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INSIDE: School yourself on some of the latest issues in education See P21-23
Soccer:
Mochta’s turn focus to league after cup exit Page 32
Football:
Lowndes a key man for Dublin win in Leinster Page 31
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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES...................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE...................11 OUT&ABOUT ..................17 CLASSIFIEDS ................26 SPORT ...........................28
INEQUALITY: Our reporter’s experience of homophobia while househunting P14
Attacks on girls spark concern KEITH BELLEW
THE Department of Justice has said that giving unrestricted access to the sex offenders register would be counter-productive as it would “drive offenders underground” and make it difficult to monitor them. This comes in response to calls for the register to be made public in the wake of a series of incidents in which girls have been attacked or accosted by men in Blanch in recent weeks.
Cllr David McGuinness (FF) made these calls following representations from the local community. Speaking to the Gazette, a spokesperson from the Department of Justice said that following a public consultation process in November, it was decided that: “Giving the general public unrestricted access to names and addresses of people on the sex offenders register would be likely to be counter-productive.” Full Story on Page 3
Spring to life: Party atmosphere at the Plaza enjoyed by youth SARAH O’Keeffe and Stephen Redding were among the huge number of youngsters who came out to enjoy the Spring Break D15 Music Festival at the Fingal Plaza Blanchardstown Centre. The aim of the gig was
to encourage young people to participate in a non-alcoholic event. A wide range of acts took to the stage to entertain as well as carnival amusements and graffiti tagging for all to enjoy. Picture: Ronan O’Sullivan
2 BLANCH Gazette 9 April 2015
incidents Recent attacks prompt debate on offenders
Access to register would be ‘unwise’
The Depar tment of Justice has said that giving unrestricted access to the sex offenders register to the public would b e c o u n t e r- p r o d u ctive, as it would “drive offenders underground” and make it difficult to monitor them. This comes in response to calls for the register to be made public in the wake of a series of incidents in
keith bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com
which young girls in Dublin 15 have been attacked or accosted by men in recent weeks. There have been two occasions in which girls
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were approached by men in cars and in a separate incident a girl believed to be 13 years old was attacked by a man in Manor fields while out jogging. An unknown assailant grabbed her from behind and attempted to pull a bag over her head, but she managed to break free and raise the alarm. Gardai were called but the man had fled the scene when they arrived. Gardai are currently investigating all three incidents. There was also an incident at Tir na nOg
Park in Carpenterstow n in October in which a woman was attacked and her assailant attempted to assault her sexually. No one was ever arrested or charged in relation to this. In light of these incidents Cllr David McGuinness (FF) is calling for the sex offenders register to be made public so people can know if and when a convicted sex offender moves into their community. He said: “Given the number of high profile incidents, [like] the one up in Carpenterstown [which] no one was ever caught for, and the number of incidents affecting young children, I would like to see the register made
Manorfields Drive, the scene of the latest attack on a young girl
public.” He went on to say that he made a post on Facebook in which he put this idea forward and sought the public’s opinion on it which 250 people liked and over 100 people commented saying that they wanted
to see this happen. He said that in the United States a system is used where people can search a postal code area and find the locations of those who have offended. Cllr Lorna Nolan (Ind) agreed that it
would be a good idea saying that it would help people to be more vigilant. She went on to say that she believes that when sex offenders are being rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, it would be best for them to spend a certain period of time in a monitored system like a halfway house first. A spokesperson from the Department of Justice said gardai may disclose appropriate information concerning convicted sex offenders in certain circumstances, where the level of risk makes it necessary. T he Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill (published in November 2014) was published following a public consultation process. Those who responded to the Department’s consultation process were of the opinion that “giving the general public unrestricted access to names and addresses on the sex offenders” register would be likely to be counter-productive. That kind of access would drive offenders underground and make it more difficult to monitor and supervise them.”
9 April 2015 BLANCH Gazette 3
death
funding: Department of education releases money for essential work
Child dies in park hit and run
Three schools set for summer repairs Keith Bellew
THREE of schools in Dublin 15 will have essential repairs carried out as part of this year’s summer works programme. Scoil Thomais Laurel Lodge and St Philips Senior NS Mountview, have received funding for window replacement and Riversdale Community College, Corduff, has received funding for upgrading the science labs at the school. The majority of works will be carried out over the summer months, which means disruption to students, teachers and other school staff will be minimised. Tanaiste Joan Burton welcomed the allocations
made in the constituency as an important investment and said that the news was not only positive for schools, but also the local community as it will provide a boost for local job creation in the construction sector. “In particular I want to thank my Labour Party colleague Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan, for approving these funds. She has allocated €36m in total this year towards the scheme, benefiting some 559 schools nationwide,” she said. Cllr David McGuinness (FF) who taught music at Riversdale Community College for a number of years said the funding allocated to the school for new science labs is very
welcome news. He said that the current facilities, while functional, were quite outdated as they had not been updated since the school was built in 1986. He said the school had previously applied for this funding but had been unsuccessful. “T he science labs there are really old, the school is well over 20 years old at this point, so I’m delighted to see that finally they’ve actually been granted the funding for what they need. I do know that the Department [of Education] was prioritising things like heating systems and stuff like that, but the science labs getting an overhaul will serve the community well.” he said.
Get smart: it Blanchardstown takes home campus transport award it Blanchardstown was named the Public Transport Campus of the Year at the inaugural Smarter Travel Awards. The awards recognise and celebrate the efforts that workplaces and campuses make to promote sustainable travel. Awards were presented in 14 categories across different modes of transport, sustainable champions and overall workplace and campus. Pictured at the event were Ken Hegarty, Smart Travel Campus; Declan Garvin PT Campus and Michael Aherne, head of transport development National Transport Authority. Picture: MAXWELLS DUBLIN
A MAN aged 24 questioned in relation to a fatal hit and run of a two-yearold girl has been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The girl, named locally as Venessa Siatka, from Waterville was struck by a car on the North Road, Phoenix Park, at about 6.25pm on April 6. She was taken to Temple Street Children’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead the following morning. The man failed to stop at the scene of the incident but was arrested soon after and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them at Cabra Garda Station on 01-6667400.
4 BLANCH Gazette 9 April 2015
dispute Staff seek improvement of working conditions
Public back Dunnes strike keith bellew
Dunnes’ workers at the Blanchardstow n shopping centre branch carried out industrial action on April 2, picketing the store for the duration of opening hours. This action followed a ballot in the workers’ dispute with the company over low-hour contracts, fair pay, job security and union representation. Around 160 members of staff (70%) who are represented by Mandate Trade Union took part in the action which received a huge amount of public support. Speaking to the G a z e t t e , o n e s t r i king employee who has worked there for a number of years said:
“I was flexi [on a parttime flexible hour contract] for years and I know what it’s like to not know what you’re getting one week to the next. “They hire people for six months now and rarely make anyone permanent as they would have to give them a pay rise and holiday pay. “It’s awful because they get used to work and starting to earn a living and then they’re dumped with no real valid reason. “They make up reasons sometimes, and then Dunnes hire a new batch the following week. “That’s the main thing I disagree with. We were just marching all day trying to stop people going in saying ‘please support our strike, we
Anna-Marie Powney, Deputy Joe Higgins (SP) and Dunnes’ worker Hannah Lacey
would like if you didn’t shop in Dunnes today’.
“Only a very small number passed through, and if they did it was to use the bank machine or for exiting the centre with more convenience. “Overall the response was excellent with people queuing to sign the petition and willing to wear the stickers with pride. “[There was] great support from all the other retailers surrounding Dunnes and in the centre as they sent loads of boxes of sweets and biscuits and goodies over in support.” Many people who attempted to pass the picket to enter the Dunnes Stores off-licence were persuaded by striking workers to go to the nearby O’Brien’s
WE’RE ON
off-licence instead. “I feel like it really hit them in the off-licence sales as it was the day before Good Friday and that would normally be so busy,” said the employee. In a letter issued to staff last month, Dunnes said they would “not enter into direct discussions” with a trade union. However, Junior Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash has written to Mandate Trade Union stating he will be enacting collective bargaining legislation by mid-2015. As of yet, there has been no response from Dunnes Stores in relation to the industrial action.
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don’sdublin Drawing back curtains on the Abbey’s history The Abbey Theatre (also known as the National Theatre of Ireland) has had a long and interesting history dating back over a hundred years. In the 1890s, WB Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory and Edward Martyn published a Manifesto for the Irish Literary Theatre with the intention of establishing a national theatre for Ireland. Allied to this was the work of the brothers William and Frank Fay who formed WG Fay’s Irish National Dramatic Company that helped develop local acting and writing talent, and the financial input and management guidance of Annie Horniman. She was from London and a friend and supporter of George Bernard Shaw and had financed one of his plays, Arms and the Man, in 1894. She came to Dublin in 1903 and worked as Yeats’s secretary when he, Gregory, Martyn, AE Russell and JM Synge founded the Irish National Theatre Society. She helped fund the new project which was soon augmented by members of the Fay group. The first plays were performed in the Molesworth Hall, but when the old Mechanic’s Hall on Lower Abbey Street became available Horniman and the Fays agreed to buy the premises. William Fay was the appointed as the first theatre manager with responsibility for training new actors. Jack B Yeats, the renowned artist, was commissioned to paint portraits of the leading actors of the time that were on show in the theatre’s foyer. On the opening of the new theatre, December 27, 1904, three one-act plays were performed; two by WB Yeats and one by Lady Gregory. The theatre thrived for a few years, but after the riots that followed Synge’s play The Playboy of the Western World in 1907 and the split with Fays, the theatre’s fortunes slipped. The old building was destroyed by fire on July 17, 1951, and the company performed at the Queen’s Theatre until 1966 when the newly built Abbey Theatre, designed by Michael Scott, was officially opened on July 18. With the contribution of new, exceptional playwrights like Hugh Leonard (Da 1973), Tom Murphy (A Whistle in the Dark 1961) and Brian Friel (Dancing at Lughnasa 1990), the fortunes of the theatre improved and helped raise its international profile.
Don Cameron
www.donsdublin.wordpress.com
9 April 2015 BLANCH Gazette 5
6 BLANCH Gazette 9 April 2015
courts Post office raid ends in car chase
Thief ‘with nothing left to lose’ gets five years
Got a story? Call our news team on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 2 email news@gazettegroup.com
An armed robber who said he led gardai on a chase from Dublin to Westmeath because “he had nothing left to lose” has received a five-year sentence with four suspended. Eugene Byrne (21) of Lohunda Down, Clonsilla, Dublin had pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery at Clonsilla Post Office on December 16, 2013 in which an imitation firearm was used Byrne and his accomplice, Ian Mansfield (24), fled the scene on a single motorbike and were chased as far as Mullingar, Co Westmeath. Mansfield of Fortlawn Drive, Blanchardstown, Dublin was earlier spared jail with a suspended fiveyear sentence. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Byrne was arrested in Trinidad and Tobago last year for trying to export cocaine. He was sentenced to two years’ hard labour, or a fine equivalent to about €4,000 which was paid after he spent six months in jail. He returned to Ireland in January. Detective Sergeant Paul Tallon said witnesses described how Byrne was armed with a gun when he entered the post office. His accomplice had a hammer. Both men were
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wearing motorcycle helmets. The post mistress’s mother saw the men and hit the panic button. The raid lasted about one minute before the men left and got on a motorcycle. Det Sgt Tallon told James Dwyer BL, prosecuting, that he was on duty in an unmarked patrol car and responded to an alert about the raid. He pursued the raiders
and the Air Support Unit was called in. The lengthy pursuit down the N4 dual carriageway ended in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, at a second roadblock set up by gardai. The men had managed to evade capture at an earlier roadblock. Det Sgt Tallon said the post mistress’s mother had suffered nightmares ever since. She was on edge all the time and found herself being cautious with every
customer. After he was arrested, Byrne told Det Sgt Tallon he panicked when gardai began chasing him and decided to flee because he had “nothing left to lose”. Luigi Rea BL, defending, told Judge Martin Nolan that Byrne was “out of kilter” at the time of the offence due to the death of his father a short time before. In addition to the conviction in Trinidad and Tobago, Byrne has
one previous conviction in Ireland, for dangerous driving. Judge Nolan noted that Byrne had a more serious involvement in the attempted post office raid than his co-accused, as he had carried the imitation firearm and driven the motor bike. The judge gave Byrne credit for the six months he had spent in the foreign jail when passing sentence.
Chronicles of Oggle on at Draiocht Asylum Productions’ comedy, The Chronicles of Oggle, will be performed at Draiocht Blanchardstown on Saturday, April 11, as part of its national tour. The show stars renowned actor Peter Gowen (of Love/ Hate and the RTE series Charlie and various West End and Broadway appearances), who wrote the piece based on his own childhood in Youghal; the
thinly disguised Oggle of the title. The show was a surprise hit with audiences back in 2013, with standing ovations every night of its short run. The piece also garnered critical praise and was listed among the Irish Examiner Critics Choice Highlights of the year 2013. Described by its director Donal Gallagher as “an Irish Forrest
Gump, with a little less sugar”, the play tells the story of Pakie, an Irishman, growing up in the shadow of the Catholic Church and the “less-than” Christian Brothers. Gallagher said: “Pakie may not be the sharpest sandwich in the toolbox, but in his struggle to make sense of his world, his naive reflections give an incisive and often hilarious insight into our
institutional past.” He said that the response from those who saw the piece in 2013 was phenomenal, with lots of people saying it’s one of the best shows they’ve seen. Bookings for the show can be made at (01) 885 2622 or www. draiocht.ie For more info on the tour, check out www.asylumtheatre. com
9 April 2015 BLANCH Gazette 7
funding: Budget ‘a drop in the ocean’
Fingal will have the option of both building new units and acquiring vacant units with further details on building proposals to be announced later this month
€81m housing plan cautiously welcomed keith bellew
FINGAL’S housing list is likely to be cut by 23% following an €81m investment, through which 1,376 social housing units will be delivered by the local authority by the end of 2017. The funding, along with details of the new Build, Buying and Leasing Programme, has been confirmed by Environment Minister Alan Kelly. The scheme involves €1.5bn being invested nationwide. Fingal will have the option of both building new units and acquiring vacant units. Further details on building proposals will be announced later this month. The funding has been welcomed by Minister for Health Leo Varadkar. He described the 23% target as a significant reduction of the numbers on the housing list. He said: “It’s estimated that this funding will help to sustain more than 600 jobs in the construction sector. There will be fur-
ther developments from the Housing Assistance Payment, which will reduce demand on our housing waiting list.” Cllr David McGuinness (FF) was less enthusiastic, saying: “I just think it’s a drop in the ocean. We are looking at 8,000 people waiting on housing in the Fingal area. There are people waiting eight years. “Any move to deal with this issue is welcome, but this is very piecemeal, and I don’t think it’s going to go far enough to appease the amount of people looking for housing.” Fingal County Council chief executive Paul Reid said: “Plans are well advanced for a substantial construction programme, with the planning process under way for sites at Lusk, Ballyboughal and Cappagh. Further schemes will be presented to the council in the coming months.” He went on to say that while the plan was ambitious, he looked forward to working to meet the target.
A spokesperson from the Department of Environment said: “The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 sets out clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list.” The Department also hopes to reduce the list through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme systems. Cllr Eugene Coppinger (AAA) said that any attempt to reduce the numbers on the housing list was welcome, but the funding would not be of any use unless rent controls were introduced. In response, the Department said the mismatch between demand and supply was causing an increase in rents, but the Government was monitoring the rental market closely and considering options for achieving stability and sustainability in the market.
FastNews
Grenade found in grass Local businesswoman to attend national forum in Phoenix Park An area of Dublin’s most iconic park was cordoned off at the weekend to make safe a historical grenade found protruding from grass by members of the public. On Saturday, April 4, an army bomb disposal team was sent out to the Phoenix Park in response to a request from An Garda Siochana after the suspicious object was found. The area was cordoned off for public safety before the team arrived at around 3.30pm. They safely moved the Mills-type grenade to an open area where it was rendered safe by a controlled explosion. The scene was declared safe at 4.10pm. The type of grenade was early 20th century in origin and was utilised during the War of Independence, the Civil War and the first and second World Wars. Members of the public are being urged to be alert and inform gardai if they happen to find such a device.
Blanchardstown businesswoman Aine Behan owner of Cortechs Connected Ltd was among 60 businesswomen selected from hundreds to attend the recent Going for Growth National Forum at Barberstown Castle, Kildare. Cortechs Connected Ltd creates innovative digital tools that enable people and businesses alike to improve their collective brain fitness regimes. Since January Behan has been taking part in the Going for Growth programme which is a support initiative designed specifically for female entrepreneurs. The Going for Growth programme, which receives funding from Enterprise Ireland, KPMG and the Equality for Women Measure, is based on peer support, where ‘lead entrepreneurs’ facilitate round table sessions with groups of ambitious female entrepreneurs For more information, visit www. goingforgrowth.com.
8 BLANCH Gazette 9 April 2015
gazetteGALLERIES
Maura Rawl and Marie O’Reilly
Ian Byrne and Roisin Breslin like to put the Charleston through its paces. Pictures: Charley F Photography
One, two, three: clonee on the dance floor for a bit of Strictly
G
ET your dance card ready – Strictly Clonee takes place in Westmanstown Conference and Events Centre on April 25. Proceeds will help Colaiste Pobail Setanta parents’ association buy a bus and the Erin Go Bragh GAA Club. The big night will be the culmination of eight weeks’ preparation by 16 dancing couples hoping to be crowned Strictly Clonee Champion 2015. At the recent launch of the Strictly Clonee campaign, the organisers thanked the Paddocks pub, Passion Hair Salon and A Nu U Beauty Salon in the village for their sponsorship of the event.
Niamh Keane, Eleanor Grier-Gavin, Fiona Kerrigan and Wendy Storey
Members of the Coolmine Musical Society who recently
Robert Quearny, Ava Butler and Paul Laycock
Mark Fitzgerald and Ciaran Kelly
Costina and Florin Mandrea
Fionnuala Quirke is ready to go Crystal Murphy and Michelle Tobin
Liam Egan and choreographer Louise Dodrill
9 April 2015 BLANCH Gazette 9
Maura Caffrey and Louise Dodrill
Marie Blythe and Derek Burke
It’s showtime: STANDING OVATION FOR MUSICAL HIT
Broadway classic is still a favourite C
staged the great Broadway hit That’s Entertainment. Pictures: Ronan O’Sullivan
OOLMINE Musical Society recently celebrated “the hoofers, the wannabes, the dancers and singers” of the backstage musical, That’s Entertainment, with lots of hits from Broadway musicals. Laughter and tears, rehearsals and auditions, call-backs and casting all played a part. There were dancers, divas and directors aplenty, as well as crew, carpenters and comedians. The near-capacity audience on both nights showed their appreciation and gave a standing ovation after the closing number The Show Must Go On.
10 gazette 9 April 2015
gazetteGALLERY
Catriona O’Connor and Dee Fiona Morton and Leona Bernes
Hedderman
It’s not hard to spot those Ferrell fans
W
ill Ferrell fans were out in droves for the Irish premiere screening of his latest movie, Get Hard. The film tells the story of a prison-bound James (Will Ferrell) a millionaire hedge fund manager who asks a black businessman (Kevin Hart), who has never
been to jail, to prepare him for life behind bars. Guests on the night included RTE presenter Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh, Fair City actress Aoibheann McCaul, as well as Spin Radio’s Cormac Moore. The after party continued later at the hip Sth William Venue.
Jasette Fitzsimons and Melissa Hayward pictured at the Irish premiere screening of Will Ferrell’s new film Get Hard at the Screen Cinema in Dublin. Pictures: Brian McEvoy
Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh
Susan Edmonds
Donna McGarry and Eoin Dillon
Seamus Morton and Damien Bernes
David McLaughlin and Robyn O’Brien
9 April 2015 Gazette 11
asdfsdaf business P27 P16
feature P13
dublinlife Let Dublin Gazette Newspapers take you on a tour of the news and events taking place across the city and county this week
day in the life: actress cathy belton
what’son
It’s an early start for a scheming TV3 heiress keith bellew kbellew@dublingazettecom
Actress Cathy Belton plays the part of Patricia Hennessy, the evil, scheming heiress on TV3’s Red Rock, and recently graced the red carpet for the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival premiere of A Little Chaos along with director Alan Rickman. This week the Gazette spoke with Belton about a hectic Day in the Life of an actress on set, with early rises, long shoots and late finishes. Because shooting begins early, she often has to be on set by 6.30am for hair and make-up which
means a very early rise. She said: “I get up early and have a strong cup of tea, and what I usually do is bring my breakfast with me and have that in the green room after I’m made up and before I get into costume.” She said that the schedule can vary from day to day once she is in costume, based on how many scenes she has. Once shooting starts it’s very busy and she might be in one location shooting scenes for two episodes so these are shot back-to-back in order to stay on schedule. “Once you start it’s fairly busy, you’re just going and going. We would usually work until
about half 12, and then we take a break for lunch. Then we’re back on at half one, and you work on one, but you might have a scene or two off. That’s great because it gives you a chance to catch up on your lines to come and prep for the next scene or maybe you would have a costume scene or maybe a hair and make-up change, so you would be in hair and make-up for maybe half an hour after lunch too,” she said. The long day usually ends at about half seven, and Belton says that at that point she is not inclined to go out anywhere and goes straight home. Having been
Gazette
diary P12
ukrainians and russians set to hold two operas
Actress Cathy Belton plays Patricia Hennessy, a scheming heiress on TV3’s Red Rock
indoors all day she likes to get some fresh air. “I tend to go for a run down by the Grand Canal, which I love. “It clears my head and I let go of Patricia Hennessy and all the stress and it gives me a good airing.”
She says that if she is due on set the next day, then she runs over lines in the evening and watches Red Rock if it’s on, and gets into bed at 10.30pm or 11pm. “I’d read a bit or watch a bit of telly. I’ll watch something on Netflix
which is always good. That’s my day when I’m on Red Rock.” You can catch Belton spinning her webs of intrigue in her role as Patricia Hennessy on Red Rock every Wednesday and Thursday at 8.30pm on TV3.
DURING preparations for this year’s tour with the Ukrainian National Opera in Kharkiv, award-winning opera producer Ellen Kent was caught just six miles from the epicentre of the Ukrainian/ Russian conflict. Warned by the British Foreign Office not to travel due to fatalities, bombings and kidnappings, she managed to transport the complete sets, props and costumes out of the area. Which is good news for Ireland, as the National Concert Hall is staging her highlyacclaimed productions of Puccini’s popular Madama Butterfly and La Traviata this month. Under her guidance, the Ukrainian National Opera will perform Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on April 18, and Verdi’s La Traviata on April 19. Focusing on overcoming the difficulties of the conflict, Kent has assembled a new company, including Ukrainians, Moldovans and Russians, working together in harmony to bring a heart-wrenching productions of both operas. For further information on the productions, see www.nch.ie.
Gazette
12 Gazette 9 April 2015
dublinlife
DIARY
Brush up on how McGregor might do in his next big match CONOR McGregor fans are making noise and rallying to support the modest (ahem!) fighter’s next big match against Jose Aldo with a graphic mural splattered across a Dublin City lane. You just never know what you are going to see when you walk down a lane in this dirty aul’ town – take Sycamore Street (beside the Olympia Theatre), for example. Imagine The Gazette’s surprise when we noticed a sizable mural of Conor
McGregor holding a defeated Aldo’s head with the title belt draped around his shoulder. McGregor will face down Aldo in a title shot on Saturday, July 11 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The bout will be the 26-year-old Dubliner’s toughest, to date, seeing as Rio de Janeiro’s Aldo has been unbeaten since 2006. Although the public will enjoy the mural, it’s doubtful that the litter warden from the council will be too pleased
with the graffiti art – who would want to tackle the Notorious Conor, even if it’s only a mural?
search is on for curvy women CURVACEOUS women looking to boost their confidence, enter the modelling world, or just to have a laugh are urged to enter the Tempted Boutiques “Face of Tempted” plus-size model competition. The competition, which celebrates body confidence, was launched recently to find new plussize modelling talent, and entrants are invited from all walks of life and all ages across Ireland. Competition organiser Rosemary Kearns said they are looking for entrants who are a size 16-plus and who love style and fashion. Fifteen women will be selected for the final, to be held on Sunday, May 17 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry. The total prize package is worth more than €3,000 and includes €1,000 “Curvy Cash” to spend in Tempted Boutique, an overnight spa break for two, and much more. Entries can be made online at www.tempted. ie, or at www.facebook. com / temptedsize16to28, supplying two pho-
The suitably modest and quietly confident mural on show in Sycamore Street suggesting the outcome of Conor McGregor’s upcoming bout against Jose Aldo. Picture: Shane DIllon
tos and some personal details. The closing date for entries is Friday, April 17 at 5pm.
look good, and help do good HERE’S your chance to look good while doing good when the Bestseller group’s stores, such as Vero Moda and Jack & Jones, host a Give-A-Day campaign where 50% of one day’s net turnover in Ireland will go to CMRF Crumlin, the principal fundraiser for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin and the national children’s research centre. International and family-owned fashion firm Bestseller is arranging a worldwide charity day across all of its brands on April 10. And, through its fundraising body, Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin has been chosen as the Irish charity recipient. All money raised on the day will help fund
new radiography equipment which will reduce the radiation dose to a child while also improving x-ray imagery. CMRF Crumlin and Bestseller are together calling on the public to save their pennies for April 10 to indulge in a spot of weekend retail therapy to help raise money for the hospital’s radiology department. Bestseller brands, which also include Vila and Name It, have 81 stores in Ireland.
young film critics sought DO YOU enjoy watching films? Would you like to see new films from around the world? Ever thought of beeing a film critic? And are you aged between eight to 18? If so, this year’s Cinemagic Dublin CineSeekers and CineFocus film jury is for you. T his coming May, jury panels of film buffs aghed eight to 18 from all
across Ireland will get the opportunity to watch and judge a series of international films during the Cinemagic Dublin 2015 Festival. The jury meets in Cineworld cinemas in Parnell Street and Film Base, Temple Bar, where they will learn how to review and critique, and choose the winning films of the weekend. They also have the chance to meet other young film fans, master the role of the film critic and play an important part in Cinemagic Dublin’s eighth festival for young people. To register for the May Cinemagic Dublin Festival Jury, visit www.cinemagic.ie by April 30.
make time for a tea-rific break GO ON, go on, go on ... have a tea break during work and you will be happier – that’s according to a new survey by Lyons Tea. According to findings
from the report, 70% of Irish workers no longer take tea breaks because they just don’t have the time, and are unsure whether or not they are entitled to a break. Lyons Tea is now looking to banish such widesprea “tea break shame” around the country. The tea-break study has found that many workers are “ashamed” of taking breaks and feel “frowned upon” by coworkers if they do. T he sur vey shows half of those questioned would feel happier and be more productive if they took a tea break at 11am, while 20% said they felt “frowned upon” when they did take the plunge. Operation Transformation presenter and GP Ciara Kelly said: “It’s common now for people to not take breaks, to skip lunch or to eat at their desks, but it’s not good for your overall health or quality of life.”
9 April 2015 Gazette 13
Gazette
FEATURE
escape the mayhem: talk show host Niall Boylan’s secret for keeping stress at bay
‘Exercise? I’d rather play the Playstation 4’ Ian Begley
Dubbed one of Ireland’s most controversial talk show hosts, Niall Boylan’s dynamic radio career sees him interact with some of Dublin’s most outlandish individuals on a daily basis. B r o a d c a s t i n g t wo shows during the afternoon and at night, it’s certainly fair to say that this Classic Hits presenter’s day is demanding to say the least. This week The Gazette caught up with Boylan to find out just what he does to unwind. “I’m not as fit as I once was and tend to be very bad when it comes to
exercising. “I’d much rather sit down and play the Playstation 4 and at 51 years of age I have to say I find it really therapeutic. “I also really enjoy spending time with my kids during the weekends. “I often take them to St Anne’s Park which I really like because I used to go rambling around there as a kid on my chopper bike. “There’s a restaurant within the park called Tir na nOg that I go to for a cup of tea while my kids and their friends are going mad around the park. “The only escape I get at night during the week-
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‘I’ve never taken a day off sick before and never plan to either, touch wood’
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days is by watching television and playing the Playstation. Everyone else is in bed by the time I get home from work so I more or less have the house to myself. “I really value the Christmas and summer holidays because they’re the only time I get off to relax and spend time with
my family. “I’ve never taken a day off sick before and never plan to either, touch wood. “I’m mentally awake when I get back from work and am anything but tired. I’m wound up like a spring after dealing with callers for three-anda-half hours at night and have to calm down with a nice cup of tea or a bite to eat before I head to bed at 3am. “My eating and sleeping habits are destroyed by work, but that’s the way it is and now I’m used to it.” Check out the Niall Boylan Show from 1pm to 3pm and from 9pm to 1am (Monday to Friday).
Niall Boylan: “The only escape at night during the week is by watching television”
GAZETTE
14 GAZETTE 9 April 2015
DUBLINLIFE
FEATURE
PREJUDICE: SUBTLE AND OVERT HOMOPHOBIA MAKES FLATHUNTING EVEN HARDER FOR SOME
Looking for a home, but finding inequality The Gazette’s IAN BEGLEY recounts his personal experience of difficulties he, and many other people, face based only on his sexuality.
FOR some, house-hunting with their partner for the first time can be an exciting new endeavour, marking a whole new chapter in their lives. For the past two and a half months, my boyfriend and I have been persistently looking to share an accommoda-
tion in Dublin, but have been turned down many times by landlords who have openly denied us residency solely because we’re gay. I was so outraged and upset that I decided to speak to the Ryan Tubridy radio show recently. I described how a male landlord in Blanchardstown rang me to see if I was on my way up to visit his place with my “girlfriend”. I told him that I was
currently on my way, but said that I was with my boyfriend. What followed was a brief, awkward pause. He then said, “You’re gay guys? Oh well, that changes everything. I won’t have gay people living in my house.” Another silence ensued, and in my disbelief at this blatant homophobia, all I could blurt out was: “Excuse me?” “Well, in my country we don’t have that type of thing and I wouldn’t really
know what to expect,” he said, before hanging up. Extremely angered and upset by this incident, I rang the housing charity Threshold for advice, wanting to see if it was within his rights to deny offering accommodation based on sexual orientation. The lady on the line, who was very sympathetic, explained that this was extreme discrimination and is in breach of the equality legislation. She reassured me that no landlord can discriminate against potential tenants on the grounds of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller community, and she directed me to the Workplace Relations website so I could make an official complaint. I intended to follow this up straight away, but thinking logically I decided it was best to focus on securing a place to live first before making a complaint. Pushing on with my search, I found that I had only hit the tip of the iceberg, with similar scenarios happening over and over again.
Wasted time We wasted a lot of time travelling to homes all across Dublin to meet landlords who had no intention of leasing their place to us. Even when they didn’t directly tell us that they had a problem with a gay couple living in their property, it was obvious by their expression that they had no interest in showing us around. One landlord from Adamstown told us when we went to visit his house: “You’re gay, are you? I’m not sure if we can allow you to live here. “There’s a child in the house and I’m not sure
Ian Begley and his boyfriend, Eric: “We wasted a lot of time travelling all across Dublin to meet landlords who had no intention of leasing their place to us”
what the parents would think of it. I’d have to get all occupants of the house together and have a vote about whether you can stay.” I’m not sure if this “vote” among the other residents actually happened, but we never heard from him again. Although it is perfectly within our rights not to disclose our sexual orientation, I found that disclosing this seemingly minute fact over the phone, or in an email, saved us a lot of time in the long run. A few responses I got back included: “You left me a message on Daft.ie. You mentioned ‘‘you and your boyfriend’’, or is it a typing mistake and you meant to say your girlfriend? Unfortunately, we won’t accept any gay couples in the house.” Another response: “I’m letting this apartment for €650 per month, including utilities, but I won’t allow a gay couple to stay here, as it may cause hassle down the line.” And another: “I’m afraid my flatmate said she wouldn’t feel that comfortable, just that she would feel a bit like the odd one out.”
Since this story broke, the feedback I’ve being getting has been amazing. Many people of all nationalities and ages have been in contact, sympathising with our situation, and in some cases offering to put us first on the list as soon as their flatmate or tenant moves out. For now, our search for a place to live continues,
but due to the high level of people approaching us with their support, I am optimistic that this long ordeal will have a positive outcome. And, with the upcoming marriage equality referendum in May, I hope some of the inequalities that still exist in Ireland will be eliminated forever.
9 April 2015 Gazette 15
Gazette
16 Gazette 9 April 2015
dublinlife
Q&A
business business
RDS exhibition to help support SMEs THE Business in the Community Ireland Smart Business Show (Sustainability Workshop for Small- to Medium-Sized Enterprises) will take place at the RDS on April 23. The Smart Business Show is a two-day business-to-business exhibition that will provide
SMEs with the opportunity to explore the latest innovative technologies, and to engage, connect and do business with exhibitors and thousands of attendees. T he sustainability workshop gives SMEs the opportunity to hear a panel discussion with a group of Irish SMEs
which are doing better business by reporting on sustainability.
Communication A spokesperson for Business in the Community Ireland said: “We know that effective communication is crucial to fully capturing the benefits of going one step
further for your clients, communities, employees and environment. “Our expertise lies in helping [businesses] reap these rewards by sharing the message in a sustainability report.” For further information on the upcoming Smart Business Show, see www.bitc.ie.
Jerry Harrington, empire bar and grill
Grilling a hospitality expert for top advice JERRY Harrington has been in the hospitality business for a very long time, having trained in The Gresham Hotel many moons ago. He built up a portfolio of properties over the years and left Dublin, going on to America and then settling in South Africa for five years, where he built a restaurant on the shores of the Indian Ocean. After this he returned to Ireland
and was offered a posting by the Wright Group, where he worked for four years before leaving to join the Lenaghan group to spearhead their growth of the empire’s brand. Today, as general manager of the Empire Bar and Grill (part of the Lenaghan Group) at Main Street, Swords, Harrington says that his ethos is all about people, service and standards.
How long have you been in business?
one and to grow our business with our new ground floor opening in 10 weeks’ time, with a large outdoor courtyard. This will be the best space in north County Dublin over the past 20 years.
Years and years.
What makes your business successful?
Our attention to detail is what makes Empire successful.
What do you offer your clients that differs from your competitors?
A great welcome, customer service that is second to none, great food drink and live entertainment.
How has the recession impacted your business?
Like every business, we do super deals – great, genuine deals that our customers are happy to keep coming back to avail of, such as our signature steak deal, served with onion rings and fries and pepper sauce for €9.95. Why wouldn’t you come back for that? We also have a superb house wine for €20. We also have cocktails, two for €10, Sunday to Friday from 4 to 10pm.
What law or regulation would you change overnight to help your business?
I would remove the steep charges of late night bar extensions.
What is your ambition for the business?
Our ambition is to stay number-
How do you use social media (Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, etc) to help your business?
We use all the social media platforms to engage with our customers, Facebook being the main one for our business. We keep the content topical, relevant and interesting for our customers. We have almost 8,000 fans on Facebook, and we are only open there since December We have the most brilliant marketing person in the business – Avril Kelly Carter – we have worked together for years, and she is fantastic and has her finger on the pulse.
What is your favourite thing about doing business in your local area?
Looking at the masses of people enjoying themselves, due to our hard work and dedication.
What is the best piece of business advice you ever received?
Don’t stop going to funerals.
What living person do you most admire?
From a business point of view, Larry Goodman and Denis O’Brien.
Block 4 and 5 Grand Canal Square was sold for €233m – the second-largest property transaction in Q1 this year
property: notable investment deals hit market
2014 momentum sees €923m sales keith bellew
SOME €923m worth of Irish investment property was sold in the first quarter of 2015, much of which was achieved with two large portfolio sales worth more than €200m. This includes Project Molly, which includes Iveagh Court, Dublin 2; The Watermarque Building, Dublin 4; and Marsh House, Dublin 2, sold by Lonestar estate agents for €350m. The second-largest transaction was the sale of the trophy NAMA assets, Block 4 and 5 Grand Canal Square, which was sold for
€233m. Overall, 95% of transactions were for Dublin assets, 93% of which was in the offices sector, followed by retail and mixed-use sales. Hannah Dwyer, head of research at Jones Lang Lasalle ( JLL) Estate Agents, said: “It is positive to see the momentum of 2014 continue into the beginning of 2015. “Whereas 2014 was the year of the portfolio sale, Q1 has only seen two large portfolio transactions, with the rest of activity dominated by single-asset sales. “We do, however, expect this to change in the next three quarters
with a number of portfolios due for release.” She went on to say that first quarter activity has been strong, and further confidence for the sector can be taken from the level of pre-sale activity that has taken place in the market in the past three months. She said: “It is expected that these assets will be brought to the market in the short-term, and will further boost total volumes for investments. We are forecasting that total volumes by the year-end could achieve in excess of €3bn,” she said. Overseas investor activity has led the mar-
ket this quarter, accounting for 80% of total volumes. This was boosted by the fact that the top three purchases, totalling €675m, were all made by overseas purchasers. Dw yer said: “It is notable that a significant number of these players are new to the market and are core-style investors rather than just the oppor tunistic funds [buyers], which have dominated the market recently. “On the domestic side, Hibernia REIT, IPUT, Irish Life and Davy have all been active, plus a number of private Irish investors on smaller lotsize deals.”
9 April 2015 Gazette 17
arts P24
asdfsdaf P27 cinema P25
OUT&ABOUT Never be out of the loop on what’s happening in Dublin! Let Out&About be your guide to all that is stylish, cultural and essential across the city and beyond this week
food: the humble prawn is key to a terrific upcoming weekend festival
Pets
There’ll be a cracking good time for all in Howth
Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
MARK your diaries for one of Ireland’s most successful food festivals as Dublin Bay Prawn Festival takes over Howth later this month. From April 24 to 26, Howth’s finest restaurants, bars and cafes will come together to host a variety of food experiences, including a selection of special Dublin Bay Prawn dishes. Added to this is a platter of entertainment which will also be served up for young and old alike. Speaking to The Gazette about the popular event, Aoife Healy, event chairperson, said: “This is the fifth year of the festival. It started when a group of business owners in hospitality and retail got together, and came up with the idea to try and drive tourism traffic to Howth and to raise its profile and build a brand. “It was brilliant last year – we had more than 30,000 people over the weekend and there was a huge uplift
either side [of the festival] too,” she said. Since its first year, attendance at the festival has grown tenfold, beginning from 3,000 people and rising to 30,000. One intriguing event at this year’s festival is the Mystery Dine Around. Healy discussed what this comprises. She said: “All of the restaurants participate in this, and you’re put with a group of people, maybe eight to 10 diners. “You attend a reception first, and are given a card that tells you the first restaurant to go to, and only when you’re finished your starter in the first restaurant do you learn what will be the next restaurant you’re going to. “This continues on, finishing up with a late evening drink in one of the pubs, which usually put music on. “You can book it online at Eventbrite, and it costs €69, including a booking fee, and includes all of your wine and drinks too,” said Healy.
Gazette
travel P20
lovely bella deserves a happy home
King Sitric chef Aidan McManus at the launch of the upcoming Dublin Bay Prawn festival in Howth. Picture: Conor Healy Photography
A new addition this year is the inclusion of a theatrical performance in one of the marquees. Actor Phelim Drew, son of the late, great Ronnie, will perform his one-man show of George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London. Healy said: “Findlaters have been running some very successful dinner and theatre nights in their restaurant and they’re expanding it this year to one of the marquees. “The idea is that people can buy tickets for a festival dinner in a number
of restaurants and then go up to see Phelim Drew doing his one-man show at 8.15pm.” Other activities include a fun fair, a foamy soft play area, powerboating and watersports demonstrations to displays by the coastguard and the RNLI. There will also be plenty of music with buskers, cooking demonstrations and of course, the real business of the festival: prawns. For further information, see www. dublinbayprawnfestival.ie.
The Gazette Newspaper has teamed up with Dogs Trust to help find homes for unwanted and abandoned dogs. Our Dog of the Week is gorgeous bulldog cross, Bella, who’s about one year old. Bella arrived to us from a local authority pound with a horrific case of mange and needed one of her eyes removed due to the damage it had caused. Bella has been a trooper throughout all the treatment she has needed and the staff have been blown away by her sunny disposition. Bella is a young girl so she is still quite bouncy and full of energy. She gets on well with other dogs but ones who wouldn’t mind a bit of rough and tumble as she can be a bit full on when she plays! If you think you can help Bella find a fabulous home, please call the centre on 01 879 1000 and speak to our Rehoming Team. You can also pop up for a visit – it’s open six days a week from 12pm to 4pm. The centre is closed all day Tuesday.
GAZETTE
18 GAZETTE 9 April 2015
OUT&ABOUT
STYLE
2
1
lt coat €395
0
€475
6
4 n dress €245 Coast Harve
Bastyan Eva be
€20 bloom skirt
n Maxi dress Karen Mille
Coast Hyper
3
5 Karen
Coast
Millen
Rita mid
t Midi skir €210
159
i skirt €
FINE FASHIONS TO SET HEARTS RACING BEING a fan of the races doesn’t mean you have to don silks and jodhpurs and, this week, stylist and fashion guru Lisa Fitzpatrick (right) talks Gazette Style through some fabulous outfits deserving of a Ladies’ Day win ahead of her nationwide Fashion Fix roadshow. She said: “I love going to the races and even more so, I love dressing up for them. I have picked some of my favourite pieces from Coast, Karen Millen and Bastyan that would be fabulous at racing meets.” Working clockwise from
the top left, she said: “This Karen Millen maxi dress (1) is gorgeous. The colours are ideal to bring right through from spring to autumn. “Another f loor-length item that I really love at
the moment is the Coast Hyper Bloom Skirt (2). Maxi dresses and skirts are great and always make an impact. You’re sure to stand out from the crowd! “We all know that we can’t rely on the Irish weather so it’s important to wrap up for the races, too. I think this gorgeous Bastyan Eva Belt Coat (3) is fabulous, and will do just that. This belted design also creates a simple and chic silhouette. “I also love this Coast Harven dress (4). Again, this is also the length I love:
midi. This dress is so elegant and stylish, and can be taken from day to night,” said Lisa. “I’m a big fan of midi-skirts. They are just so comfortable, yet so stylish; I love this one from Karen Millen (5). “Now that the clocks have gone forward, we can officially say it’s spring time, and what better way to do this than to wear yellow! I just love this Coast Rita skirt (6),” she said. All these items, and others shown above, are available in Coast/Karen Millen’s spring/ summer 2015 range.
THROUGHOUT the months of April and May, Lisa will be visiting counties around the country with her stylish roadshow, Lisa Fitzpatrick’s Fashion Fix. The fun-filled day will include style workshops, hair and make-up master classes, fashion shows, surprise celebrity guests and much, much more.
Dates confirmed include: • April 18, The Spencer Hotel, Excise Walk, IFSC, Dublin 1 • May 10, The Kingsley Hotel, Victoria Cross, Cork • May 16, The Savoy Hotel, Henry Street, Limerick • May 23, Hotel Kilkenny, College Road, Kilkenny • May 30, The Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Lough Atalia, Galway Tickets can be purchased on www.fitzpatrickstyle.com, or by calling Tara at 01 460 7575. (A discount is available for group bookings.)
9 April 2015 Gazette 19
Gazette
FOOD&DRINK
Plenty to savour at FX Buckley Steakhouse FOR diners who like a table and some waiter service with their food, FX Buckley Steakhouse on Parkgate Street should do the trick. Upstairs from Ryan’s, the restaurant specialises in steaks, as the name
Echoes of the past, such as polished whiskey casks, are a visible reminder of Ryan’s of Parkgate Street many, many decades of serving travellers and tourists
The Picky Eater RYAN’S of Parkgate Street – still “Bongo Ryan’s” for those of a certain vintage – has been around a while. Since 1886, it has sat elegantly between the Phoenix Park and Heuston Station, offering refreshment to weary travellers. Today, it continues to ply its trade, albeit in a more modern manner. On a quiet Monday, The Picky Eater and pal repaired to the Victorian pub for a late-afternoon pint and a morsel after a tramp through the Phoenix Park. The menu offers a tempting range: Irish “tapas” for nibblers; plenty of starters ranging from creamy chowder to flambeed kidneys; mains for vegetarians, the gluten-intolerant and committed carnivores, along with dishes of the day set out on the old-fashioned blackboard just behind the bar. Sea bass and beef and Guinness pie on the day in question. We chose chowder and spicy chicken wings to start, followed by cornfed chicken with pea and chorizo pearl barley with sauteed spinach and green herb dressing (€16.95),
and pan-fried hake with crushed baby potatoes, grilled asparagus, black olive and tomato dressing (€17.50). The chowder was loyal to its name: creamy, chock full of fish and, in truth, a meal in itself. Alas, the bread was nondescript – two different sorts of tired soda which needed a bin. The wings were a triumph and suitably devoured. Half full and slightly trepidatious of the mains, Picky Eater took in the Ryan’s interior. Revamped gas lamps and polished whiskey casks; old brass match strikers and big wooden drawers, relics of the days when pubs sold tobacco and tea and the clientele smoked; massive hanging baskets beneath oldworld skylights and snugs for those seeking quiet. Stepping into Ryan’s can be like stepping back in time – if it wasn’t for the
huge TVs that cater for diehard sports fans. The food came in its own good time and found us relaxed and ready. The chicken was really succulent: crisp on the outside but juicy and tender inside, the pearl barley was perfect texture- and taste-wise, with spinach an ideal accompaniment. But the hake was the star of the show: it parted softly under the fork and melted in the mouth. On tastebud overload, we surveyed desserts and plumped for a selection of cheeses from Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, served with house onion jam, fennel honey and water biscuits (€8.95). The right choice – a mix of strong and mild, soft and hard and the remaining drop of beer to round off the afternoon nicely. For “high tea” on a quiet afternoon, Ryan’s is recommended.
Conclusion ANOTHER Victorian jewel of the city, Ryan’s (at 28 Parkgate St, Dublin 8; tel 01 677 6097) has some modern touches, but otherwise remains a classic of its era, attracting tourists, locals and long-term fans to its striking interior with ease. A trip to Ryan’s is a must when heading to the Phoenix Park.
suggests. But the menu is diverse and interesting and the wine/beer list is extensive, with plenty of informed staff to help you choose what’s right for you, if help is what you need! The pub can be daunt-
ing to plough through on a weekend evening, but once on the stairs take a look at the photos of an older Dublin as you climb. And, when you’re in the restaurant proper, relax, sit back and bon appetit!
FX Buckley Steakhouse
GAZETTE
20 GAZETTE 9 April 2015
OUT&ABOUT
TRAVEL
FastTravel
Set cruise control with these luxury Cunard trips IAN BEGLEY
TO MARK 175 years of sailing, Cunard Line has arranged celebrations on every cruise in 2015, with special features and events on board from €1,999pp for travel in May. Queen Mary 2 is Cunard’s flagship ocean liner and booking a transatlantic crossing to or from New York on this ship is a holiday like no other. Cunard will host a gig by rock band Crosby, Stills and Nash on the liner this September 4. The trio will perform some of their greatest hits in the liner’s Royal Court Theatre, and will also participate in a question and answers session, along with an autograph opportunity for passengers on board. You can also join Cunard’s Blue Note Jazz at Sea from New York to Southampton, sailing on October 29 from €1,999pp. Balcony upgrades can be arranged from €235pp and extra nights in New York can also be added. Price is per person based on two sharing and strictly subject to availability. For further information, call 01 637 1699, or see www.clickandgo.com.
Glasgow’s architecturally rich cityscape provides plenty of food for the eyes, while for modern comic tastes, the Stand Comedy Club (inset) should sate your laughter needs
SCOTLAND: COMEDY FESTIVAL IS JUST ONE OF GLASGOW’S MANY ATTRACTIONS
A bonnie hop over the sea
ROB HEIGH
GLASGOW has a reputation for sharp wit and the ability to laugh at almost everything in life, so it made perfect sense that a trip to Scotland’s other capital city should be paired with taking in a little of the 2015 Glasgow Comedy Festival. Glasgow is a fabulous city, a lot like Dublin in many ways – its small and self-contained city centre mirrors our own, with a massive array of unique artisanal and boutique shopping experiences alongside the high street regulars. There is an immersive experience to be had among the Victorian architecture, and stepping a little way beyond the city centre opens up a wealth of hidden gems. Chief among those is the Byres Road. Part of the university district of
the city, its mix of longstanding shops that have been there for generations and newly blooming cafes and shops means that long hours can be (and were) spent there. Not only that, but it is home to one of the bestloved restaurants in the city, The Ubiquitous Chip. It is a treat to go there – booking is definitely in order – and their longstanding reputation has not been dulled by time or trend. Its monkfish tails are still unsurpassed, and the Aberdeen Angus steak au poivre is as good as I remember – an unabashed indulgence. The fact that it is topped off with access to the Botanical Gardens, which is always worth a walk through, just across the Great Western Road, makes it an unmissable destination.
At the other end of Byres Road is the Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed Glasgow School of Art, heartbreakingly damaged by fire in 2014, and it is a symbol of Glasgow’s place in the world’s centres of art and design. In addition, a short trip out of the city centre to The Burrell Collection is well worth your time, as was a brief afternoon journey to the Glasgow Gallery Of Modern Art. However, the main order of business for me was the comedy festival, which will see more than 400 international acts converge on the city for the 13th instance of the event, that sees some 700 shows being performed for an expected audience of more than 106,000 comedy fans. The festival started in 2003 at the venue I attended on my first night
See for yourself why The Ubiquitous Chip has been delighting diners for years
in the city, the iconic Stand Comedy Club, which had brought the idea of a comedy festival to the city council the year before. The Glasgow festival is an interesting counterpoint to the Edinburgh Fringe, which has of course been running for considerably longer, and is open to a much wider and diverse range of arts beyond comedy. Glasgow is a “pure” comedy festival, and it sees some of the biggest
acts in the business – Stewart Lee, Jimmy Carr and Al Murray – alongside our own local heroes, Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan. There are a host of upand-coming talents such as Damo Clark, Paul Currie and many, many more to appeal to the broadest comedy palette imaginable for the duration of the festival. For further information about those events and on holidaying in Scotland with everything it has to
offer, see www.visitscotland.com, while for more on the second city of the empire, see www.peoplemakeglasgow.com. I travelled with P&O Ferries, which operates from Larne to Cairnryan and Troon, providing the shortest and fastest crossings to Scotland. Online fares start from €74. For further information, see www.poferries.com. To find out more about the Glasgow Comedy Festival, see www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com.
LEARNINGCURVE
GAZETTE
9 April 2015 GAZETTE 21
EXHIBITION: STUDENTS SKILLS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Fashion forward fun at Sallynoggin LAURA WEBB
THINGS are getting stylish at Sallynoggin College of Further Education with the first art house inspired fashion exhibition taking place this month. Fashion Edit, is a first of its kind for the college and is conducted and styled by their fashion industry practice students. Taking place on April 16, this event will have a unique blend of live fashion installations, fashion show and drinks reception. According to the college, the students are mixing things up by moving away from the stereotypical fashion show and paving the way for a fresh new contemporary take on a fashion event. The event will showcase the students diverse skills in styling, visual display, merchandising and their knowledge of the fashion industry, some of the many skills they have learned through their time at the college. With 2015 the year of Irish design, the event
Film director Lenny Abrahamson, crime writer John Connolly, former judge Catherine McGuinness and vice president of Intel’s Internet of Things, Philip Moynagh were recognised for their achievements
Trinity College celebrates alumni with a gala dinner
A FILM director and crime writer were
was a Trinity scholar, son of a scholar
among past Trinity College pupils who
and grandson of a scholar, was born in
were presented with Trinity College
Dublin and graduated from Trinity with
Alumni Awards at a special gala dinner
first-class honours.
last week.
known to adult readers as the crea-
crime writer John Connolly and former
tor of detective Charlie Parker, who
judge Catherine McGuinness received
has appeared in 12 novels, beginning
the awards in recognition of achieve-
with Every Dead Thing (1999) and most
ments in their respective fields and the
recently the internationally-bestsell-
contribution they have made in Ireland
ing The Wolf in Winter (2014). He studied
and internationally.
English at Trinity College, Dublin and
Abrahamson BA (1990) directed
will highlight and celebrate Irish designers and retailers. The fashion show will consist of some of the most talented up-andcoming Irish designers. It will also showcase key pieces and trends for womenswear and menswear for spring/
LAST week saw Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys officially launch the UCD Decade of Centenaries programme. The university is planning more than 25 special events to commemorate the decade of centenaries, many of which will draw from UCD’s wealth of national and international archives relating to the period from 1912 to 1923. At the launch, at UCD Charles
journalism at Dublin City University. Meanwhile, Catherine McGuin-
Fashion Edit will showcase the talents of
numerous commercials for TV before
Sallynoggin College of Further Education’s
directing for TV and film. Credits
ness BA (1957) is a former judge. Her
fashion industry practice students
include: Adam and Paul, What Rich-
original BA was in Modern Languages
ard Did and Frank, staring Domhnall
(French and Irish). In 2003, she was
Gleeson, Michael Fassbender, and
conferred by Trinity with an honourary
Maggie Gyllenhaal. Abrahamson who
degree of Doctor in Laws.
summer 2015 which will be supplied by Irish owned boutiques such as The Loft, Marion Cuddy Irish Designers Emporium, The Design Centre, Lennon Courtney and Maven. Former student of Sallynoggin College and renowned fashion stylist,
columnist and TV presenter Courtney Smith is the host for the night. The Fashion Edit will take place in Film Base located on Curved Street, Temple Bar on April 16 at 4.30pm with a drinks reception at 6pm followed by the show commencing at 7pm.
A Decade of Centenaries launched BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN
John Connolly BA (1992) is best
Film director Lenny Abrahamson,
Institute, which houses the famous Kevin Barry window, Minister Humphreys said: “The scale, ambition, depth and breadth of the UCD commemorations forms a seminal part of the national programme.” While there, the Minister examined a selection of the unique papers, documents and photographs held by UCD Archives. One such archive was the diary of civil servant JR Clarke and 450 interviews of people active in Ireland’s revolutionary past from the Rising to the end of the Civil War.
Among the staff of UCD who played a role in events of 100 years ago were Thomas MacDonagh, assistant professor of English, signatory of the Proclamation and commandant of the Dublin Brigade, Eoin MacNeill, professor of Early and Medieval Irish History, and Irish Volunteers chief of staff, Mary Hayden, professor of Modern Irish History and founder of the Irish Catholic Women’s Suffrage Society, and Agnes O’Farrelly, lecturer in Modern Irish and a founder of Cumann na mBan.
GAZETTE
22 GAZETTE 9 April 2015
LEARNINGCURVE
Some useful tips to help you study smarter WITH big exams on the horizon, many
Making sure your desk is tidy and
college students will be starting to
organised is also important as it
worry and panic, but with proper
means you can concentrate on study-
preparation, you can get through it
ing and learning, instead of sifting
all and concentrate on your summer
through a mountain of crumpled
plans.
sheets.
The following is a few handy tips for study and revision. Having a good study area can make all the difference in the world. If you study in a quiet, well-lit area, away
Also, logging out of your email and Facebook and turning off your phone is a great way to eliminate possible distractions. Make sure you know all the ins and
from the hustle and bustle of the
outs of each exam. Find out what
house, your capacity for learning and
format the exam will take – whether
remembering vastly increases. If this
it is short answer, multiple choice or
isn’t possible, it might be better to
essay format. Make sure you know
study at the library.
how much of your overall grade each exam is worth and allot study time accordingly. Mind maps, study plans and to-do lists can be very helpful. Try making a to-do list before each study session. Breaking tasks down into small, manageable pieces will make it less overwhelming. Spend your time as carefully as possible over your range of subjects, concentrating on those you find more difficult, without neglecting those you excel at.
Mature students bring a lot of experience to any college atmosphere and teach their younger colleagues life skills
OPPORTUNITIES: MATURE STUDENTS
The time is now to go back to college BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN
IF YOU are one of the many people in Ireland who has always harboured a desire to go to college but never got the chance, why not apply as a mature student next year? For a change, being older is an advantage when it comes to college, as mature students do not have to meet the normal matriculation requirements or compete with Leaving Certificate students in the points race. Although you must apply through the CAO system, most colleges use an interview process to decide your suitability for all undergraduate courses. If you show a keen interest and are serious about staying in the course, in all likelihood you will be accepted. Universities and other colleges welcome mature students and have a spe-
cial mature students’ information page on their websites. Mature students are seen as reliable and this is based on the fact that the drop-out rate is far lower for mature students. They also bring a lot of experience to any college atmosphere and teach their younger colleagues life skills. Some 11% of students in Irish universities are mature students, while the figure in institutes of technology is 20%. Over 10,000 students in full-time education are over 30-years-old, according to the Higher Education Authority. So, if you were anxious about being the odd one out in a sea of freshfaced 19-year-olds, you can rest assured that you will not be alone as there has never been as many mature students in college. Financially, it can be
a strain to fund yourself through your college course for three or four years. There are resources out there to help, however. Schemes such as the back-to-education allowance and the SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) grants are available to those who fit the criteria. As well as that, mature students who began a college course but dropped out over five years ago, can restart their course with no sizeable fees applying. If the idea of jumping straight into a degree course is a bit daunting to you, you can do a preparatory year-long evening access programme first at many colleges for a reasonable fee. When applying for a course through the CAO, you must submit additional information including a CV, any prior exam results and a personal
statement along with your application. For information on applying to Trinity College as a mature student, you can contact Trinity Accesss Programmes on 01 896 1386 or email mature.student. officer@tcd.ie To find out about going to University College Dublin as a mature student, you can go to www. ucd.ie/registry/admissions/myapply for more information. For information on NUI Maynooth’s offers for mature students, you can go online at www. maynoothuniversity.ie/ study-maynooth/maturestudents. You can contact www. susi.ie for information on susi grants and http:// w w w. we l f a r e . i e / e n / Pages/Back-to-Education-Allowance-Scheme to find out about the back to education allowance criteria.
9 April 2015 GAZETTE 23
Progress to impress with DUBLIN GAZETTE’S education supplement
HOUSING: USI SITE ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO RENT SPARE BEDROOMS
The eternal question of where to live IAN BEGLEY
AS another year at college nears an end, odds are that you’ll have hundreds of questions running through your mind like where to live next semester? Some may choose to live at home, but for others college could mean trying to find accommodation for the first time. With the shor tage of accommodation in Dublin and other built up areas, the Union of Students Ireland (USI) recently set up a site encouraging people with spare bedrooms to rent to students. This service is deemed
very necessary as the student population in Dublin faces a serious shortage of accommodation, with CAO offers and the subsequent start of the academic year just months away. USI president Laura Harmon said: “This is an access-to -education issue. The cost of accommodation in and around Dublin has risen enormously, pricing many students out of the accommodation market. Many “buyto-renters” have repurposed accommodation they had previously made available to students for wealthier renters.
“To compound this, the value of the student grant has fallen against inflation over a number of years. The end result will be students unhoused and dropping out. USI is calling for the Government to form a task force on student accommodation – there needs to be a specific strategy on this serious and growing problem.” As a short-term measure to support the initiative, the Union of Students in Ireland has put together a simple website, allowing home owners to list their spare rooms and their conditions, with the objective of providing students
The Union of Students Ireland (USI) has set up a website to help deal with the shortage of student accommodation in Dublin
with contacts for those willing to help. The system also allows for landlords and agents to place their available
accommodation online – and it’s free to use. The website is available at www.homes.usi. ie.
The USI also mentions that there are many useful accommodation hunting websites out there, including Daft.ie
and Property.ie, which make it easy to search through lots of accommodation listings on the internet quickly. These sites also have maps that point out where the specific accommodation you are looking at is located. Accommodation lists may also be available from your students’ union. It’s recommended that you contact a students’ union rep as it’s the best port of call when hunting for a place to live and if you experience problems during the year. Visit www.usi.ie for more student accommodation tips.
Gazette
24 Gazette 9 April 2015
OUT&ABOUT
ARTS
god bless the child: production is something of a curate’s egg
Author Michael Murphy
Share some insights of life and love Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
THE Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire is hosting a unique show by former newscaster Michael Murphy, entitled Stories, Poetry and Dreams, based on three of his books. Murphy, along with friends and fellow broadcasters Emer O’Kelly, Eamonn Lawlor and Eileen Dunne, will read extracts from At Five in the Afternoon, The House of Pure Being, and The Republic of Love. The result promises to be an entertaining and intimate experience for audiences as Murphy, who is also a psychoanalyst, recites emotional passages, some of which deal with his experience of cancer. Murphy and his guests will also share deeply insightful reflections on love and sex, friendship and family. Stories, Poetry and Dreams is a celebration of life and humanity in all its trials and triumphs. The evening also offers an invitation for the audience to participate and share their own experiences. Stories, Poetry and Dreams takes place at the Pavilion Theatre on May 2. Tickets cost €20/€17 and are available by contacting 01 231 2929, or by emailing boxoffice@ paviliontheatre.ie.
O’Connor’s short stories lose lustre on the stage
Bairbre Ni Bhraonain
AS A big fan of short story writer Frank O’Connor, I was tentatively looking forward to seeing God Bless the Child, a play based on O’Connor’s work, at The Gaiety Theatre. However, I was soon to discover that some things are better left alone and not everything can be successfully adapted for the stage. In my opinion, Patrick Ta l b o t ’s a d a p t a t i o n – while an enjoyable enough affair with three good actors playing roles as children – falls flat as a theatrical piece. The three short stories on which the piece is based (My Oedipus Complex, The Genius, and First Confession) were treated in a manner somewhat stilted as each of the three actors took it in turn to assume the voice of the narrator and deliver a soliloquy to the audience. The effect was tiring and repetitive after a while, and though the performances were very good, the format was a predictable round of 1-2-3. Howe ve r, j u d g i n g by the audience reac-
-------------------------------------------------------
‘The original stories contain much more than mere comedy and all their poignancy and insight was missed. Perhaps it will act as an appetiser for the audience to go on and read the real thing.’ --------------------------------------------------------
tion, my opinion was in the minority. People all around me audibly expressed their huge enjoyment of the show, with constant laughter running throughout. Actors Ciaran Bermingham, Shane Casey and Gary Murphy wore schoolboy uniforms and two of them sat on classroom benches like subs at a football match, waiting for their turn while the third actor performed to the audience.
Comic effect All three performances were very good, but Bermingham stood out the most. The actors’ Cork accents were pretty flawless, if a touch florid for comic effect. The piece really played to the comedy in the short stories and the audience happily lapped
it up. However, the original stories contain much more than mere comedy and all their poignancy and insight were missed. This does O’Connor’s work a disservice for those who have never read anything by the Cork writer will presume that he has less depth than is the case. On the other hand, because the audience seemed to love the show, perhaps it will act as an appetiser for them to go on and read the real thing. The featured short stories related pivotal episodes from the narrator’s childhood and include paternal jealousy, bullying, being misunderstood and the fear of making a “bad confession” and therefore burning in hell. There were plenty of
Shane Casey as Michael in the God Bless the Child segment of the production
genuinely funny quotes in the show, such as when Gary Murphy’s character, Larry, said of a lame teacher he admired: “I was so impressed, I decided to have a lame leg myself.” In First Confession, O’Connor is hard-hitting against the Catholic Church and this was properly adhered to in the play. The play was peppered with recitals of decades of the rosary by the three characters as they took to their knees before the Virgin Mary and the Sacred Heart. Jackie’s (Ciaran Bermingham) terror of eternal damnation, which has been drilled into
Shane Casey, Gary Murphy and Ciaran Bermingham are very good in their roles
him by a menacing nun, depicts a shameful period in Irish history. When God Bless The Child played to packed houses last year at Everyman, Cork it received a hugely positive response, and that seems to be the case with Dublin audiences too. T he show, though
undramatic, delivers an entertaining evening with a great deal of mirth and solid acting performances. God Bless the Child runs at The Gaiety Theatre until April 11. Tickets, costing from €19.65, are available from The Gaiety Theatre Box Office at 0818 719 388.
9 April 2015 Gazette 25
Gazette
CINEMA
ReelReviews
spongebob movie A sponge out of water
SPONGEBOB’s appeal is much like the tide – it seems to rise and fall at regular intervals, with our favourite silly sponge never too far from our screens. He’s rounded up all his pals for Spongebob: Sponge out of Water (Cert G, 92 mins) which is as brilliant/brutal as ever, depending on whether you’re a fan. Chief villain Antonio Banderas gamely tries to out-act the singing sponge.
cinderella
A timeless tale ... again
The Rock and Jason Statham mix it up in Fast & Furious 7, which is more or less business as usual for the popular series
Fast & Furious 7: franchise returns even brasher and dumber than ever
Take another Furious spin
daniel smith
OVER the top, ridiculous and brilliant; words which perfectly describe the seventh instalment of the Fast and the Furious saga, Fast & Furious 7. An element of emotion is added as the film is used as a swansong to the late Paul Walker who died in a car accident in November 2013 while the movie was being made. This meant a major rethink about what to do with Walker’s character, Brian O’Conner, which director James Wan took on the chin brilliantly. The film starts off where Fast & Furious 6 left off when, after the end credits, Deckard Shaw (portrayed
by Cockney cult hardman Jason Statham) avenges his younger brother Owen’s death by crashing into Tokyobased Han, a member of Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) crew, killing Han in the process. “You don’t know me – you’re about to,” says Shaw at the very end of Six, which ties in with Seven as a parcel from Tokyo turns out to be a bomb. This explodes seconds after Shaw hangs up a call to the Toretto family home that has been the epicentre of the Fast & Furious franchise. The explosion, along with the death of a crew member, sets Dominic on a mission to find Shaw. Along with the usual
crew of Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Ludacris) and partner Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), he also gets military help from “Mr Nobody” (Kurt Russell). Their first mission is to seek out a hacker working under the alias “Ramsey”, who turns out to be a woman (Nathalie Emmanuel), whose sophisticated hacking device is what the crew need to track down Shaw. Machine gun fire, a cat fight between Rodriguez and UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, and a multi-million dollar hypercar flying through three buildings later, the device is obtained and used to track down Statham. They return to LA and are confronted by Shaw
and his allies. Having been out of action courtesy of Shaw, Hobbs (played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) links up with Toretto’s crew to hunt down Shaw and his militant buddies. The bald testosteronefest concludes with a car park brawl between Shaw and Toretto, but in typical Fast & Furious style, even after the six-storey car park is destroyed, they both miraculously survive. The film then wraps up with O’Conner retiring from the day job to a family life with his son and Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster), who is expecting a baby girl, ending rumours that Walker’s character would simply be killed off. W hat follows is a
touching tribute to Walker over the course of all seven movies. O’Conner, in a Toyota Supra, cruises alongside Toretto’s Dodge Charger in a scene reminiscent of the climactic race in the first movie. Using younger brothers Caleb and Cody Walker as stand-ins, and using CGI to project Walker ’s face, they pulled off what would be his final film in a proper manner. To the keen movie critic, Fast & Furious 7 could be considered awful, thanks to unnecessary explosions, cheesy scripting, and poor attempts at humour courtesy of the supporting cast. But from someone who has watched the
series since the very start, it was fantastic. It’s the unnecessary explosions and cheesy scripting that make the movie unique; these have been a staple of all seven Fast and Furious films, and without them, these would make no sense. Thanks to the RouseyRodriguez scrap, a $3.4m Lykan HyperSport car being hurled through three Abu Dhabi skyscrapers, and the seemingly impossibility of Toretto being killed despite what the film throws at him, it’s a memorable movie and will keep the cult fan base of the series very happy, along with the great tribute to the late Paul Walker.
Verdict: 8/10
KENNETH Branagh delivers his version of the timeless fairytale as Cinderella (Cert G, 113 mins) delivers a strictly by-the-book film. The film ticks virtually every box on the Cinderella story list, bringing nothing new. Still, at least it’s not as awful as Into The Woods’s botched fairytale, and it looks terrific, with a classy cast – including Cate Blanchett and Derek Jacobi – adding a dash of gravitas.
while we’re young Facing a fear of aging
BEN Stiller and Naomi Watts face into mid-life uncertainty in While We’re Young (Cert 15A, 97 mins), which sees them questioning what they’ve done with their lives and where they’re going, thanks to (perhaps unwisely) comparing themselves to some younger, and seemingly much cooler new friends. A nicely made film, it’s an interesting tale for the millennial generation.
26 blanch gazette 9 April 2015
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28 Gazette 9 April 2015
SPORT
FastSport doolin pleased with Under19 euro point: PAUL Doolin’s Republic of Ireland side came back from 2-0 down at the break to clinch a point in their last UEFA U-19 Championships Elite Phase with a 2-2 draw with Slovakia in Mannheim thanks to second half goals from a Ryan Manning penalty and Joel Coustrain. The Slovaks ended the game with three players dismissed while the Irish also had Kevin Toner ordered off for two bookable offences. “We were hoping to get something from it. We looked to finish off on a decent performance. They were a very good side and scored a couple of goals in the first half but we deserved something,” said Doolin. “We were outstanding in the second half. Our attacking after the break was excellent. Slovakia had a couple of chances too. It was probably just as well it ended what it did as the discipline seemed to have gone from the game.”
rugby: heaslip proud of blues but says toulon will be huge test
Leinster need big step up sport@dublingazette.com
JAMIE Heaslip said that Leinster need to step up another gear following their narrow 18-15 win over Bath in the European Champions Cup
Quarter-Final at Aviva Stadium last Saturday. Speaking after the tie, the skipper said it was hugely important that the province improved ahead of the semi-final against Toulon and the
crucial run of games coming up for the province. Six Ian Madigan penalties sealed the win for Leinster, and a place in the Champions Cup Semi-Finals for the first
Leinster mascots Jill O’Brien, from Donnybrook, and Nathan Levy-Valensi with Leinster captain Jamie Heaslip and Bath captain Stuart Hooper. Picture: Brendan Moran
Leinster supporter Eoin O’Driscoll from Goatstown. Picture: Stephen McCarthy
time since 2012, at the Aviva on Saturday. Speaking after the game, the Leinster captain reflected on the important role the experience within the squad played in seeing out the game. “We can take a lot of positives out of it. They’re on our line, they’re 25m out in that last minute and a half, two minutes of the game. “Someone asked me was that the experience part; a little bit of experience and a little bit of the lads showing their character. I couldn’t be prouder of them. “But at the next level, no matter who it is, Wasps or Toulon, we have a massive chal-
lenge and we’ve got to improve on today. “If you make any kind of individual or system errors, [Bath] are going to punish you. And that happened twice. “There were probably a couple of other times where they really did stress us and make line breaks, or half line breaks.” With a semi-final place secured, and a tie with Toulon or Wasps to look forward to, Heaslip emphasised the importance of upcoming games in the Guinness PRO12, starting with the game away to Dragons next Sunday. “It’s another massive game. It’s great at this time of year; it’s just big game after big game.
We’re chasing that top four pretty hard, so the Dragons games is huge. “And the game following, that’s going to be massive as well, in terms of the club and the group that we have.” With an eight-day turnaround between the Bath and Dragons games, the squad have time to rest and recuperate before another crucial fixture. “We’re just going to rest up now. A lot of us were saying that’s probably one of the fastest, toughest games we’ve played, including internationals. That’s right up there.” Leinster face Newport Dragons next Sunday at Rodney Parade in their next league game.
UCD produce best Champions Cup run in 20 years sport@dublingazette.com
UCD captain Katie Mullan attempts to tackle Rot Weiss Koln’s Lena Vonhoegen. Picture: Ady Kerry
UCD ladies finished in Ireland’s best position in the EuroHockey Club Champions Cup since Randalstown in 1995 as they ended in sixth place in the competition, hockey’s equivalent of the Champions League. That is because of a spectacular 3-2 win over Canterbury, complete with two South African, three English and a Scottish international in their line-up. The result in Bilthoven, the Netherlands, saw UCD advance to the fifth place playoff, guar-
anteeing Ireland retain a place in the top tier of European club hockey for another season. They had fallen behind just eight minutes in to Nikki Triggs’ field goal but Chloe Watkins levelled from close range before Emily Beatty’s cracking shot and a third from Deirdre Duke swapped things around to 3-1 at half-time. Jen Wilson got one back for the English club but UCD held on for a famous win in what is hockey’s equilvalent of soccer’s Champions League, one later described as the biggest result in
the club’s history. Speaking about the victory, coach Jonathan Harte praised the ability of his side to dig in to get the result, particularly Sarah Robinson at the back. “We had to guts it out in terms of defending in numbers, being under pressure as the opposition pressed us to get back to 3-3 in the last 10 minutes. “It is great for UCD and great for Irish hockey and hopefully all of Irish hockey can keep pushing on.” They ultimately fell to English champions Surbiton as two final
quarter goals saw UCD fall out of touch, meaning they finished sixth overall. Harte’s side trailed 1-0 at the break and 2-0 early in the second half but a sharp volley from Katie Mullan reduced the arears with 17 minutes to go. Nikki Evans was proving a handful in the forward line while, defensively, Leah Ewart and Mullan were in strong form. But the loss of Anna O’Flanagan to injury was keenly felt and the students ran out of steam in the closing phases with Julie King and Jo Hunter punishing them.
9 April 2015 Gazette 29
Gazette
Home comforts for Smith’s Eastern side
FastSport
Gerry Smith tells Nathan Kelly how how he is looking forward to his fifth campaign at the head of the Eastern Region side that will represent the country at the Regions Cup in Dublin THE DRAW has been made, the stadiums have been chosen and the dates have been set. Safe to say the wheels are definitely in motion for this summer’s UEFA Regions’ Cup, being hosted here in Dublin. It is the first time Ireland will host the competition in what will be its ninth edition and Gerr y Smith’s Eastern Region side have been drawn in Group A alongside Ankara (Turkey), South Moravia (Czech Republic), and Tuzla Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The Eastern Region side qualified for the finals after three wins from three in their Intermediary group back in October, but Smith still seemed on a high from just making the finals when asked his reaction
to the draw. “We’re just delighted to be in the finals first and foremost,” he said. “The fact that we’re here is great and we’re really looking forward to it. “When we went to Hungary last October, if you had said to me that we’d have qualified and the finals would be in Ireland, I’d have chopped both your hands of and taken it to be honest. “It’s great that we get to play here but the most important thing is to be in the finals. “On the draw itself, we’ve played the three teams before. The first time we qualified we played the Czech Republic, going back a long time ago, and they beat us 3-0, that team actually went on to play professional football
Eastern Region manager Gerry Smith
afterwards. “We were probably lucky to get nil in that one if I’m honest. In that same group we had Bosnia and they beat us 3-0 too, and we were even luckier to get nil because they were a fantastic side.” Ireland have certainly improved since first qualifying for the competition in 2001, going on to feature four times before this year, and reaching the final in 2011, but ultimately losing to hosts Portugal in the decider of the world’s top amateur competition. “The Eastern Region recently played a couple of friendly fixtures against Dolnoslaski from Poland, who are in the other group in this summer’s competition and have won the Regions’
Cup in the past. “A 1-1 draw and 1-0 defeat to the Poles further displays the progress made under Smith’s guidance through the years. “ We ’ ve d e f i n i t e l y come on from where we were,” he told GazetteSport.
be played in Tallaght. When asked if he felt there was a massive advantage to a self-hosted tournament, Smith, perhaps surprisingly, played down the fact the competition is being played on home soil. He said: “I don’t think it makes too much dif-
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‘Playing in Portugal in 35 degree heat can knock the living daylights out of you’ - Gerry Smith
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“This is our fifth time to be in the finals so we’re looking forward to it. As I said we’ve played all three teams, we played Turkey in Portugal in 2011. They’re a very good team, a very strong team and country in relation to soccer and we drew 0-0, so there’ll be nothing in it really. There are eight really good teams in the finals, unfortunately only one team can win it, and I’m sure we all feel we have a chance.” The tournament itself will run from June 26 to July 4, and matches across the two groups will be played at Tallaght Stadium, the UCD Bowl, Richmond Park, Home Farm, Tolka Park and the Carlisle Grounds. The winners from both groups will go on to contest the final which will
ference really. What it does from our point of view is, it can be a tall order to be cooked up in a hotel for 10 or 12 days, it can get a bit monotonous so, in that respect, it’s nice that the lads will be able to nip home for an hour or two for whatever reason. “But in relation to on the pitch, I don’t think it has a bearing on anything to be honest. “That said, when we played in Portugal, we played in 35 degree heat on two of the days which can knock the living daylights out of our players. “But other than that, I don’t think it makes that much difference.” Ireland’s first game of the Regions’ Cup will be played against Ankara on Friday June 26, at Tallaght Stadium at 7pm.
Soccer Sisters takes over Fingal for Easter FINGAL was a flourish with young girls playing the beautiful game over the Easter break as the FAI’s Soccer Sister Easter Camps were held in 12 different venues across the county. There was no area left uncovered as camps were runs from Blanchardstown to Baldoyle to Swords to Balbriggan and allowed girls from the ages of seven to 12 to get as much top quality football education in while the schools were shut. Speaking on the camps and their success over Easter, Paul Keogh, FAI/Fingal County development officer said: “The number of camps and numbers on the camps continue to rise. With the Stephanie Roche exposure and also the great work of the grassroots clubs it is becoming more and more accessible for girls to play on a team amongst friends. In Fingal alone, there are 12 venues for the girls to choose from with the biggest FAI Soccer Sister Easter camp in the country taking place in Gormanston, Balbriggan, with 92 girls attending.” With a number of local clubs participating in the organisation and co-ordination of the camps in the area, they are viewed as an excellent chance for young girls to take their first steps into football. Marion Brown, Fingal County Council principal sports officer added: “Fingal are delighted as always with the continued growth in girls’ sport. Through our sports development officers and our sports plan for the area the focus given to increasing women in sport is a top priority. More and more clubs are facilitating the growth of the girls’ game which is very important. And also, without the long hours of dedication of the volunteers it would not happen.”
Gazette
30 BLANCH gazette 9 April 2015
SPORT
FastSport
castleknock mile: celtic take lead in mile in awareness event
Family affair for Clonee in MGL Irish Rail final IT WILL be a family affair for Clonee United Under-11 girls side when they contest the Metropolitan girls league Irish Rail Cup final on April 26. The contest will see a Clonee side coached by Alan Monaghan and sister-in-law Julie O’Toole take to the Oscar Traynor Centre as they look to win the league cup for the second year running against Clondalkin side Liffey Valley Rangers. Monaghan’s daughter Sophie also plays for the side who beat Shelbourne in the AUL Complex in last season’s cup final and who are enjoying a great season overall, currently sitting in second spot in the MGL Under-11A North Division, and will win the title if they can manage 10 points from their remaining four games. In the cup, Clonee have beaten St Ita’s, Balbriggan and Cabinteely to reach the final, while Rangers, their opposition, received a bye in the first round before going on to knock out Malahide United and Cambridge. The Valley are also in second place in their league, the U-11A South Division, but would need to win their four remaining fixtures and hope that Lucan United lose their last two games to have chance of winning the title on goal difference.
Knock Under14 side see off Home Farm CASTLEKNOCK Celtic tightened their grip on top of the Dublin and District Schoolboy League Under-14 Major Division with a 3-2 win at Home Farm last weekend. A hat-trick from Owen Akpiama ensured the three points against a
spirited Home Farm lingering around the bottom of the division. The win leaves Celtic a point clear of second placed Drogheda United, and with three games in hand over their rivals, promotion to the Premier seems a dead cert with eight games remaining, although manager Robbie Ryan may have his eye on the title at this stagein the season.
Castleknock Celtic’s Joe Sullivan of Suicide Awareness, Tom Ayres of Castleknock Celtic and Lar Griffin and David Thornberry
Mile event a big success sport@dublingazette.com
THE inaugural Castleknock Mile took place recently in Porterstown Park. The fun run/walk was sponsored by Iarnrod Eireann on behalf of the Dublin 15 Suicide Awareness Support Group and Castleknock Celtic. The principal organisers, David Curran and Tom Ayres, spearheaded the charity fund-raiser and were delighted with its success which they hope will become an annual event during the Easter holidays. The proceeds will go toward the funding of the
support services for those affected by suicide. Joe Sullivan, from Suicide Awareness Dublin 15, stressed the importance of such fund-raisers for a problem that is so prevalent today. Iarnrod Eireann works with suicide support groups in an effort to prevent the loss of life that occurs every year on the Iarnrod Eireann rail network as a result of suicide. Two of the drivers involved in such incidents were in attendance on the day to highlight the impact of suicide on the wider community. Hundreds of partici-
senior success Corduff Over-35s lead the way in Division 4 the youth set-up at Corduff FC seems to be a conveyor belt of good news at the moment. But the players at the club at the other end of their footballing careers seem certain to add to the positivity in the club. The Duff’s Over 35s team have won 10 games from 10 in the AFL senior Division 4 North this season in what is their first year together. Coached by Noel Crabbe and Phil McAndrew, the side’s most recent result was a 3-2 win over second placed Rivervalley Rangers which leaves them 10 points clear.
pants donated cash to the two organisations. Some of the funds raised will also go towards the building of an all weather pitch in Porterstown Park. Celtic Club secretary Tony Jordan and Sullivan, both expressed their great appreciation to Curran, Ayres and the other volunteers for their huge effort in making this such a success, despite the inclement weather conditions early on. Glasgow Celtic Soccer Academy joined forces with their international partner Castleknock Celtic in their Easter Soccer Camp last weekend. It provided the oppor-
tunity for players of all abilities to develop their technique and skills, learn new tricks while having fun. The enthusiasm of all the participants was not dampened by the wet weather that was never far away. Celtic FC coaches were led by Tony Massie, with the support of fellow Celtic coaches, Michael McCahill, Zeshan Ullah, and Keiron McAneny. T he children participating ranged in age from six years to 12 years. At the end of the camp on Holy Thursday, the coaches selected Dylan Coyne as the player of the week who was the
one who had impressed most with his enthusiasm, commitment, always focused, and benefiting from the wide range of skills development exercises provided by the coaches. All the children were presented with their Celtic Soccer Academy certificate when they completed the camp. They now look forward to Castleknock Celtic’s next soccer camp in the first week in July in association with the FAI. Registration is now open to all; log on to w w w.summersoccerschools.ie for more information.
9 April 2015 BLANCH gazette 31
Gazette
easter camp
Club Noticeboard
Over 200 juvenliles turn out for St Brigid’s camp
st brigid’s THIS Saturday, April 11, our senior
st brigid’s juvenile members thoroughly
enjoyed our 2015 Easter Camp which ran from Monday to Thursday last week. With over 200 children at the camp it was a huge success, despite the cold weather. The skill levels and application of the children were a joy to watch. Each child took home a new hurl, football and an Easter egg as well as plenty of new skills and friends.
The club lotto jackpot remains a
Brigid’s kitchen to serve you a gour-
huge €15,000. Our next draw will take
met breakfast.
place this Friday, April 10 in Myo’s.
Tickets are available now from the
Our junior ladies footballers are
senior and minor football teams. For
looking for new or returning players.
further information, contact pro.
All abilities welcome. Contact Leanne
stbrigids.dublin@gaa.ie.
on 085 1685626. St Brigid’s Spring Mar-
There will also be a cardiac screen-
football: kildare seen off in under-21 decider
info.
and minor footballers take over the
ket, April 25 from 10-1pm. Free entry.
ing session on the morning which is
Items for sale include men’s and
open to all players above the age of
ladies’ clothing, CDs, DVDs, books,
16.
toys and lots more. To book a stall,
2015 club membership is now overdue. Players who haven’t paid are
contact Mary on maryaoc@hotmail. com.
now uninsured and will be prevented
The final Texas Hold’em poker night
from togging with their teams from
before the summer/autumn break will
this week.
take place on April 24.
Our club nursery returns as nor-
Finally, St Brigid’s are delighted to
mal this Saturday from 9.30 to 11am.
be supporting the Castleknock 5km
We welcome all four- to seven-year-
Run 2015. The event takes place on
olds in the Castleknock and Blan-
June 21 and is open to all abilities.
chardstown area and new members and families are especially welcome. Contact Paul on 0879154748 or email info@stbrigidsgaa.com for more
The club would like all members and teams to take part in a great community event! More info on the club website.
castleknock THE senior footballers are back in
GMT has star ted up again this
action this week, playing Naomh
week in Porterstown, every Tues-
Barrog away on Saturday evening
day and Thursday at 6:30pm.
at 6pm. A big thank you to everyone who worked at making the Easter Camp
All new walkers and joggers welcome. Please see the website for details of the cardiac screening that is
Lowndes helps Dubs land Leinster crown
such a success.
leinster u-21 final
Play On is this year’s club play,
The nursery has now moved to Tir
and will run on April 16 in CCC. Full
Na nOg, still on at 10am, and all new
details on the website.
players and families are welcome.
St Peregrine’s man Eric Lowndes was part of the successful Dublin Under-21 set-up
Dublin 3-10 Kildare 1-12 sport@dublingazette.com
A ST Peregrine’s man was on hand to help Dublin win the EirGrid U-21 Leinster Championship last Thursday with a 3-10 to 1-12 win over Kildare. Eric Lowndes started the game at right halfback and played the entire contest for the Dubs in the four point win over the Lilywhites at Pairc Tailteann. Lowndes played a key role, particularly in the closing stages as Kildare nipped away at Dublin’s
lead but never got close enough to regain the lead they had held in the early stages of the second half. The Dubs did not seem to miss injured talisman Killian O’Gara as Cormac Costello stepped up to fire two goals and two points for the boys in blue. Colm Basquel was key for the capital too, firing over five points during the contest. The game started off as a close encounter, with the sides level on 0-3 each in the opening quarter before Costello teed up Basquel for the opening goal after 20 minutes. Minutes later,
the provider turned scorer as Costello shook the net following quality play from Conor McHugh. Kildare hit back however thanks to some quality kicking from Neil Flynn and a goal by Mark Sherry which reduced the deficit to two points going into half-time. Indeed it was Kildare who began the second half better, hitting four points without reply before Costello struck again for the Dubs, firing in another goal. The Dubs managed to maintain their lead going into the closing stages despite a spirited performance from Kildare
and Flynn in particular. Before the referee ended proceedings Costello was brought down and was awarded a penalty, which McHugh stroked over to confirm a fourpoint win. It was a four-point win which continued Dublin’s dominance in the province at this level, this marking their sixth Leinster win in just eight years. Dessie Farrell’s side now have an All-Ireland semi-final to look forward to against either Cork or Tipperary depending on how the Munster final plays out.
We hope that all of the players had a great week and learned a lot from the camp Well done also to all those who took part in the “Unofficial” Castleknock Cycle over the weekend.
taking place on April 25. Membership for the year is due; please continue to hand in all forms and fees. Forms can be downloaded from the website.
The actual fundraising event will
Congratulations to John and Fiona
take place later in the year so keep
Griffin who won the Lotto Jackpot
an eye for any updates on that.
of €9,400.
garda/westmanstown THE ladies made a great star t
No men’s fixtures last week but
to their season last Wednesday
back to league action next week-
evening. They won with a 6-12 to 2-4
end
win over Croi Ro Naofa in the open-
The intermediates are away to
ing round of the cup in Westmans-
Clanna Gael Fontenoy on saturday
town.
evening at 6pm.
Hopefully the good form will con-
The juniors are also away on Sun-
tinue this week with a home fixture
day morning at O’Toole’s with an
against Lucan Sarsfields.
11am start.
tyrrelstown MATCHES on Saturday as per team tests. Training resumes outdoors for all teams on April 15 at 6pm on the pitch
beside the community centre. The nursery continues on Saturday mornings at 10am, also outdoors, weather permitting.
GazetteSPORT all of your blanch sports coverage from page 28-31
dublin delight: Peregrine’s Lowndes a leading light in Leinster success at Under-21 level P31
april 9 -15, 2015
smith’s eastern promise: Republic of Ireland amateur boss’s Regions Cups bid P29
The St Mochta’s side that reached the final four of the FAI intermediate cup
Mochta’s league focus
Despite bowing out of the FAI intermediate cup, Saints boss Brian McCarthy is looking to fulfil the season’s target of league promotion nathan kelly
sport@dublingazette.com
THERE was little Good about last Friday for St Mochta’s after they were dumped out of the FAI intermediate cup just one stage away from the Aviva Stadium final. Tolka Rovers beat the Saints 2-0 in Frank Cooke Park in the semi-final of the blue ribbon competition, in what was probably a deserved result in an extremely close tie. The result means Mochta’s dreams of playing at the Aviva Stadium are over, or at least shelved for 12 months anyway. Speaking to GazetteSport in the days after the cup-exit, Saints manager Brian McCarthy was
asked if he was still sore following the defeat. “No, no I’ve moved on,” he laughed. “It’s disappointing obviously; to lose any semi-final is disappointing, we went there confident but someone has to lose. We did come up a bit short against them to be fair so we’ll just have to move on from that.” Despite the disappointment of Friday, Mochta’s still sit top of the second tier of the LSL, and have plenty to play for this season, which McCarthy spoke about: “I think, barring a collapse, we should get promoted. “We’re ready to kick on in the league now, we’ve moved on from Friday. We had a chat with the lads on Saturday and reminded them that our whole ambition at the start of the season
was to get promoted, and that cups are bonus. We’ve Greystones next Sunday in the Metro Cup so we’ve still got that to play for too.” One of probably many positives the Blanch outfit can take from their intermediate run is the number of top opponents they faced, which should stand to them next year when they should surely be in the top division. “I think that’s it exactly,” said the manager. “Even last year, we reached the quarter-final of the Intermediate Cup and this year we reached the semi-final so, lo and behold, next year we should make the final. “All joking aside though, it is familiarising the lads with the standard of football and of opposition we want to be part of week in week out.”
With all the publicity surrounding Mochta’s this season with massive fixtures coming almost regularly, the club has gained many admirers. The theory was put to McCarthy that his side, with LSL Senior Sunday football on the horizon, may be the new highly desired club for top players around the Blanchardstown area. “Absolutely,” he confirmed. “It happened for us this season with Paul McCullough who came from Corduff, and was on the AUL side, and Nathan Brown from Shamrock Rovers’ B team. Those lads came to me and wanted to play for the club. I think it is huge that we don’t necessarily have to knock on doors for players now, and there are actually people knocking on our door wanting to come in.”