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October 6 - 12, 2016
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Pupils protest at Dail to demand their new school IAN BEGLEY
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St Mochta’s pupils protestiing
A LARGE number of children from St Mochta’s National School marched to the Dail yesterday to demand that the Government build their new school. Following years of cam-
paigning, parents, teachers and pupils say they were led to believe by the Department of Education that the construction of the €10m building would soon begin. However, in a letter sent to the school’s board of management, they discov-
ered this would not be the case. Students held placards and chanted “Build our school, build our school” in front of the gates of Dail Eireann. Some of the issues affecting them include overcrowding prefabs, leaking
roofs and only one PE hall to accommodate 907 children. A sixth-class pupil from the school was also recently featured in a popular online video, outlining the drastic need for the new building. Full Story on Page 4
2 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
HOUSING | DAFT.IE REPORT HIGHLIGHTS CHANGES ACROSS THE CITY
Dublin house prices climb 7.6% in a year EMMA NOLAN HOUSE prices in Dublin rose by 7.6% in the last year, it has been revealed. New figures in the latest House Price Report from Daft.ie show that the national average asking price in the third quarter of 2016 was €221,000, compared to €205,000 a year ago and €164,000 at its lowest point. The average house price in Dublin is now €323,000, some 46% above its lowest point. Commenting on the figures, Ronan Lyons, economist at Trinity College Dublin and author of the Daft.ie report, said
that the latest figures are a “cause for concern”. He said: “There were price increases throughout the summer in all 54 markets covered in the report, only the second time this has occurred since prices bottomed out. “Increases occurred throughout Dublin, which had seen almost two years of price stability following the Central Bank rules. “This suggests that, while there is little risk of a credit-fuelled bubble, the underlying lack of supply is severely affecting the market.” A separate repor t from MyHome.ie, in association with Davy
Stockbrokers, found that the price of a three-bed semi in Dublin remained unchanged at €290K while the price of a fourbed semi fell by 2.3%, to €425K. The price of a two-bed apartment fell by a similar amount, to €225K. The asking prices on newly listed homes for sale in the capital are up 4.6% year on year. Looking at median prices for all property types across the city and county, Dublin north city saw the biggest increase in Q3, jumping by almost 10% to €180K. In Dublin north, the figures were 7% and €267K,
FASTNews
Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor with Julie Sinnamon (Enterprise Ireland) and Sheelagh Daly (Local Enterprise Office) with this year’s regional ambassadors as they launched the full programme of events to mark National Women’s Enterprise Day
Get on the road to success The average house price in Dublin is now €323,000
while in Dublin west, prices were up 2.3% to €225K. In Dublin south city, prices were up 4% to €250K while they remained unchanged at €345K in Dublin south. Angela Keegan, managing director of MyHome.
ie, said addressing the low rate of new homebuilding had to be a key priority for the Government. She said: “At this pace, total completions for 2016 will be close to 15,000. This is well short of the 25,000 estimated necessary to meet demand.”
FINGAL will host one of seven events taking place around the country to highlight success stories and to encourage more women to access enterprise supports. To mark the 10th annual National Women’s Enterprise Day, a full programme of events will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin Airport on October 19 at 9am. Organised by the Local Enterprise Offices, hundreds of successful female entrepreneurs are to attend this event, which the organisers hope will encourage more women to access enterprise supports for starting or growing a business. Hosted by RTE’s Keelin Shanley, and featuring seven leading female entrepreneurs, the theme this year is
The Road to Success, exploring how you can chart a course for business success. Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell O’ Connor said: “Last year, the Local Enterprise Offices, in partnership, with the local authorities provided invaluable supports including financial and mentoring to 6,250 female-run businesses, while more than 11,000 female entrepreneurs participated in specialist training programmes. “I would encourage women to contact their Local Enterprise Office to see what supports are available to them,” she said. Tickets for National Women’s Enterprise Day events can be booked through Fingal Local Enterprise Office by visiting www.nwed.ie.
6 October 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 3
3,000 MIRRORED TILES WILL BE NEEDED TO MAKE THE WORLD’S BIGGEST DANCE LIGHT AT RDS FESTIVAL
Boogie to the max under a three-storey disco ball!!! AISLING KENNEDY THE world’s largest disco ball is due to be constructed in Dublin as part of the Metropolis festival taking place in the RDS this November. The mirror ball will be the size of a three-storey building, and it will be covered with more than 3,000 mirrored tiles, each the size of an A4 page. The mirror ball will take eight days to build and will require four cranes to hoist it up so it
Don’t forget to wear some truly massive platform shoes if you boogie under the three-storey disco ball at Metropolis. Not to exact scale ...
can spin over the Metropolis festival. This year marks the second year of the festival, following last year’s hugely successful inaugural event. Following the opening party featuring DJ Shadow and Mount Kimbie, the acts lined up to perform include Grace Jones, Jack Garratt, Solomun, and Paul Kalkbrenner. The festival takes place over three nights, from November 3 to November 5.
4 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
ST MOCHTA’S NATIONAL SCHOOL | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS FACILITY’S REFURBISHMENT NEEDS
Sixth-class student blasts ‘terrible state’ of his school
IAN BEGLEY
A SIXTH-CLASS pupil from St Mochta’s National School has compared
class time in its prefabs to be as freezing as Siberia during winter. In a new video that highlights the school’s
long-awaited refurbishment needs, Darren Malone tells the tale of how the Department of Education failed to deliv-
er their new school building, which was promised for 2016. Following years of campaigning, parents, teach-
ers and pupils say they were led to believe by the Department of Education that the construction of the €10m building would soon begin. However, in a letter sent to the school’s board of management by the Department they found out this would not be the case. This will mean that approximately half of the school’s pupils and teachers will remain in prefabs for at least another year. In the video, which is gaining a lot of traction online, Darren says that his school “is in a terrible state”. “Roofs are leaking, walls are damp, the toilets are in an unfit state and there’s only one PE hall for 907 children ... and if the hall is in use and it’s raining – no PE! “There are 14 classes in prefabs and in the winter it’s as freezing as Siberia, and in the summer they’re as hot as Iberia. “In the yard, we have to walk and talk because there’s no space and we have to have split breaks – this means we can’t play together.” Deputy Ruth Coppinger (AAA) recently told The Gazette that she
Darren Malone highlights his school’s long awaited refurbishment needs in a video
believes the announcement by the Department was linked to the timing of the General Election to minimise St Mochta’s becoming a live issue in the Dublin West constituency where two ministers, Joan Burton and Leo Varadkar, were candidates. On November 17, 2015, then Tanaiste announced: “I have spoken with Maria Farrell, St Mochta’s principal, and Tony Rock, chair of the board, to inform them that St Mochta’s is to be totally rebuilt, with the project to proceed to construction in 2016.” Deputy Coppinger added: “The news that St Mochta’s National School’s essential works won’t go to tender until 2017 – if even that –
begs the question how many other pre-election announcements on school building projects are not going to progress? Responding to Deputy Coppinger’s criticism, Deputy Burton said that she was extremely shocked and disappointed to see the letter from the Department of Education. She said: “I support all of the different school communities in Dublin West in their building and refurbishment projects. “We have had a huge number of new schools built and refurbished during my time as a minister.” Minister Leo Varadkar also said he was very unhappy about the delay of this project. “There are a number of reasons for the delay but the main one is that the Department of Education has exceeded its budget for new schools and has had to pause about a dozen school building projects around the country. “It’s not something that is insurmountable and could be addressed in the Budget in six weeks’ time by increasing the budget for the Department.”
Name the Zoo’s newest arrival DUBLIN Zoo is inviting the public to suggest a name for the newest arrival based on her Asian origin. Only names which are of an Asian origin will be considered and if your name is chosen - you will win a family pass to Dublin Zoo and have the honour of picking the winning name! See www.dublinzoo. ie/competition.asp
6 October 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 5
6 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
BLANCHGazetteGALLERY |
ANNUAL PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY FOR COOLMINE
Principal Ms McPhillips, Grace Dunne and Denniele Vicente being awarded certificates for outstanding school Dr Nicola Black and Cosmina Bartes
attendance
Honouring great achievements T
HE annual prize-giving ceremony for 6th-year students of Coolmine Community School, who completed their Leaving Certificate in 2016, was held in Westmanstown on September 15. The guest speaker was Dr Nicola Black, a past pupil of the school. She gave a wonderful and inspiring talk to those in attendance. She traced the history of her own career, saying that she opted to study medicine instead of pursuing an occupation in marketing. She encouraged the students present, to believe in themselves, follow their own career path and persevere in their aims. She added, that in today’s world there were many routes and avenues available to young people in achieving their desired career choice.
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6 October 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 7
COMMUNITY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Jack O’Byrne and Holly Mahon receiving their Student of the Year awards from Ms McPhillips
Jade Anderson, teacher Ms Casey and Ciaran Thai
Fiona Seery, Klara Chmiel, Denniele Vicente and Dr Nicola Black
8 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
CASTLEKNOCK VILLAGE | TRAFFIC ISSUES CITED AS KEY CAUSE OF CONCERN
Plans for new Lidl store ‘completely unsuitable’ IAN BEGLEY A NEW Lidl supermarket has been granted planning permission for Castleknock village, but local residents are far from happy. The supermarket, which was granted permission from Fingal County Council on September 28, will consist of a mixed-use development with a total gross area of 4,896sq m and three separate blocks around a new street and public spaces. This will include a Lidl supermarket with ancillary offlicence and bakery, eight residential units, five retail units, two cafes, and a medical centre. A total of 98 parking spaces are proposed (59 undercroft parking spaces beneath super-
market and 27 surface parking spaces). It will also include associated signage, cycle spaces, bin storage, loading area, landscaping, street lighting, street furniture, public art, boundary treatment and site development works. Many residents of the area are vehemently opposed to this development, with traffic issues being cited as one of the key causes of concern. In 2014, the council refused permission for the supermarket as it considered that “the proposed development would represent the underutilisation and the inefficient use of serviced and zoned lands”. Minister Leo Varadkar expressed his disappointment regarding Fingal’s latest deci-
Minister Leo Varadkar expressed his disappointment regarding the decision to grant permission for a new Lidl
sion. He said: “I’m disappointed by the council’s decision to grant permission for this new supermarket in Castleknock village. It’s a pity that the coun-
cil did not take into account the strong opposition among the local community to this development. “I will now consult with residents to get their views. If a decision is taken to appeal this to An Bord Pleanala, then I will certainly support it.” Cllr Roderic O’Gorman (GR) told The Gazette that while he always understood that this site needs to be developed, he believes that what is proposed here is “completely unsuitable”. He said: “The opening hours facilitated under the planning permission granted are from 8am to 9pm on weekdays and Saturdays. This means the shop will be open during the morning rush hour. “There are three primary
schools in very close proximity to this site, and a secondary school nearby. “Furthermore, deliveries will be allowed from 7am, adding further congestion in the village in the morning. “I am also concerned that more clear conditions have not been inserted as regards screening for nearby estates, in particular Castleknock Park. “Concerns about this have been raised throughout the long planning process and I do not feel they are adequately addressed,” said Cllr O’Gorman. Those who object to this development are advised to appeal to An Bord Pleanala within four weeks of the council’s decision (September 28).
INVESTMENT
Funding boost for institute
NEARLY €600,000 in Government funding has been given to the institute of Technology Blanchardstown (ITB) for new equipment and improvement programmes. The total of €595,000 will be spent on improvement works, new equipment and ICT facilities, and for any necessary health and safety maintenance. Minister Leo Varadkar said: “Thanks to careful economic management, we can invest in key public services that will make a real difference to people. “By investing in our colleges, we are giving students the opportunity to grow as individuals and to secure the qualifications needed to get well-paid jobs.”
6 October 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 9
FASTNews Musical Society party
COOLMINE Music a l S o c i e t y h ave announced a gala anniversary event in the Crowne Plaza on Friday, October 21 at 7.30pm to celebrate its 35th birthday. The evening, which includes a four-course dinner, monster raffle and music til late from Streetwise, also promises memories, stories and dancing in celebration of the magic of Coolmine Musical Society. Tickets are €50 and the society would love to see as many of the Coolmine alumni come along as possible. For tickets, contact Bernie Walsh on 086 303 3448, or Ian McColgan on 087 218 2480.
CORDFUFF | BROWNIES RAISE MONEY FOR A SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED BICYCLE
Lucky Lucy gets a €2k bike IAN BEGLEY A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl with a rare genetic disorder had her dreams come true after she was presented with a specially adapted bike worth €2,000 following a successful fundraising campaign. Lucy Eccles from Corduff was born with an extremely rare condition called Coffin Siris Syndrome, which affects all aspects of her life – intellectually and physically. Her mother, Noeleen, believed that a specially adapted bike would greatly benefit Lucy, but never thought it would be possible due to the high cost of nearly €2,000 to purchase. However, the St Patrick’s Brownies club in Cordfuff came to the rescue and took it upon themselves to raise the money. Lucy, who is also a member of the club, had made loads of close friends with the girls, who were more than happy to help out. In a matter of months, the
club raised a staggering €3,752, smashing their initial target of €2,000. Speaking to T he Gazette, Noeleen said her daughter was over the moon when she was presented with her bicycle on Monday in the clubhouse. She said: “When she first saw the bike, her face was an absolute picture. She loved it from the moment she sat down on it and even cycled all the way home. “It was beyond hilarious. Every time we tried to steer her home she kept trying to turn around and cycle towards Centra. We must have done about five laps around the car park before I could get her home! “The bike is designed in such a way that’s its suited to the child’s individual abilities. It’s much easier to peddle than a normal bike, but Lucy will still get the exercise and back support she needs. “With her condition, breathing problems like pneumonia are very common so the more active
she is the better. “She just wants to be like anyone else and I think the bike will be brilliant for her confidence. “I want to thank everyone, from the bottom of my heart, who donated and helped make Lucy’s dream a reality,” said Noeleen. Mary Emmett, of St Patrick’s Brownies club, said everything worked out according to plan and is so proud of the girls who helped out. “There was such a good atmosphere on the night. All the girls did so well and accommodated and entertained the adults throughout the event. Afterwards they were all presented with a badge for their hard work. “Above all, we would like to thank everyone who donated, especially all of the anonymous donors. “With the remainder of the money we earned, we’re going to give it to Noeleen and her family so they can have a well-deserved break away.”
A delighted Lucy gets to grips with her specially adapted bike, which is worth €2,000
10 GAZETTE 6 October 2016
GazetteGALLERY
| PREMIERE OF WAR ON EVERYONE AT LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA
Alexander with music producer David Mattsson at the Guinness Storehouse
Actors Alexander Skarsgard, Michael Pena and David Wilmot with director John Michael McDonagh. Pic: Brian McEvoy
Singer and actor Camille O’Sullivan and
Red Rock actor David Crowley and Lena
actor Aidan Gillen
Marie Fitzgerald
Skars of War can’t keep crowds away H
OLLYWOOD actors Alexander Skarsgard and Micheal Pena were in Dublin last weekend for the premiere of their new movie War on Everyone at the Lighthouse Cinema. The pair, along with writer/director John McDonagh, also made an appearance on The Late Late Show.
Paulina Mastalska and Olivia Hogan
Actress Orla Brady
Actors Peter Franzrn and Jasper Paakkonen from TV
Darren Cahill and Jennie
Red Rock actor Adam
show Vikings
Jacques
Weafer
6 October 2016 GAZETTE 11
GAZETTE
12 GAZETTE 6 October 2016
DUBLINBUSINESS
A partnership in Transition that will help support qualifications QUALITY & Qualifications Ireland (QQI) has joined forces with Transition Year Ireland on a three-year partnership. QQI is the state agency responsible for maintaining the ten-level National Framework of Qualifications. Speaking at the announcement of the partnership, Dr Padraig Walsh, chief executive, QQI said: “We are excited to team up with Transition Year Ireland to make the most of the opportunities that this partnership offers us both. “We look for ward to engaging with their audience on a direct
APPOINTMENTS | FIACH MAC CONGHAIL PLUGS IN
The Digital Hub gets a new chief executive EMMA NOLAN
basis, which will be a positive experience for the team at QQI.” Pictured at the annoucement are Dr Padraig Walsh, chief
executive, QQI with Elle Loughran, student and Edwin Landzaad, chief executive, Transition Year Ireland. Picture: Robbie Reynolds Photography
A NEW chief executive has been appointed at The Digital Hub in Dublin 8. The role will go to Fiach Mac Conghail (right), who is currently director and chief executive of the Abbey Theatre, and was a Senator from 2011 to 2016. He will take up his position this month. Speaking on his appointment, Mac Conghail said: “I’m delighted to be appointed chief executive of The Digital Hub Development
Agency and to continue to build on the success of this imaginative project. “Supporting creativity and encouraging the imagination of others has been a constant passion and value in my professional career, to date, and this new role will enable me to continue with this passion.” Based in The Liberties, The Digital Hub is an enterprise cluster for growing technology companies. Home to almost 100 established businesses and employing just over 700 people, The Digital
Hub is the largest cluster of digital media, technology and Internet businesses in Ireland, providing a space for indigenous enterprises such as Athena Media, Maithu IT Solutions, Software Design and Sonru to scale and grow. Mac Conghail added: “I’m looking forward to collaborating with the extraordinary and innovative digital media and technology companies in The Digital Hub. “Helping to shape Ire-
land’s digital future and working with the vibrant and diverse communities of Dublin 8 was also a compelling reason for me to join The Digital Hub, and I’m ready for this exciting new challenge.”
It’s a zoo out there for job hunters ... but an annual jobs gathering this October could help. Picture: Crispin Rodwell
Swing by this Zoo to find a new job to change jobs in the next 12 months, according to their research. With the economy continuing to grow as the country begins to recover from the recession, the IT sector, as a key part of Ireland’s drive to become a knowledge-based Coinciding with the launch economy, faces great chalof the event, Career Zoo lenges – and opportunities has released survey results – in meeting the needs of showing that more than 80% the sector, with Career Zoo of tech professionals plan one of a number of events to
MINISTER for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor (right) has launched Career Zoo, which will see a diverse range of jobs on offer as companies and recruitment experts gather at the National Convention Centre on Saturday, October 15.
mark on the calendar. Pictured with Minister Mitchell O’Connor announcing Career Zoo are representatives from the event’s sponsors: Leeanne Mimnagh, Pramerica; Wesley McGrath, Enterprise Ireland; Leanne Macken and Ross Pinkard, BMS; Yvonne McWey, Bank of Ireland; Jan Smullen, EY, and Career Zoo directors Brian O hOisín and Jackie Slattery.
6 October 2016 GAZETTE 13
CAREER ADVICE
Interview mistakes that undermine even great candidates Just because you know that you’re great doesn’t mean you’re home and dry. You’ve got to convince the interview panel too, writes Mary O’Brien-Killeen, Career Coach at Sli Nua Careers. Interviews are not a perfect way of selecting candidates – and, indeed, many employers deploy a variety of other selection tool to complement interviews – but they are still the most common method. Here are five common mistakes to avoid if you want to keep yourself in the frame.
1. Failing to research the company
Critical errors are often made before you even get to the interview panel. This includes the failure to make the effort to study the company’s products/ services, values, competitors and recent activities. Nowadays, company information is readily available. Potential employers will expect that all candidates will have a strong grasp of the company profile. Set yourself apart from the competition by sourcing concrete information that will communicate that you are interested in the company, the role and the industry.
2. Neglecting the opportunity to ask a question
The ‘any questions’ section of the interview can be pivotal in differentiating the outstanding candidate from the chasing pack. Disregarding this opportunity as a formality will likely influence the decision makers to believe you’re not interested in the role. Your goal should be to direct the interview to a zone where it becomes a knowledgeable conversation. The candidate who asks generic questions will appear less prepared and enthusiastic than those who’ve taken the time to prepare a question relevant to the specific role.
3. Complaining about your current employer
An interview is no time to vent about your current employer, your boss or your job. Keep in mind that you’re seeking to paint a positive picture of what it’s like to work with you and how you represent a company. No employer wants to get the impression that you’re looking to join just to move on from a bad situation. Most roles require a positive attitude and a degree of flexibility, so it’s essential you communicate this to the interview panel.
4. Giving a sloppy account of yourself
Arriving late, dressed in inappropriate attire, offering a weak handshake, or bringing your coffee in to the interview are all textbook examples of what will stack the odds against you. You’ll find you’ve to play catch-up before the first question has been asked.
5. Scripted answers
It’s okay to have thought through some answers fairly extensively – the ‘tell us about yourself’ one at the outset, for example – but do not develop a dependency on scripted answers. Don’t learn them off. The panel would rather you take time to think about your answer and deliver a measured response. Focus on the content of your delivery and don’t berate yourself for the ‘uhm-ing and ahh-ing’ – these happen when you aren’t reading from a script. You will give a much better account of yourself by taking your time to describe the finer details of how you can do the job.
Sli Nua Careers (www.SliNuaCareers.com) have offices in Galway, Dublin, Limerick, Athlone, Sligo, and Mayo (Ballinrobe, Claremorris and Westport). Their services include CV preparation, interview training, job-searching strategies and career direction. For more details, visit www.slinuacareers.com
14 GAZETTE 6 October 2016
GAZETTE
DUBLINLIFE Buy a €1 ‘brick’ and help build a home for sick kids at a hospital IAN BEGLEY
MCDONALD’S restaurants have officially launched Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) Month, which will see customers across the country dig deep for a great cause this October. Customers at each of
McDonald’s 90 restaurants around Ireland can support the construction of a Ronald McDonald House at the new National Children’s Hospital by purchasing a “brick” sticker for €1, thus building a symbolic “house” in each restaurant. All funds raised by
McDonald’s during the month-long campaign will go directly to the charity. McDonald’s Ireland has been a mission partner of RMHC since 1998, raising more than €465,000 for the charity annually through a series of fundraising initiatives. The chain’s support of
the charity extends from monetary donations and volunteerism to causerelated marketing promotions such as Helping Hands, and RMHC Month, with McDonald’s customers contributing daily to the RMHC donation boxes in every restaurant. As the charity receives no funding from either the HSE or the Government, it relies on the ongoing support of McDonald’s owneroperators, suppliers, employees and customers to keep this vital service running. RMHC currently provides accommodation for families whose children are seriously ill and are undergoing medical treatment at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. The new €16 million RMHC facility, which is due to open on the grounds of St James’s Hospital in 2020, will have 53 en-suite family bedrooms, family kitchens and dining rooms, laundry rooms, a large children’s playground, a garden for both adults and children to enjoy and underground access to the new hospital. Launching RMHC month, RTE broadcaster and RMHC ambassador
DIARY
RTE broadcaster and Ronald McDonald House Charity ambassador Brenda Donohue was joined by Luana Byrne and Ben Frazer to launch McDonald’s ‘buy a brick’ campaign for October, which will support the construction of a Ronald McDonald House at the new National Children’s Hospital. Picture: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography
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‘Research shows that children and parents who use [Ronald McDonald House] experience less stress and improved sleep, which helps them cope with the difficulties they are going through’ --------------------------------------------------------
Broadcaster Brenda Donohue
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Brenda Donohue said: “Ronald McDonald House is an essential resource for parents of children who are seriously ill. “ R e s e a r c h s h ow s that children and parents who use the facility experience less stress and improved sleep, which helps them cope with the difficulties they are going through. “The charity real-
ly benefits from the support provided by McDonald’s, so I would encourage customers to buy a ‘brick’ in any McDonald’s restaurant across Ireland this month to support this very worthy cause.” McDonald’s Ireland managing director Adrian Crean added: “McDonald’s Ireland has par tnered with RMHC since 1998, and
we are very proud to support the fantastic service the charity provides to families who rely on it at what is often the most difficult time imaginable. “We couldn’t do it without the unwavering support of our loyal customers, who always give so generously, as well as of course McDonald’s suppliers, staff and owner operators. “The construction of a new and bigger house is a major milestone and I would urge our customers to continue supporting this great cause by buying a brick at one of our 90 restaurants around the country this month.” All funds raised through McDonald’s RMHC month go directly to the charity.
6 October 2016 GAZETTE 15
COMMERCIAL FEATURE
Right2Rent: Dublin’s homelessness crisis ONE of the contributing factors to Dublin’s homelessness crisis is the escalating cost of rent in the Dublin area. We are all too aware of how difficult it is to purchase property in Dublin but it is now equally difficult to rent property as rent prices increase dramatically. Rents in Dublin have increased by 11.1% over the last year and there seems to be no government interest in addressing this. The average rent in Dublin is now at an incredible €1,520 per month which is pushing more and more families towards homelessness. In addition the lack of social housing in Dublin now ensures a growing reliance on the private rented sector. What can be done? The market needs to be stabilised and rent certainty legislation is the way to do it. In May of this year Sinn Féin published its Rent Certainty Amendment Bill which provided for greater protections to tenants and landlords from volatility in the rental market by linking rent increases or decreases to the Consumer Price Index. Unfortunately Fine Gael and their partners in government voted down the legislation. In August daft.ie published its latest assessment of the Rental market and rent had increased yet again. Indeed since the publication of Sinn Féin’s proposed Rent Certainty legislation in May and daft.ie’s latest figures in August, rent in Ireland increased by 3.9% in that three months. On a European level Germany is the only member state of the EU where the rental sector is larger than the owneroccupied sector. It too has had to deal with escalating rents in its largest cities and this has led to a further reinforcement of rent regulation in Germany. Legislation has allowed local areas to introduce 3 year rental increase caps for existing rent contracts and a “rental price brake” for new contracts where for a period of five years a rent cannot increase by more than 10%. While the German model may not be perfect it does show that the gov-
ernment there recognised the crisis in its rental market and legislated to prevent it escalating further. In contrast, the Government here has not grasped the urgency of dealing with the growing crisis in the rental sector and since it voted down Sinn Féin’s proposed legislation it still has not put forward its own immediate solution to the Rental crisis.
REPEAL THE 8TH! I AM a strong supporter of the campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment. I believe that the 8th amendment prevents doctors from providing proper care to women and it should be repealed. My position is quite clear on this matter: I am opposed to the 8th amendment. FLIPPITY FLOP - THE SOUND OF FIANNA FÁIL ON IRISH WATER YOU might have noticed the recent antics of the Fianna Fáil party as they try to walk the tightrope of maintaining and abolishing Irish Water all at the same time! I suppose they have a bit of experience in this considering they have been trying to be in government and pretend to be in opposition at the same time since the last election. It is a dangerous game to play but history shows that Fianna Fáil are not new to this – they have
Lynn Boylan MEP always tried to be all things to all people. Sure wasn’t Bertie a socialist at one stage! But remember Fianna Fáil helped to set up Irish Water and their last election manifesto stated quite clearly that they would abolish Irish Water and scrap water charges. They have reneged on that promise by consistently voting down any of Sinn Féin’s Dáil motions to scrap water charges. They are once again all things to all people. Despite the European Commission’s political statements stating that we cannot abolish water charges, we can. I have obtained legal opinion on the matter and it clearly states that it can be done. If you want to abolish water charges, vote Sinn Féin.
MOORE STREET MOCKERY THE Government recently appealed a decision of Judge Max Barrett in the High Court to declare much of the Moore Street quarter a national monument. That the government appealed the decision is baffling but
how Minister Heather Humphreys has announced she is paying for that appeal is nothing short of shocking. The Minister is using funds allocated for 1916 Commemorations to appeal the decision of the High Court! Yes, you read that correctly. It is a mockery of all that the Moore Street quarter represents.
UP THE DUBS! WELL it was a long hard battle over two games but the Dubs did it! As a big Dubs fan I want to pass on my congratulations to the team, management, backroom staff and, of course, let’s not forget the fans. Well done everybody and a special word of sympathy for Mayo who pushed the Dubs all the way. Here we go, three in a row...
Got an issue for me or want to join Sinn Féin? Please feel free to contact me:
lynn.boylan@sinnfein.ie
BACK-TO-BACK
16 GAZETTE 6 October 2016
CHAMPS! 2015/16
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GAZETTE
18 GAZETTE 6 October 2016
DUBLINLIFE
BEAUTYbits Donate a dress for a very good cause A CITY centre hotel is hosting a charity fashion event for a very worthy cause this week. Radisson Blu Royal Hotel on Golden Lane in the City Centre, are asking all dedicated followers of fashion to join them on October 8 for the Buy My Dress event, which sees pre-loved designer and occasion dresses find new homes, with all profits going to the Down Syndrome Centre. Some fashionable ladies like Amy Huberman, Charlie Murphy and Lorraine Keane have already donated some of their dresses. The hotel will be transformed into a boutique with a Tropical Popical nail bar Pearls for Girls jewellery stand. Entry for the day is €5.
EMMA NOLAN Style Editor
IRISH jewellery company Juvi Designs has launched its Initials Collection for autumn/ winter 2016. The collection features delicate personalised letters in gold and silver paired with precious birthstones. With an individual birthstone for every month, they can be paired with a sterling silver or gold-plated chain (from €20). The chains are customisable with cursive initials (from €25) and charms (from €25). The all-new collection also includes delicate teardrop stacking rings (from €55) that can be mixed and matched in a variety of gemstone combinations. Husband and wife duo, Julie Danz and Vincent Tynan, began casting their signature font in
sterling silver, andplating with layers of 18 carat gold, following significant customer demand for initials. Juvi’s Initials Collection boasts all 12 birthstones, which includes the introduction of four new gemstones; garnet, clear quartz, carnelian and peridot. Julie said: “We wanted to do a uniquely Juvi version of an Initials Collection, in our own distinct style and font. This collection is personal and expressive, with gold and silver initials, charms and colourful birthstones.” With prices starting from €25, Juvi’s Initials Collection is available at House of Fraser, Arnotts, andindependent retailers throughout Ireland, or online at www.juvidesigns.com.
It’s all in the
Boutiques who have pledged dresses this year so far include Design Centre, Ellen B Boutique and
Gold Intial Charm €29
NAME
Fran and Jane. Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Dublin are asking any boutiques and dress lovers out there to donate their pre loved dresses for a good cause. Drop off points are located in all Radisson Blu Hotels throughout the country. Visit downsyndromecentre.ie for more information.
Gold Pink Toumaline stacking ring €69
Turqouise birthstone charm in Gold Vermeil €45
Going to greatLENGTHS anywhere from one and a half to three hours for your application. It’s usual to expect some tenderness following application. • If you’ve just given birth, avoid having hair extensions until at least after the 12th week mark. If in doubt, chat with your stylist and your family doctor.
By Gillian Lee, owner and principal stylist at Mane Envy Hair and Beauty Salon, Dublin 13. ADDING volume, texture and colour to hair, extensions are versatile, help to heal and conceal a variety of issues, making almost any style possible, and, while knockout hair won’t help you attain Nirvana; it will help boost your morale and make you stand out from the crowd. And so…if Mane Envy is what you’re hoping to achieve, here are some of my top tips. • Your preparation is important. Make sure your stylist is experienced; tell them what look you expect and what type of lifestyle you lead. • Depending on the amount of strands, cut and styling you require, set aside
AFTER CARE •A stylist-approved brush is essential so that you don’t tug at the extensions too harshly. Brush hair out gently each morning to avoid tangles and matting. Loosely tie back hair each night before bed to avoid tangles as you toss and turn in your sleep. • Shampoo and towel dry hair with care, using only paraben and sulphate free shampoo and conditioner; and never rub the hairs together too roughly. Squeeze; don’t wring out excess water. Dry the bond and surrounding hair first to extend life span, and don’t apply curling irons or straighteners to bonds as they are likely to melt! • Never tie hair in a bun or knot; extensions need to follow their natural downward direction, otherwise they’re at risk of becoming tangled. • Book appointments with your stylist every four to six weeks for a professional blow-dry, trim and detangling.
BEFORE
AFTER
6 October 2016 GAZETTE 19
GAZETTE
STYLE
PRIVATE views TOPMAN has launched its Premium autumn/winter collection with a series of short films. Collaborating with film maker Dexter Navy, the series explores originality and creativity through the lens of four emerging taste-makers who each dress in one of the Private Labels. The series delves into and navigates through the Iives
of these young creatives and identifies the ways in which they approach style. The collection itself is designed with “uncompromising attention to detail and craftsmanship” and is fashioned to outlive seasonal trends. The 40-piece collection, for “the discerning customer” has just launched in stores globally. Visit topman.com to view the videos and collection.
Pink Bomber Jacket €90
Tan Silk Blend Smart Shirt €50 Mint Green Bomber Jacket €90
GAZETTE
20 GAZETTE 6 October 2016
DUBLINLIFE
HEALTH | CONCLUDING OUR INVESTIGATION INTO CONTROVERSIAL USE OF GARDASIL
Expert adamant Gardasil is safe
IN Part Two of our Gardasil coverage, the National Immunisation Advisory Committee robustly defends its usage to protect against the risks of cervical cancer, as used in the HSE Schools Immunisation Programme in Ireland since May, 2010. By contrast, another mother talks to us about her daughter’s severe health problems, which she blames squarely on Gardasil.
EMMA NOLAN F O L L OW I N G l a s t week’s report on the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, The Gazette spoke to Dr Kevin Connolly, of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC), who says that the side effects reported by many are “coincidental”. He said: “I accept that there are a significant number of girls who have this collection of symptoms.” Dr Connolly fully sympathises with the girls and their families. He has met with the support group REGRET on a number of occasions to try to set up a care pathway so that “all these girls can be fully assessed, investigated and treated”. The Care Pathway will be for an estimated 12,000 boys, girls, children and adults with Chronic Fatigue and MErelated symptoms. It has been proposed to include the REGRET girls in the national management programme. However, REGRET spokesp erso n A nn a Cannon says that this approach is “reckless” and “not good enough”. She said: “This would only serve to dilute the
girls’ specific symptoms into a large pool of patients, specifically dealing with management of symptoms of these two conditions. “Our girls need an independent investigation into what caused them to fall ill, with a mirrored range of serious health issues, within a short timeline of the vaccination.” Dr Connolly said that while there is no “evidence” that the vaccine caused the girls to become ill, their stories still need to be heard, and they need to have the relevant tests and access to treatment. He is adamant that there is no evidence to say that the HPV vaccine Gardasil is the cause of the girls’ health issues. He said: “The infection [HPV] will be caught by 90% of sexually active males and females by the time they’re 50 – it’s is the most common sexually transmitted infection, and although the majority of people will clear it, in about 10% this can cause changes which may progress to cervical cancer.” This “nasty” virus can also cause cancers of the vagina, anus, penis, mouth and throat. Cer vical cancer is
Screengrab: YouTube
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‘If people decide not to vaccinate their children, they’re deciding to run the risks of getting cancer, which could be prevented with the vaccine ... These symptoms have happened to teenagers before the vaccine was introduced.’
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Dr Kevin Connolly (above), the National Immunisation Advisory Committee
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the second most common cancer in women in Europe. It kills an estimated 100 women in Ireland every year, and an estimated 250,000 worldwide. Dr Connolly said that the vaccine has been licensed because it has been “shown to reduce instances of infection,
particularly if it is given before first sexual contact”. It is also more effective when it’s given to young adolescents, both male and female, according to Dr Connolly. “No vaccine is 100% effective or safe, but vaccines are only given a license if trials show that
they are very safe and that they work, and this vaccine was trialled in over 30,000 people.” However, the tri als showed no serious adverse events. T he NIAC doctor asked: “Why would the European Medicine Agency licence a vaccine that would harm people in a significant way?” Many parents of the girls believe that pharmaceutical companies may have something to gain by promoting their products. Dr Connolly accepts that some parents feel that way, but stressed that there is no “scientific evidence to say that the vaccine has caused these [their] symptoms”. He said: “If people decide not to vaccinate their children, they’re deciding to run the risks of getting cancer, which could be prevented with the vaccine.” But many parents now feel that they are in fact running the risk of causing serious illness by allowing their daughters to receive the vaccine, as evidenced by the 400 girls who say that their symptoms were caused by it. Dr Connolly said: “If you get up in the morning, have your breakfast, walk
out the door and break your leg – the breakfast didn’t cause your leg to break. “Just because something happens after an event doesn’t mean that it was caused by it.” With the expected rate of such symptoms (around 600 people a year in Ireland develop Chronic Fatigue Symptom), Dr Connolly said that the girls would have got them anyway, whether they had the vaccine or not. “These symptoms have happened to teenagers before the vaccine was introduced.” He said that when there are adverse events that people think may be associated with the vaccine, it is important that these events are recorded so that treatment can be given, but it would also help establish if the vaccine was involved in the cause or if it precipitates the illness. The vaccine itself has been in use for over 10
years now, with more than 200,000 million doses administered around the world. It has reduced precancer legions by up to 90%. The vaccine has been linked to POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The HSE are said to be concerned at the number of girls who are now refusing to take the vaccine, and are urging parents to make sure their daughters receive it. The organisation are adamant that REGRET’s claims are “unsubstantiated”. About 5,000 fewer girls received the vaccine last year compared to the previous year. Dr Brenda Corcoran, head of the HSE’s National Immunisation Office, said that Gardasil is “a real life saver”. She said: “This decline may be related to unsubstantiated concerns about HPVvaccine safety, which have no scientific basis.”
Clarification Last week we said that the Gardasil HPV vaccine has been administered to more than 600,000 girls in Ireland since 2010. This was incorrectly phrased - in fact, it has been administered to more than 200,000 girls, meaning that around 600,000 doses have been given. We are happy to clarify this.
6 October 2016 GAZETTE 21
GAZETTE
SPECIAL REPORT CASE STUDY | AOIFE GAYNOR, 17, KILTERNAN
‘Everything fell apart when she got that jab ...’ 17-YEAR-OLD Aoife Gaynor from Kilternan got the HPV vaccine Gardasil in school when she was in First Year, but has since then been a “shadow of her former self”, suffering from chronic pain. Her mother, Linda, spoke to The Gazette about the difficulties they have faced since then as she has watched her daughter’s health deteriorate. T hey believe that the Gardasil vaccine is the cause of Aoife’s symptoms because she became ill immediately after receiving it, and because she shares the same symptoms with some 400 other girls in
Ireland who also say that Gardasil is responsible for their serious health problems. Aoife had an “instant reaction” on the day she received the vaccine, and slowly worsened over a few weeks until she couldn’t get out of bed.
Diagnosed She was then diagnosed with a viral infection by her GP and improved somewhat, until she received the second dose of the vaccine, which “really knocked her ”, said Linda. She said: “It’s very sad for Aoife, my beautiful child. This has been devastating for our family.
“She was the happiestgo-lucky child – she was great at sports, there was never a bother on her. “The two of us were like peas in a pod; we were best friends. But something just clicked after Aoife got the second dose of the vaccine, and everything changed,” she said. Aoife was an avid horse rider before she became ill. Linda remembers how for the Christmas just af ter Aoife became ill, she had bought her new horseriding boots and gloves, but Aoife just took one look at them and went into her room and closed the door. “She just knew that
something was wrong with her – something was happening in her body that she didn’t understand,” said Linda. Before she became ill, Aoife was doing well in school, playing GAA and basketball and her horseriding, of course. “She was Little Miss Socialite,” joked her mum, until “everything fell apart when she got that jab”. Linda has a two-anda-half-year-old son, Kevin, and is also currently pregnant, and says that as a family, they’ve only had one day out in the past year. L i n d a ’s m o t h e r, Denise, retired from her job as a lollipop lady to care for Aoife while her
Teenager Aoife Gaynor and her mother, Linda. Pictures: Alison O’Hanlon
parents are in work, as “she needs 24-hour care”.
Strain The financial strain on the family is taking its toll, with Aoife’s illnesses costing more than €1,000 a month in medi-
‘NOTHING EASES
cal bills. Her education has also suffered as Aoife hasn’t attended school since March, apart from two days at the start of this term. The family are looking into arranging home
tuition so that Aoife, who is now in sixth year, will have a hope of sitting her Leaving Cert next year. Linda said: “She’s just not well enough to go to school, and missing out on so much has been really hard for her.”
AOIFE’S PAIN’
(the manufacturer of
would have got sick anyway – where
chronic pain. Aoife experiences
of hair, which has been
Gardasil) patient infor-
are the girls that got sick like this
severe headaches and aches in her
extremely upsetting for
mation leaflet (PIL). The
before this vaccine was introduced?
legs which become so bad at times
the teenager.
HSE leaflet still only lists
THE Kilternan teen suffers from
She has also lost a lot
“Where are they and their support
five minor side effects.
groups? There’s none because this
“nothing eases her pain”.
Linda said: “If we had
didn’t happen before the HPV vac-
Linda said doctors who
have seen the full list of
cine – this is it; this is the cause of it,
have said that Aoife has
side effects, there is no
and they need to recognise this and
Chronic Fatigue Syn-
way I would have let Aoife
recognise these girls.
a constant for Aoife, who has also
drome, or POTS, anger
get that vaccine.”
experienced seizures.
her.
that she is unable to walk. Her mother, Linda, said: “Aoife just suffers from so many different things.” Stomach, chest and back pain is
As well as suffering from extreme-
Her mother says that
She said that her daughter suffers from all of the
“Aoife doesn’t have
“They’re not psychic – they can’t say exactly what’s wrong with my daughter until they’ve examined her. “If this is continued to be ignored
ly low energy, she has a weak
either of those – Chronic
side effects “and more”
immune system, gastritis, and is on
Fatigue Syndrome is
listed on the Merck PIL.
20 supplements a day just to be able
only one of the problems
Linda has described her
problem is just going to grow, and
to get out of bed.
that she suffers from.
daughter’s ordeal as “dis-
it’s not our place as parents to be
“Aoife has ‘brain fog’ – she can’t
It’s not the entire pic-
turbing and distressing” and
running around making videos and
concentrate on anything. [Because
ture, and all the other
has condemned the HSE for
talking to newspapers to inform the
of this] she can’t read, she can’t
girls in REGRET are the same.
“blatantly ignoring” her and
public of this.”
“I wake up in the middle of the night and I hear her
many other cries for help.
by the relevant authorities, the
Linda said that all Aoife wants is a
watch a movie for any length of time
“Her immune system is totally
because it hurts her eyes too much,
destroyed. Nothing works. Doctors
and she can’t follow the story – it’s
have told us that there was nothing
Linda slammed the HSE for “deny-
the vaccine has nothing to do with
school and see her friends and get
just horrible; it’s a horrible existence
they could do to relieve her pain and
ing” parents access to the full list of
the girls’s illnesses and that this
the bus home and do her homework,
for her.”
her case is ‘too complex’.
side effects as outlined in the Merck
has always happened and that they
and she can’t.”
screaming in pain in her room.”
She said: “The HSE have said that
normal life. “She just wants to go to
GAZETTE
22 GAZETTE 6 October 2016
DUBLINLIFE
FEATURE
HEALTH | ADVICE FOR PREGNANCIES
Great tips for mums-to-be THE makers of Pregnacare, the pregnancy supplement range, recently conducted an online survey as part of their new What I Wish I’d Known campaign. The campaign aims to lift the lid on the mystery surrounding pregnancy and support pregnant women by providing sound advice. To help put minds at rest, Pregnacare has put together some top tips to help women throughout their pregnancy.
Dealing with morning sickness It is estimated that approximately 80% of
women suffer from nausea and vomiting, commonly known as morning sickness, at some stage
during their pregnancy. Morning sickness is commonly experienced during the first trimester, with many believing this is due to a sharp increase in hormone levels. For most women, the symptoms begin to disappear after 12 weeks. The best advice to beat the sickness is to eat little and often and stick to plain, starch-based foods.
Don’t forget to keep active The level of exercise one can engage in during pregnancy depends on the level of fitness of the mother prior to getting pregnant. Moderate intensity exercises are advised, such as low-impact aerobics, swimming and walking; 30 minutes of moderate activity is advised per day for pregnant women, who are also advised to avoid high-intensity and contact sports in the third trimester. Folic acid is important Women are currently advised to take a 400mcg folic acid supplement prior to conception and for at least the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, but the benefits of folic acid supplementation extend throughout the whole of pregnancy. Women with multiple pregnancies, or a previous history of neural tube defects, should take more. Pregnacare Original, Pregnacare Max and Pregnacare Plus contain 400mcg folic acid, as well as other important vitamins and minerals which are vital for mother and baby. Managing weight gain One of the best things to help your pregnancy is to watch what you eat. In an average pregnancy, an expecting mother within a healthy BMI range should gain between 25 – 35lbs throughout the pregnancy.
There are lots of sensible ways for you to relax and feel as physically and mentally good as you can throughout your pregnancy
Don’t go overboard on purchases Pregnacare’s research revealed that one in four expecting parents spend more than €2,000 preparing for their new arrival, with an additional third of parents spending between €1,000 to €2,000. I t ’s i m p o r t a n t t o remember that your baby will out-grow everything you buy them, so a sensible approach is best. Dealing with insomnia Many women suffer from insomnia and other sleep problems during pregnancy. Try the following methods to get a good night’s sleep: • Start winding down before climbing into bed by taking a warm bath or get your partner to give
you a massage. • Make sure your room is a comfortable temperature for sleeping. Is it dark and quiet enough? Heavy or dark-coloured curtains can help keep out unwanted light, and sound machines can help mask the drone of traffic with “white noise”.
Mind your teeth Pregnancy can aggravate dental problems. Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush after meals or at least twice a day to help prevent cavities and gingivitis. Flossing regularly will also help. Try not to worry There are a number of ways to deal with any worries you may have. These include talking
things over with your partner, a family member or your GP. Moderate exercise may also be of some benefit; perhaps some light walking or pre-natal yoga. Other stress-busting strategies could include massage, mindfulness, and positive-imagery exercises.
Emotional wellbeing The nine-month journey is not only about helping your baby grow but it is also a journey to help you mentally adjust to your impending arrival and the new life you are about to embark on. Concerns and fears for the future are common during pregnancy and it is important to talk these through with the loved ones around you.
6 October 2016 GAZETTE 23
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FOOD&DRINK
Tarte Tatin gets a twist with beetroot, creating a fusion that works deliciously well
CELEBRATING the launch of their Irish Beetroot, Ballymaloe Foods have created an innovative twist on the traditional Tarte Tatin. This is a very quick and easy bake, yet is indulgent and moreish. With caramelised beetroot, crisp pastry, fluffy ricotta and a fresh parsley dressing, Beetroot Tarte Tatin is a wonderful centrepiece for lunch or dinner. This dish, which serves four, is particularly lovely when served with a mixed leaf salad.
Ingredients Tarte l 280g drained Ballymaloe Irish beetroot l 50g butter l 2 tsp brown sugar l 4 tsp Ballymaloe Beetroot vinegar l 1 sheet of puff pastry Topping l 100g Ricotta From its physical layout to the diverse fare on offer, The Brickyard looks to redefine dining experiences in Dundrumand beyond
The Brickyard hopes to build on its quality EMMA NOLAN
THERE’S a new gastro pub in town. The Brickyard has just opened in Dundrum and it is bringing some “very different and incredibly inventive food along with a great selection of craft beers, wines and cocktails” to the area. Proprietor Doug Leddin told The Gazette that they hope to “fill a gap in the Dundrum market”. He said: “We came into this project with the intention of doing things
a little bit differently to anything else Dublin has to offer. “That carries throughout [ the business], from having our beer taps on the back wall rather than the bar all the way through to our wine and beer list, which is a result of months of research and purposefully sourcing smaller distributers across the board. “Our head chef, Paul, has a wealth of experience and has trained and worked in some of Dublin’s finest five-star estab-
lishments and, as a result, he brings something very different to what is normally perceived as ‘pub grub’.
“He follows our ethos of sourcing locally-produced quality goods, to the extent that we smoke our mackerel with hay
sourced from Airfield Farm right next door.” The Brickyard is open now and is located at Balally Luas stop.
Dressing l 1 tbsp Ballymaloe Beetroot vinegar l 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil l 1 tsp brown sugar l 1 shallot finely diced l 1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped Preparation l For this recipe, you will need an oven-proof shallow pot or pan. Preheat the oven to 190 C. l Lay out the sheet of puff pastry on the counter top and place your pot on top of it, cut around the rim of the pot to make the correct size disc of pastry, and set it aside for later. l Strain the beetroot but retain the Ballymaloe beetroot vinegar as you will be using some. l Place the sugar, butter and 4tsp of the beetroot vinegar in to your pot, place it on the hob on a medium heat and stir until it begins to caramelise. l Add the beetroot and cook for a further 2 minutes. l Take your pot off the heat and insert your disc of pastry so that the beetroot is covered. l Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes; the pastry will have puffed up and should be golden brown. l While the tarte is cooking, you can make the dressing by adding the parsley and shallot to the olive oil, sugar and beetroot vinegar. l When the tarte is ready, place a plate over the top of the pot , grip firmly and turn it over so that the tarte is transferred to your serving plate with the beetroot side up. l Top with dollops of ricotta and the parsley dressing. l Serve, and enjoy!
GAZETTE
24 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
DUBLINLIFE
ReelReviews
WAR ON EVERYONE Buddy-cop movie
ALEXANDER Skarsgard and Michael Pena star as a pair of corrupt police officers in New Mexico. Bob Bolano (Pena) and Terry Monroe (Skarsgard) shake down criminals with ease until they run into a man claiming to be a British Lord (Theo James) who isn’t anything like the helpless perps the duo usually blackmails. (Cert 16, 98mins)
BRIDGET JONES 3
Three-quel is years late COMING along years after the previous film, Bridget Jones’s Baby (Cert 15A, 123mins) falls a bit flat. Now in her 40s, a pregnant Bridget (Renee Zellweger) isn’t exactly sure who the father is, but with a couple of choices she’s determined to work it out. With a plot and music score that’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer, it’s a likeable film, but just not quite classic Bridget.
MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN A gothic tale
WHEN his beloved grandfather leaves Jake clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds a magical place known as Miss Peregrine’s School for Peculiar Children (Cert 12A, 127mins). But the mystery and danger deepen as he gets to know the residents.
CINEMA
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN: DIVORCEE GETS ENTANGLED IN MISSING PERSON CASE
Just the ticket for mystery thriller fans
The Girl on The Train is a solid, if often meandering mystery thriller, adapted from the bestselling 2015 book by Paula Hawkins. Told from the perspective of heart broken alcoholic, Rachel (Emily Blunt), the narrative develops at a sometimesturgid pace. However, as each piece of this Hitchcockian puzzle is slowly uncovered, The Girl on The Train has the potential to grip and not let go. During her daily train commute to Manhattan, Rachel voyeuristically obsesses with a young couple, Scott (Luke Evans) and Megan (Haley Bennett), catching glimpses of their house from her train window. One morning, Rachel witnesses something shocking and after learning that Megan has been reported missing, she reports what she saw to the authorities. However, emotionally devastated after the dissolution of her own marriage to Tom (Justin Theroux), Rachel has turned to drink. Her own investigation into Megan’s whereabouts becomes increasingly troubled by
MARTIN MACNAMARA
her unreliable memory, her alcoholic binges and the worrying fact that Rachel herself is a suspect in the police’s investigation. The Girl on The Train deals with confusion and the muddling of emotions – it is a film just as much about heartache and profound loss as it is about guilt, paranoia and obsession. However, thematically underlining everything in The Girl on The Train is the fragility of memory. Like many filmmakers before him, Tate Taylor (The Help, Get On Up), deals with this subject by visually constructing his film in a manner that evokes the disoriented act of remembering. The Girl on The Train is fraught with chronological leaps and contradictory incidents, visually replicating Rachel’s confused, distorted memories.
Thus, Rachel is the archetypal unreliable narrator. This is certainly an interesting narrative component early on in The Girl on The Train, keeping us on our toes. In cinematically replicating Rachel’s inebriated state, the film is afforded a kind of dreamy, stylishly sluggish ambience, which is often visually gratifying. Unfor tunately, Rachel’s confused state, foggy memories and violently wavering emotions make for an often-muddled middle act that has the tendency to drag. The mystery refuses to move along at a gratify pace and spends a little too long exploring Rachel’s troubled state of mind. While this is undoubtedly an interesting theme, executed admirably by director Taylor, the weight it’s given results in a film that often feels like its telling two stories. The Girl on The Train delights with its cryptic opening and exciting climax but would greatly benefit from a little more narrative clarity in its middle act. There’s a taut, intriguing mystery at the centre of the film, told with
Based on Paula Hawkins’s book (right), the always watchable Emily Blunt delivers a strong performance in the film adaptation
touches of DePalma in its stylised reimagining of Hitchcockian themes. Blunt is superb as the troubled Rachel, developing a well-rounded heroine that, owing to her own weakness, is equal parts sympathetic, irritating and emotionally affecting. Despite fine acting allround, the other characters here are not afforded the same depth. Due to it’s lacklustre mid-section, The Girl on The Train never quite grips like it should. Though it fails to deliver on its early potential,
there’s an enjoyable, often genuinely unsettling thriller here. Each moment of narrative revelation, when it finally hits, is intensely grati-
fying; if melodramatic mystery thrillers are your kind of thing, The Girl on The Train is certainly worth your time. Verdict: 7/10
6 October 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 25
GAZETTE
TECH
Whether or not visiting FBI agents can get a damn fine cup of coffee in Kingdom, Virgina, the small town has a number of oddball characters to meet. Rookie FBI agent Anne Tarver and her older partner, Maria Halperin, each have interesting personal stories to reveal – however, without any dialogue, the gamer has to rely on slight animations and visual cues to keep up with the subtle story.
SHANE DILLON
Tech Editor
SMALL, independent games developers (‘indies’) have enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, with many successfully moving away from niche gaming on PCs to the bigger gaming ecosystems – and markets – that cross development for consoles offer. As one of the latest such indie titles to woo critics, and plenty of gamers, Virgina (Cert 12, PC, Mac, PS4, XBO, c. €10) is some-
thing of a curate’s egg, with plenty of parts that should appeal to most people, but some bits that are a little offputting. Perhaps unfairly described as a mish-mash of a tale, with a FBI agent (think: Dana Scully, from the X-Files) investigating a missing child case in a small town (now think of a Twin Peaks vibe), developers Variable State have crafted a curio indeed. Behind its basic yet effective graphics, perhaps Virginia’s biggest unique selling point is its
script – there isn’t one. The entire game is wordless, and plays out across its couple of hours of gameplay without so much as a simple hello. And yet, despite this “flaw”, Virgina has plenty of atmosphere, successfully evoking a small town Americana feel as its story plays out, while your personal FBI story ticks away in the background. Add in a subtly shifting dynamic and relationship between the two lead characters – you as a
rookie FBI agent, teaming up with a frosty older partner – and Virgina creates a short but oh-sostylish addition to the burgeoning “walk-em-up” genre: games where little player skill is required to proceed, but which are atmospheric, or have a detailed plot to uncover. Clumsy editing in its latter half detract from the brief tale, but its stylish delivery and visuals – and its superb movie-like score – make Virginia well worth the visit.
BlackBerry now dead as a dodo DODOS looked up from their typewriters briefly to take note of the latest thing to make it onto the “Extinct” list – the BlackBerry. Once the must-have gadget for show-offs and early tech adopters al over the world, the BlackBerry was an indispensible tool for lots of businesspeople – so much so that it was nicknamed ‘the CrackBerry’. Its legions of users were practically glued to it day in, day out, with many people reporting sore ‘BlackBerry thumbs’ from endlessly tapping at, and fiddling with, their
favourite piece of tech. Times changed, however, and the BlackBerry fell behind the times, and slowly out of favour, as younger, hipper rivals came onto the scene. In the bold new telecommunications (and latterly, social media-driven) world, the BlackBerry failed to adopt to the changing environment fast enough, or successfully enough, with its sales and popularity fading away in recent years. Now, time has been called on the once innovative handset, with its makers to con-
centrate on software development instead. The BlackBerr y name is expected to live on – but just through third-party manufacturers – meaning that, as a practical piece of tech, the BlackBerry is now about as dead as a dodo, or a typewriter.
Space game has a world of problems ALTHOUGH many people liked No Man’s Sky (PC, PS4) when it was recently released, the galaxyexploring game has since found itself at the centre of a whole world of criticisms and negative press headlines, as gamers, critics and industry watchers alike have turned on the title. Promising the sun and the stars to gamers – literally, with a claimed total of 18 quintillion worlds to discover and explore – No Man’s Sky has since had what many would call a meteoric fall from grace in just a couple of months. Recent weeks have seen a variety of industry sites dig down into the statistics behind the game, with a variety of sites reporting that Steam figures (the leading PC digital distribution model) reveal a drop of some 90-94% of regular PC players in a short while, with the data also revealing that there are often just as few as 2,000 PC players, or less, playing the game at any one time – a less than stellar figure. As if that wasn’t gloomy enough press, Britain’s advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority, is currently investigating the game following several complaints over its advertising practices – specifically, what was promised in its advertising versus what was delivered. Here’s hoping that its developers, Hello Games, can turn around all the negativity, before No Man’s Sky’s success lasts just as long as a shooting star ...
26 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
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GAZETTE
28 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
SPORT
FastSport BOHS SIGN UP SUPPLE FOR THE 2017 CAMPAIGN: BOHEMIANS have signed up goalkeeper Shane Supple to a new contract to remain at the club for the 2017 season. The goalkeeper, 29, joined Bohs in June after winning the FAI Intermediate Cup with Crumlin United. He previously starred for Ipswich Town and Ireland’s Under-21s and was also a member of the Dublin panel that won the 2013 All-Ireland senior football championship. Manager Keith Long said: “Shane’s a top bloke and a really excellent goalkeeper. “He’s done really well since he’s come into the team and he is exactly the kind of charac-ter we want in the dressing room. “Shane is the class of player we want to build our team around next season and we hope to announce more signings in the near future.” Supple is also a St Brigid’s club man and has helped them to win Dublin’s AFL1 title in recent times.
HOCKEY: NEW SIGNING MAKES IT TWO GOALS IN TWO FOR RATHFARNHAM CLUB
Mullins Rocking Rovers MEN’S EY LEAGUE
sport@dublingazette.com
THREE Rock Rovers recorded their first win of the new men’s EY Hockey League season with a 2-0 win over Glenanne at Grange Road with a goal in each half. It follows an opening day defeat to Banbridge before drawing with UCD 3-3 on the opening day of the campaign. They scored within the first few minutes thanks to Luke Madeley’s penalty corner rebound, following up after an initial shot was charged down. From there, Glenanne – who were without Joe Brennan, Stephen B r o w n l o w, S h a n e O’Donoghue and Neil
Byrne – created some gilt-edged chances but the best of those was flashed wide at the left post by Eddie O’Malley from a sharp corner rebound. Rovers, meanwhile, were living on the counter-attack and had a number of strong breaks kept at bay by goalkeeper Leo Micklem and David Keogh at the base of the defence. In the second half, Three Rock enjoyed more control over the ball and moved the ball around well at pace with Daragh Walsh showing some lovely touches. They doubled the advantage in the third quarter when James Walker got to the baseline and
while his pull-back took a defender’s stick, Kevin Mullins reacted brilliantly to thrash in the loose ball – his second goal since joining the club. Glenanne, again, fought back strongly and drew some tidy stops from goalkeeper Jamie Carr while a number of corners chances flashed dangerously in front of goal but were not converted, one particular effort ricocheting inches wide. Rovers, too, had big chances to extend the lead, Conor Empey shut out by Micklem while a last second corner came to nothing but Rovers were happy with their win. In the other Dublin
Three Rock Rovers’ new signing Kevin Mullins. Picture: Adrian Boehm
derby, Monkstown piled on the pain for Railway Union who conceded a hatful for the second successive week, ensuring the side from the Merrion Fleet Arena continued their perfect start to the campaign. Lee Cole started the scoring, getting on the end of Kyle Good’s right wing cross. Gareth Watkins added the second from a stroke before Stephen Cole robbed a defender to bang home from a tight angle. Good and Geoff Cole weighed in with a few more before David
McCarthy pulled one back at 5-1. But further efforts from Lee Cole, Good and Watkins completed a comprehensive result Pembroke, meanwhile, were left frustrated as they fell 2-1 to reigning champions Lisnagarvey who picked off their 21st successive victory in this competition. James Lorimer gave the Ulster side the early lead before Pembroke missed from the penalty spot via Alan Sothern. They then conceded a penalty stroke themselves which Daniel Buser scored for
2-0 with two Pembroke players sin-binned – including goalkeeper Mark Ingram – for their protests. The final quarter saw the Dubliners battle back, moving the ball faster and more directly. The hugely impressive Harry Spain saw a strong run halted with a rough tackle when in shooting mode for the third stroke of the day. Sothern again stepped up and scored with 12 minutes to go but they could not force an equaliser and Garvey had yet another win.
Liffey Celtics hold Court with big opening victory sport@dublingazette.com
Courtyard Liffey Celtics started their season well
COURTYARD Liffey Celtics had too much firepower for Singleton’s SuperValu Brunell in their opening round of basketball’s Women’s Super League. The Celtics took full advantage of a number of high profile injuries to Brunell in prseason with a comprehensive 73-56 win to get their season up and running with a big win. “You can only beat what’s in front of you,” said new Celtics Coach Mark Byrne. “It’s only one game and we’ve a long way
to go yet.” Emma O’Connor weighed in with 23 points while her team mate Jazmen Boone scored 19 with good support from Sorcha Tiernan. Meteors secured the result of the weekend with a 59-57 win at home to defending regular season champions DCU Mercy. Monet Neal was the chief scorer with 25 points while Eimear Mairtin and Aoife Whelan made solid contributions, building a 34-24 half-time lead before keeping at bay a sustained comeback from the likes
of Sarah Fairbanks, Jasmine Wooton and Irish international Sarah Woods. UCD Marian top the Men’s Super League after two rounds thanks to a resounding 10784 win over reigning champions UCC Demons in Belfield. Dustan Moreira and Mike Garrow combined for 43 points while head coach Ioannis Liapakis was equally impressed with his side’s defence. “People who talk about basketball will say this was a surprise result but we weren’t surprised at all,” said Liapakis.
“I’m really happy with our depth and our chemistry is a lot better. That was something we’d been missing before.” Neil Randolph inspired Temploegue to a comeback win at home to Pyrobel Killester with three three-pointers in a row on a 17-2 run in the final quarter. The brother of West Ham Goalkeeper Darren finished with 22 points in total. Griffith Swords Thunder kept up their 100% record while Irish TV Tralee Warriors, UL Eagles and DCU Saints all picked up first wins.
6 October 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 29
GAZETTE
Cian’s time to sit back and savour Sam glory
FASTSport
Kilmacud Crokes man tells KARL GRAHAM the days after All-Ireland victory provide a beautiful moment of realisation of what all the hard yards were for and what they all mean WITH a fourth All-Ireland football title with Dublin in the bank and the dust starting to settle over the first championship double for the county in nearly 40 years, the time for reflection has finally begun for Cian O’Sullivan. As Januar y comes around each year, many players dow n sticks for their clubs and turn their focus towards their county, hoping that their long trek will culminate in a date at Croke Park come September. It can be a long slog for the players who try to juggle an ever-growing football schedule with work and personal life. O’Sullivan combines a management position at tax accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers with his sweeper role for Dublin. With the sky blues, he
has experienced some amazing moments, ones where the gas tank is empty and running on reserves. But a shot of adrenaline enters the body allowing it to find a new lease of life and bask in the glory of an influential achievement. That feeling is something O’Sullivan has been able to experience once again in the Croke Park cauldron. “It’s just the best feeling in the world,” he told GazetteSport. “You hear people saying that the birth of their child or wedding day is the best time of their life, and you have to tick those boxes. “But, to me, I’d be surprised if anything can emulate that moment when you are sitting on the pitch with the 30 lads that you have soldiered with for the last nine or ten months and
gone through a lot of difficult, tense and hardfought times. “That moment when it all pays off and the culmination of all the hard work, it is a very special place,” said O’Sullivan. So intense is the lead up to that moment, however, that its passing can come as somewhat of a relief. “We are all back with our clubs now so the training doesn’t stop. But being able to mentally switch off from Dublin mode is something the guys will welcome over the coming weeks.” The boys in blue put in a much improved performance in the replay but when asked if he was happier having won it on a better performance than what might have been considered a steal in the first tie, due
to the two own goals, O’Sullivan was unsure. “I probably wouldn’t look on it that way; winning an All-Ireland is the main thing at the end of the day but it was probably nice to get a second chance to perform. Whilst we probably didn’t have the perfect performance again, I think that is just the
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‘That moment when it all pays off and the culmination of the hard work is a very special place’ - Cian O’Sullivan
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nature of finals, we definitely were better than we were on the first day.” The Kilmacud Crokes man is also one of the growing number of voices asking for the controversial black card rule to be re-examined.
Dublin footballer, Cian O’Sullivan, pictured in his role as Sure ambassador at Croke Park. Sure is the official statistics partner of the GAA.
“It has been quite topical since it has been brought in and I feel for the referees because it is so hard to have a consistent approach to marshalling it, so it is not easy and it’s not the referee’s fault. “Perhaps it is something that should be looked at to see if it can be improved because
you would question if there is really a penalty there to a team when they can just bring on another player and have a strong squad.” With talk amongst some having predictably turned to three-in-a-row for Dublin, the 28-yearold was quick to quash any such premature talk. “Three in a row would be a massive achievement but probably not something we are going to focus on. For us, next year is starting off with the O’Byrne Cup in January and working on those performances. “Jim has a ver y methodical and process-driving approach to management and he definitely won’t be letting the lads get carried away with notions of three-in-a-row in January.”
Roche leads Irish team to UCI road World Cup DUNDRUM native Nicolas Roche has been named in the Irish team of 12 riders to take part at the 2016 UCI road world championships in Doha, Qatar which start next Monday. The team is a mix of time trial specialists and road riders, who will compete across seventeen events. Ireland’s elite men’s team will feature Sam Bennett, Ryan Mullen and Matt Brammeier in the Road Race with Mullen and Roche competing in the time trail. “Doha will see a lot of fast races” said Cycling Ireland Technical Director Brian Nugent, who is anticipating a race that will favour the sprinters. “We have selected a team with strong riders across all categories, the profile for the courses are fairly flat, so there should be intense racing, which could come down to bunch sprints. “The time trial courses will be fast too, and after a strong showing at the European Championships last month, we are hoping for some top performances from the team.” National champion Anna Turvey will be representing Ireland in the elite women’s time trial as the sole female representative. This year, the World Championships take place three weeks later than the usual September date to coincide with lower temperatures and a drier forecast in the Middle East country. The Under-23s will have Michael O’Loughlin and Eddie Dunbar flying the flag in both the time trial and the road race, with Daire Feeley and Matthew Teggart also competing in the road race, an event particularly suited to sprinters this year. After an impressive European track and road championships, Ireland are entering a young junior team with first year juniors Xeno Young and Ronan Tuomey competing in both the road race and time trial, and Jake Gray also starting in the Road Race. Racing in Doha begins with the time trials from October 10 to 12 with the road races running from October 14 to 16.
GAZETTE
30 BLANCH GAZETTE 6 October 2016
SPORT
FASTSport
SOCCER: NEW PROGRAMME ROLLED OUT FOR FINGAL’S TEENAGERS
Five-star Saints march on in LSL Sunday Senior ST MOCHTA’S remain unbeaten in the LSL Sunday Senior division thanks to another superb win, seeing off Tolka Rovers 5-2. Marc Hughes opened the scoring on three minutes with his sixth goal of the season before Philly Hughes made it 2-0 in the ninth minute with a magnificent free kick. The visitors pulled a goal back on the stroke of half time with a brilliant free kick but Karl Somers made it 3-1 on 55 minutes with an emphatic finish after linking up with Luke Kelly. Rovers made it 3-2 on the hour mark when a penalty struck the crossbar and the rebound fell to a Tolka player who found the corner of the net. Mochta’s, however, continued to forge ahead with Ross Carrig making it 4-2 five minutes later with a powerful header from Luke Kelly’s corner. David Lacey completed the scoring in the last minute rounding the keeper to slot home after Lee Dixon set him free. The result leaves the Saints in second place in the table, three points behind Bluebell United with two games in hand. In a tight table, though, Cherry Orchard, Bangor Celtic and Killester United are all in and around the same points mark at this stage. The second team are also unbeaten with three wins from their last two outings to date this season thanks to a 3-0 win over Skerries Town in LSL Saturday Major 1C at Porterstown Road. It added to previous wins over Liffey Valley Rangers and Farm United along with draws against Rush Athletic and Tolka Rovers on the road.
Cian Clarke, Paul Reid, Robbie Brady, Mayor of Fingal Darragh Butler and student Frankie Haaba at the launch. Picture: Orla Murray/Ark Photography
Brady kickstarts TY plan sport@dublingazette.com
REPUBLIC of Ireland senior international Robbie Brady, joined the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Darragh O’Brien, Fingal County Council Chief Executive, Paul Reid, and FAI Vice President, Donal Conway, to officially launch a transition year football development course. The course gives transition year students an opportunity to meet their educational requirements as well as developing their football skills. Over the course of the 2016/17 school year, the 25 Transition Year students participating
in the programme will mix academic subjects with Kick Start 1 and 2 coaching courses along with modules in Fitness Instruction, Media Skills and Personal Development, as well as football training and strength and conditioning work. In addition, the participants will undertake an ITEC Fitness Instructors Course, delivered by Litton Lane Fitness Training, while they will also return to their local school one day a week to work with teachers in the delivery of physical education and gain valuable work experience. “The purpose of the course is to help the per-
sonal development of the participants and to show them how to balance the demands of sport and education at a pivotal moment in their young lives,” explained course co-ordinator Denis Hyland, who is an FAI Development Officer. “The course allows them to live in a proper football environment for a year while also meeting their educational needs. “They are at an age when some young players head abroad to join professional clubs and this programme allows them to reap the same footballing benefits and a lot more while remaining at home with their fami-
lies and putting something back into their local communities.” Paul Reid, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, said: “Within Fingal County Council we have a ‘can do’ attitude and this is another excellent initiative by our Sports Office. We are aware that young people within our community have sporting ambitions and this pilot programme is an excellent opportunity to give them a chance to develop their sporting skills while staying within the education system and also giving something back to their local communities. “It ticks a lot of boxes
for us as an organisation which is focused on the development of communities within Fingal.” The programme is being jointly delivered by the FAI and Fingal County Council’s Sports Office, with assistance from Blanchardstown Area Partnership as well as the participants’ own schools. The pilot course will be continually evaluated and, where practical, improvements will be made. At the end of the academic year the evaluation process will include measurement and surveys covering all aspects of the programme.
6 October 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 31
GAZETTE
FOOTBALL: MANAGER’S BIG CALLS COME GOOD
CLUB NOTICEBOARD ST BRIGID’S
A content Jim Gavin at Croke Park in the wake of back-to-back All-Ireland titles. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Understated Gavin adds to Dubs’ legend status
ALL-IRELAND FINAL sport@dublingazette.com
JIM GAVIN made some big changes to his team as Dublin defeated Mayo by a point in the All-Ireland SFC final at the second time of asking, delivering the biggest title for a third time during his tenure as manager. His side just about held Mayo at bay by a single point with his substitutions making a key impact with Cormac Costello and Bernard Brogan combining for four points. The Round Tower’s man’s reaction was typically understated in the aftermath of the victory. “They’re all tough. Look back to last year and the game against Kerry, the previous year Kerry against Donegal, and 2013 for us against Mayo. They’re all very tough and unique so to win one is a very, very hard thing to do.” When asked if a Brian Cody style reign at the pinnacle of the Dublin game was something he was thinking about,
Gavin was giving little away. “No not at all. Over the coming weeks we’ll sit down with the county board and see if they are happy with what myself and my management team are doing for Dublin football and if our vision is in line with the board’s. Once that is squared away, we’ll see if we have the energy for it.” In a game that held all the same tension and talking points of its predecessor, it was Dublin who edged it 1-15 to 1-14 to secure the first All-Ireland double in the county’s history. Star forward Bernard Brogan paid the price for an ineffective performance in the first game, while David Byrne and Michael Darragh Macauley also had to make do with seats on the bench. Dublin had clearly learned from their slow start in the first game and started this one with much more intensity to race into a four-point lead within the first ten minutes.
Mayo were soon level after a four-point salvo of their own, and after trading points they struck the first goal of the game in the 18th minute. A minute later and more scrutiny was shone on the divisive black card rule after Jonny Cooper was given an early bath for grabbing the ankles of Donal Vaughan. Lee Keegan then saw black for a similar offence on Diarmuid Connolly just before half-time. Probably the biggest moment came early in the second-half when Mayo
keeper Rob Hennelly fumbled a Paul Flynn delivery into the hands of Paddy Andrews before fouling the forward as he went for goal. Hennelly was black carded and Connolly stepped up to finish clinically past replacement keeper David Clarke. Dublin would stay just ahead until deep into injury time when Cillian O’Connor had the chance to force extra time from a tricky free. It drifted wide and sparked jubilant Dublin celebrations.
BEST of luck to our footballers as the
Well done to our underage ladies
senior club championship resumes
football teams who played their semi-
this weekend with St Brigid’s taking on
finals at the weekend. Our U-13B, U-14
Ballymun Kickhams at 2.15pm in Par-
and minor teams are through to the
nell Park on Sunday, October 9.
finals in two weeks.
Congratulations to Paddy Andrews
On Saturday next, October 8, Eoin
and the Dublin senior football team on
Kennedy and Carl Browne play Meath
their All-Ireland victory on Saturday
in the 60x30 doubles All-Ireland final –
evening. Two in-a-row is a fantastic
they are hoping to add to their 40x20
achievement.
championship win earlier this year.
The St Brigid’s nursery runs every
The handball finals are back in Croke
Saturday in Russell Park from 9.30am
Park this year so it is a great opportu-
to 11am. We welcome all four- to sev-
nity to see the game.
en-year-olds in the Castleknock and
Our lotto jackpot remains at €15,000
Blanchardstown area and new mem-
with the reserve now also at €15,000.
bers and families are always welcome.
This week’s draw will take place in
For further information and queries,
Myos on Friday, October 7. Many
contact David on 085 8340169.
thanks to everyone who supports.
CASTLEKNOCK COMHGHAIRDEAS to our Ciaran and
Please check out the actors who
Ireland football final replay win over
are participating in our fundraising
Mayo. Amazing achievement by all
Oskars and support their fundraising
involved in Dublin GAA.
activities.
Commiserations to all our Mayo
The club are having a bag-pack
members. Next up is the club sen-
fundraising weekend this weekend in
ior football championship against St
Tesco Roselawn please support this
Sylvester’s on Sunday. All support
initiative on Friday, October 7 Satur-
required.
day, October 8 and support our bag-
Our nursery, in association with
packing volunteers. Cash for Clobber
Tiger Childcare, for four to seven-
is ongoing, just drop down old clothes
year-olds is back in full swing and
to Somerton.
new members are very welcome.
Congrats to our club Ironman Paul
Just come down to Tir na nOg (beside
Warnock who completed the Barce-
Castleknock Community College) this
lona Ironman over the weekend. Just
Saturday at 10am, say hello to one of
strap the Somerton grass rollers onto
our friendly coaches and enjoy the
our Paul and save a fortune in diesel.
NAOMH PEREGRINE
CONGRATULATIONS to Eric Lowndes
ments; you are a great role model for
and the men’s senior footballers/
all young players in the club. Here we
management on winning the All-Ire-
go 3 in a row.
land for the second year in a row with
Hard luck to the AFL8 lads who lost
a hard fought win over Mayo in the All-
by four points to St Pat’s (D). Well done
Ireland final replay.
to the U-16 hurlers on reaching the
This capped off a very successful
championship shield final to be played
2016 which had already seen the squad
on October 22 against the winner of
win the league and Leinster titles; they
Craobh Chairain v St Brigid’s.
also went unbeaten in the two cam-
Great weekend for the U-14 boys/
paigns. It was a great achievement to
Seanna as they won their hurling
retain the title as it is 39 years since a
league final; well done lads. Great
Dublin team retained the All-Ireland. Everyone associated with the club are very proud of Eric and his achieve-
ERIN GO BRAGH
weekend for the U-15 girls and management team as they reached two finals.
CONGRATULATIONS to the Dublin foot-
in action over the weekend. Well done
ballers on their All-Ireland win. Well
to our U-12 footballers. Hard luck to
done to our U-14 ladies football team
our U-13 and 14 hurlers.
and the St Catherine’s hurlers who
Our adult teams are always look-
both reached their championship
ing for players. Anyone interested in
finals. Thanks to everyone who sup-
playing football can call George on 087
ported our golf classic is this Friday,
9709795. Anyone interested in play-
September 30.
ing hurling can contact Karl on 087
Well done to all our underage teams Dublin celebrate. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
sport and fun.
the Super Dubs on a fantastic All-
2352074.
GAZETTESPORT ALL OF YOUR BLANCH SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31
FINGAL TRANSITION: New initiative for students of soccer launched in Corduff by Irish star Brady P30
OCTOBER 6-12, 2016
O’SULLIVAN’S REFLECTIONS: In the aftermath of more glory, Cian looks back on 2016 P29
D15’s heroes in blue Ciaran Kilkenny, left, and, right, the Dublin players and their families celebrate winning back-to-back All-Ireland senior football titles. Pictures: Sportsfile
Local quartet underpin county’s thrilling third All-Ireland title in four years, holding Mayo at bay in senior football championship decider
KARL GRAHAM
sport@dublingazette.com
ST BRIGID’S Paddy Andrews, Castleknock’s Ciaran Kilkenny, Naomh Peregrine’s Eric Lowndes and St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh’s Bernard Brogan all played their part as Dublin defeated Mayo by a point in the AllIreland SFC final at the second time of asking, delivering the biggest title for a third time in four years. For manager Jim Gavin, he made a number of big changes to his starting side before his substitutions making a key impact with Cormac Costello and Bernard Brogan combining for four points, crucial in an eventual one-point win. The manager’s reaction was typically under-
stated in the aftermath of the victory. “They’re all tough. Look back to last year and the game against Kerry, the previous year Kerry against Donegal, and 2013 for us against Mayo. They’re all very tough and unique so to win one is a very, very hard thing to do.” When asked if a Brian Cody style reign at the pinnacle of the Dublin game was something he was thinking about, Gavin was giving little away. “No not at all. Over the coming weeks we’ll sit down with the county board and see if they are happy with what myself and my management team are doing for Dublin football and if our vision is in line with the board’s. Once that is squared away, we’ll see if we have the energy for it.” In a game that held all the same tension and
talking points of its predecessor, it was Dublin who edged it 1-15 to 1-14 to secure the first AllIreland double in the county’s history. Star forward Brogan was swapped out from the first game, while David Byrne and Michael Darragh Macauley also had to make do with seats on the bench. Dublin had clearly learned from their slow start in the first game and started this one with much more intensity to race into a four-point lead within the first ten minutes. Mayo were soon level after a four-point salvo of their own, and after trading points they struck the first goal of the game in the 18th minute. A minute later and more scrutiny was shone on the divisive black card rule after Jonny Cooper was given an early bath for grabbing the
ankles of Donal Vaughan. Lee Keegan then saw black for a similar offence on Diarmuid Connolly just before halftime. Probably the biggest moment came early in the second-half when Mayo keeper Rob Hennelly fumbled a Paul Flynn delivery into the hands of Paddy Andrews before fouling the forward as he went for goal. Hennelly was black carded and Connolly stepped up to finish clinically past replacement keeper David Clarke. Dublin would stay just ahead until deep into injury time when Cillian O’Connor had the chance to force extra time from a tricky free. It drifted wide and sparked jubilant Dublin celebrations.