Castleknock GAZET TE FREE
Mind man Keith Barry on books, Hollywood movies and taking the stage
SEE PAGES 12-13 JULY 19, 2012
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INSIDE: Enjoying Ireland’s first eBay.ie fashion show P10
Soccer:
Castleknock youngster moves to Barca Page 30
Hurling:
How the Feile was won in pictures Page 31
ALSOINSIDE: GALLERIES ......................8 BUSINESS .....................18 MOTORS ....................... 20 TRAVEL......................... 22 ENTERTAINMENT ......... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............... 26
SHOWBIZ: Glenda on the fun of TV3’s Celebrity Salon See Page 7
Mother to fight for son’s pilot’s licence I LAURA WEBB
A CASTLEKNOCK mother has pledged to fight to help her son obtain his pilot’s licence after the collapse of the training school in which he was enrolled. Trainee pilots were left stranded in Florida when the course organised through Waterford-based Pilot Training College (PTC) collapsed. Eighty students, 34 of them Irish, who paid €86,000 upfront for the course, were
left without further training following a financial dispute between PTC and the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Speaking to the Gazette this week, the mother of a 20-yearold trainee from Castleknock said: “It’s dreadful. But I refuse to be disappointed. “I met all the parents at the weekend and they are all devastated. Nobody imagined anything would go wrong, especially with so much money involved.” Full Story on Page 6
Coolmine line-out: Picking up rugby skills at summer camp THE KIDS OF COOLMINE RFC, includ-
ing Conor Roche, welcomed Leinster Rugby players Fionn Carr and John Cooney to their summer camp recently. The event was a great chance to make new friends, meet Leinster players, learn more about rugby values such as team work, and commitment.
They also become more aware of the importance of physical fitness while learning to develop the basic rugby skills of passing, tackling (in a controlled environment), evasion and kicking. Full Gallery on Pages 8-9
2 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 19 July 2012
CAMPAIGN: SUPERQUINN INITIATES LOCAL MEETING
COMMUNITY Mediterranean flair for venerable store
Call to bring the life back into heart of the village I LAURA WEBB lwebb@gazettegroup.com
BUSINESSES in Blanchardstown Village are being called upon to join a campaign to bring life back to the heart of Dublin 15. Management at Superquinn in Blanchardstown, the biggest employer in the village with 130 staff, want to meet with all local businesses from the Superquinn Shopping Centre and the Main Street to try and establish ways of bringing people back to the village, including hosting community events and beginning a campaign for more public transport in the area. Superquinn initiated its own events that have seen people return to the store, including the recent steak and wine event and its current Mediterranean food and wine sale. According to Lorcan O’Hanlon, store manager at Superquinn, since the company was taken over by Musgraves last year, there has been a push to localise the brand. “[Musgraves] are specialists in branding in the local community with their other brands. We feel we have their backing and support to get back to our roots,” which he says is being part of the community. “We want to highlight the fact that the village needs rejuvenation. There is no point sitting back – as the biggest employer we have the responsibil-
ity, and this is the start of the journey to rejuvenate Blanchardstown village.” O’Hanlon pinpointed some of the reasons that people had drifted away from using the businesses in the village. “There was severe disruption last year and people were forced to go elsewhere [because of roadworks]. Since that, the village has struggled. “Peoples’ habits changed and they have got used to a different shopping experience, and our job is to reignite the fire to get customers to remember why they came here. “We also want Dublin Bus to try and change their service times to make it easier for customers to come to the village,” Lorcan said. Supporting the campaign, Rudolf Gerhardt, owner of Maximilians Bistro and Wine Bar, said events like street parties and a Christmas market would be something to consider. “The plan is to host events for customers and get businesses coming together to help each other. “We need a better bus service; some are going all the way around [to the Blanchardstown shopping centre] by-passing the village. We want people to recognise we are still here. The plan is to get the buses back in because the more people go to the village, the more life it gets,” he said.
The staff here are showing off the fresh fruit and baked goods
Jason McDonagh, Brian Mongey, Gerrard McEntee, Mark Ward, Vinnie Eglington Pictures: James Devon
Fresh apples from the Mediterranean
Exotic experts in a local setting T HIS PAST Wednesday, July 11, saw Superquinn of Blanchardstown Village host a Mediterranean food and wine event. The event, along with others hosted in the past few weeks, is part of Superquinn’s campaign to spark commercial life back in to the village which has suffered through a tough year.
The Mediterranean food and wine event had a choice of exclusive Mediterranean meats, breads made fresh in store, and wines from Turkey and Tunisia. Tasting stalls for the food and wine were set up throughout the store. Expert advisors were also present to help anyone new to the products on offer.
Store manager Lorcan O’Hanlon and Rudolph
Some of the fine Mediterranean
Gerhardt, Maximilian’s Bistro
vegetables on offer
David Byrne and Rebecca Quinlan
Bernard Poland
Caroline Foy
Martin Mahoney gives his expert opinion on
John Healy offers some advice on some
Superquinn have taken it on themselves
some of the exclusive wine
of the many Mediterranean cheeses
to reinvigorate their business
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 3
CHESTERFIELD AVENUE Pilot period up in September
OPW to review Phoenix Park road closures I LAURA WEBB
THE Office of Public Works (OPW) has said it will review the partial closure of the main thoroughfare in Phoenix Park when the pilot period is up at the end of September. T h e c o n t r ove r s i a l closure of a section of Chester field Avenue in the Phoenix Park at weekends has outraged local residents and councillors. On Monday, July 2, a representative of the OPW attended a Fingal transportation committee meeting at Fingal County Council offices. A spokesperson for the
OPW confirmed they “will be reviewing the weekend closures after the pilot period” which concludes at the end of September. According to Castleknock councillor and chairperson of the transportation committee, Mags Murray (FF), it was a “valuable discussion”, and she is glad to hear they will review the closures. “The OPW are the custodians of the park; this has been rumbling on since May, and I am glad the OPW did come to the meeting. “It is in the lap of the gods [if] the OPW will keep [the temporary clo-
sure],” but added if the closure stays as it is, “no one will be happy with it”. “The key issue is public consultation. There was no pre-warning, no consultation. “The problem I have with it is, if cars can’t park in the main thoroughfare, they are going to park on the minority roads, and the problems they are trying to combat by eliminating parking on Chesterfield is just being pushed on to these other roads. “[The closure] is just really undesirable; our only time-saving route [to city centre] is through the park,” she added.
SCHOOLS
Apply early for allowance I LAURA WEBB lwebb@gazettegroup.com
Castleknock councillor Mags Murray (FF), was glad to hear the OPW will review the closures
In a statement, a spokesperson from the OPW said it had already consulted with “many groups” in preparation for the recently published conservation management plan, and chapter nine highlights many of the initiatives and proposals being considered and key actions to be implemented. Meanwhile, Cllr Mur-
ray has asked FCC to record the movements of vehicles through the park to get a clear view of how many people use it. “The OPW said there are 10 million car journeys through the park each year. I would say that the bulk of those originate from Dublin 15. “The OPW have their own figures for traf-
fic movement, but we need to assess the level of vehicle usage in the park accessing from the four gates that we go through. “The Phoenix Park bye-laws date back to 1926 and for the most part talks of pedestrians, bicycles and horses. There are gaps in it and they have to improve the bye-laws,” she added.
PARENTS are being urged to register now for back to school allowance forms, and to submit them to the Department of Education. Dublin West Sinn Fein representative Paul Donnelly is calling on eligible parents to apply early this year. He said: “Last year, a large backlog in applications meant that families eligible did not receive the payment until well after the school year began. “The Department [only started dealing with more than 66,000 applications in the second week of July, and could only process 1,000 per day. This resulted in the delay of payments,” he said. For further information, see www.welfare.ie, or text FORM BSCFA followed by your name and address to 51909 to have a form sent out.
4 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 19 July 2012
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 5
VANDALISM Council cannot remedy damage to private property, says O’Gorman
Green Party slams graffiti hit on empty house I LAURA WEBB
A LOCAL politician has condemned vandals who attacked the façade of an unoccupied house. Green Party’s Dublin West representative Roderic O’Gorman condemned the graffiti attack in Blanchardstown Vil-
lage. The incident occurred along Blanchardstown Main Street, on an unoccupied house at the junction of the Castleknock Road and the River Road. Large silver and red “tags” were sprayed across the walls, door and windows of the disused house.
Commenting on the incident, O’Gorman said: “It is really disappointing to see such a blatant graffiti attack on Blanchardstown Main Street. There is absolutely no justification for treating property in this way, no matter whether it is publicly owned or, as in this
case, private. “While I have reported this incident to Fingal County Council, the Council cannot remedy the damage as it has occurred on private property. However, the ‘tags’ of the individual in question are clearly visible and, hopefully, this will enable
the perpetrator to be identified,” he concluded. In response to the incident, a spokesperson for FCC confirmed that because the house targeted is on private property, the removal of the graffiti at this property is not the responsibility of the council.
The house in question with the offending graffiti
McGuinness fears rise in joblessness THE LATEST unemployment figures show a rise in the amount of people signing on in the Dublin 15 area. Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show the number of people signing on between May and June in Blanchardstown has increased by 2.4%, and 4.9% in the Navan Road office, which is the local office for some D15 residents. Mulhuddar t councillor David McGuinness (FF) said the latest figures are worrying. “This substantial rise in a month is cause for real concern that the policies of the government to create jobs are not only not working, but are actually hindering job creation.
The St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown is only open two days out of the week but would like to operate in a five-day capacity involving hospital day-care and out-patients services
HEALTH: HSE CALLED ON TO OPEN BLANCH FACILITY
Hospice delay not acceptable – Nulty CALLS have been made for the HSE to provide the necessary funding that will see the St Francis Hospice in Dublin 15 open beds and provide a full-time service at the much-needed facility. Dublin West TD Patrick Nulty (Lab) said it is “not acceptable” that the HSE have yet to put in place the resources to provide staff to open beds and provide a five-day hospital day-care and out-patients service. “The construction of the hospice was completed well over a year ago, in April 2011. Yet the full capacity of this state-ofthe-art facility is not being used to its full potential. “It is worth remem-
bering that this hospice has been built thanks to massive community support from a wide range of organisations and a dedicated fundraising committee.” “Those who have put so much effort into fundraising for the hospice and the broader community in north and west Dublin deserve nothing less,” he said. The Community Palliative Care Team has been working out of the Blanchardstown hospice, which cost €22.5m to build, since February 2011, five days per week, while hospice day care and out-patient services commenced in St Francis Hospice in October 2011
for two days per week, and are continuing this year, supported by funds from the HSE. In response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Nulty to the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Kathleen Lynch, a HSE spokesperson said: “The number of patients seen by [the Community Palliative Care Team] last year was 386, involving 4,023 nursing visits and 261 medical visits to patients in their homes. In the period January to June 2012, the number of patients seen by the team was 279, involving 2158 nursing visits and 140 medical visits. “In relation to the open-
ing of beds in St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown, I can confirm that St Francis Hospice submitted a bid for funding to the Health Service Executive in 2011 for the opening of 12, or possibly 24 beds, as a matter of urgency. Detailed proposals were submitted to the HSE in 2011...” Deputy Nulty said the heart of this problem was “the ban on recruitment”. “This policy is flawed and recruitment should be allowed in essential frontline services. Not only would this create jobs for qualified staff, it would also allow initiatives like St Francis Hospice to become fully open and operational.”
“During the early months of last year, organisations such as IBEC, the Central Bank and the Department of Finance were forecasting that unemployment would now be approximately 13%. The harsh reality for those out of work is that unemployment now stands at the highest in decades of 14.9% nationally,” he said. “It is time for the Government to stop squabbling amongst themselves and getting back to the number one Dublin and national priority – creating jobs. Across a broad range of areas, their actions – or in many cases inaction – have caused a real lag on job creation,” the Mulhuddart councillor added.
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PANDA WASTE: PRICES INCREASE TO €8.75
Rise in refuse charge sparks anger LOCAL councillors last week reacted angrily to the price increase by Panda Waste Management for their refuse bin tags, which, they say, will put additional pressure on struggling households. Responding to the increase (from €8 to €8.75) in the price of bin charges in Fingal, Councillor Ruth Coppinger (SP) said: “This is an incredibly brazen increase by Panda of more than 9% within less than a year of privatisation. “This will add to the hardship of families, struggling to pay household bills. However, it will also add to illegal dumping. “The sell-off by council management of the refuse collection last year was wrong. The workers provided an excellent and essential service,” said Cllr Coppinger. Cllr David McGuinness (FF) likened the price rise to Greyhound’s recent increase in their charges, and said Panda’s price rise was part of a growing trend in response to Government levies. “T hese unjustified increases are being laid at the Government’s feet, as the landfill levy has increased by 30%, from €50 per tonne to €65 per tonne.
“Panda have implemented a realistic increase, but this has also highlighted the disastrous policy being pursued by the Government in relation to the privatisation of waste collection in Ireland. “This Government’s privatisation agenda, which is being implemented by Fine Gael and being cheer-leaded by Labour, is directly affecting ordinary families who are already struggling to pay bills,” said Cllr McGuinness. In response to the bin tag increases, Fingal County Council issued a statement, saying: “Following a tender process in 2011, FCC sold its waste collection service to Panda, and we no longer have any involvement in the running of the business other than that of a regulator under the waste collection permit regulation. It was Panda’s decision to increase the lift charges (bin tags), notwithstanding their commitment to freeze prices until 2013. “T his decision by Panda did not require the approval of FCC,” said the statement. Panda had not responded to The Gazette’s request for a comment by the time of going to press.
Champion words: Olympian and senator’s inspiring advice for St Patrick’s NS pupils SENATOR – and Olympian – Eamonn Coghlan was a very
popular guest at St Patrick’s National School, Diswellstown when he visited the school just before the holidays. He met members of the cross country team and congratulated them on being this year’s overall winners in the Fingal Schools Cross-Country League. With the pupils’ interest in the Olympics leading to some great questions, Senator Coghlan gave a fascinat-
ing overview of his own athletic career, offering practical advice to the athletes on how to increase their stamina and improve their overall performance. He pointed out that every Olympian started as a similar dedicated, sportsloving pupil. He congratulated the students’, and the school’s, ethos in striving to be the best in a range of sporting activities, as well as living healthy lifestyles. His visit was a great, motivational experience for all the pupils.
Mother set to fight for son’s pilot dream LAURA WEBB
THE mother of a young man caught up in a dispute involving the collapsed Waterford-based pilot training school has said she will fight to help her son obtain his flying license. Trainee pilots were left stranded in Florida when their course with Waterford-based Pilot Training College (PTC) collapsed. Eighty students, 34 of them Irish, who paid €86,000 up front for the course were left devas-
tated and without further training following a dispute between PTC and the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). According to reports, the students were receiving training at FIT which had a contract with the Waterford-based school. However, due to a financial dispute, the Florida institute ceased their instruction. Speaking to the Gazette, the mother of a 20-year-old trainee from Castleknock said: “It’s dreadful. But I refuse to
be disappointed. I don’t take a back seat and I am in the fighting mode at this stage. “I met all the parents at the weekend and they are all devastated, they can’t believe it could have happened. Nobody imagined anything would go wrong, especially with so much money involved,” she told the Gazette. The Castleknock resident paid €89,000 from a €100,000 loan she took out for the course, and has put up a further €3,500 from that loan so her son
can complete his training in Florida. “If he came home straight away, he would have no qualification. He nearly had his private pilot license. “We are hoping the free flight offer [by the Irish Aviation Authority] will be extended [past August 1].” Following a meeting of parents and sponsors on Saturday, July 14, an action plan was put in place. They decided to picket the Dail on Wednesday, July 18, with
student pilots dressed in their uniforms. Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said he is set to meet with representatives for the trainee pilots this Friday along with the CEO of the IAA. The minister added he will do everything “practical” he can to assist them in completing their training, but there is no question of paying their fees. “PTC has their money, the Government does not. I am examining the introduction of a bonding system for the future.”
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 7
SHOWBIZ Gilson on the fun of new Celebrity Salon
Beauty of TV3 salon role not lost on Glenda I LAURA WEBB
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lwebb@gazettegroup.com
‘I didn’t have to do anything that was too horrible, like a pedicure on a man’s feet, or anything like that’
SHE’S used to interviewing A-List celebrities on Ireland’s most stylish television show but, this September, Glenda Gilson exchanges her microphone for make-up brushes when she takes part in new TV3 reality show, Celebrity Salon. Viewers will get a glimpse into the world of beauty therapy this autumn when eight wellknown personalities from Ireland and Britain get to grips with all aspects of the beauty business, such as manicuring, waxing and hair-dressing. Now in its third year,
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the show has adopted a new format, and will be travelling around the country to different salons instead of staying in the capital for the entire show. Speaking to The Gazette this week, Xpose presenter Glenda said that although she had a
great time, she won’t be giving up the day job to open her own salon. “There is not a chance I would open one. I would be sued all over the place, so I won’t be doing that,” she laughed. “But it was brilliant. It was like being back in school, the fun parts like the school trip, for two weeks. “The tasks didn’t scare me too much – I didn’t have to do anything that was too horrible, like a pedicure on a man’s feet, or waxing any men, or anything like that, so it was alright.” Working in the fashion industry, she said the salon tasks weren’t that
Glenda Gilson with former Geordie Shore star, Greg Lake, and former Brookside actor, Philip Olivier, who also star in Celebrity Salon
new to her. “We do spray tans, make-up and body wraps [on the show] – it’s all things I’m used to. “Spray tans, I have been getting them done all my life, and make-up I do every day. “Body wraps ... I don’t think I’ll be doing one ever again. It was more the experience than anything else and the laugh. I didn’t stop laughing from
start to finish. “I met some great people, like Philip Olivier, who played ‘Tin-Head’ in Brookside. He became my friend in it. “We all got on well, but Phil and I got on very well, and we had a great time,” she said. Glenda is joined by seven other contestants, including former Big Brother contestant, Nikki Grahame; TV presenter,
Julian Simmons; model, Nadia Forde; former Geordie Shore star, Greg Lake; actor, Philip Olivier; Layla Flaherty, from Desperate Scousewives; and singer, Carol Anthony, AKA Havana. However, anyone eager to find out who wins will have to wait until this autumn when the show airs, because Glenda isn’t giving that information away.
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Filmfest looks for entries BUDDING filmmakers are being asked to note the date after the announcement was made this week that submissions for the 2013 Fingal Film Festival will be accepted from Saturday, September 1 for next year’s festival. The inaugural Fingal Film Festival took place in March this year, and attracted almost 300 submissions from filmmakers at home and abroad. During the three-day event, the festival hosted a series of masterclasses, with special guests including BAFTA awardwinning writer and director of Song for a Raggy Boy, Aisling Walsh. The festival celebrates the art and business of making films and aims to bring the Fingal community together with national and international filmmakers. For further information on the festival, see www. fingalfilmfest.com.
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8 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 19 July 2012
KICKING OFF
Leinster star players teach basic rugby
Sean O’Rourke
Liam Coyne on the charge
Children line out for special visitors C
OOLMINE RFC welcomed Leinster Rugby players Fionn Carr and John Cooney to their summer camp recently. The event was a great chance to make new friends, meet Leinster players, learn more about rugby values such as team work, commitment and integrity. They also become more aware of the
importance of physical fitness while learning to develop the basic rugby skills of passing, tackling (in a controlled environment), evasion and kicking. Children who participated in the camps got an Official Canterbury of New Zealand Rugby Pack (boot bag, t-shirt, water bottle, ball, and certificate of attendance).
Joe Humphreys
Scott Hayes with Fionn Carr and John Cooney Practising kicking skills with Leinster’s Fionn Carr
Fionn took plenty of time to sign autographs and pose for a picture with rugby fans
The Under 10s get ready to tackle. Pictures: Ian Fleming
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 9
skills to children at Coolmine RFC summer camp
Team members from the under 6/7s
Showing how to run with ball in hand with Fionn and John
Ben Foley with a signed ball
The players introduce themselves to the children
Catch me if you can
John Cooney signing autographs
Tiernan Fairbairn, Eoin Egan and Jack Fitzpatrick Conor Roche
with Leinster star Fionn Carr
Rhys MacGregor and Luke McAvoy
10 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 19 July 2012
SHOW Enjoying Ireland’s first eBay.ie fashion show
Conor Clinch and Lisa Byrne
Emily Cramp and Lauren Wilkinson
Caitriona Flood
Gavin Norton and Trevor Mulhare
Aine O’Hara and Lisa McKee
A feast of fashion at finale of event T
HE eBay.ie Online Fashion Show took place at the Smock Alley Theatre, as part of the finale of eBay.ie Online Fashion Week. Over 300 of Ireland’s top fashionistas attended the show.
Cynthia Baloula
Presenter and fashion guru Darren Kennedy hosted the show and four stylists were given three themes to style their looks around and a set budget to use on eBay.ie. Gavin Norton, Leanne Woodfull, Roisin Flanagan and Laura O’Brien
Deirdre Wallace and Sinead Durnin
were eBay.ie’s super styling stars and showed their creativity on the catwalk. The event was Ireland’s first eBay. ie fashion show and with the great success it enjoyed, it is sure to be back bigger and better in 2013.
Melanie McCabe and Aislinn Dunne
Leanne Woodfull
Elaine Foss and Olya Khimchenko
19 July 2012 GAZETTE 11
12 GAZETTE 19 July 2012
ENTERTAINMENT Busy man Keith Barry
‘We need wonder life – I try to bring I BAIRBRE NI BHRAONAIN
news@gazettegroup.com
KEITH Barry is a busy man these days. Not only has he a new show at the Olympia theatre, he is also writing a book, helping people to overcome their phobias on television, motivating some of the Irish Olympic squad and has just finished consultancy work as chief mentalist on the set of a new Hollywood film. Keith returned to the Olympia this month with his new show, 8 Deadly Sins, which goes on throughout July. “T he show really makes people laugh. Fifty people end up on the stage by the end of it. I do this lottery thing to highlight greed and various other parts of the act are about the other deadly sins. It’s hilarious and different every night. Damage
Keith Barry has returned to the Olympia this month with his new show 8 Deadly Sins, which continues on throughout July
“I also show how psychics do damage and how easy it is to con people. Most people don’t realise the damage psychics have done throughout history, Hitler and Stalin used them and they changed the course of history. Even nowadays, they are used: – the Bush administration used psychics, too.” The main thrust of the show, however is to re-introduce a sense of wonder and magic into people’s lives. “We need makebelieve and wonder in life, and I try to bring that back for people. My shows allow them to escape from their lives and all their stresses and worries.” Keith’s magical journey began in Waterford where he was born and raised, and has been performing magic for around 30 years now. “I’d been doing magic
since the age of six and began gigging not long after that at parties.” He moved to Dublin to study chemistry at 18 and met his wife who was reading psychology. That’s where the idea of mixing mesmerism and science took hold. After graduating with distinction, Keith worked as a scientist for a cosmetic company in Dublin for a number of years. Journey
“I was making women’s make-up, but I got fed up with science in general after working at it for two-and-a-half years. I wouldn’t have changed the journey I went on, though. A lot of young magicians don’t go to college or have day jobs, and I think they miss out because of that.” The moniker of chief mentalist is not one most mortals get to enjoy, but Keith had this strange title for his consultancy work on the upcoming heist film, Now You See Me, which comes out in January next year. “The film is about mentalists who use their skills to pull off a huge heist. It’s like Ocean’s 12 but instead of guns, these guys use their minds. It was a great experience. I spent two weeks working with screenwriter Ed Solomon, assisting him as he rewrote the script. We worked for 12 hours a day.” The stars of the film, Woody Harrelson, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo and Jesse Eisenberg, also availed of Keith’s expertise. “I was kept on particularly to help Woody Harrelson. First, we Skyped and then I went to Los Angeles and New Orleans with him and the film crew to help him make his mentalist character believable. He really learned it
19 July 2012 GAZETTE 13
on books, Hollywood movies and taking the stage
and makebelieve in that back’
well, he’s a true method actor.” Keith was rewarded with a cameo in the film as a French tourist, and even had a line of dialogue. “They’ll probably dub over me,” he laughed. He is in the preparatory stages of writing a book about probing the subconscious mind and “restructuring or programming your mind to achieve anything. I wanted to headline at Vegas and I achieved that ambition through a system I came up with. It’s scientific and anyone can use it.” He is looking for a ghost-writer to assist with the book as he admits
he’s no writer himself. Yet, he insists that every word in it will come from his mind. “It will take a lot of time and energy to create as there’s so much information to go into it, so it won’t be available too soon.” Healer
More recently, Keith has been appearing as a healer of sorts as he helps people to overcome their phobias and fears on TV3’s Ireland AM show. He said this side of his work is not new. “I’ve been doing it quietly for years for no charge, just for friends. Nobody knew about it until recently, so it was a
surprise for people. I’ve always loved anything to do with psychology and I get great satisfaction from helping people. I do intend to open a consultancy clinic next year, but won’t work in it every day as that would be too draining.” Since curing many volunteers’ phobias on the morning TV show, Keith has been inundated with interest from professional psychotherapists. Unorthodox
“I’ve had so many emails about it from hypnotherapists, asking what my methods are. But it’s a very personal thing and my style
is quite unorthodox. ox. I can’t explain it except cept to say that you need d to have serious confidence nce in your ability to do o it. You have to know it’s going to work, it’s t’s kind of like a placebo bo effect.” Keith would like to o meet with the profes-sionals and exchangee ideas at some stage. “I don’t even know if there is a hypnotherapy organisation of Ireland but I would be interested in that kind d of setting and we could ould meet.” A s K e i t h d o e s n ’t carry out private consultations he will give a short talk from the
stage at the end of each night at The Olympia. Tickets for 8 Deadly Sins are priced at €29.50 and €30.50 including booking fee.
T h e s h o w continues on at the Olympia throughout July and you can buy tickets online at www.ticketmaster.ie
SECURITY Debate in Dail over concerts THE recent violence and tragic deaths ensuing from a cconcert in the Phoenix Park last week sparked a Pa debate on security for d such events in the Dail. su Fine Gael Dublin Mid West representative M Derek Keating TD called De for airport-style security checks to be introduced ch at large concerts. “The trouble that broke out at last Saturday’s conou cert in the Phoenix Park ce must never be allowed mu to happen again. Widespread public order, sp extreme violence and disex turbing levels of drinking tur and drug-taking cannot an be tolerated,” said Deputy Keating. Ke He went on to suggest that new security measth ures be compulsory for ur all “high-risk” concerts. “If, following a risk assess“If ment, there are concerns me that there may be an th increased risk of violence, then airport-style security checks should be mandatory.”
14 GAZETTE 19 July 2012
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Hollywood starlet Mischa Barton with iconic TV soap star Anne Charleston for the Irish stage version of Steel Magnolias
Mischa takes the stage at the Gaiety HOLLYWOOD starlet Mischa Barton is making her Irish stage debut as she joins forces with iconic TV soap star Anne Charleston for the Irish stage version of Steel Magnolias. Anne, who is better known as Madge in Neighbours, was in Dublin with Mischa for the launch of the show in the Gaiety Theatre, which will tour countrywide, from September 2012. The show is based on the 1989 film with Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, and Julia Roberts. It tells the story of pretty young Shelby Eatenton, to be played here by Mischa Barton – a diabetic, who, following her fairytale wedding, risks pregnancy and her life by having a baby. Twenty-six-year old Mischa who was born in London to an Irish mum, Nuala Quinn, is delighted to be performing on stage in Ireland for the first time in her career. Tickets are priced from €20 and will be available from Ticketmaster and www.steelmagnolias.ie
A chance to release your inner thespian THE National Theatre School of Ireland is giving you the chance to release your inner
DIARY thespian in the coming weeks then they host a series of film, TV and radio workshops at the Gaiety School of Acting on Essex Street West in the old quarter of Temple Bar. The school will host a radio presentation workshop on July 21, a TV presentation workshop on July 28 and a casting and audition workshop on August 11. These courses are to be taught by experts in each relevant field, including well-known TV and radio personalities, Bill Hughes and Chris Donoghue, and renowned casting directors Maureen Hughes and Gillian Reynolds. These workshops will be specially tailored to people looking to enhance their skills in these specific areas, but beginners are also welcome. Patrick Sutton, director of the Gaiety School of Acting said: “We are delighted to have acquired the amazing talents of Bill, Chris, Gillian and Maureen to help deliver these interesting new workshops.” See www.gaietyschool.com for more information.
Brussels sprouting green over launch BRUSSELS was sprouting green last week when Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar addressed members of the Irish diaspora at the launch of The Gathering. At the launch, the Minister invited the thousands of Irish people living and working throughout Europe to get involved in The Gathering Ireland 2013, a year-long festival celebrating the Irish diaspora next year. Get involved
Minister Varadkar called on expatriates to get involved and organise their own Gathering events within Ireland next year. Speaking to the assembled expatriates, he said: “Next year, we will celebrate everything that is best about Ireland, right across the country, and we want the world to join in. “I am asking everyone to get involved in The Gathering and do something unique and positive for our country. As well as visiting Ireland, I would ask you to plan your own Gatherings of family, friends or colleagues.”
19 July 2012 GAZETTE 15
FAMILY Snowflakes Autism Support launch
Charity targets families hit by autism I PAUL HOSFORD
A NEW charity aimed at helping families affected by autism in the Fingal area was launched with great fanfare this week. Snowflakes Autism Support was officially launched at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Santry by the Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, and the new Mayor of Fingal, Cian O’Callaghan (Lab). Popular TV presenter Martin King was named as the group’s patron. The TV3 weatherman was in fine form as he announced his support for this worthy cause. Snowflakes Autism Support was set up in January of this year by a group of parents for families affected by autism in the north Dublin and Fingal areas. The group has grown over the months and what started off as just a handful of families, has grown into a support group with over 120 families from all over Dublin. Their aim is to organise events for children
with Autism Spectrum Disorder, their parents and their siblings. They will also be looking to provide whatever support they can to parents, preand post-diagnosis. The name Snowflakes was chosen for the group because “children with autism are like snowflakes – they are beautiful, each one is uniquely different and they are liable to meltdown at any time,” say the group. S n ow f l a ke s h ave attracted approximately 120 members, and the number is growing daily. One of the key facets of the group is support. From swapping stories and sharing an understanding of the needs of children with autism, members have gained an abundance of support and comfort from being involved with the organisation. Events enjoyed by the whole family, such as visits to the zoo or to a bowling alley, have also been a huge success. The feedback from parents
SERVICE: COST-FRIENDLY MEALS-ON-WHEELS
Get healthy meals right to your door
I LAURA WEBB
lwebb@gazettegroup.com
Snowflakes Autism Support chairman Robert Brown and Jo Jordan from Dublin Housewives
A SOUTH Dublin-based company is offering the greater Dublin area a high-quality, nutritious and cost-friendly mealson-wheels service that comes frozen, direct to your door, so clients can eat whenever it suits them. Chef Direct, the trading name of Healthcare Food Solutions, is becoming a household name among residents in need of a meals-onwheels service. With fully trained chefs among their workforce, the Nutgrovebased company uses the finest ingredients which are quality assured by Bord Bia and the vegetables sourced from Irish farmers. Quality
Health Minister Dr James Reilly, Fingal Mayor Cian O’Callaghan (Lab), Eithne Brown and Martin King, TV3 weatherman
from these events has been very positive, and more outings are planned throughout the year. Snowflakes also run practical workshops for parents to assist them in their child’s development, the first of which was a presentation of the Grace app for Autism by software developer, Lisa Domican.
The Grace App for Autism for iPhone and iPad helps autistic and other special needs children to communicate effectively, by building semantic sequences from relevant images to form sentences. The app can be easily customised by using picture and photo vocabulary of your choice.
These workshops will continue over the coming months. The launch served as confirmation that, in their short existence, the group has brought much needed hope and positivity into the lives of families affected by autism. For more information, visit www.snowflakes.ie or call 01 5241544.
The company says the quality of its food makes it different from similar services: “Our meals are delivered frozen, which is the safest way. Others deliver tepid food and if you don’t answer the door, it could be left outside. “We have a telesales team in place to ring you – if you are not there, we don’t deliver until you are. If your daughter, son or carer is there, we can give it to them and it goes straight into your freezer. When you want to eat it, you take it
out of the freezer, pop it into your microwave for 12 minutes – the food is safe and tastes good,” Chef Direct CEO Paul Kavanagh said. “All our meals carry full nutritional values, calorie counts and protein. We deliver seven days a week, unlike some services who are delivering three, four or five days,” he continued. Standard
According to Paul, there is no standard cost for meal services in hospitals, with reports that some pay almost €41 per meal, while others say it is just €2 per meal, which he says needs to change. “There is a huge imbalance there. If you have a €2 meal, obviously, there is no nutrition in it, whereas we have full nutritional on all our produce. I am shocked how much it is costing the HSE. The solution is sitting right under their nose – we cost €5.50 per meal. “Volume is not a problem. Our plant is 18,000sq ft, so we could look after the whole of Dublin if they asked. We would like to provide the meals-on-wheels service for these people,” said Paul. Contact Chef Direct on 01 491 6262 for further information, or log on to www.chefdirect.ie.
16 GAZETTE 19 July 2012
GazetteMUSIC MUSIC FastTunes with Radio Nova’s Dee Woods DAVE Grohl’s CV just keeps getting longer. He’s the drummer who kept Nirvana’s beat for four years, and following Kurt Cobain’s passing in 1994, he didn’t let the rock die, founding the Foo Fighters that same year. The Foos have gone on to record seven hit albums and win numerous awards, including five Grammys this year alone. Their latest album, Wasting Light, earned them Album of the Year and Best Rock Album at the iconic American industry awards last February. Well-deserved when you consider the album was recorded in Grohl’s garage on real analog tapes because he feels music is meant to be made by musicians, not computers. And if you think shunning computers to get work done wouldn’t take up enough time, Grohl’s also been involved in other rock groups like Them Crooked Vultures and Queens of the Stone Age, as well as cropping up as a session musician on albums by the likes of Slash, Tom Petty and Nine Inch Nails. Does this guy sleep? NME called him a god-like genius but he comes across as the salt of the earth in interviews and a guy who really is just all about the music. Last year he stopped a Foos’ concert in London, mid-song, to kick out a fan who was causing trouble in the crowd, telling him “you don’t come to my show and fight you come to my show and...dance!”. Little wonder really that they’re queuing up to honour Dave Grohl. And he can now add giant artwork and a street named in his honour to his list of accolades. His hometown of Warren, Ohio will soon be home to a 400kg sculpture of two massive drumsticks on Dave Grohl Alley. You know you’ve made it when you’ve inspired a giant piece of artwork in your home town. I’m expecting a giant sofa in Portmarnock any day now...
Dave Grohl was saluted by his hometown
Light it up: Local band HyperGiants release new single BLANCHARDSTOWN threepiece, HyperGiants, whose first single Lost Souls soared to the top of the iTunes rock charts, release their much-anticipated follow-up, Halogen, in The Grand Social on July 20. The band, Laura Walsh, John Lynch and Jonathon Savino, have been hard at work on their debut album and the performance of Lost Souls has whet the appetite of the public for this exciting band.
REVIEW: AN ALBUM THAT SINGLEHANDEDLY REINVENTS SOUL
An Ocean apart as Frank plots the future I ROB HEIGH
THERE must be something in the water - does not compute. The summer continues to limp on through the downpour. and, simultaneously, the rain of fantastic new releases continues ubabated. The latest, and possibly best and most enduring of the albums that have landed lately, is Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange, which was released on digital download a week ahead of schedule to combat what was expected to be a slew of piracy. If I were of that persuasion, I would have my eyepatch on and parrot on my shoulder, as this release from the Odd Future alumni is easily one of the finest R&B releases this century so far. Ocean, whose name sounds like he should be headlining the Sands with the Rat Pack, has a smooth and silky flow and a lyrical mastery that already has the pedigree of contributing and cowriting two of the standout tracks on Watch The Throne, No Church In The Wild and Made In
Frank Ocean’s first album proper maintains the high standard set by his Nostalgia Ultra mixtape
America. T here is a vision and empathy that goes beyond the usual tired and lame R&B mores, both lyrically and musically, that puts Ocean on a pedestal in a different galaxy to his peers. It’s not every R&B act who paints a picture of decay and sadness associated with crack addiction, while simultaneously holding a mirror up to his peers who exist as Super Rich Kids, and sees the inherent vacuousness and waste of both existences.
Ocean has been fighting a legal battle with The Eagles after “co-opting” some aspects - well, actually, the entire melody of Hotel California on his highly acclaimed mixtape earlier in 2011, Nostalgia Ultra, but here, his plundering of pop culture for the foundations of his sound and style are more subtle, and their integration into the musical tapestry of this record show an innate understanding of everything that makes the genre influential and important. The Stevie Wonder
rolling, stoned melodies of Sweet Life, the nod to Elton John on the aforementioned Super Rich Kids, and the multifaceted Prince homage in Pyramids - flipping through a suite of styles, from pre-Purple Rain era electro-funk all the way to an expressive guitar solo show Ocean’s knowledge and assimilation of the best aspects of the culture’s touchstones. But in the lyrical content, Ocean draws on Marvin Gaye’s finest moments, showing him to be a young artist able to
look into the milieu and skewer the issues of the day with his own unique vision and wordplay. There is such a level of imagination, as well as the integration of so many genres and ideas in the 50 minutes Channel Ultra takes to play out, it may be that Frank Ocean will be responsible for the reinvention of soul music for the 21st century. There is set to be an unholy battle for the top five releases of the year. Part of that future will undoubtedly be Ocean’s Orange.
19 July 2012 GAZETTE 17
GazetteBEAUTY BEAUTY
Edited by Laura Webb
Getting organic with natural cosmetics from Dr Haushka THE brand is known for its amazing skin care range but now Dr Hauschka has launched its latest line of organic and natural cosmetics. Foundations, lipsticks, powders, eyeliners and eye shadows are some of the new range available by the skin care experts. For anyone used to using the skin care range, you will be happy to know the cosmetic range has that great scent of its skin care range. The make-up range is made from mineral pigments and organic extracts that help to provide long-lasting colour and deliver a healthy-
looking radiant glow. These mineral cosmetics are suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Foundations, tinted moisturisers and bronzers help create a flawless complexion. Beneficial
The organic lipsticks, lip glosses and lip liners are lead-free, petroleumfree and are made only with natural ingredients containing beneficial plant nutrients that help soften and hydrate lips while adding great colour. International make-up artist for Dr Hauschka
Skin Care, Karim Sattar said the great make-up range is entirely based on natural formulations and is “incredibly easy to apply”. “They literally become like a soft veil, or better, a second skin and blend fantastically into one’s skin tone and texture. Dr Hauschka is also a natural step in both my professional and personal development. I am delighted that the company wants to have me on board and I hope to contribute my expertise in many different ways,” he said. Karim recently joined Dr Hauschka’s crea-
A little bit of pampering
Inner Glow - Limited Edition Lipstick (top), Eyeshadow Palette Stone Colour (left) Collection and Eyeshadow Solo 02 from Dr Haushka
tive team of decorative cosmetics experts. He is involved in developing new decorative looks for the natural and organic cosmetics brand, and is set to hold make-up training sessions worldwide. Dr Hauschka’s cosmetic range has gained serious attention from make-
up artists and Hollywood’s blockbusters and TV shows. The products have been used on the set of Twilight’s Breaking Dawn, Black Swan, Wall Street 2, Something Borrowed, The Devil Wears Prada and The Women and shows such as Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, Sex and the City and
Desperate Housewives. Dr Hauschka Decorative Range is priced at €15-€35 and is stocked in selected health stores pharmacies, all Life Pharmacies, McCabes@ Clery’s Avoca and Harvey Nichols.For details of a nearest stockist, log onto: w w w. drhauschkaireland.ie
PAMPER yourself or someone else this summer with Carton House’s summer spa day specials. The luxury resort in Maynooth launched their Summer Spa Day Specials this week, which has some great packages for two summer treatments for just €100, Monday to Friday. Here are just two of the many special offer treatments available: Caribbean Body Scrub one hour – normal price €90 which includes a foot massage, body scrub and body massage. Elemental Customised Facial one hour – normal price €90. For more information, email at thespa@ cartonhouse.com or phone 01-6517744.
18 GAZETTE 19 July 2012
GazetteBUSINESS BUSINESS
Supported by AIB
Interview: John Clifton, general manager, Ballsbridge Hotel
BACK TO SCHOOL Q – I dread the start of the school year and find it increasingly difficult to cope financially. The books get more expensive each year, plus there is the uniform, sports gear and the rest. Could I be entitled to any government subsidies ? Patricia – Rathmines A - I really empathise with you and the thousands of families similarly affected. Families are spending on average €400 per child for returning to school, according to research carried out by the Irish League of Credit Unions last summer. The average cost for secondary school children was found to be €470, with primary school costs coming in at €320. The report also showed that uniforms were the most expensive items, coming in at €229, followed by books at €182. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) helps meet the cost of uniforms and footwear for children going to school for those eligible to claim. 2012 SCHEME In 2012, the Department of Social Protection will pay the allowance automatically to a large number of qualified people. This means that many families do not have to apply for the payment. If you received this payment last year and your circumstances have not changed, you should have received a letter by June 20, 2012 stating when and how your allowance will be paid. If you haven’t received a notification letter by June 20 and are eligible for the allowance, you should make an application. Application forms are available in all social welfare offices or online at www. welfare.ie . You can also request a form by texting FORM BTSCFA followed by your address to 51909 (normal sms rates apply). If you do not receive an automatic payment, you must apply for the allowance. Applications must be received before the end of September. You may qualify for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance if you are: • Getting a social welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement) or a Health Service Executive payment, or • Taking part in an approved employment scheme (back to work scheme) including JobBridge, or • Taking part in a recognised education or training course, or • Involved in an Area Partnership Scheme, or • Attending a Fás, Failte Ireland or LES training scheme You may also qualify for the BTSCFA if you are: • Getting a social welfare payment (including Family Income Supplement) or a Health Service Executive payment, or • Taking part in an approved employment scheme (back to work scheme) including JobBridge, or • Taking part in a recognised education or training course, or • Involved in an Area Partnership Scheme, or • Attending a FÁS, Fáilte Ireland or LES training scheme Your child must be aged between four to 22 on or before September 30. If they are aged between 18 to 22, they must be in full-time education in a recognised school or college. Subject to means testing : - The allowance paid for each eligible child aged four to 11 on or before September 30, 2012 is €150. - The allowance paid for each eligible child aged 12 to 22 on or before 30 September 2012 is €250. Best of luck next September
Location is key at Ballsbridge Hotel JOHN Clifton is general manager of Ballsbridge Hotel (formerly Jury’s Hotel) in Dublin 4. Ballsbridge Hotel has 392 guest rooms and is located next to Aviva Stadium and the RDS, making it a popular accommodation choice for sporting events and concerts. John says it’s the hotel’s close proximity to the city centre, O2 arena and Bord Gais Energy Theatre that also contributes to its popularity. “Our location really is the key to our success. We’re close to everything, yet removed enough to give guests peace and quiet when they want it. Ballsbridge is also a very pretty area and very safe.” John has been working in the hotel industry for over 30 years – with 20 years’ experience in general manager positions. A native of Blackrock, John attended Willow Park School and Blackrock College before training in hotel management at the Doyle Burlington Hotel and went on to study in Lucerne Hotel School, Switzerland. Ballsbridge Hotel is now operating as part of the Dalata Hotel Group and John says the hotel is continuing its refurbishment plans after revamping the lobby and conference centre earlier this year.
John Clifton, general manager of the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin 4
Q&A Q: When you were a kid, what did you want to be? A: A pilot. Q: What was your first job? A: Trainee hotel manager. Q: And your first pay cheque? A: £5 a week. Q: Have you ever done a job you loathed? A: Gardening bob a job… Q: When did you start your present job? A: I started the beginning of this year.
Q: What is the best thing about your job? A: Interacting with people. Q: What part of your working day do you delegate? A: All of it! Q: Have you achieved anything that you once thought you could not pull off? A: I worked on a charity building project in South
Africa.
Q: What’s currently on your desk that shouldn’t be? A: Paper! Q: Is there anything about yourself that you would like to set the record straight on? A: No comment. Q: What habits would you like to lose? A: Eating too many biscuits! Q: What sport do you follow? A: I am interested in all sports really – depending on time of year… Rugby, tennis, golf, GAA.
Q: What sport can you play? A: I love fly-fishing, skiing, motorbike touring, walking, swimming and rowing.
Q: What is your guilty music/ TV or movie pleasure? A: I sometimes listen to my teenage daughter Ella’s music collection!
Q: Who best represents modern Ireland – David Norris or Jedward? A: David Norris.
Q: Where do you enjoy spending money frivolously? A: Travel… If I could spend it frivolously!
Q: What music/pictures/ movies do you have on your iPod/iPad? A: Pictures of an Antarctica
Q: How many pairs of shoes do you own? A: Five to six pairs.
trip I did two years ago, stunning place.
Q: What was your worst holiday experience? A: I lost my passport in
Q: Who do you follow on Twitter/Facebook? A: I’m one of the few not on social media.
Q: At the moment, what are you looking forward to? A: My next holiday! Q: Describe your dream meal? A: Grilled collar bacon, creamed potatoes and peas.
Q: Who would you rather have dinner with – Enda Kenny or Dame Edna? A: Enda Kenny would be interesting.
Canada and missed my flight.
Q: Describe your dream holiday? A: Skiing in Canada or motor biking across France, Spain and Portugal.
Q: What would be your dream job? A: Flying a sea plane in Alaska.
Q: What do you plan to do when you retire? A: Live near the sea and watch the sun go down with my wife and daughter.
Contact John with your money questions at jlowe@
moneydoctor.ie or visit his website at www.moneydoctor.ie. John Lowe, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers, is founder and managing director of Money Doctor
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19 July 2012 GAZETTE 19
GazettePROPERTY PROPERTY gazette
group
THE SUN may not be shining but that’s no reason not to put a splash of colour into your life as B&Q invite you to live life in multicolour, where there is a rainbow to drive the clouds away. The variety of vivid items on offer include the Sunlounger (€24.85) and the Janeiro Armchair (€31.00), pictured here, as well as a glorious green Bucket Charcoal Barbecue (€12.40) and multicolour raphia lanterns for €14.25. For more, see www.diy.com.
NEW BUILD AND RENOVATIONS: MANAGE EXPENSE FROM THE OUTSET
Love me tender to keep on top of costs IF YOU are planning a new build or a renovation, you need to get to grips with the ins and outs of the tendering process if you want to make sure you are on top of your costings. The tendering process or a ‘Request for Tender’ (RFT) is a structured invitation where you, the home owner, invite building companies to give you a detailed quotation or cost estimate for a building job based on your plans and requirements which you have previously drawn up. It is imperative that before you enter into the RFT process that you are decided and happy with your plans as all costings will be based on your plans and design requirements. The plan is the crucial part and it is vitally important that your budget is defined up front and that you match your design to your budget. Bearing this in mind, there are three key steps to a successful plan.
Design the area K now your access points, be aware of
where you may need to relocate services and plumbing as that will have an impact on cost.
Planning Get plan drawn up by a professional. This should be well drafted, legible and logical, realistic in its design and matching your budget. Specifics Your plan needs to be specified; the required materials from glazing, to kitchen cabinets, to light switches and sockets need to be defined up front and in detail. Once your specifications are complete, you will send it out to the builders you have selected, who will then price as per your specifications. You will be getting quotations from several sources so it’s important that all involved have the same information. Quality specification is crucial if you want an accurate tender. Make sure you are 100% satisfied that what you need is on the costings the builders bring you back and that it
Making your house a home with renovations needs close management
matches your specifications. If the documentation doesn’t match, you may find yourself in a situation where an element of the build may be removed from the project (as it wasn’t on the list the builder brought back) or, it could be added in later at an extra cost. Once prices come in, you must then meet your builder. You could be entering into a three-
of four-month project and the building team will be onsite daily. You must be able to communicate with them. Once you are close to making a decision, you need to go and look at prior work and talk to old customers. But don’t let positive feedback sway you into making a decision. The quality of previous work will hopefully speak for itself. When you come to the
contracts stage (don’t attempt any work without contracts) ensure the fees for the Certificate of Compliance are included as part of the costings, as you will need this to sign off the completed build. To get in touch with HSLC visit us online at www.hslc.ie or call Gerhard on Ph: 087 7749470 email: info@ hslc.ie
.com
www.
It’s a rainbow: B&Q brighten up summer gardens
All of your latest local news, sport, features and pictures are now just a click away
20 GAZETTE 19 July 2012
GazetteMOTORS MOTORS RoadSigns Road Signs Dublin comes sixth in congested list MOBILE navigation giants TomTom have launched the first quarterly congestion index that accurately identifies and analyses traffic congestion in major cities across Europe. The report, initially covering 31 cities, finds Warsaw to be the most congested city in Europe with a 42% congestion level. Our own fair city of Dublin was found to be sixth. On average, journey times in Dublin are 30% longer than when traffic in the city is flowing freely and 70% longer during morning rush hour. This is a significant rise in traffic congestion in Dublin from last year when Dublin was the 24th most congested city with a 24.2% congestion level. The TomTom Congestion Index, including individual city reports, can be found at www.tomtom.com/ congestionindex. The TomTom Congestion Index is the world’s most accurate barometer of congestion in urban areas. The index is uniquely based on real travel time data captured by vehicles driving the entire road network. TomTom’s traffic database contains over five trillion data measurements and is growing by five billion measurements every day. The overall congestion level for all the cities analysed in Europe is 24% - meaning journey times take 24% longer than when traffic is flowing freely. The top 10 most congested cities, ranked by overall congestion level, between January and March 2012 were: 1. Warsaw, 42% congestion level. 2. Marseille, 41%. 3. Rome, 34%. 4. Brussels, 34%. 5. Paris, 32%. 6. Dublin, 30%. 7. Bradford – Leeds, 28%. 8. London, 27%. 9. Stockholm, 27%. 10. Hamburg, 27%.
VW offers €500 to new customers VOLKSWAGEN Ireland cannot guarantee sunshine this summer, but it can guarantee savings, providing every newVolkswagen customer with a welcome cheque for €500. This could be described as the perfect antidote to the poor Irish summer weather, customers who purchase a newVolkswagen will not only receive €500, they will also get free car insurance and road tax for 12 months. With Volkswagen’s innovative financial packages provided by Volkswagen Bank, customers can avail of some of the cheapest ways into a new car in the Irish market. Examples of this include the ever-popular Polo for just €149 per month, the Golf or Jetta from just €199 per month and the Passat from just €299 per month. So don’t hang about! Get down to your local Volkswagen retailer, log on to www.volkswagen. ie or check out our Facebook page on www. facebook.com/VolkswagenIRL.
The offer for Citigo includes three years of servicing
Skoda enters small car market with flair THE increasingly popular car manufacturer, Skoda, has launched a brand new entrant to the small car market. Retailing from just €9,995, the Citigo is available for test drive at Skoda dealerships nationwide. Having attended the official European launch earlier this year, the Gazette will be featuring a full Irish road test in the coming weeks. The Citigo is available in three and five-door alternatives with two petrol engine options including 1.0-litre 60bhp and 75bhp power units with fuel economy from 4.5l/100km. VRT and road tax falls into Band-A thanks to emissions of just 105g/ km. With ESP (electronic stability program) and side head thorax airbags fitted as standard the new Citigo is one of the safest cars in its class achieving a five-star rating from the EuroNCAP.
Marking Skoda’s entry into the small car market, Skoda Ireland has created an attractive finance option for Citigo called PCP Solutions. This package provides customers with an attractive 1.99% APR over three years which also includes three years servicing, warranty and roadside assist from €99 per month. Manual transmissions are the norm in this segment. However Skoda are confident they can grow sales with their new automatic transmission. For just €750, customers can avail of their new ASG five-speed automatic transmission that also has the benefit of sequential gear changing. Satellite navigation is also rare in this segment but all Citigo models come equipped with a mobile-sat-nav docking station as standard to which Skoda’s optional mobile navigation system (€349) can connect. This system also pro-
vides BlueTooth hands free and mp3 play back functionality for increased safety and comfort. Commenting on the launch, Raymond Leddy, head of marketing, Skoda Ireland, said: “The Citigo has already won several motoring awards across Europe and is really going to shake up the small car market here in Ireland. “From a financial perspective the Citigo ticks all the boxes. Customers can avail of our PCP Solutions plan with an incredibly low APR combined with monthly repayments of €99 inclusive of servicing over three years. For
further peace of mind we have three years warranty and roadside assist.” Leddy expanded: “The Citigo will appeal to a wide range of motorists from the family looking for a viable second car to the more mature motorist seeking a small car with comfort and efficiency to the first-time buyer who is looking for new car technology at an affordable price. We are also forecasting demand with Ireland’s lowest priced automatic car - the Citigo 1.0MPI 60bhp ASG from just €10,745.” The offer for Citigo includes three years’ serv-
icing in the €99 monthly cost. Based on Citigo 1.0MPI Active model RRP including delivery is €10,595. The customer pays deposit/part exchange of €3,245,23, followed by 36 monthly instalments of €99 (€88.01 Solutions PCP payment and €10.99 for the interest free provision of three years’ servicing), an optional final payment (GMFV) of €4,197.90 is at the end of the contract and may be dealt with using one of the three options below. The minimum deposit / part exchange for Citigo PCP Solutions is 10%.
19 July 2012 GAZETTE 21
Edited by Cormac Curtis
RoadSigns Road Signs Fiat 500 – wake up and smell the coffee
The car clearly follows Kia’s latest design direction, but it stands out with a bold, athletic and sporty appeal
Kia hits the spot with sporty Optima CORMAC CURTIS
KIA motors certainly enjoyed a good start to 2012 when the Kia Rio scooped the Irish Continental Car of the Year award, as voted by the Irish Motoring Writers Association. The company are certainly not resting on their laurels, as the new Optima has been launched to the Irish market in recent weeks, and it is already grabbing attention. The design team, headed up by Kia’s chief design officer, Peter Schreyer, have clearly been given a clear vision, and some artistic latitude, to come up with this new look. The car clearly follows Kia’s latest design direction, but it stands out with a bold, athletic and sporty appeal. Kia claim to have been striving for a “unique exterior with a driver-oriented interior”, and, from my point of view, they have hit the nail firmly on the head. The Optima is longer, lower and wider with an extended wheelbase com-
SPECS: KIA OPTIMA 1.7-LITRE / 136 PS DIESEL
Type speed: DOHC, four-cylinder in line, 16-valve with single VGT Capacity: 1.7-litres, 1,685 cc Max power: 136 ps (100 kW) @ 4,000 rpm PMax torque: 325 Nm (33.1 kg.m) @ 2,000 rpm
pared to previous D-segment offerings from Kia, all of which contribute to its sporty appeal. From the front, the swept-back approach to the design of the lighting clusters and grille give the car that desirable “moving while standing still” appearance - it really does stand out. The new model is available with a 1.7-litre turbo diesel, which is expected to account for the majority of sales in Europe. The other option is a 2.0-litre 170 ps petrol engine. The diesel unit offered is a new 1.7-litre version of Kia’s popular U2 engine. It produces 136 ps and 325 Nm of torque
at 2,000 rpm for excellent driveability, and delivers best-in-class performance for an engine of its displacement. A number of measures designed to enhance engine efficiency, including fitting an overrunning alternator decoupler and an innovative battery management system, also mean that Kia Optima will have low tailpipe emissions – producing just 133 g/km CO2. Drivers keen to reduce the environmental impact of their car even further can select Kia’s optional EcoDynamics pack, with an ISG start/stop system that automatically switches off and restarts the engine in heavy traffic conditions. Fitted with EcoDynamics, Kia Optima is able to deliver a remarkable CO2 output of just 128 g/km, placing it among the lower vehicle tax bands in most European countries. The 2.0-litre petrol engine is an all-new unit. Called ‘Nu’, the 1,999 cc all-aluminium lightweight engine will also offer best-
in-class performance and competitive fuel economy. The Kia Optima will be offered to buyers with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions – whatever the engine customers specify – providing greater refinement and efficiency while cruising at higher speeds. The automatic model I tested was a joy, I can’t recommend automatic transmissions highly enough, even for fans of sporty driving, don’t be put off. One of my favourite features of the car was the reversing camera. In the Optima, the reverse view appears in the rear-view mirror when the reverse gear is selected, leaving the dashboard and centre console free of any large screens – a big plus in my opinion. The Kia Optima is fitted with generous levels of specification as standard, and buyers will also be offered a number of optional high-tech features typically found on vehicles from more
e x p e n s i ve p r e m i u m brands, including LED daytime running lights and dual-zone automatic climate control air-conditioning. Standard on middlegrade trim models are heated front seats, with cooling (air ventilation) for the driver’s seat. The new Optima features an all-new body shell incorporating a large percentage of ultra high-tensile steel and advanced structural engineering techniques that have proven their safety performance in numerous Kia models – enabling them to achieve a five-star safety rating in Euro NCAP crash tests. Every Optima comes with a four-wheel disc braking system supported by ABS (anti-lock braking), ESC (electronic stability control) and VSM (vehicle stability management) systems as standard. This senses when the driver is making an emergency stop and flashes with brake lights to warn following drivers.
AFTER five years and 800,000 sales, the FIAT 500 has welcomed a new sibling: The FIAT 500L! Combining the iconic style of the FIAT 500 with the functionality of an MPV, the new FIAT 500L occupies its own unique niche combining the best attributes of the B and C segments in a funky and innovative package. Yes, this car has bucket loads of useful space; yes, this car has more gadgets than a PC World catalogue; yes, this car has a bewildering level of safety equipment and choice of engines, but what really sets it apart is the coffee machine! You heard me right. The new Fiat 500L boasts an exclusive collaboration with legendary coffee machine producers Lavazza that will make it the first production car in the world to offer a fullyintegrated espresso machine. Make sure to spring for a leather interior, those coffee stains can be murder to get out of fabric!
The new Fiat 500L is loaded with gadgets
OPEL ASTRA GTC GETS A RED DOT: A FEW months back, the Gazette fell head over heels in love with the sexy new Opel Astra GTC, a car that was a lot closer to the concept drawings than most. It would seem we’re not alone in our affections for this classy motor, as the car has been given the prestigious “red dot design award” by a panel of international judges in this year’s product design category. The compact coupe is widely recognised for being sporty, efficient and packed full of innovative technologies with captivating design. The 30 judges on the red dot award
panel praised the Astra GTC for “scoring points with its striking and sporty design”. The judges also remarked that the “panoramic windscreen that stretches all the way to the middle of the roof without a transverse spar ensures that all passengers benefit from maximum driving fun”. According to Mark Adams, vice president of Opel/ Vauxhall Design: “We are very proud to have won this award. This is further proof that our Opel design philosophy of ‘sculptural artistry meets German precision’ has enormous potential.
22 GAZETTE 19 July 2012
GazetteTTRAVEL FastTravel Copenhagen delighted us with its truly great Danes GoHop.ie has some terrific summer deals, with Malta proving popular for a great getaway
Hop on over to Malta or Tenerife with website’s great family deals
IF YOU’RE still undecided about your plans for getting away with your family this summer, GoHop.ie is fast becoming one of Ireland’s leading online travel companies, and is the ideal site for some last-minute summer holiday shopping. Travel to Malta on Thursday, July 26, and stay at the three-star Hotel Euro Club for seven nights from €2,052. Prices are based on two adults and two children on a B&B basis, and includes return flights from Dublin, taxes and charges. Alternatively, you could travel to Tenerife on Thursday, August 16, and stay at the three-star Vime Callao Garden on a self-catering basis for seven nights, from €1,464. The price is also based on two adults and two children, and includes flights from Shannon Airport, taxes and charges. GoHop.ie offer some of the lowest fares on all airlines out of Ireland. For further information on these and other holidays, or to make a booking, see vwww.gohop.ie.
Thomas Cook invites you to stay at an award-winning three-star hotel in sun-kissed Lanzarote PUERTO del Carmen has long been a hot spot for sun-seekers venturing from Ireland to Lanzarote, with the Montana Club a mainstay for visitors returning to the sun-kissed island. With the three-star hotel recently picking up a prestigious award from TripAdvisor, based on a host of positive feedback from guests, Thomas Cook Ireland is celebrating by offering some special summer packages departing from both Dublin and Shannon. Situated in well-kept grounds in a quiet street away from, but within easy reach of, the hustle and bustle of the resort town centre, the Montana Club was awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 2012. Thomas Cook Ireland is offering seven nights’ self-catering from €505 per person based on two adults sharing, with flights from Dublin or Shannon departing on Saturday, August 25. For further information, call the Thomas Cook Ireland team at 01 514 0328, visit your local travel agent, or see www.thomascook.ie.
SHANE DILLON
JOINING some friends for a weekend break, I set off for Copenhagen recently with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS, www. flysas.ie) – the perfect choice to head not just to Denmark, but Scandinavia, and beyond. Settling into my business-class seat, and under the attentive care of the crew, I noted that the perfectly smooth flight to Copenhagen was a snip at under two hours – Copenhagen is a lot closer than I’d thought. Once there, a refreshing stop at the SAS lounge was a great way to momentarily adjust, count the kroner in our pockets, and set off for the hotel via the quick, driverless metro. A short walk from the city centre station, the historic Admiral Hotel (www.admiralhotel.dk) is ideally located by the water, with Tall Ships bobbing about below the rear rooms’ balconies. A vast structure with plenty of history, the Admiral was full of hallways, wood, marble and Armani models masquerading as helpful receptionists, making it a pleasant and comfortable base within strolling distance of the city’s key tourist spots. From there, a canal
cruise (www.canaltours. com) proved a leisurely way to see several key parts of the city centre, helped by our friendly guide who pointed out one fascinating structure after another in several striking neighbourhoods. That evening, exquisite dining awaited in the trendy meatpacking district, with starters at striking Fiskebaren (www. fiskebaren.dk), followed by a main course across
at home, with a pale horizon even at 3am – and we retired to Ruby (http:// rby.dk/#/0), an upmarket yet welcoming cocktail bar, and which really was a gem of a place ... Next morning, a hearty hotel breakfast was followed by my very first kayaking excursion (www.kajakole.dk). Displaying the patience of Job, our good-natured instructor guided us on what turned out to be a
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‘The world-famous Tivoli Gardens awaited, with its mix of restaurants, bars, theatres, fairground rides and so much more – no wonder thousands filled its welcoming grounds’
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the plaza at Nose2Tail (http://nose2tail.dk), followed by nipping back to Fiskebaren for dessert. Whether dining below mesmerising luminous jellyfish swirling around a glass pillar before us at Fiskebaren, or listening to a meat-loving chef’s philosophy by candlelight at Nose2Tail, we loved the restaurants’ unpretentious staff and owners – and, of course their delicious food and wine. A nightcap was called for – even though, in Copenhagen, night doesn’t truly fall as it does
lengthy trip down several canals, bays, and waterways, giving us a different perspective yet again of the lovely city. A traditional Danish lunch followed at Peder Oxe (www.pederoxe.dk), which saw local specialities presented in a novel multi-sandwich process, and served, yet again, by one of Copenhagen’s notably friendly waitresses. Walking off my delicious dessert, I strolled up The Round Tower (www.rundetaarn.dk) – an observatory tower in
the city centre built for, I heard, a fat king who didn’t want to take any any stairs on his way to look at the stars. Its fine city views took in Stroget, Europe’s longest pedestrian street, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, and which is full of leading Danish and international stores – including, I noted, brands that even London doesn’t have – making it a shopper’s delight. T he world-famous Tivoli Gardens awaited (www.tivoli.dk), with its vast, sprawling mix of restaurants, bars, theatres, fairground rides, performance spaces and so much more – no wonder thousands of Danes, and tourists, filled its welcoming grounds, even late at night. T he lights, sights and sounds of the truly enchanting gardens were set aside – briefly – for some six-star dining at NIMB Terasse (www. nimb.dk). As the sun set, the immaculate staff whirled like clockwork around us, while the food, and presentation, was as sumptuous as one could hope for. The Tivoli Gardens transform once darkness falls, as thousands of lights convert the park into a night-time wonderland – no wonder the
A lovely city-centre view city that’s full of history,
gardens stayed so full of families, even as midnight approached. Our relaxed mood lingered… a feeling which lasted all the way back to the hotel, where stars twinkled down at one tired but happy tourist at the end of his day’s busy kayaking, dining, sightseeing, shopping and singing adventures ... Next morning, we assembled for a bike tour (www.copenhagentours. dk) and, despite it being my first time on a bike in almost 20 years, it proved as easy as, well, riding a bike! So it was that, after flying in, sailing along, walking around and splashing by, my party and I were completing our exploration of Copenhagen on two wheels, past impressive castles and courtyards, through sleepy laneways and across bustling bridges, through
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 23
Edited by Natalie Burke
TravelBriefs With waterways greatly defining Copenhagen’s character and layout, a canal cruise is a perfect way to take in the wonderful city. Pictures: Shane Dillon
Lisbon’s beaches are just a step away from the Experienced and novice kayakers alike can enjoy an
city, and offer both beautiful sands and luxurious
easygoing waterline view of Copenhagen
hotels, such as the five-star Palacio, in Estoril
Concorde Travel Lisbon invites you to step over to Lisbon’s soft beaches and relaxing resorts
from The Round Tower, taking in some of the centre’s key spires and turrets, in a
Cocktails at Ruby are a great way to round off a day,
yet also has exemplary contemporary architecture and design throughout
in a city full of welcoming bars with terrific service
A delicious Danish dessert, courtesy of
Already spectacular by day, the historic
Part of the lovely waterside view from the
NIMB Terasse – one of a number of exquisite
Tivoli Gardens transform at night into a
perfectly-located Admiral Hotel
Copenhagen restaurants
luxurious wonderland for all ages to enjoy
a mud-splattered hippy kingdom – don’t ask – and on to the smart, upmarket Torvehallerne Food Market (www.torvehallernekbh.dk), providing the highest quality fare from a wide range of produce providers.
With that, we set off, back to the busy airport, back to another very welcome respite in the comfortable SAS lounge, and another wonderfully smooth, relaxing flight back to Dublin with SAS.
Ultimately, how can I sum up Copenhagen? I’d heard of great Danes before – yet how inadequate that term is, when I think of that marvellous city and her wonderful people. Now that I know first-
hand how truly charming Copenhagen is, how genuinely friendly and warm her people are, and how easily accessible Copenhagen is with SAS (not to mention affordable, with all-in SAS economy return flights from Dublin
being surprisingly cheap), I will definitely return to that elegant, welcoming city – and soon, I hope. For further information on Copenhagen’s many attractions, as well as on Denmark, see www.visitdenmark.com.
WHETHER it is pure leisure, business, golf, sun, sea or water sports that you’re seeking this summer, the sandy beaches and trendy resorts of the lovely Lisbon coast have it all. Just a step away from the beautiful cosmopolitan city of Lisbon, the popular resorts of Estoril and Cascais enjoy the generous privileges of both the sun-kissed Riviera and the nearby white, soft, sandy beaches. Estoril’s history features World War II memories of international spies, royal exiles and celebrities of all kinds, while Cascais, the trendier of the two resorts, boasts an active cultural scene. To help get you there this summer, Concorde Travel are offering some great deals on holidays to Lisbon, starting at €549 per person (PP). Departing on July 26, spend seven nights on a B&B basis at the three-star SANA Estoril for €599 PP; the four-star Vila Gale, in Estoril, for €599PP; the four-star Vila Gale, in Cascais, for €649PP; the four-star Pestana, in Cascais, for €699PP; the five-star Quinta Da Marinha Hotel, in Cascais, for €799PP or the five-star Palacio, in Estoril, for €899PP. Departing on August 14, spend seven nights on a B&B basis at the three-star SANA Estoril for €549 PP; the four-star Vila Gale, in Estoril, for €649PP; the four-star Vila Gale, in Cascais, for €699PP; the five-star Quinta Da Marinha Hotel, in Cascais, for €749PP, or the five-star Palacio, in Estoril, for €899 PP. Prices include direct flights from Dublin to Lisbon, return airport transfers, luggage allowance, the assistance of a local representative, seven nights’ accommodation at your chosen hotel on a B&B basis, and all taxes and charges. To book your holiday at Lisbon’s coast, or for further information, see www.concordetravel.ie; email info@concordetravel.ie, or telephone 01 775 9300 to speak with one of Concorde Travel’s representatives.
24 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 19 July 2012
GazetteENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT
GoingOUT THE PAVILION THEATRE 01 231 2929 Altan
“...SIMPLY the most captivating, resonant and beautiful music...” says Mojo magazine. The Boston Globe has described them as “The hottest group in the Celtic realm!” With that kind of buzz, it is no wonder that Altan have toured all over the USA and Europe. No Irish traditional band in the last dozen years has had a wider impact on audiences and music lovers throughout the world than Altan. For one very special show only on July 17 at 8.30pm, Altan will play Dun Laoghaire. Tickets are priced at €22/20.
MILL THEATRE 01 296 9340 Auditions, Zoe’s Auditions
AN HILARIOUSLY touching tale of lovable Zoe, an aspiring actress who dreams of landing an acting job. Her over-thehill agent sends her on an assortment of auditions ranging from Hamlet to being shot out of a cannon for a touring circus. Wildly enthusiastic and eager to please, Zoe is prone to a series of mishaps and misadventures that lead casting directors to shout “NEXT!!” Just as she is ready to give up, Zoe falls asleep at her job working backstage on a production of “A Christmas Carol”. She is visited by three audacious ghosts with startling wisdom for her. July 26-28 at 8pm. Admission: €18/15.
CIVIC THEATRE 01 462 7477 Much Ado About Nothing
AFTER the success of last year’s production of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, AC Productions return with another one of Shakespeare’s classic comedies, transposed to 1960’s Italy where wit is as sharp as the fashion. Cupid has his work cut out for him as reluctant lovers, Beatrice and Benedict, exchange words. In the Bard’s tale of barbed words and sparkling wit, the path of true love certainly doesn’t run smoothly. The show runs for two nights, on August 10 and 11 at 8.15pm. Admission €10.
DRAIOCHT 01 885 2622 The Connect Club 2012
THIS July, Draíocht is delighted to be back working with the Daughters of Charity’s Summer Camp, The Connect Club in Laurel Lodge. The summer camp is filled with social and recreational activities catering for young people with varying degrees of intellectual disability, with the aim of providing an outlet that is fun and focused on the individual’s likes and interests. For more, see www.draiocht.ie
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While Jason (Adam Scott) and Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt) glide through parenthood, Leslie (Maya Rudolph) and Alex (Chris O’Dowd) struggle.
How to make friends Good looking, rich people have problems too, you know. They’re just a little different from yours or mine... I PAUL HOSFORD
PARENTHOOD is a tricky subject to broach in film these days. What with the breastfeedexperts, the bre ing debates and the difficulty pitching a film about kids to people can be a with kids, it ca minefield. Think back over the o the last decade and a standout movie in the Knocked Up, genre is Knock which focused more on the journey to having a kid than the effects of the birth. Step forward Friends With Kids , the new movie from Jennifer Westfeldt. Unless you particularly remember 2001’s Kissing Jessica Stein, Westfeldt is recognisable only from a number of stints on TV shows such as 24 and Grey’s Anatomy. Oh, she also happens to be the long-term girl-
FILM OF THE WEEK: Friends with Kids ### (15) 107 mins Director: Jennifer Westfeldt Starring: Jennifer Westfeldt, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph, Ed Burns, Kristen Wiig, Megan Fox, Chris O’Dowd, Jon Hamm
OUR VERDICT:
A decent look at what parenthood can do to a relationship, but it can border on smug as the know-it-all lead characters settle into their routine. Soon, however, we see that they are as clueless as the rest of us. For everything it does well, though, it squanders a great cast, leaving Wiig, Hamm, O’Dowd and Rudolph too little to do.
friend of Jon Hamm. So, if Don Draper is your type, she is the lady standing between you and a life of happiness with the most chauvinist man on Madison Avenue. Hamm is cast in this look at three couples and brings with him three of his Bridesmaids co-stars; Kristen Wiig, M ay a R u d o l p h a n d Roscommon’s favourite son, Chris O’Dowd. In the midst of their thirties, and with time ticking, best friends Julie (Westfeldt) and Jason (Adam Scott) decide to have a child
together. The premise being that having kids has sucked the romance and happiness from their closest friends’ relationships (Wiig and Hamm, Rudolph and O’Dowd). To get the kid, they agree to sleep together and raise the child with split custody, leaving them free to pursue “The One” without any stress. Of course, this is where the complications begin. While the pair take to their odd arrangement swimmingly, much to
the chagrin of their friends, (particularly Hamm, doing a fine line in world weary married man) the quest to find love is filled with more challenges than changing dirty nappies. When Jason meets the prototype babe in Megan Fox, his life appears to be taking an upward trajectory without Julie, who discovers long-held feelings for her best friend. Of course, when Jason doesn’t feel the same, she stumbles into the arms of the utterly, implausibly perfect Ed Burns. From there, the two have to navigate their feelings for each other as well as their new beaus. The film settles, a r o u n d h a l f w ay i n , into just being another straight rom-com about upper West-side New Yorkers, who have a fairly specific set of
problems. School in Manhattan is expensive, Brooklyn is difficult to get to, Megan Fox and Ed Burns aren’t up to my standards and so on. It is essentially, the whitest movie ever made and the emotional problems just aren’t complex enough to stop the lead characters coming off as horribly smug, such as slipping in pontifications on religion when it hasn’t been mentioned anywhere previously. T he film sparkles under the group dynamic, however, with a set of six or eight talented actors and a sharp script allowing them room to shine. Unfor tunately, the Bridesmaids carriovers are left idle for too long, with even the characters remarking that they haven’t been seen in a long time. When even the script notices, that’s a problem.
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 25
GazetteGAMING GAMING Bytesandpieces
?
Check your delivery into a motel
In a near-future world where the lines between commerce, governance and policing are being shattered, who will Hollywood pick to play the complex, cybernetically-enhanced antihero of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, now that a movie adaptation is on the way?
A potential revolution I SHANE DILLON
REMEMBER the film of Super Mario Brothers, starring Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper? What about Street Fighter, starring Jean Claude Van Damme? Tomb Raider? And, of course, the ongoing Resident Evil films? I could continue down a long list of such titles but the point is, almost without exception, when Hollywood tries to make a film based on a popular computer game, or franchise, the results are
almost always ... well, dreadful. Perhaps the main problem is that the source material is generally poor, as active player interaction with a game is an entirely different experience to the passive viewer observation of a film. In short, if there isn’t an interesting story, there won’t be a good film. This leads to the latest Hollywood deal that’s been struck over a game – in this case, Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
cybernetic limbs to be faster, stronger, “better”, it doesn’t take long for such augmented people, and society, to fall into standard rich versus poor camps. Those that manufacture such augments, such as Sarif Technologies, see their power as biotechnology firms making them stronger than governments. In this brave new world of humanity fracturing into “augmented” and “natural” humans, lines of battle are being drawn
CBS Films has struck a deal to adapt the 2011 title, working closely with its developer, Eidos Montreal, to develop it, says Variety. This could turn out to be a great success – or something that wouldn’t even work on the small screen. Human Revolution is set in the near future, with major cybernetic augmentation splitting dividing societies around the world. After all, in a world where people can get
The Skyrim’s the limit for great computer game music sic AS A random aside, I’d like to point people towards the Skyrim soundtrack, which is available to buy from a variety of online sources (and which can be heard on YouTube playlists). I could fill half The Gazette with computer game soundtrack reviews and features, as I’ve been following this type of music for almost 20 years, much
of which can be superb (and much, dross, in common with TV and cinema scores). There are lots of extremely skilled composers, orchestras and musicans working away in this genre, which regularly attracts all manner of Oscar- and Grammy-winning composers and artists, yet which few music-lovers, or reviewers, have any
great interest in, Skyrim sees the player wandering a vast pseudomedieval land, not unlike the Lord of the Rings setting, but with a stronger Nordic influence, while a dramatic storyline plays out. As such, the soundtrack encompasses many themes, with the subtle use choirs adding to a richly orchestral, sweeping score.
So, for those looking to explore some of gaming’s ancillary offshoots, why not take a look at – or, rather, listen to – Jeremy Soule’s excellent soundtrack?
up, with governments, corporations and terrorists all blurring the lines of power, and between what’s right and wrong. And it’s this noir-ish, cyberpunk world that the player, as Adam Jensen, is plunged into, following conspiracies within conspiracies, trying to uncover truths that may not be for humanity’s best … Clive Owen? Mark Wahlberg? Hell, Eddie Murphy? Who do you think will eventually turn out as the best (or chosen) actor to encapsulate this game’s complex antihero, not to mention the world of cyberterrorism, corrupted ethics, globalisation and absolute corruption? Well, if the filmmakers can successfully pull it off – and, don’t forget, such futuristic high-tech films never go out of vogue, as the imminent Total Recall remake shows – it could be great. A truly great film, based on a computer game? Now that would be a revolution ...
THIS service has dropped into my inbox with perfect timing, as I’ve just moved into a subdivided house that’s not very parcel-delivery-friendly or secure – so, this sounds like a great idea! This will feel like an instantly familiar scenario for many – you’ve just bought something online, but aren’t sure where to have your parcel sent for delivery, as it may not be convenient for you to collect at work or at home (while for some, like me, living in a subdivided house may make postal security a worry). The Parcel Motel could be a perfect solution to this problem. By setting up an account with www.parcelmotel.com (and, yes, there’s a cost for the service) users , shoppers – can then direct their parcel’s delivery to their own nearby Parcel Motel unit for collection. A text message containing a unique code is then sent to the user, who then simply heads to their chosen unit, enters their code, and retrieves their parcel. Run by Nightline, which has 20 year’s experience in parcel delivery, another neat aspect is that online purchases from Britain – which are normally free, there, but incur delivery charges, here – can be sent to Nightline’s Belfast address, and then redirected on to units, here. This sounds like one motel that many readers could want to check into ...
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TREBLE OLYMPIAN: Eoin Rheinisch talks about his battle to qualify for London Page 29
COMPETITION: WIN A PLACE AT THE DUBLIN LADIES GAELIC ‘GIRLS ONLY’ SUMMER CAMP
Ladies Gaelic set up unique new summer camps
sport@gazettegroup.com
DUBLIN Ladies Gaelic Football Association are offering a unique new form of summer camp as they are set to host two weeks of girls’ only camps. Coaching will be carried out by, among others, AllIreland winners Colleen Barrett, Lyndsay Peat, Sinead Goldrick, Sinead Deegan and Cliodhna O’Connor while there will also be a number of coaches from the Dublin
B side which recently won the Aisling McGing Cup. The camps will run for two weeks (Monday to Friday 10am-2pm) and take place in Clannna Gael GAA Club in Ringsend. The first gets underway on July 30 while week two starts on August 20. For eight to 12-year-olds, the price is €60 while for 13 to 16-year-olds, it is €70. And Cliodhna O’Connor, urban programme officer for ladies’ football, says it offers
something new for girls. “The idea is that some girls prefer to play in this kind of environment. The 13 to 16-year-old age group is especially a key group as it is when girls tend not to play with boys. They can fall out of sport and there are not a lot of camps available to them.” The camps are available to all age groups and will provide specific skills for ladies gaelic football. They will also offer education on lifestyle to encourage players to have the con-
The latest ladies football initiative offers girls from across the city a new summer camp option Picture: GAApics.com
fidence to get out and try playing all types of sport. All 20 camp coaches were together in Clann na Gael Club only last week to prepare for the two weeks in August. Their priority is to provide qual-
ity football coaching and education about how to live a healthier life style all when letting the young ladies footballers of Dublin have a bit of fun. And the DLGFA, in association with Gazette-
Sport, is offering you the chance to win two places at the camp of your choice. Answer this simple question: In what year did the Dublin ladies most
recently win the AllIreland senior football championship? Email your answer and contact details to dublinladiessummercamps@ gmail.com.
28 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 19 July 2012
GazetteSport Sport FastSport
RUGBY: YOUNG GUN HUNGRY AFTER HEINEKEN CUP FINAL CAMEO
Olympian Jennings launches local 5k THIS year’s Rathfarnham 5k Run in aid of St Luke’s Hospital, Rathgar was launched recently in Bushy Park by Olympic-bound Caitriona Jennings and the Rathfarnham Ladies team. Club member Jennings, pictured, has been selected for the marathon at the London Games on August 5 and has been a regular entrant in the race in the past. Entries are now open at www.athleticsrathfarnham.ie. The race is on Sunday, September 23 around the streets of Rathfarnham and Terenure and is being sponsored by Energie Fitness Gym in Rathfarnham. More than 1,000 people are expected for this run and fun runners and walkers are welcome. The first 800 finishers will receive a high quality technical training top and there will be a goody bag for all. All this for just €20, so enter today and set your 5k personal best time at Rathfarnham. The club’s coaching manager Adam Jones has devised an 11-week training programme for this year’s run. Following the programme will ensure participants get the most out of the experience and are in the best possible shape at the start line. The schedules are divided into three phases of training: conditioning/preparation, consolidation and tapering/finishing. The first four-week phase, focusing on preparation and conditioning, is now available in the Rathfarnham AC website. Meanwhile, the club produced a number of good results at the recent Woodies national senior track and field championships, Paul Stephenson ran 33.09 to come 12th in the 10,000m final, while Johnathan Hughes ran 35.29. Louis McCarthy and Paul Fleming ran in the second heat of the 1,500m. On day two, Kevin Donagher ran 16.38 in the 5,000m.
Former De La Salle Palmerston player John Cooney signs autographs at Coolmine RFC this week Picture: Ian Fleming
Cooney eyes ‘big year’ STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@gazettegroup.com
JOHN Cooney is lining up “a big year” in blue this season as Leinster start their initial preparations for the 2012/13 season, with a memorable close to the last season fresh in the mind. He was the unlikely recipient of a Heineken Cup medal a couple of months ago in Twickenham, coming into the match day squad just an hour before the final got under way and making his debut with six minutes left on the clock. During that time, the 22-year-old scrum-half had enough time to play his part in Heineke van der Mer we’s tr y and offer a glimpse of what he can offer next term. His entry to the game was a surprise to many,
not just to his friends but to the player himself. “A few of my mates were at the game and they saw me warm-up and were wondering ‘what’s going on there?’ It was pretty special,” he told GazetteSport at Coolmine RFC where he was meeting some of the stars of the future at a Leinster Rugby summer camp. Despite waiting on tenterhooks for much of the week, Cooney said he was confident he could do a job if called upon. “It was a mad week in general. I started running on the wing with the second team on the Monday. “Both scrum halves got niggles so I had to do all the first team trainings for the week.
Isaac Boss said he felt alright on the Saturday but I was told if he couldn’t kick properly, I’d be in [for the final]. “It was only five minutes before the proper warm-up, I was told I was in. That was about an hour or 50 minutes before the game. I had been prepared anyway. I was lucky that I’d prepared the moves so I felt quite confident. I was told to be ready.
Nerves “I was more nervous before the game but, when I came on, we were 20 points up. I was happy to be involved in making a try. I got a few nice touches and was nearly in another time but [Gordon] D’Arcy dropped the ball but that happens.” Despite reported
interest from Scotland, the former De La Salle Palmerston youth player and Irish U-20s regular agreed an extension to his contract in early May, prior to the final, with the province. T hose suggestions came as a result of his father’s heritage as a Blantyre man but he says Leinster and Ireland will always come first. “I can play for Scotland if I wanted to but I want to see how things go here first. It’s always a good fall-back option but definitely not at the moment. “This will hopefully be a big year [with Leinster]. With the experience of Isaac Boss and Eoin Reddan, you always pick up a good few pointers off them. They’re real-
ly approachable and always helpful.” His emotional ties also stay close to his heart, currently with Lansdowne, but also with DLSP. “I started there at U-16s in fourth year because I wasn’t playing senior cup so I’d go down on Saturdays and Sundays. We did pretty well; I think we finished second in our league and I enjoyed it. “My brother Francis played up there. He’s finished up now but he plays the odd time at J1 and says he runs the show. With him, I put one of my U-20 jerseys up there recently. “It’s nice to still have that connection. It’s a good club and a lot of young Gonzaga [his alma mater] guys going up there now.”
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 29
Rheinisch battles white water ride Salmon Leap paddler Eoin Rheinisch fought back from three shoulder surgeries to make it to the Olympics, writes STEPHEN FINDLATER RELIEF was the overriding emotion. For Eoin Rheinisch, three and a half years worth of sacrifice, riddled by injury and illness, was all riding on the final Olympic qualifier in Augsburg, Germany in May. Only two tickets to London remained with over 30 competitors in the mix for the K1 canoe slalom, an event which the Salmon Leap man had agonisingly finished fourth in Beijing in 2008. It meant an immense pressure was on, as he explained to GazetteSport this week in his home club. “The thought of not qualifying… there was
almost more pressure on the qualifier than there will be at the Olympics in a way because the thought of not qualifying after three-and-a-half years of work would be
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‘The thought of not qualifying, after three-and-a-half years work would be like falling off a cliff for me’
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like falling off the edge of a cliff for me. “In 2010 and 2011, with illness and injury, surgeries and things like that; it was dark times for me. “You start to wonder, did I make the right
Eoin Rheinisch produced a stunning comeback from injury and illness to take one of the last two Olympic places on offer to London
decision after Beijing? To qualify in May, there were only two spots left so it was an incredible relief.” The upshot of his success in May means he
goes to London as the highest finisher to qualify directly of the contenders from Beijing. Therein shows the measure of challenge ahead of Rheinisch to compete. Over the past three years, he has been forced to spend well over 200 days abroad to pursue his dream. Ireland is the only country in Europe without an artificial white-water slalom course. Contrast with France where there are 66 courses, it shows the miraculous nature of what the Leixlip man has produced. “France and Germany are like machines with a conveyor-belt of talent - similar to what we have here with boxing. They just produce class act after class act, always with someone who is a medal prospect. “[Ireland not having a course] really is a shame. Before me, we had Ian Wiley finish fifth in Atlanta and a European
champion. To not have had a course built means we don’t have access like the French. “Ever y club there doesn’t have to move away from home and that’s why I have to be on the road over 200 days a year.” In qualifying, he continues Salmon Leap’s incredible record of 40 continuous years of Olympic qualifiers, dating back to 1972 – an event which coincidentally also took place in Augsburg – when Howard Watkins and Gerr y Collins were among the first team. The likes of Ian Pringle, Alan Carey, Peter Connors, Gary Mawer, Conor Maloney and Andrew Boland took up the baton before Rheinisch qualified for his first Games in 2004 in Athens. In 2008, a medal came tantalisingly close. Lying tenth after the semi-final, his second run on the Shunyi course catapulted him up the rankings as his rivals, one by one, failed to match his dual time. It left him still in a provisional gold medal position with four entrants still to go. While that dream was beaten by Germany’s Alexander Grimm, a medal was still in the offing until the very last paddler crossed the line, Togo’s Benjamin Boukepti edging Rheinisch out
by three seconds. The roller-coaster of emotion, becoming Ireland’s best ever finisher in canoe sports but missing out on the medal, left him unsure how to proceed. “After Beijing, I didn’t know if I was going to continue or not and see if I wanted to put all my efforts in. It is quite a large part of your life so it took until that Christmas to go again. I had my doubts in 2010 and 2011 but I’m glad I did it.” Those doubts centred on three shoulder surgeries which left him shy of fitness and made it nigh on impossible to qualify from last September’s world championships. “I just didn’t have it in me physically having missed six months from the surgery. That was a big blow because I knew it was going to come down to the wire. There were 31 people going for two spots [in Augsburg in the qualifiers]. “With the help of the Institute of Sport and the Irish Sports Council, they put a really good team around me – physios, strength and conditioning, doctors – who all talked together and it made such a difference. No injuries or illness to keep me on track. “To have a full year without any interruption allowed me to have consistent blocks of training and has made the difference to getting me back to full fitness.”
FastSport
Carberry swaps horse for Galway pedal power CHAMPION jockey Nina Carberry swapped horsepower for pedal power to join the Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the launch of the new Paddy Power Race to the Races 200km cycle challenge in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation starting on July 29. A keen cyclist, An Taoiseach was on hand to encourage participants to join the Dublin to Galway Races event for a one-day or two-day cycle by signing up to www.irishheart.ie/race2theraces . Also joining him was bookmaker Paddy Power and activity events co-ordinator with the Irish Heart Foundation Grainne Kennedy. Brand new on the Irish Heart Foundation calendar, the unique 200km cycle challenge takes place next week with the option of a one-day cycle on July 30 or two-day cycle starting on July 29 with an overnight stay in Athlone. Both options include a fully supported cycle organised by 2Wheels, baggage and bike transfers, massage on arrival and race ticket entry to the Galway Races. Fundraising targets start from €290 and money raised goes to provide vital patient information and support to thousands of heart and stroke patients nationwide. Sign up now on www. irishheart.ie/race2theraces or call Grainne on 01-6685001.
Golf course for visually impaired FINGAL County Council’s sports unit will provide a limited number of places for visually impaired persons on an eight-week course of golf lessons. Limited to six places offered on a first-come, first-served basis, the lessons are free and will take place at Dry-
nam Park Golf Range, Feltrim Road, Swords from Wednesday, August 22 between 8-9pm. Barry Power, resident golf professional at Drynam Park Golf Range will tutor, and the lessons are open for all levels. Clubs will be available at the driving range, and the course includes hiring 100 balls per night. Contact Stephen McGinn on 087 986 4611 for more info.
30 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 19 July 2012
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Castleknock’s Zak signed up by Barca JUST a few days after impressing the locals at the Castleknock Celtic summer camp, Zak Gilsenan, at only nine years old, signed for Catalan and European giants, Barcelona. The talent proclaimed as the “Irish Messi” by the Irish Sun this week, was noted by Castleknock Celtic chairman, Tony Jordan, when the youngster took part in the club’s camp last week. “Zak was so good last week that we had to reduce the number of players on his team to make it fairer for the other kids when they were playing a match,” said the dedicated chairman. Although the story of the nine-year-old signing for Barcelona seemingly came from nowhere, he had already attracted the attention of other clubs closer to home. While living in Australia with his parents, Gilsenan originally appeared to be destined for White Hart Lane, where he would join up with the academy at Tottenham Hotspur, but a tip off from a former Barcelona player who saw a virtuoso performance of young Gilsenan’s in Oz, gave his old club the heads up. He first impressed on an initial trial for Barca in May, where he was one of the 90 out of 400 selected to return to for a further trial the following month. From the 90, Gilsenan, pictured below (second from the left, front row) was selected in the top 16 who then played against each other in an exhibition match where the Castleknock schoolboy scored seven goals Gilsenan will now join up with the Barca academy, FCBEscola that produced Xavi and Iniesta and three time Ballon D’or winner, Lionel Messi.
FOOTBALL: LOCAL TRIO SET FOR CELEBRITY BAINISTEOIR
Laurel Lodge natives John, Cormac, Conor Coady and Ruairi Coady with Paddy Doherty, second from right, will compete in Celebrity Bainisteoir
Coadys date with Celebrity I sport@gazettegroup.com
LAUREL Lodge Conor, Ruairi and Cormac Coady who live in Laurel Lodge, Castleknock are all involved in the Scoil Ui Chonaill team who will represent Dublin in this year’s Celebrity Bainisteoir competition. While living in Castleknock, the brothers committed to Scoil, who are based in Clontarf, as their father John played for the club in hurling and football in the 70s and 80s. This is the second time Castleknock has had an involvement in the competition as
Glenda Gilson managed Crumlin in the first series. Last Sunday, the club were paired with Paddy D o h e r t y, w i n n e r o f Celebrity Big Brother 2011 (UK).
Winning Doherty said: “I’m a winner and I’m here to win Celebrity Bainisteoir 2012, second place is not for us.” His autobiography “Hard Knocks and Soft Spots”, was released earlier this year and talks are underway to turn it into a movie with Brad Pitt and Guy Ritchie both interested.
Celtic queens: Castleknock seek girls for new season CASTLEKNOCK Celtic are currently looking to recruit girls for the coming season. Last season, the club had a very successful year, finishing well up in the top division of the league, winning the Belles in the Meadow tournament and going unbeaten in the league in 2012. If you are interested in joining then go along to Porterstown Park on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8 or contact Hugo Boyle by e-mail on hboyle@live.ie. Players of all levels aged from eight-years-old to 17 welcome.
The first training session was held at the club grounds on Sunday. All the team are looking forward to the game against Moy Davitt’s from Mayo, who are being managed by Calum Best, which is scheduled for August 19. The training sessions are likely to be tough with Paddy showing great interest in making a winning start to the series. The coaching and management will have to stand up to close scrutiny as an audience of some 600,000 tune in to RTÉ to watch. The first programme in this
series will be transmitted on Sunday, September 2. Club chairman Declan Hoban commented: “We are delighted to welcome RTE Celebrity Bainisteoir and Paddy Doherty to Scoil Uí Chonaill.
Excitement “The excitement and build up has been great for the club with everyone getting involved to help with today’s event. “We look for ward to seeing how preparations go for the first game and are keen to show the best of Dublin in this All-Ireland com-
petition.” No Dublin club has succeeded in winning the competition having been represented by Crumlin, Ballymun and St Pat’s Donabate over the last three years. The reveal day was a great success with lots of family fun for the local community and suppor ters to enjoy with music, Irish dancing, face painting and a magician. T here was also a special visit from the Olympic torch along with Cillian Kirwan, the first torch bearer in the recent Olympic Flame ceremony.
19 July 2012 CASTLEKNOCK GAZETTE 31
CLUB NOTICEBOARD CASTLEKNOCK WELL done to Brendan and his team
Please keep sending in your match
of coaches for organising the sum-
reports and photos. All entries are
mer camp last week; we hope all of
entered into a draw to win prizes
the kids had a great time.
each month.
The club sends its deepest sym-
To subscribe to our e-newsletters
pathies to the McDonnell and Mor-
and text alerts send email address
rissey families on the death of Kevin
or number to website@castleknock.
McDonnell.
net or 087 7532030.
Congratulations to three of our
New players at all ages and lev-
U-13 hurlers who reached the Feile
els are always welcome. Just con-
handball final held in Citywest last
tact our club coach Brendan on 085
weekend.
1329397 for details or check the web-
Well done to the intermediate footballers who had a big win against
site for contact information on each mentor.
The St Brigid’s U-14 hurlers who claimed the All-Ireland Feile na nGael last week. Pictures: Chris Lynam
Garristown in Somerton, and hard
Our clubhouse appeal fund is just
Brigid’s band of brothers S
luck to the second team who lost
shy of €50,000; we are a third of the
away to Naomh Barrog over the
way there. If you would like to make
weekend.
your donation to the clubhouse
AINT Brigid’s U-14 hurlers produced a superb performance to get the better of Portlaoise 1-9 to 1-7 after extra-time in the division one Feile final in Croke Park last week. Tiernan McGlynn’s early goal
had them well on course before a last gasp Portlaoise goal forced extra time. But three later points saw them win out and record a unique hurling and football All-Ireland double for the Russell Park club.
Signs surrounding the main pitch in
appeal, please contact a member
Somerton are now on sale, for more
of the executive committee. For
information on how to get your sign
more information on the clubhouse
seen contact Charlie 085 1101008.
appeal, please log onto castleknock.
The lotto jackpot is €3800 with the next draw in Myo’s on July 12.
net/fundraising or call Pearse on 0862478961.
ST BRIGID’S SAINT Brigid’s summer camps for
ers while our inter one footballers
boys and girls between five and 12
drew both of their league games
run this week; limited spaces are
last week.
still available. The cost is €60 and
Two full rounds of adult league
includes a free pair of St Brigid’s
hurling for our senior and junior
football boots.
hurlers this week, fixtures on web-
The second summer camp, the GAA
The inter hurlers are not in action
while our special nursery summer
due to championship back match-
camp for children between four and
es.
seven run from August 21 to 24. DisGAA President Liam O’Neill presents the trophy
site.
Cul camp, run from August 13 to 17
counts available for families. Contact Paul on 087 9154748 for more info.
Well done to our U-15 football team who won the Gerard Canavan tournament last week. The club lotto jackpot is €10,200
Well done to Colleen Barrett, Ail-
and takes place on Thursday in the
ish McKenna and the Dublin senior
Roselawn Inn. The club lotto can
ladies on their Leinster final win
also now be played online.
over Meath. Great league wins for our seniors, inter two and junior B football-
Want to see your team on the club website? Email your reports and photos to info@stbrigidsgaa.com.
ST PEREGRINE’S Cillian Molloy dives to put in a brilliant block
THE summer camp started this week,
the Leinster finals this Sunday, first
David Hawkshaw on the charge after making a
we hope everyone has a ball. Best of
an hour before the minor game and
powerful interception
luck to Eric Lowndes and the Dublin
the second one an hour before the
minor footballers who take on Meath
senior game. Prices are €4 for adults
this Sunday.
and €2 for kid’s return. Tickets for
Big game for our adult hurlers this
the Leinster final can be collected in
Wednesday against St Vincent’s
the clubhouse from Mary from 9pm.
in the championship at home at 7.15pm. The club lotto was not won. Num-
vouchers are now available; details
bers drawn were 2, 7, 16 and 18. Next
and contacts on the club website
week’s jackpot is €2,400.
CNP.ie Follow us on Twitter @per-
There will be two buses running to
Celebrations begin in earnest on the final whistle
The St Brigid’s management team
Our entertainment this Saturday night is from “Desire”. Club shop
egrinesgaa.
Follow GazetteSport on Facebook and Twitter and online at www.gazettegroup.com
ALL OF YOUR CASTLEKNOCK SPORTS COVERAGE FROM PAGE 27-31
JULY 19, 2012
CELEBRITY STATUS: Laurel
PADDLING FREE: Rheinisch back for Lodge trio set for television debuts P30 third Olympics P29
GazetteSPORT
St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh man Alan Brogan is aiming to continue his amazing record in Leinster finals
Meath revenge bid for Dubs’ Brogan Reigning player of the year Alan Brogan has his sights set on an eighth Leinster senior title STEPHEN FINDLATER
castleknocksport@gazettegroup.com
REIGNING player of the year Alan Brogan says Dublin’s last encounter against Meath in the Leinster senior football championship served as “a watershed” moment in the evolution of Pat Gilroy’s side. A five-goal mauling in Croke Park in the 2010 semi-final was the only defeat the skyblues have suffered in the past seven years in the provincial competition but the Plunkett’s man says the lessons learned that day will have a big bearing on Sunday. It is the first time Dublin will meet the Royals during his decade-long career with the Dubs in a final but he is confident an eighth provincial can be annexed despite the tightknit history of the sides. “Yeah, it is strange that I’d never played Meath in a Leinster final “We’ve obviously played them in Leinster semi-finals, Leinster quarter-finals and those
games have been just as big and just as intense as what I expect on Sunday. “Bar the game two years ago where they got the five goals against us, they’ve all been fairly close, very intense affairs, and I expect no different on Sunday,” he said on Monday at the final pre-game press conference. “You just can’t afford to concede five goals in a game or concede the scores that Kerry got against us.
Watershed “It probably was a watershed for us in that thankfully, it hasn’t happened too often since, where we’ve had to ship losses like that.” Looking back on that day, he says it shows the danger that lies within the Meath side when many had expected Kildare to be the side to emerge from the other half of the draw. “I think that Meath game was a freak result. In fairness, some of the forwards they have are very talented — the likes of Joe Sheridan and Cian Ward.
“They have that in their armoury if you give them the space to do it. But some of the goals that they scored, even though they got through on us, some of the goals were serious finishes. In saying that, if you let them through that’s what they’re capable of doing. “Meath are probably the one team in Leinster who have pushed us really close. They’re the only team that have beaten us in Leinster since 2005, I think. “So that in itself says something. They certainly won’t have any fear coming into it. “They’ve always been a different beast in the championship. I think they showed that against Kildare. “They certainly won’t fear us, even though we’ve a 100 per cent record in Leinster finals. They are probably the one team in Leinster who have pushed us really close — and managed to beat us over the years. “But I’d like to think we’ve come on a bit since then and that something like that wouldn’t happen us again.”