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ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES...................... 8 DUBLIN LIFE.................. 13 OUT&ABOUT ..................17 CLASSIFIEDS ................26 SPORT ...........................28

KATHRYN THOMAS: Possibly the busiest woman in show business Page 16

Rats put woman’s health at risk  KEITH BELLEW

SHEEPMOOR Grove resident Lorraine Sherlock claims that her human rights are being violated by the ongoing rat problem in the area, which is threatening her health and diminishing her quality of life. She contacted Fingal County Council and HSE pest control officials placed poison in a number of spots around the estate. She said rats were killed but many

remain. She believes one of the rodents ingested the poison, then made its way into her house before dying somewhere behind her kitchen wall. A council spokesperson has said that although the house is councilowned, it is a matter for the pest control section of the HSE. At the time of going to print the HSE had not responded to a request for comment. Full Story on Page 4

Fangs a lot: Monstrous fun as Halloween outfits popping up LOLA Harrison from Clonsilla was looking suitably scary as she helped launch 12 new pop-up Halloween HQ shops across the country including six in Dublin. The branches are offering a

unique Halloween shopping experience as well as an online store with a hige amount of merchandise. See www.thehalloweenhq.com Picture: Jason Clarke Photography

2 BLANCH Gazette 29 October 2015

crisis 6,020 families on Blanch housing list

Up to 1,343 children were living in emergency accommodation in September 2015, up from 640 in September 2014

Young families ‘close to the edge’

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

Young families in Blanchardstown who are currently living in emergency accommodation are “close to the edge”, according to a local councillor. Sandra Kavanagh of the AAA says she has been working with an unbelievable number of young women living in emergency accommodation with children. She believes their circumstances are having a horrendous effect on their well-being. “I have one girl who is in a hotel which is above a nightclub, and the noise [is terrible]. Then I have another girl and she has been moved 20 times since June. To say that these girls are close to the edge doesn’t even describe how they are feeling, and it’s horrendous,” she said. At the last count 6,020 families were on the Blanchardstown housing list. This follows figures released by the Dublin Region Homeless Execu-

 keith bellew kbellew@dublingazette.com

tive (DRHE) which show that the number of children living in emergency accommodation in the Dublin region has more than doubled in the past year. There were 1,343 children living in emergency accommodation in September 2015, up from 640 in September 2014, which is an increase of over 100%. The total number of adults and children, who were homeless at the end of September 2015 is 3,673, up from 1,078 in September 2014. Tanaiste Joan Burton recently said that 100 social housing units planned for Scribblestown will benefit people on the Blanchardstown housing list as well as the greater Dublin area.

Scribblestown is just beside Dunsink on the Finglas side and these units will be under the auspices of Dublin City Council. Deputy Ruth Coppinger (AAA) questioned whether people from Dublin 15 will benefit from these units as they are controlled by Dublin City Council. “Any announcement of social housing is welcome in terms of Dublin west where we have a particular problem because we just don’t have any coming on stream apart from 22 [in Mulhuddart]. The difficulty is: will these actually benefit the 6,020 families on the housing list in Blanchardstown. If it’s Dublin City Council it’ll be their list I would have thought. I’m happy that anyone is being accommodated, but for the Tanaiste to announce it as if it was going to benefit our constituency is disingenuous,” she said. A spokesperson for

the Tanaiste responded saying: “It is almost as if Deputy Coppinger is actively looking to find a way to paint a positive announcement as bad news. Deputy Coppinger’s party’s brand of relentless negativity might get headlines, but it will not help build homes for people nor provide solutions for their problems. “T he Government in the recent Budget announced fast-track social housing units which will be constructed around the country, to include 100 new units in Scribblestown, as part of a significant wider package on housing.” The spokesperson said that while many people in need of social housing in Dublin 15 were on the Fingal County Council housing lists, some were on the Dublin City Council housing list, and some were on both, so “to paint this announcement as disingenuous is simply wrong,” they said.

29 October 2015 BLANCH Gazette 3

draiocht

dublin 15: recognition of thriving and safe night-time economy

Old friends reunite

Eyes firmly fixed on the Purple Flag  Keith Bellew

Plans to win a Purple Flag for Dublin 15 are at a very early stage but will be expanded in the coming months, according to Fingal’s chair of the economic development and enterprise committee Cllr Kieran Dennison (FG) The Purple Flag is awarded to town centres in recognition of a thriving and safe night-time economy and is the highest award of its kind in Europe. Dublin 15 is looking to follow in the footsteps of Swords which recently received the accolade. The bidding area would most likely be shared between Blanchardstown and Castleknock. In all

likelihood the Purple Flag zone would stretch from Blanchardstown shopping centre to Castleknock Village. This would encompass Draiocht theatre and arts centre, the Odeon cinema, Leisure Plex and the multitude of restaurants and pubs in the area Cllr Dennison says the flag is regarded internationally as a very prestigious award which helps to boost tourism as well as commerce in the area. “We’re going to look now to see where we can roll it out into other towns. We’re limited to the certain types of urban area and criteria that you have to fulfil. Not every place would have a theatre and those sort of

things, certainly we would be looking at Blanchardstown as one possibility, Castleknock is another possibility, or perhaps part of Blanchardstown and Castleknock,” he said. Fellow committee member Cllr Jack Chambers (FF) said a “big push” for a Purple Flag for the area would be very welcome, as it would do a lot for enterprise and jobs in the vicinity. “In addition to enterprise and shopping Blanchardstown also has a mix of arts and culture and drama. It has something for everyone. I’m sure all of the Dublin 15 councillors will work together to try and achieve this aim in the coming months and years,” he said.

Talk of the town: Local Toastmasters impress on topics at competition Angela Turtoczki, Mary McIntyre and Cepta Byrne are pictured at the recent Area 16 Toastmasters International Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contests in the Castleknock Hotel. Members of local group Phoenix-Tara Toastmasters took part in the event with plenty of support from the club. Deirdre Davis won the Humorous Speech Contest with a speech entitled The Mosquito, Mullato and me which had the audience laughing from start to finish and was a worthy winner. Deirdre was also second in the Table Topics Contest. Picture: Tony McIntyre

Coolmine Drama Circle’s latest production: Beyond the Brooklyn Sky, runs at Draiocht from November 3 to 7. Set in the west of Ireland and written by Kerry playwright Michael Hilliard Mulcahy the story centres around the reunion of a select number of friends 20 years after they emigrated to New York. Things haven’t worked out well for everyone. Throughout the play, the audience is drawn in to the very real and human drama of each character’s story. Organisers describe it as a play about failed dreams, unrequited love, jealousy and human frailty. For more information visit: www.draiocht.ie

4 BLANCH GAZETTE 29 October 2015

DON’SDUBLIN No debate about it – Parliament House is well worth a visit THE Irish Parliament House on College Green was the first bicameral (two chambers) building in the world. The foundation stone was laid by Thomas Wyndham, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, on February 3, 1729 and construction took almost 10 years. It was designed by renowned Irish architect Edward Lovett Pearce who sadly died in 1733, aged 34, and never lived to see his most famous work completed. The building, although its workings were often disliked, was appreciated for the elegance of its fine Palladian lines. It operated until 1800, when after a second vote in February the House of Commons voted for its own abolition, which came into effect on 1st Jan 1801. This subsequently led to an exodus of peers and wealthy merchants that had a major negative impact on the Irish economy. As a final gesture of defiance against the Act of Union, John Foster (of Foster Place fame), the last Speaker of the House of Commons, retained possession of the Mace. It is believed that he hid it under his bed at home on Molesworth Street, and nothing more was heard of it until 1937 when it was put up for auction by Christies, London. It was purchased by the Bank of Ireland (which had bought the Irish Parliament House for £40,000) and it is now in a glass case in the House of Lords. When the building was sold to the Bank of Ireland it was stipulated that both chambers (Commons and Lords) be dismantled, but the Lords is today almost unchanged. All the original fittings, including the beautifully engraved oak fireplace, are in use, and the Woolsack, which the Chancellor of Ireland sat on during debates, has now been restored. The magnificent 1,233 piece chandelier is original, and its counterpart from the Commons can be seen in the Examination Hall, across the road in Trinity College.

Don Cameron

www.donsdublin.wordpress.com

SHEEPMOOR Ongoing rat problem is ‘threatening health’

‘I noticed my kitchen was full of maggots’  KEITH BELLEW

SHEEPMOOR resident Lorraine Sherlock claims that her human rights are being violated by the ongoing rat problem in the area, which is threatening her health and diminishing her quality of life. T he resident, who l i ve s i n S h e e p m o o r Grove, a council estate said that there has been an ongoing problem with rats in the area for a number of months. She contacted the council and pest control officials from the HSE came out and placed poison in a number of spots around the estate. She said a number of rats were killed by the poison but many remain. She believes one of the rats ingested the poison and made its way into the house before dying somewhere behind her kitchen wall. “They’re eating the poison and dying, but they’re coming back. Now, it’s got to the stage where I can’t sleep in my bedroom, the smell is inhuman. Yesterday I noticed my kitchen was full of maggots and flies, and they’re coming out of the wall. There’s a big hole where they [rats] must’ve been getting in and one of them must be dead inside the wall,” she said. She went on to say

Sheepmoor resident Lorraine Sherlock: “[The rats are] eating the poison and dying, but they’re coming back. Now, it’s got to the stage where I can’t sleep in my bedroom, the smell is inhuman.”

that coping with the problem has been made all the more difficult due to her health. “I’m only finished my treatment for cancer, I’m only out of hospital after a heart attack. It’s getting to the stage now that it’s against my human rights. I was eating food and flies were falling down into my potatoes,” she said. She said every time she contacts Fingal County Council, she is

directed to the HSE and vice versa. A council spokesperson said that although the house is council-owned, the issue is actually a matter for the pest control section of the HSE. “Rat/vermin infestation is a public health issue and this should be reported to the pest control section of the HSE. When particular instances are brought to the attention of the council, arrangements

will be made to notify pest control,” said the spokesperson. Cllr Sandra Kavanagh (AAA) who is a Sheepmoor resident said the problem has been ongoing for a number of months and she believes the rat problem is a result of the unsanitary and heavily littered lanes around the estate. “My aim is to get the lanes cleaned out and get rid of them completely because I feel that the

food source is in the lane for the rats. “I was home early in the summer, and I would never have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes: there was a group of kids chasing a rat down the road in broad daylight,” she said. The council’s housing estate management section is currently examining the possibility of permanently closing off laneways in Sheepmoor Estate.

Plan for real time bus monitor for Clonsilla  KEITH BELLEW

Irish Parliament House on College Green: All the original fittings, including the beautifully engraved oak fireplace, are still in use today

THE National Transport Authority (NTA) has said that it plans to provide a real time bus monitor at the city-bound bus stop beside Clonsilla Train Station in its next phase of installations. The body also said it would consider installing another monitor in the village in future

phases. There are currently no city-bound real time bus monitors in the Clonsilla area. This comes following representations from Cllr Roderic O’Gorman (GP) who wrote to the NTA to request that real time monitors be installed at two key stops in the village– one at the bus stop beside Clonsilla Train Station and the

other at the stop in the middle of the village. “As the village is served by the 39 bus route, which is far less frequent than the 39a route, it is important that commuters waiting at bus stops are given good notice of the arrival of buses. I welcome these commitments from the NTA. Placing a real time monitor beside Clonsilla

Train Station will allow for better connectivity between bus and train routes in the area,” he said. A spokesperson from the NTA said these installation projects are subject to the availability of funding and pointed out that not every bus stop has these monitors, as real time information is available online.

29 October 2015 BLANCH Gazette 5

traffic ‘Situation has been caused by poor planning’

Parking situation a concern for residents  Keith Bellew

Barnwell-Hansfield residents have said that the parking situation with schools in the area is untenable, and it is only a matter of time before there is an accident. A number of residents recently attended an area committee meeting to make their concerns known to Fingal County Council. The residents maintain that the traffic situation has been caused by poor planning, as schools have been built within the estate without proper infrastructure being put in place

to facilitate drop off and pick up traffic at the schools. Currently there is just one two-lane entrance into the estate which is used by all parents dropping off and collecting students. There is an Educate Together primary school and secondary school operating in Hansfield. The secondary school is currently occupying a floor of the primary school while its permanent building (also in Hansfield) is completed. It is due to open in September 2016 with a capacity of 1,100 and is currently operating at only 20% capacity. Cllr David McGuin-

ness (Ind) said it is the only Educate Together second level school in the country, and students are travelling from all over Dublin to attend which creates more traffic. Along with the new school, 140 houses are to be built over the next 12 months, and more development will follow. There are plans to construct a road which will link up to Lucan and would enable better access and thus alleviate much of the problem, but this will not happen for many years. Chairman of Hansfield Residents’ Asso-

ciation John McConnell says the problem is going to worsen as the secondary school increases its numbers, and it is only a matter of time before there is an accident. “The deputation meeting was just to ask them [Fingal] to put an entrance to the secondary school outside the estate, on the road which is going to be built on [to provide] a link road to Lucan. Whether they will we don’t know, but that’s just a solution we came up with ourselves,” he said. He said it can take up to half an hour for residents to get out of the estate during the school

Around 140 houses are to be built over the next 12 months, and more development will follow

rush. He said pedestrian traffic is also very heavy, and considering the school is operating at only 20% capacity the problems they are having will increase fivefold as the school reach-

es capacity. Cllr Paul Donnelly (SF) intends submitting a motion to the council that no further development be allowed until this problem is dealt with. “I also fully support

the residents in their aim to have a feeder road at the back of the school to take the traffic away from the front of the school and returning out of the school onto the Ongar road at Barnwell,” he said.

6 BLANCH Gazette 29 October 2015

play: The Unlucky Cabin Boy

project Robot entry ‘intricate and ambitious’

Will to survive comes to life A new musical based on a uniquely horrifying occurrence in Irish maritime history comes to Draiocht, Blanchardstow n on Saturday, November 21. The Unlucky Cabin Boy is a new musical based on the tragic tale of young Patrick O’Brien of Limerick, whose seafaring adventures make Robinson Crusoe’s look like a pleasure cruise. Devised by Guna Nua Theatre Company in conjunction with playwright Mike Finn and The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, the play chronicles O’Brien’s desperate attempt to escape his life of pover ty by enlisting his services as a cabin boy on the Francis Spaight ship on a voyage to the New World.

Capsized H owe ve r, o n t h e ship’s return from St John, New Brunswick, the Francis Spaight encountered a terrible storm and capsized. With several crew members drowned, the remaining sailors were able to right the ship, but were left stranded in the vast ocean with few or no provisions. After two weeks of struggling to survive they decided on a grisly course; they would draw lots and the loser would be eaten. O’Brien lost and was killed and eaten by the crew. Two other crew m e m b e r s we r e a l s o eaten before the remaining sailors were rescued by a passing ship. For more information visit: www.draiocht.ie

St Vincent’s headmaster Oliver Murphy and Kieran Gallagher with Alexander Amini (centre) who was the overall winner in both the national and European competition in 2011

D15 students are getting scientific for competition  keith bellew

St Vincent’s, Castleknock College and Colaiste Pobail Setanta are the sole representatives from Dublin 15 in the 2016 instalment of the BT Young Scientist competition. The St Vincent’s entry is a project to construct an autonomous robot which can see, react, interact, plan and fly. Student Alec O’Brien will be looking to continue the college’s history of strong performance in the competition and follow in the footsteps of Alexander Amini who was the overall winner in both the national and European competition in 2011 with his tennis data sensor analysis project.

Other strong performers in recent years include Eoin Forde and Joe O’Boyle, who won third place in the Social and Behavioural Science category in 2014 with their project: The Placebo Effect and its potential use in sports, and Jake Killeen and Ben Healy who were commended in last year’s competition for their unique biodegradable golf tee made out of seaweed and went on to win an award in an enterprise competition. Speaking to The Gazette, teacher Kieran Gallagher said the project was an extremely intricate and ambitious one. “He [O’Brien] wants to design a robot from scratch that’s able to carry out simple little jobs,

with in depth sensors to see how far something is in front of you. It will be able to judge the distance with cameras and be able to judge what’s around it. He has to design it and build it from scratch so there’s a lot involved. There’s a lot of computer programming, so he’s trying to learn that at the same time,” he said. He went on to say that O’Brien already has the designs completed, but it will be quite a feat to finish it. “I’m trying to tell him to make it easy, but he wants to win the entire competition,” he said. Colaiste Pobail Setanta’s entry is a project which seeks to establish whether someone who has moved to a different

country is better able to adapt to changes than someone who has lived there all their lives. A number of schools elsewhere in Fingal have entered the 2016 instalment of the BT Young

Community College, St Finian’s Community College, Ardgillan Community College, and Skerries Community College. Among the many great projects is Sutton Park’s radar eluding, fuel effi-

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‘He [O’Brien] wants to design a robot from scratch that’s able to carry out simple little jobs, with in depth sensors to see how far something is in front of you’

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Scientist and Technology Exhibition which has seen a record number of entries. Entries from north County Dublin include: Sutton Park School, Malahide Community School, Balbriggan

cient, heavy stealth military spec aircraft, which is being designed by student Omar Salem. Meanwhile Balbriggan Community College students Sophie Thieson and Megan Carson are conducting research on

young children’s perceptions of body image based on stereotypical characters created by Walt Disney. Malahide Community School entrepreneurs Paul Sheridan and Daragh Meehan have entered a start-up company which uses a digital platform to allow people to bet against each other while playing video games. The exhibition will take place in the RDS, from January 6 to 9 with over 120 students, teachers and school awards to be won, including cash prizes, and international trips. For more information on the exhibition, visit www.btyoungscientist. com.

29 October 2015 BLANCH Gazette 7

1916 Council looking for relatives with letters, photos

The search is on for centenary ephemera  keith bellew

Fingal County Council is searching for relatives of the many Dublin 15 residents who took part in the Easter Rising, War of Independence and Civil War, in the hopes that they may have letters, photographs and stories to share. One such resident was Thomas Carty. In 1916, Carty, along with many other Irish Volunteers from Blanchardstown, Castleknock and the surrounding areas, were mobilised to take part in the Easter Rising in various parts of Dublin City. Carty fought with Con Colbert and the IV Battal-

ion at Jameson’s Distillery, Marrowbone Lane. There are many other names from the Blanchardstown, Castleknock and surrounding areas that are associated with the 1916-23 period of Irish History: J Conlon and M Cosgrove from Castleknock; the Dowling brothers from Manin Road; the Duffy brothers from River Road cottages; P English from Dunsink Cottages; M Fox from Knockmaroon; the McNultys from the Mill Blanchardstown; the Mooney brothers from Riverview Cottages and R. O’Driscoll from Ashdown. The council is appeal-

ing to relatives of these men to come down to a memorabilia day being held on November 7 at the Atrium, Council Offices, Blanchardstown, from 12pm to 4pm and to bring any artefacts or information they have. Visual history

As part of its 2016 Centenary Programme, Fingal County Council wants to record this material by creating a digital image of it in order to build a visual history of the role of the ordinary men and women of Fingal in the fight for Irish freedom. Meanwhile a number of local groups have received funding for cen-

tenary events in 2016. Blanchardstown/Castleknock Historical Society will receive €1,000 for a memorabilia exhibition and three days of talks, Corduff Women’s Group will also receive €1,000 for a project to recreate women’s clothing from 1916 and Huntstown Community Centre will receive €1,000 for a three day event of exhibitions, music, poetry, drama, talks, arts and crafts. Chief executive of Fingal County Council Paul Reid said the Fingal Centenary programme “is diverse, rich, and underpinned by collaboration with councillors, relatives of those involved in 1916,

Thomas Carty fought alongside volunteers from Blanchardstown, Castleknock and the surrounding areas

members of the Old IRA Commemorative Society, historical societies, community groups and artists’’. N u m e r o u s e ve n t s have already taken place, including a talk entitled: The Road to 1916 in Fingal Dublin 15 at Blanchardstown Library ear-

lier this month. One very interesting local event planned for February 17 at Blanchardstown Library, is a workshop on how to effectively trace your family routes through online and offline mediums. The workshop will be presented by renowned genealo-

gist John Grenham. A six-week lecture series on the art and culture of 1916, will take place throughout February and March at Draiocht Blanchardstown For further information on the centenary programme, visit: www. fingal.ie/events/

8 BLANCH Gazette 29 October 2015

gazetteGALLERIES

Bumola Fajnmi and Abigail Odekeye Ify Monoh, Atinuke Afolabi, Sandra Ajuonoma, Adefuulce Fajinmi and Roundy Seyisi. i-Smile International marked the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty recently at Mulhuddart Community Centre. The aim of the event was to create awareness of the nature, causes, extent and multidimensional facets of poverty. Pictures: Stephen Fleming

Mulhuddart: highlighting global issues

Playing their part in fight against poverty

i-Smile founder Adaku Ezeudo making her speech

Angela Onuko and Knem Dike

Oyin Fajinmi, Onyinmi Anny-Nzekwue and Nicole Ezudo

29 October 2015 BLANCH GAZETTE 9

Kunle Animashaun of Camino Productions

i-Smile created awareness about Poverty through drama, music and a fashion show

10 BLANCH Gazette 29 October 2015

boo! |

what’s happening this spooktacular halloween

Pumpkins, parties

Your frightful Gazette has risen from the crypt to let readers know where to find the grisliest, most spine-tingling fun in the capital. Yes, it’s time for all bad ghouls and boys to get up, get dressed and go haunting and hunting. The City Dublinia

Creepy Cures and Ridiculous Remedies at Dublinia runs up to Halloween night with Thomas O’Brien the bloody Barber Surgeon meeting Biddy Deasy who specialises in “alternative” methods of healing. Listen to their stories (and arguments) about life, death and disease in Medieval Dublin. See: www.dublinia.ie.

ments of the unique spine chilling story of the count and his victims. For more information visit: www.familyfun.ie/ bram-stoker-dracula-experience.

Fingal County Council

Outside the city, in Fingal kids can avail of a series of controlled, safe and spooky events during the Halloween season, courtesy of Fingal County Council.

Wax Museum Craft Days The chambers of horror at the Wax Museum will be brought to life throughout the Halloween season right up to November 2, with real live characters telling ghost stories in the time vaults of Irish myths and legends. Real live characters will tell stories of Count Dracula and Frankenstein’s monster while the count lies sleeping in his coffin and the monster comes alive before your very eyes. See: www.waxmuseumplus.ie.

Fingal Libraries is hosting a number of Halloween craft days across the branches from October 19 to 31 to prepare all of the vampires, witches and ghouls for trick – or treating.

Castle Dracula

Festival of Fire

What Dublin Samhain season would be complete without a tour of the Castle Dracula museum in Bram Stoker’s home town of Clontarf? The tour offers an interactive experience, taking you on a heart-pounding journey through Castle Dracula with terrifying re-enact-

Oktoberfest

Meanwhile in Swords, Oktoberfest Fingal kicks off in Swords Castle, on Friday, October 30, with live music and fun from 5pm to 10:30pm (Friday), 7:30pm to 10:30pm (Saturday) and 4pm to 10pm (Sunday).

Halloween night will see the Fingal Festival of Fire, in Swords Town Park. This free children’s event, begins at 6pm and promises to be lots of spooky fun, with fancy dress and haunted tunnels, finishing up with a fireworks display, at 7pm. See www.fingal.ie

Fancy Dress Disco

Over in Blanchardstown, Tyrrelstown Community Centre is hosting a Halloween Fancy Dress Disco on October, 29 from 3pm, and Blanchardstown shopping centre is hosting a number of free family friendly events. The fun begins on Thursday, October 29 with magic shows at 12pm and 2pm, followed by a reptile zoo on Friday, October 30 from 12pm to 4pm. The spooky season ends with a bang on Saturday, October 31, with a Fancy Dress Party, with vouchers for Smyth’s Toys Superstore for the best costume. See: www.blanchardstowncentre.ie

South County Dublin Puppet show

South Dublin County Council Libraries also has a wonderful line-up of spooky Halloween themed activities on offer for children of all ages, from arts and crafts to a very special Halloween puppet show.

Animation Workshop

On October 27 from 10am to 1pm, a Halloween-themed children’s animation workshop will take place with Paper Panthers in Ballyroan

The Hansel and Gretel Halloween fancy dress party at Lambert’s Puppet Theatre in Monkstown

Library. In this pixilation workshop kids can learn how to animate real objects and people to create a short film. Also in Ballyroan library a spooky Halloween puppet show will take place on October 28 at 3pm.

Maskmaking class

In Castletymon Library, a Halloween maskmaking class with Elena Takes will be held on

October 28 at 3pm for children aged from seven to 12.

Family Fun Day

A Halloween Family Fun Day in Tallaght Library is certain to be a smash, where children can create spooky masks, build creepy Lego houses, paint frightening scenes and dress up. This event will take place on Saturday, October 31, at 2pm and is

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown

party on October 31 at 2pm. Tickets are €11 for children/student/OAP and adults €13. For more information, log onto www.lambertpuppettheatre.ie

Fancy Dress Party

The Goonies Screening

suitable for children aged three to five.

In Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Lambert’s Puppet Theatre in Monkstown will be holding a Hansel and Gretel Halloween fancy dress

There is exciting news for fans of the cult movie The Goonies as the Pavilion Theatre in Dun Laoghaire will be screening the movie on Friday,

29 October 2015 BLANCH Gazette 11

and pranks The Tayto Park After Dark experience

Chambers of horror at the Wax Museum

Creepy Cures and Ridiculous Remedies at Dublinia

October 30, at 2pm. Take the kids along to re-live the scary and exciting adventures of Mickey, Chunk, Mouth and Data as they tackle pirates and monsters to find buried treasure. Tickets are €5 or €18 for a family. To book, log onto w w w.paviliontheatre.ie

Dundrum Town Centre will host a range of fun events for the family on Halloween weekend including a Coca-Cola Photobooth, ghoulish facepainters, games and lots of prizes. The event will take place on Saturday, October 31, between 12 and 3pm in Frangos on Level 3.

Fun at Frangos

Airfield Estate

Frangos restaurant in

Airfield Estate will show

Tayto Park: experience Europe’s biggest wooden roller coaster after dark

kids how to script, design and produce their own book full of creepy characters and horrid happenings. Liz Smith will be showing the kids how to produce their scary book on Friday, October 30, from 10am to 11am for kids aged five to seven, and from 2pm to 3.30pm for kids aged eight to 11 years. Tickets cost €12 and €10 for members.

Tayto Park

scariest sights around this Halloween.

House of Horrors

After Dark

In Ashbourne, Tayto Park House of Horrors is back again this Halloween and will continue until November 1. The Lodge at Tayto Park has been transformed into a terrifying and spine-chilling experience guaranteed to be one of the craziest and

The Tayto Park After Dark experience is also one The Gazette definitely recommends. Taking place until October 30 from 6pm until 9pm, you will get the rare opportunity to ride The Cu Chulainn Coaster at night. Having previously experienced Europe’s

biggest wooden roller coaster during the day our intrepid reporter found that riding it at night gave it much more of a thrilling and scarier experience. Reaching the dizzying heights of 32.05m with a stomach- churning drop zone of 31m and reaching speeds of up to 100km per hour, and all in the dead of night, the ride will certainly make you doubt-

ful that you will live to see another day. Tay t o P a r k A f t e r Dark is priced at €18 per person and will also include entry into the parks terrifying House of Horrors. An array of Halloween family fun activities will also take place until November 1, including face-painting, arts and crafts and live shows. For more information, visit www.taytopark.ie.

12 Gazette 29 October 2015

gazetteGALLERY

Audrey Lawler and Diane Molohan

Jonnie McCoy, Jeff Ryan and Tom Gaskin. Pictures: Brian Mcevoy

Diane Molohan and Shauna Kearns

Ailish Cantwell and Pierce Rowsome

Eddie McParland and

Shauna Kearns and Nicky

Fonsie Mealy

Wallace

Designer Deborah Veale

A landmark garden for landmark designer

rish Landmark recently held its Irish Landmarkers annual drinks party in the Merrion Mews coach house. A mix of guests from the fashion, design and architectural worlds came together to help unveil the proposed garden memorial in hon-

our of Sybil Connolly. Guests were welcomed by chief executive of Irish Landmark Mary Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien and trustee Dr Edward McParland who briefly outlined the memorial garden plans and spoke about his friend Sybil Connolly, who lived on Merrion Square for so

many years. Merrion Mews, considered by many as a hidden gem in the centre of Dublin, was extensively restored by Irish Landmark in 2007 and is now one of the rare and significant 18th century Dublin town house survivors. Avril Jenkinsen and Colm Matthews

Cramel Breheney and Emma Coppola

Victoria Browne, Val Dillon and Jennifer Weir

Alison Canavan and Nicky

Diane Molohan and

Nicki Matthews and

Wallace

Shauna Kearns

Caroline Crowley

29 October 2015 Gazette 13

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14 Gazette 29 October 2015

dublinlife

diary

Casablanca duo reach make your mind up time Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been acting a bit like Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa character from vintage blockbuster Casablanca who can’t decide between Humphrey Bogart and Paul Heinreid. A number of months ago Gerry Adams (Paul

Heinreid) and Micheal (Ilsa) stormed out of the Dail in protest over the failure to hold a debate on the establishment of a Commission of Investigation into allegations of malpractice by some gardai in the Border area.They marched out side by side looking like

the perfect couple. However, Micheal seems to be gravitating back towards his old flame Enda (Humphrey Bogart) lately, with the two launching an attack on the credibility of Sinn Fein’s claims about the IRA being gone. The Sinn Fein

response was inconsistent. Padraig Mac Lochlainn told Micheal he was a “political gurrier”. Gerry and MaryLou grinned away while Jonathan O’Brien said Enda and Micheal were “two peas in a pod”. “Two Mother Teresas” Mac Lochlainn chimed in, while the gun-toting Independent Michael Healy-Rae contributed the bizarre remark “two knees in a pants”. Without a doubt Enda would love to do what his character does in Casablanca, and send Gerry and Micheal off in a plane straight out of the Dail.

storytelling power of the net Digital Media and Tech professionals from around the world are expected to descend on Dublin for Dublin Web Fest, at Filmbase, Temple Bar from November 20 to 22. Web Series Festivals or Web Fests are festivals dedicated to online series known as “web series”. The first Web Fest was launched in Los Angeles in 2010 and since then, more than 30 festivals have emerged throughout the world. This will be Ireland’s first such event. Co-founder Mikael T hier y says the festival is “dedicated to creativity, imagination, connection and most importantly, meeting and sharing”. Fellow founder Erol

Erol Mustafov and Mikael Thiery , founders of Dublin Web Fest

Mustafov says they want to be the starting point for Ireland’s future as a web series and digital content hub. They have partnered with other international web festivals to host presentations, discussions, panels and more. Submissions for the festival are now being sought for the different categories: Comedy, drama/thriller/mystery, music video, documentary /reality, animation, LGBT, and sci-fi. For more information visit: www.dublinwebfest. com.

Readathon to help people with MS Young readers in Dublin city are reading as much as they can this month in the MS Readathon to help people with multiple sclerosis in their local community Irish authors Cecelia Ahern, Sarah Webb, Alan Early, Judi Curtin, Claudia Carroll, Sheila

O’Flanagan, Pauline McLynn and more are helping to endorse this annual event, now in its 25th year. Grown-ups are also encouraged to join young MS Readathon’ers and swap a book at work to support people with multiple sclerosis MS Ireland ambassador Rick O’Shea is asking reading enthusiasts to get involved in MS Book Swap until November 9 to coincide with the MS Readathon reading month. Visit www.msreadathon.ie for more information, and to sign up for the 2015 MS Book Swap.

Spare an hour to change your life A Dublin-based nonprofit organisation has launched a campaign to urge people to use the extra hour before the time goes back, to spend their time with an older person. Making Connections

has initiated the Give an Hour Gain an Hour campaign to inspire people to connect the generations and help to tackle stereotyping, isolation and loneliness. “The campaign was inspired by feedback from our intergenerational befriending service,” said chief executive Mary O’Donohue. “A volunteer once said about the lady she visits that she’d totally changed her view of what an older person is… her mind is so youthful, and she’s so current. “This is why with Give an Hour Gain an Hour we believe just an hour can inspire real social change,” she said. To get involved and share your Give an Hour Gain an Hour story see http://makingconnections.ie/give-an-hour. html for details. Participants are also encouraged to share a story and photo on Facebook.

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16 Gazette 29 October 2015

dublinlife

the big interview

juggling act: managing a hectic life

A passion for getting people in Ireland fit  Aisling Kennedy

Kathryn Thomas is quite possibly the busiest woman in show businesses at the moment as she juggles her new business Pure Result Bootcamp, her TV career presenting both Operation Transformation and The Voice of Ireland, and her radio career. In between her hectic schedule she also recently supported her restaurateur boyfriend Padraig McLaughlin as he launched his new restaurant Catch 22 on South Anne Street in Dublin with his business partner Paul Dooley. Thomas took time out this week to chat to the Gazette about how she juggles her many different roles, her passion for keeping fit, and her hopes for the future. “It’s been a very busy few months for me

Kathryn with boyfriend Padraig McLaughlin

because I launched my own business this summer and I’ve been travelling up and down to Kerry where the bootcamp was based. “The business provides week-long fitness camps where people check in for a week, take on a calorie controlled diet, and stick to a rigorous exercise plan. Then we send them on their way a week later feeling lighter, healthier and fitter so that was a huge milestone for me this year because it was the first time I actually went out on my own to start a business.” As Thomas speaks, it is

clear that she puts huge emphasis on health and well-being and is passionate about getting people in Ireland fit. “I think for a lot of women it’s a confidence thing, that when they get out of the routine of exercising is can sometimes feel quite daunting to get back into it. Women are particularly vulnerable and do not put themselves first a lot of the time because we always have so much to do whether we’re working or minding kids. “I am still really surprised at how much we put ourselves in second place. But our bodies are capable of doing so much more than we give them credit for and literally it is about mind over matter in so many instances.” Thomas explains that she struggles to maintain her fitness herself at times, especially as she is now

Kathryn Thomas : “It’s just been the year of insane plans, expansion and business set ups for us. It’s been really busy but we always make sure to catch up one night a week. Picture: Barry McCall.

dating Padraig McLaughlin. “When I met Padraig, it was a case of spending less time in the gym and more time going out for nice dinners and wine. “I kind of took my foot off the gas on my own health for a while.” Now that she and Padraig have been together for two-and-a-half years, however, she maintains a healthy balance of enjoying good food and wine and working off any indulgences at the gym. “Padraig is great, he was in Hugo’s restaurant before he opened Catch 22 this year so he’s always been around food in the restaurant trade. “We both love going out for meals, me probably more so than him,

because he’s been around it so much. But I love it, I love going out for meals with my friends. I think good food and good company is probably one of the most enjoyable things in life.” With Thomas’s hectic schedule travelling up and down to Kerry for her new business and McLaughlin’s working late hours as he launches his new restaurant, with a second one in the pipeline next month, the couple ensure that they set aside time together each week. “It’s been tough the last couple of months because I moved down to Kerry so I literally moved out of the house and was gone for two-and-a-half months. “I took the dogs and everything and he was

setting up the new business. “So it’s just been the year of insane plans, expansion and business set ups for us. It’s been really busy but we always make sure to catch up one night a week. Catching up could literally be just on the couch in tracksuits with the two dogs or it could be going out for a walk with the two dogs. “It generally involves the two dogs because they’re a big part of our life. We also try to get away. We like to go to a hotel or go down the country to my mam’s house in Kerry so we definitely always make time for each other. We’ve both been really supportive and understanding of

each other.” In terms of the future for the couple Kathryn says that things are very hectic right now but she is looking forward to planning a family someday. “I’d like to think that is on the cards in the future but as my mother keeps saying ‘Well what sort of a future, is it not the future now? You keep putting everything on the long finger!’ It’s just the way this year has worked out work-wise for us. Setting up businesses had to take precedence for both of us this year but we’ve both been supportive of each other so who knows down the line what’s going to happen.” Check out Pure Results Bootcamp at www.pureresultsbootcamp.com

29 October 2015 Gazette 17

asdfsdaf P27 health P24

cinema P22

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



Gazette

trick or treat P18

back to its roots: range of cultural events to celebrate creativity

Raising the bar in Temple Bar  Keith Bellew

The Temple Bar Company will bring the quarter back to its roots as a prime cultural centre, with a weekend of arts and culture with a political twist. The Temple Bar Arts a n d P o l i t i c s We e kend takes place from November 19 to 22 with a range of free events to celebrate the area’s incredible cultural organisations and the indigenous creativity that stems from these unique cobbled streets in Dublin city centre.

Along with these artistic events there will be a number of talks, debates and seminars on Irish politics, and a number of events which combine both aspects. This unique pairing of themes gives Dubliners the opportunity to explore the unique buildings, and venues that make Temple Bar so charming, and Ireland’s turbulent political landscape at the same time. Speaking to The Gazette, organiser Martin Harte of the Temple Bar Company said the aim of the fes-

tival is to promote the local arts organisations within the area. “The aim of this is to work with the existing organisations in the area and return Temple bar to its roots as a cultural quarter and show people that there’s a lot of culture there that they might not be aware of,” he said. He said the political aspect of the festival is something that the company has been looking to develop for quite some time. “We work in the city centre and politics is

The Temple Bar Arts and Politics Weekend takes place from November 19 to 22 with a range of free events . Picture: Brian Morrison

visible everywhere we walk, whether it’s an issue with planning or tourism, politics is all around us. We found as an organisation that

there’s sort of a gap between politics and the [average person] in the city centre and we wanted to address that,” he said. He believes one of

the biggest draws of the festival will be the symposium, The Dark Arts: photography and politics. This event explores the late Charles Haughey, controversial former Ta o i s e a c h , a n d t h e advent of the political photo-op in Ireland. T his photographic exhibition takes place at the Gallery of Photography on Thursday, November 19 at 2pm. The exhibition will f e a t u r e a ke y n o t e address by Professor Kevin Rafter on Charles Haughey: power, politics and public image,

along with two panel discussions. The first of these will be Politics in the Age of the Photo Opportunity: the Role of Photo Reportage and Photojournalism in the World of Spin, followed by Twenty-five Years of Temple Bar – Haughey’s Grand Project. “They’re [the photo’s] quite interesting, you’re looking back into a different era. I think that’s probably going to be one of the highlights.” For more information visit: www.viewtemplebar.com

OUT&ABOUT  Heaton’s

light up red reaper €12

H suit eaton’s allin-o kid’s b ne € at 13

 M&

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GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 29 October 2015

 Aldi

children’s Halloween boppers €1.99

 Aldi

children’s Halloween spectacles €1.99

 M&S

vampire Halloween costume three to 12 years €19-€24

 Aldi

Halloween doorbell €6.99

29 October 2015 GAZETTE 19

GOING  MIMI MURRAY

The first Aeropostale store in western Europe has opened in Dublin’s Liffey Valley

Aeropostale arrives!

Shopping Centre

THE Iconic New York brand Aeropostale officially opened its first store in western Europe in Dublin’s Liffey Valley Shopping Centre recently. The 4,000 square foot flagship store stocks the complete ranges for young girls and guys clothing under the Aero, Aero City and Live Love Dream leisure collections. Roz Purcell, who was the special guest, was joined by young emerging band Taken who performed on the night. Other guests included Eurovision entry Molly Sterling, singer and actor Jess Heffernan, model Jo Archbold, Brian Ormond and Leinster

rugby player Jack Conan. Aero’s new Fall 2015 collection embodies classic basics with pops of fashion to create an effortless look. The brand also introduces Aero City, a new collection that targets the fashion forward girl and guy who enjoy a free spirited, boho chic vibe in their wardrobe. Live Love Dream is Aeropostale’s active wear range. It offers the latest in girls’ active wear, printed leggings, yoga, loungewear, intimates and accessories. The range has a selection of shorts, leggings, T-shirts and jackets ranging in sizes xx-small to xx-large.

GAZETTE

STYLE

Goth WITH ARMANI

GETTING your make up done by a professional make up artist is a bit of a luxury and is usually reserved for those special occasions, like a debs, a wedding or a special night out. Zoe Williams is a senior make-up artist with Giorgio Armani, who was in Dublin recently making up the faces of the few lucky people who had booked a slot with her in Brown Thomas. I was one of those lucky few and Williams was a joy to spend an hour with. Originally from Dun Laoghaire, she has lived in Manchester for the last 15 years, working for Armani and doing what she does best - applying make-up. She has worked on some of the big fashion shows including London Fashion Week and name drops Lily Cole as one of the famous faces she has applied rouge to. After giving my face the once over she chose a few key looks for autumn/winter 15 and got to work. She went outside my comfort zone in a few areas, especially when it came to eyes and lips. The end result was a nice change, using burnt oranges and deep purples. Very Goth! She started off with some light master primer before moving on to Luminous silk and Maestro foundation mixed. Maestro Fusion Blush in number 90 was then applied and this is a winner product, a bronzer in liquid that does the exact same job as a

powder, only better. Williams recommended one of Armani’s best selling products for me, the Eye and Brown Maestro which can be used almost anywhere on the face. It can even be applied to the odd grey hair and stays in place until you shampoo again! This gave me a dramatic brow, one of the biggest game changes in make up terms in recent years. For the eye socket she went for a relatively new product, Eyes to Kill Intense in 13 and 15 which created a dramatic effect. A touch of lip blush and mascara and I was ready to go. All products used by Williams are stocked in BT’s.

Zoe Williams, a senior make-up artist with Giorgio Armani, went dramatic and a bit Goth with the eyes

Gazette

20 Gazette 29 October 2015

OUT&ABOUT

TRAVEL

Galway: ‘a must-see for lovers of Irish scenery’

Happy as a clam in a bath of seaweed soup!

 Ian Begley

A visit to Delphi Adventure Resort and Spa, which is in one of the most western parts of Ireland, is a must for lovers of Irish scenery. Near Leenane, County Galway, the resort is set in the breathtaking Delphi valley along the Wild Atlantic Way, and spans more than 300 acres. On arrival, my guest and I were astounded by the beautiful backdrop provided by the landscape. The jagged mountains seemed to

fold in on themselves and the winding roads and gentle lakes made our destination seem serene and untouched by the 21st century. The resort was spacious and the decor warm. Large windows around the building offered glorious views of our surroundings. Our accommodation, of a separate living area and bedroom, was very homelike. We missed the television and phone reception, but given the nature of the resort it would be

unfair to judge them too harshly on that! Up early next morning, we took part in one of the many adventure activities that make Delphi famous: The Go Zip’N’Trek. This adrenaline pumping activity saw us zip-lining, wall climbing and traversing tightropes 40-feet in the air. My adrenaline-junkie side kicked in and I met each obstacle with daring stupidity, completing it several times in a merciless competition against the clock and my guest. After wards we

explored the local area on bicycles with a wellinformed guide. This gave us a chance to really take in the sights and sounds of the Wild Atlantic Way. Later our party met up for pre-dinner drinks in the resort’s Library Bar before moving on to The Chef’s Table restaurant, where we were treated to a delectable five-course tasting menu with carefully selected wine pairings to complement each course. We had a salad of Killarney lobster and Porcu-

Large windows around the building offered glorious views of our surroundings

pine prawn to start, followed by a delicious fillet of wild salmon. Then a beautiful cut of Angus fillet of beef was presented with a very tender French duck foie gras. This was followed by a baked goat’s cheese cake and water melon desser t

with a glass of rose. The next morning, after a breakfast of pancakes and French toast, it was time for my seaweed bath treatment in the Delphi Spa. I was stiff and sore from the activities of the previous day so a relaxing bath was just what was

needed. The experience made me feel like an ingredient in a big pot of seaweed soup, but afterwards I felt very rejuvenated and relaxed! See www.delphiadventureresort.com for yearround accommodation, activities and treatments.

29 October 2015 Gazette 21

Gazette

FOOD&DRINK

The Picky Eater has no dilemma with Catch 22 ISN’T it odd that when thinking about Dublin gastronomy the mind doesn’t peruse what should be a lengthy list of great fish restaurants? A travesty in the coastal capital of an island up to its wellies in seafood… no? Fishy hotspots have long been the preserve of more rural seaside destinations like Kinsale, Dungarvan or Dingle. The tiger years may have brought an influx of fancy fusion options to rival the London or New York food scenes but many closed in a case of style over substance and whopper prices. It seems, however, that in our pared-back recovery something fishy is going on and not in a bad way! Yes, fish is making a welcome comeback to our seaside city. Recent openings like Klaw, Lobster Pot and the brilliant Fish Shop sending the right kind of fishy aromas over the Liffey and now the smart and inviting façade of Catch 22 on handsome South Anne St is marching a pescatorial parade through the streets of Dublin town. Molly Malone would be delighted. We were off to a gig at 8pm so it’s an early bite at 6pm in Catch 22 and the place is already packed. The menu reads breezily of all the usual suspects prepared simply using the freshest of fish

The crab claws were amazing - soft meaty claws with fresh-of-the-beach freshness! Picture: The Picky Eater

and includes muscle pots, calamari, beer battered cod and chips, crab claws, fish cakes and scampi. All starters are under a tenner and mains under €20, the easy-on-thepocket prices reflected in the casual mix of locals, tourists, hipsters and couples. The menu is quite interchangeable, which I always like, and you could easily have two starters and not feel like you’re missing out on a main course. The mussel pot can be ordered as a main with a side of sweet potato fries or mushy peas. I’m thinking of the night ahead and want to eat light so opt for crab claws and a pan fried fillet of plaice with shrimp butter. The mate goes for the mussel pot and the tempura scampi. An enamel mug of whitebait fried in a light polenta crumb arrives moments later, which we

didn’t order but it seems everyone was getting; a nice touch. Starters were out soon after and the mussels were soft, plump morsels steamed just right in a creamy broth of zesty lemon and garlic. I would have added a touch more garlic; though mopped up with the generous hunk of crusty bread it was more than adequate. The crab claws were, in a word, amazing. Ten or so soft meaty claws of straight-off-the-beach freshness in a subtle chilli and garlic butter; the standout of the meal. After a clatter of empty enamel clearing, out came the mains. The service is prompt and efficient with what seems like a swift turnaround, though we didn’t feel rushed for a second. My plaice was just as I’d expected for a lighter option, two fillets of delicate flaky and pearly

white meat topped with slightly sweet shrimp butter and salty samphire. Probably not the most exciting dish on the menu but the flavour was all there and executed well. The mate was half way through the tempura scampi by the time I looked up and I managed to grab one in the nick of time. They were a close second to the crab claws with light as a feather batter as crisp as a box of Pringles and with not a hint of soggy doughiness underneath. I gave in at this stage and had one of her chips; OK 16 of her chips and they were as good as I’ve had. We opted out of dessert and the bill with three glasses of the exquisitely fish accompanying Picpoul de Pinet wine at a competitive €7 a glass came to a sustainably sourced €71. So what’s the catch? Sorry, I hate myself for that but I had to. Well, there isn’t one. Simple and unfussy cooking and fresh-asa-January-morning fish make Catch 22 a perfect option for a casual fish supper and you can’t say fairer than that.

Shane Rigney is a food blogger You can check him out at riggersrecipes.com

The smart and iviting facade of Catch 22, the latest addition to the growing number of fish restaurants in Dulbin, on South Anne Street

Gazette

22 Gazette 29 October 2015

OUT&ABOUT

CINEMA

James Morrison: Higher Than Here starts off promisingly enough but goes downhill

A big sound that amounts to very little  colm murray

aving spent the last H four years away from the limelight, and following the release of his new single, Demons, James Morrison makes a welcome return with his fourth studio album Higher Than Here, out on October 30 through Island Records. The songs on the new album create a subtle balance between revealing the pain and difficulties that Morrison has experienced in his recent personal life, and the soundtrack to those lazy Sunday mornings that, will make you dance, smile and reflect.

When Morrison broke onto the scene as a soulful singer-songwriter in 2006, even he couldn’t have predicted that he would become the template that allowed a wave of likeminded musicians to enter the field. He was also famously told by veteran soul producer Jerry Wexler that his raspy, gravelly voice, the product of a childhood illness, had its “own thumbprint” and was so distinctive that “once heard, never forgotten”. Now, almost a decade on, Ed Sheeran, George Ezra and James Bay are all ruling the charts following the same format; one guy with just a guitar

and an incredible voice. Despite his self-deprecation and humble nature, he was the first to take that format and not only make it work but also became an overnight success story. Pop gems like You Give Me Something from his first record Undiscovered, made him anything but. And he won the 2007 Brit Award for Best Male when he was still just 21 years old. The album starts off promisingly enough. Demons – an anthem to positive thinking – breezes in with a funky hip hop, autotune now such a stable of 21st cen-

tury “chart music”. The main vocals soon take over with a melody that exudes a credible sense of emotion. So far, so good. Unfor tunately, it’s largely downhill from here. Over the next 14 tracks, faux-gospel verses alternate with overblown choruses to create a big sound that amounts to very little. Even when Morrison sings of real heartache – as on Too Late for Lullabies – he sounds about as deep-down untroubled as peers such as James Blunt or Tom Odell. A cutting edge from the likes of Paolo Nutini is what you are hoping he

may have come back with on this outing but alas it’s not to be. 2008’s Songs for You, Truths for Me brought with it a string of Top Ten singles, including the phenomenally catchy Broken Strings with Nelly Furtado. His last album, 2011’s Awakening shot straight to Number 1, selling over one million copies worldwide. However, Morrison offers an uncool brand of easy-listening soul-pop but what he lacks in grit he has previously made up for in rousing songs that have brought him a loyal fan base of easylisteners.

James Morrison’s fourth studio album is a bit of a mixed bag

29 October 2015 Gazette 23

Gazette

cinema

All hail the Queen of Ireland  Barbara Clinton

Such is the phenomenon that is Ms Panti Bliss that The Queen of Ireland opened simultaneously in 18 cinemas across Ireland last week. When the final curtain fell on the movie, audiences stayed in their seats to enjoy the live Q&A with Her Majesty beamed from the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield to all 18 cinemas. Panti Bliss aka Rory O’Neill needed nothing more than a life well lived to ensure a movie of high drama and great honesty. From the camp little boy

James Bond AKA Agent 007 is back, one last time ... Daniel Craig has successfully reinvented the iconic spy during his stint at the MI6 spy

spectre: james bond still shooting for the top

Giving up the ghost?  dave phillips

“The dead are alive” – so proclaims the stark title card that opens Spectre before we plunge into an absolutely riveting precredits sequence set amid the throng of the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations. As the camera follows the male and female grinning-skull protagonists through the colourful and macabre masquerade, we are treated to simmering sensuality, building-crumbling explosions, and highspeed vehicular carnage – in short, all the elements that makes up a classic James Bond film. In 10 action-packed minutes, director Sam Mendes shows that 53 years and 24 films on, there seems to be life left in James Bond. Yet as bold a statement as the opening one is, it pales in comparison to Daniel Craig’s blundering assertion last week that

he would rather “slash his own wrists” than think about reprising the role of 007. The eight-month shoot and the subsequent promotional obligations seemed to take its toll on Craig as he made clear that he feels as if he has reached a natural conclusion with Spectre, and any further Bond films he may appear in will solely be for financial reward. And while the Bond franchise under Craig’s watch has generated outstanding revenue, it seems that at some point between Skyfall and Spectre, things have shifted. This latest film sees Bond following leads to uncover a shady organisation known as SPECTRE. Meanwhile at MI6, new boss Denbigh (played by Dubliner Andrew Scott) is threatening to shut down the undercover programme, insisting that a global mass-surveillance system complete with

drone strikes will provide a more effective form of security than vodkasoaked secret agents milling around the world in expensive sports cars. In the hunt to find out more about Spectre there are plenty of distracting avenues for the plot to wander down over the two-and-half hour runtime. But while the story stays busy, there is no denying that once we get into the meat of the film, something essential is lacking. While Craig remains a powerful physical force on screen, there is certainly less of him as an actor on it. Following on from Skyfall, which managed a great balance of emotional engagement and action, Spectre falls back into that familiar groove of filmmaking that values brawn over brains. Craig’s first Bond film paved the way for a new kind of 007, and while Casino Royale ushered

in a more modern kind of action, Spectre feels less pioneering and more reflective – spending its time referencing earlier films rather than creating something new and memorable. On his quest for answers Bond is a like a weapon: brief, blunt, and impersonal. While there are things to be excited about – as usual we have some stunning outdoor locations, there are some fun action sequences dotted throughout, and the supporting cast is powerful – but the ceaseless barrage of nods, winks, and doffs of the cap to former Bond films dulls the action. While the opening 10 minutes will astound you, the best that the remainder of Spectre can offer you is mild entertainment. Perhaps it is time to give up the ghost. Spectre (Cert 12A, 150 mins)

Verdict: 5/10

turning summersaults in Ballinrobe to the risque young man putting it about in the drag shows of Japan and now to accidental national hero thanks to Pantigate, the movie tells the story of someone who showed many others how to live out loud and proud. The statuesque, bighaired momma of the gay family that had its big day out on May 22, Panti Bliss emerges as a force to be reckoned with, who tells us proudly that she regrets nothing. Among the real treasures in this many-jewelled movie are O’Neill’s mat-

ter-of-fact and grounded parents. In one scene, we see Rory Snr studiously lock up the family home while Panti Bliss resplendent in high heels and figure-hugging dress holds centre stage in the family kitchen to check her smartphone, to which Fin, his mum, remarks “awesome”, in quiet admiration of her child. There are lots of reasons to see this movie – as a celebration of diversity, a piece of history, as memoir, as comedy and at times tragedy but above all because it’s enjoyable.

Verdict: 10/10

Gazette

24 Gazette 29 October 2015

OUT&ABOUT

HEALTHYSTEPS

Dr Mary Wingfield says the causes of infertility are vast – but in most cases treatment is possible

Increasing chances of conception Fertility problems can be heart-breaking for couples who wish to start a family, but in the modern age many options are available to increase the chances of conception. At the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street, Merrion Fertility Clinic is Ireland’s only nonprofit fertility facility partnered with a large maternity hospital offering medical, surgical and pregnancy services to patients. Its clinical director Dr Mary Wingfield says the causes of infertility are vast – but in most cases treatment is possible. “Women who have i n f r e q u e n t o r ve r y irregular periods, may have a problem with ovulation. “The most common cause is polycystic ov a r i a n s y n d r o m e . Early menopause although rare, can sometimes run in families. “If there is a family history of this, it would be important to discuss it at an early stage with your doctor.” She advised that a woman’s fer tility is optimal under age 30 and begins to decline

quite rapidly from the age of 35. “If you wait till 40 there is a high chance you are leaving it too late,” she said. “[For many couples with fertility problems] there will be a male factor or sperm issue. This is often unexplained but important factors include testicular injury or surgery, or infection in the testicles. “IVF and ICSI (a type of IVF) have been major breakthroughs in treating male fertility. In men who don’t produce any sperm in their ejaculate, pregnancy can be achieved with testicular sperm retrieval and ICSI,” she said. Other causes of infertility include hormone problems, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and non-g y naecological conditions such as Crohn’s disease or a ruptured appendix. “Many of these problems can be addressed with surgery, usually performed by our doctors by laparoscopy or ‘keyhole surgery’. If surgery fails, IVF is a good option,” she said. For more information log onto merrionfertility.ie or call (01) 663 5000.

HEALTH

adult activity: allow the mind to calm and settle

The hugely relaxing world of colouring

Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden has  suzanne sheehy

WHENEVER I put a colouring book and pencils into my shopping basket it’s invariably for my nieces and nephews. They can’t get enough of them. Now that they’re that little bit older, they’re more practised and can easily stay within a picture’s contour. Colouring books serve a dual purpose: they keep kids occupied while they’re having fun while developing eye-hand coordination. But the last time I picked up the colouring book and pencils, they were for me. Colouring for adults? Not for me, I thought. But as the saying goes don’t knock it till you try it. When I looked to buy my first colouring book, I noticed how many of

them were for grown-ups. One even labelled itself: The Gorgeous Book for Grown-ups. Discover Your Inner Creative. Another ran Colour Therapy: An Anti-Stress Colouring Book. The titles spelled out the aim. Counselling psychologist Maeve Halpin, a regular contributor to GazetteHealth, said: “The increasing use of technology has meant that our attention span has decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds today. We are over-stimulated by the constant flood of digital information coming in through our smartphones and electronic gadgets. “Colouring gives us the opportunity to concentrate on one non-stressful task for a sustained period of time, allowing the

beautifully detailed pen-and-ink illustrations

mind to calm and settle. This can provide a buffer against anxiety and everyday stress.” Halpin stressed how important it is for adults to engage in creativity. “Creativity is a vital part of the self - there is a healing connection between the eye, the hand and the heart. Colours, shapes, textures and three-dimensional structures stimulate different parts of the brain than text and sound, so working creatively with paint, clay, fabric or any other type of interactive medium can bring deep feelings of satisfaction and achievement. “Everyone has creative potential. Taking time away from our screens for creative pursuits can be

an essential ingredient in finding balance in modern life.” So after much deliberation I picked up Johanna Basford Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Colouring Book which has beautifully detailed pen-and-ink illustrations. The quality of the illustrations and paper were of high standard and

some also came in pocket size. I set to and found the activity occupied my mind in a positive way. I made sure I took time out to relax at the weekend and be creative instead of frittering away the hours on social media or watching TV. Go on, give it a try. You’ll be surprised and, more importantly, a little more relaxed.

Give your immune system a boost With the new school year now under way and the cold winter just around the corner, it might be time to start thinking about giving your immune system a boost for the busy months ahead. Vitamin C is an essential flu fighter, and regular supplements support body tissue growth, healthy blood vessels, strong bones and teeth, and

can help to ward off winter influenza. Iron supplements can boost your energy levels and encourage healthy, fresh blood oxygen delivery to the lungs, spleen, bone marrow, muscles, and cells. Without vitamin D, the body can’t absorb calcium or stimulate certain immune responses that protect us from colds and infections, so

vitamin D supplements are a must. With all of the cold and darkness that winter entails, it is very easy to find yourself feeling down, especially if you are prone to seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Omega 3 fatty acid supplements. These can help boost your mood, improve your mental focus, and ward off the sniffles.

Pippa O’Connor launches Alive, a new range of multi-vitamins and minerals. Picture: Paul Sherwood

29 October 2015 Gazette 25

26 BLANCH GAZETTE 29 October 2015

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28 gazette 29 October 2015

SPORT

FastSport tallaght picks up pace – and a winner: AT LEINSTER rugby’s recent marketing seminar for clubs, Tallaght’s Colin McKeown was announced as the October winner of the PRO of the Month competition. Tallaght has started to gain momentum recently in no small part because of McKeown’s work. As a developing club, recruitment is Tallaght’s main aim this season and he has used Facebook, Twitter and the club’s website, which he developed himself),to increase interest within their community. They added substance to their online presence with face to face recruitment in The Square and at Tallaght Fest. This is already a success as kids taking up rugby in Tallaght continues to increase meaning they are now fielding new minis and youths teams as well as their men’s and women’s teams. Like many clubs, Tallaght have been taking advantage of the popularity of the Rugby World Cup to achieve new interest in their social media.

hockey: Ireland confirmed as 11th of 12 sides to qualify for Olympics

Rio place eases out the ‘hurt’  sport@dublingazette.com

IRISH men’s hockey coach Craig Fulton says that finally dealing with the “hurt” of missing out on London 2012 was pivotal in building the mental resolve of his side to mount their first successful Olympic qualifying campaign. The Ballycullen resident was speaking after Ireland were confirmed as the 11th side of 12 to qualify for Rio 2016 early on Sunday morning courtesy of Australia’s 3-2 victory over New Zealand in the Oceania Cup final. The continental championship offered a ticket to R io but

the Kookaburras had already qualified for the Games via the World League earlier in 2015. As such, Ireland were the next best placed team on the world list and took the place after a stellar year. It will be the first time they have played in the Olympics since 1908. Crucially, Ireland beat higher ranked Pakistan and Malaysia in Antwerp in July to finish fifth at World League Round 3, putting them on the shor tlist for Olympic spots. T h e y f o l l owe d u p with a bronze medal at the European Championships, outdoing the world number four and

Irish men’s hockey coach Craig Fulton

to relive that lowest of moments. “I knew I couldn’t go through another qualifying process without dealing with that whole situation,” he said. “It’s

cially as it was always going to be something you never want to discuss or talk about. “It was all around the mental approach, executing in the key --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- moments. In terms of improving the mental side, you also need to be better conditioned. We took this to another --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------level.” about failing forward, The newfound mental nents. I n 2 01 2 , I r e l a n d taking the positives and toughness saw Ireland came within moments we found two or three cling to a 1-0 win over of reaching the Games things that we had to Pakistan in the face of a late onslaught and they only for Korea to snatch change. “ W h e n t h e g u y s put on similarly strong a crushing goal seven seconds from the final looked at it again, they fightbacks against the saw the lessons and not Belgians and English. whistle. To avoid a repeat of t h e d i s a p p o i n t m e n t Despite those performthat loss to Korea, Ful- and hurt. That’s impor- ances, they had to wait ton said it was important because the hurt three months to finally tant to push his players doesn’t help us espe- get confirmation of five sides Belgium and England in the process. In each case, they came through in narrow clinches with a series of single goal wins over more illustrious oppo-

‘ I’m ecstatic, proud - it hasn’t really sunk in’ – Craig Fulton

their ticket to Rio. It meant realising a moment that Fulton had visualised many times in his tenure. “ I h ave p r o b a b l y thought about this day a thousand times, maybe more, in the last 18 months. Everything since taking the job has been geared towards this moment, making history and qualifying. “ I ’m e c s t a t i c a n d really proud but, at the same time, it hasn’t really sunk in. “The enormity of it will build in the next eight or nine months, more people will find out what the team is about and can support the team.”

Eanna vanquish Saints to claim league’s sixth place  sport@dublingazette.com

Luke Thompson scored 21 points for the Dubliners

EANNA moved up to sixth place in the men’s basketball Premier League with a 93-86 win over DCU Saints. Luke Thompson scored 21 points for the Dubliners who were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat to SSE Airtricity Moycullen. “You have to take the wins when you can because you’re going to run into some big teams,” said Eanna player coach Ciaran MacEvilly. “A lot of teams struggle in

their first year at this level. “We know it’ll take more than just throwing a bunch of plays together if we want to compete.” UCD Marian pulled off an 81-73 at GCD Swords Thunder. Thunder led by seven points at half time before Marian upped the tempo and the physicality in the second half. “We were in control of the game in the first half, we just couldn’t pull away,” said losing coach Dave Baker. There were also wins for Pyrobel Killester and Templeogue.

DCU Mercy emerged unscathed from a busy weekend of women’s Premier League action. Sarah Woods scored 26 points against Courtyard Liffey Celtics and was among the top scorers again as Mercy came from behind to Meteors. “We’re strongest when we run the court,” said Woods. “Our speed really helped us especially against teams who try to slow the game down.” Team Montenotte Hotel had to come from behind twice to maintain their unbeaten record

win wins over Maxol WIT Wildcats and Courtyard Liffey Celtics. Head coach Mark Scannell said: “You learn a lot more from a tight game than you do from a 20 point win. “We found a way to pull through without playing particularly well.” Maxol WIT Wildcats did pick up a win from their second trip to Cork in 24 hours by beating Singleton SuperValu Brunell. Portlaoise Panthers beat UL Huskies in Limerick for their first ever Premier League win.

29 October 2015 gazette 29

Gazette

30 BLANCH gazette 29 October 2015

SPORT

FastSport

soccer: Killester raid porterstown to record strong win

Daly shines for home crew in UFC fight night ON AN electric night in the 3Arena, UFC Dublin threw out a mixed bag of results for our own Dublin fighters with main event Paddy Holohan submitting at the hands of Louis Smolka. Former Old Belvedere rugby player Cathal Pendred was the first Irishman to compete last Saturday night when he entered the octagon opposite undefeated British fighter Tom Breese. Pendred’s hopes of returning to winning ways ended abruptly however as he was forced to submit late on in the first round. A ferocious early strike from Breese forced blood from the Irishman and he never fully recovered. Next up for the Irish was Drimnagh’s Aisling Daly who took on the Brazilian Ericka Almeida. “Ais the Bash” was highly impressive in front of an adoring home crowd. Daly never looked in too much trouble, keeping her opponent on the cage for much of the action. Before the winner was even announced, Ireland’s only woman in the UFC was sitting on top of the cage with a tricolour around her back with a unanimous decision. Having missed out competing the last time the UFC rolled into Dublin, the strawweight was overjoyed after her fight. “Not being on the card last year was like having a baby and it growing up not talking to you anymore. I just wanted to impress,” she said. Neil Seery was the first Irishman up on the main card and the man nicknamed “2 Tap” showed exactly why as the 36-year-old Finglas native forced his opponent Jon Delos Reyes to tap out in the second round. Seery earned one of the UFC’s Performance of the Night bonuses which is worth $50,000. The final fight of the night saw Tallaght’s Holohan take on Smolka. This fight had been bumped up to co-main just last week due to the removal of Joe Duffy vs Dustin Poirier and Stipe Miocic vs Ben Rothwell from the card due to injuries to Duffy and Miocic. There proved to be heartbreak for “The Hooligan” as Smolka enjoyed a second-round win via submission. The Dubliner thrived off the manic home support early on, coming out the better of some intense grappling. Smolka showed his class after the early pressure to mount Holohan and unleashing a flurry of punches before executing a choke attack that forced the win.

Goalmouth action from St Mochta’s FAI inter cup game with Killester United last weekend

Saints cup hopes killed off fai inter cup St Mochta’s Killester United  nathan kelly

1 3

sport@dublingazette.com

WHATEVER dreams St Mochta’s had involving the FAI Intermediate Cup this season ended last Sunday morning at the hands of Killester United in Porterstown Park. Two quickfire goals in the first half made progression to the third round a task too mighty for Brian McCarthy’s side and in truth, the better side on the day won.

The visitors started the brighter and carved out the first chance of the game early on when a well-worked move forced Tadhg Murphy into a stunning save in which he tipped the ball on to the post. The Saints then had a chance of their own after 12 minutes, some neat play resulted in Denis Moran finding space on the edge but the midfielder pulled his shot wide. The hosts were left to rue that miss even further when Killester broke the deadlock just moments later.

minute’s silence Garda RFC pay their tribute to Tony Golden garda/westmanstown RFC held a

minute’s silence in Westmanstown last week as both their juniors training session and at the senior game at Balbriggan RFC last week. This was in honour of Garda Tony Golden who was shot dead while protecting a member of the public. The club was founded by members of the gardai and some still coach and play with the club. All the boys and girls stood silent and still in respect of the important job their Garda coaches do.

Peter O’Reilly received the ball, controlled, turned and fizzed a low effort past Murphy and into the bottom corner. Three minutes later and the lead was doubled via the same source. Michael Keogh whipped in a perfect delivery and O’Reilly made no mistake with a tidy finish. In truth, the Dublin 15 side could have defended the cross better but the finish was emphatic. Going two behind so quickly was a real sucker punch to Mochta’s but they almost pulled one back immediately

when Keith Dunne’s headed effort looked to be dropping in but bounced back off the crossbar instead. McCarthy made two changes after the break, introducing Lee Dixon and Gareth Cooney and the former showed his worth when he got on the scoresheet just after the hour mark. Bryan Fitzpatrick set it up with a lovely cross from wide and Dixon caught the ball on the half volley and buried it into the roof of the net. Mochta’s had to go for it but failed to find the equaliser and got pun-

ished for their forays forward later on when Michael Kelly beat Murphy via a deflection to seal the result for United. Defeat and elimination will hurt the Saints, but on the other hand, in this their first season in the LSL top flight, maintaining their league status and finding their feet will be the priority. Their form so far has been encouraging, with just one defeat in seven games, with three wins and three defeats leaving them in fifth spot ahead of this Sunday’s visit of Malahide United.

29 October 2015 BLANCH gazette 31

Gazette

65 Hurls make special Movember pledge  sport@dublingazette.com

HURLEY manufacturer 65 Hurls will be getting involved in November’s prostate cancer awareness campaign Movember, by giving €1 from every hurley sold during the month. T he company has produced a wide range of handcrafted ash

hurls over its decade long lifespan, having progressed from offering repairs to producing the hurls themselves. To mark the fundraising push, the company will replace its traditional red company stamp - which appears on every hurl it produces - with a blue one, which they hope might

become a talking point and identifier for the campaign. Movember aims specifically to raise awareness of prostate cancer, alongside fundraising. Colm Foley of 65 Hurls told GazetteSport why he chose to start his fundraising initiative: “My dad was diagnosed with prostate

cancer last October,” he said: “and got the all clear in August. He was diagnosed in the very early stages and the made a big difference. We’re initially aiming to raise €500.” Donations to the charity can also be made through their Movember page at www.movember. com/65hurls.

football: blakestown club show their experience

Club Noticeboard st brigid’s WELL done to our minor B footballers

Myos on October 30 with our €15,000

on a great win over Clontarf in the

Jackpot still in place. Our reserve is

championship on Sunday morning.

now €10,400. Make sure to have your

Hard luck to our senior 1 camogie

envelopes in the draw. Thank you to all

team who were narrowly defeated

our club lotto participants for their

in the shield Final on Sunday in Erin’s

support and to our wonderful lotto

Isle.

committee.

The St Brigid’s nursery runs every

The Cube will take place in St Brigid’s

Saturday in Russell Park from 9.30 to

on Friday, November 20. Each section

11am. We welcome all four- to seven-

of the club will be represented with a

year-olds in the Castleknock and

fantastic prize up for grabs. If you wish

Blanchardstown area and new mem-

to take part, contact Billy Quane.

bers and families are always welcome.

St Brigid’s/Spleodar Irish club runs

For further information and queries,

on Thursdays in the club hall from

contact David on 085 8340169.

7pm-9pm. Open for all teenagers

The trustees and members of St

between 12-18 and the cost is €3 per

Brigid’s GAA club wish to extend our

week. A great opportunity to prac-

deepest sympathies to the Ryan fam-

tice Irish for important exams and for

ily on the death of Tom Ryan, father of

enjoyment. More information avail-

Joe Ryan. Ar dheis De go raibh a hanam

able on the club website.

uasal. There was no lotto jackpot winner on Thursday. Next week’s draw is in

The full range of St Brigid’s gear is available on our online shop onwww. stbrigidsgaa.com.

castleknock HARD luck to our intermediate hurlers

Castleknock Hotel. All club members

who lost out to St Oliver Plunkett’s in

are asked to attend.

the IHC Leinster playoff replay in Par-

The annual juvenile awards night

nell Park on Wednesday night. Good

takes place on Thursday, November

luck to Plunkett’s in Leinster.

12 in Westmanstown – details to follow

Well done to our minor football-

St Peregrine’s junior footballers celebrate their league success

Dad’s Army go over the top in AFL6 run

 nathan kelly sport@dublingazette.com

DAD’S Army didn’t get too much right when they were stationed in Walmington- On-Sea during World War 2, but the Dublin 15 footballing version have done little wrong this season. St Peregrine’s Junior A footballers won the AFL6 title last week with a dramatic one-point win over St Plunkett’s ER in Blakestown. It was a nip and tuck game, with Peregrine’s trailing by two at the break. The second half was as tight as the first and as the game crept

into injury time, the score was level. But a late score from Mark McSherry with the second last play of the match sealed the win and league title for Darragh Gaynor’s side. “Naturally, myself and the team, we’re all delighted,” said Gaynor afterwards. “I only came into the job for the season just gone, prior to that the team were in relegation play-offs so we needed something extra. I got in touch with a few older lads who had given up their football, convinced them to give me one more year, and as you can see it’s worked a treat.

“Lads like Graham Woods, Niall Jackson, Cian McGuinness, and a few more; all in their mid to late 30s, came back and had great seasons. Our average age was 35 which earned us the nickname ‘Dad’s Army’ around the place, but Dad’s Army have done the business,” added the manager. With AFL5 football on the agenda next season, will Gaynor manager to convince his veteran troops to enlist for another season? “Well we’ve a meeting next month where we’ll all sit down together and talk about what we’re going to

do,” he said. “If all or the majority of the lads want to give it another year, then I’ll most definitely give it another year myself. But if five or six decide they’ve had enough, I will probably step aside and let someone else have a go.” The manager has no doubts that if his side do sign on for another year, they could challenge in AFL5. “I reckon we could push for the play-off places,” he said. “We wouldn’t enter any cups next season; our focus would solely be the league and a crack at the championship.”

on website.

ers on producing a great perform-

The club nursery resumes again

ance to beat Naomh Olaf in the minor

this Saturday and every Saturday

championship quarter-final. Semi-

morning at Tir na nOg (beside Castle-

final details on the website when they

knock Community College) from 10am

become available.

to 11.30am. All new players (aged four

A big thanks to all who organised

and upwards) and families welcome

and helped out at the Tesco bag-

- for further info contact Jason (086

packing day, particularly our juvenile

3459089) or Louise (085 1534270).

players and transition year students from CCC.

The Castleknock GAA club shop is open every Saturday morning from

The Ultimate Ladies Night Out in

10 to 11.30am at the nursery in CCC.

Castleknock Hotel was a great suc-

All club gear including tracksuits, jer-

cess – well done to the organisers and

seys, hurleys, sliothars, shorts, socks,

to those who supported this event.

jackets can be fitted and purchased.

Strictly Castleknock is back and takes place in Westmanstown on Sat-

Ideal Christmas presents for young and old.

urday, November 21. Good luck to all

Minor footballer/hurler Oran

involved as they prepare for the big

O’Brien is going to Calcutta in Novem-

night. Get your tickets now before it’s

ber to work with the poor and has

too late.

organised a Fundraising Oiche Cheol

This year’s CHFC AGM is scheduled for Monday, November 16 in the

this Friday, October 30 in the The Lodge at 9pm. All support welcome.

Naomh Peregrine WELL done our minor footballers who

is on this Friday; contact Janice for

qualified for the championship semi-

more details.

final with a good win over St Jude’s.

Christmas craft fare is on Sunday,

Hard luck to our senior camogie

November 29 and Sunday, December

team who just came up short in their

13 in the club. To book a table, contact

semi-final. Best of luck to the junior B

Aileen or Michelle.

footballers in their potential play off this weekend. The juvenile Halloween fancy dress

The club lotto was not won; numbers drawn were 8, 16, 19 and 21. Next week’s jackpot is €3,800.

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

oct 29 - nov 4, 2015

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Bernard Brogan and Ireland manager Joe Kernan launch the new Irish jersey. Picture: Paul Mohan/Sportsfile

Brogan to captain Ireland Plunkett’s man to lead country against Australia in International Rules contest in Croke Park on 95th anniversary of Bloody Sunday

 nathan kelly

sport@dublingazette.com

ST OLIVER Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh and Dublin star Bernard Brogan added to his ever-growing list of achievements last week when he was announced as captain of the Ireland International Rules side. Ireland will face Australia in the one-off fixture in this year’s mixed rules encounter at Croke Park on Saturday, November 21, a day which marks the 95th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Reacting to his appointment as Ireland captain, Brogan said: “It is both an honour and a privilege to not only represent Ireland, but

to captain the national team too. As Gaelic footballers, opportunities to play for Ireland and pit our skills against athletes from other nations and codes are few and far between and next month we will test ourselves against arguably the strongest ever Australian team to come here. “Not only do they include the best of the AFL in terms of talent but they have experience of this code in their ranks, not least with their management team whose exploits both in their domestic game and indeed in this code, are proven. It’s a challenge we will relish and I look forward to working with Joe and his selectors and all of the lads on the panel to do our best to keep the Cormac

McAnallen Cup in Ireland.” Manager of this year’s International Rules side, former Armagh player and manager Joe Kernan, also spoke after Brogan was announced as captain of the national side. He said: “I wish Bernard well in what is a coveted role. “He is following in the footsteps of many great footballers in accepting the role and it is something he is sure to embrace. “He has been a top footballer in our game for many years – something borne out by the many accolades he has earned – and he has also shown his prowess in this game. “In addition to helping to generate a vital team spirit amongst our players, he will also

lead by example where it matters most – on the field of play.” Brogan has previously played twice for Ireland in International Rules, in the 2010 series. The 2015 All-Star nominee was the top scorer in the first game defeat in Limerick with nine points and followed it up with five in the reverse fixture in Croke Park. Donegal’s Michael Murphy had led the Irish side the last two years, suffering mixed fortunes with a narrow defeat in Perth last year and a win in 2013 on home soil. A full squad announcement is expected in early November and you would expect at least a couple more of Brogan’s All-Ireland winning teammates to join him on the panel.