Gazette BLANCH
August 25-31, 2016
Find us on
SUPPLEMENT: Our Love & Marriage guide for your big day P16-19
CINEMA Can you beat The Purge? Page 24
TRAVEL See why we .....Athlone Page 20
Eight-year walkies ends Page 3
Keep reading, keep recycling – thank you
Facebook boss’s €200m friend request to Clonee Zuckerberg ‘proud’ to be part of community as planned data centre build brought forward
IAN BEGLEY
FACEBOOK has brought for ward constr uction plans for a second building at its €200m data centre in Clonee, with Mark Zuckerberg saying he is proud to become part of
the local community. The decision to fasttrack the new building, which will create 200 jobs, was taken due to an increase in demand since Facebook made the initial announcement earlier this year.
A third building on the same site will also follow at a later stage. The facility, which has already been granted planning permission, will bring the overall size of the Facebook base in Clonee to 57,690 sqm.
“We’re glad to be investing in Ireland, to become a part of the Clonee community, and to continue building the massive infrastructure that connects our global community,” said Zuckerberg. Full Story on Page 2
2 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
DATA CENTRE | COULD BE OPERATIONAL BY 2017 END
Facebook decision on new building to create 200 jobs FACEBOOK has brought forward construction plans for a second building at its €200m data centre in Clonee, adding a further 200 jobs to the area. It’s decision to fasttrack the new building, which will now be built alongside the first, was taken due to an increase in demand since Facebook made the initial announcement earlier this year. A third building on the same site will also follow at a later state. The facility, which has already been granted planning permission, will bring the overall size of the Facebook base in Clonee to 57,690 sq m – eight times the size of the Aviva Stadium. Facebook vice-president of infrastructure, Tom Furlong said the centre could be operational by the end of next year. “Our next big milestone should be what we call serving traffic and that is probably 18 months down the road - the end of 2017 [or] early 2018. “We will have done the
IAN BEGLEY
ibegley@dublingazette.com
fibre optic cabling in it, we will have the networking and we will be connected to the Facebook network and we will have the initial servers in with all the appropriate systems uploaded on them so we can actually take user traffic and start to serve it,” he said.
ity with outdoor air, but because this is near the Irish Sea we’ll be using an indirect air cooling process to filter the salt from the air. “We’re glad to be investing in Ireland, to become a part of the Clonee community, and to continue building the massive infrastructure that connects our global community,” he said. Fingal Mayor David O’Connor (Ind) welcomed the recent announcement, saying: “It’s great news for the area and of course the chief executive and I would welcome Facebook’s new data centre. “Its development will mean more jobs, particularly for young people in the Dublin 15 area. “There seems to a lot of things happening in terms of companies from overseas making pre-planning applications here. “There will still be people who say that nothing is happening because Facebook founder Mark jobs aren’t going on Zuckerberg (left) said he stream straight away, is proud to be part of the but there is certainly a Clonee community lot of stuff going on.”
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg also said he is proud to be part of the Clonee community. “I’m proud to share that Facebook’s sixth data centre is now under construction in Clonee, Ireland. “This will be our second European data centre, after Lulea in Sweden. “Data centres deliver all of Facebook’s services to you. They’re some of the most complex machines ever created. “Clonee Data Center will be one of the most advanced and energy efficient data centers in the world. “It will feature the latest server, storage and network designs developed through the Open Compute Project, and will be powered by 100% renewable energy. “One interesting engineering detail is that we’re cooling the facil-
FASTNews
Rent a bike scheme to help students to save STUDENTS due to attend Blanch IT this September can avoid expensive transport fees altogether and avail of a new cost-effective “rent a bike scheme”. In previous years, the ITB Student’s Union ran a Bike to College Scheme, whereby students could buy their own bike and get an eligible return on its total cost from the college. However, this initiative wasn’t very popular so the student’s union decided to buy a bulk of new bikes for the students to rent. Students can now rent these new bikes with a once-off payment of €50 per semester which will be fully refundable once the equipment is returned in a good state. The Student’s Union have also included bike locks and helmets to ensure the safety of the
bikes and more importantly the students themselves. Jason Aughney, student president, said: “When a student is making a choice as to which college they wish to attend then not only does the cost of college come in to play but also one of the other biggest factors is the cost of how they get to college. “We know that this new ‘Rent a bike Scheme’ won’t be the solution to the high costs that going to college brings but it is definitely a step in the right direction,” he said. Applications forms will be available from the Student’s Union office from the September 14. Closing date for applications is September 28.
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 3
PETS | MISSING JESS RETURNS HOME – AFTER GOING ‘WALKIES’ FOR EIGHT YEARS
Lost & hound SYLVIA POWNALL
A DOG which strayed from its owners has returned home – EIGHT years after going missing. Jack Russell Terrier Jess has been reunited with the family who adopted her as a pup in 2005, thanks to her microchip details. Her shocked owner, Fiona McCrea, from Old Bawn in Tallaght, told of the family’s delight when they went to collect their miracle mutt at the pound. She told The Gazette: “Jess was the family dog and we had her since she was a puppy until she went missing two years later. We were confident during our search that she would return, as Jess was very loyal and [micro]chipped with our contact details. “But a year after her disappearance, all hope was gone and we were given an opportunity to
After being found and coming home following an eight-year gap, Jess (right) met the new, replacement family dog – also called Jess
adopt a six-month-old Jack Russell Terrier, also called Jess in her honour.” Fast-forward eight years, and Fiona’s dad was shocked to get a phone call from the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Fiona said: “We could not believe it when they confirmed it was our Jess. She was returned to us as a healthy ten-
year-old dog, a little dirty and tired from wandering the streets. “It looks like she gave up the chase with the dog warden.”
Fiona, a carer at Mission House Nursing Home, said Jess was a little shy after getting home from the pound, but has since showed signs of recognising her owners. She said: “In the last two days, she’s beginning to come out of her shell, and being around the family a lot, I think she’s starting to remember the different tones of voice and is now responding to ‘Jess’.” Despite the potential confusion, the family have no plans to rename the dogs – they are calling them Jess Number One and Jess Number Two.
Jess may have had a ruff time – do you know where the prodigal pup went for eight years? Call our Newsdesk at 01 60 10 240, or email news@dublingazette.com. Tired but well, Jess is collected from the pound after being traced by her microchip
4 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
GazetteGALLERY
| AWARENESS NIGHT AT THE ROSELAWN INN
Tickled pink to help out L
OCALS were tickled pink to show their support for the Marie Keating foundation as The Roselawn Inn last weekend. Guests to the fundraiser were encouraged to
wear something pink on the night to support this fantastic charity. These events help the foundation to provide their cancer awareness and support services free of charge.
Alison McVigh and Laura Whittz Marie Barber
Bernie Walsh and Linda Pat Marsh and Rachel Mooney
Alex Keogh, Aoife Roche and Rebecca Jameson. Picture: ALISON O’HANLON
Keating
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 5
Need a loan for college? At Blanchardstown & District Credit Union Ltd we have an excellent rate of 5.64% APR with flexible payments to suit your needs Amount borrowed €3,000.00 Variable rate 5.50% APR 5.64% Repayment period 60 months Repayment amount €57.31 Total interest €438.04 Total repayments €3,438.04
Amount borrowed €5,000.00 Variable rate 5.50% APR 5.64% Repayment period 60 months Repayment amount €95.51 Total interest €730.13 Total repayments €3,438.04
Loans are subject to terms and conditions, Subject to loans approved and drawn down between 1st Sept- 31st Oct
Contact the loans team on
01-8203495 email Loans@blanchardstowncu.ie or apply online today
Blanchardstown & District Credit Union Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland
6 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
ROYAL CANAL | NEW OWNER EXPECTED TO REVAMP BAR AND RESTAURANT
Landmark Twelfth Lock Hotel sold for over €2m IAN BEGLEY THE iconic Twelfth Lock Hotel, overlooking the Royal Canal in Castleknock, has been sold for nearly €2.4m in a private treaty sale. The 10-bedroom boutique hotel has been bought by Castleknock-based business man Greg Browne who operates a number of successful bars and restaurants in the area, including De Bruns, Trentuno and Castello Bruno. It is expected that Browne will revamp the Twelfth Lock Hotel’s bar and restaurant facilities into a high quality bar with casual canalside dining. Plans are also being drawn up for a new seafood restaurant. CBRE Hotel & Leisure director John Ryan said the Twelfth Lock Hotel had generated significant interest from hoteliers, restaurateurs The iconic Twelfth Lock Hotel, overlooking the Royal Canal in Castleknock. Picture: Google Maps and publicans.
Rozanna Purcell and Diarmaid Gavin are pictured at the launch of Woodie’s Heroes campaign. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland.
In the saddle to launch Heroes campaign
Christmas is coming – in four months WHILE many of us may be still hopeful of a final summer heatwave Brown Thomas are focussing on winter wonderlands as they have launched its renowned Christmas Market which showcases wonderful festive offerings of Christmas trees, exquisite decorations and brilliant gift ideas in a special curation of themes. Brown Thomas managing director Stephen Sealey said: “The Christmas Market opens at the same time every year due to customer demand. We find there is a positive response from shop-
pers, with trees and some decorations selling out as early as October. “In August last year, 3,000 units of Christmas decorations sold within the first three days of opening the Christmas Market. Our customers know to expect the launch of the Christmas Market in August each year.” Pictured at the launch were model Sarah Morrissey, Aimee Deering (6) from Kildare and Chloe Collins (8) from Castleknock, Dublin.
Picture: Leon Farrell
S TA F F o f Wo o d i e ’s i n B l a n c h a r d s t ow n will be gathering instore on August 26 at 12:10 noon to present a cheque of the total funds raised in-store, as part of Woodie’s Heroes Campaign for Ireland’s major children’s charities. The cheque will be presented to a team of cyclists who have taken on the challenge of travelling 1,500km over five days to collect fundraising cheques from each of Woodie’s 36 stores nationwide. In partnership with Make a Wish Ireland a l o n g w i t h Te m p l e Street Children’s Hospital, Jack and Jill and Irish Autism Action, Woodie’s hope to raise a total of €200,000. Wo o d i e ’s H e r o e s campaign will culminate on August 26 when two cycle teams will reunite in Dublin after five days and announce the combined fundraising total raised across all stores, supplier and customers. For more information and to show your support, Woodie’s welcomes you to drop in to Woodie’s in Blanchardstown on the day.
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 7
8 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
GazetteGALLERY
| WAIT OVER FOR LEAVING CERT STUDENTS AT AN END
Eldad Malonda
Aoife Smith and Laura Tuite. Pictures: Stepehn Fleming
Ben Holohan and Kristina Svlnyte
Lloyd Panopio
The results are in T
HE long wait for the class of 2016 at Coolmine Community School came to an end as they were finally able to collect their Leaving Certificate results. The graduates were relieved and bid the school a final farewell as they now look forward to their future. Teachers at the schools were on hand to offer any advice and support and to wish students the very best for the future.
Kenan Donovan, Halim Janahi, Karl Groves, Lee Weir and James Smith
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 9
10 GAZETTE 25 August 2016
GazetteGALLERY
| SPOOKY GOINGS ON AT THE IRISH PREMIERE SCREENING OF
Kate Morgan and Kayleigh O’Sullivan
Lisa Naylor and Alan Hayden
Leah Moore and Kimberley Farrell
Michelle McKeon and Fionnula Moran. Pictures: Brian McEvoy
It’s fright night for horror fans H
ORROR fans headed to a special preview screening of Lights Out at The Light House Cinema last weekend. The super natural horror movie has been enjoying huge success in the US and is now showing in Irish cinemas. Critics say the movie makes for an unsettling, frightfilled experience that “delivers superior chills without skimping on story”.
Leanne Slevin and Robyn Fitzpatrick
Luke O’Faolain
Kumar and Gail Kaneswaran
25 August 2016 GAZETTE 11
LIGHTS OUT
Navis Binu and Ronak Modi
Hilary Johnson
Romy Carroll
Hannah Kearns and Kara Stein
GAZETTE
12 GAZETTE 25 August 2016
DUBLINBUSINESS
Furniture Kings’ celebrating 25 NEXT month, brothers Paul and David Nugent will celebrate 25 years of Kingsbury Furniture. In 1991, the pair, who were born and raised in Tallaght, seized their opportunity and opened the business, specialising in household furniture and flooring. Over the next 25 years Kingsbury Furniture has expanded in size and have grown from three to 15 employees. They now have a modern and stylish 9,000sq ft store on High Street in Tallaght. During the recent crippling recession the brothers branched into full apartment and turnkey fit-outs, which led to a lot of showhouse fit-outs for builders and developers – ensuring that the business stayed afloat. The brothers, who both still live locally and train juvenile teams with
Thomas Davis GAA Club, say good customer service and quality products are key to surviving and being successful for this long. Paul, the older of the two, told Gazette Business: “We believe the company that builds through good customer service and quality products will stand the test of time. “We have many customers that would have bought furniture from us in the early 90s and are still buying and accompanying their sons and daughters into our store. “We are a family business and we try to support Irish suppliers and manufacturers as much as possible.” Kingsbury Furniture, which also offers a full interior design service, is located in Unit 3, High Street, Tallaght – just a stone’s throw from Smyths toy store. Visit www.kingsburyfurniture.ie to find out more.
Owner of Kingsbury Furniture, Paul Nugent with his daughter, Dominique and store manager Jimmy Owens
Dublin lads sock it to dull and mundane styles THREE Dublin lads have started a “sock revolution”. Funky Foot is a new start up that its founders say will “liberate people from a life of dull, mundane socks”. Aengus, Eoin and John spotted room in the market for socks that defy convention and have been selling their socks in markets around Dublin for the past two months. Now, after much stress for three web design rookies, the website, www.funkyfoot.co is now live.
Co-founder of the company Aengus Boyle told The Gazette: “We are starting a sock revolution. Out with the boring and in with the funky! Our socks are 90% cotton, 10% synthetic mix and 100% funky. That’s 200% in every sock!” The socks are available at www.funkyfoot.co for €7.95. To celebrate their website launch, the trio have offered a 40% discount code especially for Gazette readers. Simply enter the code “gazette40” at the checkout.
25 August 2016 GAZETTE 13
GAZETTE
14 GAZETTE 25 August 2016
DUBLINLIFE
DIARY
Eye see a way to help launch the Sightsavers Junior Painter Awards ... JuniLisa Murray, Aya Parker, Willow O’Sullivan and Ethan Manby give a hand. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland
Looking to a better future YOUNG budding Dublin artists are getting ready to sharpen their pencils and clean their brushes as Sightsavers Junior Painter Awards returns. Last year, schools
from Dublin submitted hundreds of paintings and with entries now open, Sightsavers are calling on children across the county to get thinking and create a masterpiece.
Open to primar y school students of all ages across Ireland, this year’s theme – Framing The Future – is expected to inspire thousands of imaginative entries.
Sightsavers wants to frame the future as an inclusive world where children living with disabilities get to go to school, and is inviting children to let their imaginations run wild and create their very own work of art which envisions what they see when they think of the future. Some 15 regional winners will be selected and will have the opportunity to see their work displayed at a special awards day next spring where three overall national winners will be announced. Eve r y c h i l d t h a t enters will receive a certificate of participation in recognition of their creative efforts. The closing date for entry is Friday, November 25 . Parents and children can get involved by speaking to their school
teacher or by visiting sightsavers.ie to request entry forms.
GO AHEAD TO THE THROWBACK PARTY FOR those heading to Electric Picnic this year, one of the stand-out events set to take place over the weekend is the Throwback Party at the Electric Ireland stage. The first act to be announced are popsynth princesses Bananarama, who will perform floor-filling classics such as Cruel Summer, Venus and Love in the First Degree on the Saturday night. Attendees will also be able to take time out to chill while enjoying classic movies such as Grease and Top Gun for the ultimate in nostalgic guilty pleasures. There’s also some good news for those still
looking for tickets to the sold out event as Electric Ireland is giving away 30 weekend tickets in its annual ticket giveaway. The tickets will be given away through a five-day Facebook Live competition from Monday, August 22, to Friday, August 26. To be in with a chance of winning, entrants simply need to visit Electric Ireland’s Facebook page each day at 7.30pm where they can participate in a live throwback competition.
HORRIBLY GOOD SCARES AT THE RDS IRELAND’S most chilling scare-house experience, The Nightmare Realm, is bringing its reign of terror to the RDS this October. T hrillseekers will explore the gruesome village of the damned to see
Dublin’s darkest nightmares brought to life. The Nightmare Realm has carved out a notorious reputation for pushing the boundaries of sanity and crafting the artistry of fear, with live characters and vivid special effects to capture the depths of the imagination. Nerves will be pushed to the limit with gruesome life-like props and characters, from the grotesque and bloodchurning to the sick and extreme, preying on the minds of fright fans and horror enthusiasts brave enough to face the RDS. The attraction, which opens its doors on September 29, will run for the full month of October. Tickets are on sale now at thenightmarerealm.ie, with adult tickets priced at €20 and students at €17.
25 August 2016 GAZETTE 15
GAZETTE
FEATURE CULTURE NIGHT 2016: POPULAR EVENT TO RETURN
Get ready for one night to explore the city’s diverse cultural riches
IAN BEGLEY
ON THE evening of Friday, September 16, Dublin will erupt with creativity when Ireland’s annual cultural spectacular – Culture Night – returns for its massively popular annual occurrence. From powerful spoken word performances that will stop you in your tracks to eye-catching art in motion, Culture Night will once again be an evening that is not easily forgotten, no matter what cultural corner of the city – or indeed, country – you find yourself in. Having grown in Dublin from 40,000 attendees to 172,000 in 11 years, Culture Night is now a countrywide movement, as the whole of the city, and country, is filled with cultural expression, exploration and appreciation on the night. Commenting on this year’s programme for Culture Night, Ray Yeates, Dublin City Council arts officer said: “Culture Night is a very special night for children as they and their families look forward to another wonderful night of civic engagement and cultural discovery.” As always, the celebra-
tory, exploratory event will include thousands of participants from all cultural genres, including photographers, illustrators, designers, composers, visual artists, dancers, aerialists, authors, singers and musicians. Some of Ireland’s most exciting minds have got behind Culture Night 2016 as ambassadors, promoting their own genres, new creative industries
including guided tours of the official residence of the President of Ireland, Aras an Uachtarain, along with some new additions to the programme. This year, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland’s iconic building at St Stephen’s Green will come to life with a spectacular 3D animated light show that will take viewers on a journey of the building’s history, from
-------------------------------------------------------
‘Having grown in Dublin from 40,000 attendees to 172,000 in 11 years, the whole of the city is filled with cultural expression, exploration and appreciation on Culture Night’
--------------------------------------------------------
and our rich history and heritage, including artist Pauline Bewick, alt-pop duo The Heathers, musician and poet Ronan O Snodaigh and author Colin Barrett. As well as a celebration of the arts and culture, much of the city and country’s rich built and natural heritage will also be opened up for the people to see and experience. Some of last year’s most popular venues in Dublin are returning once again,
its foundation in 1784, through the historical events of 1916, and ending with a glimpse into the future cutting-edge healthcare technology being developed by the college. North of the Liffey, and Smithfield Square will buzz with excitement on the night with interactive events from Makeshop to fencing, with the evening to close with Firefly, a fire spectacle by Dublin Circus Project.
Exploring the cultural side of the city by foot, bike or bus will be made easy with the Culture Night Tours, which include the Urban Potato Bike tour, Revolutionary France in Dublin tour, the Dublin Bus Ghostbus tour and tours of different areas in Dublin, presented in English and international languages. At the heart of its schedule of music, theatre and words is Culture Night’s live broadcast of RTE Radio 1’s Arena with Sean Rocks in the upper courtyard of Dublin Castle, which will also feature the RTE Concert Orchestra and special guests from music, theatre, comedy and poetry. Cultural audiences in the capital can travel with a “cultural edge” on the night thanks to transport partners Dublin Bus and Irish Rail. Dublin Bus will provide free buses every 20 minutes around the cultural quarters, starting at Bachelor’s Walk, Aston Quay, College Green and Eden Quay, to bring visitors to and from their favourite spots. For the full programme of events and participating venues for Culture Night 2016, see www.culturenight.ie.
John McMahon doesn’t seem convinced by Frances Matthews’s Capoeira skills, but Robyn Cassidy loved them! The trio were helping to promote upcoming Culture Night 2016, which will once again uncover many of Dublin’s historical, architectural and cultural gems for the public to see. Picture: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland
LOVE&MARRIAGE
GAZETTE
16 GAZETTE 25 August 2016
Don’t forget favours to help thank your guests
PLANNING a wedding obviously takes a lot of thought, and every last detail must be thoroughly thrashed out. In the midst of all the planning about venues, dresses, tuxes, honeymoon and so on, don’t forget to thank your guests for sharing in your big day with the gift of wedding favours. Picture: igstudio.ie
Wedding favours are a simple and effective way for the happy couple to show their appreciation to their guests for helping to celebrate their union. When selecting wedding favours, one must always take three things into consideration: budget, the number of guests, and the shelf-life of the item. If a large gathering is expected, wedding favours can be a huge drain on the budget. However, as modern weddings are often about adding a personal touch and a sense or originality and personality to the big day, you can kill two birds with one stone by providing home-made, personallythemed wedding favours. By doing this, you can not only reduce the cost, but give your wedding an extra personal touch at the same time. For a highly-personal wedding, why not get hitched at Dublin Zoo (above) or Westmeath’s Mount Druid (right)
LOCATIONS: ALTERNATIVE VENUES COULD BE LOTS OF FUN
Go wild and say ‘I do’ at Dublin Zoo! IAN BEGLEY
IF YOU’RE on the prowl for an alternative wedding venue that is a hundred miles away from the type of nuptials your grandparents had, you will be pleased to know that Ireland has a huge range of unconventional wedding venues on offer. From castles to barns, theatres, sports stadiums and Dublin Zoo, there are plenty of unique, charming and even eccentric wedding venues to suit all tastes. If your heart is set on a Dublin city wedding, but you’re looking for a large space to celebrate, then Smock Alley Theatre might be the perfect venue for your big day. With its exposed brick walls, ornate plasterwork ceiling, and stained-glass windows, this venue is
certainly a sight to behold. Its oak benches and tables offer options for the en vogue, long dining experience and the large space is very versatile for a ceremony or reception. Further afield, and if you’re considering a very intimate wedding with just your nearest and dearest friends and family, then Fanningstown Castle over in Limerick certainly has a nice ring to it. Set close to Shannon Airport, this 12th century grand castle has been converted into an atmospheric private house perfect for a small group. Another great alternative venue is at Mount Druid in Westmeath. The building and its surroundings comprise a converted barn, a consecrated tin chapel, 20 traditional Mongolian yurts,
three shepherds huts, a charmingly cosy gate lodge, a three-bed schoolmaster’s house, an 1820s Georgian house, several barbecue areas, a walked garden, a summer house and three lakes! A couple who choose to marry at Mount Druid can except a beautifully laid-back venue where red carpets and white chair covers are non-existent, and their guests can have a lovely relaxed time with an informal feel to the day. Closer to home, and why not choose to say “I do” at the zoo? Dublin Zoo is a unique alternative to the traditional wedding venue and provides a magical backdrop for your special day. Haughton House, a restored historical building with magnificent views of the zoo, is avail-
able seven days a week for all types of wedding ceremonies, including civil ceremonies, civil partnerships and blessings. You can add even more magic to your wedding day by having a unique drinks reception in the zoo’s interactive learning and discovery centre, or capturing some special photo opportunities. With weddings at Croke Park, GAA fans can marry their love of their lives with their love of the game. Whether you are interested in a large traditional reception, a small intimate celebration or something in between, Croke Park can offer you the perfect alternative venue. For further information on these alternative wedding venues, see www. alternativeweddings.ie and www.hitched.ie.
25 August 2016 GAZETTE 17
GAZETTE
SUPPLEMENT
A little planning goes a long way IAN BEGLEY
NOT only is the Athlone Springs Hotel the perfect venue for a celebration of endless love, but their wedding planners are primed to assist with all aspects of the happy couple’s Big Day, from the ceremony to the entertainment. The most important part when choosing your venue is that you feel welcome from the moment you arrive, and or course, excellent food that will
In tip-top shape for your big day IAN BEGLEY
YOUR wedding is an event to be remembered for the rest of your life and no doubt it will be chronicled in photographs as well as on film. For this reason among others you will want to look your best. Whether you’re looking to drop a few pounds, tighten up your muscles or completely overhaul your physique, Educogym, Dundrum can get you there. The Educogym system is based on a university validated study which proves that a clear goal combined with resistance based exercise and low glycemic nutrition caused a person to shape up faster than any other system in the world. On average, the participants lost 7.5lb of fat, and gained an average 3lb of metabolism boosting muscle, In just 12 days all with just 20 minute exercise per day. Educogym is designed to replicate
these incredible results, with each aspect of the programme finely tuned to ensure success. Educogym Consultants work with you to help you understand your goals and then devise a programme to make sure you achieve them. Educogym specialises in low-glycemic nutrition plans
designed to detox your body from sugar to lower body fat and get in your best-ever shape. The word educo means to lead or draw out from within. Educogym works with you to draw out your ideal figure or physique using their carefully crafted system. The big difference between the Educog y m resistance training and traditional aerobic exercise such as jogging is that by increasing lean muscle tissue you will increase your metabolism to burn fat and have a leaner and firmer body. All programmes include intensive 20 minute training sessions, regular consultations, nutritional programmes with expert advice and goal setting to help you look your best on your big day. For more information visit: www. educogym.com/ Dundrum
have your guests raving about your wedding for years to come. “It’s all about the little things that make a big difference to your day and it is our promise that we will take care of everything so you can celebrate with your family and friends,” says wedding coordinator Nicola Nestor. This contemporary venue hosts a welcoming lobby and drinks reception area in Cedar Cocktail Bar and the stunning Clonellan Ballroom
caters for weddings up to 300 guests. The hotel also has its own private garden for photos and the Manhattan bridal suite is the height of luxury. The wedding team recently launched its 2016-2017 wedding packages that starts from €45 per person. P a c k a g e s i n cl u d e complimentar y wedding favours and you can choose from a wedding car, three-tier personalised cake, photobooth,
music on arrival, three complimentary rooms for your guests on the night of the wedding, civil ceremony package, candy cart reception, personalised monogram and lighting for your ballroom, cocktail and canape drinks reception and evening buffet “chipper style”. If you would like to pop in and visit Nicola and the team just call 090 644 4444 or email events@athlonespringshotel.com.
LOVE&MARRIAGE
GAZETTE
18 GAZETTE 25 August 2016
Alluring Brilliant Bangle €89
Sparkle in style for your big day EMMA NOLAN
SOMETHING gold, something rose, something silver, something blue – affordable jewellery brand Pandora have a wide range of pieces that are suitably elegant for bridal wear. Whether for the bride herself or
for her bridesmaids and flower girls, the new autumn collection, which is launching in stores on September 1, contains a number of pieces that are bound to be popular amongst those with weddings on their mind. It features silver, rose and 14k gold bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings that would be perfect for
that special day, and for a reminder of the day that can be worn afterwards. Both chic and classic, there is something to suit most tastes. This stylish range is available from Pandora stores in Dundrum, Grafton Street, Liffey Valley and Henry Street.
Vintage Allure Drop Earrings €99
Alluring Brilliant Marquise €89
Vintage Allure Ring €119 Open Bangle €89
Vintage Allure Earrings €59
The write way tosay ‘I love you’ Twist of Fate Ring €129
IF YOU’RE not sure what to get a friend, family member or your significant other as a wedding gift, The Wedding Collection from Cross Pens carry a huge range of elegant writing instruments to suit all budgets that are sure to be treasured forever. Choose from a number of Cross pens, which are perfect for signing the marriage register, for guests to sign the wedding book, or even for writing those wedding thank-you letters. The collection is the perfect celebration of love, as each pen can be engraved with a meaningful message, making for a unique, personal memento. For the full collection, samples of which are shown above, see www.cross.com.
Century II Chrome Ball Point Pen €65
Townsend Chrome Ball Point Pen €115
Beverly Pearlescent White Lacquer Ball-Point Pen €40
Edge Titanium Gel Ink Pen €50
25 August 2016 GAZETTE 19
55
EMMA NOLAN Style Editor
HELEN McAlinden, one of Ireland’s best-known designers, features a number of pieces perfect for wedding guests in her newest ready to wear collection, not least for the most important guest of all – the mother (in both parties), of course. While every Helen McAlinden
piece is distinguished by subtleties of form, fit and fabrication, her latest S/S16 collection is no different. Constantly evolving and developing, the blueprint silhouette of her unique and sophisticated style can be worn in a variety of ways, always keeping a focus on the woman who wears them. McAlinden said: “My designs are underpinned with the very best
fabrics, chosen for luxurious quality and durability of style. It is always my goal to create a range to suit real women’s shapes and to flatter all ages, and I feel my latest collection has achieved this.” The Helen McAlinden S/S16 collection is now available in the South William Street store, as well as in Arnotts, and House of Fraser in Dundrum Town Centre.
Georgia bodycon dress €245
5 ress €26
The Mother
Marcela navy porcelain dress €285
h cotton d
etc Evelyn str
The most important guest at the big day
Sandy stripe dress €265
Georgia bodycon dress €245
Astrid floral dress €285
s €285 Astrid floral dres
Marion dress €2
DRESSING
GAZETTE
SUPPLEMENT
THE overall influence for this Spring/Summer collection derives from the work of American fashion designer Claire McCardell, who, throughout the 1930s, 40s and 50s became synonymous with ready-towear stylish women’s sports wear. With Helen’s recent collection, the florals for which the brand is so well known are showcased in form-flattering dresses and pencil skirts.
GAZETTE
20 GAZETTE 25 August 2016
DUBLINLIFE
AENGUS O’HANLON
ATHLONE is a place worth invading. The Vikings, the Anglo-Normans, the Williamites, and more recently, tourists have come to the ancient town expecting much and leaving happy, sometimes not leaving at all. And with good reason. Sitting on the banks of the mighty Shannon, just south of beautiful Lough Ree, Athlone is an ancient and unique destination. Unique because the town is split
in two not just by the river, but also by the map… twice. T he western tow n, with its impressive skyline dominated by Athlone Castle and the imposing twin towers of Saint Peter
and Paul’s Church, is in County Roscommon and as such in Connacht, while the larger, eastern town is in the Leinster county of Westmeath. So if you’re looking for a funfilled weekend away right at the very heart of Ireland, or the perfect base from which to explore the midlands, look no further. With plenty to do and see, and no shortage of wonderful old pubs and excellent, affordable restaurants, this is a town with a lot to
We Athlone
offer. We stayed at the Radisson Blu, right on the river, with stunning views across the water to the old town. With its friendly staff, nice pool and excellent bars and restaurant, you could say it’s a metaphor for the entire region. Their family suites are as good as The Gazette has ever experienced. Too often in our experience, “family rooms” can mean nothing more than a glorified dormitory, with about as much privacy for mum
and dad as you could expect in a small car. Not here. The rooms are spacious, and a bit like the town, neatly split into two distinct parts, giving the kids a mirage of independence which includes their own beds, river views, TV and play area, while parents can pretend to be grown ups in peace in the adjoining double room. With the kids – and us adults – immediately delighted with our welcome to Athlone, it set the tone
Sean’s Bar is listed in the
Viking Mike’s Viking longboat with the Radisson
Guinness Book of Records as
Blu in the background
the oldest bar in Europe
Musicians in Sean’s Bar
Oh baby – pampering awaits! MUMS-TO-BE WILL ENJOY WINEPORT LODGE’S SPECIALLY TAILORED PACKAGES
25 Augist 2016 GAZETTE 21
for the weekend, and sure enough, a brilliant few days it was. A quick dip in the hotel’s pool before a sumptuous dinner in Elements Bistro was followed by a relaxing drink at the Quayside bar and Lounge, where you can unwind on the open terrace overlooking the river. Athlone is all about the Shannon. And there’s no better way to explore the river and nearby Lake of the Kings, than with Viking Mike on his 21 metre replica
Viking longboat. Departing from the quayside at Athlone Castle daily, Viking Ship Cruises, which sail up the Shannon and into Lough Ree or down river to the historic monastic site of Clonmacnoise, are an absolute must. Mike and his staff know the area and its colourful past like the back of their well worn hands, and the big man and his staff’s hospitality knows no end. You learn a lot about the history of the river and surrounding
townlands during the 75 minute cruise, and the vessel, a National History Ship dating back to 1923, is equipped with a cafe, bar and even wifi. Back in the town, a trip to the Luan Gallery on the West side of the river will keep the culture vultures more than happy, and they should also make the quick dash across the road to take in the celebrated stained glass windows of St Peter and Paul’s. A minute’s walk away is Ath-
GAZETTE
TRAVEL
lone Castle with its innovative the pub’s walls have indicated visitor centre, where the town’s that people have been enjoying a history, people, and many battles sup here since 900 A.D. – and it’s are explored and brought to life in even listed in the Guinness Book a series of very impressive audio- of Records as the oldest bar in visual exhibitions. Europe, which most people agree Child-friendly multimedia dis- would also make it the oldest in plays and interactive games guide the world. spellbound visitors through the What isn’t up for debate, howevcastle; while the Great Seige of er, is the quality of the pint, or the Athlone is relived in a 360 degree wonderful, magical atmosphere climatic experience that transports that hits you as soon as you cross its door. viewers back in ------------------------------------Tourists, locals time. And, if you and stag parties like dressing up in mingle happily, historic costumes, while the back of you’re in luck! the pub stretches The more active all the way to the adventurers can riverbank. hop on their bikes Another fine and go for a spin along the Old ------------------------------------- o l d A t h l o n e Rail Train Greenboozer that simway, a scenic 42km dedicated cycle ply has to be enjoyed is Gertie path that follows the old Midland Browne’s on Custume Street, just Great Western Railway east before across the bridge back on the east snaking along the Royal Canal side of town. into Mullingar. The pub dates back over 1,000 With lots of entry and exit points years and was once a carriage along the route, you can hop on house as well as a tavern. and off to explore the quaint little Gerties serves up some truly villages and attractions along the excellent pub grub, but if you fancy way. a break from the pubs, La Cucina After all the exploring, you’ll no is a gem of a restaurant just across doubt need a drink. the road. And there’s no place like AthTouted as the best restaurant in lone for pubs. the midlands by TripAdvisor, this Possibly the king of them all lovely little family eatery certainly (and The Gazette is no stranger to lives up to its reputation, and like good pubs so has some authority everywhere else in Athlone, the on the matter) is Sean’s Bar. service came with a smile. The archaeological dating on We will be back.
‘After all the exploring, you’ll no doubt need a drink. And there’s no place like Athlone for pubs.’
Athlone’s skyline is dominated by the Church of St Peter and St Paul
MIMI MURRAY
“BABY mooning” is a fairly new concept for pregnant women – sort of like baby showers and an American thing, I’m sure. It’s the idea of taking some time out with your other half before your impending bundle of joy makes its noisy entrance into the world, leaving it never quite the same again. I don’t normally go in for this type of makey-uppey concept, myself, but if it means metaphorically sitting on a lily pad and letting myself be pampered – well, I’m willing to bend my own rules. With a four-year-old at home, and another child on the way, we decided to not venture far and plumped
for 24 hours R&R, just an hour down the road, at Wineport Lodge in Athlone. Many hotels offer baby moon packages now, which usually consist of an overnighter or two with some delicious beauty treatments thrown in for the mum-to-be. Wineport Lodge is located on the banks of Lough Ree, and a more stunning location you could not find. All rooms overlook the lake and a balcony meant we could sit and capture the magical early morning goings-on, such as a lone heron diving for fish, or two swans making their majestic journey across the dark waters. The hotel’s location so close to the shore genu-
inely makes you feel very at one with nature. The lodge is reminiscent of those boltholes in the New England states and the restaurant, with its leather-coloured booths and high-beamed ceilings, adds to this feeling of being somewhere like Vermont. It boasts a small spa area with an outdoor hot tub – something my husband indulged in while I went for my treatment. I chose the all-over body massage and my excellent therapist, Aisling, really knew her stuff. She has actually trained in massage for recovering cancer patients as well as maternity massage, so has a very good knowledge of the human body; the correct pressure to apply and
where to avoid when pregnant – something mumsto-be often worry about when indulging in something like this. An hour later, and back to the land of the living, it was time to start thinking about dinner. The food is really good here, with things like a mackerel pate and crab and scampi salad offering light-bite starters. We went for both of these, as we had our hearts set on the cote de boeuf – a rib of beef cooked on the bone for two people (well, three, effectively). This is actually enough for about four people, and came with bearnaise and cafe de paris sauce as well as some greens and fat chips. In a word: delicious.
An Eton mess was the lightest dessert we could find and we tried it purely for research purposes. The end-of-season strawberries and homemade meringues were the perfect choice to bookend a very tasty meal. After a good night’s sleep and a cooked breakfast we returned to Dublin with a pep in our step and a renewed sense of wellbeing – something every mum-tobe will never say no to! For more details on mum-to-be packages, see wineport.ie. For alternative baby moon breaks check out Hayfield Manor, Co Cork. From: €499pp. Telephone: 021 484 5900 or Castle Leslie Estate, Co Monaghan. From: €240pps Telephone: 047 88100.
With superb wasterside views of the calming Shannon, Wineport Lodge’s soothing location is married to great service and delicious dining, too
GAZETTE
22 GAZETTE 25 August 2016
DUBLINLIFE
FOOD&DRINK
BITESIZEDNEWS
A new range of health foods has just been launched at several leading retailers across Ireland
Vitality fare that could set you up for the day HEALTH food brand Vitality Foods has just launched in Ireland. Now available in Dunnes, SuperValu, Centra, Spar, Mace and Londis, Vitality is a protein-based brand that is described as “food for active living”. Vitality is introducing a range of three products – oats, pancakes and protein bars – with a variety of different flavours, from cookies and cream, peanut butter crunch to honey and almond. Speaking at the launch of Vitality Foods, fitness model Maeve Madden said: “Protein is such an important part of my daily diet and routine and the Vitality Food range is so delicious and easy to prepare. “My favourite product from the range is definitely the pancakes, which are the perfect breakfast to set you up for an active day.” For recipes, workouts and wellness innovation, follow @Vitality_Foods on Instagram.
Coastal villages make it to national foodie list DUBLINERS already know to head to the sea for some of the best fare in the city – and the terrific cuisine found at eateries in Howth, Skerries and Malahide have seen the villages shortlisted for the best foodie destinations in Ireland. The three villages are in the top ten places selected by the Restaurants Association of Ireland for its Foodie Destinations initiative. The winning town or destination will be named on September 29.
Brazilian-style
Spring Green Spiralised
chicken salad
Courgette Salad
Serving up summer THE summer has been anything but sizzling, but this delicious Brazilianstyle chicken salad, from M&S, which serves four, will be a Rio-l hit when you bring it out. Inspired by salpicao, the classic Brazilian street food, it is often served with the chips mixed in, but you can serve them on the side if you prefer.
Ingredients l 2 tsp olive oil l 2 tsp smoked paprika l 2 medium potatoes (about 700g) l 1 green apple l 1.5 limes l 400g cooked chicken l 50g raisins (optional) l 4 tbsp mayonnaise
l l
25g coriander 4 white seeded rolls
Preparation l Peel and cut all the potatoes into thin strips. Shred the cooked chicken and finely chop the coriander. l Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. l Mix the oil with 1 tsp of smoked paprika, season with salt and pepper, then toss with the chips. l Spread out on a large baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. l Meanwhile, quarter, core and slice the apple into thin wedges and put in a large bowl. l Squeeze the juice of half a lime, then add the
chicken and raisins. In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the zest and juice of one lime, 1sp smoked paprika and the coriander. l Stir 3tsp of the dressing into the chicken salad, then add the cooked fries; gentle toss if desired. l Serve on a platter with rolls and the remaining dressing on the side. l
FOR another tasty treat to feed four, we turn again to M&S, and their spirit of summer-inspired Spring G r e e n S p i ra l i s e d Courgette Salad. This light, fresh dish is easy to prepare, and is perfect fare to serve as summer drifts towards its end.
Ingredients l 120g fresh spinach leaves l 50g pine nut l 1 garlic clove l 125ml extra virgin olive oil l 50g fresh Parmesan l 1 lemon l 1 pinch salt and pepper l 250g courgette spaghetti l 150g frozen petits pois l 25g mint leaves l 1 large handful rocket Preparation l Mince the garlic cloves; grate the fresh Parmesan; chop the mint leaves. l To make the pesto, place the spinach, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor, and blitz to a
coarse puree. Transfer to a bowl, and add the olive oil and parmesan. Mix well. l Squeeze in lemon juice, to taste. l Season with salt and pepper – it will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. l Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the peas, and cook for 2-3 mins. l Drain, and refresh under cold water. Set aside to cool completely. l In a large bowl, combine the courgette, peas, mint and 5 tablespoons of pesto. l Stir through the rocket last. Then squeeze some lemon over the salad, and serve. l
25 August 2016 GAZETTE 23
GAZETTE
24 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
DUBLINLIFE
ReelReviews
LIGHTS OUT
A bright idea for a film DIRECTOR James Wan takes the premise of a short film and gives it a decent treatment with Lights Out (Cert 15A, 81 mins). A young boy is being haunted by a dangerous and very real being who lives in the dark – however, she has direct ties to his family, some of whom know exactly who ‘Diana’ is ... Wan’s skill at directing horror come to the fore, with an interesting premise presented with skill.
NINE LIVES
An utter catastrophe KEVIN Spacey and Christopher Walken take the money and run – after first mugging their way through Nine Lives (Cert PG, 87 mins), widely slated as possibly the worst film of 2016. A billionaire workaholic learns lessons about life, family and love after ... he’s turned into a cat. Yes, a cat. There’s very little a-miaow-sing about this pretty dreadful film, which is cat indeed.
SUICIDE SQUAD
Mission incomprehensible WITH one of its main stars complaining about the film and how he was largely edited out of it, Suicide Squad (Cert 15A, 123 mins) has had a bumpy reception to say the least. A group of supervillains are sent on a near impossible mission – to keep audiences and fanboys happy. However, the film fails at this, with its muddled editing and plot hurting it throughout.
CINEMA
THE PURGE - ELECTION YEAR: POLITICAL OVERTONE IS NEW FOR THE FRANCHISE
A riotous but ultimately unsatisfying riff on violent tendencies
LIKE any dystopian action-horror worth its salt, The Purge: Election Year (Cert 16, 109 mins) is loaded with outthere violence, cringey dialogue and scenerychewing bad guys; it’s at its best when it sticks to this formula. Unfortunately, hackneyed attempts at political discourse bring Election Year down. 2013’s The Purge laid the groundwork for an interesting vision of the future, attractive in the simplicity of its dystopian premise: an America where crime rates have dropped to an all-time low thanks to the annual 12-hour “Purge”, during which all criminal activity – including murder – is legal. Unfortunately, The Purge failed to deliver, missing a delightfully twisted world-building opportunity by restricting the action to a single location and opting for a slow, cliched housesiege premise. Its sequel, The Purge: Anarchy, rightly took the action into the
MARTIN MACNAMARA
streets and was all the better for it. With this, the third entr y in the series, writer/director James DeMonaco attempts to expand on the universe he created, implementing issues of class, race and religion that had been lightly touched on before. His attempts to “smarten up” the series, however, are ill-suited to the over-the-top action and offbeat premise. Elizabeth Mitchell plays Charlie Roan, a US senator who survived the Purge as a young girl. Now a presidential candidate, Roan works to abolish the yearly tradition that killed the rest of her family. Shortly before commencement on the night of the Purge, Roan narrowly escapes an assas-
sination attempt. With the help of her head of security, Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), she tries to make it through the 12 hours on the streets of Washington DC. The Purge: Anarchy knew exactly what it needed to be, learning from the mistakes of the previous entry and working from a dystopian-action template that brought to mind films such as 1987’s The Running Man. While Election Year is cut from a similar cloth, D e Mo n a c o t r i e s t o inject new life by structuring it as a kind of paranoid thriller, and riffing on the current political climate in the US. Consequently, Election Year is riddled with clunky, half-baked attempts at racial discourse that jar terribly with the rest of the film. Election Year, then, is at its best when its keeps it simple. The expansive world-building on display here is a welcome development for the series; of note is a look inside the annual Purge
In an America where the annual Purge makes every crime – including murder – legal for 12 hours, an anti-Purge senator and her dwindling team must use their wits to survive the chaos when they’re caught up in the mayhem
midnight mass, where church and state have become near-indistinguishable from one another. Other nice touches include an appearance from a “Purge victim removal and disposal” truck, a look at the murder-tourism industry, and a glimpse inside the world of Purge-related business insurance – trivial but humorous details that add to our understanding of this
darkly-eccentric, future America. Like its predecessor, Election Year is peppered with imaginative set pieces and surreal, striking images: the steps of the Lincoln Memorial littered with bodies, an enormous guillotine dispatching victims down an alleyway. DeMonaco has an eye for the kind of ghastly twists on modern America that make a dysto-
pian horror work. In the end, The Purge: Election Year falls victim to its own ambition. There’s a wickedly enjoyable film here – unfortunately, it’s buried beneath a little too much posturing and displaced discourse. Fans of the series will delight in Election Year’s finer points; it may prove a little tasteless, however, for certain audiences. Verdict: 6/10
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 25
GAZETTE
GAMING WEEBYTES
West is best for zombies WHAT do lots of gamers love even more than catching Pokemon or matching three things? Zombies. Yes, zombies. Good news, then, as one of the silliest and most enjoyable zombie survival games – Dead Rising – will soon be rereleased. Proving that you just can’t keep a good game dead, Capcom have dug up the seminal 2006 game (and its bigger, but duller sequels) for the HD remaster and rerelease treatment. Once again, Frank West – a lovable schlub and photojournalist – will be free to roam a shopping mall during the zombie apocalpyse, saving oddball survivors, trying to get the story of his career, popping traffic cones over zombies’ heads, and even changing into a nice dress if he wants (all the better to run in more comfort, I suppose.) While HD rereleases and ‘upscaled’ versions of old games can be very hit and miss, Dead Rising’s lighthearted gameplay make it a very welcome rerelease. The series returns as digital downloads on September 13, giving PC, XBO and PS4 users the chance to face the zombie hordes with a camera in one hand, a homemade weapon in the other, and tongue firmly in cheek ...
At times, Abzu’s waters teem with life, with dizzying amounts of fish whirling, darting, dashing and drifting around – animation that must be seen to be appreciated
ABZU: WATER EXCELLENT GAME
DIVE IN TO A SEA OF REAL WONDER SHANE DILLON
Tech Editor
LAST week we took to the sea of stars above to go exploring, but this week is a wet one – and so it’s the actual sea, and the world below the waves, that’s firmly in our sights. Let’s dive straight in to the review... Abzu (PC, PS4, c. €15, Cert 7+,) is a somewhat slight game – with a budget price to match – that gamers will easily drift through in just two or three hours, and yet is easy to recommend. Whether you grew up
with a goldfish or your experience with sea life amounts to eating fish fingers, there’s something charming about the life aquatic presented in Abzu that will bring out your inner Cousteau. With a hazily defined story you may or may not glean as you travel, you take The Diver through a series of environments to the game’s finale, occasionally completing very mild tasks, and restoring life to some dead zones as you swim along. A b z u ’s g e n e r a l l y vibrant world has been stylishly designed and
presented, with cel-shaded artwork comprising most of the game’s assets. However, the attention to detail that’s gone into capturing the movements, and essence, of all the creatures in the game is marvellous – and the sight of huge numbers of fish and other sea creatures all floating about remains impressive and relaxing throughout. Throw in a subtle, occasionally powerful score by award-winning composer Austin Wintory, and Abzu’s journey, not the destination, is well worth undertaking.
From the mysterious depths of the ocean to sun-dappled shallows, Abzu’s waters all have a striking visual identity, with levels that teem with life. Screengrabs: Shane Dillon
26 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
BLANCHCLASSIFIEDS COURSES
PAINTING
RECRUITMENT
GUTTERS/ROOFING WINDOWS
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 27
BLANCHCLASSIFIEDS
GOT A STORY? Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240
LEGAL & PLANNING APPLICATION
ANNOUNCEMENT We can now officially accept planning & legal notices from all four County Councils in greater Dublin region · Dublin City · Dun Laoghaire South Dublin · Fingal
· Standard rate from €75 + VAT · Payment in advance
Ph. 01 601 0240
GOT A PHOTO? Call our NEWS TEAM on 60 10 240 and SELECT OPTION 2 or email news@dublingazette.com
GAZETTE
28 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
SPORT Ailbhe on her Para Road to Rio
FastSport SWIMMING: CASTLEKNOCK’S KELLY ALL SET TO MAKE A BIG SPLASH LAST EIGHT FOR ROVERS AND PAT’S: ST PAT’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers will continue to carry the Dublin flag in the FAI Senior Cup following their respective wins in the third round. For Pat’s, goals from Conan Byrne and Christy Fagan at Richmond Park saw them defeat Limerick 2-0. Pat’s took the lead on 42 minutes when Byrne controlled a diagonal ball across the park. He darted in from the right before firing low into the bottom left corner, with his strike taking a deflection off a Limerick foot. Fagan got the second on 77 minutes when he headed home from close range after Sean Hoare had headed Mark Timlin’s corner back into area. Rovers swept to a 5-0 win over Athlone Town. A ruthless second half performance cast aside their First Division hosts as five goals put the cup specialists into the last eight hat with Gary McCabe, Sean Boyd, Brandon Miele, Simon Madden and James Doona scoring.
JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com
CASTLEKNOCK native Ailbhe Kelly has pointed to long-term coach Dave Malone and the rest of the team at the NAC Swimming Club as the key personnel in her drive towards Rio, as she prepares to compete in three different event at
the Paralympic games. Describing the road to Rio as a four-year endeavour that has become “more and more of a reality” over recent months, Kelly told GazetteSport of how her mother overheard Malone on the radio, and how his expertise fits perfectly with her Olympic drive.
“I’d just finished lessons as an 11-year-old. I started swimming at the age of five, and I really loved it,” she explains. “The instructor suggested I find a club and try swimming competitively. Around the same time, my mum heard Dave Malone talking about Paralympic swimming coaching on the radio. “He’s just around the corner from me at the National Aquatic Centre. A key thing for Paralympic swimming is having a coach who understands the specific training needs and I’m very lucky to have that, and the facilities, just around the corner. I train six days a week, so I probably spend as much time at the NAC as I do at home.”
Ailbhe Kelly in action at the European Championships. Picture: Carlos Rodrigues/Sportsfile
Kelly is set to compete in three events in the S8 swimming category, having qualified for the 100 metre backstroke and 400 metre freestyle events in Rio at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow, and added the 100 metre freestyle at the Europeans earlier this year. She has identified the backstroke as her strongest stroke, and is hoping to achieve personal bests across her events in Rio, believing that these would give her a good chance of reaching some finals. “My focus is really on
my own performance; I think, for a lot of athletes, the first Olympics is really about having the experience and learning from it. I’ve been to the World and European Championships but I’ve heard that the Paralympics is a completely different experience, so I’m just so, so excited. It’s crazy to think it’s just a few days away after all this time, and I’m more determined and training harder than ever.” Kelly will travel to the Irish team’s Brazilian holding camp in Uberlandia ahead of the Olympics this week,
spending 10 days adapting to the change in timezone and temperature before travelling on to the Olympic village in Rio in early September. “I have no co-ordination,” she jokes, talking about her family’s sporting connections with Castleknock GAA. “But I think it’s just part of the family, we’re all very into sport. Both my brothers play with the club. “For me, swimming was a better fit. Rio will be fantastic, but I’m definitely looking ahead to bigger things in Tokyo in 2020, too.”
Collins stuns the chasers on cycle of 70.3 Ironman sport@dublingazette.com
America’s Ben Collins celebrates his Dublin Ironman 70.3 success. Picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
BENJAMIN Collins proved a surprise package in Dublin at the recent 70.3 Ironman event held in the city. The American exited the water in third place, only three seconds behind the fastest swimmer Mark Threlfall and Harry Wiltshire, but while spectators awaited a British race to come, Collins stormed away on the bike. He obviously knew about the running strengths of some of the top contenders and he nailed a huge, early gap to get out on the
run with a bigger advantage. Through 50 kilometres, Collins already had opened up a gap of more than eight minutes. Starting into the final half marathon, he was 11 minutes ahead of the chase group. Wiltshire entered T2 together with Fraser Cartmell, Threlfall, and Paul Reitmayr (from Austria) but he started to drop the two men only minutes later. Wiltshire downsized the gap to the front continuously but he was starting into the run too far behind to even think about catching up with Collins again.
Wiltshire had the best run split and no issues to secure second place in front of Reitmayr. Susie Cheetham defended her title at the Ironman 70.3 Dublin in a sensational way. The 30-yearold 2016 African Championship runner-up raced well from start to finish to celebrate a great success. When Cheetham came out of the water at Scotsman’s Bay in 27 minutes, she was 47 seconds ahead of Spain’s Saleta Castro and 2.31 in front of her compatriot Natalie Seymour and already in her own zone.
Cheetham embarked on a very solid solo ride, breaking away from the rest of the field. When she got off the bike, she was in the middle of the men’s pro field with Seymour already five minutes down. Hungarian Anna Halasz, in third place, was already eight minutes away from the lead in T2. At this point, it wasn’t really a question anymore whether Cheetham could run this race home. Although Seymour was working hard to reduce the gap on the run, the defending champ never allowed the runner-up to get closer than four minutes.
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 29
GAZETTE
Brill motivation Usher’s in independent ambition
FASTSport
Dundrum native Carol wins big at blind golf events in the UK and Austria as she continues to campaign for an improved situation for those suffering from Usher Syndrome in Ireland JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com
A POWERHOUSE of social activism, blind golfer Carol Brill is once again knocking down doors after a period of illness, and backing winning tournaments. Brill recently travelled to blind open events in the UK and Austria, and came out on top in Austria as she won the B2 [extremely limited sight] categor y of a mixed-gender contest. In the UK tournament, Brill was part of the victorious group in the team event. The Austrian win was particularly impressive, given Brill played directly off the back of a trip to a funeral in America, playing on a few hours’ sleep after a 30-hour
flight. Her improvement on the second – less tired – day was an astonishing 27 shots. The Dundrum native sees her golf as a way of living – a sport she can participate in despite suffering from a debilitating, rare and progressive condition called Usher Syndrome, which causes her hearing and sight to deteriorate progressively over time. Brill’s vision is currently limited to a small slot directly in front of her, and will continue to fade until she is completely blind. “It’s about living differently,” Brill told GazetteSport of her golf. “I’m very dependent on someone to guide me for golf, so it’s a new kind of independence
– it requires someone to spend six hours with me. But I can’t let Usher Syndrome take my desire to play.” Brill has previously been heavily involved in campaigns to recognise blind-deafness as a unique condition, something the Irish government has failed to do to date, making them the only EU government not to have done so. “HSE guidelines were released early summer on how to deal with deaf blindness, and they consist of ten bullet points. “I don’t particularly like the idea of ‘deaf blind’ as a term, really, as there are more than 70 different types of deaf blindness and it’s too simplistic,” Brill explains.
Carol Brill is flying high on the blind golf circuit and making an impact off the course
“Unfortunately, we had a new government and things have really slowed up with the summer break. Things seem to be at a standstill, which is a shame after my previous lobbying [Brill spoke in the Oireachtas about her condition last year], but we move on.” In a typically inspiring and outspoken way, for
is still in the early stages. “The record for a round of fourball is 13 minutes, and was set on a course here in Ireland, but there isn’t a specific women’s record. “If I can get four women per hole, and sponsor each player, then look for corporate sponsorship for the holes, too, I think it’s realistic to raise €100,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
‘It’s about living differently but I can’t let Usher Syndrome take my desire to play’ - Carol Brill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brill moving on means simply driving in a slightly different direction, in which she hopes to mix the golf and fundraising into future Usher ’s Syndrome research. After visiting Disneyland in Florida – the end result of a campaign to be able to see the theme park with her daughter before her sight deterioration takes hold too strongly – Brill will now be campaigning to raise money for a new drug trial that will be headed up by the son of a close friend of hers. Tests on a form of female viagra have shown significant sight benefits and Brill hopes it might prevent more people from suffering with her syndrome in the future. “My plan is to play the fastest ladies round of fourball golf,” Brill said, admitting that the idea
for the research. “I also have some surplus money from the Seeing Disney campaign that I have to allocate. I haven’t decided how to use that yet, but it has to be in keeping with the reasons it was raised, so this might make sense. I need to talk to the Guinness Book of Records people, but we’ll see how it works out.” What’s certain is that Brill is abuzz with ideas, and determined to be a demonstration of how to live with a condition like Usher’s Syndrome. Having changed sports – she was originally a tennis player – adapted her lifestyle and made a point of being powerfully independent, her campaigning feels like something she does for someone else. There’s no telling what might come next.
Egan eases Rio pain with Sella Descent victory JENNY Egan has won gold in the prestigious International Sella Descent in Spain, beating 1,100 competitors in the process. Egan, from the Salmon Leap Canoe Club in Leixlip, missed out on qualifying for the Rio Olympics by just a single place, but was a member of a large Irish team who competed in the 80th International Sella Descent in Asturias. The race is similar to the Liffey Descent and is part of the International Canoe Federation’s Classic Series which consists of eight down river races across Europe, South Africa and China. Egan, who won senior K1 5,000m Canoe Sprint World Cup gold and silver medals earlier this summer in Portugal and Czech Republic respectively, completed the 20 kilometre course in under one hour and 30 minutes. She held off a strong international field to win by over two minutes ahead of second place Kristina Bedec of Serbia and third place Spaniard Sheila Saez Barrios. Speaking after the race, Egan said: “I am delighted to win the famous International Sella Descent and it was extra special for me as it was my first time to compete in this race. “Going into this race I knew there was a very strong field of competitors with the Serbian Bedec being a World Marathon Championship bronze medallist from 2015 and Great Britain’s [Lizzie] Broughton, who won a Silver medal at the World Marathon Championships in 2014.” In the Under-23 men’s K1, Sean McCarthy of Salmon Leap won a silver medal, with Ronan Foley from Kilcullen Canoe Club winning a bronze medal in the junior men’s K1. Liam McCarthy also won a medal, when he finished second in the over-50 men’s K1 category to take silver.
GAZETTE
30 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016
SPORT
FASTSport
Diver Dingley breaks new barriers in Rio NAC diver Oliver Dingley finished eighth in the three-metre springboard Olympic final in Rio de Janeiro last week in what was Ireland’s first representation in the sport for 68 years. The Olympic debutant scored his highest marks of the Games in an outstanding final that saw China’s Yuan Cao take gold in 547.60 points. Having looked nervous in the semi-final earlier in the day, Dingley looked calm and collected throughout the final and scored a personal best of 442.90 after the six rounds, the 23-year-old was even in medal contention early on. Having progressed in ninth place from the semi-final, Dingley completed the same six dives as the preliminary and semi-final in his first Olympic Final. Fourth after round one with 74.40 points for a forward 3 ½ somersaults, Dingley went on to score his highest mark of the two days, 81.60, for a forward 2 ½ somersaults 2 twists, to lie just 2.1 points off bronze. The closest he would get to the medal was at the halfway point where 76.50 points saw him just .2 off Bronze with 232.50 points. Dingley continued to dive well in rounds four and five but a lesser degree of difficulty for the dives saw him score lower and slip back to eighth place, scoring 69 and 61.50 points. As had been the trend during the preliminaries and semi-final, he finished with his favourite, back 2 ½ somersaults 1 ½ twists, scoring his second highest mark of the Games 79.90. Dingley is the first Irish diver to compete in an Olympic Games final and will take huge confidence from an 8th place finish. Great Britain’s Jack Laugher, who had progressed to the final in 12th place, won silver in 523.85 while Germany’s Patrick Hausding claimed bronze in 498.90.
SOCCER: FORMER CELTIC MAN SIGNS UP EDINBURGH BASED CLUB
Ruari Paton following his decision to sign terms with Hibernian this week
Paton is Hibs king of the Castle sport@dublingazette.com
FORMER Castleknock Celtic player Ruari Paton celebrated his 16th birthday this week by signing a three-year professional contract with Hibernian Football Club in Edinburgh, along with joining forces with DB Sports Tours as his official agency. Paton began his football journey with his local club in 2006, joining the academy, subsequently going on to win several NDSL Premier Cups and league titles with the Under-8s through to the Under12s.
He eventually lef t for pastures new, joining Shelbourne FC. He left on positive terms, scoring the two goals in the 2-1 cup final win at the AUL against St Mochta’s. Having joined Shelbourne, Paton was the top scorer that season as the newly promoted outfit managed a joint fifth place finish. In 2013, Ruari realised a childhood ambition by joining St Kevin’s Boys, enjoying a fruitful season playing at the Shanowen Road ground with a club that he had held great admiration for.
TURBO CHARDED Blanch-based Kalinecki retains Touring Car title REIGNING Irish Touring Car Production champion Grzegorz Kalinecki and his Sportchip.ie team made it two titles in as many years as they clinched the overall ITCC Supertouring Championship at Mondello Park last Sunday. Having dominated the class for most of the year, Blanch-based Kalinecki and the Turboman.ie backed Golf claimed his sixth win of the season, and more importantly, the 2016 Teng Tools ITCC title.
The highlight of the season was Paton representing St Kevin’s Boys in the Kennedy Cup, scoring six goals as the DDSL team won the tournament. In 2014, he then joined another illustrious schoolboy club – Belvedere FC. Ruairi spent the last two seasons with the Dublin club. And, in March 2016, he realised another childhood ambition by making his international debut against Turkey in April 2016. During 2015, Paton had trials with Stoke City and Celtic, and, in February 2016, Hibs
made an approach for Paton following a successful trial period. Soon after, a professional contract was duly offered. During July 2016, he played for the Hibernian Under-17 team that reached the final of the Milk Cup Super-Cup Premier division. Paton also made his debut for Hibernian Development Under-20 team at Hawick in July 2016, coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 victory. Paton is now living in Tranent, Edinburgh and is looking forward to his new professional football career. A prolific goal scorer
and playmaker, he has excellent game intelligence and is a complete team player. He is instinctive in front of goal and has two good feet and good pace. DB Sports co-founder David Berber spoke of his delight to have joined up with Paton on his football journey which has now lead to Scotland: “I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Ruari and his family, he’s a fantastic kid always wanting to learn and better himself. “I think he’s chosen a fantastic club and getting to work with Neil Lennon is a bonus”.
25 August 2016 BLANCH GAZETTE 31
GAZETTE
HAPPY HARPS
Tolka Valley enjoy first ever club skills camp
CLUB NOTICEBOARD ST BRIGID’S
TOLKA Valley Harps CLG, the newly
established GAA club serving Corduff, Ladyswell and Waterville, held their first ever summer camp. Kids were put through their paces by club coaches over the three day camp. Hurling, football and lots of fun was on offer each day. With well over 50 children in attendance, the camp was a huge success for the club that has only been running for a year.
CONGRATULATIONS to our minor foot-
winning entry. Send us your entries to
ballers on winning the Tom O’Donoghue
pro.stbrigids.dublin@gaa.ie or to our
Memorial Tournament in Ballymun last
Facebook and Twitter pages.
Monday evening by winning all three of their matches. Best of luck to Paddy Andrews and
approximately one Saturday in 6.
the Dublin senior footballers in the All-
Please contact us if you wish to vol-
Ireland football championship semi-
unteer.
final v Kerry this Sunday. Our ladies football team will play Foxrock Cabinteely in the senior
LADIES FOOTBALL: BOURKE TARGETS MAUR’S TIE
We are also looking for volunteers to man the coffee shop on a rota basis,
county final on Friday, September 2 at 8.15pm in Parnell Park.
The St Brigid’s nursery is now on a summer break and will return in September. The lotto jackpot continues at €15,000 with the reserve jackpot also
Our coffee shop is up and running
at €15,000. The lotto team are taking a
thanks to great efforts of many of
summer break with our next draw on
our members. But it needs a name! We
September 1 in Russell Park. Thank you
have two tickets to see Dublin v Kerry
to you all for your support of our lotto
in the All-Ireland semi-final for the
and to our great lotto committee.
CASTLEKNOCK WELL done to all the players who took
ballers in their semi-final this week
part in our very successful summer
against Lucan. Well done to our teams
camp last week. Sincere thanks to
in the Camaint finals in Parnell Park.
Paul Hudson and all the coaches for a job well done. Castleknock nursery, in associa-
Have you ever dreamed of being on the silver screen? Well now is your chance.
tion with Tiger Childcare, resumes
Castleknock GAA are going to the
this Saturday, August 27 from 10am at
OsKars on Saturday, November 5 in
Tir na nOg beside Castleknock Com-
Westmanstown Conference Centre.
munity College. All new players very
We are looking for 50 people aged 18
welcome. Just say hello to one of our
to 80 to take part, no experience nec-
friendly coaches and enjoy the fun.
essary. You will be starring in a pre-
Congrats to our Division 5 camo-
recorded short of well-known scenes
Knock ready for historic JFC final
gie cup winners who added the cup
from iconic movies which will be pre-
to their recent league success. Best
miered on the night. You could even
wishes to our second ladies foot-
win an OsKar.
ers who take part in the Arrabawn
Well done to the senior ladies foot-
KARL GRAHAM
tournament in Tipperary at the week-
ballers on their big win at home to
end; have a great day lads.
Foxrock Cabinteely. The girls are on a
Castleknock’s ladies senior footballers saw off Man O War in the JFC semi-final. Picture: Niall O’Connell
LADIES JFC FINAL sport@dublingazette.com
CASTLEKNOCK ladies are all set for their longawaited championship final against St Maurs on Wednesday, August 31 in Lawless Park, Swords at 8.30pm. The team, who will contest the final for the first time in their history, have been in great form recently – winning all five of their championship games, while scoring an impressive 25-64 in the process. Castleknock manager Philip Bourke spoke to
GazetteSport about his side’s up-coming game and their season as a whole. “The last two years the girls have made a great commitment towards the football, so we’re getting great attendance at training. We’ve also had a couple of new girls come in, Ciara Burgess from Raheny and Alice McNally from Tyrone, who have brought new options and new ideas to the team.” The team also freshened up the squad with some players who have come up through the juvenile ranks.
“Some of the girls within the panel over the last few years said we would give it a good go this year. We got promoted to division two and our main aim was to stay there, and then after that we would look at the championship.” Castleknock reached the final after a pulsating 2-16 to 2-8 win over Man O War, overcoming a five-point half-time deficit. “We had a great run in our championship, resulting in us winning our group and beating Man O War in the semi-finals,” Bourke
remarked. “St Maurs are a very, very good team. Olivia Leonard is a Dublin panellist and she’s a very good footballer so we’ll have to have our A-game that night. We’ve met them up through the years and always had very close battles.” T he two teams also met in their championship group earlier in the summer, beating them by seven points. “We just hope we play our best on the night, we can ask for no more. They are very committed this year,” said Bourke.
NAOMH PEREGRINE
GOOD luck to Eric Lowndes and the
Croke Park departing the club at 2pm
Dublin squad/management against
throw in at 3.30pm; adults €6 children
Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final on
€4. Contact Michelle Kavanagh/Dave
Sunday, August 28.
McEneaney to book a place. There will
Best wishes to Eoin Gleeson and Sam Beirnes and the Dublin U-16 hurl-
The club will be running a bus to
be live music in the club at 6:30 on Sunday.
run of five straight wins in the league.
ERIN GO BRAGH THANKS to everyone who supported
Well done to our Gaelic for moth-
our family fun day. We hope everyone
ers who took part in a blitz over the
enjoyed the day out. Our golf clas-
weekend. Our adult camogie team is
sic takes place on Friday September
looking for coaches; contact Jason
30. Contact Finbarr for more on 086
on 0863541146. Adult camogie training
3837411.
continues every Monday and Wednes-
Thanks to everyone who supported
day.
our summer camps; we hope everyone
Hard luck to our footballers in the
had a great time. Thanks to the organ-
league to Erin’s Isle. Adult hurling and
isers and coaches and a big thank you
football training continues. Our adult
to the Dublin inter county players who
teams are always looking for players.
took time out of their busy schedules
Anyone interested in playing football
to coach our advanced camp. Well
can call George on 087 9709795. Any-
done to all our under age teams in
one interested in playing hurling can
action over the weekend.
contact Karl on 087 2352074.
32 BLANCH GAZETTE 25 August 2016