. I even went there by myself on my own to try the food!

“I’ve been here a fair amount over the years while touring and travelling. I was at a wedding in Dingle not too long ago, and I stayed in the same place where they shot The Lobster.

“We also rented a car and drove around the countryside. Everything here is just so photogenic, and it really takes your breath away.”

Their latest album, Cleopatra, is full of strange and touching tales, and tells of everyday hopes and busted dreams.

The title track, Cleopatra, sprang from an

encounter with a taxi driverWes met in the Republic of Georgia, who related a tale of personal tragedy without a trace of self-pity.

“People create stories about themselves through social media which are completely disconnected from what we personally know about their lives.

“I felt cleansed to be around someone who was just telling me how it actually was for them.”

Wesley said he never anticipated that their most well-known track, Ho Hey, would become such a massive global hit, reaching nearly 160 million hits on YouTube alone.

“I originally thought it would work quite well live, but not so much in a record. We must have recorded it about a hundred different ways before

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

‘He never anticipated that their most well-known track, Ho Hey, would become such a massive global hit, reaching nearly 160 million hits on YouTube alone’

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

we came to an agreement, and were even considering leaving all the Hos and Heys out.

“In hindsight, I’m glad we didn’t do this, because the success of the song created an ice-breaker for the rest of our first album.

“During our performances, we don’t leave our audiences hanging around until the very end before playing Ho Hey. It’s usually like our fourth song [in], but there are plenty more songs on this album that I really feel like our audi-

ence can connect with.”

Touring up to 300 days of the year, Wesley said that he doesn’t get the chance to get home a whole lot, but loves travelling the world with his band and sharing his music makes up for it.

“Our first album brought us to six continents, and by the end of the tour we started writing our second record, then after that we just started touring all over again.

“Eventually, we’ll get more time to unwind, but

for the moment we just want to get the most out of this very special time in our lives.”

Contrary to what many people believe, Wesley feels that there are a lot more opportunities for up-and-coming musicians of all genres.

“I think the music industry these days allows for a lot more acts to have freedom. You can actually be who you are and keep your style rather than having someone pre-approve your music.

“I love the feeling of playing in a more intimate setting, and during our bigger performances we try and capture that raw connection with our audiences. Down the line, I would love to have much smaller, surprise acts before we do our bigger shows.”

16 GAZETTE 3 November 2016

3 November 2016 GAZETTE 17

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*Free wine offer on orders over €90 only and orders placed between 4th October until 9th November 2016 for collection between 22nd – 24th and 30th – 31st December 2016 from the Christmas & New Year Food to Order brochure and ordering service. Non-alcoholic alternative available is Belgian Chocolate Truffles 400g. While stocks last. Over 18s only. Please drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.ie.

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GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 3 November 2016

DUBLINLIFE

 IAN BEGLEY

AS THE cold and dark days of winter began to creep in, I decided to offset the mandatory Christmas blues and have one last summer hurrah in Malta for a cheeky three-day escape.

Travelling with a team of other journalists, I packed my bags on a drizzly Monday morning and hopped on a plane bound for the Mediterranean Island.

For those who don’t know, Malta lies 93km south of Sicily, and has an archipelago of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino.

With a total population of more than 400,000 inhabitants, I was delighted to learn that most of the locals speak English, use the Euro and drive on the left hand side of the road.

Their plug sockets are also the same as ours, which was definitely an added bonus!

I slept like a baby during the three-and-a-half-hour flight (a first for me), and when we landed my party took a coach to the elegant Hilton hotel, which is nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and Portomaso Marina.

The hotel offered picturesque sights of the bustling town of St Julian’s, along with breath-taking views of the Mediterranean Sea. My deluxe room was tastefully decorated in contemporary Mediter-

ranean style, and included my own balcony, a 40-inch TV and high-speed wifi.

Up bright and early the next day, we took a trip to Malta’s capital city, Valletta, which was nothing short of an open-air museum.

With an unsurpassed collection of original Baroque architecture, fortified city walls overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, and the spectacular co-cathedral of St John, we were overwhelmed with the sights before us.

We then took a trip to Vittoriosa (one of the Three Cities of the Cottonera District) on a typical Maltese gondola-shaped boat, which were once used extensively at Grand Harbour to ferry sailors and seamen.

Here, we were given some really cool looking electric-powered cars, which were very easy to drive and complete with a pre-programed GPS showing where to go and what to look at when we got there.

We all took turns driving around the town, which went very smoothly until one member of my party, who I will kindly keep anonymous, crashed the car into a curb, which ultimately left our vehicle redundant.

Thankfully, another car came to our rescue and the accident left none of us were injured or killed.

Building up a hearty

Travel journalist Ian Begley at the Azure Window – an impressive natural arch standing some 20m high

Magnific

Malta’s rich baroque architectural heritage graces not only the Capital city, Valletta, but also the other cities of the harbour area

appetite we then found ourselves at Wigi’s Kitchen, which is located in the heart of Balluta Bay. The locally sourced food was delicious – especially the duo of braised pork cheeks and honeyglazed pork fillet, which was so tender that it literally fell apart on my fork.

After dinner, we proceeded to nearby Paceville, which is essentially Malta’s take on Ibiza. The strip was literally dotted with discos, lounge bars, and clubs which we visited for a few (cough) sensible drinks.

If you’re looking for a wild holiday away, then this place is certainly worth your while, as most

of the clubs have free admission.

The next day of my Maltese adventure, my party proceeded to Mdina, which was Malta’s first capital city during the time of the Knights of Malta.

The town itself was a joy to stroll around and many of the alleys really gave the sense that nothing had changed here for hundreds of years.

We then took a ferry to Malta’s sister island of Gozo, which according to legend was the home of the beautiful nymph Calypso, as depicted in Homer’s Odyssey.

After the 20-minute ferry ride, we found our-

selves at Ta’ Philip Restaurant, which welcomed us with a grand display of typical Maltese foods, wines and extra virgin olive oil.

Immersed in the marvels of the past and present, we then proceeded to the Ggantija Temples, which are the oldest freestanding structures in the world, and potentially Gozo’s single most marketable landmark, dating back to 3,500BC. Next up was Cittadella, also known as The Citadel – a small fortified city located in the heart of Victoria on the island of Gozo. The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, and in the

medieval era it was known as the Gran Castello.

As the afternoon drew to a close, we checked in to the 5-star Kempinski Hotel, a luxurious hideaway resort perfectly based in the blissful countryside of San Lawrenz village.

My room offered the peak of comfort, and the bed was easily one of the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in.

The next morning, on our final day, we proceeded onwards to Dwejra, where we gazed upon the Azure Window – an impressive natural arch standing some 20m high.

Being a Game of Thrones fan I was also very pleasantly surprised

to recognise this site from the Dothraki Wedding in the show’s first season.

The Maltese islands are like nowhere else I’ve ever been to. Here, you’ll find great prehistoric temples, fossil-studded cliffs, beautiful blue lagoons, and incredible nightlife and wonderful Mediterranean cuisine.

All information on the Maltese Islands and things to do is available at www. visitmalta.com.

Ryanair flies five times per week direct from Dublin to Malta International Airport in the summer and three times a week in the winter.

See www.ryanair.com for best available offers.

3 November 2016 GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

TRAVEL fast

TRAVEL NEWS

ent Malta

Boat tours of the Grand Harbour are well worth your time

The Ggantija Temples are the oldest freestanding structures in the world dating back to 3,500BC

The Skelligs – part of the Skellig Ring, now listed in Lonely Planet’s top ten places to visit, globally

World’s must-see list adds Kerry to top ten  IAN BEGLEY

SKELLIG Ring in Kerry has been named one of the world’s top places to visit next year by Lonely Planet.

The accolade is mentioned in Lonely Planet’s Best Travel 2017 – the bestselling collection of travel trends, destinations and experiences for next year.

The Skellig Ring connects Valentia Island with Waterville via the Gaeltacht area around Ballinskelligs, and includes the Skelligs themselves.

Lonely Planet describes the destination as “perhaps Ireland’s most charismatically wild and emerald stretch of coastline” with a “remote, wavepounded hunk of rock rising out of the Atlantic like a giant triangle”.

The UNESCO World Heritage site was the centre of public interest earlier this year when it was featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it will play an even bigger role in Episode VIII, due out next year.

The Irish islands made it on to the top-10

list which includes such prestigious places as Choquequirao (Peru), The Azores (Portugal), Aysen (Chile) and Perak (Malaysia), to name but a few.

Welcoming the news, Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said the accolade provided a great marketing hook and “will surely help to inspire travellers everywhere to put the Wild Atlantic Way on their holiday wish-list for 2017”.

Tourism Ireland will be promoting the Skellig Ring region with a new video and a speciallycreated page on Ireland. com among other activities, he added.

Minister for Tourism Shane Ross said: “I am delighted that The Skellig Ring is being internationally recognised as a place of rugged and ethereal beauty.”

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel picks are compiled by writers, editors and its substantial online community of bloggers and tweeters, with a spokesperson saying: “The Skellig Ring should be on every traveller’s must-see list.”

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 3 November 2016

DUBLINLIFE

Christopher the skeleton pirate

Danie Darragh and Sinead Mahony

Jacob Corbally Behan

DUBLIN’S HALLOW Glasnevin nurses

Thanks to everyone for entering!

WE’VE had a terror-ific response to our

here are just some of the great photos - including

Halloween photo competition, with lots (and lots)

this week’s spot prize winner Noah Collins - we’ll

of our readers only too happy to share scary

very soon be in touch with the groan-ups who

pix of themselves, their kids, and their haunted

sent in winning shots.

homes and gardens. Sadly, we can’t give prizes to

Molly and Sarah Kenny

Prizes include a €50 gift card for Gap, a €50

everyone, but we’re delighted to share some of

voucher for the Nike Outlet in Blanch’s Westend

the many spooktacular photos you sent in!

Shopping Park, a hamper worth €50 from the Body

We’re still going through the many photos we’ve

Shop, a €50 voucher for Marks and Spencer, a

received, and a full gallery of all the winners will

flash rucksack from Regatta, a George Foreman

appear in next week’s Gazette. In the meantime,

Grill and a €50 voucher for Dealz.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

3 November 2016 GAZETTE 21

GAZETTE

Amelia

sdf Bawn ogue

el, Noah, Harry and Jamie

Leah Pownall

OWEEN HEROES WINNER A hamper worth €50 from the Body Shop is on the way Taylor

Noah Collins

Harley Quinn

Jamie Kenny

Amy Caffrey

GAZETTE

22 GAZETTE 3 November 2016

DUBLINLIFE

Subtle style at Topshop

 EMMA NOLAN

Style Editor

TOPSHOP’S November offering

features many cosy Autumn staples along with some more dressy pieces to ease us into the party season.

Available in store and online

now, favourites from the current stock include a pink sequined long sleeve mini dress, a velvet cold shoulder jumper, and a cosy khaki puffa jacket.

This collection combines practical with pretty effortlessly – the dark winter florals add

some life to the proceedings, as the pale pink hues bring this season’s paramount colour into the mix.

The warm jumpers, shirts and jeans provide an accessible allure to the collection, as much of the new stock’s appeal is in its practicality.

3 November 2016 GAZETTE 23

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STYLE

Amy’s celestial silverware in team-up with Newbridge AMY Huberman has collaborated with Newbridge Silverware on a new collection.

Luna is Amy’s first foray into jewellery design. The 36-piece collection of delicate gold-plated jewellery features an array of specially selected symbols worn on pendants and necklaces, dainty bracelets and intricate earrings.

Luna features motifs of the sun, moon and stars, as well as other symbols inspired by the galaxy.

Prices start from €20 and go up to €45, and each item carries a unique message of encouragement and empowerment so that the wearer can choose their inspiration each day.

Speaking on the collection, Amy said that she has always admired the craftsmanship and heritage of Newbridge Silverware. She added: “I have loved every step of seeing Luna take shape and come to life.”

A design exhibition to look out for in the city centre  EMMA NOLAN

THE IDI Irish Design Awards Exhibition has opened at the Fumbally Exchange on Dame Lane.

Running until Friday, the exhibition showcases the best of Irish design this year, encompassing architecture, fashion, interiors, product design, animation, furniture, craft and more.

Entries are judged to an international standard by a panel of industry leaders, which this year includes Una Burke, award-winning leather accessories designer, and Harry Parr, co-founder of culinary design studio, Bompas & Parr.

Winners and commended entries will be announced on Wednesday, November 17 at the IDI Irish Design Awards ceremony in The Marker Hotel.

For tickets, see www.idi-design.ie.

GAZETTE

24 BLANCH GAZETTE 3 November 2016

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA ReelReviews GIRL ON TRAIN Stays on track

EMILY Blunt brings some nervy energy to The Girl on the Train (Cert 15A, 112 mins), the film based on the bestselling book. Blunt is pretty decent in the role of a troubled commuter who may have witnessed something awful, and while the film ends up at a predictable destination, wobbling in a few places along the way, it’s rail-ly not that bad to ride along with for two hours.

Dr. Louise Banks, an expert linguist (Amy Adams) is brought in establish communication with the

TROLLS

aliens after enormous, shell-shaped spacecraft arriving in locations around the globe

Get ready to dance, dance, dance

MYSTERIOUS VISITORS: DIRECTOR DENIS VILLENEUVE THRILLS

A welcome sci-fi Arrival

DIRECTOR Denis Villeneuve is highly capable of treating bombastic subjects with sensibility, as he demonstrated with 2015’s cool and collected narco-thriller, Sicario. With Arrival, he renders that most bombastic of genres – the extra terrestrial science fiction – both quietly poignant and intensely entertaining.

Arrival continues a recent trend of reserved, sober sci-fi films, like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special.

For all its distant leaps in logic, however, Arrival improves on many of those films’ shortcomings, offering up a compelling rumination on memory, experience and communication.

Amy Adams plays Dr. Louise Banks, an expert linguist. During one of her lectures, news breaks of

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

enormous, shell-shaped spacecraft arriving in locations around the globe.

Along with scientist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), Louise is brought in to help Colonel Weber’s (Forest Whitaker) military unit establish communication with the aliens.

Unfortunately, other international powers are not as willing to wait for answers from the mysterious visitors and, soon enough, mankind edges toward global warfare.

Louise must decode the alien language before it’s too late.

It doesn’t take long for accompanying linguistic Arrival to make its point. puzzle are enough to layer After a tragic opening Arrival with dramatic, montage, wherein Lou- stimulating mystery. ise recounts the life and As more is revealed death of her daughter, about the visitors, Arrival we’re immediately intro- is hit with occasional duced to the extra terres- moments of absurdity trial event. and some massive leaps While Louise labours in logic – the speed at to piece together the puz- which Louise manages zle of the Alien language, to partially decode their worldwide communica- language is somewhat tion falls apart and chaos laughable. ensues. The message is However, if you allow fairly blatant here – the yourself to embrace importance of dialogue those leaps as you’d and intelligent exchange is sacralised at the centre of Villeneuve’s film.

Just as the narrative is swiftly established, it isn’t long before we get a significant glimpse of the aliens. While this Scientist removes the anticipa- Ian Donnelly tion that underlines (Jeremy many classics such Renner) as Close Encounters, the cryptic nature of their arrival and the

embrace the fantastical narrative developments of any other extra terrestrial sci-fi, Arrival is about as wondrously plausible as any movie about visitors from outer space can be.

This is all complemented by Villeneuve and cinematographer Bradford Young’s quiet, reserved approach. As Louise asserts in the film’s opening montage, “it’s moments that define you.” Accordingly, Arrival is arranged in a series of moments. The camera sticks close to Adams – the only one afforded any real depth here – revealing emotion, reflection, heartbreak and joy.

Indeed, despite it universal scale, this is an extremely personal s t o r y. W h i l e that makes for a compelling, affect-

ing narrative that should inflict more than a few tears, it leaves the supporting characters feeling notably flat and underdeveloped.

Arrival’s eventual reveal isn’t really developed to the point of clarity and, unfortunately, leads to an ending that’s somewhat lacking in resolution. For some audiences this will be a major problem; there are many, however, that will delight in Louise’s enigmatic discoveries.

Indeed, often the best sci-fi is that which makes you feel tiny in the vastness of space – the brilliance of Arrival is in its ability to render one insignificant in a universe of knowledge. Arrival is not without its flaws, but there are enough wondrous ideas and wonderful performances here to make this a trip worth taking.

Verdict: 8/10

DreamWorks Animation’s TROLLS is a totally fun movie that both chidren and adults can enjoy together. The star-studded cast includes Anna Kendrick who plays Poppy, the optimistic leader of the Trolls, and her polar opposite, Branch, played by Justin Timberlake who have to save their fellow trolls from the Bergen. The film is jam-packed with great music, brilliant animation and is a touching story.

BRIDGET JONE’S BABY She’s baaaaaack!

YES the incomparable Bridget Jones returns as the world’s most famous singleton in this threequel who seems to have it all under control after breaking up the dashing Mr Darcy. Well, until she unexpectedly finds out she is expecting that is! The confusion begins when she can’t be entirely sure who the father is after meeting a dashing American, Jack, played by Patrick Dempsey.

The film itself has three times the charm and is well worth seeing.

3 November 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 25

GAZETTE

FOOD&DRINK

One hell of a Thai  EMMA NOLAN

The restaurant offers delicious food using natural ingredients

New flavour sure to twist your arm

HEALTHY snack enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that Propercorn has released a new limited edition flavour.

Twisted Honeycomb, is a combination of honey, Madagascan vanilla and sea salt. The recipe is gluten and GM free, suitable for vegetarians, and every pack comes in at under 120 calories.

Twisted Honeycomb is the brainchild of 21-year-old UCD graduate, Ashling O’Carroll from Dublin, who went up against regional finalists from across the UK and Ireland in a public vote.

Thousands of votes were cast before Twisted Honeycomb was chosen as the winner in July.

Ashling’s flavour has now been brought to life and has hit Irish shelves.

“I’ve always had a sweet tooth and I love to bake, so that’s definitely where the inspiration came from,” said Ashling.

Twisted Honeycomb is available in selected Spar, Eurospar, Mace and Londis stores in Dublin for €1.20.

THAI takeaway lovers in the Dublin 5 area will be pleased to hear that Camille Thai is opening a new restaurant on the Malahide Road.

The new branch, the fifth to open in 2016, has both dine in and takeaway options and it will be the first authentic Thai food restaurant to open in the area.

As well as delivering quality Thai food across Artane, Donnycarney and beyond, Camile will create 20 local job opportunities for chefs, managers, customer service staff and delivery drivers.

Camile spokesperson Daniel Greene said of the new takeaway: “We are very excited to be opening our newest restaurant on the Malahide road.

“In particular we have been blown away by the interest and passion for Thai food in this community and are looking forward to meeting some of the wonderful people in the area.”

Camile Artane is located at 17 Maypark, Malahide Road. To place an order call 01 8327888 or order online at www.camile.ie.

Award winner now exclusively available at Aldi AN award-winning Irish Gin is now available to buy exclusively at Aldi.

Before you become concerned about the term ‘Aldi Gin’, this is Boyle’s Premium Small Batch Irish Gin just won the Best Irish Gin award at the Irish Whiskey Awards last week.

Judges at the awards said that Boyle’s Gin, made by Blackwater Distillery in Waterford, had impressive balance and fruitiness.

On sale now, a bottle costs €24.

Peroni launch new gluten-free beer PERONI has just launched a gluten-free beer.

Peroni Nastro Azzurro has created the gluten-free variant to cater for coeliacs and for those choosing to lead a gluten-free lifestyle.

Certified and endorsed by the Italian Coeliac Association, the great beer pretty much tastes the same as regular Peroni and it’s widely available in Dublin pubs now, as well as at Molloy’s off licences.

26 BLANCH GAZETTE 3 November 2016

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28 BLANCH GAZETTE 3 November 2016

SPORT

FastSport STUDENTS AND ST PAT’S ON COLLISION COURSE: UCD AFC will host another final as they take on St. Patrick’s Athletic in the SSE Airtricity League Under-17 final.

The Students booked their place in the final after an impressive 2-0 victory against Sligo Rovers, after Rovers had beat Cork City in the quarter-finals. Two secondhalf strikes, including one penalty, from Neil Farrugia sealed their passage to the final.

St Patrick’s Athletic will travel to the UCD Bowl for the Under17 final after beating Waterford United at the Regional Sports Centre. A first-half goal from Cian McMullen and a brace from Lee Rock put Pats 3-0 up in Waterford and despite a late rally from the home side, Pats secured a 3-2 victory.

The final has been confirmed for Thursday, November 3 with kick-off at 7.30pm at the UCD Bowl.

Last Saturday, UCD claimed the SSE Airtricity League Under 19 crown after a 4-1 win over Galway United in the final.

BASKETBALL: KILLESTER STAR RELISHING IRISH CHALLENGE AFTER LONG BREAK

Superhero Mimi eyeing Euro glory

 JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

HAVING played basketball all her life, Ireland star Mimi Clarke had to quit international basketball at the age of 16.

It was not something she wanted to do; quite simply, the Under-16s age group was simply the last option available at the time as Ireland stepped back from running internationals teams due to funding issues.

And so she is hoping to make up for lost time in green in the coming years. With the Irish national teams having been out of action since 2009, a return earlier this year saw Clarke and her ladies’ team grab a silver medal in the European Small Nationals Championship, laying down a

marker for their return.

Un d e r-16 s , 17 s , 18 s and 20s have also been revived as the sport - still struggling for funding looks to get back on its feet.

Clarke comes from a basketball obsessed family, with several other Irish internationals amongst her clan – she jokes during our interview that the progress of some of her cousins could see the international team become a real family affair. “ B a s ke t b a l l k i l l e d funding,” she said at the launch of the new Subway All Ireland Schools Cup season, a competition that sees over 28,000 players from 250 schools across the country take part.

“We get a little bit of money for the senior

team, but it’s still essentially self-funded.”

That’s a big issue for someone like Clarke who is currently in the midst of a masters degree at DIT, and playing for Ireland, Killester in the Irish Super League and DIT’s college team.

“It’s a really difficult year for me,” she admits.

“My workload is intense.

I was blessed at undergrad not to be under too much pressure, but I’ve learnt from others who’ve been through my course that it involves a lot of late nights at the library.

“I’m also training almost every night when you combine Killester and DIT, plus matches at the weekend.”

T he timing of the tougher year of studies is fortunate, though. With the next European Small

Mimi Clarke, pictured with Sam Walsh, Templeogue College, and Eva Murphy, from Our Lady’s Templeogue, at the Subway All-Ireland Schools Cup launch.

Nations Championship still a couple of years away, it means that there is not a major competition directly conflicting with her studies.

Not that it’s stopped Clarke going into full superhero mode in recent months, throwing herself into each facet of her hectic life.

“An innocuous challenge – I was just trying to steal the ball – went badly for me the Tuesday before the semi-final earlier this year,” Clarke said.

“But there was no way I was going to sit on the sideline while my teammates played.

“I patched it up and blocked it out, just deciding not to go to the doctor until Monday. It turned out it was broken!”

Despite that setback, she is back in action already and Clarke feels the national side are on the brink of a breakthrough.

“We played Iceland consecutive nights in September,” she explains.

“They’re playing the Eurobasket tournament now, and beating some big teams.

“We lost on the first night, when perhaps we should have won. But we learnt a lot from it, and the next day we beat them comfortably.

“We feel we’re about the same level as them, which is really promising.

“We just need to take that final step and win the European Small Nations, and then we can go from there.”

Kiernan on the double as Shels close in on WNL  sport@dublingazette.com

Shelbourne’s ladies are leading the women’s league

A LEANNE Kiernan double helped Shelbourne Ladies to six of the best as they kept their eyes on the Continental Tyres Women’s National League title.

Shels opened the scoring against Galway WFC in Eamon Deacy Park on Saturday evening after just two minutes courtesy of Siobhan Killeen’s fourth league goal of the season.

Courtney Higgins doubled Shels’ advantage on 35 minutes with Kiernan getting her first of the night eight minutes before

half-time.

Kiernan increased her tally, two minutes into the second half, bringing her league total for the season to 11.

Galway pulled a goal back through Keara Cormican before Pearl Slattery and Gloria Douglas both found the net to seal three points for Shels, who move onto the Continental Tyres FAI Women’s Cup final next Sunday.

Meanwhile, UCD Waves kept up the pressure on Shels at the top of the League with a 2-0 victory over Cork City WFC on Sunday.

Eleanor Ryan-Doyle opened the scoring for UCD 10 minutes into the second half connecting with a Julie-Anne Russell cross after what had been a tame opening period.

Russell doubled the advantage for UCD six minutes later with her fifth league goal of the season as UCD claimed their fifth win of the league campaign.

Elsewhere, Peamount United kept up the pressure on at the top of the table with a 4-1 win over Kilkenny United in Greenogue on Saturday night.

Lisa Casserly gave Peamount

the lead on 21 minutes with a 25 yard strike. Casserly doubled her tally on 35 minutes after Kilkenny keeper Brooke Dunne had denied Amber Barrett.

Barrett, however, made it 3-0 just before half-time having collected a weighted Rachel Doyle pass and slid the ball under Dunne from close range.

Aislin Carroll landed her first WNL goal of the season six minutes into the second half, Kilkenny starting to show composure at this level. Barrett rounded off the Peamount victory with 77 minutes gone.

3 November 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 29

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Sergiu hopeful of Irish vest after Dublin win

FASTSport

Clonliffe Harrier lands fourth national marathon title with an excellent personal best to hold off Rathfarnham’s Hehir as over 19,000 take to the streets of Dublin on Sunday morning CLONLIFFE Harriers’ Sergiu Ciobanu surged to his fourth national title at Dublin marathon on Sunday morning in 2.17.40 while Laura Graham, from Mourne Runners, took a big step up in class to win the women’s national title in a massive personal best of 2.41.54.

Record numbers took to the streets for the SSE Airtricity Dublin marathon in perfect conditions for runners and the times and competition did not disappoint.

E t h i o p i a ’s D e r e j e Debele Tulu won outright with 2.12.18 and Namibia’s Helalia Johannes was the first woman in 2.32.32 – just one second ahead of Ehite Bizuayehu Gebireyes.

In the bid for national glory, Sergiu Ciobanu and

Sean Hehir, from Rathfarnham AC, were locked together until the feeding station at the 20km point.

“I kept the same pace,” said Ciobanu on gapping Hehir at 20km. “Gradually I opened the lead but Sean finished hard and fast. He wasn’t far behind me.

“I’m relieved. I really wanted to win the national title. That’s my best Dublin marathon by two minutes. My previous best was 2.19.”

Hehir settled for silver in 2.18.46 with Raheny Shamrocks’ Mark Kirwan winning the battle for bronze with Gary O’Hanlon, also fromClonliffe Harriers, in 2.22.17.

Ciobanu’s time of 2.17.40 was just outside the World Champion-

ships qualifying time of 2.17.00 but he’s looking forward to the future and pulling on the green vest once more.

“I know I missed the wo r l d q u a l i f i c a t i o n standard but we’ll see.

I’ve represented Ireland three times in the last 10 months. I really look forward to working with Athletics Ireland and to represent Ireland in the future. I just love to run.”

Laura Graham pulled out all the stops and took full advantage of the perfect running conditions to significantly rewrite her previous best time of 2:48:03 set in London earlier this year.

With four children aged 6, 5, 4 and 3, Graham has to do a lot of her training on the treadmill to keep an eye on the youngest

along with the occasional “bumpy ride” with the buggy in tow out on the roads. She is coached by Ryan Maxwell who provides in depth coverage of Northern Ireland athletics and his website as a voluntary service.

“It was really good,” said Graham afterwards having not initially realised she won the national

“The crowd was unbelievable. I loved every minute of it, even the tough bits. Hard work pays off.”

Caitriona Jennings took silver with 2.44.59 and last year’s winner Pauline Curley had to settle for the bronze with 2:48:83 – faster than her winning time last year.

Le Cheile’s Patrick

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‘I’m relieved; that’s my best Dublin marathon by two minutes. I just love to run’ - Sergiu Ciobanu

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title. “I really love the course and there was very little wind.

Monahan won the wheelchair race once more in a new best time of 1.39.18.

Over 19,000 runners pass through Fitzwilliam place at the annual marathon; Sergiu Ciobanu crosses the finsh line. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

ILGU launch recruitment drive for young girls THE IRISH ladies golf union (ILGU) and the Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI) have launched a new campaign to fill the need for a girl specific recruitment programme.

The organisations have pin-pointed the need to significantly grow the number of girl members, with over 25% of clubs in Ireland having no girl members and 50% having less than five girls.

The ILGU and CGI designed the Golf4Girls4Life Framework together with the support of the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) to fill this need.

CGI development manager, Anne Brett said of the new initiative. “When we set about designing G4G4L, our main goal was to try and get as many girls playing as possible and rather than us, as adults assuming what the girls wanted we decided to ask them what they liked and what they wanted from golf through focus groups.

“These focus groups helped shape G4G4L into a programme that’s overall focus is on fun, inclusion and empowering each girl to be the best that she can be.

“We often hear that every junior’s dream is to play on tour, to play for Ireland, to be a scratch golfer.

“But, actually, when we spoke to the girls, the majority of them just wanted to be in an environment that allowed them to have fun with their friends and this is the message that we are trying to convey through this programme.”

A group of PGA professionals and junior convenors have contributed hugely to the design of the programme and will be heavily involved in the delivery of G4G4L. Another core area of the programme is the use of positive role models, and 2017 national and regional ambassadors will be announced in the coming weeks.

You can find out more about the programme at the following link: https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/2MJFFNK.

GAZETTE

30 BLANCH GAZETTE 3 November 2016

SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: HIGH-SCORING UNDER-19S EASE INTO LFA CUP SECOND ROUND

Tridents winning run ends at hand of Tigers TRIDENTS winning start to the Dublin ladies basketball league Division 1 came to an end at the hands of Tigers 43-41 at Blanchardstown IT after a strong start to the campaign.

They opened up with a 65-49 win over Tolka Rovers in early October before running up a narrow 54-52 win over Meteors in their second game at St Columba’s College.

The loss to Tigers leaves them still in first place but with an extra game played compared to their rivals with both Tigers and Killester currently on two wins from two at this early stage of the campaign.

Picture: Martin Doherty

Verona undone

by Dunboyne VERONA’S tricky start to the season continued as they were edged out 1-0 by Dunboyne FC in the LSL Sunday Senior Division 1.

They produced a strong showing a week before in the FAI Intermediate Cup only to bow out after extra time against higher tier opposition, Wayside Celtic.

But the Blanch side

was unable to build on that strong showing.

The only goal of the game arrived on 15 minutes of the half when Niall Connollan was played in behind the Verona defence and he finished well to the corner of the net.

Dunboyne later had a goal disallowed for offside while a last minute scramble in the Dunboyne box might have led to an equaliser but it was not to be.

Castleknock Celtic on the attack against Ardmore Rovers

Celtic’s seven home comforts LFA UNDER-19 CUP Castleknock Celtic Ardmore Rovers  sport@dublingazette.com

7 0

AFTER six games, Castleknock Celtic’s Under-19s finally got to enjoy home comforts and they thoroughly enjoyed being back at Porterstown, running up a big win over Ardmore Rovers in the first round of the Leinster Football Association Under-19 Cup. Celtic had seen off the same opposition in Bray two weeks earlier in the league but cup football has produced some strange results over the

years and Celtic weren’t going to treat this game any different.

That said, it was an opportunity for some players who had been absent for the last three or four fixtures due to injury and work commitments to stake a claim for a place in the starting line up on a more permanent basis.

Lining out in a 3-4-3 formation, Celtic were intent getting the early score to help them settle into the game. After just six minutes, midfielder David McCabe played the ball wide to Cian Rush who crossed it first time to Cory Power who

made no mistake from close in.

Soon after the restart, a well-worked combination between Callum Carberr y and Power allowed Cian Kelly double the score. Celtic were now in total control of the game and with half time approaching, Kelly doubled his tally to make it 3-0 at half time.

The second half continued as the first had finished with Celtic in total control. Further scores from Daniel Ferreira (two), including a spectacular header, Ciaran Buggy and Kelly – to round off an excellent individual perfor-

mance with a hat-trick – saw Celtic finish 7-0 winners.

Elsewhere, the club enjoyed a number of fine results across the age divisions.

At Under-17 Major 2 level, a brace from Liam Tobin and one from Daniel Fagan was enough to ensure Celtic shaded their game away to Templeogue United in Tymon Park 3-2.

For the Under-16A1 side, Adam Kelly and Saverio My r taj both scored a brace in a 4-1 w i n ove r B r o a d f o r d Rovers. Ronnie Maher’s Under-16A team took the points at home to

St John Bosco thanks to a battling performance and goals from Robert Lynch and a brace from Brighton Mombase in a 3-2 success.

Celtic’s Under-15B team overcame their southside rivals, Ball y f e r m o t Un i t e d , i n Por terstow n, despite mis s ing s ome panel members, ending up 4-1 victors.

At Under-13B1 level, meanwhile, Brian Kennedy and Lorcan O’Malley were delighted with their team’s application which earned them all three points at home to Greystones in a three success.

3 November 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

CLUB NOTICEBOARD

Soaring AHL9 success as Peregrine’s win title

ST BRIGID’S

ST PEREGRINE’S landed the AHL Division 9 title last weekend as they moved into an unassailable position at the head of the table.

The club claimed 13 wins out of 14 across the campaign with just one loss, moving them out of range of the chasing Parnell’s and St Finian’s, Swords.

The Blakestown club, however, bowed out of the Dublin senior B football championship at the hands of Thomas Davis.

THE St Brigid’s nursery runs every Sat-

place in Myos on Friday, November 4.

urday in Russell Park from 9.30am to

Many thanks to everyone who supports

11am.

our club lotto and to our great lotto

We welcome all four to seven-year-

FOOTBALL: SOMERTON SIDE TO FACE VINCENT’S IN FINAL

St Brigid’s/Spleodar Irish Club for

stown area and new members and fam-

teenagers runs every Thursday in the

ilies are always welcome. For further

club hall from 7-9pm. Open to all but Irish

information and queries, contact David

must be spoken at all times. The cost is

on 085 8340169.

€3 per week.

Our lotto jackpot remains at €15,000

St Brigid’s GAA are proud to support

with the reserve now also at €15,000.

Movember along with the wider GAA

There was no jackpot winner in last

community. See the club website for

week’s draw. This week’s draw will take

further details.

CASTLEKNOCK BEST wishes to our senior footballers

Our nursery, in association with Tiger

senior football championship final in

Childcare, for four to seven-year-olds is

Parnell Park on Saturday at 3pm. We

back in full swing and new members are

need all available support so see you

very welcome. Just come down to Tir

all there. Sincere thanks to the great

na nOg, beside Castleknock Community

numbers who supported the lads in the

College, this Saturday at 10am; say hello

semi-final.

to one of our friendly coaches and enjoy

ing team who are in play-off action this week.

Castleknock 0-11 St Jude’s 1-4  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

CASTLEKNOCK continued their astonishing rise to the top of Dublin football by reaching the 2016 county final just 18 years after the club first formed.

A composed 0-11 to 1-4 win against perennial nearly men St Jude’s saw Lar Norton’s new charges – the manager took over only 10 months ago – follow up a junior A final win in 2012 and an intermediate final win in 2014 by reaching a senior final less than 10 years

since playing in Dublin’s seventh tier.

Patience was the key for the west Dubliners who stifled and frustrated their opponents with some controlled possession play in the first half as the power of Kieran Doherty, Thomas Lahiff and Kevin McManamon was held at arm’s length in a batting showing.

Jude’s were to score only four points from play throughout the entire match. Despite McManamon’s second half charge off the left wing to lash powerfully past the unflappable Morven Connolly in goal, Castleknock were largely remained in control.

At 0-3 each at half time, Roscommon man Dessie Carlos and his composed free taking had recovered Castleknock from a strong Jude’s start and the second period saw their measured play begin to pay off.

Carlos’ consistency and the ship-steadying role of Kilkenny had Castleknock’s possession converted into points with Shane Boland proving an attacking hub as much of the game was played on the edge of Jude’s final third.

McManamon’s goal came against the run of play, then, with the powerful, bustling move and lashed finish reminis-

cent of some of his finer moments in the county jersey.

Seemingly nerveless on the ball, though, Castleknock showed discipline at 1-4 to 0-6 down and didn’t allow Jude’s any quality possession.

The favourites were unable to register another point – though they’ll be disappointed with some of their late wides – while Castleknock and the in-form Carlos, in particular, created shooting platforms. Castleknock simply took their chances to run out fairly comfortable winners at 0-11 to 1-4, inciting ecstatic reactions from their sizeable support around Parnell Park.

Stewards required for Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 13

Please check-out the actors who are

just down in the Phoenix Park. Great opportunity to raise funds for the club.

and support their fundraising activi-

Please contact Breda on 086 8416431.

ber 5 are now available; please see www.

DUBLIN SFC SEMI-FINAL

the sport and fun.

participating in our fundraising Oskars ties. Tickets for the OsKars on Novem-

Carlos and Castle’s historic run rolls on

by all.

who take on St Vincent’s in the Dublin

Best wishes also to our second hurl-

Castleknock made another historic step forward in the senior football championship. Picture: Niall O’Callaghan

committee.

olds in the Castleknock and Blanchard-

Cash for Clobber is ongoing; just drop down old clothes to Somerton.

castleknock for details. Sincere thanks

The lotto jackpot, in association with

to all who helped out as “extras” over

Riverwood Construction, was not won.

the weekend and thanks to all who facili-

The jackpot is now €2,200. Thank you for

tated the filming. Great craic was had

your continued support.

ERIN GO BRAGH

THANKS to everyone who organised and

Our adult teams are always looking for

supported our Halloween family fun

players.

night. We hope everybody had a great time.

Our ladies section are holding a clothing collection on Monday, November 7.

NAOMH PEREGRINE

Anyone interested in playing football can call George on 087 9709795. Anyone interested in playing hurling can contact Karl on 087 2352074.

HARD luck to the senior footballers who

urday (9.30am nursery and 10.30am

lost their championship quarter final

academy). Newcomers always welcome.

match against Thomas Davis. Con-

Bring gum shields, helmets, hurls, water

gratulations to the junior hurlers and

and subs. Details on Facebook “Naomh

management on winning their league

Peregrines GAA Academy” or parents

after beating Na Fianna. Hard luck to

can register for a Whatsapp group. For

the minors who lost away from home to

further details, contact Niall on 086 607

Fingallians.

3190 or Barry on 087 618 3868

Quiet week for the juvenile teams on

The senior players awards night

the pitch as none of the teams had any

takes place on December 10. The juvenile

games; off the pitch the kids came in

awards take place on December 17, nurs-

huge numbers for the Halloween Disco.

ery and academy from 12-2pm. CCC1 and

The kids had a great night so a big thank

CCC2 take place from 2.30 to 4.30pm.

you to everyone involved in organising

CCC2 teams will have a most improved

and the running of the night which was

footballer/hurler if you wish to have a

a great success.

player’s name engraved on the trophy,

The club main pitch is not to be used for training without prior approval of Dave McEneaney/Paul Harte.

please contact Aileen by November 11.

The 37th annual AGM takes place on November 28 at 8.30pm in the club hall.

Our nursery (born 2011 and 2012) and

Night at the Dogs: Saturday, Novem-

academy (born 2009 and 2010). Kids train

ber 12 in Shelbourne Park; €20 for return

every Thursday (5-6pm for all) and Sat-

bus from club, admission, race card etc.

GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR BLANCH SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

SEVENTH HEAVEN: Free-scoring Celtic cruise into next round of LFA Under-19 cup over Adrmore P31

NOVEMBER 3-9, 2016

SERGIU CONQUERS DUBLIN: Clonliffe runner leads the marathon field once more P29

New kids Knock take on Dublin aristocracy  JAMES HENDICOTT

sport@dublingazette.com

CHARLIE Spillane – chairman of fast-rising west Dublin GAA club Castleknock – has spoken of his pride in the side after they won their first ever county football semi-final, to book a matchup with St Vincent’s for the county title on November 5.

Castleknock defeated St Jude’s by four points, winning 0-11 to 1-4 in a tense contest at Parnell Park, completing a rise that has seen them go from AFL10 to the top of the club game in the county.

“That’s a dream come true,” Spillane told GazetteSport follow-

ing the game. “A senior championship final back here playing the aristocracy of Dublin GAA in Vincent’s. A great night for the club.

“It was a tight game, but I thought Castleknock played very cute football.

“Into the wind they kept possession, nice and tight. They cut loose a little bit in the second half. They built the team on a strong defence, and there are some great players in there, some young kids and the old heads. All round it’s a brilliant performance.

“We’ve never got anywhere near this, and it’s an absolute dream come true for everybody, especially those who’ve been there since the

formation about 17 or 18 years ago,” Spillane explained.

“It’s going to be such a great boost for the area, everyone in Castleknock, all the kids in the area, everything. Brilliant.

“I think Vincent’s have done three or four finals in a row. We’re the new kids on the block, and we’re going to give it our best shot.

There was a very strong wind down to the far end [against Jude’s] and I think Castleknock were very cautious playing into it for the first 30 minutes.

“But we’ve been nervous all day long. I’m not sure you enjoy a game like this at all. But we’ll celebrate tonight, and then we move

on tomorrow and plan for the final.

“We can celebrate, but it’s ten days, so the players will have to behave themselves.

“Everyone seemed to get through it okay, a few subs got a bit of game time, so it’s all very positive. We’ve got no excuses!

“We’re so proud to have made it to here, we just have to go to the final and do our best.”

Castleknock’s wins on the way to the county final include victories over Skerries Harps, St Sylvester’s and Oliver Plunketts ER. They will go into Saturday’s final at Parnell Park at 3pm as very much the underdogs. That hasn’t stopped them to date.

Castleknock’s band of brothers are set for their first ever SFC final. Picture: Niall O’Connell