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Sept 28 - Oct 04, 2017

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RIVERWOOD RESIDENTS URGED TO REPORT ANY RODENT SIGHTINGS

Cleaning sewers could bring end to rats

 MARK O’BRIEN RAT sightings in the Riverwood Estate are set to be a thing of the past as residents team up to solve their long-running rodent problem.

The Riverwood Residents’ Association have appealed to residents to report any sightings of rodents to gauge the extent of the problem so that pest control can eradicate the vermin once and for all.

Full Story on Page 2

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RIVERWOOD | COUNCIL TO COMMENCE RAT ERADICATION EFFORTS

Work to clean sewers hoped to finally solve local rodent problem  MARK O’BRIEN RESIDENTS of a Dublin 15 estate say they hope the latest works will finally solve a long-running problem of rodent sightings in the area.

In July, the Riverwood Residents Association appealed to residents to report any sightings of rodents.

Writing on the Residents Association website, they said: “A few residents have reported seeing rats in their back gardens and

in the public areas of the estate.

“We have a contact in Fingal County Council that deals with vermin in the county.

“Before we meet him we need to get information about the extent of the problem.

“If you have seen a rat on your property or elsewhere in the estate please let us know.

“We will use this information to help identify the areas to concentrate new eradication efforts.”

The group subsequently received reports of rats seen in Riverwood Copse, Riverwood Chase, Riverwood Glebe, Riverwood Heath and Riverwood Lawn.

Following a visit from a representative from the HSE Pest Control Unit, it was determined that the rats were most likely in the sewer pipes.

Last week, the Residents Association confirmed that Fingal County Council and Irish Water would commence work

to clean out the sewers, which they hope will lead to a dramatic decrease in the number of rats on the estate.

This is not the first time that the area has had problems with rats.

In July 2014, the Residents Association received multiple reports of rats being seen in various places in the estate.

On that occasion the HSE Pest Control Section treated the drains throughout the estate and set rat poison traps in three locations on the open space area in River-

Council expects to collect extra €2m in rates THE council say that they expect to collect an additional €2m in commercial rates once the valuation office clears their backlog in valuing properties.

Last week, The Gazette reported that the council may be missing out on a significant amount in commercial rates due to a backlog in revising and revaluing commercial properties in the county.

A council spokesperson said that the issue was affecting all local authorities but that they were proactively engaging with the valuation office in an attempt to clear the backlog.

The spokesperson said: “The council has the highest collection rate of all 31 local authorities in Ireland at 95.6% for commercial rates.”

The spokesperson acknowledged that there was a backlog but that it was anticipated that it would be mostly cleared by the end of the year.

wood Chase.

Commenting on the latest sightings, a spokesperson for Irish Water said: “Irish Water is working with Fingal County Council to investigate a rodent complaint in an estate in Dublin 15.

“The sewers have been checked and baited and it is planned to carry out a CCTV camera survey to see if there are any defects in the pipes, misconnections or incorrectly finished manholes which would provide an entry route for rodents.”

Road Safety Authority warns against driving ‘the morning after’ THE Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Siochana launched a new public information campaign last week to help educate drivers about the dangers of driving the morning after drinking alcohol. The push follows an increase in the statistics related to such trends. Pictured at the launch were Superintendent Garda Tom Mullarkey, from the Roads Policing Garda East Region and Moyagh Murdock, chief executive, the RSA, with the pair surrounded by pictures of some of the many victims of drink drivers. Picture: Robbie Reynolds

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YOUR NO1 FREE PAPER | WE’RE GETTING BIGGER AND BETTER – AND YOU’RE ALL COMING WITH US!

THE GAZETTES ...THEY ARE A-CHANGING FROM next week, your favourite free local newspaper will be bigger, better, and more widely available.

That’s because we’re relaunching with four bumper editions of the Dublin Gazette: South,West, North and City; and increasing our circulation from 55,000 to 75,000 weekly copies.

Since the introduction of our first title – the Lucan Gazette – in March 2004 (right), Dublin Gazette have built a strong foundation across Dublin City and County to deliver high-quality, relevant News, Sports and Entertainment coverage each week – a foundation that’s enabled our brand to maintain and cement its position as Dublin’s Number-One free newspaper group.

Next Thursday sees the launch of Dublin Gazette’s four repositioned titles, offering the people living and working across Dublin City and County a source of

high quality, relevant News, Sport and Entertainment FREE every week.

Dublin Gazette’s Group EditorAengus O’Hanlon says: “It’s been 12 months since we started looking into repositioning our titles, so next weekwill be exciting for us all here at The Gazette.

“Given Dublin’s population and scale, there’s a huge appetite for quality local news, entertainment and sports coverage.

“By aligning our titles with the four local authorities in Dublin, we can cater for news on a hyper-local basis like no other title. It makes perfect sense to increase the pagination in our new editions by 25%, which will facilitate a greater range of local stories from ALL areas within each of the four local authorities.

“Don’t miss your copy next week, and keep an eye out for some amazing Gazette Giveaways!”

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JUNCTION 6 | NEW CASTLEKNOCK LEISURE COMPLEX TO CREATE OVER 100 JOBS ALMOST seven years after Total Fitness shut its doors, the site of the old gym has been transformed into a state-of-the-art “health and leisure village” that boasts a swimming pool, gym, fitness studios, squash courts, an 18-man cardio chamber, a creche and an enormous indoor playground for the kids.

Junction 6 Castleknock, just off the M50, will celebrate its official launch party this Saturday, with 98FM broadcasting live from the sprawling 65,000sq ft complex, whose manager Paula O’Sullivan is urging the public to come along for a day of fun and fitness.

The campus, which has lain dormant since the sudden closure of Total Fitness at the height of the recession in 2011, has been revamped into a vibrant activity centre that will create over 100 local jobs and become a hub for the D15 community.

Among the 15 businesses that will call Junction 6 home are Ger Conroy Fitness; Altipeak,YogaHub, Happy Food, Fitbug, Royal Grappling Academy BJJ,Water Babies Ireland East,The Grafton Barber, salad bar Toss, Kidology and Ship Shape Kids Play.

Also on board are AcuFusion, KnickerBockers and Komb Hairdressing, while for a limited period, Junction 6’s new squash courts cost just €4 for a 40 minute session and can be booked online by following the instructions on their Facebook page.

Paula said the health and leisure complex, the

Train at altitude in Altipeak’s Cardio Altitude Chamber

TOTAL REVAMP: Leading personal trainer Ger Conroy Fitness has just opened a new gym at Junction 6 – the ‘one-stop-shop for all things healthy’ that boasts 15 independent health and leisure services in one, state-of-the-art complex

‘Health village’ sees gym site Totally transformed first of its kind in Dublin, has something for everyone. She explained: “‘We have 15 different businesses, all experts in their field that collectively provide a truly unique offering of health, fitness and leisure products to the community.

“A key focus for the complex is on health and wellbeing and promoting the importance that exercise plays in enhancing positive mental health.

“The complex is on James Connolly Hospital’s doorstep so it’s extremely convenient for those visitors and hospital staff who need a change of scenery, a tasty and healthy food option, a bit of pampering on their lunch break or a game of squash.

“With easy access off the M50 and over 350 free car parking spaces, the convenience factorwill also appeal to those travelling back and forth on the motorway, they can drop in and grab a coffee, have a quick meeting or a fitness class and then home.”

From midday on Saturday, locals are invited to join in the fun as Junction 6 shows off its many attractions, all of which are family-friendly and have fitness at their core.

Paula, right, said she and her colleagues couldn’t wait the party, adding: “It’s going to be a great day. 98FM are broadcasting live from Junction 6, and there’ll be something for everyone on a day packed with fun.

We have free fitness classes, free haircuts, and free kids’ entertainment all day.

“There’ll also be food, refreshments and spot prizes throughout the day.”

FASTNews

Gardai seize gun and €30k of drugs in Blanchardstown A 22-year-old man was due to appear at Blanchardstown District Court at 10.30am last September 21, charged with drugs and firearms offences.

The man was arrested on Tuesday, September 19, as part of ongoing investigations targeting serious criminal activity in the west Dublin area, a search operation was carried out at an address in Blanchardstown.

The operation was led by detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

During the course of this search a Baikal pistol and ammunition was seized along with a stolen high-powered motor cycle.

A quantity of cocaine and cannabis with a street value of approximately €30,000 (analysis pending) was also seized.

School to hold its open night

Kidology Childcare cater for children from 12 months to 12 years

Popular health and beauty blogger Chloe Boucher with the guys from Toss at Junction 6

The little ones will love ShipShapeKids

On Thursday night, October 5, from 7.309.00 pm, Coolmine Community School will hold its annual open night. All parents and pupils are welcome to visit the school and talk to the teachers and current students about the school.

As well as valuing high standards of teaching and learning, Coolmine Community School places a great deal of emphasis and spends a lot of time promoting extra-curricular activities and out of school excursions and trips, throughout the school year.

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6 BLANCH GAZETTE 28 September 2017

Out and About

Connolly Hospital’s ocupational therapists Paul, Niamh, Sarah, Edel, Katie, Laura, Elaine, Kay, Julie and Mary with RTE presenter Marty Morissey

Locals brew up a boost to help hospice care T

Felicia Mira and Celine O’Shea. Pictures: ALISON O’HANLON

HE one and only Marty Morrissey was sipping coffee at St Francis Hospice Blanchardstown as part of Ireland’s biggest coffee morning which aims to raise €2m for hospice care, with the popular presenter happy to help support the cause. Around 5,000 events were held around the country in an effort to raise €2m for support services for those who need pallative care. It marked 25 years of the event with more than €34,000,000 being raised since the very first coffee morning.

Ted Nolan and Andrea Airoldi

Bernadette McGavin and Ann Fitzgerald

ICA members Kathleen Nolan, Maureen Riley and Collete Hayden, ICA president

Father Dan Joe O’Mahony

28 September 2017 BLANCH GAZETTE 7

Out and About GARDAI | TRYING TO SOLVE BRUTAL MURDER

Appeal to help trace killers

Tara Brien, Marie Fitzpatrick, Lunda Brennan, Kim Donnelly

Leo lends a hand at official sod turning A

Adam Giffney, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Emma Cryan

N Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, local TDs and councillors, representatives from the Dublin County GAA board and a large crowd of club members and kids were in attendance in Somerton last week for the official sod turning for the new Castleknock GAA clubhouse.

It was a proud day for club founding fathers Johnny Corcoran, Fergus Hamill and John Conway and a historic day for a club that will have its 20th birthday next year. The Taoiseach carried out the official sod turning with help from juvenile players Adam Giffney and Emma Cryan .

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with children from Castleknock GAA. Pictures: Shay Hogan

GARDAI have renewed their appeal for information on the death of Michel Kurek and have yet to locate the crime scene where he was viciously knifed to death.

The 33-year-old Polish national was stabbed in a frenzied attack before his body was dumped along an isolated laneway in Ballyboughal.

His bloody remains were found by the side of a road in Grange on August 4 at 10.40am, but investigating officers believe he was murdered elsewhere.

Crimestoppers launched an appeal on Monday for anyone who may have come across a bloodstained location, car or Murdered: Polish national Michel Kurek clothing to contact them.

Mr Kurek had lived and worked in Ireland for a number of years, but at the time said: “Based on Michel’s last known of his death he was homeless. movements, we are particularly keen to He was known to frequent Ongar in hear from people residing in the areas of Dublin 15 and his last known location Ongar, Clonsilla, Coolmine, Hartstown was Clonsilla Railway Station at 8.51pm and Huntstown.” on August 3 – a little over 24 hours before Information can be given to Balbriggan Garda Station at 01 666 4500, or his body was discovered.

Detective Inspector Eddie Carroll Crimestoppers at 1800 250 025.

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MILLENNIUM PARK | PAIR WANT TO GET LOCAL PEOPLE FIT BY USING CALISTHENICS

Strong support for park fitness area proposal  MARK O’BRIEN

A calisthenics area like this one in Spain is proposed for Millennium Park

TWO Dublin 15 residents want to help people in the area get fit and healthy by building a calisthenics area in Millennium Park.

Dylan Brady and Anel Kvrgic’s proposal has already secured the backing of several local councillors, including Tania Doyle, Natalie Treacy and Paul Donnelly, who will put forward motions this week asking that Fingal County Council meet with the pair to hear their proposal.

Calisthenics are body weight-training exercises – such as push ups and pull ups - that require little or no equipment.

Dylan told The Gazette that it offers a low-cost alternative to joining a gym.

He said: “It’s for people who don’t have enough money to go to a gym or people who haven’t got the time to go to a gym.

“If they get up in the morning, they might go for a jog or something and that’s the only thing they can do but if they’re running past (the calisthenics park) they can do a few exercises as well.”

Dylan has been doing

Dylan before and after doing calisthenics

calisthenics in his back garden since late last year and he says that he has lost a significant amount of weight since he began training.

He said that he would now like to share the secret of his success with other locals.

“People look at me and they say well done, I hear that every single day.

“They can’t believe the shape I’m in and ask how I’m doing it so if we can do this for other people in our area it would be great because everybody is always asking about it so we’d love to get this done in the park.”

Dylan and Anel hope to become bodyweight trainers in the future and

have launched a Facebook page called Bodyweight Evolution to share tips and advice and also to aid their campaign to have the calisthenics park built.

They are currently working on a presentation that they hope to bring before the council soon.

The council have said that they are receptive to meeting the pair to hear more about the proposal.

No date has yet been set for the meeting but Dylan said that he believes that the project would be relatively inexpensive and is an achievable goal.

“It doesn’t seem the most impossible thing to get done,” he said.

Hotel celebrates new restaurants PICTURED at the official opening of Castleknock Hotel’s new restaurants, Earth and Vine and 22 Bar and Restaurant, are Guy Thompson, general manager, Castleknock Hotel; radio and television personality Marty Whelan and David Kelly, chief executive, FBD Hotels & Resorts. Picture: Marc O’Sullivan

FASTNews Theatre Fest at Draiocht

DUBLIN Theatre Festival comes to the Draiocht with Frank Pig Says Hello and The Leaves of Heaven

by Pat McCabe This revival of the stage adaptation of the book, and later the movie of The Butcher Boy, lets us inside the troubled mind of Francie Brady (Frank Pig), letting him share his hopes, his fears, his sense of fun and ultimately his rage against the world around him.

The black comedy is a grotesque fusion of storytelling and roleplay where over 30 characters are played by two versatile actors - Darragh Byrne and John Ruddy.

The production runs from October 4 to 7. Tickets are available from draiocht.ie.

Work starts on Skills Strategy THE council is commencing work on a medium-term Skills Strategy for the county.

The council is now inviting companies in the county to get involved and assist in developing the strategy for the Fingal area by sharing their perspectives on challenges and opportunities they face in relation to skills supply and demand.

There are opportunities to contribute through an online survey and a series of workshops.

The online survey is available at www. smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ FingalSkillsStrategy/.

The council is also arranging four breakfast workshops in venues around the county, including one on Thursday, October 5 in the Blanchardstown Civic Centre.

28 September 2017 BLANCH GAZETTE 9

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Out and About

Raptuous welcome for Dublin heroes Above: St Sylvester’s players Niamh, Nicole and Sinead with the cup. Pictures: GAApics.com

T

HERE was a fantastic turnout at Bridgefield last week as St Sylvester’s GAA welcomed the triumphant Dublin Ladies Football team with the Brendan Martin Cup. St Sylvester’s players Sinead, Niamh and Nicole were front and centre to meet and greet fans, with most sporting their Dublin or club colours for the celebration. As is tradition, the cup was paraded over the bridge from the Bridgefield pitches through Malahide village to the club on Church Road, where a large crowd waited to give the heroes a raptuous welcome.

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Out and About

People of all ages turned out to greet the girls, with the large crowd giving them the rousing welcome they deserved. The event was a true celebration of the area’s sporting and community spirit.

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DUBLINBUSINESS INNOVATION | DIT PROGRAMME TO HELP FOSTER NEW BUSINESS IDEAS

I-Cubed entrepreneurs square off to markets LEGO could help make

training child’s play

LEGO may not be the most obvious choice for developing new business approaches or skillsets, but with the international reach of the brand, and its highlysuccessful transitioning to new business models in recent years, it’s the perfect product to help build up new expertise, particularly around ‘STEM’ subjects.

Learnit, in partnership with DCU, has launched a range of Learnit Academy LEGO education workshops for LEGO fans of all ages – adults are also a core target of the workshops. LEGO’s robotics offshoots provide a natural fit for programmes for experienced engineers (over-55). For further information, see https://www.learnit.ie/book-now.

THIS summer, six young entrepreneurs completed I-Cubed – a three-month ‘incubator’ programme for student start-ups designed by DIT Hothouse to nurture young innovators, helping them to turn early-stage concepts into pitch-ready businesses.

I-Cubed is described as the opportunity to explore the commercial viability of college projects, with participants receiving equity-free funds to work on their projects and attend diverse workshops and mentoring sessions focusing on a wide range of related areas.

The three-month intensive pro-

gramme provides core supports, with the aim of not only helping to create a successful start-up, but to nuture the up and coming entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

This year, five I-Cubed participants presented their projects to a group of guests from research, business and academic worlds, with the overall winner of the I-Cubed Start-Up Award named as Darragh Hughes, thanks to his design for ‘the HappyHaler’ (right), a child-friendly asthmatic spacer designed for his final year project in Product Design at DIT. Speaking at the I-Cubed Start up Award ceremony, Darragh

says, “Before I started this programme, I knew HappyHaler was a great business idea, but I didn’t know how to get out there and start talking to people about it.

“I-Cubed allowed me to get to the core of my story and get investors as excited as I am about the HappyHaler.”

I-Cube leader and director Neal

O’Gorman said: “All our I-Cubed participants have made significant progress.

“Watching their final presentations was a testament to the fact that they’re continuing to push beyond their own perceived limits, they’re getting out of their comfort zones and are striving to reach their true potential to achieve success for the businesses they so passionately believe in.”

Applications for the 2018 I-Cubed Incubator programme for student start-ups are now open. For further information, see http://www.dit.ie/hothouse/ students/i-cubed.

28 September 2017 GAZETTE 13

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

IVOR FEELING YOU’LL LOVE THIS FRIENDLY GERMAN SHEPHERD OUR Dog of the Week looking for their #SpecialSomeone* is Ivor, a four-year-old German Shepherd crossbreed.

Ivor is ready to start his life over again and cannot wait to find a loving family.

Ivor likes to look his best so he really enjoys being brushed and groomed.

He is an energetic boy who loves to keep busy, so he will need plenty of exercise and brain work to keep him happy and in good form. Ivor is quite a nosy dog, so he wants to be included in every activity taking place. He is also very affectionate, who enjoys cuddles and affection; he is basically an oversized lap dog!

Ivor likes the company of other playful, similar sized dogs, and should be fine living with another canine companion once he is introduced to the dog successfully. As Ivor is a bouncy and easily excitable dog, he is suited to living with adults.

Contact Dogs Trust on 01 879 1000; they are based in Finglas, just off Exit 5 on the M50. Map and directions can be found on their website, www.dogstrust. ie. You can also find them on Facebook and on Twitter.

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HENDICOTT MEETS OTHERKIN P16

CALL of PORT PICTURED at Dublin Port’s Great South Wall is Blackrock man Bruce Watchorn, who happened upon Image Projection Support Structure by artist Fiona McDonald.

The stucture forms part of the final installation of Dublin Port Company’s arts commissioning series Port Perspectives.

Port | River | City by artists Cliona Harmey, Dan Shipsides, McDonald, Pat Collins, Sharon Woolley and PV. Garrett is a site-specific moving image installation.

Port | River | City includes a half-day event in the IFI on Saturday, September 23, which features a rare screening of Peter Hutton’s Time in Tide in 16mm.

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DUBLINLIFE

DIARY

COMPETITION: YOUNG MUSIC MAESTROS INVITED TO ENTER TOP CONTEST

Take note of €5,000 prize for students CALLING young Dublin musicians! Entries for this year’s Frank Maher Classical Music Competition are now open, with a €5,000 top prize.

Students from Malahide Community School were joined by awardwinning concert pianist Maire Carroll from Malahide to launch this year’s competition, with awards Ireland’s biggest classical music competition for secondary schools.

Past winners have received national and international recognition for their achievement and used their prize money as a springboard towards a professional career by funding their studies at some of the world’s most renowned music colleges and institutions.

The awards are open to sixth year post-primary students of string, woodwind, brass and piano.

The €5,000 top prize will be used by the winner to attend a recognised place of tuition, a course of study in Ireland or abroad, or on a purchase necessary for the development of their talent.

The finalists will each receive a €250 bursary.

The closing date for entries is Thursday, October 12.

For full details see www. topsecurity.ie.

FILMING BEYOND LIMITING BORDERS THE fourth annual investigative documentary filmmaking seminar organised by the Mary Raftery Journalism Fund, Investigations 2017: Beyond Borders, takes place in the Irish Film Institute from on Friday, October 13.

The day-long seminar, which is open to the public, will feature screenings, conversations and discussions chaired by leading journalists and broadcasters including Keelin Shanley, Richard Crowley and Tanya Sillem.

This year’s seminar will explore the challenges and opportunities which arise for investigative filmmakers when working outside their native culture.

For tickets, prices and full event details, see www. ifi.ie/investigations-2017; for further information on the fund, see www. maryrafteryfund.ie.

CELEBRATING POETRY AT NATIONAL LIBRARY THE National Library of Ireland will host a series of poetry events this autumn, with a programme to be headlined by a special celebration to mark ten years of Poetry Aloud, the annual poetry speaking competition for post-primary schools, organised by the library in partnership with Poetry Ireland.

Events range from lectures and exhibition tours to a special evening of poetry and music, and all events are free of charge to attend and will take place at the NLI. The next event is Harp, Poetry and Pipes: An evening of poetry and music, at 7pm on Tuesday, October 3. Harpist Kathleen Loughnane will perform newly arranged music from the Patrick O’Neill manuscript collection in the NLI, joined by Cormac Cannon on uileann pipes and Catriona Cannon on harp, with poet Moya Cannon reading a number of poems as part of the performance.

For further information, see www.nlie.ie.

Multiple award-winning concert pianist Maire Carroll with Malahide Community School sixth year music students Andrea Jones, Cian Riordan and Nicole Cosgrave. Picture: Peter Houlihan

NEW AWARDS TO HELP CELEBRATE CHARITIES A NEW national award for charities, community and voluntary groups and clubs has been launched at the Mansion House.

The Charity Impact Awards was developed by The Wheel, the national association of community, voluntary and charitable organisations, to highlight and celebrate the contribution of Ireland’s 19,352 non-profit organisations, with nominations open in

two categories, as follows.

The Community Impact Award celebrates the valuable work community, voluntary and charitable organisations, clubs and associations are doing in communities across Ireland.

Organisations are invited to showcase their work by entering “impact stories”, which can include text, video and photos.

There are sub-categories for small, medium and large organisations.

Alternatively, Trustee of the Year highlights that all charities are led by dedicated volunteers who share their time and expertise to bring about positive change, and will focus on trustees (also known as board members or directors), who often work behind the scene.

A third award – the Community Hero Award – will be made in partnership with the Volunteer Ireland Awards, and presented to an individual

who has made an extraordinary contribution to their community over the course of their lifetime.

Five people will be shortlisted for the Community Hero Award from shortlist for the Volunteer Ireland Awards.

Nominations can be made at www.charityimpactawards.ie until November 16. The winners will be announced at the Charity Impact Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, December 13.

28 September 2017 GAZETTE 15

FUNDRAISER: TEAMS IN PADDLE BATTLE

Water way to help support the homeless

THE sounds of frantic splashing and goodnatured shouting and cheers of support echoed around Grand Canal Dock recently as teams of landlubbers took to the water in a bid to help homeless charity Depaul.

The homelessness charity’s Raf t Race Against Homelessness tempted a number of

corporate teams out into the normally calm waters, where their somewhat coordinated efforts made quite a splash with amused colleagues and bemused onlookers.

Although the teams ended up with more water on them than around them, they took their soakings with good spirits, happy to help

paddle the fundraising total along to the impressive final figure of approximately €20,000 for Depaul.

The fourth such annual raft race for Depaul proved a hit with all the corporate teams taking part, with the 500m stretch for races seeing number-crunching skills swapped for paddle-

powered teamwork, all in the name of supporting Depaul’s work with people all around the island of Ireland.

The corporate participants to take to the water

this year included Trouble Brewing, BHP, Fresh, Pfizer, Mazars, Codex Office Solutions, Automatic Fire and Integrated Solutions and Bank of Ireland.

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DUBLINLIFE

N O S ’ T A H W

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MUSIC

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JAMES HENDICOTT TALKS TO DUBLIN GRUNGE OUTFIT OTHERKIN , HALF OF WHOM LEFT MEDICAL QUALIFICATIONS BEHIND TO PURSUE MUSICAL STARDOM Dublin band Otherkin are going places, and fast Picture: Jake Haseldine

E D I U G S T N E EV with JAMES HENDICOTT

Hard Working Class Heroes The annual event showcasing up and coming Irish acts and a host of music industry discussion panels returns, with more than 50 musical entities performing over five venues and two nights. One to run free and explore. September 29-30.

Warehouse Market Newmarket’s monthly fashion-led market comes to the Green Door in Dublin 8, where a mix of vintage clothing outlets, inventive designers and startup businesses gather to display their wares.

October 1.

Oktoberfest at the Bowery Can’t make it to Munich? The beer-led chaos comes to the slightly more modest venue of The Bowery in Rathmines, where the pirate-shipshaped musical heartland will host a series of gigs and serve a heap of German beer. All week.

Otherkin at Tower Records Want to check out the band we’ve featured in this very issue (right)? Rising Irish rock stars otherkin launch their debut album ‘Ok’ in Tower Records, with a free show at 17.30 on Friday, September 29.

Robert Harris in Conversation A free event that forms part of Dublin History Festival, the English historical fiction author OTHERKIN will appear in The Printworks (Dublin Castle) to discuss his writing and research, plus latest novel ‘Munich’. 8.30pm, September 29.

Dublin Wine Festival Promising to delve into both grapes and spirits, the Dublin Wine Festival comes to the Morrison Hotel on October 1. This year’s focus is Italy.

Death Cafe Dublin An event aimed at looking at and discussing mortality, and in doing so encouraging the living of the fullest of lives, the Death Cafe (hosted by Dr Sean O’Carroll, a psychologist) is a chance to explore what’s up with you. September 29.

New album of the week Otherkin - Ok. Dublin rockers convert from a pounding live show to a long-overdue debut album. Expect a raucous conversion and plenty of appearances around town to back up the noise.

 JAMES HENDICOTT THE COVER of Otherkin’s debut album – much like the band’s borderline maniacal live performances – is one big, bold statement.

Ahead of the release of ‘Ok’ this month, two members of the band got the album title tattooed on the inside of their wrists.

It fits in with the band’s heady, in-your-face rock vibe (they call themselves ‘grunge-pop’), one that’s made David Anthony, Luke Reilly, Rob Summons and Conor Andrew Wynne famous (in certain quarters) for roughly-hewn pop-rock ditties, but also for crowd surfing and brash, buzzing gigs.

The cover, and new symbol of the band, feels symbolic – it’s simply that tattooed arm reaching for the sky.

Their story of the album begins with a shot in the dark, and a certain amount of characteristic mayhem.

“We decided to take a gamble on an expensive video

The great rock n’ roll gamble

for our first single,” vocalist Reilly tells us of the loveable fury of ‘Ay Ay’.

“And we insisted that if a label wanted to sign us, they take the video as part of the deal. It worked out well [the video now has in excess of 100,000 views in its various YouTube guises].”

When it came to recording ‘Ok’, it was important to keep a similarly raw vibe.

Recording music, typically, requires click tracks, steady hands and carefully constructed ‘perfect’ versions of songs, often layered from individual instrumental set ups. Looking to maintain that live buzz, however, Otherkin’s recording sessions saw Reilly “charging about the place with a bottle of wine in his hand. We built our reputation as a live band, and it was important to capture that on the record,” Summons tells us.

“I think it does that,” he continues. “We used to get

this wonderful backhanded compliment a lot: ‘You guys are way better live’. We’re hoping people will hear this album and feel we’ve grabbed hold of what they liked about that.”

It’s always been a key part of Otherkin’s philosophy to build a following outside Ireland.

Their local following got a serious boost when they stepped out as openers to Guns ‘N’ Roses at Slane this year, but as vibrant as our music scene is, it’s simply too small for a four-piece band to play enough shows to survive just playing here.

The exceptions are acts that have become massive cultural entities on our shores, with even the likes of Bell X1, The Coronas, and The Frames never really imitating their Irish success overseas.

“We’re still told by a lot of people that America

is the place for our music, because that’s where the kind of music we make is popular,” Wynne tells us, referencing another raucous punk-pop outfit, FIDLAR. “We’re still trying to break England, but America is the golden target.

“It’s going in some interesting ways at the moment; we’re playing three dates in Serbia on the album tour, for example. One of our singles got a lot of radio play on MTV over there.

Kosovo “There’s one in Kosovo, too, and a couple of others around there to fill it out. We love Ireland, but to survive as a band it’s important to succeed elsewhere.

“We’ve had some great experiences out on the road, like the lads that came from Cork to go to the

Leeds show, just to give us a flag.”

There’s still a long way to go, though, and Otherkin are painfully aware of the importance of this debut release. “Our record label have made the point to us that the majority of people are never likely to have heard of us before this record comes out,” Summons says.

“We have to make sure it’s right, you can only do this once. Music can be quite a cynical, cyclical thing. I think we’re happy to have it out there. We’re definitely happy with it, there’s been a natural build up. To us they’re old songs, but it’s important we get out of our perspective and understand that to most people, these are totally new songs, and they’re hearing them for the first time.”

“It’s important you had that build-up, I think,”

Reilly adds. “We did some quite weird, arthousestyle stuff before we really found our sound. It was kind of like rock opera stuff. The album’s quite simple in a way, as eventually we just kind of found our sound collectively. It always landed back on this free-spirited style. We come from really different musical backgrounds, but there are a few shared influences that feed into Otherkin, like Queens of The Stone Age, Blur, Ash, and The Ramones.”

“We always wanted to make music as a career, but it was very much a back-of-the-mind kind of thing, it was never the focus,” Summons explains.

“A couple of us were studying medicine, so a lot of our friends are off doing 80-hour weeks. I don’t know how many hours we spend making music.

We just hang around with each other.”

It’s certainly worked for them so far. “Obviously we’re not bringing in vast amounts of money,” Summons tells us. “We’ve been doing random little bits, like nightclub nights and playing weddings to get by. It has been about balancing making pocket money and making the album, I guess.

“But we’re having a really great time. I don’t think any of us regret going down this road. We’re really lucky, in that we really are great friends, and we all have very similar views about what we want from all this. The memories and the experience are worth more than any well-paid job.”  Otherkin’s debut album ‘OK’ is released on CD, vinyl and digital download on September 29. Following an extensive European tour, they return to Dublin in December.

GAZETTE

18 GAZETTE 28 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

STYLE Grace: Om Diva (yellow dress) €280 and Yomiko: Om Diva (pink dress) €280

Yomiko: Coco boutique (nude & black gown) €395, Sarah: Pamela Scott (floral gown) €279.99 and Grace: Soho Market (nude, leg split gown) €99

AFASHBASH

 EMMA NOLAN Style Editor

DUBLINTOWN hosted their yearly fashion show extravaganza last Friday (Sept 22) in the Mansion House to launch the new A/W season.

Titled, Dublin Fashion 2017: The Collective, the event showcased the latest trends, styles and must-buys for the season ahead from leading high

Sarah: Pamela Scott (red silk puffy dress) €330

street, Creative Quarter and high-end retailers from across Dublin city centre.

Hosted by Xpose’s Glenda Gilson, the event welcomed 500 of the city’s most stylish personalities.

Many of the city’s flagship stores took part on the night, including Brown Thomas, Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre, Powerscourt Centre, Arnotts, Ilac Shopping Centre, Jervis Shopping Centre, Louis Copeland, River Island, Om Diva, New

Look and Penneys, as well as a host of boutiques and vintage stores across the city.

Once again, Dublin Fashion Festival celebrated the creme de la creme of Irish design talent with the Dublin Fashion Young Designer of the Year Award, which went to Dublin-based designer Naomi Ajetunmobi. Naomi lives in Fairview and studied design at Grafton Academy of Fashion and Design.

Grace: Soho Market (nude, leg split gown) €99

Sarah: Pamela Scott (white jumpsuit €279.99)

28 September 2017 GAZETTE 19

GAZETTE

FEATURE

Awalk Getting a taste of Heineken H41 Wild Lager in a secret bar

Historian Seamus Hogan from the Irish Georgian Society

Dolphin House

on the

wild side

 EMMA NOLAN

Tour guide Danny

MOST Dubliners would never consider going on a walking tour of their own city, but a new walking tour from The Locals explores some of the city’s hidden gems that may have gone unnoticed over the years.

This summer, Dublin culture curators The Locals set out on a mission to take Dubliners on a “journey of exploration and discovery”.

Having paired up with H41 Wild Lager by Heineken, the Dublin Discovery Tour takes guests around some much-loved spots in Dublin city centre, as well as a few hidden gems; those that are off the beaten track and can’t be found on any maps.

The Dublin Gazette went along to see if there were indeed any secret places that managed to pass us by, and to our surprise there was a few!

The journey started on South King Street where tour guide Danny brought the gang on a

delightful walk through town, stopping at various locations, both new and old.

Danny’s brilliantly insightful commentary had everyone ‘oohing and aahing’ as he explained the history behind the Mercer’s Hospital building on Mercer Street and continued to surprise with his Dublin facts throughout the tour.

A highlight was most definitely, a talk from historian Seamus Hogan of the Irish Georgian Society in the society’s bookshop on South William Street. Seamus gave a captivating talk on Dublin’s economic history throughout the ages (hint: not much has changed) and spoke about what our city was like in the Georgian period.

Another ‘aha’ moment was a trip to a secret bar (that this Dubliner had never heard of and will keep it a secret to preserve the mystery) where we enjoyed samples of Heineken H41 Wild Lager with some delicious food.

One particularly surprising

fact was a building in Temple Bar where the first Irish Coffee was made (not Shannon Airport as many of us thought). You’ll have to get Danny to explain that one to you.

Another thing about this tour – go hungry, you will be well fed!

Not only did we enjoy food from the secret bar, we also took a trip to Aungier Danger for one of their signature doughnuts, a new Dublin staple.

Speaking about the tour, John Mahon, founder of The Locals, said: “There is so much of Dublin that even the city’s inhabitants don’t know about.

“There are so many stories to tell and we will bring this to life with six specially curated walking tours around the streets of central Dublin. We’re delighted to partner with H41 Wild Lager

by Heineken and look forward to sampling some of this great new beer along the way.”

The tour is currently sold out but visit thelocals.ie to join their mailing list for updates.

GAZETTE

20 GAZETTE 28 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

Enchanted Forest Cake INTRODUCE kids to baking with this imaginative Enchanted Forest Cake designed by Siúcra and Catherine Fulvio. Whether you’re baking this show stopping cake for a magical birthday celebration or for a chocolatey treat, this easy step by step method is designed to help children develop a love of baking early on.

Serves 10 to 12 slices INGREDIENTS

FOR DECORATION

For the cake

100g strawberries,

170g softened butter

hulled and sliced

200g Siúcra Caster Sugar

150g Siúcra rollout icing

5 eggs

Siúcra royal icing

350g plain flour, sifted

Yellow colour paste, for

2 tsp baking powder

the flowers

60g cocoa powder

Red colour paste, for the mushrooms

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

Green colour paste, for

200g softened butter

the leaves

400g Siúcra Icing Sugar

Light brown colour

60g cocoa powder

paste, for the door

60g melted chocolate 40ml milk METHOD To prepare the cake 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line 2 x 18cm cake tins with baking parchment.

2. Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric beater. Gradually add the sugar and whisk until fluffy and pale.

3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.

4. Divide the cake mix between the 2 lined cake tins and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. To check that the cake is cooked, insert a skewer in the centre and if it comes out clean the cake is done.

5. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

TO PREPARE THE BUTTERCREAM & DECORATIONS 1. Whisk the sugar and butter together until fluffy, add the cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Pour the melted chocolate into the butter cream and whisk again until soft.

2. Add enough colour paste into the roll out icing to create red mushrooms. Shape a small cap and a small cylindrical shape and glue them together with a stroke of egg white.

Make white dots on the top with royal icing.

3. Add enough colour paste to the roll out icing to form a brown door, shape out with a knife and add a door knob.

4. Add enough colour paste to the roll out icing to form green leaves, shape out with a cutter. Choose any colour and add the colour paste to the roll out icing for the flowers and use a cutter to shape.

TO ASSEMBLE 1. Trim the cake evenly and reserve that piece to create “steps” to the fairy door. Place a cake layer on the cake stand, spread some chocolate butter cream and arrange the sliced strawberries over. Cover with the other layer of cake.

2. Using a large spatula cover the sides of the cake, the “steps” as well as the top of the cake with buttercream. Dip the spatula in hot water for a smooth finish for the top while drawing stroke upwards to form a “bark” effect on the sides.

3. Place the door on the side of the cake near the “steps” and arrange the mushrooms beside the door and on the top of the cake. Place the flowers and leaves on the sides and top.

4. Serve up & enjoy!

FOOD

Top pizza place rolls out a tasty Calabrese

 EMMA NOLAN

DUBLIN Pizza Company has introduced a special Calabrese pizza to its menu, inspired by its owner, Michael Ryan’s food journey through Naples.

First presented at The House of Peroni residency in Dublin in May, where Dublin Pizza Company popped up for a two-week stint, the Calabrese pizza combines high quality Irish and Italian produce to create an authentically Neapolitan pizza.

Fresh, handmade dough is topped with Toonsbridge mozzarella from West Cork, nduja from Calabria in Southern Italy, tomato, rocket and basil pesto, before being cooked to perfection in a wood-fired oven.

The Italian nduja, a spicy, spreadable sausage, was brought to Dublin Pizza Company by Michael’s House of Peroni collaborator, Francesco Mazzei, who sourced it from his native Calabria.

Mazzei was one of the first chefs to champion nduja

Dublin Pizza Company welcomes the Calabrese

on the London restaurant scene in the mid 2000s, and he frequently uses it in his cooking.

The Calabrese pizza

is €11 for medium and €13 for large at Dublin Pizza Company, 32 Aungier Street, Dublin 2 until the end of Septem-

ber. Open Monday to Sunday from 5pm until 12pm. Call 01 561 1714 or order online at www. dublinpizzacompany.ie.

Top chicken spot gets added craic  EMMA NOLAN

Crackbird has taken over its sister restaurant Bear’s premises on South William Street

POPULAR chicken spot Crackbird has taken over its sister restaurant Bear’s premises on South William Street.

Bear is going into hibernation to await a new premises, while their pizza franchise, Skinflint, has moved to Crackbird’s former perch on Dame Street.

Crackbird South William will feature all the favourites including Buttermilk Chicken and Soy Garlic Chicken, half or full, Wings by the Dozen, Crunches and Grilled Thighs with all the usual pecks, salads, sides and sauces.

“This is Crackbird with added craic”, said Joe Macken, proud papa of Jo’burger, Skinflint, and Crackbird. “Expect tunes, pitchers, fizz, cocktails and more. The location is choice, with a front bar and terrace, so we’re going to tweak the menu and vibe to suit.”

Crackbird South William is open from noon daily; closes 11pm Thursday to Saturday, 10pm Monday to Wednesday, and 9pm on Sunday.

28 September 2017 GAZETTE 21

TravelShorts

GAZETTE

TRAVEL CHRISTMAS: ALL ACROSS EUROPE, DAZZLING DESTINATIONS AWAIT

Fantastic deals for mid-term break getaways WITH some schools now back in full swing, we don’t blame you for looking forward to the mid-term break and GoHop.ie have some fantastic deals on offer.

Whether you want to take a city break to Prague, or get the last of the sun in Faro, GoHop.ie have something for everything.

All you need to do is decide where you want to go!

Spend four nights in the three-star Studio 17 by Atlantic Hotels, Faro, from

Already a dazzling city in its own right, Dresden’s Striezelmarkt (above) is just one of a number

only €148pp. Price includes: Return

of truly incredible Christmas markets held in Germany. Not to be outdone, Prague’s Christmas

flights ex. Cork, four nights’ accommo-

market (right) is another unforgettable destination for the very special time of year.

dation as stated, taxes and charges.

Based on two adults and two children sharing. Travel: 16th October 2017 Spend five nights in the three-star Sun and Sands Hotel, Dubai, from only €548pp.Price includes: Return flights ex. Dublin, five nights’ accommodation as stated, taxes and charges. Based on

In the market for festive fun?  SYLVIA POWNALL Travel Editor

two adults and two children sharing.

Travel: 17th October 2017 Spend five nights in the three-star Pension Hotel, Prague, from only €203pp. Price includes: Return flights ex. Dublin, five nights’ accommodation as stated, taxes and charges. Based on two adults and two children sharing.

Travel: 21st October 2017 Spend three nights in the three-star Royal Costa Hotel, Torremolinos, from only €222pp. Price includes: Return flights ex. Cork, three nights’ accommodation as stated, taxes and charges. Based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing. Travel: 23rd October 2017 Spend three nights in the fourstar Residhome Val D’Europe, Paris, from only €206pp. Price includes: Return flights ex. Dublin, three nights’ accommodation as stated, taxes and charges. Based on two adults and two children sharing. Travel: 27th October 2017 Prices are subject to dates and availability.

For more information or to book visit www.GoHop.ie or call the experts on 01-2412389.

IT MIGHT sound premature to be talking about Christmas markets but when it comes to bargains the early bird catches the worm – and the stocking fillers.

The festive tradition started in Europe and Germany still leads the field when it comes to delighting the senses with tempting aromas and yuletide treats.

It has more than 150 markets whose beautifully decorated stalls celebrate seasonal customs and traditions in historical settings – while choirs and brass bands provide the musical accompaniment to create the perfect atmosphere.

Particularly popular are the Berlin market, Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt and the Striezelmarkt in Dresden.

The Stollenfest makes for an unusual highlight of the Dresden market. Every year, members of the Dresdner

Stollen protection association (indeed) bake a huge stolen – a traditional Christmas cake – which weighs a ton.

The Frankfurt Römerberg is another ideal location to experience a truly magical and original German Christmas market.

Held from November 27 right up to December 22, the market’s beautifully decorated stalls offer a wide variety of local and regional specialities such as gingerbread, “Bethmännchen” or hot apple wine, sweets and pottery.

And then there’s the unique honey shop on St. Paul’s Square, one of the market’s unusual attractions.

At home in a 300-year-old halftimbered house erected for the duration of the Christmas market, the two-storey shop sells honey, mead,

candles and many other honey-based products that may be tasted or tested in the cosy first floor lounge.

The traditional Munich Christmas market invites you to the Marienplatz with its historic town hall. It’s just a few steps to Germany’s biggest ‘Kripperlmarkt’, where you can find everything that belongs at a Christmas market.

When the live music rings out daily from the town hall’s balcony you find yourself completely immersed in Advent.

T he market square with its historical buildings is the perfect setting for Bremen’s enchanting Christmas market. Visitors come from far and wide to browse around the craft stalls and exhibitions in

the town hall (lower hall) and in Böttcherstrasse. Christmas concerts add to the festive mood.

Of course the markets are not exclusive to Germany. Other top destinations include Poland’s Krakow and Prague, where the two main Christmas markets are just a short 10 minute stroll from each other.

Set in the city’s grandest squares, you can feast on smoky barbecued sausages (Kolbása), sugar coated pastry (Trdelní¬k) or dripping hunks of roasted ham. The traditional wooden stalls hold an array of trinkets to take home, such as Czech crystal figurines, wooden toys and brightly painted puppets.

In Vienna the smell of gluhwein, sausage and nutmeg lingers in the air. Carols can be heard at many of the markets but the most dazzling performances can be heard at the Christmas Market at Rathauspark and the magnificent City Hall.

Other favourites include Budapest, Zurich, Amsterdam, Bruges and, closer to home, Edinburgh.

Now’s the time to bag a deal and here are some of our favourites: Spend two nights in the four-star Hotel Aida in Prague, on a B&B basis, from only €140 per person, based on two sharing. Price includes flights, accommodation, taxes and charges. Travel date: November 29 (www.

GoHop.ie).

Click&Go is offering fourstar Christmas market getaways from as little as e195 per person sharing (www.clickandgo.com).

You can get a three-night stay in Bruges from e399 per person sharing, or Berlin from e359, with the Travel Department (www.traveldepartment.ie).

Or how about two nights in the four-star Triple M Hotel from just €166 per person sharing, travelling on November 18 (www.GoHop.ie).

GAZETTE

22 GAZETTE 28 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

A tale of two Civics Honda has unveiled its new Civic – a car that’s grown in size, stature and reputation over its 40-year history. MICHAEL MORONEY drove the two versions of the new Civic, both turbo-petrol powered, and he explains why making that choice will be important.

TEN GENERATIONS on and Honda has produced a new and distinctive Civic, the company’s best-selling car in Ireland.

As the Civic celebrates 40 years of production, it has emerged as a more modern and bigger car than ever before. This latest Civic has retained its distinctive style, while it’s obviously sportier in design and feels more spacious.

There is so much new in the latest generation Honda Civic and I must start with the new petrol engine options. There are two new engines for the Civic, a new three-cylinder 1.0-litre version and the new 1.5-litre option, both of which are turbocharged. Over a period of a week, I took my turn at driving both models with my longer driving time spent in the smaller 1.0litre version.

The new three-cylinder 1.0-litre VTEC turbo petrol engine is more impressive to drive than you expect. The sixspeed manual gearbox gets the best out of the engine, which needs to rev into the higher speed zone for motorway driving. This will impact to some extent on the fuel economy figures which are rated at 21m/litre (4.8/100km or 59mpg).

When I moved to the larger 1.5-litre VTEC turbo, it was matched to a six-speed automatic gearbox and the performance improved as too did the fuel economy. That was because the bigger engine with more power and torque required less revs to deliver of its best.

It is also faster in terms of acceleration as you would expect given its additional 53bhp and

FASTNews

The new Volvo XC40

Small but mighty New VC40 launched VOLVO has expanded

its line-up of SUVs with the launch of its new XC40 small SUV. The new XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new modular vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all other upcoming cars in the 40 Series including fully electrified vehicles.

Co-developed within Geely, CMA claims to provide the company with the necessary economies of scale for this segment.

The new Honda Civic is a larger, lighter and more spacious car, with two new petrol engines under the bonnet and a complete interior design change

From start of production, the XC40 will be available with a

ing style and demands.

In every aspect, this new Civic is different.

Engine 1.0 litre Honda claims that this Engine power 129hp new Civic is lighter, yet 0 – 100km/hr 10.6 seconds stronger than in the past due to the use of new genEconomy 21m/litre

(4.8/100km or 59mpg) eration steel in its structure. The car sits lower on Fuel Tank Capacity 46 litres the road and on a longer CO2 emissions 110g/km wheelbase, for greater Road Tax Band A3 €190 stability, adding to that Main Service 15,000km/12 months sporty driving feel.

Existing Civic drivers Euro NCAP Rating 4 star (2017) will Warranty 3 years/100,000km notice that the interior of the car is totally Entry Price €23,750 new, with a new easier 40Nm of engine torque. have less of an impact to use layout, lots of new That extra power shaves than some of the other technologies included about 2.5 seconds off the useful specifications in coupled with a lower seat0 to 100km/hr accelera- the car. That’s why the ing position. tion pace. Switch cars as new 1.0-litre version is The layout is easy to use I did and you’ll quickly attracting more attention. and I quickly got familiar notice the change in pace This engine is smooth with the controls and the as the 1.5-litre version will and quiet, with power on Honda Connect system. power ahead, while not demand when needed. The new instrument disadding significantly to the The price point differ- play layout includes a ences are not very large, new seven-inch colour running costs.

For those car owners so the engine choice, both TFT-LCD Driver Inforwho are mostly city driv- of which are impressive, mation Interface (DII) ers the engine choice will will depend on your driv- display with a large digital

SPECS: Honda Civic 1.0

tachometer and speedometer readout.

The driver can switch between a variety of infotainment screens, including navigation instructions, SMS and email text display, smart phone contacts, journey trip information, and smart vehicle maintenance information.

The Civic has achieved a four-star safety rating in a recent Euro NCAP crash testing programme, which includes improved pedestrian impact results, helped by the car’s new collision mitigation systems.

The new 2017 Civic incorporates the secondgeneration of Honda’s infotainment and connectivity system, called Honda Connect which now offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system allows the driver to bring iPhone functionality,

delivering the interface through the Civic’s display. Drivers can get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, and listen to music from the touch-screen or by voice using Apple’s Siri commands.

The entry price point for the new Honda Civic at €23,750 is about 6% higher than the outgoing model but this is a radically changed car with impressive performance and economy improvements. The jump in price to the higher specification models is significant adding more than €2,500 when you choose the next step up, Plus versions that come with some additional useful kit and bigger alloy wheels.

The bigger engine car for longer haul drivers adds a further €5,000 to the entry price, so choose carefully.

D4 diesel or a T5 petrol four-cylinder Drive-E engine. Further engine options, including a hybridised as well as a pure electric version, will be added later. The XC40 will also be the first Volvo model to be available with Volvo Cars’ new 3-cylinder engine.

Volvo claims that the XC40 is one of the best-equipped small premium SUVs on the market. Safety and driver assistance features on the XC40 include Volvo Cars’ Pilot Assist system, City Safety, Run-off Road protection and mitigation, Cross Traffic alert with brake support and the 360 degree Camera that helps drivers manoeuvre their car into tight parking spaces.

28 September 2017 GAZETTE 23

2017 Range Rover Velar

2017 Peugeot 5008

2017 Tesla

2017 Seat Arona

Motoring debuts at the Ploughing Championships The motor companies also used the occasion to test the

IRISH MOTOR car distributors flocked in big numbers to test

industry braved the muck and heavy rain to show their latest

the appetite for new cars among the huge audience at this

models, some of which were seen by an Irish audience for the

market appetite for electric, hybrid and petrol cars. There

year’s National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore. The

first time ever. While some of the cars may have looked out

were plenty of offers on view to tempt drivers away from the

huge attendance, almost 300,000 people over three days, and

of place in terms of the muddy field background, the interest

diesel option, the rural market that dominates events such

not all rural folk, gives the motor companies an opportunity

among car enthusiasts was huge.

as the ploughing championships will take some persuading to

to gauge reaction to new models.

While the international motor industry was focused on the comforts of the vast Frankfurt Motor Show, the Irish motor

2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 7 seat

The ploughing event has become Ireland’s biggest motor show in terms of stands, ranges of cars on view and, of course, that huge national audience.

abandon diesel power, in the short term at least.

Here we look at some of the new cars that appeared at the impressive national event.

2017 Renault Alaskan

GAZETTE

MOTORING

GAZETTE

24 BLANCH GAZETTE 28 September 2017

DUBLINLIFE

CINEMA

WIND RIVER: FILM’S SNOWBOUND SETTING EMPHASISES SOME ICY OBSERVATIONS

A chill runs through it FOLLOWING a relatively unremarkable career as an actor in television series such as Walker, Texas Ranger, Veronica Mars, and (slightly more notably) Sons of Anarchy, Taylor Sheridan made the transition to screenwriting and a name for himself as a chronicler of crime in the midst of dying Americana.

Sheridan’s intelligent, lyrical and brutal screenplay for 2015’s Sicario followed drug-cartel crime along the Mexican-American border, hailed as much for its script as for Denis Villeneuve’s direction.

Last year’s Hell or High Water, directed by David McKenzie, showed clearer signs of what’s evidently become Sheridan’s signature style and thematic fixation; the slowly dying American dream, manifested in shuttered businesses and vast western expanses of moral grey area.

Hell or High Water was applauded for revitalising and modernising the western genre, resting comfortably at the top of many critics’ yearly lists (including this one).

With his directorial debut, Wind River (Cert 16, 107 mins), Sheridan continues to play with those themes. However, for the characters of this harrowing thriller, the American dream was

ReelReviews

IT

Not clowning about here THE latest spin on the classic Stephen King tale from way, wayyy back when he was still great sees It (Cert 16, 134 mins) come to life. A group of kids band together when ‘It’ – an evil force that usually appears as a clown – starts preying on their small town. It might unsettle any coulrophobiacs out there (yes, we looked that one up, too), but the film has a decent ‘Stranger Things’ feel.

 MARTIN MACNAMARA

never a possibility to begin with, denied them by the people that dreamt it up.

Taking place on a Native American reservation on the plains and hills of snowy Wyoming, Wind River begins ominously, as a young girl runs for her life – and dies – in the cold of night.

Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) is the reservation wildlife officer who discovers the body. FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) is brought in to investigate and when the autopsy reveals that the girl was raped, she teams up with Lambert to track down those responsible.

Wind River is a lean, mean and expertly crafted thriller – a commendable job for Sheridan’s first directorial effort. The storytelling here is economic; often meditative but never painfully so.

Despite the foggy nature of the crime, this is a story driven by emotion, rather than mystery.

Wind River isn’t fraught with twists and turns – just the sudden, unsettling and graphic realisation

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Still feels otherwordly

A Native American reservation plays host to this tale of a murder and its investigation – but the death of the American dream also permeates the film’s frames

of inhumanity and deeprooted inequality.

As with Hell or High Water, the emphasis on family ties leaves space for plenty of melodrama; Sheridan certainly has a penchant for the overtlytragic and doesn’t shy away from a helping of good old, American-style cheese.

However, it’s never long before reality rears its ugly head – in Sheridan’s America, light only ever serves to illuminate the

darkness, to draw it out and give the bad prominence over the good.

The vast expanses of white snow that dominate Wind River’s aesthetic may give the film a light, almost heavenly quality, but against that angelic canvass, bloodstains and dirt have nowhere to hide.

Sheridan successfully juxtaposes darkness and light, the bad and the good, in everything from storytelling to style, to create another land of moral

grey area.

The events unfold in a world not outside the word of law, but one largely forgotten by wider society, where crime can go unchecked, unpunished and where violence can flourish.

The ultimate sadness here, then, is not in the tragic story we’re told, but the realistic depiction of a culture left by the wayside.

Unfortunately, Wind River’s lead characters, played by Renner and

Olsen, are the story’s least interesting, and are less developed than the antiheroes of Hell or High Water.

With a little more subtlety of message and a little more time spent developing these leads, Wind River would be a real winner.

Still, there’s plenty here to have us leave the cinema both enthralled, angered and anticipating what Sheridan gives us next..

Verdict: 8/10

CINEMA fans are in for a treat with the 4K restoration of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Cert PG, 145 mins), which has briefly returned to earth for a limited run showing. The 1978 release has never looked or sounded so good, and still holds up well as a timeless masterpiece, as a group of disparate people are drawn together to answer one of Mankind’s greatest questions: are we alone?

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GAZETTE

28 BLANCH GAZETTE 28 September 2017

SPORT

Proud sponsors of the DLGFA adult championships

LADIES FOOTBALL: SEPTEMBER’S PLAYER OF THE MONTH WINNER

MONTHLYStars McCluskey

Club season reaches its crescendo in Fingallians SUNDAY sees the culmination of the New Ireland Assurance Championship season with Foxrock Cabinteely and Ballyboden St Enda’s battling it out for the senior championship crown at Lawless Park at 4pm.

The final comes hot on the heels of Dublin’s second All-Ireland county success with plenty of the stars from Croke Park getting straight back into competitive action with Foxrock’s Sinead Goldrick, Hannah O’Neill, Tarah O’Sullivan and Niamh Collins all set to feature while Boden’s Emily Flanagan and key defender Rachel Ruddy the stars to watch.

It forms the second half of a double header with the Junior B championship getting underway at 2pm with O’Dwyer’s making the short trip down from Balbriggan to the Swords venue to take on Raheny.

It promises to be a cracking end to the 2017 New Ireland Assurance DLGFA club championship season.

GazetteSport will be seeking your nominations for the October Star of the Month from these two ties to help us honour the finest performers on the club stage.

Send in your nominations for October’s Player of the Month to sport@dublingazette.com

by Monday, October 9, including the player’s name, club and a couple of lines about why you feel they should be up for the honour.

loving the dual sided lifestyle  JAMES HENDICOTT

sport@dublingazette.com

ERIN’S ISLE full-forward Gillian McCluskey - the star of her side’s Dublin Junior C Final victory against Naomh Olaf earlier in September - is the New Ireland Assurance Ladies Football player of the month.

McCluskey is a former Dublin camogie star, and still turns out for Erin’s Isle at the top end of competitive camogie at club level, meaning GAA is a real lifestyle for her. “ I ’m t r a i n i n g f i ve nights a week, and I’ve been playing since I was 12” she tells GazetteSport. “The football team at Erin’s Isle only started three years ago after one of the player’s husbands agreed to take it on, so it’s been an interesting journey.

“We had a lot of play-

ers who had retired from camogie who came back for that first year, and we told the association we thought we were strong but we were put in Division 9.

“That first year involved a lot of games where we scored ten or so goals. It’s been a bit tougher since then! But we’re star ting to see young players coming through more and more.

The aim is to keep going year after year.”

It took until this month, in fact, for Erin’s Isle to lose their first game of their 2017 season.

They were defeated in the cup with a team weakened by holidays against Tomas Davis they but are set to add another promotion to a championship that saw them deal with some demons.

Gillian McCluskey, wearing 14, celebrates championship success. Picture: GAAPics.com

“We lost of Parnell’s in the semi-final last time around and beat them in the semi-final this time, which was obviously nice,” McCluskey recalls. “In the final [against Naomh Olaf], we felt like we should probably have won the game in the first half, we were a bit disappointed.

“But we went in level after they got a late goal.

We were really strong at the start of the second half, and they came back

a little bit towards the end.”

McCluskey herself got two of the goals in a 4-7 to 2-10 win. “We have tended to score a few goals because we play in a way that creates space at the front,” she said.

“I think a lot of the credit has to go to the defence, though, as they’re very good, and the platform they give us gives us real freedom in attack.”

As for the crossover

into camogie? “I’ve found my eye is a lot better for the football from camogie,” she explains.

“And the fitness level requirements for football are high, so that’s helped my camogie game.

“I do a lot, it’s definitely a lifestyle, but I love it,” McCluskey jokes, “sure, it takes over sometimes but we have girls playing for us who have kids. At least I get to go home and get to look after myself!”

28 September 2017 BLANCH GAZETTE 29

GAZETTE

FASTSport

Player of the match Healy hails “phenomenal” team  JAMES HENDICOTT

Dublin scratch seven year All-Ireland itch

Heartache and pain of trio of successive senior ladies football final defeats laid to rest as Dublin breakdown Mayo resolve with breathtaking late show in front of a bumper crowd ALL-IRELAND FINAL Dublin 4-11 Mayo 0-11  JAMES HENDICOTT sport@dublingazette.com

A TEARFUL Noelle Healy. pictured, credited a “phenomenal” team effort as she was awarded player of the match in the All Ireland Ladies’ Final, as the Jackies swatted aside Mayo to bring home a long awaited Brendan Martin Cup. “It’s unbelievable,” Healy said as she picked up the award. “The last few years have obviously been very difficult to take. It’s such a great group of girls, we love playing football, we love playing with each other and we love playing for Dublin. This is just beyond words.

“We’ve been working really hard on just doing the simply things, and playing the brand of football we like to play. Coming into the year, that’s all that Mick [Bohan] and all the management team were relaying, just do the simple things, just go out there and play your style of football.”

“That’s what we did,” she explained. “We just stuck to it. We probably missed a few opportunities that we’d have been disappointed with, but it was just ‘next ball, next ball’. I think our bench was phenomenal. We were unfortunate to lose Sinead Finnegan [injured, in the first half], who’s been a stand out player for us this year.

“Dee Murphy, who’s been pushing our standards so hard in training, she came on and just drove us on. The same with Fiona Hudson, and as for Sarah McCaffrey [who came off the bench to score two goals], what can you say. Phenomenal.”

Captain Sinead Aherne lifted the Brendan Martin Cup after the game, and credited Mayo in her post match speech, saying they’d “brought so much to this final.”

Aherne, who was a dominant attacking figure in the contest despite seeing her first half penalty saved, continued by thanking the county board, the supporters and the team.

“The support of our clubs has been critical,” the Sylvester’s woman added. “To Mayo, we can only say that we’ve been where you are now.

“We know the pain of defeat, but we also know that it can be overcome. We expected a massive battle today and you challenged us at every step.

We know that we’ll see you back here soon.”

“A special thank you for those who’ve been with us throughout, bringing us back from painful defeats as well as celebrating victory. It means more than we can ever express.”

DUBLIN scratched a seven-year itch to put their senior football final demons to bed as they confidently dismissed Mayo 4-11 to 0-10 in front of a huge record crowd of 46,286 at Croke Park on Sunday.

Sinead Aherne and Cora Staunton exchanged early points with the game opening at an absolutely frantic pace. Staunton’s chances kept coming, in fact, but arguably the stand out star of ladies football showed a certain fallibility under huge pressure early on. She launched a couple of decent chances, including a free, wide of the Dublin posts.

The opening period was nip and tuck, a manic yet tactical contest from both sides, physical and fluid. Captain Aherne was clearly the key for Dublin, scoring the Jackies’ opening five points while the persistent Staunton clocked four in response at the other end.

The first major turning point came with 20 minutes on the clock. Noelle Healy broke from midfield and charged unchallenged for forty metres, before neatly playing in Niamh McEvoy. McEvoy found just enough space in a crowded box to roll the ball into the back of the Mayo net and put the Dubs on top, 1-5 to 0-5.

Then came another big moment. Six minutes before half time, Aherne broke into the Mayo box only to be clipped around

the ankle in a diving challenge by Mayo goalkeeper Yvonne Byrne, who was promptly sent from the pitch for 10 minutes.

Aisling Tarpey stepped up and – already a couple of metres off her line as Aherne struck the penalty – pulled off a sharp save with her first touch of the match.

Rachel Kearns joined Byrne in the sin bin and, with Mayo finishing the half with only 13 players, Noelle Healy hit the inside base of the Mayo post, only to see her effort bounce back out.

Come the whistle, Dublin led 1-6 to 0-6, but Mayo could take plenty of comfort in the margin: the Jackies could – and probably should – have been out of sight.

Lauren Magee almost got the Dubs off to the per-

The Dublin ladies footballers celebrate their All-Ireland success. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

fect second half start, with Aherne eventually scoring a free after the game was pulled back. Shortly before, Magee found herself clean through on the Mayo goal, but Aherne’s point gave Dublin a lead in excess of a single score for the first time.

The Connacht side were slowly being restored to full strength following the dual sin binnings, though, and having racked up 10 wides to Dublin’s four, it was really the westerners finishing that was costing them most.

A wide from Nicole Owens with Carla Rowe begging for the ball and free on goal on the far post was a poor move, while Healy’s mishit wide while similarly placed two minutes later looked like decisions the Jackies could regret, marking four

clear goal scoring chances missed for the girls in blue.

As Aherne and Staunton kept the scoreboard ticking over, though, with 15 minutes remaining the gap was fluctuating only very slightly. Lauren Magee’s desperate block in defense was typical of an energetic Dubs side, and the space it created won Aherne another free from close in, giving the Dubs a 1-9 to 0-8 lead.

Carla Rowe grinned as she knocked over her first point of the game with 12 minutes to go, some compensation for last year’s critical ‘wide’ score, which was called off target when it clearly split the posts in a single point final defeat.

Dublin were running the clock down on forgetting recent woes, though, and it the final punch was still to come. Sarah McCaffrey, sister of Jack, lashed home from the edge of the square into the roof of the Mayo net, and suddenly the heartache looked over.

From then on, it was easy street, as Dublin rammed home their advantage. Fiona Hudson’s brave block epitomised the spirit, and when Carla Rowe bashed home with three minutes remaining, there was a sense of destiny to it all.

Seconds later, McCaffrey palmed in her second to really put things to bed, the final margin an emphatic 12 points. After a seven year break, and for the second time ever, Brendan Martin is back in the capital.

GAZETTE

30 BLANCH GAZETTE 28 September 2017

SPORT

FASTSport

SOCCER: UNITED WIN KEVIN MORAN CUP FINAL DERBY OVER CORDUFF

NAC the Masters of Open Swim series THE NAC Masters Swimming Club are celebrating their ninth Leinster Open Sea title in-arow following their success along the east coast.

Every summer the Leinster Open Sea Committee, part of Swim Ireland, organises a season of open sea swimming races in a variety of locations along the Leinster coast. The races cater for all ages and abilities, from teenagers to senior citizens and from novice swimmers to former internationals.

The races take place at a variety of outdoor swimming locations including some of Dublin’s best-known bathing spots like the Bull Wall, Seapoint, Killiney Beach and Portmarnock.

They are, on average, 1,500m in length. This year over 33 races took place. The Liffey Swim and Dun Laoghaire Harbour Race are the two majors and most highly-prized events in this calendar.

The NAC men’s team claimed the men’s team of the year for the ninth year in-a-row this year, having won their first title in 2009.

NAC Masters is one of Ireland’s largest and most successful masters swimming clubs, the category given to competitive swimming for anyone over 25 years old.

Jackie O’Connor, chairperson of NAC Masters said of the result: “The competition was very tough this year, with 21 men’s swimming teams from across Leinster competing for the prestigious open sea title.

“So, this is a super achievement for our men’s team and we’re very proud of them. I’d especially like to thank our coach Declan Harte who has put in a huge effort over the last number of years coaching and motivating both the men’s and ladies’ teams.”

“I’d encourage anyone with an interest in training and competing to come down to one of our sessions in the National Aquatic Centre or Westwood Clontarf. Our training times are available on www.nacmasters.com.

“In the pool we currently have 11 Irish record holders: Dan Golden, Joanne Figala, Jack Meade, Julie Galloway, Helena McGrath, Liz McCarthy, Sandra O’Leary, Tom Healy, Richard Harding and Helen O’Leary and we also have 28 Irish relay records across the age groups.”

Clonee United celebrate their NDSL Under-12 Kevin Moran Cup final win

Obulor the King of Clonee NDSL U-12 CUP FINAL

Clonee United 5 Corduff 0  KARL GRAHAM sport@dublingazette.com

CLONEE United prove too good for Corduff FC to lift the NDSL Under-12 Kevin Moran Cup thanks to a comprehensive 5-0 win at Coolock’s Oscar Traynor Centre last weekend.

Corduff started the game brightly and looked a cut above their opponents as they controlled the early exchanges. They created their first big chance after just four minutes with Sean McHale finding himself through

on goal but Jason Rooney McEvoy managed to palm his effort away from the Clonee goal.

Rooney McEvoy was called into action once again shortly after – this time to prevent Darragh Hoey from opening the scoring.

Clonee were shaken into life from those two chances and forged one of their own shortly afterwards, courtesy of their fantastically-named forward King Obulor.

Sean Harmon played an excellent pass forward that Obulor raced onto and attempted to finish into the far corner. He dragged his effort wide,

FERRARI CUP FINAL Castleknock push Mals all the way in Clonsaugh CASTLEKNOCK Celtic’s Under-18 Ferrari Cup

journey came to a conclusion last weekend with a narrow final defeat at the hands of premier division opponents St Malachy’s.

They shaded this cup final with two fabulous strikes that gave Celtic keeper Oisin O’Donoghue no chance. Dammy Sodeke got Celtic’s goal late on but it was not enough to lay the grounds for a comeback and Malachy’s ran out deserved winners in Clonshaugh.

however, and Corduff breathed a sigh of relief.

Obulor continued to cause havoc amongst the Corduff defence and he had another big chance on 20 minutes, only to be denied by Hoey once again.

Clonee didn’t have to wait much longer for the breakthrough, however, and although he wasn’t the scorer, King played a big part as he was hauled down on the edge of the box. Adam Flynn stepped up and fired the free kick into the back of the net.

Harmon made it 2-0 just minutes later when he unleashed a low shot that found its way home

via the inside of the post.

Clonee held their lead going into the halftime break and almost added to it shortly after the restart as Thalaga Segoapa fired over the bar.

Corduff should have been dead and buried by this stage but Clonee struggled to put the tie to bed and allowed their opponents opportunities to get themselves back into the game. Firstly, A n t h o ny M i h u t e s c u looked to have pulled one back only for Rhys Dalton to head clear off the line, before Dylan Atanda’s fee kick was tipped over the bar by Rooney McEvoy.

The resulting corner also caused trouble as Clonee were forced to hoof clear with two Corduff players looking to pounce on a fine delivery.

With the game slowly drawing to a close, Corduff came unstuck in a devastating final 10 minutes from Clonee.

Keenan Haida pounced after a defensive error by Corduff to make it 3-0, before Obulor bagged two goals in the last five minutes. The first he scored after rounding Darragh Mooney before grabbing his second after finishing off good work from Henry Anene and Sam Lowry.

28 September 2017 BLANCH GAZETTE 31

GAZETTE

LOVELY HURLING

CLUB NOTICEBOARD

Brigid’s fight back to stun Naomh Fionnbarra

ST BRIGID’S

ST BRIGID’S made it through to the quarter-

finals of the Dublin senior A hurling championship as they got the better of Naomh Fionnbarra 1-27 to 2-13 in Group 2 in Parnell Park, coming from eight points down.

The result was their second win of the campaign, lifting them above Finbarrs who also had four points - on points difference to land second spot. They meet reigning champions Cuala in the quarter-finals.

CONGRATULATIONS to Noelle Healy, Ciara

minor hurlers had excellent champion-

Trant and Deirdre Murphy as Dublin won

ship wins at the weekend.

the TG4 All-Ireland final, bringing the Brendan Martin Cup back to Dublin.

HANDBALL: ST BRIGID’S DUO WIN ALL-IRELAND SEMI

St Brigid’s play Ballymun Kickhams in the senior football championship quar-

Thank you to everyone who came

ter-final on September 30 at 6.30pm;

along and gave the girls massive sup-

let’s have a full St Brigid’s support out in

port in Croke Park, particularly Julie,

Parnell Park.

Conor and the U-10 girls who welcomed

There was no lotto jackpot winner last

the teams to the pitch and played the

week and the lotto draw this week will be

half time mini-game.

in The Roselawn Inn on Thursday, Sep-

Eoin Kennedy and Carl Browne have

tember 28, with the jackpot now €5,200.

advanced to their third straight sen-

Thank you to everyone who supports our

ior softball doubles final on October 8.

lotto and to our great lotto committee.

Wishing Eoin and Carl all the best in their preparations.

A Foundation Course will be held on Friday, September 29 from 7-10pm and

The senior hurlers had a great win

Saturday from 11am to 2pm in Russell

over Naomh Fionnbarra in Parnell Park

Park. To register, email barry.mullane.

on Saturday and are looking forward

gpo.dublin@gaa.ie.

to meeting All-Ireland club champions Cuala in the quarter final.

Both adult camogie teams and our

Nursery is back every Saturday from 9.30 to 11am with all four to seven-yearolds very welcome.

CASTLEKNOCK OUR nursery, with thanks to Tigers

the senior footballers take on Kilmacud

Childcare, is in full swing again at Tir na

Crokes in the quarter final of the senior

nOg.

championship in Parnell Park. Make sure

New members always welcome. Nursery enquiries to lisakiernan1@gmail. com.

Massive congratulations to the Dub-

Browne and Kennedy add to Mayo’s woes A-I HANDBALL SEMI  sport@dublingazette.com

FOR the third year in succession, St Brigid’s senior pairing of Eoin Kennedy and Carl Browne have reached the All-Ireland Doubles handball final.

Played at the Croke Park handball facility, Browne and Kennedy were made to earn their win by Mayo’s Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann in the final four.

Like their fellow county footballers, Keegan and McCann have had their share of disappointments over the years, having reached but lost five pre-

vious finals.

For the first 15 minutes, the Mayo team dominated the match leading 6-1, 9-5 and then 13-7.

Keegan’s immense power and McCann’s mobility around the court were paying dividends as the Dublin pair showing early nerves were forced into errors.

However, Kennedy and Browne’s skills soon came to the fore. A major turning point came when Browne made a fantastic diving re-kill in the righthand corner to bring the score to 8-13 and maintain serve.

Kennedy followed up

by a superb cut-off kill in the same corner and the score was brought back to 10-13 before the Mayo pair regained serve. It helped the draw level at 14 each.

Mayo scored to lead 16-14 but a couple of sublime soft corner kills by Browne meant Dublin went ahead to lead 17-16.

They carried on to lead 20-16 and serving but the Dublin team failed to close the game out and Mayo regained serve.

However they were restricted to a single ace and serving again at 20-16 Browne and Kennedy made no mistake to edge

the first game 21-17.

The importance of the first game was evidenced very early in the second as Dublin now very relaxed, and with Browne playing a stormer on the right, raced into an 11-0 lead.

Mayo regained some of their composure but to no avail as Kennedy and Browne dominated the rallies to lead 17-4 and eventually run out the second 21-5.

This convincing victory sets them up nicely for the final which will be in Croke Park on Saturday, October 7 where they will meet the Meath 2016 champions.

Another great win for our senior 4 camogie team, beating St. Peregrines 3-8 to 0-4 to top their group.

lin ladies on a fantastic win against Mayo

Well done to our U-15 boys who have

to become All-Ireland champions. Great

reached the final of A hurling champi-

team performance.

onship after a great win over St Oliver

Big night for the club on Friday as Eoin Kennedy keeps his eyes on on a potential kill shot.

to get out and support the lads.

Plunkett’s.

GARDA/WESTMANSTOWN

THE juniors finished their season at

the Dublin ladies beat Mayo in the All-

home in the league on Sunday morn-

Ireland final and got to meet Dean Rock

ing, losing to Round Towers of Lusk in

and Kevin McManamon. Thanks to team

their final Division 8 match. Well done to

mentors and managers for organising

the management and players for their

the event. Lots of juvenile playing activ-

efforts during the year.

ity last week with the U-11 hurlers host-

The intermediates take on St Jude’s

ing St Vincent’s, the U8- hurlers hosting

next Sunday in the championship quar-

Thomas Davis, the U-9 hurlers away to

ter-final at O’Toole Park; throw in at

Good Counsel, the U-14 hurlers at Erin go

2.30pm.

Bragh and the U-12 hurlers at home to

The minors beat St Margaret’s away

Bray Emmetts.

in a challenge match last Friday evening

Next Saturday is the Family Fun Day

and play the final group championship

and Stubborn Mule Cycling Sportive.

match next Sunday away at Good Coun-

There is something for everybody, juve-

sel. Many of our juveniles had a great

nile and adults, so please come out and

day out at Croke Park last Sunday to see

support your club.

ERIN GO BRAGH NO WINNER of our lotto jackpot which

camogie blitzes.

is €10,000. Please support as these

Our skydive has been rescheduled

funds are vital for the running of our

to September 30. Please support our

club.

eight volunteers as all funds raised

The good work continues at juvenile

goes towards the running of the club.

level with all our teams continuing to

Congratulations to Glen Campion on

thrive. New members are always wel-

being part of the Dublin U-13 hurlers

come to any of our teams, no experi-

development panel.

ence necessary.

Just under a hundred girls from

Our U-12 boys, U-15 camogie girls

our club went to support the Dublin

and U-15 hurlers all had great wins at

ladies in their victory over Mayo at

the weekend.

the weekend. A fantastic day was had

The U-8 and U-10 girls both hosted

by all.

GAZETTESPORT

ALL OF YOUR BLANCH SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 28-31

UNITED THEY STAND: Clonee cap fine season with brilliant cup final success at the Oscar traynor P30

SEPT 28 - OCT 4, 2017

ALL-IRELAND DREAM AT LAST: After three harrowing finals, Dubs reach promised land P28-29

Corduff’s young charges will try their hand in the DDSL in the coming season, making the move from the NDSL

Duff make DDSL move Dublin 15 club switch from NDSL as they feel they can develop further in the bigger league as the national divisions change the landscape

 STEPHEN FINDLATER

sport@dublingazette.com

CORDUFF announced they will play their schoolboy underage football under the auspices of the DDSL from season 2018 onward.

Boasting 27 schoolboy teams on top of their five adult squads and nursery academy for the youngest of players, the club has been punching above its weight in recent years and, in a statement released on Tuesday, feel their future belongs in the DDSL which is now located in Dublin 15 at nearby Abbottsown.

In the statement, the club say: “The move will be regarded by some as a risk while most will regard it as the correct move and a shrewd move at a time when the club has so many play-

ers on its books.

“Corduff not only feel this is a fantastic move for over 425 schoolboy players but feel this is an opportunity for potential coaches to come on board ahead of 2018 as the club has a number of new, exciting teams coming off the nursery academy conveyor belt.

“The club wants coaches who want to work with superb players and who want to achieve their coaching badges and the club will assist any coaches who wish to learn more from the FAI.” It means away from the North Dublin Schoolboy Leagues to the Dublin and District equivalent, a league that draws its teams from a much wider base and is a regular contender when it comes to representative competitions

such as the Kennedy Cup. The move comes at a time when the landscape of schoolboy football is rapidly changing with the League of Ireland launching Under-15 and 17 leagues with an Under-13 version soon coming on stream.

With that in mind, there has become extra pull factors to see players move from their local clubs to League of Ireland sides at an ever-earlier age. This move from Corduff will potentially alleviate some of those pull factors.

“With the significant dilution of schoolboy football in mind due to the prominence of League of Ireland underage football, Corduff’s place with the rest in the DDSL means the timing of the move is perfect for all concerned and will allow them to progress faster than any club

ordinarily could at any other time.”

The club has also committed to keep its fees the same at €5 per week during the active season for Under-8s to Under-12s and under 13s upward will be asked for €185 for the 2018 season and nothing more and will give two months to parents to commit to that in 2018.

“Fees are a significant barrier to playing soccer and the club feel that setting out a reasonable fee breakdown publicly has had a significant impact on the clubs progress in recent years.

“Many clubs prefer to keep their fees inhouse as much as they can and for good reason – the fees are usually more than double what Corduff FC ask for and this causes a great burden on parents of young players.”